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I saw puffin in Montreal. Annieanywhere.com

I Saw Puffins in Montreal… and That’s Why I’m Going to Rio

I’m gonna tell you another love story…involving puffins. Why is there always animal involved in my love stories!? In Iceland, I passed an incredible amount of time chasing puffins. Ask Claude, my travel partner, how many kilometers I made her walked to see the famous birds. She was desperate with my obsession to see puffins. We climbed hills, we took ferries, we flirted with cliffs… there was no puffins. I started to think the emblematic bird of Iceland was like our emblematic moose in Canada and that I would never see it. Seriously, fellow Canadians, who of you often see moose, uh? Yeah. Exactly. No one! …Or maybe it’s my face that scared puffins and moose. So, I passed 14 days in Iceland chasing puffins everywhere my Lonely Planet told me there could be some, and I came back to Canada without the glorious picture. I must admit I didn’t take part in any Puffin Observation Tours. I wanted it to be unexpected. Picture by naggobot (Creative Commons) Last summer, a Brazilian friend I’ve met on Couch Surfing made me the surprise to come to Montreal. And as a very good host, I walked him around town and showed him some interesting […]

par Annie Anywhere

Destinations, Europe, Portugal

9 Pictures That Will Make You Want to Go to Tomar Right Now

Wow, I’m busy preparing my trip to Rio in about a month! It is so hard to keep up with blogging during those time. So, here’s a quick photo essay of one of the most beautiful place I’ve seen in Portugal: Covento de Cristo in Tomar. Half way between Lisbon and Porto, Tomar is a small village, but with a beautiful historical site. I let you take a look… WARNING! Spoiler Alert!!! You’ll start to be amazed just walking outside the Covent. Poppies and orange trees offer splash of colors in the landscapes, and the labyrinthinc arrangements will surprise you in every corner. The amount of details in the building is so impressive. You won’t know where to look! Planning a trip to Portugal? You might like: 12 Days to Visit Portugal – My Itinerary And my favorite part… the fountain that look just like it has magical powers. Looking for a place to stay in Tomar? Take a look at Tomar Hotels. Have you been there? Did you want to steal oranges like me? (I didn’t! …Did you?)

par Annie Anywhere

Destinations, Europe, Iceland

Runtur in Reykjavik – A Crazy Night Under the Midnight Sun

It was Saturday. We were two Canadians, one German, one French, one Italian, and one Icelander. We’ve met a day before in a Bed and Breakfast. It was 11pm and it was sunny, we were ready for the Runtur in Reykjavik. One thing is sure: Icelanders know how to party! We began our Runtur at 11pm and we came back to our room at 4am. At this time, the streets were still full of people! And you know what’s weird? Normally, we don’t clearly see drunk people, because it’s dark… well, not in Iceland in summer! And I must say that I now realize why we mostly get drunk at night. Dillon Whiskey Bar We began our night at this alternative rock bar. Oh you won’t hear Rihanna there! It was pretty early for the runtur so we started drinking and talking but even if you don’t seek the party in Reykjavik, the party will find you! The man sitting at a table beside us asked us to do arm wrestling. What?! We didn’t have a chance to win against these men, but they paid us a drink. Fair enough, folks. Fair enough. I don’t know if this was the Viking rockers way […]

par Annie Anywhere

Amériques, Destinations, Honduras

4 Reasons to Fall in Love With Copán, Honduras

When I was in Honduras, I totally fell in love with the small village of Copán. It’s definitely a must-see if you go in the country! Of course, it is well-known for its mayan ruins, but it’s also a very good place to relax while travelling Central America. I give you my 4 best reasons to visit this Honduran town. 1. Visit Copán Ruinas Yes, it is the most touristic site in the region but, unlike some other touristic attraction, Copán Ruinas really worth its reputation. Plan at least half a day to visit this UNESCO World Heritage site. It’s huge! Quick tips: Don’t pay to visit the tunnels. There’s an extra fee to enter in the tunnels and it honestly doesn’t worth it. You’ll only see bricks in the darkness. Everything that is interesting is already included in the basic entrance fee. Bring a lot of water. As I said, the site is huge, and, unless they change it since I’ve been there in 2012, there’s no place to buy water except at the beginning and at the end of the visit. Honduras being Honduras, it is very hot. 2. Have a Maya culinary experience Take a tuk tuk up the hills to the Hacienda San Lucas and […]

par Annie Anywhere

Destinations, Europe, Portugal

My 5 Favorite Things About Lisbon

It’s the first time I talk about Portugal! Yay! I like to introduce a new destination on my blog, and what better way to do it than to tell you what I loved about the capital: Lisbon. Normally, I don’t say that you have to absolutely see the capital when visiting a new country, but in this case, Lisbon is so adorable that it’s a must-see, and I’ll tell you my 5 favorite things about this city. 1. The back alleys The number one advice I got before going to Lisbon was to check out the back alleys and I’ll give you the exact same advice. The back alleys are where you can feel the citizen vibe, see the typical hanging clothes and watch kids running. Memories hid in the back alleys. Tips : Even if I never felt insecure during my trip in Portugal, I would suggest you walk down the alleys by day. Not only will it be more secure, but it will also be more alive. 2. Lisbon is so colorful Colorful places give me energy and make me want to create. I sure felt creative in Lisbon where every building has in own ceramic color that creates a rainbow with […]

par Annie Anywhere

Amériques, Brazil, Destinations

Announcing my next destination: Rio de Janeiro!

It’s official, my next flight is booked: I’m going to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil! Woot! I’m completely ecstatic about this next trip. Honestly, I never thought of going to Rio in 2015, but a Brazilian friend of mine invited me so I jumped on the opportunity to discover the ”Marvellous City”. Between the World Cup in 2014 and the Olympic Games in 2016, I think 2015 is just perfect to slip between two crowds. I already began to make the list of things I want to learn and things I want to discover in Rio. What I want to learn in Rio de Janeiro I always try to learn things from my trips. I like to let the culture pass through me and let a new place makes me grow. It turns out there are few things I want to learn from Rio de Janeiro. 1. Basic Portuguese I must admit I cheat for this one, because I’ve already began to learn some basic Portuguese. Even if I go see a friend, I’ll be alone for a part of the trip while he’ll be doing things on his side, and people have been very clear about it: it’s rare to find […]

par Annie Anywhere

Destinations, Europe, Iceland

Mývatn – A Cheap Way to Go to Mars

Among the secrets of Iceland, Mývatn lake region is one of the best kept. You need to quit the safe lands of Reykjavík and venture to the North of the North… And when you think you are lost, you are there: surrounded by landscapes that looks just like Mars. Used to the vast green mountains of Iceland, it’s a shock when you arrive in this ocher landscape. Everything seems to come from another planet and the smell of sulfur reminds you that you are the stranger here. Mudpools are boiling and smoke is coming out of fumaroles in Hverir geothermal area. Nature is screaming “I am the boss here!” In Krafla area, an active volcanic area, there have been 29 reported eruptions and the last one was in 1984. Due to volcanic activity, it is potentially dangerous to visit the region. A visit is always at your own risk. The Leirhnjúkur crater is the most impressive part, and the most dangerous. You need to be careful and watch out for hot soil, steam columns and sharp cooled lava. (Note : If you stay on the very well indicated path, you are not really in danger, but I like to put a little drama.) The problem is that, when we were […]

par Annie Anywhere

Destinations, Europe, Iceland

Walking On The Biggest Glacier of Iceland

Old proverb says “A rolling stone gathers no moss”. Vatnajökull Glacier in Iceland has proven it wrong. I was travelling around Iceland in 2013 and the amount of stories and legends from this tiny country is impressive. The magical landscapes are certainly influencing the creativity around there and Iceland is so atypical that it even rewrites the classical proverb. In the Southeast of Iceland, there’s the Vatnajökull glacier, the largest of all Icelandic glacier. I wanted to walk on it and hear the sound of ice cracking behind my crampons. I never walked on a glacier before and I thought it was a must-do during my trip to Iceland. My fellow Canadian friends thought I was crazy to crave for ice during summer due to our harsh winters, but I totally assume my craziness. The day started at the Skaftafell National Park, where a bus took us to the bottom of the glacier. We signed up for a Glacier Wonders Tour with Glacier Guides, a 3 hours easy walk. It started with a path full of rocks and mud left by the melting glacier. With global warming, the glacier won’t exist in the next century, the guide told us. Then we started to walk on ice. Hard, thick, prehistorical […]

par Annie Anywhere

Jelly Fish in Monterey Aquarium, California

Amériques, Destinations, United States

Monterey Bay Aquarium – Please Don’t Flash the Octopus

The Monterey Bay Aquarium is paradise on Earth. You can see AND you can touch. Isn’t it amazing for a museum? And there’s something very important you need to know about me: I LOVE FISH! We were coming from a very bad day at Yosemite and the thought of just calmly meditating looking at fish was really appealing to me. I’m a diver (a very occasional one), but doesn’t it look cool to say it? Hey hi! I’m a diver. I have my card. Blink. Anyway…The thing is that the most important rule when you dive (except to keep breathing) is to never touch anything ever. And I’m a ”toucher”(This sounds creepy. I’m sorry). I like to touch (Nope… doesn’t sound better). In the Monterey Aquarium, they have special pools where you can touch some crabs, sea cucumbers, bat rays, and other weird creatures I had never seen before. Things you need to know: this place is HUGE. It took me 3 hours to visit all the different sections. And I wasn’t meditating this long in front of each aquarium. Also, even if the visit is long, please bring your kids there! Seriously, they have thought of everything: quests, games, costumes, color everywhere. […]

par Annie Anywhere

Amériques, Destinations, Honduras

Jade Seahorse – The Weirdest Hotel in Honduras

As I was planing my trip to Honduras, I ran across an interesting description about eclectic bungalows made out of mysterious findings. Once I took a look at pictures on the net, I decided to derogate my own rules and to take more money in the bank to have the chance to sleep at Jade Seahorse during my stay in Ùtila. I just can’t resist out of the box art creations! Who wants to sleep in a bizarre hotel made of trash? At our arrival on the smallest of the Bay Island, it was hiding behind a colorful wood fence : Nightland. A small world made out of curves, details and surprises. It took the owner and artist Neil Keller 15 years to build the bungalows and sculptures that create the site. Bizarre mosaics and sculptures made of bottles, beads, balls…and plastic bananas. All this just make me want to build gigantic trashy sand castles! Combining original cabins, a restaurant and a bar in the trees (A bar in the trees!!!!) called the Treetanic, Jade Seahorse made my inner artist and lover of puns feel home. During our stay, we had the Mono Lisa cabin, a.k.a the blue one, just up the […]

par Annie Anywhere

Amériques, Destinations, Honduras

Honduras – Exploring the Mangrove in Kayak

Each time I plan a trip I tell myself ”This time, I won’t plan too much so I won’t put myself in stressful situation. I don’t need to see EVERYTHING, I just need to enjoy and seize the day”. But reading about the destination and all the amazing places to see, I always reach the point of ”Who needs to eat and sleep anyway?!” Yep. In 5 Tips for a Trip to Honduras, I promised to tell you the story of why I had to beg a taxi driver in the middle of the night. Well, I ended this story in a kayak… I was with my travel buddy and we had planned to go from Copán to Tela. That was simple: one bus from Copán to San Pedro Sula, and another to go to Tela, a child could do that (I don’t have child). We woke up early in our 10$ hotel room to be sure to get the first bus and we said goodbye to the colourful Copán village. The first bus we had to take was coming from Guatemala, which is very close to Copán, but the thing is that it was very late (much more than the usual lateness of bus in Honduras). After […]

par Annie Anywhere

Amériques, Destinations, United States

Photo Essay: Alcatraz prison

Alcatraz is a hard place to describe with words so I’ll let images explain it by themselves. I am not a big fan of prison, but I couldn’t miss this part of American history, and it’s a good place to take amazing pictures. You break the rules, you go to prison. You break the prison rules, you go to Alcatraz Prison. It looks like Alcatraz has got me licked” – Al Capone, Inmate #85 Alcatraz was never no good for nobody”. – AZ 1576 Frank Weatherman. Last prisoner to leave Alcatraz Practical Info Cost You can visit Alcatraz with a Day Ticket for around 45US$ or a Night Ticket for around 52US$.The tickets all include the ferry to reach the island (and come back), and an audio guide. You have approximately 2h30-3h00 to visit the island and the prison, which is more than enough. I you plan on visiting the popuIar attractions in San Francisco, including Alcatraz, you should take a look at CityPASS. It’s a bundle including all the major activities, and since it’s a package, you can save around 40%. I highly recommend to book as soon as possible. And when I say “in advance”, I mean MONTHS before you […]

par Annie Anywhere

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