San Francisco in Two Days

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My favorite type of traveling these days is the visit friends-kind. A few years ago, I slowly started leaving the traditional way of backpacker traveling. Don’t get me wrong, I’m still always on a low budget and I've learnt heaps of stuff I still bring with me everywhere I go. That subject requires a separate post though.

I truly enjoy reading up on a country, learning its history and its most interesting geographical spots and investigate its art scene. Sometimes, however, it is tiring. When visiting friends they take you around and show you their favorite places in their (current) hometown, they know where to go and how to get there and usually I don’t even bother to google the place. Call me lazy, but I like just letting go of everything for a while. The absolute best part though, is of course to get to spend time with my beloved friends and at the same time see yet new parts of the world. So, that is what brought me to San Francisco for a couple days; to visit my dear sister and friend Lucy. Two days isn’t a long time and if you’re anything like me (and most of my friends haha) food is the main attraction on a go-visit-friend-trip. San Francisco is an ideal place for foodjunkies such as myself, besides being some kind of hippie haven (which obviously means that you’ll be most likely to find me in the bay area a couple more times)!

I’ve posted all of the delicious food we had on instagram so go there to check it out! What I want to share with you travelers is the Food Market in the Ferry Building- which is a must visit when in SF! There was an entire shop with different kinds of mushrooms for instance. And the gluten free Mariposa bakery. And all sorts of organic, vegan, vegetarian, whole food, veggies and locally produced food. I also had my very first Vietnamese food; lemongrass tofu and veggies and it is now my favorite Asian dish so far.

Another must-see is the Haight-Ashbury street that became famous during the 60’s and the bohemian hippie era. Simply because a lot of hippies moved there due to cheap accommodation. Today, the area is filled with lovely stores such as vintage, smoke shops, herb shops, thrift stores, crystal shops and tie-dyed clothing. Needless to say, I love it!

Tie-dye store Haight-Ashbury

Tie-dye store Haight-Ashbury

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Haight.Ashbury

Haight.Ashbury

Oh and for those who wonder: there are actually buses and they're cheap! So I simply took the bus Reno-San Francisco.

Back in Reno now, snow in the mountains and -2 degrees Celsius. Next week I’m heading to Costa Rica and probably warmer weather.  

What stories do you wanna hear from my travels? =) Please contribute in the comments below this post! 

Love & Light

Practicing How To Stay Healthy on The Road

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I’ve been on the road since 5 am (it is now 11.25 am Swedish time). I still have a long way to go and many hours more in the air. I am trying to follow my own advice about staying healthy while traveling and (as suspected) it hasn’t been as easy as it might seem. However, I’ve managed to stay away from temptations like coffee and snacks ;) At CPH (Kastrup, Copenhagen airport) I had a sandwich (due to lack of time trying to find oat meal) and chamomile tea. Chamomile is great for relaxation and for the stomach so I was happy finding that! Needless to say, the breakfast we got on our way to London was awful. I had two sips of black tea, which is not ideal, and simply ignored the piece of white dough put in front of me. 

I am now at a café in Heathrow Terminal 5, waiting for my connection flight to Chicago. After having asked around for mint or peppermint tea and non-sparkling water in a few places, I eventually found a good spot! Since I want my stomach to keep doing its job, I was in the lookout for either ginger or mint. I’m extra happy to tell you that the tea is organic and I got to pay with dollars (tried Danish crowns but no go)!

It’s something about the UK, isn’t it? I mean, natural hand lotion for free in the airport toilet, organic and fair trade drinks and super friendly staff within most service areas.  

Not to mention the amazing view over London Eye and Big Ben as we flew in. Got me thinking about Sherlock. Of course.

When meeting friendly people in busy work areas all over the world, I think about Sweden. How come it’s not the same? Could it be because we don’t have the tipping culture? What do you guys think?

birds fly!.jpg


How To Stay Healthy and Balanced While Traveling

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"Long hours on the road may make you feel bloated, hungry without being able to eat and exhausted but not being able to sleep properly for days. This can happen either if you’re traveling by bus, car, train, air etc. Ayurveda would explain it as..." 

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Magdalena Chandrakaí

Highlights of 2013

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According to the linear time made up by humans, the year of 2013 is coming to an end. As many do around this time of year, I am going to sum up some of the amazing experiences I’ve had during 2013. It has been a tumultuous year in many ways and my within-journeys deriving from my travels around the world have been great and profound. My intentions for 2014 are to continue deeper into my spiritual journey, wherever in the world it may take me.

Ok, so let’s sum up some extra good times!

 

1.    San José in February and March: This is festival time in Costa Rica and its capital. The classic Latin American Carnaval is being centered around Puntarenas, whereas the capital holds festivals like Transitarte. I especially enjoy these kinds of events, with street art and free concerts around Down Town San José and its city parks. The streets are buzzing with happy people and the bars are full even at daytime! Of course, February is also the month when the Moon Dance is held but that topic requires its own post. Some day I might tell you about it.

2.    Puerto Viejo January to May: The tiny village Puerto Viejo de Talamanca is the place in Costa Rica I call “home”. Sure, we have had our differences: humidity, unwanted animals in the house and cold- to mention a few. But it is impossible not to love this place. I get to wake up, in the jungle, to the sound of howler monkeys and have breakfast with hummingbirds and to do yoga while resting my eyes on the ocean waves rolling in to shore. Puerto Viejo is also the place to visit for a culinary experience and I’m sure you know that I love food! Organic, fresh from the garden, hand made chocolate, you name it Puerto got it!

I also had my sister staying with me for 4 whole months in this paradise, which is a true blessing! 

3.    The United States in May and June: I know some of you will smile reading this- having said I never wanted to go to the states. Of course, the reason it ends up on this list is the exact same reason I went there in the first place: visiting one of the most important persons in my life. What really made this trip special was to get to travel with my partner and him introducing me to his life in this culture that is so far away and yet so close to “my own” (what ever that is). Who would have known I’d go camping with a bunch of motorbikes in the Nevadan desert for instance? I love that life takes me to unexpected places.

Golden Gate Bridge San Francisco 

4.    Sweden in July: I went from north to south this year basically. I have never before been to Österlen in the south east of Sweden and its spectacular nature and breath taking sceneries stuck to my heart. Summer is when Sweden shines in all her glory. Such a beautiful country! Sometimes I find Sweden and Costa Rica very much alike. For instance, the fact that nature varies greatly from place to place within both the two (small) countries.

One of the finest memories from the Österlen trip is when mom and me went to Kivik and ate for hours at the raw food restaurant. (Again: food!)

Norrland (Photo Credit: Ola Danielsson)

Norrland, Sweden (Photo Credit: Ola Danielsson)

Yes, it's a rain deer

Ale Stenar at Österlen

5.    Festivals in August: For August there is no better place to be than Småland. Heaps of stuff is going on all over: festivals, markets, harvest parties and what not. This year, I packed a car and went to a music festival in the forest. Mundekulla is about song, dance and love, created by and through the people attending. It will always warm my heart to think about it and I hope I get the chance to return every year.

My partner in crime (at least when it comes to yoga) and I grabbed our mats and jumped on a train bounded for Copenhagen a weekend in late August. The Copenhagen Yoga Festival is an outdoor event where you can try a variety of yoga styles, listen to lectures, snack yummy raw food, meet people from all over the world and even go into the ocean if you want to! It was a great weekend with, maybe, the last hot sun rays of summer. 

Las Salvajes

So, there you have it: my Highlights of 2013 -list! Now, I’m curious about what you enjoyed most this year. Tell me all about it in the comments below :)

 

Happy New Years and Pura Vida

Topp 3 Matställen i Puerto Viejo

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En bussresa på omkring fyra timmar sydost om Costa Ricas huvudstad San José tar dig till den karibiska byn Puerto Viejo de Talamanca. Detta avslappnade reggae-vibrerande strandhäng och kulinariska paradis är ett måste för den matälskande resenären! Puerto Viejo har en alldeles egen vibe som till stor del utgörs av dess fantastiska kulturella mix. Det afrokaribiska ursprunget är blandat både med Tico (costaricanska) influenser och medhavda kulturer från expats från Europa och USA. Personligen anser jag att just den mångkulturella blandningen utgör en stor del av Puertos vibe. Detta återfinns såklart i maten och för att verkligen ta del av upplevelsen rekommenderar jag att smaka sig runt den lilla byn. Nedan har jag listat tre av mina bästa smultronställen- låt dig väl smakas!

1. Farmers’ Market

På lördagsförmiddagar hålls den lokala marknaden i centrala Puerto Viejo. Ta dig till Casa Cultura och du kommer se den. Det här är stället där jag köper det mesta av kommande veckans mat, inkluderat sådant som inte går att få tag i vanliga butiker. Förutom billig och ekologiskt odlade grönsaker och frukt finns även lokalproducerad ost (även fetaost) och mjölk, tofu, choklad och kokosolja för att nämna några. God och smakrik-även saltad- ost är svårt att hitta i hela landet eftersom costaricaner föredrar sin ost enkel och smaklös, vilket lämpar sig bra till stekning som de ofta använder den till. För den ostälskande Europén kan detta bli påfrestande men lösningen är alltså att ta sig till de lokala marknaderna.

För mig är lördagarna veckans höjdpunkt och utflykten till marknaden blir ofta en halvdagsaktivitet. Människor från närliggande områden åker in till centrum för att sälja och handla och således blir Bondens Marknad en knutpunkt för både mingel och inköp av veckans grönsaker. Blir man långrandig finns det försäljare som erbjuder allt från hemmagjorda vegetariska empanadas till spännande och nyttiga pajer, kakor och juicer. Dessutom kan man köpa miljövänlig och handgjord tvål, kläder och mycket mer. En gång fann jag till och med ekologisk tahini!

Puerto Viejo Farmers' Market

2. CariBean

Du tror förmodligen att du vet vad choklad är: hur choklad ser ut, smakar och tillverkas. Du kanske till och med anser dig föredra ren choklad- mörk och fyllig. Jag garanterar att CariBean kommer få dig att tänka om. Besök den här kaffe- och chokladfarmen och ingen annan choklad kommer någonsin tillfredsställa dig igen (du har blivit varnad!). Du finner återförsäljare av CariBean produkter på flera ställen i stan (bland annat marknaden), men det är på OM Yoga Café i Cocles som det händer. Här kan du köpa hälsosam frukost mellanmål eller lunch. Deras utbud av kakor har en trevlig variation och är bakad av olika kak-magiker från trakten. Men det finns mer! CariBean och Om Yoga Café är dit jag går när jag behöver extra energi och pepp och de ger mig det i form av chokladespresso. För två dollar får du fyllig, smakrik, mörk och len kakao i en shot som fyller kroppen med antioxidanter och ny energi.

Ägarna driver sin kakaofarm ekologiskt hållbar (permaculture), bakom huset, och tillverkar chokladen för hand. Medverka på deras underbara choklad-tour för att lära dig om produktionen, provsmaka oväntade kombinationer och njuta av Puertos bästa utsikt!

3. Bread and Chocolate

Detta frukost och lunch hak är förmodligen Puerto Viejo’s mest berömda restaurang. Jag har vänner på andra sidan landet som pratar om Bread and Chocolate och anser det vara något man absolut inte får missa om man är i närheten. De har givetvis rätt. Saknar du airpressat kaffe efter allt det där lustigt bryggda? Då är BC stället för dig. Välj en chokladrik och kreativ kaka med intressant namn från deras breda sortiment att förtära till. Eller varför inte min personliga lunchfavorit: veggie sandwich. Brödet bakas på plats, är smakrikt, osötat och med utländska mått ett fullkornsbröd. Det finns flera sorters sandwiches att välja bland och alla serveras med antingen frukt, grönsallad eller potatissallad.

Bread and Chocolate har en mysig atmosfär och är därmed ganska litet. Det är dessutom omnämnt i backpackerns bibel Lonely Planet och tenderar att snabbt bli fullsatt under högsäsong, vilket kan vara bra att ha i bakhuvudet när man planerar sitt besök.

 

Who knows the name of these cakes?

Puerto Viejos gator kantas av restauranger och caféer innehållandes alla sorters matkulturer eller rent av fusioner av flera. Långt ifrån alla är bra och många dessutom dyra. Jag hoppas ni får nytta av mina lite annorlunda mattips och om efterfrågan finns kanske jag återkommer med en post särskilt om byns restauranger.

Frågor, funderingar, kommentarer eller vill du lägga till något jag missat? Tryck på ”comments” här under för att bidra! 

 

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