Flashing lights lit up the night sky at different heights as the city of Seoul came alive. Hannah and I, on the other hand, were not awake enough to enjoy the experience on our first day. We took an overnight flight from Tashkent, Uzbekistan and arrived in Seoul, South Korea 6.5 hours later with no … Continue reading “Seoul’d” on South Korea!
Rapid, loud Uzbek voices echoed loudly off the ceiling and pillars of the Samarkand bazaar. White cakes and opaque candy treats contrasted with the weathered and cracked brown hands of the locals offering a sample. Several moments later, Hannah and I walked away with some sesame seed covered peanuts and bright yellow sugar crystals meant … Continue reading Samarkand, Uzbekistan: Green Tea and Tamerlane’s Tomb
Prior to our travels, I could not have found Azerbaijan on a map without a bit of effort, but the country and region have a rich history reaching all the way back to the Paleolithic period. Much of the country was frequently traversed by Silk Road merchants during the hay-day of overland trading. This resulted … Continue reading Azerbaijan: Christmas Between the Caucasus and Caspian
"In shāʾ Allāh " roughly translates to "God willing", and was a frequent utterance from our Muslim hosts in Fez. With their (and God's) help and some practice, we avoided getting too lost and enjoyed the culturally immersive experience. Our excitement to visit Morocco was followed by a degree of hesitation. It was still technically … Continue reading Lost then Found (In shāʾ Allāh!) in the Streets of Fez, Morocco
Seville was a very walkable city. The best way to see it was to get slightly lost in the annals of its streets and sights. In the Santa Maria Luisa park, heavy foliage was draped with birds of varying types, colors, and chirps. The Plaza de Espana wrapped around in a semi-circle with beautiful arches … Continue reading Seville, Spain: Bulls, Christopher Columbus, and a Birthday
The pim-pam sounds of a man playing a hand-pan instrument warp me back to when I was 11. I was sitting at my family’s old Window’s XP desktop computer playing a game: Age of Empires. It was a real-time strategy game where the player takes on the conquests of history as the commander of a … Continue reading Granada, Spain and the Moorish Marvels of Andalusia
A day trip to Toledo was a wonderful decision and introduction into southern Spanish architecture. A short train ride out of Madrid, it made for an easy day trip. Our introduction to the splendor of Moorish influence began as we stepped foot off the train. The train station itself showcased the influence of North African … Continue reading Holy Toledo! A Medieval Adventure in Spain
The city of Lyon is adorned by the remnants of Gaulic history. Gaul was a historic region to the west of Italy that frequently clashed with the ancient Romans. This area is modern day France. Numerous Roman amphitheaters are dug into the gradient of the city. Locals walked their dogs by the aged, stone ruins … Continue reading Lyon, France: Gaul and Gastronomy
Through most cities and circumstances on our trip, I rarely felt uncomfortable. I felt uneasy in Brussels much of the visit, and I will do my best to explain why. The city had an ominous foreboding feeling to it. It was the site of 3 coordinated terrorist bombings in 2016, killing 32 civilians and injuring … Continue reading Brussels, Dinant, and Namur Belgium: An Assortment of Cities and Chocolates
The Hague The Peace Palace is one of the big draws to the Hague for visitors. A peace conference was initially proposed the by Tsar Nicholas II to prevent war which had become a costly business in the 19th century. After the first conference a permanent fixture evolved and needed a home. The Peace Palace … Continue reading Handcrafted World Peace and Porcelain: The Hague and Delft, Netherlands
It's A Ritch Life 