Land Of Marvels

A Travel Blog

Travel Tips : Getting Lounge Access in Airports

Traveling can be brutal: long layovers, uncomfortable seating, having to lug your bags around.  So whenever possible, your travels can be made a lot easier by gaining access to the many lounges throughout airports around the world.  Often, I find many people don’t know how they can gain access to these lounges and they can be a life saver in more ways than one while you’re waiting for hours at an airport.  These lounges offer everything from showers to free food and drinks to comfortable areas to wait out your layovers.  And actually, there are many ways to gain access to these lounges and make your airport experience that much better. 
Become a frequent flier with a specific airline.
Becoming part of airlines’ loyalty programs can have lots of perks, but one of the best is the access to lounges.  Not all airlines handle this the same and many of them you have to be top tier fliers to achieve free access, though some airlines will allow you to pay a minimal fee to have access to their lounges when you’re an MVP with the airline.
Daily passes.
It’s becoming more and more common for lounges (especially in major airports) to offer day passes for purchase.  We’ve done this in the past including once at the Virgin America lounge in LAX.  The day passes are usually around the $30 range and you get to use the facilities all day.  This is a great option if you have a long layover.  Keep in mind too even though you’re paying for it, usually it’s free wifi, free food and soft drinks and comfortable areas to stretch out and sleep or do work.  Considering you’d probably spend that much on food or wifi charges anyways in the normal terminal, it’s usually a pretty fair deal.
Priority Pass.
This is a program you pay yearly for but that let’s you have access to any lounge worldwide.  My dad pays for the premium membership for work but for Christmas last year, he signed up Nick and I for the Friends and Family membership plan at a discount.  With this plan, it’s around $100 per year and every time we use it when traveling, we pay $24 per person for access to any lounge at any airport worldwide.  It’s been a great thing for us and we’ve used it multiple times already since receiving it in December of last year.  My favorite use so far was at the United lounge at Newark in February en route to India.  We had a 6 hour layover in Newark and with bag weather in NYC, we decided to stay at the airport instead of venturing into the city. So we holed up in the United Lounge, were able to take showers, stretch out and be really comfortable for 6 hours.  They also have a great app that you can see all the lounges at your access and what each one offers.  It’s a great program to check out if you travel a lot.
Get upgraded or book a business class ticket.
Whenever you book a business or first class ticket or get upgraded, you’ll get access into the airline’s lounges.  The only time this has happened to us internationally was from London to Seattle last November and though we got upgraded to Business Class and would have had access to the BA Lounge, our flight time was soon and we didn’t really have time to use it.  But keep in mind, when you get that magical upgrade or you’ve already booked a business class or first class ticket, you’ll get lounge access on your boarding pass.

Why You Should Book That Ticket

One of the things I hope to accomplish here on True Colours is to inspire people to travel, to see the world in front of us, to open ourselves up to all the amazing things that exist out there beyond our doors.  And one of the things that I hear a lot from people in my every day life as well as readers are all the reasons why they can’t travel.  I hear all the things holding them back, all the things in our lives that we have the power to change but most never will.  The part of that I won’t accept is that there is always a way if you make it a priority and rearrange things to make it work.  So while I’ve done many posts before on how to make it happen, from how to fly to Europe cheaply to getting around Europe on a budget and from ways to save money while traveling to credit cards that can help you save money on trips, I’ve not touched much on the reasons why you should book that ticket and take the trip you’ve always wanted to.

There are always going to be obstacles in our lives but finding a way to work around them and figuring out what your priorities are will help you get to the point of booking that ticket to wherever it is you want to go and here’s why you should!
The biggest push to book that ticket and see those places you’ve always dreamed of is the fact that we don’t know what will happen in the future.  We could get sick, lose abilities to travel or have major life events come up that make traveling harder.  Today is what we have in front of us and if you want to see the world, don’t wait around to make it happen, make plans to do it as soon as you can.
One of the things I hear a lot is, “oh that will be there for years and I can see it later” and while for many places that might be true, there is a lot of the world that might not always bee there to see later. Places that are old already and may be crumbling, world monuments that might fall apart over the years of use or even countries that may be falling apart politically.  There are places in the world that I long to see but due to political unrest may not be the same when we see them down the road.  Don’t bank on those dream destinations always being there because there are lots of reasons why they may not be there down the road.
Traveling the world opens you up to lessons that you can’t learn any other way.  Lessons in tolerance, in language, in experience can be used everywhere in your day to day life as well and will help you become a better person and a better citizen.  Traveling only enriches your life and will offer you lessons and experience to fulfill you in ways you never thought possible!

What To Carry In Your Camera Bag for Travel Photography

My husband Nick is a great self-taught photographer and he’s been able to capture some really incredible travel photography over the years of us traveling around the world.  He often gets asked what’s in his travel bag, how much gear does he take and how does he pack it for travel. Traveling with photo gear adds a bit of complication to your trip, so having a plan for your gear will make a big difference and today he’s sharing his thoughts and strategy below for what to carry in your camera bag for travel photography!

All of Nick’s Tips for What To Carry In Your Camera Bag for Travel Photography

First off, I will be the first person to tell you I pack a little too much gear. I like to prepare myself for anything and there have been many times I’ve gone to a location planning to use one lens (see his favorite lenses here!) and ended up using an entirely different one. How do I handle all this gear? I use what I like to call the 2-Bag system. One bag is the kitchen sink full of gear and accessories and another much smaller bag with only the essentials for a day of shooting. 

Bag 1:
My main bag is full of all the gear for the trip, usually a backpack but sometimes I use a medium sized messenger bag. Everything goes in this bag: camera, laptop, lenses, accessories, etc… The main bag stays in the hotel or rental car and only comes out with me when I’m doing photo specific outings where the sole purpose is to take photos.  When I’m not leaving the main bag at the hotel I lock it up to prevent people from walking away with it. 

Bag 2:
I have a small shoulder bag that I can fit a couple of lenses in and a few accessories. This is the bag I take out during a day of exploring. It only fits a few items that I will need during the day and no extras. Being that it’s light, it’s easy on my back, I can move through crowds easily and doesn’t look inconspicuous for pick pockets. This is great when we are shooting on the streets, exploring attractions like museums or out for an evening stroll. 

Below are all the items I use and travel with for great travel photography!

 
1.  Thinktank Airport Essentials. I love this bag because it fits a ton of gear but still can fit under the seat on most airplanes.
2.  Lowpro shoulder bag.  This bag is great for a day’s worth of gear and is easy to carry around.

3.  Canon 5D Mark III. This is my workhorse camera that I use on most shoots.
4.  Sigma 35mm Lens. This is my favorite lens right now. It’s really versatile on the street and crazy sharp.
5.  Canon 70-200 f/4.  I love the 70-200, it’s great for portraits and taking close up shots on the street. I prefer the f/4 for travel because it’s quite a bit smaller and cheaper than its f/2.8 cousin but still really sharp. I’m testing out the rubber lens hood in the picture. Because it’s rubber it can collapse down to a small size and takes up a lot less room in my bag then the normal plastic lens hood. 
6.  Canon 17-40 F/4.  I have a love/hate relationship with this lens. Some of my favorite images have come out of this wide angle lens but the corners are really soft which drives me crazy!
7.  50mm F/1.8.  This is a great lens to keep around because it’s so small and cheap. Sometimes when I just want to be really light and mobile, I’ll just take my camera with this lens. 
8.  Lumix Gx8.  This is one of my favorites cameras that Casey and I share but that she usually carries around when traveling. It’s mirrorless, so it’s quite a bit smaller than my Canon. Mostly on trips Casey is using this camera but at home I take it out for errands and or quick outings. My favorite thing about this camera is the wifi: when we are traveling I can connect my phone and post images taken on this camera on Instagram.  While they don’t make the GX8 anymore, here is something similar that’s new!
9. Godox Wireless Master/Slaver Flash & Receiver with Remote Trigger. I don’t do a ton of flash photography on our trips but there are the few occasions that it’s nice to have. I love these because they are really rugged for travel. 
10.  Cord Tacos.  These are my new favorite obsession and I love being organized with these leather cord holders to keep my cords from getting tangled and knotted and easy to access.
11.  Accessory Pouches.  I use these pouches to keep all sorts of things organized: batteries, chargers, cables, etc… I have one pouch dedicated to my flash accessories and one pouch with all the rest of my items.
12.  Lens Cloth.  It’s always a good idea to have a microfiber cloth for your lenses. I bought a bulk pack from Amazon and throw them in the pockets of all of my bags. 
13.  Small Reflector Dish. I use this a lot for food photos but it’s also great for portraits. It unfolds into a 12” dish and is great to add a little bit of light to a plate of food or to a person’s face. 
14.  Filters.  I use two different filters with my photography: I will sometimes use a circular polarizer to cut through the glare and saturate the colors in my landscape images and I also use a 10+ neutral density filter. This is great for waterfalls, streams, etc… when you want to keep the shutter open for longer amounts of time. 
15.  Garmin GPS.  I like to try and geotag my images with the GPS location and this works great for that. It’s just a fun way to keep track of all the places I’ve shot images. 
16.  Gorilla pod.  I love my Joby Gorilla Pod. It can roll up and fit in my gray shoulder bag when we are walking around. It’s nice to have in case something comes up that I wasn’t expecting. I have attached it too all sorts of things to take images like fences, branches, walls, fire hydrants, poles, etc.
17.  Induro Tripod.  When I really want to take serious images, nothing beats a good tripod. For travel I will take the head off, which make it easier to fit in my carry on bag. 

18.  Gaffers tape.  You never know when it will come in handy. I roll about 2 feet of gaffers tape around a small golf pencil so I always have a little bit handy. 

19. Ziplock bags. I keep a couple of ziplock bags with me in case it rains, I can throw my camera into the bag and protect it a little better. When I shoot in the rain, I will sometimes cut a hole in the bag and poke the lens out to be able to keep shooting.
20. Business cards. It’s always a good ideas to have a few handy to give out.
21.  Memory Card Wallet.  I love this memory card wallet by Think Tank I got a few years ago to hold all of my memory cards while on the go.
22. iPad.  I love my iPad, it’s great for flights and getting work done on the go. I use services like Evernote and Dropbox to keep my information available on my iPad no matter where I am. 

My Advice to New {Travel} Bloggers

When I started True Colours almost four years ago, I started it for the reason that 99% of other blogs are started, to keep track of things happening in my life and to share trips and memories with family and friends who were following along.  And in the years that followed and as my travel blog grew and changed and morphed into what it is now, I can’t count anymore the lessons I’ve learned and the insights I’ve gained into this wonderful blogging community.

I feel like I’m finally ready, with thousands of followers around the globe here to share in my journey, to share what I’ve learned from my own travel blog and offer some advice to those of you that might just be starting out.  So here is what I’ve learned and the words of wisdom I would offer to the new Travel Bloggers out there.

I think this point gets hit on a lot in the blogging community but isn’t often utilized fully by new bloggers.  When I first started blogging, I was blogging about a mix of things but the one thing that brought me the most joy was blogging about travel.  So when I started getting more serious about my blog, I revamped my approach and focused solely on my niche: travel.  Today that’s what my blog features predominantly, but I have since then also taken it a step further and offered tips on how to travel to those places you always wanted to or ways to save money while traveling.  That niche is one reason readers read my posts and comment, it’s a blog they know is going to be focused on that idea.

On this same note, I think blogging is still very personal and is always going to be.  You’re here to read about my travels and my tips to travel but you’re also here on some level to read about me and my life, just as I read other blogs because I’m interested in a view into their own daily lives.  So at the end of the day, your blog should always stay true to who you are.  Don’t compromise that for tons of guest posts or having other content on your blog, you want your blog to be about you and sound like you.  That’s what makes it genuine and that’s why people will keep coming back to read it.

This for me is a huge one and my advice would be to take the time to really evaluate your blog and what you’re doing in the space often.  For me, I take a look every few months and look at where I’m at and where I’d like to be at my next check in.  This might include things like page updates, new designs or brand new beginnings.  In April, I was at a point with True Colours that I wanted to see some things change.  I wanted the focus to be more on the places I see and sharing them with all of you, I wanted less guest and sponsored posts and I wanted Nick’s beautiful images to be the stars.  So I changed up my design as well as the way I post, the graphics I use and how I format my posts.

It turned out that the time I spent changing things up really helped me with a new perspective and great push forward.  Take the time to reflect as your blog grows and look at it honestly to see where you can improve or move in different directions.

One thing that kills me with certain blogs I follow, even though I may love the blogger and their content, is that they post so inconsistently that it’s hard to follow what’s going on in their lives.  Even if it’s just one post a week, try to stay consistent.  I know blogging is time consuming, believe me, but there are ways to stay consistent without it taking over your whole life.  I’ve stopped following a number of blogs over the years for the reason that they would post for days in a row and then stop for a month, then come back later and do it all again.  I like to follow blogs that are consistent so that’s one thing I really strive for.

I post five days per week on True Colours, primarily because I enjoy it and I feel like I have so many post ideas lined up that I need those five post per week to get the content out.  But whether you post every day or just once or twice a week, make sure your posts are polished.  In the beginning, I didn’t put enough energy into graphics and since I have, my page views have grown enormously.  It’s not just about great content anymore (which is still majorly important), great blogs are also about great graphics.

Another point on this topic I want to make is in terms of consistently posting and honoring a schedule.  Sometimes my life gets crazy, family is in town or I’m traveling for work or any of the number of other reasons my schedule might be full, that’s why I rely on pre-scheduled posts.  I generally have anywhere from 10-20 posts in my queue, set up to be posted so that I don’t have to sit down on a very busy morning and get a post out.  Scheduling blogging into my life helps so that I can have good content on a consistent basis and stay within my schedule.  When I have a slow afternoon, I’ll sit down and schedule a few different posts.  Use the time you have and take advantage of it.

One thing that I wish I would have done sooner in my blogging career would have been to connect more to the community.  It took me a while to connect to other bloggers and forge relationships.  I used to think that the big bloggers would never answer my emails or think of me at all, but in all actuality we’re all just people behind this screen.  I love it when smaller blogs reach out to me or when I forge relationships with loyal readers, it makes this all the more personal and fun.

I’ve forged relationships with some fantastic bloggers through blogging and have met up with a number of them in person as I’ve traveled.  Blogging is something that connects us so we should always take advantage of those connections.  Ask them questions, comment on their posts, tweet them, eventually you’ll make connections and lasting friendships.

One thing that I feel like makes a good blog is to read it and know immediately that the person on the other end is enjoying blogging and loves their online community.  It’s really easy to spot the bloggers that are feeling “over it” and ready to move on, when that happens, it’s better just to let go.  I personally love blogging and I plan on keeping True Colours up and running with new content for many years to come, but if I stop enjoying it, if it becomes more than a great experience, I may decide to stop blogging.  If and when that happens, I’ll have to decide when the right time is, but for now, it’s important to me to really enjoy my space and take it all in.  Blogging has opened up a huge world of opportunities and I can’t wait to see where it takes me next!

San Juan Islands : Exploring, Orca Sightings & Lavender Farms

A little note before we dive back into our trip to the San Juans… I hit 2000 Bloglovin’ followers earlier this week and to celebrate, I’m currently offering 20% off all my sponsorship options with promo code 2000.  So check them out and see if any would be worthwhile for your own blog!

When looking into this trip, since we were staying on the mainland we knew we would only have one real day to explore the islands of the San Juan chain.  We looked into the different options (as only a few of them are really inhabited) and ended up deciding on San Juan Island for our day trip since it’s the most populous.  It also had a few different spots on the island we really wanted to see, so we ended up just doing the one island.  In the future, I’d love to go back and explore the others which include Orcas Island and a few others.

We arrived on the ferry around 10am in Friday Harbor, the main town on San Juan Island.  After breakfast we jumped in our car (I’d totally recommend taking your car, it made getting around the island way easier) and headed out across the island to the Western side to the Lime Kiln Lighthouse.  This spot is right across the channel from Victoria, Canada and the views are gorgeous!  This was a particular spot Nick really wanted to photograph and as it turned out, we ended up getting there right in time to watch a whole pod of orcas swimming through.

To be honest, this was a moment I’ll never forget.  And even though I wasn’t feeling great at that point, we spent about an hour just standing on the rocks of the shore watching the orcas jumping in and out of the water, playing around and coming up for air.  It was one of those moments that is like once in a lifetime.  I love whales and I’ve always wanted to see orcas in the wild, and this moment, watching them just totally made my whole trip.  I’ll never forget that feeling of seeing them, of taking it all in with the breathtaking scenery around me watching the whales dance in the water.  It was pretty incredible.

After a while of watching the whales, we decided we needed to move on to our next stop before heading back into town to catch the ferry back to Anacortes.  The second stop we wanted to make on the trip was a quick stop at the Pelindaba Lavendar Farm.  I had read some blog posts on this place and decided it would be worth a stop and it for sure was.  They have a ton of different variations of lavender and it was so beautiful!  We stopped only for about twenty minutes as we needed to get back for the ferry, but it was worth just a quick stop to see it and take a few photos.

We then headed back into Friday Harbor to get our car in line for the afternoon ferry.  Again, we got there about an hour and a half early this time and were glad we did.  There were a ton of people heading back on the boat with us and they were full shortly after we got there.  While we waited for the ferry, we wandered around Friday Harbor and grabbed some ice cream while we took in the harbor and the ocean views from the town.

I’m so glad we explored San Juan Island this time around and we fell in love with the area.  I know we’ll be back, since it’s such a quick trip up there for us from Portland.  For incredible scenery, once in a lifetime moments watching the orcas and an overall lovely day, we really enjoyed our time in the San Juan’s!

San Juan Islands : Anacortes & Ferry Ride to Friday Harbor

After arriving in Anacortes on Friday and enjoying the evening at our hotel, we started bright and early on Saturday heading to the ferry landing in Anacortes to head to San Juan Island, docking in Friday Harbor.  We arrived about two hours early for the ferry (for anyone who might want to make this trip) after hearing that it can get really busy on holiday weekends.  Our timing ended up being great and we were close to the front of the line when the ferry arrived.  Our experience on the ferry was super easy and organized and we had no problems.  There are a bunch of areas to walk around while you wait for the boat and Nick wandered around the beaches, getting some beautiful shots.  Even the mainland area of Anacortes is breathtakingly beautiful in the part of the state and we enjoyed the scenery immensely.

The ferry left about 9am and once we were on the boat (we took our car by the way but you can also just walk on), we went upstairs to the passenger deck.  The ferry ride to Friday Harbor from Anacortes takes a little over an hour, but it’s full of gorgeous scenery along the way as you weave in and out of the San Juan islands throughout.  I was hoping to see whales during the ride (I’ve heard that sometimes you see them) and while we didn’t on the ferry, we did get to see them later on the island (more to come on that tomorrow).  But regardless, the boat ride was great and we really enjoyed taking in the scenic views and seeing more of this area.

When we got into Friday Harbor (the city on San Juan Island), we found a parking spot in town and walked up to the Rocky Bay Cafe for breakfast.  We had heard it was one of the best spots in town for breakfast and got to take in some of the area as we walked a block or so up the street to the restaurant.  After breakfast, we headed back to our car and then out on the island to explore but more on that tomorrow!

Photo by Nick
View of sunset from our hotel balcony.
Photo by Nick
View from our hotel balcony.
Photo by Nick
Photo by Nick
Photo by Nick

On the ferry.
Photo by Nick

Photo by Nick
Photo by Nick

Off the Beaten Path in the USA

Many of our travels have been to major cities within our own country of the USA, but often it’s the lesser known places that have a different impact on you when you travel.  Many times, it’s the smaller, less known locations that truly show off the best qualities of my country.  It’s something I’d like to do more of this in the future as well, to trek outside of the major cities and see more of the rest of the country.  But so far, here are some of my favorite places we’ve visited in America, places that are a bit off the beaten path and might not be as well known.  They are places that I think are totally worth a visit, even if you might have to drive out of the cities to find them.  So here in no particular order are some of my favorite off the beaten path locations in the USA.

We first ventured up to Eastern Washington in April of this year and I was blown away by the intense scenic views, the never ending changes in landscape and everything this area has to offer.  The drive through the countryside here is both breath-taking and surreal and you feel transported to another place; it doesn’t feel like the Pacific North West.  This area is also filled with up and coming wineries, so stop and enjoy a glass of wine or two and take in the beauty of this area.
My suggestion for Eastern Washington : Stay the night at Desert Wind Winery and indulge in the gorgeous scenery of the area.

Newport still reigns as one of my all time favorite places we’ve visited in the US and I really want to make a trip back there again to stay and take it all in.  Rhode Island in general was so beautiful, but little Newport is just a gem of a town along the East Coast of the US.  Lined with lighthouse and scenic coastlines, old houses and picturesque expanses of open water, Newport is one of those places that transports you back in time.  I’d love to go back and spend a weekend just taking in the scenery and views over the ocean.

New Mexico in general is sort of like stepping into a different land, with the never ending deserts and Native American reservations every few miles.  And that is the same with Santa Fe, just a short drive from Albuquerque, you are transported back in time with Santa Fe’s historic downtown.  The pueblo style buildings and bright oranges make you feel like you’re visiting what this area must have looked like hundreds of years ago.  Explore the shops and restaurants and indulge in the amazing food.
Tip for Santa Fe : Research the weather before you go, we went in April and were expecting it to be warm but because of the high elevation of Santa Fe, it was snowing!
We just got back from a trip up to the San Juan Islands in Washington State this past 4th of July weekend and we fell in love with the area.  This area of Washington is one of the most naturally beautiful landscapes I’ve ever seen, lined with coastlines and forests, gorgeous homes perched on remote islands and scenic little coast towns.  The San Juan Islands are only accessible by ferry and the ferry ride itself is gorgeous as you weave in and out of the islands there, some not even inhabited. Orcas play in the waters here (we got to see them!) and the greens are so vibrant, it’s intoxicating.  
Charming Santa Barbara was the place that made me like California again.  I’ve never been a huge fan of the State for various reasons, mostly Southern California, but our time in Santa Barbara may just have changed my mind.  This town is what California should be in my book, charming walkable streets, beautiful beaches, gorgeous architecture and bright flowers everywhere.  Santa Barbara will be a place we return to and the energy here, the stunning views and the Spanish style buildings made me fall in love with this California beach town.
Related Posts of Interest:

5 Reasons to Visit France

As I mentioned yesterday, we’re heading back to my favorite city in the world, Paris, in just a few months and I can’t get my mind off our upcoming trip lately!  So today, we’re reveling in France just a little bit more.  I loved doing my post a couple weeks ago on the 5 Reasons to Visit Morocco so I thought we’d make this more a regular occurrence and talk about reasons to visit specific places all over the world.

Today, here’s why you should book that ticket to France!
And be sure to make it to the bottom of the post for a giveaway to go with this post!

France is home to some of the most beautiful architecture I’ve ever laid eyes on.  From the Haussmann facades of Paris to the red washed roofs of the Riviera, France is a country out of a storybook in terms of architecture.  I love the different styles depending on which part of the country you’re in, but I can always count on gorgeous building-scapes no matter what part of France you visit.

 

The café culture in Europe is one of my favorite things about the continent, but France does it oh so well!  The café is an experience, not one to be rushed through, but one to be enjoyed and the French know that you’ll feel so much better if you take the time to enjoy your café au lait and baguette, instead of rushing through.  Take a seat, take your time and enjoy.

 

France has some of the best food in the world.  From baguettes straight out of the oven, to macarons to croissants, you will never go hungry here.  I’ve had some of the best meals of my life France and I get so excited for each trip because of it.  Food often makes a place and while French food is truly incredible, it’s just one of the things I love about the country!

 

France has hands down some of the most breath-taking museums in all of Europe.  From the Louvre to the Orangerie to the Museé d’Orsay in Paris, to the archives at Versailles and all the rest all over the country, you’ll never want for a display of art work quite like in France.  Not only are the works of art showcased here gorgeous, but the museums themselves are breath-taking.

You really can’t complain about the lack of charm in France or any French town or city.  Charm seems to ooze out of this country from cobblestone streets to colorful buildings to town squares built in checkerboard tile.  France will leave you wondering if you’re in a storybook and I always leave wanting more!

My Favorite Neighborhoods of Paris

It’s no secret on this blog that I adore Paris and France in general and miss it dearly in between visits. Three months from today I’ll be back roaming the streets of my beloved Paris and as I’m getting anxious for our next visit to the City of Light, I realized that while I talk about Paris a lot and have posted a lot about it, I’ve never really outlined my favorite neighborhoods of the city.  Paris is a lot like my own home city of Portland in that each neighborhood or area of the city has a very distinct feeling and over the years and different visits, these are some of my favorites and why you might like them too.

Paris is split up into arrondissements, essentially neighborhoods that are numbered (and most of them have names too) that make up the city.  In order of their arrondissement numbers, here are some of my favorite spots in Paris!

(French note = In French, when you say 4th, that translates to 4E as in “quatrieme” meaning 4th, so that’s what that means in the images below).

The Île Saint-Louis is one of my favorite areas of Paris.  Located on a small island in the middle of the Seine, it’s filled to the brim with adorable buildings and small shops and restaurants on just 1 main street down the center and small side streets spilling off of it.  It exudes a calm, sophisticated atmosphere filled with an old-world charm.  It’s home to my favorite boulangerie in the city (Maison Martin) as well as our favorite restaurant in Paris, Cafe St. Regis that boasts an incredible view of the back of Notre Dame while you dine al fresco with Rosé wine and the best chicken paillard I’ve ever had.

Le Marais is an interesting part of Paris, with a distinct history seemingly flowing from the facades of buildings throughout its streets.  It’s a part of the city that feels unique and worn in a way, like its been through a lot over the years.  The Marais has become a hip area in the last while and is filled with lots of trendy shops and restaurants that feel like traditional Paris, but with a unique twist.

A close second favorite to the Île St. Louis, Saint-Germain is a fantastic area of Paris.  The location of years and years of artistic and creative endeavors, Saint-Germain is still very much the hip, artsy, creative center of the city.  Filled with tree lined streets, cobble stoned side roads, galleries and hip restaurants, Saint-Germain is gorgeous in all times of the year.  This is where I go when I just want to wander the streets, take in the street-side cafes and bring my creativity and imagine to life.  This is after all where the likes of the Fitzgeralds and Hemmingway spent much of their time in Paris in the early 1900’s and it’s still an area of Paris that just keeps getting better.
The Champs Élysées is one of those areas of Paris where you sort of just feel like you should be dressed head to toe in Chanel to fit in.  It’s a chic and fashionable area, filled with clean streets, spotless ivory building facades and red shades and awnings for a pop of color.  The streets that span off of the famous Champs Élysées are also home to some of the wealthiest of Paris and you can feel it just by walking through the neighborhoods.  With views of the Eiffel Tower and close to the modern Champs Élysées filled with shops and restaurants, this area is always a treat to experience!
 
The Opéra area of Paris is the neighborhood where Nick and I stayed on our honeymoon almost 4 years ago and while we don’t make it up that way on the Right Bank as much as we used to (since we usually base ourselves on the Left Bank during our trips now), it still holds a special place in my heart.  The 9th arrondissement is the movie version of Paris, Hausman architecture, detailed balcony railings and ivory white facades, this area screams “You’re in Paris!”  The neighborhood is chic and tailored and is home to many of Paris’ shopping destinations like Galeries Lafayette and Printemps.  It’s also home, obviously from the name of the area, to the Palais Garnier Opera house which is a site in itself.
 
We first explored the Bastille area of Paris on our last trip there together a year ago and I was completely taken by the area.  Sort of off the main tourist path, this area in the 11th arrondissement has a local, unrestrained vibe filled with small neighborhood parks and streets filled with small shops and restaurants.  We ate at a lovely little Spanish restaurant in this neighborhood and thoroughly enjoyed getting away from the “tourist Paris” and more into the local, casual atmosphere of this area.
Montmartre, the area of Paris that gets its name butchered by Americans left and right is an interesting area and one that I debated putting on my “favorites list.”  While I think it’s a must-see spot in Paris, to be honest, I’m not a huge fan of the area.  Though for the views and the experience, I think it’s still worth mentioning.  Montmartre sits up on the hills above Paris and boasts spectacular views of the city as well as windy small hilly streets filled with cafes and shops.  It’s reminiscent of “Old Paris” and the version of the city I envision how the city once was.  Montmartre has sort of a rebellious, edgy vibe and I guess being home to the Moulin Rouge, you can understand why.  But spend one evening taking in the sunset from Sacre Coeur or exploring the windy cobbled streets of Montmartre and you’ll understand why it’s a must-see area of Paris.

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Must See Spots in India

Must See Spots in India
I’ve posted numerous articles on our time in India in February of this year, but for those of you that might be contemplating a trip to this beautiful country, it’s often daunting to figure out where to go and what to see.  India is a huge country and can be hard to plan a trip there solely for the reason that it’s so foreign to us in the West.  It’s a vast country with many different regions and cities to explore, so the Must See Spots I mention below are what I would recommend between Delhi, Agra and Udaipur, where we spent our time on this last trip.  There is so much more of India that I want to explore in the future and it’s a place I fell in love with for more reasons than one while we made our way through these three cities.  So if you’re planning a trip to India and Delhi, Agra and Udaipur make it on your list of must see locations, then you can’t miss the chance to see any of these must see spots mentioned below.
Must See Spots in India
We didn’t spend a great deal of time in Delhi but one place we spent a couple hours on our way to Agra was at the Lodhi Gardens.  This large park is full of gorgeous monuments, ancient buildings and locals enjoying the nice weather.  Spend a couple hours just wandering around, taking in the trees and architecture and enjoy everything that the Lodhi Gardens have to offer.
Must See Spots in India
Udaipur itself is a gem of India and I fell hard for this lakeside city in Rajasthan but one place not to miss in this gorgeous “Venice of the East” is the City Palace that stands on the banks of Lake Pichola.  This Palace is huge and houses a museum that you can walk through, a luxury hotel and an actual palace still in use.  But what is even more striking than its size, is the design and ornate decoration that governs the style.  The history of it is impressive and walking through the rooms and taking in the views of the Palace from outside are truly an amazing experience.
Must See Spots in India

 

Famous for being the location of the majority of the James Bond movie Octopussy, the Lake Palace in Udaipur is a feast for the eyes.  We saw it from a distance each day from our room and watching it light up against the twilight sky, with Lake Pichola in the foreground and the mountains in the distance as a backdrop, it was truly breathtaking.

 

Must See Spots in India
The main lake in Udaipur, of which the City Palace and the Lake Palace call home, is a gorgeous site.  Seeing the lake surrounded by mountains and greenery from any of it’s banks is intoxicating.  To see more of the area, take a boat ride around the lake (most of the hotels around there will take you out.)  We stayed at the Oberoi Udaivilas during our time in Udaipur with views of Lake Pichola from our room and it was one of the most beautiful views I’ve ever seen!

 

Must See Spots in India
Any trip to this area of India without seeing the Taj Mahal is a true shame. This monument is truly exquisite and an experience I’ll never forget.  We were supposed to go during one of my trips to India as a child and due to family illness, we never made the trip.  But that only made it more amazing getting to see it for the first time with Nick and taking it in as an adult.  The story behind this monument, the ornate decorations and the impressiveness of its size and structure truly make this place one of a kind.

 

Must See Spots in India
One thing that is a must see in India, no matter where you are, are the ornately decorated Hindu temples all over.  We visited the Jagdish Temple in Udaipur though these temples are all over and are impressive all around the country.  Be sure to take in at least one Hindu temple during your time in India, they are a feast for the eyes and deeply spiritual places.

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See all of my posts on the country here!

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