Quebrada de Humahuaca – Vivid landscapes and ancient villages

After a month in Patagonia, our vision of Argentina was formed by snowcapped mountains, large empty pampas, guanacos, glaciers and the cold. We knew that the north was different but we just couldn’t imagine that it could be this different. We even wondered if we have stepped into a new country. Our first introductions to the north were the cities of Cordoba and Salta, both rich in colonial architecture and colorful buildings. We spent our days roaming the cities, eating ice cream on the main squares where the locals come out to play and visiting cathedrals and churches. Read More

Iquitos – And this is also the Amazon

Whenever I thought of the Amazon, I imagined green thick jungle intersected by brown snakelike rivers and indigenous tribes. Iquitos is the other Amazon that travelers are not aware of but that is also a part of the Amazonian experience. Iquitos is the largest city in the world that is not reachable by road, it is only accessible by boat (couple of days from the nearest road linked city) or by plane.

We took the plane option and the contrast could not have been bigger. A flight from Lima with a stopover in Pucallpa brought us from concrete jungle to real jungle within 2 hours. Read More

Machu Picchu – De onbeschreven ruïne

Machu PicchuWe waren er al voor gewaarschuwd maar om zeven uur werden we gewekt door de luid toeterende en binnen bulderende trein. We hadden de nacht doorgebracht in het dorpje Aquas Calientes, ook wel Machu Picchu pueblo genoemd. Maar ook al zouden we vandaag de befaamde Machu Picchu gaan bezoeken, we hadden geen haast. Laat eerst de grote drommen toeristen maar de paden bewandelen, dan komen wij wel wat later, was ons idee. Toen we de gordijnen alvast opzij schoven zagen we tot onze grote opluchting dat, anders dan gisteren, er een strakblauwe lucht boven onze hoofd stond. Perfect. En aangezien je het in de bergen nooit weet gingen we er toch maar meteen uit. Lees verder

Our taste of Uruguay

Uruguay is usually not the first country you think about when you think of visiting South America. So of course we had to visit it when we had the chance. After a couple of days in Buenos Aires, we hopped on a ferry with destination Colonia del Sacramento, just 1 hour away. Colonia del Sacramento was the first stop for our short Uruguayan break. Read More

Artistic and Expressive Buenos Aires

Before arriving in Buenos Aires, we were often told how passionate, expressive and lively the Porteños (inhabitants of Buenos Aires) were. Within the first hours of strolling around Buenos Aires, we saw how true this was and how the good vibes also can be seen on the streets and walls of this vibrant city. For us, South America is a continent that expresses itself through murals and Buenos Aires might just be the capital of murals. Read More

Eb en vloed in Bay of Fundy

Nergens ter wereld is het verschil tussen eb en vloed zo groot als in de Bay of Fundy. Het is de toeristische trekpleister numero uno van de oost Canadese provincie New Brunswick, de enige officiële tweetalige provincie van het land.

Hoewel het in New Brunswick een sport is om een wereldrecord te claimen ( o.a. langste overdekte brug ter wereld, grootste bijl ter wereld, grootste haan ter wereld) lijkt het verschil van wel zestien meter tussen eb en vloed echt de grootse op de aardbol. Ongeveer iedere zes uur en een kwartier verandert het getijde. Als je een paar minuten blijft kijken Lees verder

Our Eat, Pray, Love Ubud

Water Lilies, UbudUbud is one of those places that brings up images and expectations when you hear its name. We wondered if the place will live up to its expectations when we visit. Ubud’s popularity shot through the roof after the Eat, Pray, Love and not only good has came from the movie. So we thread carefully into Ubud and hoped to see some of the original Ubud. To have a better feel of the place, we decided to stay for at least a week and what better way to get to know it then to eat, pray and love our way through Ubud. Read More

Bali? Dan ook Lombok!

Wie voor de eerste keer naar Indonesië gaat komt al snel in Bali terecht. En dat is helemaal geen vervelende plek, om een understatement te gebruiken. Wij hadden Indonesië bij vertrek uit Nederland niet op onze planning staan maar zoals dat gaat kwamen we toch in de verleiding nu we toch ‘in de buurt’ waren en goedkope vliegtickets vonden. Het is alleen een immens land waar keuzes gemaakt dienen te worden als je jezelf maar een maand de tijd gunt. Kuddedieren als we zijn gingen we dan ook eerst maar naar Bali. Oké en vliegen op Bali was vanuit Australië het goedkoopst (AirAsia). Bij Bali hadden we echter wel beelden van hossende Australiërs en binge drinkende pubers in ons hoofd Lees verder

Impressions of Rottnest Island

Rottnest IslandStarting off your day by ferrying over to an island under a bright blue sky with the prospect of spending your day biking swimming and relaxing next to crystal clear turquoise water is the best. After a couple of days discovering Perth, we wanted to get active and see the Aussie nature up close. We took the 25 minutes ferry from Fremantle B shed port and were awed by how much the surroundings changed in such a short time. As we got closer to the island the water changed into different shades of blue and green backed up by dramatic coastal cliffs. As there are no cars allowed on the island, you can just feel the calmness when you arrive, with a sudden full on holiday feeling. Read More

Wat Pha Sorn Kaew – A Hidden Gem in Phetchabun

Wat Pha Sorn Kaew - PhetchabunPhetchabun is one of the lesser known provinces amongst foreigners but is a popular destination with the Thai. Especially in the colder months so that the Thai can experience a ‘winter’. It’s universal that whatever you don’t have close to home becomes interesting and this also covers weather and seasons. My Thai family is always intrigued of my snowy photos of the Dutch winters and love the phenomena of breathing out ‘fog’ in the freezing cold. Phetchabun is one of the few places that brings you a tiny bit of winter to Thailand. People from all over come to camp on the cool mountain slopes to wake up to see the sunrise amidst a sea of clouds. If lucky enough, they may even breath out fog and voila, there you have it, a Thai winter wonderland.

In the other months, Phetchabun is famous for something that shines and glitters in a mountain valley. Everyone who has been to Thailand eventually gets a bit of a wat or temple overload. As beautiful as they are, after the first 50 gleaming golden temples, they all start to look alike. But not with this temple in Phetchabun, as it does shine and glitter but with more than just gold. Read More