Key West, FL

I was lucky enough to find a really cheap ticket to Miami so my best friend and I decided to drive down to Key West for a relaxing weekend. And that is exactly what we did, RELAX. I think this was the first trip where there was nothing on the agenda besides which beach will we lay on and where will we eat! 

The drive down from Miami is about 3 hours and is absolutely beautiful after the one and a half hour mark. The Gulf of Mexico surrounds you as you wind down to the tiny island. We were lucky enough to do it during sunset so it made it even better. Once we arrived, we quickly changed and went straight to the water for a quick spliff. Luckily, you can choose from the Atlantic ocean or the Gulf because each is only about a 20 min walk away from the other. We had the Atlantic in our backyard.

Duval street, which is really the main strip, is filled with bars, restaurants, and everybody really! I really think this city is the Cancun for the older crowd. We saw way too many old men trying to pick up younger chicks and loud drunken moms on the floor. Duval Street is also home to what probably became a daily gluttonous treat for us- Flamingo Crossing, delicious homemade ice cream served in massive portions and some even with alcohol! This is also where we enjoyed amazing scallops at Nine One Five. They were so good that after we finished our dinner we seriously contemplated having another plate! 

Next were the beaches where we thoroughly enjoyed the sun after experiencing a prolonged winter in NYC. Though, the white sand beaches were a bit rocky, they were still beautiful and peaceful. We were there everyday for as long as we could possibly be without our skin peeling. Since the island is so small, we opted to rent bicycles to get around and there was something really tranquil about it. Initially, I was scared that I was going to fall or get run over but the locals are use to bike traffic and nothing of the sort happened.

We did encounter one not so racially tolerant woman but besides her, the southernmost point in America was definitely very good to us. It was exactly what we needed and although didn't let us detox our bodies, we definitely left rejuvenated.

Courageous Children

I am known to have an affinity for the sad things in life. I know the news is always filled with depressing stories but I seem to have a gift of finding the worst of the worst and passing it on to others. And so here is one for you all. 

I recently watched a documentary called, “Which way home” and wasn’t really sure what it was about but figured it wouldn't be that melancholic. It ended up being horribly eye opening! Cammisa takes us on a journey north which should ideally end in the land of the free but rarely ever does. Nothing too earth shattering about that since millions of immigrants try to enter the United States illegally. But we always associate this journey with adults, not children! Turns out thousands of children try to cross over illegally and ALONE. Some do so to find their parents while others hope to find work so they can send money back home. Some of these kids are as young as 9! I can’t imagine a 9 yr old from the States trying to travel for a month alone with all the perils of the journey continuously in front of them. Kids here couldn't even fathom that.

It really got to me because these kids grow up so fast during this journey, faster than than they would have to at home even under the poor conditions. They have to witness accidental deaths, murders, rapes, muggings, defeat and all without any family or friend in sight. This is not something a child should be witnessing, let alone be experiencing!

What makes it worse is that they genuinely believe things are amazing in America. They will sneak in and find adoptive parents or jobs or reconnect with their parents and their lives will be set. Little do they know that things are never that simple. If some do make it in, they get caught practically right away at the border and are then placed in detention centers until they can be deported back. After all this, some attempt it all over again. 

I admire their strength, courage and determination to reach their dream. But hope that the number that attempt this do decrease rather than increase each year.

Washington D.C

I love this city because of its balance of history, sights and city life. There is so much to do and experience that being there never gets old. There are two things that are synonymous with DC for me- Amsterdam Falafel House and Lincoln. I know I know. Lincoln is from Illinois but the Lincoln memorial always leaves me in awe. Seeing his handsome statue is something I must do and so we visited at 2am after my arrival! There was no one there and his statue was just beaming through the pillars. And the falafel doesn't need an introduction, you can just look at the picture and understand.

 I decided to visit during the famous Cherry Blossom festival and fell in love all over again. Almost every neighborhood had cherry blossoms blooming and the sunny weather was great for exploration. Walking around the tidal basin required some patience because of the massive amount of visitors, their dogs and bikes. When you are ready to escape the crowd, nearby is a fresh seafood market where you can get delicious crab cakes, all types of fish and pies! The festival lasts about two weeks and there are loads of different activities planned.

Another great thing about DC is the vast variety of museums on the mall you can visit for free. Depending on your interests, you can have a weekend just for museums. Since I have been a few times already, this trip focused more on neighborhood exploration. But a few great museums would be the Natural History, Air and Space, and the Modern Art. If your trip includes some weekdays, you can also do tours of the White House, Congress and Supreme court. My exploration included a visit to Eastern Market, a quaint neighborhood with a flea market, fresh foods of all kinds and loads of nice coffee shops.

As for the nightlife, it isnt as extensive as New York's but has three distinct neighborhoods- Adam's Morgan, Dupont Circle and Georgetown. Each has its own vibe depending on what you want. Food also varies from massive pizza slices in adam's morgan to highend dining on the harbor but some great finds include Ben's Chili bowl, delicious Ethiopian and of course falafel.

Can't wait to be back!

Waiting on the world..

I have been meaning to write and something or the other has always come up and can't believe it is already mid March! These past few weeks have been all about going after what I want despite the odds. Remembering to stay motivated despite all the reasons not to.. Fear should not prevent anyone from pursuing their passion. With everything that is happening in the world, it is just a reminder that life is too short to live passively, for someone else, or without meaning. But yet so many people live their lives like robots, forgetting to take the time out to enjoy their life or even having reasons for why they have the checklists that they do.

My heart is aching for the people of Japan and Libya and I just don't understand those that are buying Charlie Sheen tours with their money when they could be helping someone that desperately needs it. Sometimes I wonder, how do we all end up so different even though we are created the same way. Compassion seems to be dying along with the need to help. Most people are out for themselves and have become desensitized to the problems of the world. Fair enough, everyone has their own shit to deal with but even empathy seems to be disappearing.

I guess what I thought to be an innate feeling, really isn't and that is just depressing me. I know it shouldn't but I expect more from people. Always remembering the good with so much bad is tough sometimes.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oBIxScJ5rlY

New York City

The big apple, New Amsterdam, the city that never sleeps- all names that are associated with this great city. Once the capital of America, it is a regular on top 10 lists and an obvious tourist magnet. Besides possessing  iconic buildings like the Empire State and Chrysler building, it is home to a diverse range of cultures, food, art, street fairs and parks. There are also loads of fun facts about it. One of my favorite neighborhoods, Battery Park City, is entirely man made using a a process called land reclamation because Manhattan needed more land!

A typical tourist itinerary includes a visit to the Times Square, Empire State, Rockefeller Center, the Financial District, site of the Twin Towers, Statue of Liberty, the Met, the Brooklyn Bridge and Central Park. And that is all just Manhattan! But there are so many other gems that we New Yorkers are still discovering and so it makes it nearly impossible to see NYC in a week let alone a weekend.

I wanted to highlight some not so obvious sights that I have come across while discovering my city. When I tried to say goodbye to New York before heading to the UK, Z and I planned a tourist day and this was our first stop. There is a piece of Berlin wall hidden away in the midtown and the graffiti is def worth a second look. Although, it isn’t worth a special trip, it is a cool find and can be enjoyed with a plate of lamb and rice from the nearby award winning cart guy.

During another outing, we decided to finally visit Ellis Island and absolutely loved it and everything inside. It was amazing to be there and to know that this was the first place immigrants use to pass thru before entering the Island. They have an archive there that allows you to search for your own ancestors and thus making the experience more personal. There also rooms filled with things people came with and it was interesting to see what were considered prized possessions at the time.  

There are also many activities that can just be enjoyed like the High line, movie nights under the stars and Shakespeare in the park. Then there are other treasures like Williamsburg, MoMa, and the Tenement museum. And of course food here deserves its very own list!  I try to make an effort to continue to see new things and know the list will never run out!

Reflection

My 26th birthday is fast approaching and it has made me think about how fantastic my 25th year has been to me. Traveling wise, it was definitely a record year as I was able to travel to 13 countries and 45 cities, some old and some new. And I can officially say that I now need a break from visiting castles. I know. I had at least one trip planned for each month of the year and that is a stark difference from this year. I got nothing.

Besides exploring, I graduated and earned a Master's in something I am very passionate about- International Development. Development brings out the fire in me and am glad I decided impulsively to go back to school to further educate myself on the field. Not only did I learn more but I also gained an international family of friends. I miss them daily and am looking forward to the reunions.

I am impatiently waiting for the next phase to start since I am not known to be one that sits still. I hope becoming part of the 26-30 bracket brings me at least half the experiences and adventures of the last one. I am nervous!

Valentine's Day

I have been meaning to start this blog for a while now and after encouragement from a few persistent people, I finally got around to it today. At first I thought I would just showcase my travels but now have decided to expand the horizons a bit and speak to you all about other things that come to mind as well.

As soon as February rolled around, some of my friends had either been looking forward to Valentine's day or wishing it would come and go as quickly as this short month.  I have never really been an avid supporter or hater of this day of love but this year I have been pushed to declare my allegiance.

Honestly, I would never subject a significant other into conforming to all the hype and purchase flowers and the whole nine for me. And do not think this day is necessary to showcase your love for someone else. But after reading something today that made me smile, I can say that this day is ok in my books. The quote was- "On this Valentine's day I challenge us to not only say I love you to the ones who mean the most but to spread it to someone who needs it most..tell the annoying co-worker you appreciate all they do...tell the shy girl in the back of the class she is beautiful..smile at your bus drive or the person looking aimlessly at the floor in the subway..you never know what hope and joy you might bring."

Though, we really should be doing these things on a daily basis. Some of us forget. The hectic schedule of life takes over and everyone gets embroiled with their daily to do lists and do not realize they can also impact someone's life with a small gesture. Maybe silly but I'll jump on the bandwagon..