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SHARING TRAVEL STORIES FROM AROUND THE WORLD
I was deeply saddened to learn of the recent passing of one my favorite travel personalities, Anthony Bourdain. His approach to food, travel and experiencing a place spoke to me and inspired me. We watched his 100th episode of “No Reservations” all about Paris in anticipation of my 40th birthday week-long trip to the City of Lights. Tracking down one of his recommendations, we found the most amazing French cheese shop I have ever seen. It was a memory of a lifetime. With my limited French and the cheese-mongers limited English, together we determined if I wanted cow’s milk cheese or goat cheese and then if I like it strong or soft. Her pressing ever so gently to see if it was ready to eat tonight or if we needed it to last longer for enjoying tomorrow. Who in their right mind could keep French cheese longer than that? If you are ever in Paris. Don’t miss Fromager Marie-Anne Cantin.
To be treated well in places where you don’t expect to be treated well, to find things in common with people you thought previously you had very, very little in common with, well that can’t be a bad thing.”
– Anthony Bourdain
But Anthony wouldn’t have wanted you to track down all of his suggestions. He was a proponent of traveling unscheduled. Of finding the “happy accidents.” We found those in Paris as well. Wandering the wonderful curvy back streets and alleys of Montmartre, the ones the tourists don’t do. Behind the hill away from the crowds at Sacre Coeur and painters at Place du Tertre. We were hungry and stepped inside a little café to peek at the menu. Charming enough, we took a table and proceeded to have a wonderful meal with the most delightful waiter we could have imagined. It was Paris in a bottle for me and my favorite meal. Was it five star? No. Was it cutting-edge cuisine? No. It was simple. Well prepared food in a cozy off the beaten track setting. You wouldn’t find it in any guidebooks. It wasn’t on any list. And I’m not going to tell you where it is. Not because I don’t want to share it, but because I want you to find your own. Thank you Anthony for encouraging me to find my own.
I’m a big believer in winging it. I’m a big believer that you’re never going to find perfect city travel experience or the perfect meal without a constant willingness to experience a bad one. Letting the happy accident happen is what a lot of vacation itineraries miss, I think, and I’m always trying to push people to allow those things to happen rather than stick to some rigid itinerary.”
– Anthony Bourdain
Now what about you? Are you a happy accident kind of explorer or a plan itineraries out to the minute type of traveler? Sometimes with kids in tow, the ability to wander undirected is a little more challenging. I tend to do both. Have a rough plan and then afford some time for the finding. Of new and amazing and special. Those are some of the best memories. Like that time I got off at the wrong stop on the Latvian train. Ha! I’m on The Thoughtful Travel podcast talking about it, if you don’t remember.
I want to see where you’ve been exploring lately. Time to link up with Faraway Files. I’m hosting this week! But first, a shout out to those who linked up last week. These were Corey’s favorites. To see Hilary’s, go say hej on Clare’s blog Suitcases and Castles, she’s co-hosting today.
FAVORITES FROM FARAWAY FILES #81
These are host Corey from Fif + Hop’s favorites from last week’s linkup:
This week I’m sharing one of my spontaneous stops of discovery. On our recent road trip to Faaborg with my visiting Mother-in-law, I pulled off the road to check out one of the Viking sites that I’ve driven by so many times. A few dusty turns down country roads later and we found an amazing Viking Ring Fortress and village. Unfortunately, the museum was closed as it was Monday, but we made the most of what we could see and learn on site. And it was definitely worth the detour. Where will you share? Time to link up travel peeps.
FARAWAY FILES TRAVEL BLOG COMMUNITY LINKUP #82
WANT TO JOIN IN?
Jump in! The water is fine! Faraway Files is a creative community of travel bloggers who inspire, engage and share each other’s posts. All participating hosts will read and comment on every post that participates in the spirit of the link up. We will also share them on social media too. Each week we’ll choose our favorite posts and highlight them on our blogs and social media channels using #FarawayFiles.
HOW IT WORKS:
- Link up one travel-related post and add the Faraway Files badge onto the post or your blog (code below) or link back to the hosts.
- The link-up will go live every Thursday at 8 am UK time (9 am, CET) until midnight on Friday. It will alternate between Fifi + Hop, Hilary Style, Oregon Girl Around the World, Suitcases and Sandcastles, and Untold Morsels. Check Twitter #FarawayFiles to confirm who is hosting each week.
- Link ups work best if everyone engages so please comment on each of the hosts’ posts and at least two others that take your fancy.
LINK UP HERE AT OREGON GIRL AROUND THE WORLD TODAY
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(@fifiandhop, @hilarystyleme, @oregongirlworld, @suitsandsand, @untoldmorsels) using the hashtag #FarawayFiles and we’ll retweet to our followers.
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Tag @FarawayFiles and #FarawayFiles – and we’ll repost our favorites.
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I love what you’ve written about Anthony Bourdain, Erin, and those quotes are beautiful. I do plan but never rigidly because I’m a passionate believer that those happy accidents are what the best of travel is all about – certainly for me.
Heavy sigh. I also love this quote. I can’t say it was the motivation to move around the world, but definitely speaks to why we made the choice.
“If I’m an advocate for anything, it’s to move. As far as you can, as much as you can. Across the ocean, or simply across the river. The extent to which you can walk in someone else’s shoes or at least eat their food, it’s a plus for everybody.
Open your mind, get up off the couch, move.” RIP Anthony Bourdain
That’s my favourite one. It feels like the essence of what we need to do as humans to really get along and understand one another.