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Kyoto is by far one of my favorite places in the world. Did you know that instead of staying at a hotel, hostel or airbandb, you can stay at a temple for a night? The temple stay will also provide a beautiful traditional dinner and breakfast meal with lots of goodies.  A highly recommended way of staying in Kyoto. The temple that I stayed at was Ninna-ji. And at daybreak you are invited to witness the monk’s morning chants. The head monk will then drop a few words of wisdom on you--in Japanese of course :)

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More farmers market than I could dream of.  On our very last day in Prague, the morning we were supposed to leave, I found myself running to the Saturday market and spending my very last Koruna on snacks for the journey home; managing even to procure goods after running out of local currency from a friendly pesto vendor who believed that an enthusiastic American foodie must try his product before leaving the country. 

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And finally we found Prague. Gritty, Stately, Romantic, Alive. The endless golden spires and religious relics mirrored in my mind even as I headed home to New York.  

Cobbled streets, artisan food shops and expert coffee culture was contrary to the strictly meat heavy cuisine of which I was warned. We experienced opera, explored by foot and by stomach, and although the traditional fare was a little too carnivorous for my taste, the international influence seems to permeate most major cities these days and everyone left happy. 

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Vienna: Endless pastries, museums and the grandest of architecture.  Indulgences everywhere; I did not hold back. Sometimes to a fault, I am a person of extremes who adheres to a strict mold of diet and exercise with unbreakable zeal and self-righteousness. This shell is maintained, until I physically escape the realm that is home--and embark upon new challenges, which include allowing myself to break my own rules in order to integrate fully in a new cultural experience. Because the promise of a time in which the rules don’t apply is part of the steadfastness to which I can ascertain them. 

It is far easier to prescribe standards of physical health when the daily experiences can be tailored. But when we travel, what is in store for us each day is unknown, and so in order to maintain a certain level of mental health and balance, the daily routines and ‘rules’ are foregone.  We all search for excitement in different ways--this is one of mine. 

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Better late than never! I am headed to Japan soon, and as the school year has caught up with me, I have completely fallen behind with documenting my prior travels. So here is a little back-log from the Euro-trip taken this past summer. 

I made it to Croatia. I have always dreamed of exploring this coastal country with unbelievably clear waters, and Figs! Never have I experienced figs in the way that they liter the streets, bursting with sticky honey and intoxicating aroma--attracting bees which are so drunk with their nectar, that in their elated state cause no threat to passersby. 

Between walks along the cliffs and exploring local markets, I occupied myself thoroughly for a week and was able to overlook the sub-optimal hostel experiences (where they cram budget travelers into dorms like cockroaches) and the hoards of oblivious summer-time tourists. 

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Pumpkin chia seed pudding parfait to start the new year 🎉 1 cup of pumpkin puree, 2 cups coconut milk, 2 dates, and 1/2 cup of chia seeds blended with cinnamon, nutmeg, clove and ginger. Once blended, allow to chill for at least an hour in the fridge and layer with your favorite berries and coconut yogurt 😍 #vegan #organic #eatclean #dessertforbreakfast

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More photos from beautiful Bosnia and Herzegovina! 

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New favorite ingredient: unsweetened coconut yogurt. It is so thick, rich and creamy without any overpowering sweetness and pairs perfectly with maca powder and pretty much any fresh fruit! It has been nearly a month since I have eliminated any added sweet from my diet, which has brought physical and mental clarity on many levels, but the most palatable of all is the incredible sweetness and delight that I now find in every bite of fruit! Give it a try 🍓

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And then there was Sarajevo. As soon as we crossed the border into Bosnia and Herzegovina, the mountains rose up around us, flecked with farm homes and lolling sheep.  The trees on the sides of the road dripped with apples, pears and prunes.  It is harvest season, and as we approached the capital city of Sarajevo, I did not realize how cool and fresh the air would be after the unbearably compounded late summer heat of Belgrade.

I had only planned to stay for 2 nights in Sarajevo, but upon arriving at the cutest and most backpacker friendly hostel I’ve ever experienced (called The Doctor’s House), perched up on a hill overlooking the downtown and out to the hills from which hundreds of grenades were launched daily into the city under siege just a short couple decades ago, I couldn’t help but to stay a little longer.  My balcony contemplated this beautiful city in the mountains with side streets so steep that wintertime will trap on a hill those who live further from the central river for weeks at a time.

The main downtown area is alive with tourism, local (meat heavy) food and art. Many of the buildings bare wounds from shrapnel, as do those who survived the years of horror and ethnic cleansing.  Young Bosnians though are very eager and willing to talk about the hardships that the city endured and want to share with the world that although they will not forget the atrocities, strength and good humor have aided in recovery.  Night life is booming, and the Sarajevo Film Festival in late August (actually started during the war) attracts young filmmakers, critics and sponsors from all around the globe.  

Morning runs took me into the hills surrounding the city where I found goats, stray animals and cemetery after cemetery holding permanent silent vigil. Each day, the sun was romantically born again over the quaint and sleepy city, awaiting a fresh start to figs and raspberries quite worthy of the divine. 

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Upon leaving Budapest (where with recent news briefing, I now understand the bands of refugee families I saw living in the subway stations next to our fairly luxurious Best Western hotel), I once again entered into the state of Solo Traveler: perhaps my favorite state of being.  Next stop--Belgrade, Serbia.  Now this had never been part of the plan but that is the beauty of traveling on your own: you can do what you want, when you want and don’t even have to have an explanation as to why. Curiosity will suffice.  Now, I do take risks, but I make sure to be calculated about them (Asian-Jewish-New Yorker speaking). And so on recommendation by a fellow American solo traveler, I headed to the Balkans!

The political and social history of these nations and cultures is wrought with terror and distress into which I will not ensnare my blog post.  I was going to see the Belgrade of today--which turned out to be quite pleasant.

Belgrade itself is an attraction to many of those who are seeking the party.  I somehow ended up in a hostel located in the center of town, right above a strip club, accompanied by a Spanish Mariachi Band and for one night was the only woman sleeping in a full hostel of 20 other men.  But I never felt uncomfortable. Everyone was welcoming, accepting and kind.  The city is gritty--buildings are dirty, streets are full of cars and loud noises, but there are beautiful quiet pockets along the way if you choose to explore by foot.  

As someone who thrives on learning about new cities by going for early morning runs, I found that at 7am, when I was starting my day, the parties would still be raging from the night before on docked yachts all along the river dividing Old Town from another area called Zemun.  These boats are known for $2 drinks, dance club scenes with no cover.  The party can be continued all night by migrating boat to boat to check out all of the various parties’ participants.

This seemed entertaining, but my personal interest is always farmers markets! And I found a beautiful one on Saturday morning with apples, peaches, figs and berries to my hearts’ desire.  I indulged on fresh bread, which they had in varieties of buckwheat and corn, local honey and olive oil from Montenegro.  Later in the afternoon I trekked over to an area of the city much quieter with only low, small buildings, cobble stone streets and stray cats. The area called Zemun is just past an island that is used as the city’s beach getaway. Young and old mingled in the low tides on this VERY hot summer evening, over bbq and beach volleyball and was a pleasant escape from the inner city. 

After a few days of exploration, my general consensus is this: stay for a night or two if you are in the area! It is incredibly cheap. You can get a multi course meal at the finest restaurants for under $10 and whether you love to drink and party, or just sit in coffee shops and watch everyone else get after it, the energy and attitude of the city is delightful.

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Vegan health food travels north! If you happen to fond yourself in the Livingston Manner, NY area, you must make a lunch top at Main Street Farm: an artisan food shop with the most amazing quality local veggies, craft foods and a small restaurant serving soups, salads and sandwiches. I asked for the vegan Reuben sandwich (made of portobello and caramelized onions and home made sauerkraut) as a salad with a side of kale-pistachio pesto. They also carry kombucha on tap! The beautiful space is perfect for a quick pitstop or to sit for lunch and journal or tap away at any work that needs to be done. #vegan #locavore #eatclean #organic (at Main Street Farm)

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It's attention to the details that really shows a love--a passion for one's work. This small farmers stand in Prague, selling only raspberries amongst the many other farm stands caught my eye and got my business! Each box was lovingly adorned with a freckle. As I popped raspberries for breakfast while riding to the airport--I savored, whether in reality or by determined anticipation, what turned out to be the sweetest one for last: the golden berry. 🌈 #eatclean #eurotrip #farmersmarketjunkie #rawvegan (at Náplavka Rašínovo Nábřeží)

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EUROTRIP: First Stop, Budapest 

I had heard nice things about Budapest in the past, but was not ready for how much love I would feel for the place in just 5 days.  The city, saddling the Danube River, is cosmopolitan, metropolitan, international, and yet very accessible.  The public transportation is a little rustic but so manageable, the buildings are grand and majestic to view even just from the outside. 

Budapest’s history of siege and conquest has proven it to be a place tirelessly desired by foreign empires, which has shaped its architecture, and people into a diverse, good humored and accepting group of people. Maybe it was just tourist season, or maybe I was inadvertently noticing the influx of European refugees seeking asylum, but Budapest’s diversity in people, cuisine and culture is great. 

Not only this, as compared to other Central European countries, Hungary is cheap! We were able to eat hearty meals for under $5 and enjoy regular tourist activities for $10-$15. One of the best available options was a FREE walking tour of the city, organized by a company that operates only on gratuity--and by the end of it we were so ready to give our money away.  Starting at 10:30 every morning, large group tours are given by passionate and knowledgeable guides for about 3 hours.  Budapest is actually Buda and Pest, divided by the river. The Pest side is known for where most of the action is (downtown, commerce, sightseeing), but the Buda side is great for a little getaway from the crowds, for hikes and great views of the city.  

As someone who is early to bed and rise these days, I did not take much part in the night time scene, but the city’s restaurants and bars are alive with people of all ages, eating, drinking and being merry at the most romantic pace. 

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My what a summer it has been! It started out with a bike ride....I left my home in Aspen to join a couple of friends on a 2 week bike tour around New Mexico. This then spawned a facilitated bike touring company called Madcap Cycle Tours (http://www.ridemadcap.com/), diligently plotted out bike routes with camping and home cooked meals throughout beautiful Colorado.  The company is in its infant stages now but not for long--these photos are from the inaugural bike trip which was absolutely fabulous, inspiring and a life changing way to explore America. 

We rode about 50 miles a day through incredible scenery and towns, stopping along the way for delicious fresh fruit, power salad and snacks.  Each night we would arrive at camp with tents already set up to relax, swim, go for sunset walks and sit down to a hearty vegetarian meal cooked on the camp stove.  The hosts, the other riders, the rout, all came together so perfectly it was near unbelievable.  

An incredible start to a summer filled with more adventure, exploration and mouthwatering veggies! Simultaneously, this was a goodbye to Colorado for me. It has been a long 5 year relationship and my love for the state has been chiseled into the core of my being; but the native nest of New York has been calling my name for some time now and its beckoning has finally prevailed.  

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So I gave the whole egg baked avocado thing a try--and I cannot believe that I have not been doing this my entire life! Crack an egg into an avocado half and bake it in the oven at 450F for 10 minutes: the whites are cooked, the yolk is runny and you can eat it with a salad, scooped out onto toast or simply itself with just a spoon 🍳 Fast--and better than fast food 😍

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First night on the road traveling through beautiful Colorado once again, this time on an inaugural trip: a group of 9 from all different walks of life together on the road, experiencing an alternative vacation by bike with #ridemadcap Serving incredible #vegan #organic #tofubahnmi (at Steamboat Springs Colarado)

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Utah, the great American outdoors and time away from the unpredictable rains drew me out of stationary Colorado residence for the month of May and back on the road again. I embarked on a journey with a couple of friends to explore the West by car and by bike through desert, forest, national and public lands, all the while keeping in mind the value of taking time off from work-life in order to delve completely into the rhythm of the road.

Who knew of the expansive public land that exists in these Western states, which literally belong to all those who are American? Despite its many vestigial and questionable policies, the US does at times deliver on the concept of freedom. Although concentrated mostly in the Four Corner states, Nevada and California, BLM land (Bureau of Land Management) allows for anyone to camp theoretically anywhere; the catch is that BLM land can be quite difficult to discern from private land, and in states with an ‘open carry’ law–well, let’s just say it would be prudent to do a little bit of research beforehand.

The land upon which this country is built is exceptional, tough, unforgiving at times, yet stunning. I have been in absolute awe of its beauty and hope to continue to explore it through life, with a new understanding and appreciation for its uniqueness and variety.