Itinerary: 8 Days in Guatemala in July (Rainy Season)

26/07/202426/07/2024wareontheglobe 1 Comment

Dan and I spent a fabulous 8 days and 8 nights in Guatemala in July, which also happens to be Guatemala’s rainy season. We opted go visit despite the season due to cheap flights, 2 work holidays, and a general consensus that it wouldn’t constantly rain, which turned out true! In any case, I struggled to plan our itinerary with so much to see in Guatemala, so I am sharing ours for your future trips. We found this itinerary to be perfect for a week-long trip to Guatemala in July!

Lake Atitlán, Guatemala in July 2024.

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A Day Trip to Ephesus from Izmir, Türkiye: Tips & Tricks

24/07/202422/06/2026wareontheglobe Leave a comment

This post discusses a day trip that I took to Ephesus from Izmir last summer on our vacation to Türkiye. I have seen a lot of Roman ruins in the past, so Ephesus was never big on my “must see” list until two totally separate people on separate trips told me that the Ephesus ruins were the “best Roman ruins they had ever seen”! I made a day trip to Ephesus a priority when visiting Izmir.

A Day Trip to Ephesus from Izmir, Türkiye: Tips & Tricks

Ephesus, Türkiye.

Was that description accurate after visiting? Is Ephesus the best Roman ruins? Maaaaybe, maybe not. Certainly, Ephesus is an extremely well preserved historical site that is interesting to visit. I think whether it is “the best” may depend on your personal interests and the quality of your visit. In brief, I would absolutely set aside a half-day to visit Ephesus if in the area, but I would not suggest a big bus tour or any “add ons” that many companies offer (like lunch, product demonstrations, etc.).

EPHESUS, TÜRKIYE – A BIT OF BACKGROUND

As a [very, very, very] brief background, Ephesus was an historical city in Ancient Greece that was quite advanced for its time. Located about an hour inland from present-day city Izmir, Türkiye, Ephesus was famous for many things, including the Temple of Artemis, a Wonder of the Ancient World, the Library of Celsus, a very cool site to see, and an open air theatre that could hold 24,000 people! Ephesus also important in the Christian religion, being mentioned in the Book of Revelation and entertaining rumors that the Gospel of John (from the Bible) was written in Ephesus. It’s also located very close to the House of the Virgin Mary a/k/a the alleged home with the Virgin Mary (i.e. Jesus’s mom) lived out her days…

Ancient Ephesus.

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Restaurant Review: Mon Lapin, Montreal

19/07/202419/07/2024wareontheglobe Leave a comment

Amuse bouche at Vin Mon Lapin, Montreal, Canada.

We recently dined at Canada’s new “best restaurant” Mon Lapin on our recent trip to Montreal. The dinner was fun and quite tasty, but it is not Canada’s best restaurant (or even Montreal’s – that honor goes to Damas. Come at me.).

Mon Lapin, or “My Rabbit” in English is a restaurant/wine bar in Montreal’s Little Italy. Mon Lapin has been open for several years but it has recently received a lot of attention due to topping Canada’s 100 Best Restaurants in 2023. I couldn’t resist a dinner here, so I made an online reservation right when they opened a couple weeks before our trip.

Vin Mon Lapin.

We arrived in Little Italy in a cool Friday evening in May for an 8:30 reservation. Mon Lapin was totally packed and we were not even let inside until 8:50, when Mon Lapin set up our party of four in a little corner to order wine while we waited for our table. Very busy! We didn’t really mind as we had poutine earlier, so we ordered an organic lambrusco while we waited. Outside of our little corner, Mon Lapin is a cute spot with wood flooring and tables crowded in the dining room. Its definitely a nice dinner, but with a cool and casual vibe. The kitchen is somewhat open in the bank of the restaurant, which was pretty interesting (I always love to watch the chefs!). For attire, I would suggest cool.

We were seated about an hour late, LOL, and were promptly brought the wine list, dinner menu and the standard amuse bouche – radishes in a sauce, local cured sausage, and a savory scone that was incredible (and I mean incredible!). As you can see, the menu, entirely in French, is small and consists of generally “Quebecois” fare. The wine list was also a bit small, very organic, and honestly not our favorite. We asked our waiter if there were any other options and he did bring 3 bottles from the back that fit our request. We drank two of them. Our waiter also explained every dish on the menu in detail.

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Eating Our Way Though Mile End, Montreal!

12/07/202412/07/2024wareontheglobe 2 Comments

Dan and I, along with another couple, visited Montreal in May 2024 to celebrate a milestone birthday! We love a food tour, and have only ever taken one in Canada, so we booked a good tour in Montreal’s cool Mile End neighborhood. The tour had us tasting delicious food, as well as learning a lot about Montreal’s diverse history. We really enjoyed it! This article reviews the tour and also provides suggestions for where to eat in Mile End Montreal.

The group on tour!

STOP 1: A DELICIOUS BREAKFAST PASTRY

The first stop on our tour, and where our tour began, was at a Mile End bakery named Guillaume. Guillaume’s bakery (and website) enjoys a yellow theme and turns out fresh pastries all day, every day. It smelled delightful. For our first taste of food, we tried a bread product that looked a bit like a mushroom made of bread. It was, indeed, not a mushroom. Instead, it was freshly baked brioche flavored with white chocolate and vanilla. This pastry was incredibly tasty. SO SO GOOD. I will absolutely have another when we are back in Montreal.

Guillaume bakery.

Eating Our Way Though Mile End, Montreal!

White chocolate and vanilla brioche. Amazing.

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A Winery Visit Near Touristy Assisi at SAIO!

14/06/202413/06/2024wareontheglobe Leave a comment

By the time this article has posted, I will be a real Italian citizen! YAY! This post clearly had to be about Italy in light of this major life accomplishment! As such, this post reviews our visit to the SAIO winery just outside of Assisi in Umbria, Italy, where we spent the first day of my 40th year in December. In sum, the wine could be better, but this is a fun stop near touristy Assisi.

SAIO decked out for the holidays (my birthday is December 26th).

SAIO winery is a small winery located only 800 meters from Assisi’s famous St. Francis church. That being said, St. Francis church is located on a hilltop and SAIO is located on the ground level, so its not exactly walking distance or that close in reality , but does offer fabulous views of Assisi. SAIO brands itself as the “winery of Assisi” and prides itself on its wines and olive oil. SAIO is run by the Mencarelli family and makes a small selection of reds and whites.

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