Nicaragua is dotted with 19 active volcanoes, many of them still spewing molten earth. It was, however, one of the extinct volcanoes that drew me out of bed my first morning in the country. Of all the activities on my Nicaraguan itinerary, the one I absolutely knew I wanted to do was visit the Laguna de Apoyo. I had heard from many sources that it was the highlight of many travelers. I wanted the chance to swim in the sapphire waters myself while I was there.

After a quick breakfast and a SIM card debacle, we were ready to make our way out to the Reserve that contains the lake. Unfortunately, we missed the shuttle that transports people, so we had to opt for a taxi. The taxi cost $20. We were bummed to spend so much of our cash so early into the trip. If we had went with more people, the taxi would have been a good deal. The ride from Granada took about 20 minutes, half on highway and half on steep, unpaved road.

At the recommendation of our hotel, we made our destination the Paradiso Hostel, but there are dozens of hotels along the lake and pretty much all of them offer some sort of day pass. The day pass at Paradiso Hostel costs $7 and includes use of all the grounds, the kayaks and complementary coffee all day! Upon check-in, I immediately made my way down to the beach, stripped to my bikini and jumped into the lake. It felt to refreshing.

I had heard that the water at Laguna de Apoyo was very warm.  It was comfortable to swim in, but it was not bath water the way I was expecting. After diving in, I immediately noticed that the water tasted sulphuric, which made sense. The lake is housed in a volcanic crater. Despite not being the temperature of bath water, the lake is still very comfortable considering how deep it is. The bottom of Laguna de Apoyo is the lowest spot in all of Central America. The water maintains its 25 degrees celsius with hot fumaroles. The beach next to Hostel Paradiso was comfortable to swim in, but there are some parts of the lake that are actually boiling!

I spent a long time just floating out in the water. It was so serene to just tread while looking back at the shore.  Eventually, I noticed my fingers had long since pruned, so I headed back to the beach. Hostel Paradiso had a bar right on the beach. After drying off, I grabbed a seat and ordered some fries and a smoothie. The food was inexpensive and pretty tasty.  After finishing my meal and digesting a little, I spent some time wandering and shooting the grounds.

The Hostel Paradiso is, as the name suggests, a paradise. Hotels and resorts dot the shore of Laguna de Apoyo. But Hostel Paradiso’s location tucked in a small cove makes it feel remote. The hostel offers yoga, massage and Spanish lessons. There is a patio on the same level as the reception with an unbeatable view of the lake sprawling out below. This is where you can treat yourself to the hotel’s coffee. Honestly, if I had known how amazing and enjoyable my time at Hostel Paradiso was going to be, I think I would have stayed overnight. People treat Laguna de Apoyo as a day trip. I would, however, recommend all visitors spend a night.

Sweating from exploring the grounds in the hot Nicaraguan sun, I returned to the beach for my second dip in the lake. This swim was even more idyllic than the morning one.  As I made my way into the water, clouds had started rolling in. The beach was covered in shadow, but about 100 ft out in the lake, the sun’s rays were peeking through. Just floating in the mineral-rich water soaking in the last few drops of sunshine of the day was one of my highlights from all of Nicaragua.

When I finished my swim, clouds had completely shrouded the sky.  It was time to return to Granada. Hostel Paradiso offers a shuttle service to Granada, but the day we were visiting, the bus was broken, so Hostel Paradiso was organizing taxis for groups of four. While waiting for our taxi, the skies opened. The next thing I knew I was running through the rain for cover. While the weather is nobody’s fault, the hotel offered us our choice of free bottled beverages. We grabbed some waters and got in the cab back to Granada. It had been a perfect day.

I absolutely love Portland.  It is honestly one of my favorite cities in the US and Oregon is easily one of the most beautiful states.  Besides being an awesome jumping off point for discovering the pacific northwest, the city of Portland has a lot to offer visitors as well.  Despite being a relatively young city, it has a fascinating history, amazing food culture and no sales tax!  If you find yourself in Stumptown, follow my itinerary for your best day in Portland

Morning

Start your day off right by heading to Hunnymilk for brunch.  Hunnymilk is a permanent pop-up brunch spot serving up an amazing deal.  For $22, you get to choose one of the sweet dishes, one of the savory dishes and a drink.  When I went, I got the ribs and grits and the french toast.  My boyfriend ordered baked eggs and waffles.  We split both.  Everything was delicious, with huge portions, so don’t feel bad if you take some home in a box, they give boxes to almost everyone.  One tip: try to make it at opening (9 AM).  They have some trouble turning tables.  If you don’t make it, they have plenty of games and books set out to keep you entertained.

After brunch, walk three block west to Heart Coffee Roasters for a mocha.  They have really good latte art, and the coffee quality is very high.  Note: this stop is optional if you aren’t as addicted to caffeine as I am.

Make your way to the far west of Portland, up to Pittock mansion for the best views of the city.  The mansion charges an entrance fee, but allows you to walk the grounds.  Also, Pittock mansion is technically in Forest Park and there is a very nice trail if you want to walk to the house.  We drove to the top.  Maybe if we had gotten to Hunnymilk earlier we would have had time for the hike.

History Lesson: Henry Pittock, owner of the mansion arrived in Portland in 1853 penniless.  He got a job working at a publication called the Oregonian for a man named Thomas Dryer.  Dryer was not much of a businessman.  He was frequently unable to pay Pittock.  When Dryer left Portland for a role in Lincoln’s administration, he gifted the Oregonian to Pittock as reimbursement for unpaid wages.  Despite fierce competition, Pittock was able to rise the Oregonian ahead of alternative dailies by organizing an expensive system to retrieve news of the civil war before his competitors.  It was through this system that the Oregonian was the first in Portland to report the news of Lincoln’s assassination!

Just a short ways from the mansion is the Portland Japanese Garden in Washington Park.  This is an absolute must.  I have only been in the Autumn (a week after The Maple had shed its leaves) and it was absolutely gorgeous.  Please not that I think this is a three season activity.  It was stunning with Autumn colors, but I am just not sure how pleasant it would be to wander around in the winter time.

Just across the street from the entrance of the Japanese Garden is the International Rose Test Garden.  Spend a little bit of time wandering through.  My boyfriend and I spent about fifteen minutes wandering the grounds, and I think this is enough time for most people.  It was nice to see it, especially considering you can enter for free, but I think it is probably a better experience in the summer or spring.

History Lesson:  Citizens of Portland proposed The International Rose Test Garden  in 1917.  Even before the existence of this garden, Portland already had the nickname: City of Roses.  Between this nickname and the willing volunteers, the garden soon became a reality.  During World War II, the president of Portland’s Rose Society petitioned to save hybrid roses from Europe.  Countries around the world sent their hybrid roses and the people of Portland considered the project a success.  Today the garden features 4.5 acres with views of Mount Hood and the Cascades.

Afternoon

Once you are finished with Washington Park, head into the central part of Portland.  Our first stop in downtown will be Powell’s City of Books.  The building occupies an entire city block and is a book lover’s paradise.  This bookstore is so large that I was lost for ten minutes trying to find the bathroom. There are so many interesting rooms full of books in this store, but the real crown jewel is the rare books room on the top floor.  If you are a collector, and even if you are not, this is a very cool room. The oldest book was published in the fifteenth century.  The most valuable book carries a price tag of over $300,000 (not on display).

History Lesson:  Walter Powell founded Powell’s books in 1971.  After not being offered a lease renewal, Walter’s son Michael came to Portland to help his father find the current location of the headquarters.  Powell’s City of Books grew to its current size after an expansion in 1999.  They claim to be the largest new and used bookstore in the world.  The bookstore purchases 3,000 books (new and used) every day.

After you are done exploring Powell’s, head to the Lan Su Chinese Garden in the Pearl district. Though small, maintenance of the park is meticulous.  The $10 entry fee may sounds steep, but I think it is well worth it.  When I was there, there was a floral arrangement festival going on, so they were offering all the guests sparkling wine, which in a shocking turn of events, I declined.  The park is small.  Take your time to explore the nooks and crannies.  Every corner of the park contains secrets.

At this time, if you are starting to feel hungry, make your way to Blue Star Donuts for a snack. Perhaps this is a controversial suggestion, after all, Portland is pretty famous for Voodoo Doughnuts.  Before my trip, three separate people advised me to avoid Voodoo and opt for Blue Star.  I thought this was an odd suggestion.  I had been to Portland previously and I actually enjoyed my doughnut from Voodoo. But this time I decided to try something new, and I think Blue Star has better doughnuts.  Or at least, they are more up my alley.

If you are not super hungry, but could go for some coffee, I suggest heading to Barista in the Pearl District.  I actually did not go there.  I let Yelp convince me to go somewhere else and it was a mistake. From everything I have heard, Barista has great coffee, an unpretentious atmosphere, and fantastic latte art.  If you are not planning on leaving the central part of Portland, definitely opt for Barista.

Evening

After your late afternoon snack, make your way to Kells Irish Pub.  This is the meeting point of Portland’s haunted brewery crawl.  I understand that ghost tours are not everyone’s cup of tea, but this was actually the best I have ever been on.  The history of the city is really interesting.  Many of the stories told on this tour covered both “normal” history, and the darker side of history.  The tour starts in a smoking lounge in the old Shanghai Tunnels.  You get to enjoy a flight of beers, then head outside for a walking tour.  At the end you return to another restaurant/pub where you get another flight of beers.  Besides just being a very insightful tour, it was also one of the scariest ghost tours I have ever been on.  The final trip into the tunnels left the entire group on edge, even after six beers!

History Lesson:  Originally built after a great flood in Portland, the Old Portland Underground, better known as the Shanghai Tunnels, still span much of Old Town and Chinatown in Portland. They were constructed to move items from the shores of the Willamette into town, but quickly became a hotbed for drug smuggling and human trafficking.  Today, the tunnels are mostly privately owned or filled in.

Finish your evening with dinner at Han Oak.  Han Oak is a Korean food adventure lead by Peter Cho.  Peter Cho’s playful style allows his restaurant to sometimes be a prix-fixe menu, and other times a dinner-party style evening of noodles and dumplings.  I did not actually eat at Han Oak, but it is at the top of my list when I return.  While in Portland, I ate at Coquine and Pok Pok, which are both excellent options.  Han Oak had been on my radar before my trip.   I heard good things about it while I was there also.  It is definitely a place you need a reservation for on the weekend.  When I looked at reservations about a week before my trip, the earliest time on a Sunday was 9:30!

New York City is the  the ultimate American urban center, with the island of Manhattan being the first stop on most itineraries.  But even Manhattan is large enough to be overwhelming to first timers.  With the help of my sister (a Manhattan local), I have compiled a guide to the best day in Manhattan, to help you make the most out of your visit.  Get a good pair of shoes and be ready to make plenty of coffee stops.  This itinerary is packed!

Morning

Start your day off like the locals do and make brunch your first stop.  Make your way to Bubby’s Highline.  This is a trendy brunch place with the possibility of celebrity sitings and fantastic bloody marys.  Make sure to get there early, lines can get crazy after 10.

After you have finished your breakfast, take a walk up the high line.  The high line is a former railway turned elevated park/walkway.  Today, the highline is an iconic example of contemporary landscape architecture.

History Lesson:  The highline was originally a road-level railroad in the mid 1800s.  There were no barriers between the trains and traffic other than flag-bearing cowboys.  Naturally, this was not the safest solution and the number of accidents that occurred led to Tenth Avenue earning the nickname “Death Avenue”.  By the early 1900s a plan was in place to build elevated tracks which were open to use by 1939.  By the 1950s, the growth of interstate trucking began to have a noticeable effect on rail industry.  The last train operated on the highline in 1980.

Once you have reached the end of the highline, head to the metro station and make your way to 30 Rockefeller Plaza.  While undoubtedly touristy, the views from the top are some of the best in the city.  After soaking in the sights, head up to Central Park.

Afternoon

Meander through the park, take your time and enjoy it.  There are plenty of attractions within the park including pedal boats, caricature artists, and hansom cabs.  Of course, the park is large enough that just walking through people watching will keep you entertained.

Keep walking up the park until you arrive at 90th street.  Once there, make your way over to 5th Avenue.  You may find yourself a bit hungry, so it’s a good time to stop for some food at Bluestone Lane for a coffee and snack.

Once your stomach stops rumbling, head down the block to the Guggenheim Museum, the premier modern and contemporary art museum in New York City.  The building that it occupies is enough reason to choose the Guggenheim. If contemporary art just isn’t your thing, there are plenty of other museums on the same block.

History Lesson: One of the most notable aspects of the Guggenheim collection is the building it occupies.  While this building is classic, it is not the original home of the museum.  The idea for the unique structure was conceived as a ‘Temple of the Spirit’; a new way to organize space for art.  Frank Lloyd Wright (the architect of the building) produced four sketches between 1943 and 1944.  Wright initially landed on a ‘Ziggurat’, or inverted pyramid, with the intention that guests would take an elevator to the top and descend at a leisurely pace.  It was this, in addition to the location next to the park, that produced the continuous spiral building recognizable today.

Evening

Make your way back down the island to the trendy Greenwich Village to spend the rest of your day.  Greenwich is the one of the hippest neighborhoods in the city and you will find more than  enough options for dinner, dessert and drinks to keep you going into the evening.

Greenwich has a number of restaurants to choose from, but check out Chomp Chomp, a hawker-style Singaporean restaurant.  After dinner, walk two blocks to arrive at Pasticceria Rocco.  This is the ultimate bakery to cap your night off with a cookie in New York City.  If you aren’t exhausted after your long day of exploring Manhattan, then get ready for a night on the town.  Hit one of the neighborhoods bars and relax after your best day in Manhattan

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