Jean Nguyen

  • Italy

    Florence

    May 19, 2016 - By 

    In order to appreciate and enjoy Florence, one need not be an art historian or Renaissance buff.  Even with my disdain for art history after having spent years painfully scrutinizing art for my degree, I loved Florence. Florence is too beautiful for words, from its classic architecture, to the indoor and outdoor galleries, the scenic river with its bridges, the distinct skyline, and of course the famed duomo. To make things easier, all the wonders of Florence are packed within walking distance, which allows more time for enjoyment and less time for traveling. It’s a beautiful, tiny city bursting with magnificent…

  • Italy

    Pisa

    May 15, 2016 - By 

    There isn’t a whole lot to do in Pisa except take the obligatory photo of the famous leaning tower.  Between our drive from Cinque Terre to Florence, Pisa was the perfect stop to kill a few hours. The Tower of Pisa stands within a walled plaza called the Miracle Square, along with a cathedral and baptistry.  From afar the Miracle Square resembled a fort. Directly on the other side of the walls stood the three highlights of the city. The muffin-shaped baptistry, which required an admission fee to enter of course: The cathedral, where it was possible to retrieve free, timed tickets to…

  • Italy

    Cinque Terre

    May 13, 2016 - By 

    “Do you know where you’re going in Italy?” We had just finished licking our mini plastic spoons at the city’s most famous gelato shop, Fenocchio, in Nice, France on a drizzly evening. Due to the abysmal weather, we planned to leave the French Riviera the next morning for the Italian coast. As we earnestly exchanged stories, tips, and photos on the shop’s tabletops, a new friend we made weeks earlier in Spain inquired of our future plans. “No, we’ll figure it out when we get there,” I replied. One of our typical replies, of course. After all, in the words of Rolf Potts, “a tourist…

  • France

    The French Riviera

    May 12, 2016 - By 

    Funny how this region sees on average 300 days of sunshine per year, because we saw plenty of clouds and rain during our visit.  But even with the less than stellar weather, even with my California-spoiled eyes, and even with my unfavorable opinion of beach resorts and glamor, I still found this place to be too beautiful for words. The Côte d’Azur (or French Riviera in English) has attracted celebrities and the filthy rich for quite some time now, making it a tourist magnet.  Private yachts larger than military ships proudly bob in the marinas, grandmothers dressed like teenagers confidently strut…

  • France

    Les Calanques

    May 10, 2016 - By 

    Just before reaching the notorious French Riviera, we spent time hiking in one of France’s relatively new national parks, Les Calanques.  According to Wikipedia, a calanque is a narrow, steep-walled inlet found along the Meditteranean coast.  Five calanques make up this national park between the port city of Marseille and the resort town of Cassis, and the beaches at the end of each calanque were pristine and breathtakingly beautiful.  It is said to avoid weekends in order to escape the worst of the crowds, so we thought arriving on a Thursday would be fine. Ha. Little did we know that…

  • France

    Nimes

    May 9, 2016 - By 

    Nimes and its surrounding area has some of the best-preserved Roman sites in the world, including an arena, a temple, and a spectacular aqueduct. Due to its convenient location between Spain and The French Riviera, we made the detour to view these stunning yet seldom visited sites.  At the time of writing, the arena is awaiting UNSECO site status; I do wonder if the ruins will be tainted by tourists in the future. It is not recommended at all to drive into the city center.  We parked in one of the many giant parking lots not far from the arena, and took…

  • France

    Carcassonne

    May 8, 2016 - By 

    The medieval, walled city of Carcassonne is exactly what comes to mind when you think of classic fairytales.  With its crenellations, cone-shaped roof tops, and spiky turrets, Carcassonne poses dramatically for the classic panoramic shot from a distance.  Films have been shot in this fortified city, and even a popular board game bases itself in the setting of Carcassonne.  However, everyone knows about Carcassonne.  Reviewers and guidebooks warn that Carcassonne can be a tourist hell, as it attracts an annual 4+ million visitors!  I stressed over whether or not we should see Carcassonne on our way from Barcelona to The…

  • Spain

    Montserrat

    May 6, 2016 - By 

    Less than an hour’s drive, the monastery retreat to mountaintop Montserrat is perhaps the most popular day trip from Barcelona. With all the options of transportation (train, cable car, funicular, private car hire, and bus tours) it’s no wonder that this excursion is a touristy one. To the Catalonians and Catholic pilgrims the monastery is a significant site, and to the tourists like me the monastery’s setting of rock formations is a day trip of scenic hiking. In order to experience Montserrat in peace, we opted out of the cable car and funicular. We could have driven up to the…

  • Spain

    Barcelona

    May 5, 2016 - By 

    We fell in love with Barcelona. I mean, how could we not? Beaches. City life. Perfect spring weather. Fantastic eats. Dance music and parties. Hospitable and laid back Spanish culture. And finally, Antonio Gaudi’s psychedelic architecture. Several motorhome parking lots lied in the heart of the city but due to their hefty price tags of €30/night, we opted for the free motorhome parking lot 9 miles away in Colonia Guell. And unlike the expensive parking lots in the city, the free lot even had free water and dump! Although the nearest metro station (Colonia Guell, a Zone 2 stop) was…

  • Spain

    Benidorm (Serra Gelada)

    May 3, 2016 - By 

    Breaking up the lengthy drive between Granada and Barcelona meant random short stops along the Spanish coast, which meant seeing more of tourist-free Spain.  Upon looking at the map, the coastal park of Serra Gelada caught my eye and we ended up spending some time in Benidorm and its park.  Unfortunately more time was needed to hike across the entire park (8 km, 4 hours, 1-way only), so we opted for a short walk instead.  Fortunately, there were still awesome views. Walking through downtown Benidorm reminded us of a spring break getaway…for the Brits.  English pubs and young British people galore, dressed…