I arrived safely in Lahore in Pakistan’s Punjab province, after a transit in Dubai and Karachi. Immediately after exiting the airport terminal and roaming in my taxi it’s congested streets towards the center, I smell of deja-vu hit me with my previous adventures in India, Bangladesh, and Sri-Lanka. And with a reason. They used to be part the same British colonial Empire prior to the Indian Independence Act in 1947. Similar yet very different as the main religion here is Islam, which means dressing code is very different, food is much more reliant on meat and Islamic customs must be followed even though it doesn’t seem too conservative at first sight. Lahore was the perfect city to arrive! Eith 10 million inhabitants, it’s second to Karachi in size but much more livable and modern than its southern sister. The first thing that got me was the warm welcome of its citizens, being extremely helpful and kind to me. Lahore Fort Special thanks to Ahmad which […]
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9 Days in Turkey… Is it the Next Big Thing for Western Tourism?
Seems like everybody is talking about Croatia these days… It’s just the everybody’s next holiday list, forgetting all the other beautiful beaches of Europe has to offer like in Spain, Malta, Italy, France, Portugal, etc… It’s just the new trend and everybody want’s a piece of it. With its beautiful coast, tons of festivals, amazing cities and the help of some extra marketing from joining the European Union and of course Games of Thrones, it was the perfect recipe to reach mass tourism! But just a decade ago when I first came to Croatia, it was still just a “post-war” country and still a “Best Kept Secret” to the few who had discovered it. But what will be the next big thing after Croatia’s hype fades away? I just spent a nice 10 days of peak summer season in Turkey and wanted to see why all the Russians chose it as their favorite holiday destination. And for a reason! Turkey is amazing! It’s a big country […]
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10 Days Crossing Algeria from West to East
I decide to come to Algeria this year because I was coming back to Canada and since they only allow visas to be obtained in our home country, it made sense to request it at the same time. So it took me 2 weeks and I had my 10 days Visa freshly printed in my passport. I then bought a multi-destination ticket to be able to arrive at the western extremity in Oran, and fly out from Constantine, third city and at the other eastern end of Algeria. This way I was able to travel through the whole country from west to east and see as much as possible of the northern Mediterranean coast, in 10 days. Oran was a great city to arrive in. It is a little more wealthy than the average city in Algeria and easier to set foot. With the help of my friend Ilyes who warmly received me for 3 days, we visited the most important places around Oran, including […]
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Visiting Algiers, my New Winner for Most Beautiful City in Africa
Sorry, Cape Town… You’ve been beaten from your prestigious title of most beautiful city in Africa! Algiers, the capital of Algeria now has the throne. After three days in the “Paris of Africa”, I’m blown away by the beauty of this city! Anybody who has seen the masterpiece of what Paris is all about will fall in love with Algiers, as it is somewhat very similar, with a mixture of French, Arabic and Ottoman influences. And yet we don’t hear a lot about it worldwide… Probably for the very low tourism industry here in Algeria. The beauty of this city came from the fact that the French had a special love for Algeria, considering it part of France contrary to Morocco or Tunisia which were only colonies. Hence, it enjoyed much more investment in construction and the Paris style of buildings is omnipresent all over the “ville nouvelle”. Also called “Alger la Blanche” (Algiers the White), Algiers streets really feel like walking down the grand boulevards […]
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Crossing Panama from East to West: The New King of Central America
So I enjoyed being this summer in North America to spend some more time in Panama, one of my favorite countries in Latin America and where I spend more and more time these days. This time I teamed up with a good friend of mine Daniel to travel from Panama City all the way to the Western Volcano of Baru in the Chiriqui State. Panamá has evolved a lot since I first came here 11 years ago. At the time, most tourists were only talking about Costa Rica and Panama was hardly named even after Guatemala. With rapid expansion as a hub, impressive growth, and very welcoming laws for expats, the country is seen by many as the top interest in Central America and have been one of the main retirement hideouts for expats worldwide. Panama City which was not so long ago a fishing village with dangerous neighborhoods has transformed into a massive metropolis with it’s skyscrapers all over the coast, the “Dubai of […]
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Visiting Algeria – My Country #174/195
Just arrived in my 174th country worldwide, and 35th in Africa. I’ve waited a long time to come to this country because of the love I have for Morroco, which I expected many similarities. Expectations were met at arrival, but still many differences are obvious. It is definitely not as opened as Morocco and tourism seem reserved for Algerian expats. That said, it seems very welcoming thought! The city of Oran so far is really well developed, having a nice French Riviera style boardwalk, as well as a very modern tramway. My plan was to arrive in Oran, in the West of the country, considered the most lively city in North Africa, and to fly out from Constantine, in the other extremity on the East side of Algeria. This way I will cross the country, staying around the Mediterranean Coast and focus on the most populated areas. I would have loved to go down in the desert which is praised as one of the most […]
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What to do when you Airplane gets Diverted by an Agressive Guy! Unexpected Visit to Bermuda…
So I was on my way back to Europe and when boarding my plane, this little French guy was sitting in my seat… I kindly tell him that he must be in the wrong seat and he aggressively answers that he switched with another woman and decided to sit in another one… Seeing his aggressiveness, my nice tone switched to a more decisive one, that he should go to his seat or the lady’s seat he agreed to change with and to let me sit in mine designated one. Grumpy he goes. Until then, everything was doing fine, until we are in the middle of the Atlantic and we start hearing Mr. French screaming at the crew. Apparently from what we understood, Mr. French wanted some more booze and they refused to serve him because he was getting a little drunk. Mr. French didn’t like that and with his previously seen aggressiveness, started getting in a physical interaction with them. They quickly fight back […]
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Why Argentina Tops My List as One of the Best Country for Digital Nomads
Argentina always ranks amongst the best Countries in most of my Countries World Maps Comparisons, and for a reason! It is a wonderful country both in terms of beauty and culture which distinguishes itself from other American countries by providing unique assets. Its culture is definitely a highlight. Argentina’s European feel makes it one of the most European city in the Americas, feeling more like walking in an Italian city than anything else. Its traditions also shine in its music, Milongas, and Tangos being the most obvious. One of my favorite past time when I go to Buenos Aires to find some local restaurant which showcases a tango show. Not the touristy ones, but the more local ones which are only musical, where you will get 2 to 3 musicians playing whatever song may be requested by the crowd. A great way to enjoy a good Argentinian meal with wine! I have lived in Buenos Aires for 4 months in 2016 and since then, I […]
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4000 km Road Trip Around Eastern Canada
A common thing amongst Globetrotters is to prioritize worldwide travel before discovering their own country. I was one of those until 2009 where I decided to take advantage of a Greyhound deal that proposed 1 week “all you can drive” pass for about 150 CA$. So I left to cross the 6000km from Montreal to Vancouver, stopping in route to several cities of all those provinces in between. Great trip, not the most comfortable, but definitely interesting! Back in Canada this summer for the first time since 2014, I decided to rent a car for the 3 weeks I had over there and do a nice little road trip that would bring me to some of the best destinations in eastern Canada and the Maritimes, in a little more than 4000km. Itinerary on my Eastern Canada Road Trip in 3 weeks As seen on the map, I left Montreal and set base in Quebec city for a week to see friends and family. I then […]
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Quebec City, One of the Most Photogenic City in North America
Many will say I might be biased to make this statement as I was born in Quebec City, and it does sound like a justified comment. But anyone who has visited the beautiful old town of Quebec City will testify of the beauty of its “New France” architecture and the European feel that its Fortified walls and narrow streets give. It has been 3 years that I haven’t been to my home Country while circling the worlds most beautiful cities, and every time I come back to Quebec I am always blown away by its beauty. Even though I have studied for years in the Old Quebec at high school at the Petit Seminaire de Quebec, the oldest French speaking seminary in the Americas, whenever I am back in the city, I try to put myself in the skin of a tourist and visit some corners of my beloved city as if I was a First comer or a tourist. This year, as it is the 150th […]
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