Early morning in Manaus and the first rays of sunlight pierce through the dense blanket of fog that has drifted off the Amazon River overnight and wrapped itself languidly around the Brazilian city. Manaus, which serves as a gateway to the Amazonian rainforest, is a popular tourist destination sitting on the nexus of the… [Read More]
The Spiritual Side of Bali Most Tourists Don’t See
Every morning in Ubud, I woke up to the soft swishing of the family compound being swept with a coarse broom made of coconut branches. I laid in bed for a few more minutes, listening to the other morning sounds take shape: the cooing of the birds, the chirps of the geckos and the… [Read More]
Why Trump’s Global Gag Rule Matters
This past Saturday, I took to the streets of New York to join the Women’s March in protest of Trump and his skewed politics. I marched for my immigrant family - for my father and I who moved here from Colombia, for my step mother who came here from Russia. I marched for my… [Read More]
The Nasty Business of Fake Orphanages
I researched the truth behind orphanage volunteering, I was greeted with a photo parade of the smiling, blissfully unaware faces of global volunteers. A group of 20-somethings with large smiles stood kneeling beside skinny children in over-sized clothing at an orphanage in Nepal. Dreadlocked backpackers with handwoven wristbands swayed in tune to the dance performances… [Read More]
Dispatch: Living Through Slovakia’s Communist Regime
As we drove from the Slovakia capital city of Bratislava, we passed massive concrete buildings splashed with vibrant hues of red, blue and purple paint. Graffiti plagued the facades of many historical buildings that now seemed left vacant and boarded up—remnants of a harrowing and tumultuous past. With its skiing, hiking, vineyards and dramatic landscapes, Slovakia… [Read More]
The Rise of the Anti-Travel Blogger & What to Expect
Consider me the anti-travel blogger. It’s an odd title to give myself, considering I’ve spent the past four years of my life pouring money, time and effort into my website, The Pin the Map Project. Like someone who has scaled Everest just to realize they hate heights, it seems I have climbed the… [Read More]
Syrian Refugees: The Other Travelers
Lately, I have been thinking a lot about traveling and what it really means. I have been exploring countries for almost a decade and the people I meet, generally remind me of how lucky I am. They often say they would travel as much as I do, if only they had the chance to… [Read More]
The Torre Argentina Cat Sanctuary & the Cats of the Roman Ruins
It’s mid afternoon in the Eternal City as I make my way down one of the main avenues, Via Nazionale, towards the Campo de Fiori market. It’s been said Rome is the type of city a traveler should arrive to without a plan; that the city is best discovered serendipitously one piazza and hole-in-the-wall trattoria at… [Read More]
Dispatch: Traveling in Greece During the Euro Crisis
When planning a trip to Europe months in advance the last thing you anticipate is that the country will be on the brink of financial disaster and in danger of being kicked out of a powerful union. I had been to Greece 18 months before and everyone talked about the dire financial situation and… [Read More]
