Tips to Save Money While Traveling

Posted on April 2, 2017 by TnA

1. Travel at night! – Just by traveling at night time we have been able to extend our trips by weeks. Yes, it is not as glamorous as staying in a nice hotel, but to be honest when traveling most of us have 2 major things going against us – TIME & COST.

We have learned that when you are moving to a new city or new region that traveling at night has helped up save money and time. If you are traveling at night you no longer need to book expensive hotels or places to save (which most of the time pays for the travel plans). Also, when you travel at night you can sleep not wasting those precious daylight hours that you can explore and sight-see.

We have traveled at night from Buenos Aires to Patagonia, Saigon to the Coast of Vietnam, Naples Italy to Venice. In every one of these cases the money we saved by sleeping on buses, airplanes, and trains more than paid for the trip itself!

2. USE FREE WIFI – Always utilize free wifi to research and develop a plan for your next few days of travel. We like this because we make it an experience. We find a local coffee house (Havanna on the lake in Bariloche!) where we get to experience a local cup of tea or coffee. Plus it allows you to research and find the best prices/options for your next hotel or transportation.

3. BE FLEXIBLE FOR ACCOMMODATIONS – We have stayed in some of the nicest 5 star resorts and in the not so elegant half way house in Uruguay. Both have benefits, but I will tell you I remember the half way house. We met some amazing people and before we left we were invited to a traditional dinner that they cooked for us.

Some sites that really help are airbnb.com, agoda.com, and many others. Make sure to always search for discount codes online to save extra money. We have used Cheaptickets.com many times and just googled discount code cheaptickets.com and save 25%+.

$30 per night in the center of Buenos Aires

4. EAT CHEAPLY! – OK, yes we know this seems a little bit like a no brainier, but so many times we have seen other travelers going to the nicest restaurants in town and eating only on the main path. I am not saying to not splurge every once in awhile, but when I travel somewhere I don’t want to go to a bunch of touristy overpriced restaurants that pretty much serve food we can buy here in the states. The best way to do this is:

A. Eat Street Food – We all know and love street food is amazing, but why not eat it for our main meals rather than just snacking? We have enjoyed 14 cent tacos in Mexico a couple blocks from the restaurants that charge $100 a person to eat. A quick story about this. I didn’t communicate very well in Spanish and got 4 tacos and loaded it up with ALL the sauces not realizing that the sauce I just soaked my tacos in was habanero. It was sooo spicy I had to throw them away. Which was sad but ok since it only cost me around a buck!

B. Ask your host for dinner – If you are renting an airbnb or room from a host, they are usually more than happy to spend time with you and show you around. You can ask them for suggestions or if you can join them for dinner. If you are staying at a hostel meet people around you and join together buy groceries and cook together. More than likely you will meet someone from a different area of the world, and even if you are not eating out and eating local food, you are getting a new and unique experience!

C. Always check menus/reviews online – As boring as it may sound google it. There are plenty of review sites out there to pull pictures and prices from. Many of our favorite meals have been found just by asking. And go farther than just Yelp or Travel sites. Blogs and vlogs are good resources as well!

5. WALK OR BIKE AROUND – This one is a personal favorite. When we go to a new city we have a general idea of things we want to see and do, but whenever possible we just walk or rent a bike to get there. You experience and see things that cannot be planned when you present and open to doing so. Plus it burns a few more calories so we don’t feel guilty when eating more of the great local food!

Bicycling in the wine country of Mendoza

12 Days in Buenos Aires – Favorite Restaurants

Posted on June 23, 2015June 23, 2015 by TnA

When visiting a new place Anh and I thrash through town eating as much as we possibly can. We try to experience as many restaurants and street vendors serving local cuisines as our stomachs allow us. We become food critics in our own mind. Buenos Aires was no different and it did not disappoint. In our other posts you will see our culinary adventures laid out, but we thought that there were two places TOO GOOD to not write about on their own, Parrilla Pena and Cumano.

Parrilla Dinner (Steakhouse Dinner) – Parrilla Pena

When visiting Argentina, it is a 100% must that you go out for a nice steak dinner. In the states we sit down at a steakhouse and pay $60 per steak…easy, then another $50 for a bottle of wine. Well not in Buenos Aires. Two things that there is an abundance of in Argentina is beef and wine, and you won’t have to pay a premium for it either! Anh will never admit it, but I think this is how I got her to come to South America in the first place.

We set off on our Friday night thinking we could have a nice steak dinner and then head to the clubs. We went to Parrilla Pena, in the Recolleta district of Buenos Aires. It was nice but not pretentious and was filled with friends ordering wine and sharing big platters of meat. Anh and I ordered a bottle of wine, garlic fries, a Bife de Chorizo (New York Strip), a Ojo de Bife (Rib Eye), and a liter of Stella to wash it all down. What we didn’t realize was that the steaks were each going to be about 16 oz, and the fries were piled a mile high. Of course we sat there for a couple of hours munching on the perfectly cooked medium steaks and enjoying each other’s company! It was one of the best steaks I have had anywhere in the world. The best part was when I got the bill it didn’t feel like I got punched in the gut. The tab including tip was right around $65 USD. Why so cheap? Simple supply and demand. Argentina is a net exporter of beef and wine, and have a surplus of both. The equivalent of Napa valley is only a few hour drive from the capital city, and most of the rest of Argentina is filled with cattle farms! So, we took advantage, ate and drank until we can hardly breathe anymore – like a true American!

Cumana

We went out in search of a traditional Argentinian dinner that wasn’t just steak and all signs pointed to a restaurant called Cumana. It was nestled in the middle of the Recoletta district and with its marigold and red decor, gave a very warm inviting feeling. The menu was in Spanish (no touristy English versions here) so it was the luck of the draw on what we ordered being that we only recognize 1/3 of the words on it. We ended up ordering Cazuela de Mondongo Argentino and Cazuela de Locro, two AMAZING dishes that had such complex yet homey flavor. Cazuela de Locro is a stew-like dish made of pancetta, chorizo, tripe, garbanzo, onions, tomatoes, pepper, white wine, vinegar, and various herbs. Cazuela de Mondong is casserole-like with pancetta, chorizo, steak, pureed pumpkin, onions, eggplant, and a hint of cinnamon. Those dishes along with Roquefort empanadas to start (prob my favorite in South America) and some sodas, all for just $16 USD total! Goes to prove that good food in BA does not have a hefty price tag – bonus for gastronomics on a budget like us!

We basically licked the bowls clean. No shame.

12 Nights in Buenos Aires – Our Lodging Experiences

Posted on June 22, 2015June 22, 2015 by TnA

When traveling abroad for an extending amount of time the greatest question mark is also probably one of your biggest expense, lodging. Like in any major city, you can stay at expensive hotels but that isn’t very sustainable on a tight budget, and you may be missing out on the opportunity to meet new people. Of course there are gives and takes to both, so we decided to try 3 very different but affordable options ranging from private and trendy to, well, not so luxurious.

Days 1-8 (Cost $33 per night)

After 3 nights at a hostel in Colonia, we were ready to switch it up. So instead of booking a hostel in Buenos Aires we checked out www.Airbnb.com. At first we didn’t expect much given our tight budget but to our surprise we started finding very nice condos listed. A little outside of our set budget but before giving up I put on my negotiator hat and sent out several owners counteroffers. I figured why the hell not? Within minutes we started getting responses back accepting the counter offers! We hesitated at first because of some looming bad memories from our Europe trip and bad Airbnb owners, but decided that beggars can’t be choosers.

The apartment that we settled on was centered in the middle of the San Telmo barrio of Buenos Aires. San Telmo is a working class neighborhood that has the grit and grime the likes of Brooklyn, but also brings out the true charisma of the people offering cheap eats and live music every night of the week. To get to the apartment we had to waunder through some back streets at 9 pm and were relieved when we entered the unmarked rusted door to a brand new renovated space that was doing a soft opening for a new hotel. The young management team had only completed renovating 50% of the rooms in the building and wanted to cash flow the few that were ready so they listed them for cheap on Airbnb. We sure lucked out! This space was emaculately decorated in chic black and white linens, wood furnishings, a flat screen tv, a full kitchen, working wifi (which can be hard to find), a balcony with a view overlooking the pool, and most of all a private clean bathroom!

Needless to say we loved our stay in San Telmo, and felt completely rejuvenated after cooking good food, getting cleaned up, and sleeping on a cloud. We were ready to check out some of the other more hip neighborhoods and the possibility of meeting some new people so we packed up again and headed out to Palermo.

Day 9 ($24 per night)

We had met some other travelers while on a free walking tour in Buenos Aires that had booked a room staying with a host couple through www.Airbnb.com and had loved it. We thought this was a very cool way to meet some locals and getting affordable accommodations. We knew we wanted to stay in Palermo, the hip side of town with an abundance of cafes, restaurants, and bars. We found a private room staying with a cute couple in their late 30’s that was in the heart of Palermo at a good price, so we jumped on it.

The couple’s names were Juan and Sol. Juan was a freelance graphic designer that worked from home and Sol was in marketing for Time Warner. They had an older style 3-bedroom condo that showed its age, but had very welcoming and charming décor that made us feel right at home. It had hardwood floors from the 70’s that squeaked and pictures on the walls that showed they loved to travel and explore the world just as we did. We sat up in the evening chatting about our travels while watching a Yankee game in the living room. They were both from Venezuela (hence the interest in baseball) and spoke pretty good English. It was a very comfortable and enjoyable experience, and we would have loved to stay longer but they had already committed to having someone else stay in the guest bedroom for the upcoming week. So our journey in Buenos Aires continued to a third place.

Days 10-12 ($20 per night for 2 people)

We loved the Palermo area so much that we decided that we should just bite the bullet and book a hostel right in the heart of the Soho district where the party scene starts at midnight and lasts until 7 in the morning. We went online and found a hostel that had good reviews and was in the area we wanted to be in. The hostel was called The Art Factory, and man, it sure lived up to its name. Right behind the reception area before entering the main hostel was a wall that was 15 feet high with a graffiti artist painting a mural. It was bright comfortable and clean. The downfall of staying in a hostel was that we shared a room with 16 people and slept on separate bunk beds. This was not ideal, given the fact you have 14 other people coming and going throughout the night, but again it was cheap and clean.

We had met some guys from Washington DC on the free walking tour that were also staying in the hostel. They invited us to hang with them at Palermo’s famed “Burger Joint” restaurant where they serve massive American style burgers with fries and a beer for under 10 bucks. Anh and I have heard of this place already through another friend so we were excited to see what the raving was all about. They were ridiculously delicious. Seriously thick patties with mountains of toppings. After stuffing our faces, we went to the Square for some drinks until the am. The rest of the nights in the hostel were more low key, with us buying steaks at the local market and cooking them in. The great part about cooking in at a hostel is that you are sharing the kitchen with several others at the same time. We chatted and befriended people from all over the world and have stayed in contact with some even today.

Conclusion

We loved every minute of our stay in Buenos Aires and believe that the variety of our accommodations played a big part. There are times where privacy are the most important, but you don’t have to stay at expensive hotels to get it. Other times are about meeting locals and other travelers. What we found out is that even though staying at a Westin or other expensive hotel is nice, there is a lot more adventure to be found if you open your mind to the experience! Our average cost per night was just over $25 per night and all the places were clean, safe, and in a city that most people believe to be too expensive to travel to.

12 Days in Buenos Aires – A Day at the Horse Track

Posted on June 22, 2015 by TnA

We were feeling adventurous and wanted to explore different barrios in BA so we took a 30-min subway ride to Palermo which is known as its trendy bars/cafes and party scenes (very much like Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood). As we were walking around Palermo, we stumbled across some large lush green parks, a Polo field, and an amazing horse racing plaza known as the Palermo Hippodrome. Hopeful and curious when the next race was being held, we were excited to find out that the next one was the coming weekend. We expected only what we knew of horse racing but in Buenos Aires, everything was 10x better than planned.

We arrive on Saturday around 2 pm for the race and found it was a much larger event than expected. As you approach the race track you don’t initially know what it is, because the park is lined with 4 very large Parisian style buildings that look like they are mansions from the French countryside. Once you wander past the imposing structures you see a massive equestrian stadium and horse track. This place was immaculate and quite crowded with locals trying to place bets and watch as the next event starts.

In addition to the facilities was a farmers market held in the square where we wandered around and tasted samples of wine, chimichurri, cheeses, olive oils and more. They even had food carts with ASIAN food! This may sound funny but we needed a break from all the chorizos and steak, and Asian food is not easy to come by in South America! After we finished sharing a rice bowl we went and started betting the horses!!!! It was fun and carefree because unlike the US, the bet minimum was only 3 pesos or roughly 35 cents. So being us, we started betting on every event! No doubt made it better when I picked the winner in 2 out of 3 races while Anh won only 1 out of the 5 she bet! I know it sounds like we killed it, but when you are betting only 35 cents a race you are not going to become rich or broke in that matter. All in al,l it was an awesome way to spend a hot sunny Saturday in Buenos Aires.

Click on to our next article about Buenos Aires’ food scenes where we dined out at an parrilla steak house and a traditional Argentinian restaurant that will make you want to fire up your crock pot. Ciao!

12 Days In Buenos Aires – The Beginning

Posted on June 11, 2015June 22, 2015 by TnA

One week deep in Uruguay, we decided it’s time to stop messing around and plunge head first into Argentina’s epicenter, Buenos Aires. After all, it was only an hour ferry ride across the bay from Colonia de Sacramento and cost only about $30 USD per person. Even though these two lands are a mere 64 miles apart, they are two completely different worlds. Buenos Aires is very imposing and hectic, full of rich culture, diverse population, and around-the-clock entertainment. There really is TOO much to be said about this bustling city so we will break it down by different highlighted segments.

First of which are the Free Walking Tours! I usually say the best way to cover the span of a city is by renting a bike, but in Buenos Aires the best way to introduce yourself to the city is by taking a free walking tour. Yes, I do mean FREE. In the US, we usually equate free to either a scam or poor quality, and this was neither. There are two companies that run tours twice a day and offer both English and Spanish versions: www.bafreetour.com and www.buenosairesfreewalks.com. The tour guide takes you to the major architectural sites while sharing entertaining stories about its history, politics, and culture. Be it about Evita’s tragic corpse fiasco (it was stolen for years with various intrusions done to it) or that all portenos have a shrink and government subsidized cosmetic surgery, it was a great crash course to both Buenos Aires and Argentina as a whole since they consolidated down days of research into 2 1/2 hours. Another perk about the tour was that we met fellow travelers whom we ended up hanging out with in different occasions later in the week! Definitely a good way to make friends around the globe.

Click on to our next article about Buenos Aires: 12 Days in Buenos Aires – A Day at the Horse Track. Ciao!

P1010617 (2) — Pretty humid down here, but nothing like NYC’s

P1010620 (2) — San Martin square – beginning of the tour

P1020084 (2) — One of the many beautiful cathedrals

P1020087 (2) — Prob one of the most gorgeous sunsets

Colonia de Sacramento – The Perfect Weekend Affair

Posted on May 11, 2015May 30, 2015 by TnA

Finally, an Uruguayan town that has a little more life and culture! Unlike the hustling cement prison of its capitol Montevideo or the abandoned ghost town of its beach resort Punta del Este, Colonia de Sacramento is a charming cobblestone-adorned town that almost makes up for the rest of the country (that is, for those like us who didn’t plan ahead and travel during the fall/winter season). A simple 2-hour bus ride from Montevideo or 1 hour ferry ride from Buenos Aires, Colonia was discovered by the Portuguese and settled later on by the Spaniards. These colonizations are especially apparent in its historic barrio which boasts of beautiful yet modest stone architecture (note my obsession with the doors), ruins of the city gate, and remnants of its wooden drawbridge.

Aside from its alluring history, there are a few other things that highlighted this portion of our trip:

1. Food – one can eat so many milanesa (thin breaded filet of meat, think a wimpy version of our country fried steak), morcilla (blood sausage, yup you read right), or empanadas (the Russian roulette of all food, you can’t tell if they’re stale and bland or fresh and flavorful until you pull the trigger and buy the damn thing). So when we stumbled upon a handful of restaurants that stepped up their game in offering not just variety but gourmet execution and presentation, we were ecstatic! A la Pipetua had both tasty food and an atmospheric terrace at a reasonable price (even for backpackers like us). For $420 pesos or $16 usd, we ordered the seafood paella that was big enough to share between two people. Add in a few liters of cerveza, it was the sweet combination to kick back and enjoy a rare sunny day in Colonia. Another standout spot we discovered was the romantic cobblestoned patio of Buen Suspiro. For under $20 usd, we were presented with a nice bottle of white Sauvignon Blanc, charcuterie plate, mini torta bites, and an array of regional cheeses. Service was exceptional and it was the perfect setting for a lil’ night cap!

2. Lodging – As a backpacker, where you sleep at night is mostly dictated by cost, but that’s not to say you can’t find nice places without forking over your wallet. As we’ve mentioned before, it’s all about being a savvy shopper. In Colonia, we found Rio Hostel & Suites at only $14 usd pp per night. It was by far one of the cleanest hostel we’ve stayed at and provided plenty of amenities! We had complimentary breakfast each morning outside in its courtyard and were able to cook lunch and dinners in its detached craftsman-styled kitchen. It’s these little details that can upgrade an experience based on convenience to that of comfort.

3. Friendly porteños– Also while there, we were fortunate enough to run into some porteños (those residing in a port city like Buenos Aires) who made us realize that our dreams to go to Patagonia was not lost. Spending more time from their weekend vacation than they should, the super friendly couple basically gave us a pro bono tour guide of places to visit as well as things to do at each location. Sure, there is something nice to be said about having privacy at a hotel but if we had not bunked with them at the hostel, we would have passed on the opportunity of a lifetime!

Despite Colonia being a refreshing change of scenery for us, as with all small touristy towns, it was an infatuated affair that could only last a few days and not much more. Time for us to move onwards and visit its more glamorous celebrity sister across the water, Buenos Aires!!

3 Reasons Why You Should Go to Punta Del Este During Off Season

Posted on May 8, 2015May 12, 2015 by TnA

Punta Del Este is famously known for being the party hub for the rich, famous, and beautiful from Brazil, Argentina, and all over the world. It is remotely placed about a 2 hour bus ride north of Montevideo, and is typically only accessible by bus (for most of us), or private plane or yacht. It has been dubbed the Hamptons of South America. The typical summer day, mid-December until March 1st, sees the streets littered with sun bathers showing off their bikinis and bodies while drinking expensive champagne on some of the most beautiful coastline in South America. The city sits on a peninsula that is occupied with high rise luxury condos and shopping boutiques that every girl dreams of. The weather is perfect and the party goes all night. Now, I know it sounds like all good reasons to go, and they are, but here are the top reasons why you should go during the off season based on a trip my wife Anh and I recently took.

1. Cost of Accommodation:

The city only has about 9,000 year around citizens, but the infrastructure has been built for 200,000. This allows for those willing to come during off season to find fantastic deals on housing. Anh and I stayed at a hotel that would traditionally go for around $150 – $200 per night. After dropping in unannounced I was able to negotiate $36 per night for us. That is over 75% discount! This hotel included private bathroom that has been recently remodeled, white sheets, air conditioning, heater, HBO/Showtime/cable TV, mini fridge, breakfast, and $10 bike rentals for the entire time we stayed. I know this sounds like a normal room, but if you have read our post about Montevideo then you will know that it was a huge upgrade and was very welcomed compared to the $13/night hostel. We also noticed that there were private residences and condos for rent as low as $65 per night on www.Airbnb.com. So if you are a budget traveler, like we are, and still want to be able to experience everything an area has to offer, then this is a good choice.

2. Private Beaches:

Anh and I woke up this morning to sunny blue skies and 62 degrees. We took advantage of the bikes from the hotel and headed off with nowhere in mind. We knew absolutely nothing about the area, but were armed with our GoPro and since of adventure. Almost immediately outside of the hotel we were met by a beautiful white sand beach that had gentle but long breaking waves that allowed a few surfers to practice. We continued on and since there were no crowds, we actually took the bikes down onto the sand and just rode for miles. We got our feet wet and took in the view of the city across the street. We continued along the coast line for another 7 miles gawking at the amazing mansions and chasing the pigeons. About 6 miles north we ran into a small beach town called La Barre and stopped to grab lunch and a beer. It was fantastic being the only ones there and it felt like our own private island. The beach continues to spread out for miles. The serenity of being alone allowed us to sit and watch the waves uninterrupted by loud music, smoke, or drunk people. It was an experience I had never had and would not trade it in for the hustle or bustle at all. Take a look at our time lapse video of some of the sites we saw today!

3. Peace & Quite Together:

Not only are the beaches deserted, but the entire town has a feeling of abandonment that slowly draws you in. We did not have the worry of what to see next, where to make reservations, or what we were going to miss. It was just relaxation. Anh and I have found that when we are traveling, we tend to feel the need to do everything and see everything, which makes coming back from a trip just as exhausted as when we left. Don’t get me wrong, we really love taking in new things and experiencing new places, but the last couple days of not having an agenda has brought us even closer than before. Sure, there were still a couple of restaurants open in town, but for our money, going to the grocery and grabbing prepared food and a bottle of wine was not only economical but very enjoyable!

This was just our experience of Punta Del Este and believe me, it was totally worth the visit during off season. That’s not to say we wouldn’t both love to come during summer as well to celebrate in all the craziness. The bottom line is, when traveling don’t let other people’s idea of the norm get in the way of you experiencing something off the beaten agenda. Punta Del Este is just as beautiful in the fall as in the summer, but just a little different. If you have the right travel partner and a sense of adventure, then nothing else really matters.

Until next time, keep exploring!

Not Backpacking Newbies, but….

Posted on May 7, 2015May 12, 2015 by TnA

Habla Inglés?

That seems to be what we found ourselves asking the Uruguayans of Montevideo mucho times. If we could rewind back the clock, we would probably had spent more effort trying to learn Spanish instead of binge-watching Unbreakable: Kimmy Schmidt (it was our award after long hours of packing up the house for this trip). Luckily the people in Montevideo are really friendly, so along with Tyler’s un poquito de español, we managed to get along pretty well so far!

Aside from learning to speak the land’s language, there are a few other preparations we felt had or would’ve made the trip a little easier:

1. Outlet Adapter – if you’re in any way in touch with today’s technology, you’re probably traveling with a shitload of gadgets like we did. For those who’ve been anywhere outside of the states, outlets are different and without an adapter you’re just stuck with a bunch of dead phones and laptops. Really, we should’ve known better but had forgotten about them during the packing frenzy. So avoid the mistake we made and get some (easily found on www.amazon.com) before leaving for your trip!

P1010235 (2) — Ty sitting patiently next to the only outlet that can charge our gadgets before we bought an adapter

2. Toiletries – okay, you’re probably thinking duh, this is a given but there were some items that even I overlooked. Sure, this is after all a backpacking trip so we tried to pack light and in turn, disregarded a few things. Aside from the necessities (toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant) what do you really need, you ask? Well you don’t need to bring these items but they will certainly make your trip more comfortable!

If you’re truly backpacking, then most likely you’re going to stay at hostels. Not all hostels are the same; some are nicer than others and some, well, are a pig sty. The one we ended up in Montevideo wasn’t extremely horrible but it wasn’t pristine either. It missed out on the following I considered essentials: toilet paper, soap of any kind, and towels ($5 rent charge). Avoid having to pay surcharges or hunt down these items in an unfamiliar country and pack them along with these other useful items: hand sanitizer, flip flops (for the shared showers), bug spray, locks (you’re living with dozens other backpackers so better to be safe than sorry), steripen (to purify drinking water), lightweight sleeping bag (just in case you don’t trust their sheets), laundry soap ($5-10 for the hostel/hotel to wash your load will add up, so you’ll find yourself doing laundry the old-school way), and guys stop reading here, tampons (you won’t be able to buy these anywhere here).

P1010237 (2) — The girls get their private banos

3. Foreign-friendly credit & debit cards – this is a MUST! You should never carry around a pocket full of cash while traveling. Take out only small amounts at a time based on your needs (especially when you’re traveling to multiple countries that use different currency so you don’t have pocket full of leftover change). A credit card without foreign transaction fees gives you the flexibility to charge large purchases while receiving a somewhat good exchange rate. There’s a list of credit cards you can apply for based on your preference but we’ve found Chase Sapphire and Barclay’s World Elite to give the best travel awards. For cash withdrawals, we love using Fidelity! Not only can you easily pull out the country’s currency easily, Fidelity will reimburse all ATM charges (which eliminates that as an additional expense). It’s truly been a lifesaver.

Again, this is based on our experience thus far so filter as you must (those who know me, know I am a little OCD). We do hope you’ll find these tips helpful for your travels!

Until then, stay calm and travel on.

P1010236 (2) — 2nd floor lounge room view

Montevideo, Uruguay – a City Without an Identity, but a Meat Lover’s Paradise

Posted on May 6, 2015May 12, 2015 by Tyler Cook

When Anh and I first decided to travel to South America we looked to the obvious places: Rio de Janeiro, Buenos Aires, Machu Picchu, and Santiago. To be honest, we had probably never thought of the capital city of Uruguay. It wasn’t even on the radar, but with Machu Picchu hiking guides being booked until the end of the year and Visa issues into Brazil, we took the closest and cheapest alternative – Montevideo, Uruguay. We were armed with pretty much only a few facts: Montevideo is the capital city of Uruguay, it’s very close to Buenos Aires, and there are 3:1 cattle to people in the entire country. One episode of Anthony Bourdain later (being the carnivores and adventures we are), we pulled the trigger and bought 2 one-way tickets. What awaited us after 24 hours of traveling was a city that had a different feel than anywhere we had ever been.

The Vibe

At first glance, Montevideo seemed just like any other city. After landing we took a 30-min bus ride into the city (which was an adventure all on its own). The bus had standing room only so when 2 Americans with 70 lbs of luggage got on, we received a lot of stares. For you to fully understand how cramped this really was, my backpack was about as wide as the aisles. To cap it off, we didn’t even know where we were going. This was when my infant level of Spanish kicked in. I began throwing out every and any word I knew to get the assistance of the lady next me. With the help of a map and some aggressive hand signals, we had it slightly figured out. Then during one of the stops, a girl about 20 years old passed by us on her way out and said in perfect English, “have a good trip.” Imagine the conversation from her vantage point! It must have been the funniest thing to watch.

Ok sorry for the long side-bar, back to Montevideo. As we wandered toward our hostel, we noticed that the streets we rather empty for an afternoon. Montevideo is about the size of Philadelphia, but really doesn’t have the feel or glam of a modern day city. The skyline halts around 15 stories with rundown buildings that seemed out of place and sidewalks that needed major repairs. Having been occupied by Argentinian, Spanish, British, Brazilian, Portuguese, and French influence, the city displayed a lack of identity and struggle to find its own personality. It didn’t have much draw for an international traveler, as we tried to find it. Unlike any other coastal city we’ve been to, Montevideo did not have any cafes, bars, patios, or restaurants lining the beach. It was as if the inhabitants of Montevideo were oblivious to the beauty that was in their front yard. After miles of walking, we couldn’t find a place to have a drink to enjoy the view and bought a bottle of wine to bring back to the hostel (yes, I am very romantic).

P1010247 (2) — Different architecture on every block

P1010306 (2) — A gaucho roaming the streets

The Food

Variety in food is not something that Uruguayans and in particular, citizens of Montevideo, have a lot of. However, it doesn’t mean that they don’t do it right (vegetarians, you may want to skip this section). I am talking of course parrilla, or when translated it simply means grilling. After watching Bourdain gorge down on plates of meat, we knew we needed to visit the famous Mercado del Puerto near the port of Montevideo. With every step closer I noticed I had begun to involuntarily salivate. I love to smoke meats at home and have my own home smoker, but this was smoking on ecstasy. The masterful mix of both the smell charcoal and natural wood chips filled the air outside. With the anticipation nearly having me jump up and down like a kid getting ready to go into a candy shop, we walked inside the red brick building.

It was open layout with high ceilings, brick walls, and bars after bar lined up. The bars do not showcase booze but rather the 15-ft wide open brick chimney with barbeque grates lined with sizzling, crackling, juicy cuts of red meat waiting for me to devour them. I was in heaven! It was hard choosing which bar to try until we saw an Uruguayan businessman devouring down some baby back ribs. We immediately grabbed the stools next to his. As we sat there, the host poured us a complimentary glass of Medio y Medio (1/2 champagne and 1/2 wine) then we were presented with slabs of ribs to choose from. Let’s just say, the experience and flavors definitely met our expectations and we fell in love with parrilla! We were lucky and got the chance to try it again the next night, only this time with the local Uruguayans at the hostel. I got to watch them during the preparation as they used a mixture of both coals and wood pieces to start the fire. It was an honor to be invited into their intimate circle since parrilla is mostly shared between family and friends. The barbeque ribs, sweetbreads (innards), chorizo, and blood sausage were to die for! Possibly one of the most memorable experience yet.

P1010329 (2) — Tyler trying not to salivate…

The Drink

Yerba Mate. You’ve probably heard of it before or seen a commercialized can of it tucked in the drink aisle of Whole Foods, but it is EVERYWHERE here. Wandering through Montevideo, we saw many Uruyuaguans (mostly students and elderly) holding a special cup with a metal straw-like stick, and a thermos bag. It was cult-like and reminded us very much of our own Seattlelites and their Starbucks cup in hand. After more interrogation and study, we realized that Yerba Mate is very common beverage in South America and in some countries, surpasses coffee or tea as a stimulant. It naturally contains a lot of nutritional values and has a very unique social symbolism behind (its origin and details are very fascinating and you can read more here http://guayaki.com/mate/130/Yerba-Mate.html). One of our hostelmate shared with us his gourd (cup of Yerba Mate) and we got to try it. To our unfamiliar tongues, it was really bitter and has a lot of tannin. Not yet a fan of its taste but who knows, we may learn to love it by the end of our trip!

P1010252 (2) — Yerba Mate drunk on the streets

P1010253 (2) — The gourd sold on street markets

After Thought

All in all, Montevideo was a very work-oriented city voided of vibrancy and pizazz. We are still glad we had a chance to experience what it had to offer as the streets felt safe and the people are inviting. We walked over 20 miles, met good people who welcomed us to their dinner table, and ate some of the most amazing barbeque…AND I got to do it with the most amazing woman in the world! Montevideo has left me with the hunger for more.

Until next time, keep exploring!

If Not Now, When?

Posted on May 3, 2015May 12, 2015 by TnA

Uruguay JUST LANDED! — Lugging 30lbs with me

Who says you have to have life all figured out just because you’ve turned 30? What’s more, I feel the older I get, the more uncertainty I have about what I want to do with my life. After many years of suppressing these feelings, we decided that life is too short to live in doubt. So we’re taking the plunge head first. That’s right, we’ve traded in our desk jobs to jet off to South America! It’s perhaps the craziest and scariest decision we’ve ever made but hey, if not now then when? Sure, we’ll be living out of our backpacks and sleeping with 10 other strangers in the hostel dorm rooms (definitely no home-cooked meals and 600-count sheets where we’re going), but pushing yourself outside of your comfort zone is the best way to engulf in the country’s culture and we intend to see and inhale every little thing that SA has to offer! We hope our friends and viewers can share our adventures with us throughout our travels and maybe one day, feel inspired to pack their bags for a journey of a lifetime! Cheers!

The Travelphiles

four feet, two hearts, one love for traveling

Tips to Save Money While Traveling

12 Days in Buenos Aires – Favorite Restaurants

12 Nights in Buenos Aires – Our Lodging Experiences

12 Days in Buenos Aires – A Day at the Horse Track

12 Days In Buenos Aires – The Beginning

Colonia de Sacramento – The Perfect Weekend Affair

3 Reasons Why You Should Go to Punta Del Este During Off Season

Not Backpacking Newbies, but….

Montevideo, Uruguay – a City Without an Identity, but a Meat Lover’s Paradise

If Not Now, When?