My Namibia Trip and Self-Drive Safari
Welcome to Namibia! The second half of our trip was in Namibia and lasted eighteen days . We drove from Cape Town, South Africa through the entire country of Namibia! Our total drive was 8000km, and it was so much fun what an incredible adventure! We spent six months planning our self -drive safari through Namibia and we were finally here and doing it! Hell yea! We had to scrap the last and third half of our plan which was to drive through Botswana and end up at Victoria Falls but for legal reasons, we couldn’t take our 4X4 rental into another country. Now we have another reason to go back to Africa! August is wintertime in Namibia and it’s pretty warm with the sun most days but the temperature would drop pretty low at nigh so this made us reconsider camping out at night. Our original plan was to get a Toyota Hilux with a pop-out camper attached so we could camp, cook and do everything in our car as we made our way through the country, but everything worked out for us in the best way. Camping out under the African starry sky sounds so cool, but after the long drive days we just wanted to take a good shower and sleep in a warm comfy bed . August is also a pretty busy vacation time especially since the kids are out of school. Countries like Italy usually take August off and everything is closed so pre-booking in Namibia is essential. Namibia is one of the top five least densely populated countries in the world and places like Safari Lodges, tours, and rental 4x4s (especially campers) will book up early in the year. Planning your road trip Make sure you plan and prepare accordingly. We mapped out our driving route for Namibia, pre-booked and planned all of our lodges, safari camps, and ensured we had all our essentials and paperwork straight. You will have to get a Namibian SIM card. We got ours through http://www.mtc.com.na and would top it up at MTC’s various vending machines in their gas stations and shopping centers. It’s their better wifi and phone option as the coverage is pretty good, but driving many hours through Namibia, I’d recommend http://www.tracks4africa.co.za. There were many hours we would be without wifi going through the country, and even though we had our maps and guides, having this navigation was so helpful and necessary! After hours of driving without seeing another car pass or anyone else, it was just me, my husband, and the wildlife. The best … After clearing customs and having our Truck inspected at the SA / Namibian border, our first stop was Fish River Canyon, and we stayed two nights. The first night at Ai-Ais Hot Springs Spa http://www.aiaisresort.com and then at Hobas Camp http://nwrnamibia.comFish River Canyon was INCREDIBLE, just breathtaking. It’s the second-largest canyon in the world, and its colors and depth are massive and stunning to see. We arrived in the early afternoon and had lunch at a cool place we accidentally discovered called https://store.gondwana-collection.com/accommodation/canyon-roadhouse. We had lunch here, and this place was where we wished we had stayed for our two nights in the area …. We enjoyed lunch, dinner, and a small safari drive called the Garas Self drive safari when we weren’t exploring Fish River Canyon, and the staff here is so kind. The loveliest people we met on our trip. I had to take a picture of this local tale I found in the women’s bathroom called TJONGOLOLO’S Box … Fish River had the most beautiful energy. It felt like I was in this euphoric pink, purple, white clouded room. The sunrises and sunsets were just phenomenal, and even though we were supposed to be back at our lodge by dark, we stayed after dark to see the stars. Not too late as it isn’t advisable to drive at night when there’s no street light, and the animals CAN potentially pose a threat. We only managed to see a family of Ostriches cross the road. We were hoping for Honey Badgers or Lions! From Fish River, we drove to Luderitz, which took us five hours. On the way, we saw the wild desert horses of Garub. Aus in situated in the center of the Namib desert and as we made our way we were able to spot these wild beautiful horses noshing on wild melons…. These wild desert horses have adapted to the harsh climate in the Namib we were told there are less than 80 left .. The scenery just driving through Namibia so far was just truly spectacular . The mountains , and landscapes I’ve never seen so many beautiful colors . I can’t even explain the peaceful , magical feeling coursing through me on our trip so far … After being in the Namib it was refreshing to be on the coast and water . Luderitz is a cute town . We had fantastic oysters and stayed at the http://nesthotel.com This is where we got our SIM card , exchanged some of our Euro for Namibian Dollars and went to the gym lol. Luderitz is a great stopover for these errands . Bear in mind though that exchanging large amounts of cash is a process here . The clerks aren’t used to these transactions everyday in this small town (but bigger than most in Namibia ) and to be patient . We had Lunch and dinner the night before at Diaz Coffee Shop -Oyster& Wine Bar – Beergarden . AMAZING food , Oysters , Coffee and the sweetest staff . The chef prepared us the most amazing spicy Cioppino for lunch and I had it again for dinner that night . It was so cold and foggy being so close the the water and bay and this was a perfect meal for the chill. On our way to Sossusvlei we drove 349 km and about 5 hours to get to our next stay which was
Prague 2023
I decided to venture out of the city a bit and see some new places. All of the above places are a must see if you’re taking your first trip to Prague. Like a lot of famous European cities you’re going to hike and walk A LOT especially to get the most spectacular views. St. Vitus Cathedral is about 300 steps to get to the top but it’s worth it! Good Thursday morning to you all! The first trip of the new year was to Prague . I have some family who relocated this year to Europe and I’m so excited! So far none of my family’s made it to visit me in Italy but I can easily take a quick trip around the EU . I’ve been to Prague numerous times and I love this city so much . Since I’ve seen all of Prague’s most famous Landmarks like The Prague Castle, St. Vitrus Cathedral, Charles Bridge , and the Jewish Quarter – cemetery . Gotta get that IG selfie!! LOL I’m kidding really , leave your phone take the hike and just enjoy the view . The old town square is where you’ll find the world’s oldest astronomical clock . It chimes and plays beautiful music on the hour every hour . My husband told me (not sure if it’s true LOL) that King Charles IV had the clock made and after it was finished he had the eyes removed of the two men who made it so they couldn’t make another clock! Yikes! Not the most romantic thing to tell me on our stroll ! Prague feels kind of dark to me at times and funny enough one of the things I see for sale that freak me out are those Marionette Puppets . I’m not a fan of clowns either and I see many of them in the touristy shoppe windows . I’ll stick to buying chocolate and other sweet snacky things !Speaking of sweets on every corner you’re going to see shops and stands selling “Trdlo”. It’s like a sweet cone shaped pasty/ funnel cake filled with ice cream and you can choose your toppings . I’ve personally never had one so if you do tell me if I should next time! We opted instead to get our sweets at a newly discovered cocktail bar called Parlour. Blink and you’ll miss it . There’s only a TEENY sign on the door which is located down a small flight of stairs underground. It’s very small inside maybe four tables but theres a good 10 seats at the bar. It’s a nice atmosphere and the mixologist tailors a cocktail for you based on your preferences. Next trip we want to check out Hemingway Bar … We had breakfast at Veget Bistro Cafe in New town . It’s really small like only three tables small but super healthy .The food is so good and the service was fantastic. It was so welcomed since I kinda indulged a bit too much with drinking and getting my asian food fix with super spicy rich food! Unless I cook at home here in Italy I don’t have the option to eat any Japanese , Thai , or Vietnamese food . Our first dinner on Friday was at Taro http://taro.cz. We did the seven course tasting menu and it was amazing . We liked the seating around an open kitchen with only 14 others . Small and intimate . We arrived a bit early and so during our wait we walked up the street to the Manifesto Market http://manifestomarket.com to have a margarita before dinner .There’s a lot of great food and drink options here ! It’s also heated inside during the winter so it’s really cozy ! If you take the Prague metro (which we do to go around ) it’s the Andel Stop. We had a solid bowl of Ramen at Takumi and the best Vietnamese food is in Little Hanoi or SAPA . SAPA is about 30 minutes outside of Prague. It’s worth the trip to eat delicious Vietnamese food , shopping , and have the best Viet Cafe mmmmmmm. I’m going to be in Prague a few more times this year so I’ll have more updated stories of delicious fun things to do !! XO Tera
Cabo San Lucas
Buonasera! Happy Monday! It’s raining hard and the forecast says “thundershowers all week!!” Rain doesn’t trigger sleep or relaxation in me. Wind, and thunder have always been really unsettling for me. I don’t mind the rain, or lightning. It’s the wind and thunder that gets under my skin and makes me feel meh… So the worst case scenario for me would be a hurricane. Well this trip to Cabo San Lucas three years ago on August 31, 2017 I met Lidia. Our wedding in Tuscany was in June and usually August was our month to travel anywhere, so I took my husband to meet my mother in Las Vegas then you know, because I’m spontaneous I will just book a honeymoon… somewhere… I hadn’t really thought it through and my husband was open to anything. Now you’re probably thinking “well why didn’t HE plan a honeymoon”!? Well he did but we were going to go in the spring time and I insisted he let me choose our August destination so here we were…. We really only had one week before we had to head back to Italia from Vegas so I thought ok, let’s just go to Mexico! It’s close, easy, and we really don’t need much, let’s just do it!! I chose Cabo. I heard good things from other friends who had been and I was only there once before in 2000 with Clive and Erica Mc lean to shoot my Hustler Honey Centerfold. I remembered it was lovely there, so I thought it could be a great, easy trip… Arriving to Cabo was easy, booking a taxi to your place is an adventure . I think this is in EVERY country though, I mean tell me a country that has honest, legit SAFE taxis? Oh England does, so I take that back.The driver asks us all the usual questions like ‘where are we from, is it our first time” to which I reply “oh we are on our honeymoon!”. “You didn’t see the news”? “Oh you guys gonna have a lot of fun!” he says winking. I just think he’s making some kind of small talk but yea, we were in for a good time. I booked a cute place kinda inland called http://thebungalowshotel.com The owners were INCREDIBLE!! It was family owned and a lovely Brother and sister greeted us with the best hospitality. So warm, and friendly, our suite was just beautiful. They cooked us a full delicious breakfast every morning we were there, any snacks or tequila we wanted they would put out, and every restaurant they recommended was just UH MAZING, seriously. I can’t recommended this place enough if you’re going to Cabo ! In between marathon sex, we would tour the marina, and head to the beach… It was after beach yoga and some swimming that we decided to have some tuna tartare and margaritas at this beautiful beachfront restaurant when all of the sudden waiters start shutting windows, closing shutters, and moving tables inside. All of this sudden movement has me thinking what the hell.. They move us in but say “no no it’s ok don’t worry!’, ‘You can still eat and drink, we will make sure you have a beautiful dinner, these hurricanes are nothing for us, and we want you to be happy!” Say what… you said hurricane and happy in the SAME sentence?! Well as you can see from our pictures, yes Lidia was sneaking up on us. We ate, and drank with the others, had a nice dinner BUT when it came time to walk back??? Uh yea, that was fun LOL. So much water had flooded the city, driving wasn’t possible. We were still damp from the beach, and had on chanklas aka sandals. NOT the best footwear in this scenario! We had maybe one mile to walk back UPHILL I might add because yea, I didn’t book us beachfront! It was an adventure the next few days LOL Of course there was nothing wrong with us staying in bed for the next three days other than I was a bit sore (poor me LOL), We had no power, wifi, or running water. It was impossible to go out to eat even with sanitation being an issue and flooding. The winds were at 65 mph according to reports but to be honest being cooped up with my new husband kinda made it all bearable!! We ventured out the night before our flight and ended up at one of the few open bars called “Squid Row”. Just a lot of randoms you know like, college kids, tourists, expats, a nice mix of Uptown and downtown. We drank tequila and ate Takis. The morning we were set to leave we said goodbye to our hosts who truly were so very kind. It’s not an easy business hospitality, and really I can’t say enough wonderful things about how kind they were and how well they treated us. We shared a taxi to the airport with a couple from TX who were also celebrating their anniversary of twenty years and were hoping that their home in AZ was ok because Lidia managed to flood parts of CA and AZ as well. Alberto and I weathered the storm and it’s another trip, another adventure, another thing that brings us closer but also reminds me to be grateful and stay humble. Gracias Cabo I hope one day to come back to you!! XO Tera
Summer in Sardinia
Ajoooooooooo!!! Ew!! Haha, someone in Sardinia is cringing for sure right now after reading this! So Ciao, hello, what’s up! All of these informal greetings have served me well so far here in Italia but I’ve ONLY used them among family and close friends. These are all, of course VERY informal ways to say hello BUT if I’ve learned anything these past five years living here in Italia it’s that good manners go a long way and they are absolutely necessary to survive here. That may sound a tad bit dramatic but really, you CAN offended someone by improperly addressing them… For example I could NEVER, ever get to a point where I would say “ciao” to my daughters teacher, or the lady who serves me cafe (coffee)and brioche at my local bar (coffee shoppe). Safe rule, you never say ciao unless someone says it to you first OR you know this person and you know they are ok with it. Which brings me to Ajo… This is how the locals say their “ciao” and it’s kinda just reserved for them.. If YOU try and say it well they might roll their eyes. Hey, maybe the random guy might find it cute but the consensus is just don’t say it because Sardinians find it annoying LOL. This was my second trip to Sardinia and it was much needed, since this year has started off kinda crazy! From lockdown to a ten day trip in this complete island paradise, my husband claimed I was a “Dolphin on Drugs”! Seeing how I was behaving in the sea everyday and the fact that I would spend all day swimming and flipping around in it. I could see how I earned this title! Two days in we stopped at a sporting goods shoppe and I picked up one of those full face masks, while my husband and daughter got goggles. I need a full face mask so I can do endless handstands, front flips, back flips and I’m obsessed with seeing as many fish as I can! The water in Sardinia is SO INCREDIBLY clear and blue- green, also very warm!! I can compare my top ten beaches I’ve ever set my paws on and Sardinia IS number three, easy! So I’m in the sea nonstop, flippin and tricken so much that my husband yells “don’t be saying my neck my back later!!” Hahahah during my many handstands he’d toss a floatie or a ball over to me like you would to a dolphin at Sea World. I guess he wanted to see if I’d bounce it off my nose and head or spin it with my feet LOL..cute.! Well he was right though. My neck was crying for Icy Hot or Arnica Oil uff… My first trip to Sardinia was two years ago and we stayed on the northeastern side. We flew into the northern airport of Olbia and stayed around Cala Luna, then sailed to Islo Maddelena. In was in the beautiful ancient city of Alghero, that my trip took a terrible turn and I got super sick :{ We hiked down the famous steps and took a boat to Grotta Di Nettuna (Neptunes Grotto) A stunning cave, that was the incredible part. The wind or Mistral was in full effect and probably after being “wet” all day I didn’t have a chance to completely dry. We went to a beautiful five star dinner (outside) and maybe fifteen minutes in I could just feel that my body was giving out. Sadly I had to spend the rest of my five day trip with a high fever and just feeling awful. THIS go around we decided to go south and arrived in Cagliari. Cagliari is the capital of Sardinia and It’s located on the south western part of the Island . It’s obviously the most populated city on the island and it was nice to have the best of both. The city with everything we needed, nightlife, great restaurants, bars, shopping, all within walking distance. I personally love staying in an apartment with a kitchen because we all know how much I love to cook, plus doing your own laundry and just having your own coffee maker, tea kettle is worth it to me. I’m not a fan of room service and I hate having to order every little thing you know? I made their version of ravioli which they call “Culurgiones” https://www.greatitalianchefs.com/recipes/culurgiones-recipe. and they are delicious!! Here’s a link above to a great recipe on how to make them. Typically you will find them filled with potato and fresh mint Mmmmmm. I just had them with olive oil and salt, simple and perfect! We did rent a car because if you want to explore other cities, beaches, beach clubs well then you have to drive. One of my favorite beaches and beach clubs is in Porto Pino and that’s a good hour and a half away from Cagliari. In Cagliari my favorite beach is Poette and the beach club http://lepalmette.com. I love doing this although I know it’s not cheap to “rent” sunbeds I prefer it since I’m baking like a turkey in between Dolphin flips in the sea LOL… I need a bar close by for Champagne BUT the local beer Ichnusa is also pretty damn good!! I was on the hunt for Nurage all the time which are these ancient beehive stone “houses” that are all over the island. I found many and my goal WAS to go naked and take a pic with one but I couldn’t make it happen. That was probably a good idea since they are so ancient I wouldn’t want to disturb any spirits and get some bad juju! I did see flamingos as well!! It’s crazy because they are ALL over Cagliari! I mean I’ve never rolled up and just straight stared into the face of a flamingo and here I did!! It’s SUPER MAGICAL when they fly too, it’s beautiful and insane!!!
Miami Land of Sunshine
This Miami trip took place during the 2018 EXXXOTICA July 20-22 weekend. My birthday is July 25th so this trip was perfect ! We had little work and then lot of play.. I hadn’t been to Miami in a minute so I was happy to stay and play around the city for a week after the show. We stayed at Urbanica http://urbanicahotels.com It was really nice! The rooms have a clean white on white minimalist aesthetic. The rooms are a great size and its such a cozy space. There’s a rooftop pool and laundry on site which I love having in your hotel . The rooms also have a fridge which is something else I love having in my room . The property is so nice. There’s a cute little cafe to grab stuff and a nice bar with good tapas and snacks. I get laughed at by friends, fans even promoters because I don’t stay in a lot of 5 star hotels but to be honest I don’t want to pay 30$ for a pot of hot water when I just want a cup of tea. I need a fridge because I buy snacks and prefer to buy and stock up on bottled water from CVS .It’s a ROOM so if a 5 star hotel for one night is the price of a 3 star for a week I have more money for other stuff that’s my logic.This hotel is in a great location. You can walk to a great Italian restaurant, CVS, heaps of banks, the beach. They also have bikes. I rode a bike for the first time in ages and it’s so much more convenient to go around Miami Beach this way. It was about 2 km to Collins ave and the Lincoln Rd. mall. On the way everyday we would stop at Taquiza http://taquizatacos.com Their Michelada was SO GOOD and Spicy I had to have it everyday.. Hence why the bike riding was good for me ! We did Sunday Brunch at Planta http://plantarestaurants.com South Beach.. It’s a beautiful space and all vegan but very delicious, full of flavor and you won’t leave hungry.. I spent my birthday night at the Nobu Hotel. http://miamibeach.nobuhotels.com Nobu has always been one of my favorite restaurants. The hotel is very pretty and the service is good. Funny that we ended up staying in Miami an extra 5 days. We were supposed to head to Cuba but I couldn’t get a visa to travel there so we stayed in Miami… I’m hoping in 2020 to get back to Miami! Our friends opened a beautiful Italian restaurant in south beach so I’d like to pay another visit! XO Tera
Cabazon ! Tera Patrick’s Big Adventure ..
I know about seventy five percent of you will get this reference… “Everyone I know has a big butt, let’s talk about your big but….” It’s such a sweet and well kind of life changing scene that happens in Pee Wee’s Big Adventure. While sitting in this giant T-Rex in Cabazon Pee – Wee and Simone watch the sun rise and ponder life… Being a California Native I never made my way to Cabazon . It wasn’t until I watched Pee Wee’s Big Adventure that I finally said one night “um where the heck are these Dino’s and are they real? ” Why yes this cute little tourist trap park exists and it’s http://cabazondinosaurs.com Now YOU can go into the T-Rex and Ponder life like PW and Simone. It’s been open since 1975 and it’s always been one of those iconic Cali pit stops . It’s not as big inside as it looked onscreen but it’s cute and fun to ascend the steps until voila you’re the mouth!! You have to pay 15$ to go around the path and see all Dinos There’s also a gift shoppe inside with kitchy stuff. Alberto and I got some Large Marge cafe mugs. It’s cute and worth a stop!! These first pics are when I first went in 2012 and Sophia was a year or maybe even just a few months old! If you’re road trippin through CA yes it’s worth it to stop here :}} XO Tera
Palm Springs Pin-up Girl
I love Film Noir type films and classic cinema.Back in the glamour days The Rat Pack, and most of my famous classic cinema stars I adore so much had homes in Palm Springs where they would often escape the hustle and bustle of Hollywood and take refuge here. I personally find the Palm desert and desert landscapes to be very pretty. One of my favorites is Joshua Tree park http://www.nps.gov/jotr/index.htm Quick sidestep : In 2008 when I felt I had enough of my Hollywood life (for like a week) I checked into the We Care Health Spa in Desert Hot Springs. I thought “oh eight days with no food and people, colonics, tonics, infrared sauna, and meditating is like SO what I need”. I guess it was. I felt better in some ways and definitely had a clearer perspective! In 2012 I did a photoshoot for Pin -up Girl Clothing http://pinupgirlclothing.com a beautiful elegant brand of retro style clothing created by Laura Byrnes based in Burbank California. We were to shoot in Palm Springs at the Riviera Resort hotel http://rivierahotel.comand it was just lovely. I love modeling, it’s actually my first love and if you can believe I started my career with my clothes on! Such beautiful clothing I had a blast. My favorite dress to wear was The Lorelei which was inspired by Marilyn Monroe in Gentleman prefer Blondes. The resort itself is very pretty and I’m not even exaggerating they had the BEST fish tacos! I had them every meal. In palm springs… at the Riviera… who knew?? Not the best model diet but hey I’m in clothes… so eat up right!!! The photos were featured on Pin Up girl’s website. I was invited back for New Years 2013 to do a feature burlesque show with some of the other models and did a few other appearances and shows with PUG… It was a lovely experience. I can’t recommend much for Palm Springs. I did find the Riviera to be lovely and the service was outstanding. I had a delicious dinner at http://roosterandthepig.com it’s Vietnamese and they have a good cocktail list. Kings Highway http://kingshighwaydiner.com had good food and I liked the atmosphere I did find some country western shops because my sister LOVES this stuff She’s a little bit country and I am VERY Rock and Roll.. actually I am Metal lol and I found her a beautiful pink pair of cowgirl boots. I am that weirdo who buys gifts year round like yes I do my Christmas and birthday shopping early and just hide and save it I am actually planning a desert trip this Christmas when I going back to Cali so maybe I will get through palm Springs again!! XO Tera
Tokyo 2019 Go Go Godzilla!!
Konnnichiwa! Japan is my favorite country to visit . My first trip was in 1992 at the age of fifteen when I took my first mainstream modeling assignment . Since then I’ve taken a total of twenty five trips to Japan. For a few years I went three or four times a year and it’s an incredible country .From the intensity of Tokyo to the beauty and serenity of the south Island I’ve been fortunate to see all of Japan from the cities to the mountains and sea. I feel deeply connected to this country. My spirit transforms when I am there. I always feel some deep emotions I often cannot describe when I’m in Japan. They disappear as soon as I leave and I can’t explain my feelings but I just go with it. IMG_8545 Anyone who knows me knows I LOVE Hello Kitty. Ever since I was a child. My discovery of Hello Kitty goes like this : I’m walking home with my mother from Kindergarten and we pass a cute little shop that sells like gum, cigarettes, magazines . I spot a hello Kitty pencil with a strawberry scented eraser. I never asked my mom for stuff we just didn’t have any money even for small stuff, but I REALLY wanted this pink yummy smelling pencil. She got it for me but she was like “why you like cat with no mouth” in her heavy Thai accent lol I was a very quiet kid so maybe this resonated with me somehow. Who knows, but HK and I have been in a love affair for about 40 years now. I may make one or two more posts about Japan but this one is going to be a few Random HelloKitty Pictures I have .I love Godzilla and Gadzuki his baby! I stood in line to meet HK and my sweet husband this past Christmas took me to Puroland http://puroland.jp to see her again:} That’s love! I was actually ok with not going as I wanted to show Alberto more of Japan not HK Land .He was curious about this character I love so much and it gives him pleasure to see me so happy so off we went! Godzilla is located in the neighborhood of Shinjuku and it’s at The Gracery Hotel http://gracery.com. Shinjuku itself is very cool and my second favorite neighborhood. The first being Shibuya. I always stay at the Shibuya Excel or Cerulean Tower Tokyu. Both are big and the Cerulean is more luxurious (my opinion) and both hotels are in great locations. For shopping http://shibuya109.jp is a fantastic iconic mall right in the heart of Shibuya.It’s got the most amazing make -up , skin care, really unique lingerie , clothes and shoes. I love to buy lingerie , and hosiery here because it’s 100% unique and you won’t find many of these Japanese brands anywhere else in the world .You have traditional Japanese amenities at both of these wonderful hotels and the Shibuya Excel has the most wonderful bakery on the ground floor cafe you have to try .The subway is right there which is an adventure itself but Tokyo is so amazing to just walk! That might not be everyone’s speed but it’s mine. I like big clean rooms with all kinds of local toiletries,I like to communicate easily and walk to stuff so these hotels have been my staples over the years. My other favorite neighborhood is Ginza.. It’s elegant and so nice to stroll around in. In December it’s cold even snowing but Ginza is so calm and pretty with beautiful parks. The Imperial Palace is there you have to see the garden and the grounds. Ginza is where you’ll find all the of the designer shops. Mitsukoshi https://cp.mistore.jp is their chain department store and http://ginza.doverstreetmarket.com is another high end shoppe with beautiful unique things. Japanese people are kind humble and friendly. Their style , and design give great aesthetic pleasure .Good manners always go a long way and it’s respectful to slightly bow right back when you’re greeted this way . I always do . Shibuya 109 at the top floor is the eyelash wall and it was to die for! At 5’10 it can be challenging for me to find clothes that fit me. Their skirts are like a washcloth on me and I can only buy cosmetics and skincare which by the way they have some of the best chemists in skincare and snacks, I LOVE their cute packaged anime snacks! Finally let’s talk about food! Ichhiran 5 ramen http://en.ichiran.com There’s one in every neighborhood. You stand in line and when it’s your turn to get your Ramen ticket you put all your Ramen info into the machine how spicy you want it, what kind of broth you want, if you want an extra egg or noodles, a beer then you give your ticket to your hostess who seats you. Within two minutes you’re eating your customized ramen. We had to go to Nobu http://noburestaurants.comThen we found this sliding plate sushi place that had amazing reviews. I’ve never ordered sushi from a computer then had it slide on down to me on a conveyor belt but it was tasty FUN and CHEAP! Have you ever used those three words to describe your sushi experience? You’ve never said CHEAP! It’s called Uobei Sushi if you want to try it out:} I tried to put a link here for you all but here’s the address instead! It might be easier than trying to read … It’s at 2-29-11 Dogenzaka 1f Shibuya 150-0043 Tokyo Prefecture Some Japan Tips when traveling that work for me 1.Use the ATM at 7-11 . When withdrawling cash in the local Yen or any local currency remember to ALWAYS choose the option to DECLINE the conversion . The rate will be much better this way and you avoid any extra surcharges.The airport exchange or those touristy exchange places can be an option if you have cash to
Barcelona!
May 2018 Barcelona! One of my favorite cities in The EU… Spain (not gonna lie) was a “hard” country for me to visit for awhile. I’ve been To Spain about five or six times only once for work years ago and so long ago I barely remember it!! So my first solo trip to Paris in 2004 when I had a few extra days I popped over to Bilbao. I love musuems and wanted to see The Guggenheim. Bilbao itself is a lovely city a lot to see and do, the center square is incredibly pretty. I’ve also been to Madrid and Mallorca. I had the BEST squid in my life in Mallorca and I prefer it one million percent over Ibiza but thats just me! Barcelona is a jewel though! I can’t say enough about how much I love it here. El -Prat is the main international (and domestic) airport. You can get to the center of Barcelona easily in 20-30 mins. I like to stay at a hotel called Room Mate Anna. It’s close to everything, beautiful, they have a great breakfast and don’t even bother bring toiletries your room will seriously have everything! LOL I was kinda like why did I even bother! I have to fly Ryan Air or Easy Jet within the EU and bringing liquids is such a pain! Anyway this chain of hotels is AWESOME and they are all over the world! El Born is part of the old town. It’s near to the port. Gothic Quarter. Beautiful here but quite touristy I just love seeing this type of architecture though. Sagrada La familia, same quite touristy BUT come on you have to see the church that’s never going to be finished lol At least take a pic for IG right!! Las Ramblas is the most famous tourist streets some love it (like me) some hate it but I love the Boqueria Food Market, flower shops, weird Hollywood BLVD type street hustlers lol, people watching and behind is the neighborhood El Raval, def worth exploring:} Park Guell Wellllll we tried to get here lol we had tickets for 1:30 pm I think we were an hour late,They still let us in yay! I have some nice pics here of the view so pretty! The best for last FOOD!! I STILL dream of these meals omg so good! We wanted to eat at Tickets but nope it’s at least a month out if you want a reservation and since I booked us to go last minute just for the weekend well THAT reservation wasn’t happening lol! No one I know has been able to get in or make it but if you go leave me a comment! I did buy the cookbook and love it :} We ended up eating at Pakta.. holy moly! We had the chefs tasting menu( I think the best option vs a la carte) and we shared a cocktail in some kind of bowl.. It was amazing but I don’t remember what it was called? Maybe that’s why it was amazing??? LOL you can see the chefs preparing your food and it’s really just an incredible experience! Nino Viejo was so nice. We ate lunch outside. we had two rounds of jalapeño margaritas before our first tacos came so they just made us a carafe (LMAO) to keep us “hydrated” lol That’s amazing service in my opinion! I love Spanish cheese and Manchego is my favorite. The more aged the better for me. I don’t eat ham but if you do the Pata Negra is Sophia’s favorite! She loves her jamon! Spain has great olives, olive oil, almonds as well. If you go let me know and tell me your favorite places you went!! XO Tera
