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Things To Do In Madrid In Five Days

My visit to Madrid was one of slow travel. I wanted a location that I could explore at leisure. I didn’t want to feel rushed or forced. I wanted to take on each day as with ease and flow. I considered Barcelona and Madrid and decided on Madrid. Here is how it went:

Day 1

My phone at the time had an issue each time I traveled. Whenever I turned it on prior to having access to the network carrier, it wouldn’t turn on. Unfortunately, I turned it on while still in airplane mode. So upon landing in Madrid, I lost access to my phone and didn’t have access to it for the entire trip! Thankfully I had my camera to capture photos.

From my prior research, there was a bus from the airport to the Atoche train station for 5 euros. From there, I took a cab to the Airbnb. I arrived before the 3 PM check-in time but didn’t see the host. So I went a nearby pub to get wi-fi access and get in touch with her. She eventually arrived and helped set up the wi-fi in the apartment.

Madrid Airbnb, with view of balcony

After this, I went to the pub to get some food since it was the closest location. They didn’t have many options but were kind enough to make a custom meal with a few things on the menu pieced together so I could eat after the long flight. I had a mix of couscous, bread and a jam appetizer. Then I went to a nearby grocery store to get water and other staples which provided an initial view of the neighborhood. After that, I settled in to eat, shower and get some rest.

Day 2

I wasn’t feeling well so I took things slow and rested for the majority of the day in “the cave.” This was the affectionate name for the Airbnb bedroom based on its location in the apartment. It was insulated from the exterior walls which was perfect for sleeping soundly. The day was all about self-care, the Madrid edition.

Day 3

This was the first big day of exploring Madrid. The morning started with a walk from the neighborhood, Lavapiés. Lavapiés is a vibrant, multicultural neighborhood with steep medieval streets (each outing was a workout)! Breakfast was on the go with a quick stop at a grocery store to pick up a baguette, goat cheese and jamon, in true Madrid fashion.

View of Lavapiés neighborhood from the Airbnb balcony

The first big stop was Plaza Mayor (“Old Plaza”) which is the epicenter of Madrid and has been around since the 16th century. It is often full of people dining outside. The Plaza has nine entrances, and has many traditional shops and cafes plus souvenir shops! The Plaza Mayor has been the site of events such as bullfights, soccer games, markets and even public executions.

Continuing on along the walk was the Museo de Jamón which is the “Museum of Ham.” It’s not an actual museum but a shop that specializes in all things pork.

Inside the Museo de Jamón

Next was the bustling Puerta del Sol. This plaza is centrally located with many hotels is home to the famous bear statue (el oso y el madroño), which is the heraldic symbol of Madrid. Important political, holiday, and sports events are held here and there are a variety of food options.

Then it was time for a stroll through Mercado San Miguel which is Madrid’s most famous food market. This stop was worth it and offered options to try different Spanish food and shop.

Inside Museo de Jamón

Along the way, I passed by Museo Prado but visiting wasn’t on the agenda for this day. Walked along a street near Parque del Buen Retiro where locals sold art, crafts, books and other items from a row of booths.

Crafts by park

From there, a leisurely walk led to and through Parque del Buen Retiro. It was originally owned by Spanish royalty and is now a centerpiece of the city. I visted the pond there, Estanque del Retiro, but didn’t rent a rowboat! Maybe next time! It was wonderful to enjoy the greenery in the middle of the city, stroll through the garden pathway and relax. In the middle of the park was Palacio de Cristal, a beautiful greenhouse-style pavilion made of glass.

Pond at Parque del Buen Retiro with rowboats
Inside Palacio de Cristal

With more perusing around the city, I stumbled upon La Caserola Restaurant which was perfect for dinner. Then for dessert, it was Chocolateria San Ginés for churros and chocolate. It was worth the line and wait! After this treat, it was time to truly wind down the evening at a rooftop bar, The Hat for a few drinks while overlooking the Spanish style roof, characterized by gorgeous tiles that create texture, color and detail.

View from The Hat rooftop bar

Day 4

I love incorporating fitness when I travel. So this morning started with a long run through the city to the old stadium of Atlético Madrid, Estadio Metropolitano, and a walk / run back the Airbnb with intermittent stops for a closer look at interesting things along the way. A city run is a great way to quickly see a new place and check off a workout.

Morning in the Lavapies neighborhood

Once back and ready for the rest of the day, a leisurely stroll led to a cozy restaurant named Tinto y Tapas for tapas.

Tinto y Tapas

This stop provided enough fuel to continue the walk, passing by City Hall, a large soccer ball for the upcoming soccer final and the Edificio Metrópolis (Metropolis building). Next, I passed by “Gran Vía”, Madrid’s premier shopping district. It was great to see but I wasn’t there to shop!

Metrópolis Building

The walking tour continued. There was a long walk before arriving to the Jardines de Sabatini, by the Palacio Real de Madrid (Royal Palace). I spent some time exploring the grounds, passing other tourists and locals who had set up their easle to paint for the day.

Jardines de Sabatini

I planned to head to the palace next but headed in the wrong directly which unfortunately was the long way. By this point, the sun was blazing. I checked out the nearby Almudena Cathedral, the main church of the Archdioceses of Madrid. It was free to enter the church (but not the museum) so I wandered around to appreciate the architecture and colourfully painted ceiling. It was a nice break from the heat as well!

Inside the Almudena Cathedral

Next, it was time to hydrate and rest. So there was a quick stop for coffee and water at a nearby coffee shop. The Palacio Real de Madrid (Royal Palace) was the next stop after this. It wasn’t necessary to go beyond the front gate so I stayed there and enjoyed the majestic structure.

Outside the Palacio Real de Madrid

One of the recommended restaurants was 100 Montaditos so I stopped by one of the locations to check out the tapas options but ended up passing on this. Instead, I ended up at Museo de Jamón for tapas. There was a process which the locals new. It was highly efficient. People ordered quickly, most people ate standing up then they were on their way. To beat the heat and as a nice treat, ice cream was in order after.

Next, it was time for some art. I love incorporating art in my trips so the Reina Sofia Museum was a great way to incorporate this. The museum is Spain’s national museum of 20th century art. I especially enjoyed the pieces by Salvador Dalí and Pablo Picasso, especially Guernica!

Reina Sofia Museum

After the museum, I came back to the apartment for a while. Then headed out to the restaurant Taberna Maceiras for dinner. This was in true Madrid style with a late dinner which included octopus, drinks with fire and a rustic vibe.

Day 5

Food was the first thing on the agenda to start the day. Initially, there was no specific destination in mind but strolling led to a restaurant La Esquina de San Miguel where I had tapas.

Tapas at La Esquina de San Miguel

Then consistent with the prior day, ice cream was in order before visiting another museum. This time it was the Prado Museum.

After all the walking throughout the museum, I went to the Parque del Buen Retiro to relax and lounge in the grass for a while. As always, nature delivered with a peaceful way to wind down the afternoon.

Parque del Buen Retiro

I headed back to the apartment for a while to get ready for dinner. Dinner was at an authentic local restaurant. The evening was lively with many people out and about. The next stop was a bar along the way. The end of the evening also brought to reality the end of the trip.

Day 6

At last it was time to head out. Breakfast was quick with a banana, yogurt and croissant. After finishing pack and tidying up the apartment, it was time to walk to Atocha Station to get the bus for the airport. It was close and with familiarity of the place now, there was really no need for a cab like on arrival.

The verdict?

Madrid was a wonderful time. Initially, I considered visiting Barcelona. But I wanted something with a slower pace. My expectations for Madrid weren’t high and I didn’t know how things would unfold. But Madrid over delivered. It provided the things and experiences I enjoy such as nature, art, walking, history and great food.

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Things to Do in Medellín In Three Days

I have so much of the world left to see, and I’m all about knocking down the list when I can.  So when a good friend, Nikki, mentioned her aunt was doing a Spanish immersion program for a month in Medellín, Colombia and invited another friend and I to visit, who was I to say no?!  We quickly finalized things, making remaining flights work. This was at a time when I was actively prioritizing people and experiences that were important to me, so the flight was booked and a plan was put in place to handle other things going on during my trip.

Arriving to Medellín

After my first flight, I spent a few hours at the airport in Miami before my friend Ana joined me for our flight to Medellín.  The flight was about three and half hours; and we arrived to José María Córdova International Airport (MDE) to rainfall, which was common for November.  First, I exchange some money for Colombian Pesos (COP) (approximately 3,000 COP for $1 USD). Next, after trying to locate our Uber driver on the first level of the airport, we realized there was a second level and found him waiting there. Uber is recommended for travel in Medellín. The initial challenge was trying to communicate with the Uber driver without cell service; and later, we learned that drivers mainly used landmarks as opposed to street addresses.

It was well after 9 PM, so we couldn’t see much, especially with the rain.  But driving from the airport and down into the valley, the lights lit up the mountainous landscape which made for a beautiful view. The drive into the city is about 45 minutes and costs about 50,000 COP. We arrived to our Airbnb, got settled, and our friend Nikki joined us later that night.

Day One

The next morning, we got a chance to admire our cute Airbnb! It had a modern design and decor, beautiful view, great location and enough space for all three of us.  The view out the bedroom window was filled with red brick buildings with red clay roof tiles.  It was a picturesque, all the way up the sides of the surrounding Andes Mountains.

Getting ready that morning was an adventure. We realized the water in the shower was ice cold.  So we reached out to our Airbnb host to learn we needed to turn on the water heater. Because the water quickly turned cold after a few minutes, we mastered taking the quickest showers!

Our Airbnb was right off of La Setenta (La 70) which is an area with numerous bars & nightclubs and is also known as the Salsa strip of Medellín. We walked around the neighborhood, Laureles, that morning with no set plan. We intentionally kept our itinerary open so we wouldn’t be tied to a schedule. We stumbled upon a small, neighborhood restaurant, Ricuras La Abuela, where we had breakfast. We had pasteles de pollo (Colombian fried chicken pies) with salsa picante (hot sauce).  These were delicious and held us over for the rest of our walk around Laureles.

We passed by Pontifical Bolivarian University, a private university in Colombia, which had a beautiful Catholic church on-site, a few neighborhood parks (including one with swings which I had to get on!) and perused about until we stopped at Naturalia Café where we waited for Nikki’s aunt Sandy to meet us after Spanish class.

In recent years, the government has made efforts to support innovation so Medellín attracts expatriates and entrepreneurs from around the world.  The climate, cost of living and accommodations support this as well.  We saw business meetings in progress, people working solo and a conference room in use at the café.  We had an afternoon snack of natural juices and pastries.

Once Sandy joined us, we explored Laureles some more then went to Patacones Food and Gallery for dinner.  There we had a variety of entrees on patacones (or tostones) made from green and ripe plantains.  These were really tasty!

After this, Nikki took us to The Charlee Hotel, which she had visited on a previous trip, and its Envy Rooftop Bar for a great view of the city and the sunset to wind down the day.  The hotel was in El Poblado, an upscale neighborhood with high-rise apartment buildings, restaurants, boutique shops, and lively nightlife. The rooftop didn’t disappoint with its nice ambiance, a rooftop pool and a spectacular panoramic view!

Day Two

We started the next day with a walk around the neighborhood, but in a different direction.  We stopped at another restaurant near the one from the prior day for breakfast. This time we had arepas, a traditional Colombian breakfast dish, prepared in a variety of ways with eggs, cheese, hot chocolate, and coffee.  Our hostess also provided us with fresh orange juice!  After this, we continued our walk, stumbling upon street art and more red brick buildings until we found our way to Segundo Parque de Laureles, a park, just as it started to rain.

We escaped to Freshii, a restaurant nearby with covered outdoor seating that prides itself on “fresh and nutritious meal choices that energize people on the go.” It was perfect.  Sandy joined us and we finished eating as the rain stopped. We then hopped in an Uber to head to El Poblado again.

This time we explored El Poblado more by foot, perusing the streets and checking out the boutiques.  We had dinner at Ay Caramba, a Mexican restaurant, and were amused when they provided gloves for us to eat our wings.  So practical!  This place had outdoor seating so we people watched and avoided another round of rain!

We stayed at Ay Caramba until after sunset then we continued to browse the neighborhood. Good music caught our attention which led us to stop at this restaurant with a  hostel attached.  I found a hammock in the colors of Colombia’s flag so I had to check it out! We had some smoothies there, relaxed and had some amusement when a kid passed by selling flowers. 

We eventually got an Uber back to our Airbnb and walked along La Setenta, picking up some souvenirs along the way.

Day Three

We headed down La Setenta / Carrera 70 the next morning for breakfast at a popular place, El Colmado. We had a combination of pastel de queso (cheese), pastel de guayaba (guava), croissants, etc. with coffee and tea. I personally enjoyed the Colombian coffee!

After this we walked down to the metro and got on the train at Estadio (Stadium) Station. We were headed to check out Medellín’s world-famous Metrocable cable cars.  At the turn of the century, the residents of the hillside barrios that sat above the city did not have a convenient way to get into town in the valley below.  Public transportation was infrequent and unreliable, the area was dangerous and access was limited to the labor market.  To address this, the first Metrocable cable car was built in Medellín in 2004.

We soared over the barrios on our way up the steep hills in the cable car. This was a great way to see how beautiful and expansive the city is!

The cable car went all the way up the top of the mountain and into Parque Arví, a park which is both an ecological nature preserve and Pre-Hispanic archeological site. There’s an outdoor food market next to the gondola station so we checked it out once we got to the top. We bought some souvenirs and even ran into some Wharton students there! This always happens; the Penn / Wharton network is so expansive! We tried local fruits, food and bought jewelry made from local stones.  It was noticeably cooler up there and often rainy but we were prepared with layers and umbrellas.  We checked out one of the trails but didn’t venture far into the park.

We took the cable car back into town eventually and got off at Estadio (Stadium) Station again. By this time, a football match was in session so the area was lively as people made their way into the nearby stadium.

Once we got back to our neighborhood, we went to Restaurante Mondongos to have some Colombian food for dinner.  We shared the Bandeja Paisa (Paisa Platter) which is a traditional Colombian dish. It came with it mondongo (tripe) soup, rice, beans, pork, ground beef, fried egg, plantains, avocado, potato, banana, fries and arepas.  It was enough food to satisfy all four of us!

We went to our Airbnb after to get ready to head to El Poblado for the evening. We took an Uber to Café Zorba, a pizza restaurant with a great atmosphere, where some of Sandy’s classmates joined us.

From there, we made our way to a bar with a ball pit. Ana and I took one for the team and tried it out! It was fun but also left us gasping for air!

At this point, there was a serious downpour outside.  As we wait out the rain, we met some other travelers from Germany and the UK. We eventually hopped in an Uber and made our way back to our Airbnb.

Day Four

After packing and getting a few hours of sleep, Ana and I were on our way to the airport.  We enjoyed the ride to the airport, taking in the views as we headed away from the valley and up into the mountains.  Just like that, our whirlwind Medellín trip had come to an end and we were headed back to the US!  Nikki left a few days after then Sandy finished up her last week of class.

Although it was brief, Medellín was beautiful.  People were friendly, the food was amazing, things were affordable and the city was lively.  I especially loved the mountains, vibrant colors and the red brick buildings. I’m looking forward to visiting again for an extended time!

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Do you have any trips that are on your list that you want to take? Have any of them been on your list for a while? What’s holding you back from taking them?  If you’ve taken a recent trip, how was it?

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Things To Do In Banff In Two Days

I first learned about Banff three years ago. I remember looking up photos and being in awe of how beautiful it was!  I decided then that I had to visit! Fast forward to now, I finally made the trip happen!  Banff is magical and reminds me how beautiful nature is – from the jagged and majestic Rocky mountain peaks to the turquoise-colored glacier-fed lakes. It is calming, inspiring and restorative. When you’re in the middle of somewhere so grand, you realize how small you and your problems are. It puts all of life into perspective. I love soaking up experiences like this!

This trip was particularly special because I intended to do it solo. I wanted to be on my own time, do things I wanted to do, travel how I like to and have the space to digest the experience. It was a personal lesson and reminder for myself – there’s nothing restraining me from doing or pursuing the things I want. When time, resources, access, etc. aren’t a roadblock then what’s left? The only thing left is me. Do I want to invest in myself and my experiences or not? There is only one option for me.

Before heading to Banff, I did some research and created a list of things I wanted to see and do. I like to keep my travel plans flexible and so the idea wasn’t to schedule out the entire time. Instead, I wanted to lay out my options so I could be proactive about logistical considerations. As it turned out, the effort was well worth it and came in handy when I ran into other solo travelers from Germany (Sibylle), Australia (Tim) and Jasper (Alysha), which is a few hours from Banff. We decided to explore some of the attractions together and my list was a hit! We ended the first day in full agreement that it was one of the best (travel) days of our lives!

Here is what was covered in two days in Banff.  This doesn’t include everything on my original list so I guess I’ll have to go back another time to finish it off!

Arriving to Banff

Calgary (YYC) is the closest airport to Banff.  I had a connecting flight through Minneapolis (MSP) and arrived in Calgary around 10 PM.  I stayed at an AirBnB that night and woke up early the next morning to catch a 7:30 bus to Banff. It is a quick drive with great views of the Rocky mountains along the way.  Everyone on the bus was excited and the cameras and phones came out to take pictures! I arrived in Banff around 9:15.

Day One

I headed to the information booth at the Railway / Greyhound Bus Station once in Banff to figure out how to get to the Banff International Hostel. I got one of the great maps they had of the town with key landmarks (you can find it here).  As I followed the directions, I took in the scenery along the cool, early morning walk.  I packed light with my main backpack and a hiking backpack for running around during the day.

Check-in wasn’t until 3 PM so I left my backpack for the day and got some directions from the front desk before heading out. The first stop was to exchange currency at the Clock Tower Mall but I ended up going to the Money Mart on Banff Ave. instead.  Next, I grabbed some coffee and a parfait before rushing back to the Railway / Greyhound Bus Station to catch the 11 AM bus to Lake Louise.

Since Canada is celebrating 150 years, all the national parks are free this year and free shuttles were being provided to certain destinations around Banff including Lake Louise. A win-win for Canada and visitors!

I made it to the shuttle just before 11 and got situated for the 45-minute ride to Lake Louise. Along the ride were more amazing mountain views and trying to capture pictures on both sides of the bus got everyone talking. This is when I met Tim from Australia and Sibylle from Germany. Tim and I hopped off the bus, realizing we had no solid plan for the day and decided to create our own adventure! We ran into Sibylle again by the lake and the rest is history!  We were especially lucky to have clear blue skies and temperature in the mid-60s, a rarity in the final week of September! But the timing was perfect because it is just after peak season and before it was too cold.

I was so excited to walk up to Lake Louise after three years of anticipation! The lake was more beautiful than I could have imagined!  Before taking any pictures, I just stared and took in the scene.  Then, of course, the snapping began!

Next, we hiked to the Lake Agnes Tea House. We quickly noticed and felt the elevation gain and reduction in oxygen!  It was steep and made us short of breath. The hike from Lake Louise is 2.2 miles each way with an elevation gain of 1312 ft. to arrive at an altitude of 7005 ft.

We passed a waterfall and Mirror Lake along the way.

We arrived to the Lake Agnes Tea House which sits right next to Lake Agnes. The Lake Agnes Tea House was built by the Canadian Pacific Railway in 1901 as a refuge for hikers. It has no electricity or running water. The staff bring all fresh food up the trail daily. We relaxed by the tea house and had a snack before heading back.  We debated hiking up to Beehive but decided to try to get to Moraine Lake instead. Visitors are invited to help the Tea House staff carry waste down so on the way back, Tim helped out with carrying a bag.  

This part of the hike was so much easier! We encouraged hikers coming up, remembering what it was like to be in their shoes! We also stopped to take some photos, including Lake Louise from above to capture the amazing turquoise color of the water!

By the time we made it back, we had missed the last shuttle to Moraine Lake which left at 4 PM.  I was really disappointed.  We got on the shuttle to head back into town and headed back to our hostels for a while before walking around town. We visited the All in the Wild Gallery where the sales associate told us about the aurora forecast.  She said she had never seen it as high and there was a really good chance we could see the Northern Lights! We added this to the list for after dinner!

We had dinner at Athena Pizza and Spaghetti House. After a long day of hiking, it was great to sit, eat and drink water. We were especially dehydrated from the elevation gain. After dinner, we headed to find a spot to watch the Northern Lights. We started on the pedestrian bridge over the Bow River then ventured across town to find somewhere with less lights. We were heading out of town but found ourselves surrounded by trees and without the elevation we needed.  So we decided to head back into town, and made an obligatory stop by the Welcome to Banff Sign.

After hanging out at a local bar to warm up a bit and pass the time, we headed back the Bow River bridge. We heard the best time to see the Northern Lights is between 1 and 3 AM but learned there was a good show while we were at the bar!  We waited a while and eventually the lights started dancing across the sky again! It was so awesome to see! There were beams and what looked like clouds spreading across the sky before disappearing. We also saw shooting stars! We were all so thrilled! This was a great surprise and way to close out the already amazing, serendipitous day we had! This is why we rated this day high on the list of the best days of our lives!

Day Two

After being up late watching the Northern Lights, we were a little sluggish getting the day started.  We caught the 10:38 Route 1 bus ($2 each way or $5 day pass) to the Banff Gondola (you can get tickets in advance here at a discount). The gondola took us up to the peak of Sulphur Mountain for a view of Banff and the Rocky mountains. The ride up is approximately 8 minutes and isn’t for those who are afraid of heights! But it brought amazing views as ascended the mountain to the 7,486-foot summit! There is also an option to hike the Sulphur Mountain Trail to the top.

At the top, we walked around the Sulphur Mountain Boardwalk which takes you from the upper gondola terminal to the summit of Sanson Peak, where there is a stone weather observatory built in 1903. All along the 0.4-mile long boardwalk, you get amazing views of the surrounding mountains and a 360-degree panoramic view from Sanson Peak. Mountain peaks were in every direction!

Once we got back to the upper gondola terminal, we browsed the interactive exhibits, the multisensory theater and gift shop. Then we caught the gondola to head back to the valley floor.

Next, we got on the Route 1 bus to the Banff Upper Hot Springs. This stop didn’t disappoint, especially after hiking the previous day and walking around the Sulphur Mountain boardwalk. The hot springs pool is outdoor with 100% natural mineral water. Its elevation is 5,200 feet, which makes it the highest in Canada, and it provides mountain views while you soak in the sun. The water was very warm so I had to take some breaks and sit out a few times.

We headed back in town after and saw Tim off to Calgary. Sibylle and I walked around town, got some ice cream, and checked out souvenir shops. We went back to the All in the Wild Gallery and were happy to tell the sales associate that we saw the Northern Lights thanks to her suggestion! We then walked along the Bow River at the edge of town and came upon Bow Falls. I enjoyed the scenery, especially the fall colors against the bright blue backdrop of the sky.

We eventually made our way back into town, had dinner at Indian Curry House and then Sibylle was off to Vancouver.  I made a quick stop at one of the grocery stores in town then headed back to my hostel.  I took a quick nap then packed before settling in for the night.

Day Three

I was up early to check out of the hostel and get on the bus to Calgary. I reflected on the past couple of days while taking in the mountainous scenery along the drive one last time.

Once I arrived in Calgary, I took the train into downtown then walked around a bit.  I found a coffee shop and stopped for some coffee and used the Wi-Fi to request an Uber to the airport. I thought I would have more time to explore Calgary but the time was tight.  So Calgary will have to be for a separate trip or Banff Part 2!

I am so happy I committed the time to visit Banff! Everything worked out well including the benefits that came along with Canada celebrating 150 year, making new friends to share this awesome experience with and the wonderful weather we enjoyed!

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Do you have any trips that are on your list that you want to take? Have any of them been on your list for a while? What’s holding you back from taking them?  If you’ve taken a recent trip, how was it?

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Multipotentialite Musings: Patagonia and Banff

I’m really resourceful and always find interesting pieces of information which become useful and relevant later. I can’t help it. As a multipotentialite (polymath, scanner, renaissance soul), I find topics that interest me all the time and quickly delve into them to learn more.

How do you know this stuff?! Where do you find these things?!

A good friend brought this to my attention some time ago.  On multiple occasions, we were mid-conversation when the topic triggered my memory of an article, video, a story or some fact I came across.  I usually have it saved or I can remember enough about it to dig it up quickly and share.  In those instances, my findings are useful to drive a point home, provide an example or reveal another perspective.

I like seeing how the nuggets I discover daily connect to each other and other things to tell a full story.  But I only actually share a few of these with others. Most days, I’m making sense of them in my head but I’m hoping to change this by sharing here!  Whether you’re is a friend, family member, or reader I haven’t met yet, I’m hoping these musings will add something interesting to your day!

Patagonia

I was watching an episode of HGTV’s Island Hunters, A Voyage Through the Fjords of Chilean Patagonia, with Seattle native Duane fulfilling his dream of living in the mountainous fjords of Chilean Patagonia. The last time I remember Patagonia coming up in conversation was when a friend expressed interest in backpacking there.

This led me to research Patagonia again. As described here, it is “a sparsely populated region located at the southern end of South America, shared by Argentina and Chile. The region comprises the southern section of the Andes mountains as well as the deserts, pampas and grasslands east of this southern portion of the Andes. Patagonia has two coasts: western facing the Pacific Ocean and eastern facing the Atlantic Ocean.”

The region was originally known as a remote backpacking destination but tourism became an important part of Patagonia’s economy in the second half of the 20th century. I’m intrigued by it because it is one of the last remaining unspoiled natural areas in the world for any true adventurer.  If you love nature and truly being alone in it, you may need to add Patagonia to your bucket list!

See why it is an outdoor lover’s paradise:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BZCmjCNFlEE/?tagged=patagonia

https://www.instagram.com/p/BQQfyyphK8Y/?taken-by=parquepatagonia

Banff

Banff National Park is Canada’s oldest national park, established in 1885 in the Rocky Mountains. The park encompasses 2,564 sq mi. of mountainous terrain, with glaciers and ice fields, dense coniferous forest, and alpine landscapes. It has a subarctic climate with three ecoregions, including montane, subalpine, and alpine.

A friend recently mentioned he had been telling everyone about Banff recently.  He had conveniently forgotten that I introduced him to it a few months ago and pulled up the emails. I went back to look up when I first learned about Banff myself. It was in July 2014 when a couple from college shared photos of their wedding in there. I fell in love with the views and the majestic mountains in the background. The area is dotted with glacier-fed lakes that are a beautiful turquoise color.  Just this summer, I considered Banff as an option for the July 4th weekend but the timing was tight.

Here are some photos that capture Banff’s beauty:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BW79m0hFBlU/?taken-by=banfftown

https://www.instagram.com/p/BPYWetbBRRr/?taken-by=fairmontbanff

https://www.instagram.com/p/BY6Hl-xDdOi/?taken-by=fairmontcll

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Do you come interesting finds that capture your attention regularly? What do you do with the new information you learn? Do you regularly share it with others? How has this worked for you and your conversations with others? I’d love to hear your perspective!

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