Singapore

May 31, 2016

The last time I was in Singapore was when I was about 13 years old, when I came here on trip with my aunt and sister. I don't remember much from the trip except that Singapore was immaculately clean, and that's still the case today. In the 4 days we spent in Singapore, we saw literally only three pieces of trash on the ground, and all of the grounds are perfectly manicured. One other thing that I took away from this recent visit is that Singaporeans love to shop, and boy, do they love to eat. Michael and I are both big foodies and I've seen him eat a fair share of food, but I've never seen Michael's (self-proclaimed) "inner fat kid" come alive as much as I did during our our few days in Singapore. Even though I was sometimes shocked by his food intake, I couldn't really blame him. There is just so much fresh, delicious food there, and most of it is very cheap. One of our favorites was a local specialty, Hainanese chicken (chicken that is perfectly steamed and served with a ginger sauce), and we searched for this dish wherever we went.

During the times we weren't eating, we did a bit of sight-seeing. We went to Gardens by the Bay, which house Singapore's botanical gardens, including some gorgeous, rare plants and flowers, as well as Supertree Grove, which are 16-story high tree-like vertical gardens. We also did a tour of Chinatown, where we saw more amazing food stalls, took a breezy ride on a trishaw (similar to a tuk tuk), and went on a night-time cruise to see the beautiful city skyline at night.

Overall, we had a great time during our stay in Singapore. The city feels so culturally diverse, yet because most people speak English, it seems really accessible for Western tourists, especially if it's their first visit to an Asian country. And we will have wonderful memories of all of the food we ate here for years to come!

Chile - Santiago and Valparaiso

May 17, 2016

The first thing we noticed was that Santiago is incredibly cleaner than the other major cities we visited in South America -- it's cleaner than most cities, period. I was also really impressed by how many people were hanging out in the parks when we arrived. Everyone seemed so happy in a setting that seemed so perfect. Clowns, balloons, bubbles, children and laughter... It was all so very beautiful and, well, very happy.

We explored the local parks near our neighborhood, sampled local ice cream (of course), took a bike tour through local markets and back streets, toured Pablo Neruda's amazing ship-themed house, and checked out the really vibrant food scene. We also really enjoyed our day trip to Maipo Valley, which included a hike to a little lake beneath a glacier where we witnessed an engagement proposal!

Over a weekend, we stayed in Valparaiso, a coastal city known for its amazing street art. It seemed like there was something really cool to be discovered at every twist and turn. What a beautiful place, with some really mind-blowing art, far more culturally and artistically ambitious than I could have ever imagined...

Below are some of our favorite moments from our time in Chile, our final stop in South America before returning home!

Argentina - Buenos Aires and Mendoza

May 17, 2016

After the high of Patagonia, it was a bit jarring to be back in a city (or more accurately, a sprawling, metropolitan city with 3 Million people!). It was a bit depressing actually, which was a completely unfair start to exploring the amazing and dynamic city that Buenos Aires truly is. But we couldn't help it. Whereas Patagonia was relaxed and laid-back with breathtakingly beautiful scenery, Buenos Aires was busy and crowded with garbage bags stacked on its narrow sidewalks and A/C condensation dripping from the high-rise apartments above. It was a very stark contrast, and it required some adjustment.

However after a couple days, we really began to enjoy the city. We had a lot of fun on the bike tours that guided us through different neighborhoods, including the colorful La Boca. We loved watching tango -- I was amazed by the serious, often somber expressions of the dancers. It was so cool that the dancers were so into it, concentrating on every nuanced step and movement, and I felt very grateful that I had a sneak peek into their world. We were blown away by the Recoleta cemetery and all of its elaborate architecture. We had a lot of fun strolling among locals at the street markets. We watched Messi score a goal (on TV, but it was a cool experience nonetheless). And of course, the food and wine -- all sorts of grilled meats and Malbecs, Argentinean specialties -- were irresistibly delicious. As I commented on Instagram, I don't think there's any country in the world that loves meat and wine more than Argentina does. It was astounding to me how big the meat portions are, and how abundantly (and quickly) the wine flows.

That theme carried over to our time in Mendoza, where it was all about the food and wine. The grilled entraña (skirt steak) and empanadas filled with flank steak were particularly unforgettable. And we learned a lot about local wine growing techniques and sampled some great wines on our tours to two local wine regions, Lujan de Cuyo and Uco Valley.

From Patagonia to Buenos Aires and Mendoza, Argentina was such a fantastic experience... The people were so friendly, and the country has so much to offer in terms of food, history, culture and travel experiences.

Being in Buenos Aires and seeing the people and how the city functions, it's not so different than any major city in the U.S., or the world. So on one of our tours, I was shocked to learn that the average monthly salary is only about $400. I majored in Econ and know that that's more than what a lot of people earn in other countries, but it was still a bit surprising for a major city. It was yet another reminder that, amidst all the negativity and negative attributes of America publicized by the media everyday, there's so much to be thankful for, and that being able to travel as we have is quite rare and we shouldn't take it for granted.

Patagonia

May 17, 2016

Patagonia, similar to Machu Picchu, was a very special and memorable experience. The people we met, the great times we had traveling with Tiff and Vinh and our conversations about life and career, the amazing camping experience, seeing Cerro Fitz Roy for the first time. I feel that I learned a lot during our time there. I can't pinpoint what exactly, but it definitely marked a turning point in my life, and I often think about our time there.

As advertised, the glaciers were spectacular. Over the course of ten days, we hiked around glaciers, cruised to glaciers, and trekked on glaciers (and just as fun, drank glacier water and whiskey with glacier ice!). We also celebrated Tiff's birthday, toured caves with very old drawings, encountered an endangered animal, enjoyed 'chill' days in El Chalten and El Calafate, ate delicious meals with grilled meats and other local specialties, sampled delicious Patagonian wines and ice cream, and camped and hiked to the most amazing views of Cerro Fitz Roy, Cerro Torre, and Laguna de Los Tres.

Patagonia seemed at times like a completely different world to me, with a constant natural beauty that I had never seen before, and I can't wait to go back. We're hoping to visit again with Tiff and Vinh someday -- next time, Penguins!

Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley

March 15, 2016

We were fortunate to have been able to coordinate a trip to Machu Picchu with our friends Matt and Bailey. We weren't so fortunate, however, when we arrived in Cusco, where both of us got pretty sick from the altitude. But we made the best of it!

We spent the first night in Cusco checking out the main square. On our way, Bailey made a special friend, an 'Alpacita' :)

Matt commented that the Alpacita lady lit up as much as Bailey did as they walked towards each other. I'd have to agree -- Bailey met a special friend, the lady got her tip, and it was probably the world's most successful business transaction that day.

We spent the next day exploring the Sacred Valley. It rained pretty heavily at times, but it was all so gorgeous and peaceful nonetheless. Upon arriving in Aguas Calientes that night, I noticed immediately that the cliffs seemed incredibly high, so high that I couldn't tell where they peaked... I also noticed a fairly loud, constant whirling noise. It sounded like water, but seemed way too loud at times to be water. It also sounded like wind, though it wasn't windy at all. It all felt a bit mysterious, and made our next day in Machu Picchu all the more exciting.

When we went downstairs for breakfast the next morning, we found out what the noise was. It was indeed water, rushing down one of the fastest rivers I've ever seen.

Machu Picchu was absolutely breathtaking. We got there early to hike Waynu Picchu, for which we arrived just in time after waiting longer than expected for a bus ride then hustling to get to the entrance -- sorry again about your hat Bailey! :(. We struggled a bit on our way to the top, due to the altitude and steepness, but we made it! The views from the top were amazing. Breathtaking for sure, but so much more... Taking a moment to wonder how it was all built, what it was built for, how people lived there, what the people were like... I felt a lot of gratitude. And as I have on several occasions during our recent travels, I thought about how there's so much I don't know, and so much of the world to learn and explore.

We spent the rest of the day taking it all in and hiking to the various viewpoints. Capping our great day, a double rainbow!

We had such a great time experiencing Machu Picchu and exploring the Sacred Valley with Matt and Bailey... It was definitely one of our favorite experiences in South America, and one that we'll always remember!