Encounters

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…and just when I was hitting a bit of a low point, and thought I’d spend another evening locked in, despite the sunshine, I got a message… Georgios from Chicago, whom I had met a few times in Hong Kong over beers, texted me that he was in town. He was heading to Paris, to […] Read More

Empanadas y vino

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Just a few pictures from this Friday night, with Javo and some new friends. All expats, we realized we had one of each nationality: American, Canadian, Spanish, British, Ecuadorian, Venezuelan, German, and of course, our only Argentinian: Javo. It’s like back home in Brussels, just that there is usually one token Belgian.   We ordered […] Read More

Late dinner

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I met up with my friend Federico for beers…. but at one point, you just need some solid food. It’s nearly 11 pm, and in Germany or Belgium, a lot of places would be close to closing time… Of course, not so here in Argentina. We walked over a few blocks into the city and […] Read More

La Vega

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Market time! I took a stroll through Santiago’s famous fish market, the Mercado Central, with its fish stands and fish restaurants. The restaurants are a bit touristy, and you can’t walk through without a camarero trying to get you to sit down, but it’s a fun place to visit. After the stint at the Estación Mapocho, I […] Read More

Revival time

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After meeting Cate yesterday in Canberra, it was time for another round of revivals. First, I met Angus again, whom I met in Melbourne last year and then on in Sydney. He was so generous to offer me a place to crash for the night, and we went out afterwards… … to meet Glenn, a […] Read More

Gippsland Lakes

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After the endless rain, the sky was showing a small but growing hole with blue skies, so I drove over the 30 minutes to Metung, a tiny fishing village on the Gippsland lakes. I wanted to stay there initially but it was pretty much booked out – in my price class. I walked along the lake […] Read More

Mornington Peninsula

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Kate and I had set a day aside for a trip down the Mornington Peninsula, a long stretch of land on the East side of Port Phillip’s Bay, that is famous for its wineries, and hot springs. We drove off at 10 in the morning, heading south on the new highway, to have a first […] Read More

Birthday girl

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In the end, this trip has less been about the places that I have been to, than about the people I have met there and along the journey. I am amazed how many great people I have met along the way… There are Radio DJs, musicians, cooks, bloggers, casting agents, chefs, managers, Japanese teachers, nurses, […] Read More

CBD night lane walk

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Something that defines Melbourne are its lanes. Those are tiny alleys that cut across the city blocks, often full of dumpsters, sometimes just empty, but some just full of hidden gems like bars, take-aways or art! I met up with my new Polish friend Artur, with whom I share a certain passion for dumplings. After stuffing […] Read More

Mama Mini

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Once settled, I hopped right onto a tram and went to the CBD, to find the ShanDong Mama Mini, the new place my friend Colin runs now, a mini version of Melbourne’s fabulous and famous ShanDong Mama’s dumpling restaurant. They really did a fine job! It’s in a small alley in the CBD, crammed with other […] Read More

Sunset at Wat Arun

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The Temple of Dawn, or, by its full Thai name Wat Arun Ratchawararam Ratchawaramahawihan is a Buddhist temple – a wat – on the Thonburi bank of the Chao Phraya River in Bangkok. It’s probably Bangkok’s most photographed sight, and I had to go there, too. I first wanted to see all major temples and the […] Read More

Hong Kong Dumpling heaven

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I try to post less food pics here, as people have complained 😉 Not really.  But this one has to be: I found the perfect Dumpling places in Hong Hong, and enjoyed some great Ramen. I love dumplings and Dim Sum, but for a vegetarian they are kind of tricky, as you never know what’s […] Read More