From the 3rd till the 15th of January 2019, we stayed in the neighborhood named Campo de Ourique in Lisbon, Portugal. After Lisbon in winter, we traveled to Cabo Verde for 88 days to catch some of their abundant sunshine. Jonas worked from our cold but comfortable Airbnb and I finished my university thesis. These are some of the fun activities we did inside and from our cool neighborhood. To scroll down to the map, click here. To read some tips about staying in Campo de Ourique/Lisbon in winter, click here Mercado de Campo de Ourique Opening times: Sunday–Thursday 10:00–23:00.Continue reading
Arrábida Natural Park Scooter Trip + Learning Portuguese (the Hard Way)
These events happened on Tuesday the 8th of January, 2019. While staying almost two weeks in Campo do Ourique neighborhood in Lisbon, Portugal, we did many day trips. This trip to Parque Natural da Arrábida was the biggest one. Preparation + Travel to Setúbal Though I knew I wanted to visit Arrábida Natural Park with Jonas on this visit to Lisbon, the logistics were a bit of an issue. It’s not exactly around the corner from Lisbon and Jonas prefers not to drive in city traffic too much. It made much more sense to rent a scooter from Setúbal andContinue reading
Travel Movies I Can Watch Again and Again
Road movies, documentaries, biopics… the easiest way for me to get into the right mood to travel is by watching some films (with popcorn) and then get packing. Yes, travel movies often make everything look a little more pretty and a little less stinky than it was when it happened, but so does Instagram, or this blog to be honest. Nothing Personal directed by Urszula Antoniak A friend recommended me this movie because the main character somehow reminded him of me – and that’s not really a compliment. Anne is living in Amsterdam until she abandons all her belongings to hitchhike toContinue reading
Maastricht: Wholesome Activities in Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter
You might already know that I’ve lived in Maastricht twice, both times as a student. To be precise: from summer 2010 till winter 2013. I returned to the city from January till December 2018 to finish my bachelor’s degree and write my thesis about hitchhiking. Especially the second time around, I focused my efforts to do more wholesome activities amid the fraternity noise and anxious binge-drinking students with quarter-life crises. Here are my suggestions for both residents and people on a short visit: How to Get Around Maastricht? The two best ways to visit Maastricht are on foot and byContinue reading
Mallorca by Scooter: 9 Days of Freedom from University
During my final year at university, I sometimes had a week-long vacation. Just like normal people, Jonas and I would use that week to fly to a different country and do something cool. From Wednesday the 17th till Thursday the 25th of October 2018, Jonas and I drove a scooter around the Spanish island of Mallorca. These were the most memorable things we saw. How to Rent a Scooter in Mallorca? First things first, how did we travel around Mallorca? We chose not to hitchhike this time to make sure we have plenty of time to see and do things.Continue reading
A Happy Ending – Kitten Rescue in Portugal, Part V
Part V: The Aftermath This story is number 5 in a series of 5. To read it chronologically, start at Part I. Click here to go to Part II, Part III, and Part IV. I promise you this is the last of it. Updates from Porto The next day, Jonas receives updates from Marie via WhatsApp. She sends us pictures and videos of Chorizo, and updates us about its health. The updates are regular and very sweet and loving. We’re waiting at the airport for our flight, and when we arrive in Warsaw, we know Chorizo is at theContinue reading
Tragedy Strikes – Kitten Rescue in Portugal, Part IV
Part IV: Downfall & Death This series of posts is mostly a way for me to process the trauma of going through this tragedy. If you’re expecting happy travel content, this ain’t it. This story is number 4 in a series of 5. To read it chronologically, start at Part I, Part II, or Part III. Here you can find the subsequent stories about rescuing a kitten in Porto, Portugal: Part V. Back to Normal (July 16, Continued) We say goodbye to Jan, who is leaving for Germany or something like that. It’s still morning, and Jonas and I are about to haveContinue reading
Entering the Void – Kitten Rescue in Portugal, Part III
Part III: Rescuing a Kitten This series of posts is mostly a way for me to process the trauma of going through this. If you’re expecting happy travel content, this ain’t it. This story is number 3 in a series of 5. Here you can find Part I and Part II. Here you can find the subsequent stories about rescuing a kitten from the void in Porto, Portugal: Part IV and Part V. Spotting the Culprit (Sunday 15th of July, contd.) We return home from the animal shelter Midas, fully knowing this time that it is our responsibility to save that kitten. AndContinue reading
Midas the Animal Shelter – Kitten Rescue in Portugal, Part II
Part II: A Trip to Midas This series of posts is mostly a way for me to process the trauma of going through this. If you’re expecting happy travel content, this ain’t it. This story is number 2 in a series of 5. You can find Part I here. Here you can find the subsequent stories about rescuing a kitten in Porto, Portugal: Part III, Part IV, and Part V. Are you going to Porto and would you like to do something good on your travels? You can donate money to Midas via Facebook fundings. Sunday 15th of July Too damnContinue reading