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Bienvenidos a Buenos Aires, Argentina

July 3, 2018 by Irene Quevedo Leave a Comment

South America just keeps getting better.

Full disclosure getting to Argentina was the craziest travel day we’d experienced to date. In order to save a buck our research told us to fly into Argentina via Paraguay… thought we could cross the border cheaply by land.

Happy go lucky we landed well after 9pm from Medellín only to learn Paraguay was charging Americans $160 each for on-the-spot entrance visas. No exceptions! Then they wanted to charge a huge surplus for folks not using cash. All in all, we would have paid $1,000 additional dollars for 3-4 days in Paraguay. Just like that we refused and instead booked a flight out of the airport to our next planned destination: Argentina. After spending a long night in the Paraguayan International airport (sorry, but literally the worst airport ever based on zero dining options, cash-only policies, and horrible wifi) we were back on schedule and headed to beautiful Buenos Aires.

Buenos Aires hit us with the biggest jolt. After more than 10 months of perfect summer weather we were now south of the equator in freezing cold weather. On average it was 40 degrees but it often felt colder. We’re Californias true and true so 40 degrees was freezing to us. We quickly bundled up and called this walkable city home for three unbelievable weeks.

Argentina gave us new weather, new accents, new architecture… and a whole new city vibe we all loved. Especially Diego and Isaiah who are huge Messi/Argentina soccer fans. In Argentina the world cup soccer craze began and so we did what many Argentines do… we watched great games while enjoying great wine, amazing steak, and Argentinian deep dish pizza. Pizza in Argentina rivals that of Italy, New York, and Chicago.

Every week in Argentina we stayed in a different home and neighborhood. I highly recommend this for those looking for variance in any one city. First up was the eclectic and bohemian vibes of San Thelmo, full of tango in the streets, great flea market finds, and all the dulce the leche (milky caramel) any sweet tooth could muster. Sunday nights meant wild music in the streets and dancing. Sunday mornings were meant for shopping. Our place was right smack in the middle of all the action. The comfy old-timey apartment was similar to a European apartment from the 1920’s. Finally, we got to use the outlet adaptors we’d carried for months. Felt good to be prepared.

The following town was Retiro right next to upscale Recoleta and close enough to get us to the best hotels, malls, and restaurants in town. We walked everywhere and loved it. Even pulled off a fun date night at one of my favorite international hotel chains: the Four Seasons Hotel, Buenos Aires.

Thereafter, we decided to feel out the suburbs of Buenos Aires and stayed in Colegials. There we ate the best burgers in #BA and got a true feel for the everyday life of regular citizens away from the usual tourist sites. Our apartment was homey and here Diego mastered his fried rice recipe which we proceeded to eat about 5 times the following weeks. I love when we settle into a great place with a family feel and fully equipped kitchen. Argentina will forever be credited with the town where our kiddos learned to appreciate fine meats and cheeses… we ate until our hearts content for many, many Argentine nights abroad. Our children’s expanding palettes makes this momma very, very happy.

The highlight of our time in Argentina was scratching off a major bucket list destination and I don’t just mean Buenos Aires. We finally were close enough to the Brazil and Argentina border to fly over to Puerto Iguazú and visit Iguazú Falls or Paradise Falls as it’s referred to in the movie Up. These falls are so much more than anything I could write about here. They felt majestic, powerful, and huge — this coming from a family that’s seen many, many waterfalls this last year.

Iguazú Falls is a natural wonder that truly takes your breath away, plus, our trip there was the smoothest we’d had for a quick flight. All of us were so excited to be there and the seamless travel made being there feel easy. We also loved the super small town feel in Iguazú and our amazingly sweet airbnb host who drove us around all weekend. We will forever cherish this destination as a top 3 site seen during our beautiful #queventure year abroad. We recommend it to all families especially those hoping to knock out a visit to the three borders: Paraguay, Argentina, and Brazil…

But don’t get me started on the fun-loving Brazilian side full of great food (picaña steak), ambiance, and all the romantic Portuguese lingo a girl could swoon over.

We could have lived in Medellin, Colombia…

July 2, 2018 by Irene Quevedo Leave a Comment

After a whirlwind two-month stay in Cartagena, Colombia we moved to a totally different region of Colombia. This region known as the “Land of Eternal Spring” was once the crime capitol of the world. Sadly, that stereotype still lingers and though Medellín, Colombia recently received the honor of being coined the “most innovative city in the world” people all too often still ask about its drug-trafficking past.

If this trip taught us one thing above all others that was to look beyond preconceived notions. The number of people who shared fears about our traveling to Colombia is astounding, and I am so glad we didn’t listen to one critic. We would have missed out on so much had we been led by fear.

In fact, at the point that we are now while writing this, we’ve been to almost 15 counties and never once have we felt unsafe or threatened. We haven’t been robbed or cheated. Neighbors weren’t sketchy and tour guides weren’t out to rip us off. This isn’t to say we visited crime-free countries, of course not. Per usual, we exercised caution, researched a lot to determine housing and travel comforts, and most critically, never decided on the path of least resistance: which would have been not venturing outside of the U.S. at all!

Now, back to Medellín…

Its innovation mixed with the Colombian small-Pueblo-vibe made us feel so at home. People in Medellin clearly have high expectations and pride in their town! Their standards for eco-friendly living and healthy lifestyle choices was apparent at every turn. This city is majorly walkable, marathons are a plenty (my hubby ran one) and biking is king! There were so many wonderful healthy dinning options, too. I’ll surely miss my favorite vegan falafel & hummus salad from Vin&Gretta.

That and all of the following reasons made Medellín one of our favorite stops and a town we called home for over a month (we were offered a six-week housing deal we couldn’t resist):

1. Great public transport (we loved the cheap and easy access and the city had one of the cleanest and safest metros we’ve ever used). This including the amazing cable metro which had us “flying” high above the sites! Our kiddos loved using the Medellín MetroCable.

2. Amazing and varied nightlife venues that opened well into the morning hours (+a bonus Mexican stand with authentic “al pastor” pork tacos).

3. Developed restaurant and shopping delivery services similar to Uber eats (+ crazy cheap Uber all over the city).

4. Beautiful greenery, parks, museums and other public spaces for interactive family time (fully equipped with city WiFi and charging stations).

5. Access to truly scenic day trips (Guatepé specifically was gorgeously scenic).

6. Opportunities to volunteer… There’s no shortage of ways to be in service globally and when we found a program dedicated to enriching the lives of women and children in the most impoverished areas of Medellín we jumped at the chance. We will forever cherish the smiles on those children’s face – the children of Bello, Colombia.

In the end, Medellín was the first place that felt like home especially since friends and family visited us there. If we could take our extended tribes with us all over the world that’s exactly where home would be… time and time again.

Thank you, Medellín.

Let’s Get Real for a Layover Minute…

June 5, 2018 by Irene Quevedo Leave a Comment

Not seen: 64 other pictures. Including some with tears, cussing, frustation!

Don’t be fooled by the photos. Don’t for a second think long-term travel is easy breezy perfection. I say this to do all of us a favor and debunk any false myth we are living perfect lives. Our Instagram page is a highlight reel. Our blogs are 1% of the whole story. Our smiles are real and sometimes they’re also 100% fake.

A Facebook friend recently talked about her very real battle with postpartum depression in order to be honest and help others – especially those struggling with a similar experience. I found her brutal honestly so profoundly refreshing. I was lumped right in there with others thinking she made motherhood look “easy.”

Her post got me thinking about our journey abroad and I realized I hadn’t talked about what hasn’t been easy along the way, so here goes… Haters delight!

Wait! Before I go there… let me be very clear… I am overwhelmingly grateful for this adventurous, once in a lifetime journey, my travel companions (family), and every opportunity afforded to us: countless airbnbs, taxi rides, airport layovers, my telecommuter’s salary and everything in between.

We’re on a budget!

I have a brother who loves to joke about how we won $1.9 million dollars in the CA. lottery and I still won’t loan him $20 bucks. I wish the lottery part was actually true. It’s not, and therefore, we have to adhere to a pretty tight travel budget and some months feel tighter than others.

One step further, I am the kind of mom that easily stresses about money. I do my darndest to hide the stress but my husband fishes it out… every. single. time. I suck at hiding it. I am a worrier by upbringing and battle that on the daily. This is a truth that may not be apparent in the pretty instagram photos of steak and wine. It’s our reality. We aren’t millionaires traveling the world. We are regular people with incomes and savings that afforded us an experience unlike any other especially when we can responsibly and patiently budget for it! What’s even more real is that anyone can travel the world with a lot of planning, disciplined goal setting, and a whole lot of courage!

Marriage and Electronics

Above all else I thought two things before our journey began. Somehow I thought usual marriage headaches and spats would go away and that our kids would spend a lot less time on electronics being out in the world as tiny cultured travelers.

FALSE!

Travel doesn’t mean my husband’s quirks stop getting on my nerves. No matter what county we’re in, he still talks with his mouth full, is a terrible listener when I begin to vent, and he forgets about date night commitments more often than not. I can live with all of that, of course, especially if I am living all over Latin America and the Caribbean.

He’s one amazing partner that loves me so profoundly, so proudly, and so passionately. He’ll probably never tackle travel logistics without me forcing it on him, but he’ll go on this journey with me and he’ll find a way, at all costs, to make our dreams come true. Even if that means we’ll disagree and bicker along the way as we always have. Truth be told, we will forever get on each other’s nerves. Now, we just have international travel spats to tell our grandkids about.

Back to electronics… My husband and I planned this trip foolishly thinking we’d live without WiFi and iPads. My goodness did we really think we’d be living in remote jungle huts across barren, underdeveloped lands? Truthfully, our kids like many others constantly want to use their gadgets, and more often than not, they’re being allowed to do so. This isn’t something we are necessarily proud of, but it’s the truth. I am writing this mid-flight and as I look around all three of our kids are buried in devices.

Our kids love their iPads, iPods and Smart TVs. They have had plenty of access along the way and our laxness around usage has been chalked up to letting them bask in all this free time travel brings. God help us when they’re back in traditional school and recess doesn’t involve game apps and Netflix!

The bottom line is that travel is life and no path in life is the perfect path. We struggle with little things as we do with the big scary ones even as we visit the most beautiful world wonders on earth. In the end, I’d do it all over again in a heartbeat. Our travel journey began as a wild dream. It turned into a very real goal. And one day it became our lives. And I am truly in love with this life, warts and all!

And then there was Colombia.

May 26, 2018 by Irene Quevedo Leave a Comment

Cartagena – where an old fortress faces a modern city

Our first South American stop proved to be so much fun. We arrived in Cartagena, Colombia ready for everything this beautiful region of the world has to offer. In fact, Cartagena is truly beautiful in so many ways; from the old world colonial architecture of the Walled City, to the bluest ocean escapes of nearby Playas Blancas, and not to be forgotten – the gorgeous women that pepper the daily city sites. That summarizes Cartagena best…. sun, sites, and beauty.

Our airbnb in Colombia was actually upgraded! This was a first for us and I can’t believe how perfect our upgraded two bedroom, two bath apartment turned out to be. It was oceanfront and so close to the sea that crashing waves usually rocked us to sleep while sunsets overtook every afternoon as our balcony transformed from yellow to orange to pink and purple then grey and finally darkness. I could sit on that balcony for hours feeling such warmth and gratitude. It’s no wonder we stayed in Cartagena for six weeks.

Cartagena is quickly skyrocketing in popularity among worldwide vacationers. One recent travel blogger recently coined Cartagena as “the most photogenic city on earth!” It’s a city full of cultural delight from the vibrant music, to the colorful city streets, and abundant pork dishes (Colombians love pork)!

Cartagena gives visitors a great combination of ocean vibes (be warned lots of street vendors and tourist trap places) and history. The architecture and ambiance of the old Walled City and a nearby town of Getsemani transports visitors to what life felt like centuries ago.

Cartagena also felt incredibly safe. It’s a walkable town full of ample shopping and dinning experiences. Our favorite find had to be the artesanal paletas. These ice cream bars of so many varieties come close to my beloved Mexican paletas and became the perfect after dinner snack combined with a city stroll.

Night time strolls were an experience in and of itself. Horse drawn carriages flood the streets, vallanato music or rapping street performers add to the night’s energy and colorfulness all while folks mingled among the gorgeous architecture. The perfect evening weather meant that for yet another country our coats would stay packed!

Cartagena (well all of Colombia to be exact) will likely be one of my top three favorite counties visited this year. My family felt so at home and this is a feeling that cannot be beat. We were comfortable and welcomed by the locals. There’s one thing about the Colombian people that will always warm my heart… they are constantly kind, incredibly well-mannered, and so, so welcoming.

We’ve said this before, and we will say it again. We do everything to live as locals would on our journey abroad. Therefore, we felt quickly at ease in Cartagena. Whether it was our supermarket runs or daily exchanges with neighbors in our common apartment, we enjoyed every minute of our experience. Truly, it was a pretty fulfilling six weeks. So fulfilling that when the opportunity to live in Medellín for another six weeks came up we jumped right on it and our Colombian adventure only got better…

Stay tuned: our next post will feature Medellín (the first city we lived in that could have become our permanent home).

Caribbean Cruisin’

April 17, 2018 by Irene Quevedo Leave a Comment

The Life. Docked at the unbelievably stunning Grand Turk.

After a whirlwind start to 2018 we decided to spice up our transition from Central America to South America with a trip to the Caribbean. And what’s better than a Caribbean cruise? Our kids would likely answer: NOTHING!

Our Queventure cruise began in Orlando and turned into eight fun-filled days island-hopping and cruising through the Eastern Caribbean. We visited Puerto Rico, Turks and Caicos, St. Kitts, and St. Maarten.

This was the 2nd cruise my husband and I had ever been on and the first we’d ever taken our children on. Best part was how affordable this all turned out to be. Carnival offers five-person suites, which is a rare find on many cruise lines. We actually fit very comfortably considering how small cabins can be. For those interested in this route we nabbed it on Expedia and paid around $2,500 (after taxes)!

The Sunshine Cruise Ship route came with a ton of family-friendly amenities including a daylong kids club. This is a free program our kids thoroughly enjoyed. The best part is that while our children spent a ton of independent time at the supervised kids club, we spent time ‘adulting’! This was the first leg of our trip where we got to travel with three other adults and I can’t express how much of a difference that made. Thanks Cruise Crew!

Without other adults, we would have likely forgone late-night casino trips, rum factory tours in the PR, and plenty of boozin’ poolside afternoons. To have friends/family along elevates memories to another level and reminds us how much this journey is more than the destinations on our itinerary. Such fulfillment comes from the joy of relationships filled with laughter and experiences. Since this cruise, we’ve already visited with our friends an additional weekend while in Cartagena, Colombia and will have another “cruise crew” visitor early next month in Medellin.

Thanks to great friends, we had grown up conversations!

If you’ve never been on a cruise it’s definitely worth experiencing at least once in your lifetime, but do your research! Some helpful tips to bring down costs: be flexible with dates and be willing to fly to a different state to nab your ideal itinerary and cost. We flew LAX to FLORIDA for very cheap and would do it over and over again to journey through the Caribbean and not be limited to the Pacific Coast.

Next, research cruise ships before committing. Our first cruise on Princess Cruises was more adult-centered and higher-end which was perfect for us on a solo trip. Including the kids took us a different route and Carnival Cruises had the best family-friendly activities, meals, and accommodations. So don’t forget to research cruise line reviews and itineraries to get what works for you!