Guatapé, little gem of Colombia between lakes and zocalos

A visit to the village of Guatape was not part of our plans. But one recommendation and some googling later and here we were: soaking up the charm of this colorful village nested in a fantastic blue and emerald landscape.

Less than 2 hours away from brustling town Medellin, Guatape is a famous weekend getaway for paisas(locals) looking for some quiet time in the countryside. But for some reason, it still remains off the track of most tourists. 4 years ago, there were still no hostels there.
Trust me, add a stop in Guatape on your Colombian itinerary, you will not regret it!

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A short guide to Taganga, backpacker paradise

You might come to Taganga for the diving -one of the cheapest place in the world to take your PADI open water certification – but you will stay for the rest. It’s not that the beach is that nice, nor that the city is the biggest party place of Colombia. But Taganga has everything that backpackers like: the proximity of the beach for the lazy feeling, plenty of hostels and restaurants for the service, cheap menu del dia for your budget, happy hours for distraction, and a good base to explore the region and the underwater world.

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Raiders of the Lost City (Ciudad Perdidad trek, Colombia)

Around the year 800 AD, some 600 years before Machu Picchu, Teyuna was chosen by precolombian indigenous culture as political and spiritual center of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta (Colombia). At its peak, the city was home of 2000 people, living in harmony with nature and working on precious metals. Today, the only way to admire the ruins of this ancient city is to trek through the mountainuous jungle of the Sierra Nevada for 4 days.

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How to celebrate your very own Swedish Midsummer

Each year, the Friday between 19 and 25 of June, Sweden stops for 24h. Streets are quiet and Stockholm only full of tourists. Swedes leave the cities to gather with friends and families to celebrate in tradition the longest day of the year.

Midsummer Eve is one of the most (if not the most) important tradition in Sweden and it’s a fantastic experience to discover the Swedish culture and gastronomy. If you have the opportunity to celebrate it with Swedes, just do it! It’s the time of the year where Swedes loosen up, and you will have lots of fun. Difficult to find a part to join? No worries, in this post I will give you some tips to plan your very own Swedish Midsummer.

Credit photo: thenigo.com

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The priceless beauty of the norwegian fjords

A room with priceless view, camping in Norwegian fjords

A room with priceless view, camping in Norwegian fjords

Waouh, look at this! Best room with a view ever!” We couldn’t stop congratulating ourselves for finding such a great camping spot (above). After a day of travel from Trondheim, it looked like we (I travelled with my brother) found our little corner of paradise, here in Romsdal.

Norway is among the most expensive countries to live in and to visit, it was not my first time there and I knew that. But this trip to convinced me once more: it really worths it and with a bit of flexibility and creativity you can have an amazing time with a reasonable budget. ( Note for the inpatients: you can directly scroll at the end of the article to see our budget.  For the others: keep reading!).

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Bled, ideal stop on your Eastern Europe road trip

Located in the heart of the Alps, by a beautiful mountain lake, the Slovenian town of Bled combines outdoor activity possibilities, romantic scenery and a well connected location.  You will remember the perfect composed landscape, featuring the emeraude lake, the tiny island, a castle and the Alps in the background.

This is the perfect break if you are close to city and museum indigestion on your Eastern Europe trip!

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Summer day in Bjelašnica, loneliness and travel in time (BiH)

Once the “most isolated village of Bosnia”, Lukomir probably lost that status when it made it to guide books . If you might be disappointed by the village itself, the splendors of the hike in the Bjelasnica mountain guarantees you won’t regret your trip.

Summer day in Bjelašnica: from Umoljani to Lukomir in pictureS

It took us only 1 hour from Sarajevo to get there. Just 1h from the busy, vibrant capital. And here we were.

bjelasnica

At times, it felt like we were in Switzerland. Only the Muslim cemetry to remind us we were not.

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“Traditional French crepes” to explore Mardi Gras (Recipe)

I remember, as kid – a teenager – and also even a young adult, coming back home on a Tuesday evening in February or early March, opening the door of the kitchen and feeling a delicious and familiar odor reaching my nose… Mum would then say “It’s Mardi Gras, It’s crepes tonight!” (Well she would say this in French of course).

Years later, even living far from home as an expat, I found myself excited about carrying on this tradition. Back in the days, Mardi Gras would be the last night of celebration prior to the fasting season of Lent, just before Easter. If the tradition of fasting or privation has pretty much disappeared in our “modern” societies, the celebration still remains and tonight I will be cooking crepes!

Get ready for a delicious party, to enjoy at full hands!

There are thousands of recipes for crepes, but the best one probably always remains the one from your childhood. The one below is my favorite, it’s traditional from the north of France with its touch of beer and comes from my nanny Tatie. It’s easy to make and will please any mouth!

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