13 Barcelona, Spain

Tapas. Sangria. Siesta. Barcelona quickly put us at ease with its laid-back pace of life.

The city's beautiful parks didn't hurt either. We found between outdoor cafes and the many greenspaces that one could spend days in Barcelona without entering a building save to sleep at night. On our first day we treked up to Guell Park and were absolutely wowed by the Gaudi structures scattered all over this huge green area, giving everything a very surreal, very unique style. Tourists snapped pictures right next to locals enjoying the afternoon. We found a similar scene at Parc de la Ciutadella, minus the Gaudi architecture. This is another great sprawling park with a huge fountain as its centerpiece. We even caught a free classical music concert there one night.

The most expansive park area we found was the Sants-Montjuic district. This area houses the National Palace, Botanical Gardens (a great spot for our lunch picnic!), and El Poble Espanyola--a "traditional" Spanish village that we decided had too high an entrance fee to visit. We found out later that this is actually a fake village built in the 1920s! We were saving our Euros for the nearby Olympic Stadium and the Montjuic fort, but were surprised and delighted that both were free! The historic fort had amazing panoramic views of the city and we had a lot of fun sitting up top watching boats come in from sea and planes descend to the nearby airport. We decided to hike up and down from the city level, but it's also possible to take a cable car to and from the waterfront which looked like a more relaxing option. Overall the whole Sants-Montjuic area was relatively uncrowded and serene compared to sites back at sea level.
On our first night in Barcelona, we found a busy cervezeria (beer-eria? yes please!) to sit outside and enjoy some tapas and drink. Katrina had been dying for real sangria since arriving in town, so that was the first thing we found on the menu. Given our budget, we were saddened to see it listed for 9 Euros. We weren't surprised since a glass of wine could set you back that much in Paris. But then we realized it was 9 Euros for a pitcher! And the tapas was proportionally priced. Dining out in Barcelona was wonderfully affordable and we had a great time eating around the clock.

We were surprised on our visit to the Barcelona waterfront to find such beautiful beaches walking distance from downtown. (We're from Boston...think dirty Revere beach.) We hadn't brought our swim gear when we stumbled upon it, so instead we found some empty chairs and basked in the Mediterranean sun. There were also tons of restaurants and cafes lining the beach--great views, but overpriced menus to match. Not far, though, we happened across a fantastic tapas spot in Barceloneta at 56 Carrer del Baluard, in the southwest corner of Placa Poeta Bosca. Tables were shared, Catalan chatter was loud, and we guessed at what to order from a blackboard menu on the wall. We found out later that the "morcillos" we ate is a Spanish spin on blood pudding.

We found two huge markets while in Barcelona, the bustling Mercat de la Boqueria near the cruise port (crowded with more tourists than locals) and the smaller Mercat de Santa Caterina. Both housed butchers, cheese mongers, and stand after stand of deliciously fresh produce. We stocked up on serrano ham and manchego for a nice picnic dinner. Both markets are located adjacent to the older parts of the city, composed of charming narrow alleys which are a maze to navigate. No matter how many times we found ourselves in this quarter of the city there was literally always something new around every corner.

We were lucky enough in our honeymoon preparations to win a free stay at the five-star Claris Hotel from a lastminutetravel.com promotion. We enjoyed four nights of luxury, complete with spacious accomodations, plush robes, sparkling bathroom (including bidet!) and a beautiful rooftop pool with great views of the city. It was a real pleasure returning to our room at night, save for the reception staff. We're not sure if they flagged us as non-paying guests, or if our first appearance in travelling clothes and backpacks grabbing at the free candy gave us away, but they treated us brusquely. Definitely not what one would expect of five-star service.

Looking around the bus on the ride to the airport at the end of our visit it was plain to see from the sun-kissed (even the Brits!), smiling faces that everyone spent their time as we did in Barcelona...outside. Its as if Barcelona was granted by the gods eternal good weather because for four days we experienced almost unabated sun. We know realize that siesta is out of necessity rather than novelity as it would be impossible to make it through a day under the pounding rays from above without a little snooze.More pictures from Barcelona can be found here.

16 Istanbul, Turkey

While in Turkey we often got the question why Istanbul? Why Turkey? The best answer we usually had was "Why not?". Sure we were intrigued by the enormous history of the city and the whole East meets West concept, but when posed the question we could never come up with a good, concrete reason for being there. That being said, we are sure glad we went. Istanbul is a sprawling metropolis that is made of intimate neighborhoods each possessing character that make them unique. Months could be spent exploring this vast city and to say we didn't want to leave would be an understatement.

Our home base for the trip was the Dersaadet Oteli in Sultanahmet; an inn in a restored Ottoman wooden mansion. The Dersaadet is located practically next door to the Blue Mosque and has a soothing ambiance about it that makes it a welcome retreat after a long day of roaming around. The rooms are small, but in a cozy way, and the entire hotel itself is impeccable in decor and cleanliness. Our stay here exceeded all expectations and though we had only booked a room for two nights we ended up extending our stay here for almost the entire trip. Finally, the last night they had no room for us so they booked us at their sister hotel, Hotel Niles, which was not as kind on the eyes but was a little cheaper and had all the amenities a traveler could need. While in town we also visited friends of Katrina's from Pennsylvania, the Duttons, who were coincidentally touring Turkey at the same time and staying at the Sari Konak--another beautifully restored inn in Sultanahmet.

The Sultanahmet neighborhood in Old Istanbul is home to many of the city's historic sights, making it easy for the visitor. The beautiful Blue Mosque (seen below) is a stone's throw from Ayasofya--the prodigious structure (seen above) that was the major cathedral when the city was Constantinople, and was turned into a mosque under the Ottoman Empire. Thousand year old mosaics displaying Christian motifs have been uncovered here during excavations, and are displayed next to Muslim structures and large Arabic characters.

Across the street from Ayasofya is the Basilica Cistern that provided water to the area as far back as the 6th century, and down the street is Topkapi Palace. We spent hours exploring this royal residence of the sultans. The architecture and detailed tiling is amazing and the rooms go on and on. There are museum-like displays in certain sections, including imperial gold and jewels in the old treasury so opulent they make you blush. We were surprised by (and skeptical of) the exhibit of ancient religious relics including pieces of Mohammed's beard, John the Baptist's arm, Moses's staff, and Abraham's saucepan. The fee for Topkapi does not include entrance to the palace's adjoining harem, but nonetheless it's beautiful chambers were worth the extra lira. The halls of the Harem are eerily quiet, making it easier to daydream of the extravagant day to day lives its inhabitants once led.

Right next door to Topkapi is an unsuspecting series of buildings that houses the Istanbul Archaeology Museum. We almost missed it but are so glad we didn't! Once you enter through the main gates, you find three large buildings packed with truly ancient artifacts--sculptures and mosaics from several thousand years BC aplenty! Some of our favorite items were the notes and contracts chiseled in stone when writing was just beginning, including a love poem (seen at left) from 2000 BC. We had planned this museum as a short stop, but ended up spending several hours exploring the exhibits and could have spent several hours more.

Although you could spend an entire trip to Istanbul without leaving Sultanahmet, a short tram or ferry ride takes you to many rewarding sights. Chora Church in western Istanbul has an extensive display of tile mosaics. Galata Tower on the other side of the Golden Horn offers unrivaled views of the mosque-dotted city skyline. And one of our absolute favorite places was Rumeli Hisari (seen at right) to the north. For a few dollars entrance fee you are given free reign to scramble up and down the walls of this ancient fortress used during the Ottoman siege of Constantinople. A great way to get there is to take a picturesque ferry ride up the Bosphorus, and then a bus that leaves you at the entrance gate.

Another great neighborhood to explore is the young and hip Beyoglu--the perfect place for a night out. After eating a traditional meal of mezes (small plates) at Sofyali 9, we met a fun Turkish couple at a bar down the street with whom we drink away the night. Dawid and Seda directed us to explore Ortikoy for the next day, where we enjoyed cafes buzzing with activity and a most spectacular sunset over the Bosphorus. We also hopped a ferry to the Asian side of Istanbul to take in a Champions league match between the local 11 Fenerbahce and Portugal side Porto. We thought the atmosphere at Fenway is intense--but Sox fans have nothing on the faithful (seen below) of the Yellow Canaries.

We enjoyed a variety of Turkish cuisine while in Istanbul with the ubiquitous kebaps and pides high on our list. For a quick snack, you can always find a street vendor selling roasted chestnuts, corn on the cob, or simit--which is strikingly similar to a sesame bagel. The alcohol of choice is an anise-flavored liquor called raki served with water and ice. We had a tough time stomaching this, so we mostly stuck to the local pint, Efes (Katrina enjoys below). The real drink of choice, however, is cay: black tea served in a small tulip-shaped glass at any hour of the day or night. We were definitely hooked on this reliable caffeine fix. Our favorite restaurant in Old Istanbul for all these treats was without a doubt Hamdi.

Shopping in Istanbul is an experience in itself. The Grand Bazaar, one of the world's most famous markets, is a maze of stores hawking everything from jewelry and home goods to leather and preppy clothing (knockoff Ralph Lauren, Abercrombie and Lacoste are very popular). Shopowners hound you incessantly as you make your way through the Bazaar; if you want to make a purchase, get ready to bargain. After the salesperson states the price, it's a good idea to look doubtful and offer 50% of the requested amount. Bargaining goes back and forth until an agreeable price is reached. If you are like us, you might find this process very uncomfortable, but

it's really what is expected.

The Spice Bazaar (which Katrina shops at right) is more what we expected from the Turkish

bazaars--rustic stalls, displaying mountains of colorful spices, teas and candies. This was our

favorite place to shop for lokum (Turkish delight) and hot chili peppers to bring home.

Another distinctly Turkish experience is visiting a hamam (Turkish bath). Katrina was nervous about not knowing proper bath etiquette, but we found a great place with lots of bossy staff: Cemberlitas. After paying at the entrance we were led to our separate men's and women's areas of the hamam. Once changed into a light cloth, we went to our respective sauna rooms where everyone lies down on the hot marble stone in the center of the room. After baking for a while and getting your skin nice and soft, the masseurs/euses begin to work their magic: a good scrub, wash and rinse takes about 15 minutes. We could definitely get used to bathing like this on a daily basis.

We were able to squeeze in four hours of Amsterdam on the way back from our action packed week in Istanbul. Four hours was enough to realize one thing...we missed Istanbul. Sure there will probably be a time for a thorough visit to Amsterdam, but not before a return visit to Istanbul.

9 Puerto Rico

In celebration of the US election, Patrick's company, the VAN, flew everyone down to Puerto Rico for a relaxing staff retreat on the shores of the glistening Atlantic. Katrina was happy to tag along and do some sunbathing while Patrick was in meetings.

The flight to San Juan was the easiest we've taken in a long time. Direct, three-and-a-half hour flights from Boston are offered at low rates by many airlines including JetBlue and American. Once we arrived, we took a 15-minute, $20 cab ride to our hotel: La Concha, an absolutely beautiful beachfront hotel in the community of Condado just east of Old San Juan. Every room has spectacular, head-on ocean views and the facilities, including a number of pools and a posh pool deck (seen at right), are very modern. But the most important amenity is the gorgeous beach (seen at left) that is the hotel's backyard. The only odd thing about La Concha is that the lobby becomes a very trendy nightclub in the evenings that just oozes hip. This is great if you don't want to go far for nightlife, but the blaring music can be startling as you make your way to your room.

In addition to lounging on the beach, Puerto Rico offers a variety of outdoor venues for adventure. We took a nighttime kayak tour of Fajardo Bioluminescent Bay where dinoflagellates light up the water. The experience of kayaking through a narrow, winding, mangrove-lined canal in the pitch dark is worth the trip alone, but seeing your oars glow as they blade through the water is absolutely amazing. There are only five locations in the world where you can see this phenomenon. Try to go on a night without much moonlight because the darker it is, the easier it is to see the bioluminescence.

We did not have time to take advantage of more of the excursions from San Juan, but other VAN employees reported great things about the rainforest, and opportunities for surfing and snorkeling abound. It is very easy to arrange for transportation to all of these activities if you don't want the hassle of renting a car--many of the tour companies will pick you up at your hotel as part of the package. Plus, then you get to meet some great characters like our van driver Jose who imparted much of his local knowledge to us.

One might expect this bevy of outdoor activities from a Caribbean island, but a wonderful surprise is how fascinating Old San Juan is (seen above). Brightly colored buildings line the cobblestone streets of this historical part of the city, and there are two Spanish colonial forts good for hours of exploring. Also be sure not to miss Paseo Del Morro, a stunning walkway (seen below) that hugs San Juan Bay on the west end of the Isla San Juan. Beware however, there is apparently a huge cat overpopulation problem in Puerto Rico. All along the path we saw stray cats lurking around and signs saying "Save los Gatos!" Who knew? The path finally led us to Paseo de la Princesa, a stylish promenade home to charming cafes and dozens of street vendors and an ideal place to watch the sun set. We waited in line to buy the very popular snack of china dulce, which is a giant peeled sweet orange with the top removed to suck out the juice: a very messy treat. We also learned that while taxis are a little pricey in Old San Juan, it is very accessible by public transportation. If you are staying in Condado it is easy to get to and from Old San Juan by the C53 and B21 free public buses.

The dining scene in San Juan offers something for everyone--tapas and Mexican cuisines are popular in addition to traditional Puerto Rican fare, and it is easy to find sushi, American fast food, and a very reliable pizza joint or two (Mike and Charlie's across the street from La Concha was our mainstay). One of the most popular restaurants around is Raices in Old San Juan. We were told that this was the place to try the national dish mofongo: mashed plantains stuffed with meat or vegetables (which Katrina enjoys at left). Delicious! The restaurant is an experience in itself with waitresses in traditional dress and beer served in tin mugs, but be prepared to wait in line for this popular joint. For less of a wait and equally tasty dishes, head to Cafe Puerto Rico in Plaza de Colon. Closer to our hotel we found traditional food at the Latin Star; for the adventurous eaters, the menu is full of stews like goat and oxtail in addition to their many mofongo varieties. Patrick's favorite treat during our stay (other than an ice-cold Medalla) was limber: frozen fruit juice usually served in a small plastic cup. Without a doubt a tasty way to cool down under the hot Caribbean sun.

In the end we found this charming Caribbean island to be a great place to experience Latin culture with US comforts. It's also a whole lot of fun to enjoy the beautiful beaches and natural wonders. Taking only six hours to travel door to door from Boston, a trip to San Juan is an easy getaway worth a spot on any travel list.