On my way to Morocco last April, I scheduled a long layover in Paris. I'd never been there before, and as a general rule, I try to pack as much into a layover as possible, even if it's somewhere I visit frequently. No sense in staying at the airport and missing an adventure!
Food
Greek Adventure: Grandmothers in the Kitchen on Tilos
Our week of sailing the Greek isles on our private yacht was coming to an end, but we had one more stop to make after diving Pserimos and heading out of cosmopolitan Kos: we wanted to see tiny Tilos.
Greek Adventure: Hip Dining in the Land of Hippocrates
After leaving the volcanic island of Nisyros, the next stop on our yacht tour of the Dodecanese was Kos. Kos is known for many things, including being the home of Hippocrates, the father of medicine. This was fortunate for me, since I was running low on Dramamine, a very necessary thing to have when one is sailing on a small private yacht and being tossed about the sea like a damselfish in distress. To further soothe my pain, there was no shortage of elegant cocktail bars on the island. Thank goodness for small miracles.
Greek Adventure: Impromptu Date Night in Symi
During our yacht tour of Greece, we arrived on the island of Symi to find a sophisticated yet charming town in this most unlikely locale.
Greek Adventure: Athens in a Day
Call it the "Anthony Bourdain" syndrome, but we're always happy to pack as much adventure into a layover as we can.
How to Rent Your Own Private Yacht
I blame Gwyneth Paltrow.
Bonaire: Shore Diving, Lionfish Pizza, and New Traditions
Prior to this adventure, I don't know that I could've found Bonaire on a map. I knew it was in the Caribbean, but how many island nations are there in that part of the world?
Island Dining in Roatán, Honduras (Bonus: Monkey La La Cocktail Recipe!)
Some people find it strange that we eat so much seafood on our dive trips. After all, if you're swimming with Dory, you might find it a bit difficult to have her for dinner. However, we believe in eating fresh, local food whenever possible, and if the diving is good in a particular locale, then the seafood is generally pretty good as well. On our recent dive trip in Roatán, this was definitely the case. We enjoyed sensational calamari at Land's End Resort, delicious lobster at Argentinian Grill, and amazing fish tacos at Ginger's Caribbean Grill. You know what else was amazing? The cocktails. From frozen margaritas and fresh mojitos to local favorites like the Monkey La La, these icy treats definitely help you beat the tropical heat and humidity.
International Dining in Key West
No matter where we travel, finding good food is a priority. We love restaurants that feature fresh, local ingredients, and we often learn as much about a culture from its cuisine as we do from its people. We hit the restaurant jackpot on our recent trip to Key West, Florida.
Key West Keeps Calling Me Back
I'm really not someone who likes to return to a vacation spot time and again. Although I can certainly understand the attraction of predictability with restaurants, accommodations, and attractions, I'm typically more into the thrill of first-time discovery. The exception to that rule, at least for me, seems to be Key West.
