Site Map

Pages

• About This Blog
  • Correr Es Mi Destino – The Story
  • Site Map
• Adventures Around The World
  • Argentina, Uruguay, Chile and Brazil (2015)
  • Australia, Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand (2010-2011)
  • Beijing, China (2008)
  • Brazil (2022)
  • Brazil, Argentina and Chile (2016)
  • Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Chile (2019)
  • Chile, Argentina, Uruguay and Brazil (2017)
  • Chile, Argentina, Uruguay and Brazil (2018)
  • China (2014)
  • Costa Rica and Nicaragua (2014)
  • France
  • London, UK (2012)
  • Mexico (2013)
  • Mexico, Belize, Honduras and Guatemala (2011-2012)
  • Panama, Costa Rica, Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Argentina, Uruguay and Brazil (2008-2009)
  • Peru, Brazil, Argentina, and Chile (2020)
  • USA
• Advertising Opportunities
• Brazil (2021)
• Contact Me
• Correr es Mi Destino Archives
• Goodbye stranger!
• Home
• Life in Canada
  • FAQ About Canada
  • Just a Few Guidelines…
  • My Immigration Timeline
  • Resources for newcomers to Canada
  • Why I Moved to Canada
• Manage your subscription
• Press Review On Correr Es Mi Destino
• Privacy Policy
• Subscribe!
• Thank you for subscribing!
• The Author-Seeks-Publisher Project
  • “Filial Piety”, The Manuscript (currently querying)
  • “Second-Hand Dreams”, a Short Story (free download)
• Who Am I? (Well, My Name is Juliette, For a Start…)

Posts by category

• Category: Adventures Around The World
  • Why, When and How to Use Travel Booking Websites – Tips and Tricks from the Road
  • The Right Story for the Right Place – How to Pick Books You’ll Enjoy While Travelling
  • The Most Unglamorous and Glamorous Sides of France in the Same Story (Part II)
  • The Most Unglamorous and Glamorous Sides of France in the Same Story (Part I)
  • That Time, This Summer, When I Got into Trouble (2/2)
  • That Time, This Summer, When I Got into Trouble (1/2)
  • We’re Going Travelling… And Yes, Actually Going is Scary
  • 10 Weird Moments Hours Before a Backpacking Trip
  • How to Change your Identity
  • I’m Going to France and It’s Making Me Anxious
  • 15 Weird Things Non-Europeans Say When They Meet a French Person
  • Body? Here. Mind? Elsewhere. It’s Tough to Come Back…
  • How to Explain Abroad What Canada is Known For
  • Cold and Confused Back in Canada
  • Beyond Weather Considerations – What I Miss After Coming Back to Canada
  • Unpacking and Rediscovering Canada
  • Chinese Culture Explained in Five Expressions
  • The Toughest Part of Coming Back? Not the Weather…
  • 5 Things You Probably Didn’t Know About Chinese Culture
  • Amidst General Indifference
  • We’re Not That Special And Unique, Sterotypes Can Be True (And Funny)
  • The “Other” Landing Strip
  • Same Team, New Destination
  • Today We’re Packing to Travel to….
  • Best and Worst Hotel Experiences (Share Yours as Well!)
  • Sink Or Swim – Going Travelling… And Going Alone
  • Helping Tourists (Or Not)
  • 10 Things I Missed From Canada
  • How I Got Sick of French Food
  • 10 Weird and Funny Questions French Asked Me About Canada
  • Political Pawns
  • France’s Most Wanted
  • You… Or You
  • The Customer Is King
  • The Oh-So-Sexy French Myth
  • Welcome Home…
  • Going, Going, Gone
  • 10 Things I Can’t Travel Without
  • Takes A Second To Say Goodbye
  • Stuck In A Moment
  • The Word Is Collapsing
  • Games Without Frontiers
  • La Desaparecida
  • The World For Dummies
  • From Laowai To Canadian
  • Ten Songs, Ten Different Travelling Mindsets
  • Traveling is Scary… But Addictive
  • Back Home
  • Category: Argentina, Uruguay, Chile and Brazil - Winter 2015
    • Last Days in Buenos Aires…
    • Um Dia No Brasil: Jumping Between The Argentina and Brazil
    • The Grand Overview of the Cataratas do Iguaçu
    • Looking Down Into the Devil’s Throat
    • Welcome to the Jungle… Baby!
    • People of Santiago (Ciao Chile!)
    • Viña del Mar and the Port of Valparaíso
    • “Ascensor-ing” in Valparaíso
    • Valparaiso: Fruits, Veggies, Colours!
    • Up and Down Santiago
    • People and Food in Santiago
    • Santiago’s Pulse: Art and Churches
    • From the Atlantic… To the Pacific!
    • People of Uruguay
    • Beach Bumming in Glamorous Punta Del Este
    • Turning Into a Giant Ravioli (or Food in Uruguay)
    • Ciudad Vieja in Montevideo
    • Montevideo Centro
    • Traveling Back in Time in Colonia del Sacramento
    • Crossing Río de la Plata to… Uruguay!
    • Medialunas and Dulce de Leche, or Treats in Argentina
    • Bus, Storm, Meeting
    • We found “Che”!
    • Looking for Che
    • Off to Rosario
    • Down Time in Buenos Aires
    • Back in Buenos Aires
    • Darwin Science and Heavenly Magic in La Plata
    • Lost in a Diagonal in La Plata
    • Dead Famous (or Famously Dead?) in La Recoleta
    • Blue Collar “La Boca” and Classy San Telmo
    • January 1 in Buenos Aires
    • Landed… and Happy New Year from Buenos Aires!
  • Category: Australia, Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand 2010-2011
    • These Are the Delicious Specialties We Discovered and Ate in South-East Asia
    • Singapore-Sydney-Los Angeles-Toronto-Ottawa – The Epic Journey Back Home
    • Funny and Exotic Signs in South-East Asia
    • Singapore – Marine Bay Sands’ Trendy Rooftop Pool
    • Multicultural Singapore – Geyland, Little India, Chinatown and More
    • Chinese New Year in S’pore
    • Bangkok, Thailand – The National Palace
    • Say Wat? – Temples and Places of Worship in Bangkok
    • It’s A Mall World – Bangkok is Apparently Addicted to Shopping
    • Discovering Bangkok (and Wondering How to Cross Streets)
    • The Thai Massage Experience in Thailand
    • Southern Thailand – Phuket
    • Southern Thailand – Krabi, Ao Nang and Railay
    • Southern Thailand – Ko Phi Phi Ley and Maya Beach
    • The Woman in Black – Full niqāb in Malaysia
    • Southern Thailand – Ko Phi Phi Don
    • Southern Thailand – Ko Lanta
    • Southern Thailand – Trang Islands
    • Southern Thailand – Tham Morakot, the Emerald Cave
    • Southern Thailand – Ko Muk
    • The Thai Adventure – Crossing the Overland Border Between Malaysia and Thailand
    • Malaysia – Pulau Langawi
    • Malaysia – Georgetown
    • Malaysia – Discovering Kuala Lumpur
    • Going to Malaysia
    • A Foodie’s Day in S’pore
    • A Secret Affair in Singapore
    • Singapore’s Chinatown
    • Bye Australia, Hello Singapore
    • 10 Stuff We Learned in Australia
    • Australian Capital Territory – Exploring Canberra
    • New South Wales – The Grand Pacific Drive (III)
    • New South Wales – The Grand Pacific Drive (II)
    • New South Wales – The Grand Pacific Drive (I)
    • Sydney’s Iconic Places By Night
    • New Year’s Eve 2010-2011 in Sydney
    • East Coast Australia – Queensland, Brisbane and Surfers Paradise
    • East Coast Australia – Queensland, Noosa
    • East Coast Australia – Agnes Waters, Rainbow Beach and Floods Everywhere
    • East Coast Australia – Outback Queensland
    • East Coast Australia – Queensland, The Whitsundays
    • East Coast Australia – Queensland, Airlie Beach
    • East Coast Australia – Queensland, Magnetic Island
    • Hostel Life in Australia – Living Out of A Bag
    • Sydney – The Fish Market
    • Sydney, Australia… Where I Wanted To Live, Long Ago (And Not Anymore)
    • 2010 U2 Concert in Sydney
    • Sydney – Bondi Beach
    • Newcastle – Kangaroos, Birds and Koalas at the Blackbutt Reserve
    • The New OZ, Where Coke (And Everything) is Expensive
    • Los Angeles to Sydney – G’Day, Sydney
    • Los Angeles – The Rich and Famous Side
    • Los Angeles – Venice Beach
    • Los Angeles – Hollywood Boulevard
    • From Ottawa to… Hollywood
    • Am I Travelling or Running Away?
    • 10 More Things I Can’t Travel Without
    • Down Under
  • Category: Brazil - Winter 2021
    • 8 Brazilian Things I’ll Miss (and 3 Things I Won’t)
    • São Paulo to… Paris – When the Past Catches Up With You
    • Maceió to São Paulo – Leaving Brazil Step 1, COVID Test and Full Lockdown
    • Maceió – I Gotta Go
    • Maceió – The “Swimming Pool” Beach
    • Maceió – Sunday is Beach Day
    • Maceió – “One Day, My Plane Will Come…”
    • Maceió – (Kind of) Speaking the Language
    • Maceió – Two Days with the Federal Military Police
    • Aracaju to Maceió – Free Bus Wi-Fi to Catch Up With The World
    • After Salvador, I’m Breathing in Aracaju
    • Salvador to Aracaju
    • Salvador, Muted – The Year When Pandemic Cancelled Carnival
    • Faith and Stormy Weather in Salvador
    • Looking for the Goddess of the Sea Along Salvador’s Coastline
    • 6 Cities and 1,090 Km For Only $77.32 (I Love Travelling by Bus Travel Rocks in Brazil!)
    • Aracaju’s Amazing Beach is 90% Sand, 10% Water
    • Aracaju, The City Where Time Stands Still
    • It’s Official, I’m Stuck in Brazil (Thanks, COVID!)
    • Maceió to Aracaju
    • The Best Food Truck Parks Ever are in Maceió
    • Jangada Boat Ride in Maceió to An Amazing Natural Pool
    • I’m Still in Love With Maceió (This is Why)
    • Never Do Laundry The Night Before a Bus Trip
    • Olinda’s Timelessness is What You Need in Time of Crisis
    • Lost in Boa Viagem and Old Recife
    • Pandemic Quarantine Hotels in Canada and Freaking Out in Recife
    • The João Pessoa-Recife Bus Ride (And The Prep Before)
    • Beach, Fish for Dinner and Repeat, I Love My Life in João Pessoa!
    • Found the Easternmost Point of South America in João Pessoa!
    • It’s Lively After Sunset in Tambaú, João Pessoa
    • Natal to João Pessoa – First Bus Trip, New City, Bad Airbnb
    • The Fine Art of Going to the Beach in Ponta Negra, Natal
    • This is The Soundtrack of Natal
    • My Husband Sent Me to Natal All Alone (And It’s Awesome)
    • Nerve-Wrecking Plot Twist in São Paulo and Quick decision
    • Wild Waves and Posh People on Praia Brava
    • Driving Around Ilha De Santa Catarina… And Changing A Tire
    • Pre-Departure COVID Test in São Paulo (Gotta Love Brazilian Pharmacies!)
    • Fascinating “Altinha” Ball Skills and Thong Bikinis at Praia do Matadeiro
    • Bodyboarding and Exploring Endless Praia do Moçambique
    • Fishermen, Crabs, and Jungle Hike on Praia do Pântano do Sul
    • Two Amazing Skies in One Day on Praia do Campeche
    • Hiding From a Spectacular Storm on Praia da Armação
    • Dunes, Wind and Giant Rocks on Praia da Joaquina
    • Losing Track of the Time on Praia do Moçambique
    • I’ll Go Sand-Dune Hiking for a Top Brazilian Beach
    • Seven Waves, Wild Dolphins, and Middle-of-the-Jungle Mall for New Year’s Day
    • How to Finally Delete 2020 (Brazilian Style, With White Clothes and Fireworks)
    • Bye Rio, It’s Time for Our GOL Flight to Floripa!
    • Surprisingly, Stairs and Doors Offer Fascinating Cultural Insights in Rio
    • Exploring Rio From the Stairs to the “Tunnel of Death”
    • Blue Sky, Beach, and Coconuts, This is Barra da Tijuca
    • Our (Non-Instagramable) Christmas Day 2020 in Rio de Janeiro
    • Thoughts From Ipanema on Christmas Eve 2020
    • Rio de Janeiro for Christmas 2020 (Eh, Why Not?)
    • 2020 is Ending… How is São Paulo Dealing With COVID Now?
    • 8 Sure Signs You’ve Landed in São Paulo
    • Pandemic Travel 2020 – Ottawa-Toronto-São Paulo (Made It!)
    • I Guess We’re Not a Pandemic-Perfect Family, After All
  • Category: Brazil – Winter 2022
    • São Paulo-Toronto-Ottawa – Pandemic Travel, Improved
    • This is Why I love São Paulo (Tchau, Brasil!)
    • Back to Santos, Where the World Started Falling Apart
    • How to Survive the Night From Hell in Ilhabela and a Chaotic Bus Trip to Santos
    • Island Life, Secluded Beaches and Black Fly Repellent in Ilhabela
    • São Sebastião To Ilhabela, Six Kilometres Further, On The Island…
    • Beaches (Good!) and Blackout (Bad!) in São Sebastião
    • How to Not Go to Caraguatatuba and Ace a Complicated Bus Trip
    • A Week in Wild, Surprising and Mildly Confusing Ubatuba
    • Turning 39 – How to Celebrate a Birthday Alone in Ubatuba
    • The “Ubachuva” Experience in Ubatuba – Two Cities in One Stay!
    • Paraty To Ubatuba – 75 Km, *Five* Hours, and a Weird Movie Moment Later…
    • Hippie Trinidade, Jungle Trails and Camera Suicide
    • Paraty, The Only Town With Crabs Hiding Under Cobblestones
    • Time Travelling to Paraty – What Year is This, Already?
    • How to Spend 36 Hours in Rio de Janeiro (When You Have To)
    • At the End of the Day, We’re All Just Silhouettes
    • A Lovely, Normal Week in Cabo Frio Later – New Plans and Decision Made
    • Arraial do Cabo, The Chaotic Town With Unique Paradise Beaches
    • Búzios – Found Brigitte Bardot, But Not (Really) The Beach
    • Window to Paradise – Urban Exploration in Arraial do Cabo
    • Cabo Frio Carnival 2022 – Celebrating Life (is Better Than Creating Chaos)
    • This is Just the Calm Before the Storm in Cabo Frio…
    • Rio De Janeiro To Cabo Frio – Somewhere New, Something Different
    • Three Days of the Perfect Version of Rio de Janeiro
    • Amazing View from Above Between Vitória and Rio de Janeiro
    • What to Do in Vila Velha, Espírito Santo? The Full Report, Part II
    • What to Do in Vila Velha, Espírito Santo? The Full Report, Part I
    • Don’t Come to Vitória for the Beach (But Stay for an Island of Super Rich, Unexpected Fauna and an “Onion”)
    • Covento da Penha, Vila Velha’s Top of the Hill Convent with a Stunning View
    • First Impressions of Vila Velha — Slightly Confused, Kind of Excited
    • Three Airports and 1,600 Kilometres Later in a New Corner of Brazil
    • Maceió, The (Much Better) 2022 Version
    • São Miguel dos Milagres, The Brazilian Caribbean
    • Why Are Coconuts Cheap? Found The Answer at Praia Do Gunga!
    • “Should I Go to Maceió?” And Other Travel Dilemmas
    • Accidental Insights on Favela Life, Sharks and Old Buildings in Recife
    • Colourful Streets, Jungle-Covered Churches and Cats in Peaceful Olinda
    • Looking for Time (And Ending Up at the Beach)
    • Wild Beach, Love Beach, Nude Beach and Gorgeous Beach – Exploring João Pessoa’s Southern Coast
    • Figuring Things Out in João Pessoa, at the Easternmost Point of South America
    • Thrilling “I’ll Try Everything” Day Along Natal’s Southern Coast
    • Unlocking a New Way to Beach Bum, Brazilian Style – Looking for Pipa Beach and Finding So Much More
    • I’m Still in Brazil, Right? – Ponta Negra, Natal
    • Flying to Brazil’s Nordeste and Landing in Natal – Timing is Everything
    • São Paulo – All Going North… Just Not The Same “North”
    • These Rarely Mentioned and Much Less Glamorous Travel Moments
    • Revenge on Water and Goodbyes to Santa Catarina Island
    • Perfect Waves and Jungle Trail at Praia Do Santinho
    • Windy Hike Across Fascinating Sand Dunes on Santa Catarina Island
    • People Watching on Santa Catarina Island – Ingleses and Canasvieiras Beaches
    • Catching Waves to Feel Alive at Praia dos Açores, Florianópolis
    • Got My Own “CPF,” The Magic Number to Unlock Brazil!
    • Starting 2022 In Florianópolis On Packed Beaches And Rare Worriless Weekend
    • New Year’s Eve 2021 in Florianópolis – Beach Party, Fireworks, White Outfits, and Roses Tossed Into the Ocean
    • The Two Unique and Completely Different Beaches of Canto Grande, Bombinhas
    • Three Monkeys on The Monkey Trail for This Insanely Beautiful View of Bombinhas
    • Exploring a New Corner of Brazil in Bombinhas – Hidden Beaches, Hills… And a Banana Boat
    • Unchristmasy But Lovely Christmas 2021 on Ilha de Santa Catarina
    • Four Day in São Paulo – Strange Trees, Markets, and Rock Music
    • Ottawa-Montreal-São Paulo – Stopping at the Deicing Station Before Summer
    • Pre-Trip Prep and the Week That Didn’t Go as Planned
    • Going, Going… Gone (Feels Like a Déjà Vu, Doesn’t It?)
  • Category: Brazil, Argentina and Chile - Winter 2016
    • Don’t Dream, It’s Over – Time To Fly Back To Canada
    • People of Rio – The City Where Several Worlds Cross Paths
    • Jesus, This Ain’t Easy – Visiting the Cristo Redentor in Rio de Janeiro
    • Flavours of Brazil – New Bread Addiction Plus Other Local Delicacies
    • Yesterday and Tomorrow in Rio Centro
    • Rio de Janeiro – Copacabana and Ipanema Beaches
    • Rio de Janeiro, Brazil – Exploring The Pão de Açúcar
    • Keeping the Best for Last – Rio de Janeiro, Here We Come!
    • Ilha de Santa Catarina, Brazil – Praia dos Ingleses
    • Ilha de Santa Catarina, Brazil – Praia do Campeche and Praia da Armação
    • Ilha de Santa Catarina, Brazil – Praia de Canasvieiras
    • Ilha de Santa Catarina, Brazil – Praia do Moçambique
    • Ilha de Santa Catarina, Brazil – Praia Mole
    • Florianópolis, Brazil – The Party is Over
    • Weird Late-Night Flight from Argentina to Brazil
    • Late Night in Buenos Aires, Argentina
    • Where Do You Go in Buenos Aires When You’ve Been Everywhere?
    • Plaza de Mayo, Buenos Aires – The Hub of Political Life in Argentina
    • A Sunday at the Cemetary in Buenos Aires, Argentina
    • Flying KLM (??) from Santiago, Chile, to Buenos Aires, Argentina
    • Late Night in Santiago, Chile
    • The Walls of Santiago and 10 Random Thoughts
    • Santiago and The Hot Dog Mystery
    • Chile’s National Zoo in Santiago (Dragons Not Included)
    • Santiago – From Cerro San Cristóbal to the City’s Tallest Building
    • Viña del Mar – The Chilly Chilean Beach
    • The Split Personality of Valparaíso, Chile
    • A Surprisingly Enjoyable Bus Ride to Valparaíso
    • Santiago – Getting Blessed and Getting Smart
    • Santiago, Chile – Street Photography (Because People are Interesting!)
    • Santiago – Need Something? A Market Has It
    • Santiago – Still in Love With the City or Not?
    • Mendoza to Santiago – Above the Andes (It’s Bumpy and Beautiful)
    • Mendoza, Argentina – At the Bottom of the Andes
    • Jumping-on-Bed Accident And Medical Help in Argentina
    • Giving Córdoba Another Chance… And a Change of Plans
    • Fighting the Heat, Cockroaches and God in Córdoba, Argentina
    • Two Nights and One Day in Buenos Aires
    • From Brazil to Argentina – ¡Hola Buenos Aires!
    • Exploring Curitiba, From Futuristic Bus Stops to the Oi Tower
    • Hungry? Spotlight on Delicious Brazilian Food
    • Natal-Brasília-Curitiba – Bye Nordeste, Hello Curitiba!
    • Brazilian Butts on the Beach
    • BR-101 to Laid-Back Praia Da Pipa, The Hippie Beach
    • (Accidently) Exploring Not-So-Safe Parts of Natal
    • Praia de Ponta Negra, Natal
    • The Cheapest Flight Ever – Recife to Natal for $25 (!)
    • Faith and Food in Centro Recife
    • In the Steep Streets of Colourful Olinda
    • Trying to Decipher Portuguese Downtown Recife
    • Boa Viagem and our First Brazilian Beach
    • A Flight to Recife Later…
    • Artsy Sunday in São Paulo
    • Dark Clouds and Karma – Bit of Bad Luck in Brazil
    • Feliz Ano Novo, Welcoming 2016 in São Paulo!
    • “Tudo Está Fechado” – Where São Paulo Takes New Year’s Day Very Seriously
    • Snow Storm and Missing Luggage – We Made It to Brazil!
    • Mark Likes Planes… Will He Like a 16-Hour-Long Flight?
    • Applying For Our Visas to Brazil in Ottawa
  • Category: Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Chile - Winter 2019
    • My Solo Adventure Wasn’t a Waste of Time
    • My Brutal AC 093 Santiago Flight Back to Canada
    • These Strange Latino Mysteries That Still Keep Me Awake at Night
    • A Rare Glimpse of La Moneda, Chile’s Presidential Palace
    • I Look Suspiciously Local and Foreign Tourists Are Scared
    • My Latest Santiago Shopping Carts Mystery Story
    • Valparaíso, Between Hippy-Chic Cerros and a Former Jail
    • The First Time I Found Myself Waiting Half-Naked For…
    • Four Days in Santiago – This is What I Like to Do
    • Viña del Mar, A Soulless Version of Valparaíso
    • The Other Valparaíso You Won’t See on Postcards
    • And This is Why You Should Go to Valparaíso
    • 10 Things Guidebooks Don’t Say About Valparaíso
    • How I Got Lost on My First Night in Valparaíso
    • The Valparaíso Option (When You’re Tired of Santiago)
    • The Surprisingly International Side of Santiago
    • The Fascinating Murals of Barrio Bellavista in Santiago
    • Avenida Vitacura, Where Rich People Live and Shop in Santiago
    • To the Virgin and Back in Santiago
    • … And This is What Concepción Looked Like
    • I Decided to Explore Concepción… And This Is Why I Left
    • Taking the Milky Way to Sea Lions in Talcahuano
    • Finding the Right Bus to Concepción is Half the Fun
    • A Week of Very Fun and Weird Santiago Moments
    • Love Murals? Go to Barrio Brasil in Santiago
    • Chile’s Cutest Cats Hang Out in Santiago’s La Vega Central
    • Visit Santiago’s Creepiest House, It’s Hiding in Plain Sight
    • The Coup, The Struggle for Democracy and a New Beginning
    • My Latest Major Facepalm Moment in Santiago
    • Me in Chile, Them in Canada, in a Parallel Universe
    • “Turn Right, Third Cactus on the Left” in the Región de Coquimbo
    • What to See in Coquimbo? Start With the Fish Market
    • La Serena, Where Everybody (Somehow) Knows Your Name
    • La Serena is My New Favourite Chilean City
    • People Go Crazy for “Churrascas” in La Serena
    • How to End Up in a Spare Bedroom 500 Km North of Santiago
    • My Weird Rollercoaster of Emotions in Santiago
    • The Spectacular Top-of-The-Andes Argentina-Chile Border Crossing With 28 Hairpin Turns
    • 新年快乐 – It’s the Year of the Pig! (Yes, I Have my Illegal Fireworks)
    • Delicious Foods to Sample in Argentina and Uruguay
    • Everybody Loves Mendoza, But “Look, It’s Not You, It’s Me…”
    • My Austral Líneas Aéreas Experience on the Buenos Aires-Mendoza Flight
    • Decision Time – Buenos Aires to Somewhere… But Where?
    • I’m Lucky in Buenos Aires This Year
    • From State Terror to Human Rights Defence
    • Across The Chocolate River to Argentina with Colonia Express
    • 10 Things I’ve Discovered After 10 Days of Solo Travel
    • Punta del Este, Where a Giant Hand is Emerging from the Sand
    • Montevideo is a Unique, Friendly, Grungy City
    • Right on Time for the Start of Montevideo’s World-Longest Carnival
    • The Easy Trip from Buenos Aires to Montevideo
    • Buenos Aires is Always Surprising (And It’s Good!)
    • I’m on a Mission to Find Missions in Buenos Aires
    • Holy Shit… I’m All Alone (And I Need Coffee)
    • The São Paulo-Buenos Aires Flight is Already a Culture Shock
    • Every Story Worth Reading Has A Plot Twist
    • This is What I’m Leaving Brazil With
    • How to Spend a Few Days of Urban Fun in São Paulo
    • The Orange Jello Obsession (+ Pics of Tastier Brazilian Foods)
    • How to Climb the Social Ladder During a Walk Across Rio
    • Huge, Scary, and Fascinating Sharks (At AquaRio…)
    • One of These Nights in Rio
    • Late-Night Craving – This is Brazil in a (Coco)Nutshell
    • When Santa Catarina Island Turns Into a Slow Traffic Mess
    • Swimsuit Off on Brazil’s Most Famous Nude Beach
    • Praia Da Joaquim’s Amazing Sand Dunes and Massive Rocks
    • The Hidden Beaches of Ilha de Santa Catarina
    • Long, Empty and Gorgeous Praia Moçambique (My Favourite!)
    • Just a Conversation on the Way to Sand Dunes…
    • Here is The Full Brazilian Beach Experience, in Pictures
    • This is Why Ilha de Santa Catarina is (Almost) Paradise
    • São Paulo to Florianópolis – From the City to the Beach
    • Meet the People of São Paulo
    • How to Find Food on January 1 in São Paulo
    • New Year’s Eve 2019 and What Happens at 00:00 in São Paulo
    • Going to São Paulo for the New Year
    • 10 Weird Details Guidebooks Don’t Say About Rio de Janeiro
    • Meet the People of Copacabana
    • This is Centro, The Other Rio de Janeiro
    • We All Have a “Curse”… I Think I Know Mine
    • Christmas Day is More Fun on Ipanema Beach
    • Celebrating Christmas in Rio – Rain and Cheap Champagne
    • Adventure of the Day, São Paulo-Rio de Janeiro by Bus
    • Three Days in São Paulo, South America’s Largest City
    • São Paulo Ain’t No Gotham City (It’s a Million Times Better)
    • It Only Takes Ten Hours to Get From Darkness to Light
    • Santa Came on December 16—And This Is Why
  • Category: Chile, Argentina, Uruguay and Brazil - Winter 2017
    • Plot Twist – Right Country, Wrong City
    • Plot Twist – When the Plane Doesn’t Land as Planned
    • São Paulo – Don’t Cry… Time to Leave
    • Street Carnival in Grungy São Paulo – Come as You Are…
    • Rio Carnival 2017 – The Biggest Street Party in the World
    • Rio Carnival 2017 – From Boozy Blocos to the Backstage of the Sambódromo
    • Cariocas – Street Photography with People of Rio de Janeiro
    • Rio de Janeiro’s Magic from The Pão de Açúcar
    • Catete, Glória and Centro – Neighbourhoods of Rio You Were Told to Avoid
    • Copacabana and Ipanema – Picture-Postcard View of an Alluring Hot Mess
    • 500,000 Revelers + 3 – Rio’s Crazy Centro Street Party
    • Learning All About Carnival Street Parties in Rio – Wake Me Up Before You Bloco
    • An Early Flight and a Brazilian Bed Mystery
    • Reaching a Plateau in Curitiba
    • Curitibanese – Street Photography with People of Curitiba
    • Curitiba – It’s an Eye! It’s a Museum! It’s the Eye Museum!
    • Balneário Camboriú to Curitiba – The Bus Ride With A Tempting Option
    • Balneário Camboriú – Avenida Brasil and Atlântica Between Towers and Beach
    • Delicious and Exotic Brazilian Foods, From Açaí to Quindim
    • Florianópolis Centro – 0% Beach, 100% Brazilian City
    • Sounds Like Samba, Looks Like Carnival in Florianópolis Centro
    • Ilha de Santa Catarina – Paradise Found in Sunny Praia Moçambique
    • Ilha de Santa Catarina – Sand Dunes and a Bikini Mountain in Praia dos Ingleses
    • Ilha de Santa Catarina – Surfers and Fishermen in Praia de Moçambique
    • How to Rock the Beach Like a Brazilian in Praia de Canasvieiras
    • Ilha de Santa Catarina – 5 Kilometres of Praia do Campeche
    • 6 Hours in the Bus on BR-101 – Rio Grande do Sul to Santa Catarina
    • Porto Alegreses, People of Porto Alegre – Street Photography
    • Porto Alegre – Uphill, Downhill and Repeat in Rio Grande do Sul’s Capital
    • 10 Signs You’re in Brazil
    • Pelotas – First Sweet Brazilian City
    • (Fucking) Chuí – Brazil Starts With Getting the Hell Out of Here
    • Chuy, Uruguay to Chuí, Brazil – Finding the Border is Half the Fun
    • Punta del Diablo, Uruguay – Bohemian Chinese New Year Under the Stars
    • La Paloma, Uruguay – Beach, Booze and Buñuelos
    • Three Crosses and a Crossroad in Montevideo, Uruguay
    • Montevideo, Uruguay – Graffiti, Beach and Urban Fun
    • Ham, Cheese, Meat, Sugar and Other Foods Found in Uruguay
    • Salto to Montevideo – Crossing Uruguay From North to South on Ruta 3
    • Salto, Uruguay – Hot Water in Gaucho Country
    • Argentina to Uruguay – Border Crossing a Giant Hydroelectric Dam
    • Concordia, the Argentina-Uruguay Border, Then What?
    • Paraná, The Weird Daily Schedule Between Two Rivers
    • Sante Fe – “Don’t Wake Me Up From My Siesta” Across Rio Paraná
    • The Desaparecidos of Argentina’s Dirty War
    • Paraná – A Post-Zombie Apocalypse Sunday
    • Ham, Cheese and Other Foods in Argentina
    • Rosario – Birthplace of the Flag, the Che and Messi
    • Buenos Aires to Rosario – A Four-Hour Bus Ride Later
    • Heads or Tails in Buenos Aires
    • Porteños, People of Buenos Aires
    • La Plata, Argentina – The City of Diagonals
    • A Sunday in San Telmo, Buenos Aires
    • 15 Signs You Landed in Buenos Aires
    • Where, Now? The Chilean Dilemma
    • People of Santiago (Plus a Pigeon)
    • “They Were Tortured Here” – Chile’s Dark Past
    • Up and Down in Santiago – Two Hills and a Cable Car
    • Veggies, Fruits, Cats and Food in Santiago
    • Valparaíso, a Giant Fire and Full Buses
    • January 1 in Santiago – Everything is Closed, “Todo Cerrado”
    • Yellow Underwear, Fake Snow, Fireworks and a New Year Party in Santiago
    • Ottawa to Santiago – Two Flights and Many Hours Later…
    • Packing, Going (The Future is Happening)
  • Category: Chile, Argentina, Uruguay and Brazil - Winter 2018
    • The March 11 Mystery in Santiago and the Magic Massage
    • Street Photography – The People of Santiago, March 2018
    • Yummy Santiago Street Food, from Mote to Peruvian Bread
    • A Tiring Weekend of Transition in Santiago
    • The Eye Doctor Experience in Santiago (“A… E… Z…”)
    • Giant Corn and Fascinating Produce at the Mercado de la Vega
    • This is How Santiago Celebrates International Women’s Day
    • Santiago is a Very International City Now
    • People of Santiago and Their Occasionally Weird Activities
    • Wandering Around Santiago, This City I Love
    • A Breathtaking Seven-Hour Bus Trip Across the Andes
    • This is How I Ended Up Dazed and Confused in Mendoza
    • 24 Hours in Puerto Iguazú – No Doubt, We’re in Argentina
    • The Barragem de Itaipu – Dam, It’s Big!
    • Four Days in Foz do Iguaçu, Next to Paraguay and Argentina
    • The Last Train to the Devil’s Throat at Iguazu Falls
    • Amazing Waterfalls and Butterflies at the Cataratas do Iguaçu
    • CWB to IGU – Welcome to the Jungle, Baby!
    • Change of Plans
    • Chilling Out in Curitiba
    • Christ, Balneário Camboriú!
    • A French Moment in Florianópolis
    • The Fascinating Life of Brazilians (And Possibly, Argentinian Tourists) At the Beach
    • The Amazing Beaches of Santa Catarina – Campeche, Moçambique, Ingleses, Jurerê and Canasvieras
    • A Welcome Dose of Normal in Florianópolis
    • Wanted: A Dark Park – Not Wanted: The Brazilian Police
    • Centro, Lapa, Santa Teresa, Gloria, Catete and Other Places Your Rio Guidebook Told You to Avoid (In Pictures)
    • Street Food of Brazil
    • Losing My Identity with The People of Rio
    • Rio Carnival 2018 – Day 5, Massive Crowds Storming Centro and Ipanema
    • Rio Carnival 2018 – Day 4, From Bloco-ing with The Beatles to Bloco-ing in The Subway
    • Rio Carnival 2018 – Day 3, the Picturesque Bloco, the Beach Bloco and the Unexpected Bloco
    • Rio Carnival Day 2018 – Day 2, Bloco-ing from Centro to Ipanema
    • Rio Carnival 2018 – Day 1, Samba Schools Parade at the Sambódromo
    • Rio and the Tunnel of Death
    • People of Salvador
    • Salvador de Bahia – From the Lighthouse to the Beach with more Pré-Carnaval Craziness
    • The Quest for The Golden Church in Bairro Pêlo
    • Two Crazy Days of “Pré-Carnaval” Party in Salvador
    • When Salvador is Being Boarded Up
    • Taking the Pulse of Salvador de Bahia – Celebrating Dia de Iemanjá and Spying on Rich People
    • Porto Alegre To Salvador De Bahia — Red-Eye Flight, Amazing Landing and Snack OD
    • Three Anecdotes About Three People of Porto Alegre (And Many More of Them in Picture)
    • Porto Alegre – Cities Within the City
    • You Know You’re in Brazil When…
    • Busing to Porto Alegre
    • 24 Sugar-Powered Hours in Pelotas
    • A Night in “Fucking Chuí” Between Uruguay and Brazil
    • Jumping into The Known Unknown – Montevideo To…
    • Roadblock – Where Montevideo Turns into “Hotel California”
    • 10 Uruguayan Quirks I Noticed (+ People of Montevideo)
    • Montevideo – The Anti-North American Suburb
    • Uruguay – Hard to Get to but Worth It
    • Crossing the Chocolate-Coloured Río de la Plata to Uruguay
    • Two Unsettling Sides of Buenos Aires
    • Four Days in Buenos Aires
    • People of Buenos Aires
    • For the Love of Facturas
    • Santiago to Buenos Aires – It Should Have Been a Quick Flight But It Wasn’t
    • Thank You, Chile
    • On Top of Santiago
    • … And Back in Santiago!
    • Valparaíso in a Cloud of Marijuana Smoke With a Bunch of “Alligators”
    • Between Valparaíso and Viña del Mar
    • Taxi, Plane, Bus and Bus – The Trip Back South
    • People of Antofagasta
    • Antofagasta – The Atacama Desert
    • Antofagasta – The Pacific Ocean
    • 1090 Kilometres North of Santiago
    • People of Santiago (Plus a Dog)
    • I Checked: Penguins Can’t Tap Dance
    • And so, 2018 Started in Santiago…
    • New Year’s Eve in Santiago
    • Getting Ready for 2018 in Santiago
    • 9,000 km Further South
    • Take Chances. Lots of Them.
    • 6 Everyday Items I Can’t Travel Without (Because… Yes, Packing!)
  • Category: China - Summer and Fall 2014
    • 11 Things I Learned During This Trip to China
    • The Mind-Boggling Art of Being “kèqì” in China
    • It’s Hard to Say Goodbye to Beijing
    • People of Beijing and Fun, Creative Chinese Signs
    • Exploring Beijing, From the Olympic Park to Tiananmen Square
    • Exploring China Requires Stepping Out of Your Confort Zone
    • Apparently, The North Tomb in Shenyang is a Must-See
    • Shit, No Power in Pyongyang… I Mean, Shenyang
    • Shenyang’s Outskirts are Another World
    • What You Need to Know About Yummy Northeastern Specialities
    • Life in Shenyang – Thoughts from the 27th Floor
    • Shenyang or the Art of Being Chinese (我不也是中国人!)
    • Web Traffic and Street Traffic
    • Shenyang’s Imperial Palace (沈阳故宫)
    • Welcome to…The Machine…
    • And Now, A Bathroom Break on Chinese Toilets…
    • This is What Shanghai Looks Like at 5:30 a.m.
    • Up in the Oriental Pearl Tower, in Pudong’s Concrete Jungle
    • The Bund, Where Fortunes Were Made and Lost
    • Up and Down Nanjing Lu, Shanghai’s Most Famous Street
    • Shanghai, Baby!
    • 9 Things Chinese Do
    • Goodbye Southern China
    • West Meets East and Changsha, or a Major Culture Shock
    • Hunan and Hubei Food
    • Chinglish in Southern China
    • Hankou and the Yangzi
    • The Yellow Crane Tower (黄鹤楼)
    • Meeting the “Family” in Wuhan
    • A High-Speed Ride to Southern China
    • The Art of Getting Around in Beijing
    • Nighttime Fun in Wangfujing 王府井
    • Blast from the Past
    • Hate Crowded Places, Kids and Animals? (北京动物园)
    • People of Beijing (北京人）
    • Tian An Men, Wang Fu Jing and a Temple Later…
    • The Crazy Journey from Ottawa to Beijing
    • …And this is How It All Started
    • A Simple Explanation (or Conversing With a 22-Month-Old Toddler)
  • Category: China – Beijing 2008
    • Above Ground
    • Beijing Memo
    • The Silk Market Experience (北京的秀水街)
    • Beijing By Night
    • A Chinese Massage Story
    • Chinglish
    • Beijing’s Nightlife （北京的夜生活）
    • Old Beijing (老北京)
    • Modern Beijing （现代北京）
    • Qianmen (前门)
    • Chinese Food (中国菜)
    • Beihai Park (北海公园)
    • The Summer Palace (颐和园)
    • Home, Home Again
    • Tiananmen Square (天安门广场)
    • The Olympic Closing Ceremony (北京奥运会闭幕式)
    • The Forbidden City (故宫)
    • The Great Wall (万里长城)
    • The Olympic Green (奥林匹克公园)
    • The Temple Of Heaven (天坛)
    • Lama Temple (雍和宫)
    • Wangfujing (王府井）
    • Monday In Finland
    • Gone To Beijing!
    • The Lord Of The Visa
    • I Won’t Boycott The Olympic Games
  • Category: Costa Rica and Nicaragua - Winter 2014
    • Costa Rica to Canada – Hello Otta… I mean, Hi, Toronto!
    • Jacó to San José – Adios Costa Rica…
    • Hostel Life in Jacó, Costa Rica – People (and Hostels) Are Strange
    • Jacó, Costa Rica – The Fine Art of Walking and Playa Hermosa
    • Jacó Or Where I Apparently Find “Sin City”
    • Malpais, Costa Rica – Beaches And a Long Dusty Hike
    • Travelling Solo to Get Better – Does It Work?
    • Beach Bumming in Montezuma, Costa Rica
    • Cabo Blanco National Park, Costa Rica – Snake, Coati, Armadillo And Hike
    • Nicaragua to Costa Rica – Bus, Collectivo, Bus, Bus, Ferry And Bus
    • A Day With Strangers – People You Meet on the Road in Nicaragua
    • Isla Omotepe, Nicaragua – Santo Domingo and Ojo de Agua
    • Isla Omotepe, Nicaragua – Where I Realize I Am Not Tour de France Material
    • Isla Omotepe, Nicaragua – One Island and Two Volcanoes
    • Nicaragua – San Juan del Sur and the Pacific Side
    • León, Nicaragua – Revolución, Churches and Big Cola
    • People of Granada, Nicaragua
    • Relaxing in Granada, Nicaragua
    • Volcán Masaya, Nicaragua – Volcano Crater? Checked!
    • Nicaragua – Masaya and the Old Fortress
    • Granada, Nicaragua – Las Isletas
    • Costa Rica to Nicaragua (And Yes, a Crazy Border Crossing Story)
    • Here is “Gallo Pinto”, My Favourite Breakfast in Costa Rica
    • Costa Rica – Hippie and Laid-Back Sámara
    • San José to Sámara – A Five-Hour Long Bus Ride Later…
    • People of San José, Costa Rica
    • San José – El Mercado Central
    • Alone in Costa Rica – Exploring San José
    • Going Solo… and Landing in San José, Costa Rica
  • Category: Exploring Canada
    • Six Days All Over a Strange Version of Locked Down Toronto
    • A Unique Niagara Falls Experience
    • Unusual Trip to Toronto – Ghost Town, Pandemic Edition
    • Will We Survive a Pandemic Summer Trip to Toronto?
    • Middle of the Woods, Canada
    • Toronto’s Food Scene – I Love Northern Chinese Food!
    • 10 Random Observations About Toronto
    • Accidentally and Literally Disconnecting in Toronto
    • Three Fun and Relaxing Days in Toronto
    • Living the Fancy Condo Life Downtown Toronto (Part 2)
    • Living the Fancy Condo Life Downtown Toronto (Part 1)
    • Fort Wellington, Prescott – Once, There Was a War…
    • 10 More Things You Need to Know Before Visiting Canada
    • 10 Things You Need to Know Before Visiting Canada
    • 10 Quick Tips If You Visit Ottawa This Summer
    • Doors Open Toronto
    • Exploring Toronto
    • Shut Up, Shut Up, Shut Up!
    • An Artsy Sunday in Montreal With Baby Mark
    • Bad Luck Day in Montreal
    • Chalet du Mont Royal and Montreal’s Skyline
    • The “Itchy & Scratchy Show” And the Hotel From Hell
    • The Art of Complaining (What Would You Have Done?)
    • Gananoque, Clouds and a Piano
    • Sandbanks Provincial Park – Beach, Lake, Sand Dunes and a Storm
    • A Misty Visit to Niagara Falls
    • Worth The Price – The $7.50 Ferry Trip To Toronto Island
    • A Long Weekend in Toronto, Mark’s First Time
    • A Scenic Drive Along the St. Lawrence Seaway
    • 24 Hours in Toronto – First Trip As A New Mom, Without Baby Mark
    • 50 & Counting Tour – The Rolling Stones Live in Toronto
    • Street Photography – People of Montreal, 2013 Edition
    • Exploring Hochelaga, the Olympic Park and Sainte Catherine Street in Montreal
    • Why I’m Not A Huge Fan of “Old Montreal”
    • First Road Trip to Montreal With Baby Mark
    • First Interprovincial Trip For Mark, Three Weeks Old
    • A Perfect Stop – Gananoque, Ontario
    • A Quick Trip To Toronto
    • Bryan Adams Concert in Toronto
    • In The Woods
    • Watson’s Mill
    • Summer is Over
    • Barrie and Balm Beach
    • Toronto, Here We Are Again
    • Tourists in Toronto
    • Niagara-on-the-Lake
    • Niagara Falls, Ontario
    • The Wall Live
    • Fall in Gatineau Park
    • Fall Foliage at Meech Lake, Gatineau Park
    • Small Town, Ontario – A Few Days In Deep River
    • Exploring Deux-Rivières and Matawa, Ontario
    • Townships of Head, Clara and Maria
    • Rapides-des-Joachims, Québec
    • Pembroke, Ontario
    • Lac Leamy Fireworks
    • School’s Out
    • Toronto By Night
    • St Lawrence Market
    • Toronto Harbor
    • Night And Day in Toronto’s Chinatown
    • Kensington Market In The Spring
    • Montreal’s Chinatown
    • In the Heart of Montreal
    • Montreal – St Catherine Street
    • Montreal – St-James United Church
    • French, English and Montréal
    • Winterlude in Québec
    • Niagara Falls in Winter
    • Downtown Toronto
    • Nathan Phillips Square
    • Yonge & Dundas
    • Kensington Market
    • Toronto’s Chinatown
    • New Year In Toronto
    • Fall Colors In Québec
    • Montréal’s Jean Talon Market
    • Modern Montréal
    • Old Montréal
    • The Killers In Montréal
    • Pumpkin Day
    • Fall Colors
    • The Pink Lake
    • Heart Of The Country
    • Radiohead Concert in Montreal
    • The St Lawrence And The Thousand Islands
    • A Sunday In Toronto
    • Niagara Falls
    • The 416 Escape
    • Winnipeg Adventures In Friendly Manitoba
  • Category: Exploring the US
    • A Quick Check on the Southern Neighbours – Ogdensburg, NY
    • 20 Puzzling Aspects of Life in the USA
    • Easy Daytrip to the US From Ottawa – Good Old Alexandria Bay
    • “Welcome to the United States of America, Honey!”
    • 10 Things That Surprised Me in New York City
    • Syracuse, New York State, and the Drive Back to Ottawa
    • NYC Skyline By Night
    • In New York City’s Subway System
    • New York City – Little Italy and Chinatown
    • NYC 2012 Gay Pride
    • New York City – Greenwich Village
    • Brooklyn Bridge and NYC Skyline
    • New York City – Central Park
    • NYC’s MoMA
    • Along Fifth Avenue, New York City
    • The Empire State Building – On Top of NYC
    • NYC – Wall Street and The WTC Site
    • Arriving in New York City
    • Albany, NY State
    • Waddington, Massena and the Great Bug Attack
    • Ogdensburg, NY State
    • Small Towns, U.S.A
    • Whiteface, NY State
    • Lake Placid, NY State
    • Classic Americana in Ogdensburg
    • Alexandria Bay, NY State
    • Watertown, NY State
    • Fall in New York State (2/2)
    • Fall in New York State (1/2)
    • Our Southern Neighbours
    • A Drive To The Other Side
    • The Prescott Shuffle Story
  • Category: France - Christmas 2013
    • The 20-Hour-Long Journey Home
    • Wolverine and a French ER Story
    • Bye, Nantes!
    • Pluie and Rain
    • A Réveillon Later…
    • French Christmas Sweets and Desserts
    • Merry Noël and Joyeux Christmas!
    • French Food: Christmas Delicacies
    • People of Nantes, Winter Edition
    • Christmas Lights
    • France is Getting Ready For Le Père Noël
    • (Re) Bonjour France!
    • Et Merde.
    • Packing Craziness
    • A Very Last–Minute French Christmas
  • Category: France - Spring 2008
    • Another World
    • Rebel France (2/2)
    • Rebel France (1/2)
    • Up In The Sky
    • Along The Seine
    • Carnac, Vannes, And Menhirs
    • Drinking In Rennes
    • St Malo — A Walled City
    • Best Of Paris (2/2)
    • Best Of Paris (1/2)
    • French Food
    • An Elephant In My Castle
    • Getting There Is Only Half The Fun
  • Category: France - Spring 2009
    • Rebel France IV
    • Rebel France III
    • What I Miss From France… And What I Don’t!
    • French Cuisine
    • French Pastries
    • Ah, Paris! (2/2)
    • Ah, Paris! (1/2)
    • Purchasing Power Blues In France
    • Historic Nantes
    • Bourgeoise Nantes
    • Artsy Nantes
    • Define “Airport Security”
  • Category: France - Spring 2012
    • A Day in Airports
    • Graffiti and Political Stickers
    • Funfair in Nantes
    • Nantes’ Industrial Past
    • Ten Random Observations about France
    • Creative Use of English Language in France
    • The Weight Of History
    • Fire in Nantes
    • Street Market in Nantes
    • The Île de Versailles
    • The French And Their Bathrooms
    • The Presidential Race in France
    • Passage Pommeraye
    • Is The French Diet Still A Good Diet?
    • City Under Siege
    • Ten Things I Had Forgotten About France
    • Packing and Flying… Again
  • Category: France - Spring 2021
    • Nantes-Paris-Montreal-Ottawa – Made It! (Part II)
    • Nantes-Paris-Montreal-Ottawa – Made It! (Part I)
    • Nantes – Canada, Here I Come (Kind Of)
    • Nantes – Anatomy of a Protest (Tear Gas Included)
    • Le Croisic – Cliffs, Blue See, It’s Almost Brittany Already
    • Paris – Five Food Anecdotes
    • Paris – Posh “Rive Droite”
    • Paris – People of Paris
    • Paris – Left Bank and Right Bank Friday Night Parties
    • Paris – Is This Real Life Is This Just Fantasy…
    • Paris – The “Not a Scam!” Moment
    • Nantes – “Let’s Party All Night” Reopening Stage 3
    • Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie – The Blue-Sky-No-Lockdown Version
    • Nantes –Fully Vaccinated, Yay! But Meh…
    • Nantes – “Let’s All Get Drunk” Reopening Stage 2
    • Nantes – The Meltdown
    • Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie – Freedom (for a Day)
    • Nantes – Got My Pfizer Shot
    • Nantes – May Day
    • Nantes – Running Out of Fear
    • Nantes – The Doctor
    • People of Nantes – Lockdown v. 3.0, Week 3
    • Nantes (and Ottawa) – Apparently, Things Can Still Get Worse
    • Pictures of Nantes Under Curfew
    • Nantes – The “Statement of Reasons for Not Being at Home When the Government Said So” Form
    • Nantes – Skype Easter Egg Hunt
    • Nantes – Shopping for Non-Essentials
    • Curfew, The One COVID Mesure I Have Yet to Master
    • This Unexpected French Life
    • 38
  • Category: France - Summer 2013
    • Back on Canadian Soil
    • My French Shopping
    • 10 Random Observations About the French
    • Gargoyles and Mascarons
    • More People of Nantes
    • Mark at the Isle of Nantes
    • The Loire River
    • French Treats
    • Train Culture in France
    • First Time at the Seaside!
    • Saint Michel Chef Chef
    • Bastille Day in Nantes
    • The Tour in Tours
    • A Day in Tours
    • French Urban Fragments
    • Meet the Belem
    • A Bird’s Eye View of Nantes
    • French Drinking Culture
    • French Graffiti
    • Brain Reboot
    • People of Nantes
    • The Creepy Courthouse
    • A Baby and Nantes’ Landmarks
    • It is “les soldes”!
    • The Isle of Nantes – Art or Not Art?
    • The Château des Ducs de Bretagne
    • Market Day
    • Early Morning in Nantes
    • The Trip from Ottawa to France
    • 10 Steps to Packing with Bébé
    • Have Baby, Will Travel
  • Category: France - Summer 2014
    • Tears, Greenland and an Old Friend
    • Snapshots of Nantes
    • Again, The River…
    • French Food in Nantes
    • Fingerz in Ze Noseuh
    • At The Beach
    • A French Holiday in the French Holidays
    • More People of Nantes – 2014 Edition
    • Urban Fun
    • Industrial Past, Factories and Urban Decay
    • These Gloomy French Sundays
    • The Loire River
    • Experience of the Sublime
    • Across the River
    • French Pastries Porn
    • Saint Mark
    • Exotic Snakes in Nantes
    • People of Nantes – 2014 Edition
    • Castle of the Dukes of Brittany
    • World Cup Fever in Nantes
    • The Isle of Nantes
    • Breton Nationalism
    • The Artist
    • This is What a Giant Penis Looks Like
    • You Know You’re in France When…
    • … From the Other Side of the Pond
    • It’s Time To… Fly Away!
  • Category: France - Summer 2015
    • Leaving, Flying, Arriving
    • Don’t Lick Your Computer Screen
    • People of Nantes – Summer 2015 [4]
    • Cultural Snapshot: 4 Things Found in Nantes [5]
    • Postcards of Nantes
    • Written on Walls
    • Cultural Snapshot: 4 Things Found in Nantes [4]
    • Putting Food on the Table
    • At Least, the Ocean is Polite
    • Low Tide, High Tide
    • Cookies Heaven
    • Loiterers
    • People of Nantes – Summer 2015 [3]
    • Honey, We Frenchized the Kid
    • Not (Really) Guilty
    • Conquer Your Fears
    • Connected
    • Cultural Snapshot: 4 Things Found in Nantes [3]
    • Industrial Wasteland on a Rainy Day
    • Right Place, Right Time
    • Walking While Female
    • People of Nantes – Summer 2015 [2]
    • Cultural Snapshot: 5 Things Found in Nantes [2]
    • 4 Classic French Cookies
    • Vineyards in the Countryside
    • Bonjour. Just Bonjour.
    • 10 Axioms of Going to the Beach
    • Bastille Day Fireworks
    • The Invaders
    • This Fascinating Underwater World
    • The More the Merrier…?
    • Those Nights inside French Supermarkets
    • Urban Decay in Nantes
    • People of Nantes – Summer 2015
    • Cultural Snapshot: 5 Things Found in Nantes
    • Three-Masted Belem
    • Choirboy
    • Sunday Market
    • French Kick off Summer Holidays
    • Stuck, Delayed and Delayed Again – But in France!
  • Category: France - Summer 2016
    • “16 Kilos of What, Exactly?” (What a French Brings Back from France)
    • Nantes to Ottawa – Thoughts from the Greyhound Bus
    • Back to Work, Back to School, Back….
    • Anger is a Dish Best Served in the Street
    • Jazz Music + Boat Culture – Les Rendez-vous de l’Erdre 2016 in Nantes
    • An Ode to French Pharmacies, Where Anything Can Be Cured
    • Exploring a French Wine Cellar and Wine Country around Nantes
    • A Strange Meteorological Phenomenon at Saint-Brevin l’Océan
    • Courthouse Exhibition in Nantes – Hanging Paintings With The Artist
    • It’s Late August and “La Rentrée” Is in The Air in France
    • Grafikama Exhibition in Nantes – Modern Graphic Art from Africa
    • Visiting Domaine de la Garenne Lemot (and French Being Illogical)
    • Bad Pun + Bad English – This is How French Name Businesses
    • Playing with Water, Mirrors and Reflections in Nantes
    • Broken Camera – Ever Wondered What Cat Meat Taste Like?
    • Exploring Parc des Oblates in Nantes
    • Focus on China at L’Atelier and Le Temple du Goût in Nantes
    • The Lovely Coast and Coves of Préfailles
    • Inside French Shops with French Customers
    • Overheard in Nantes, Summer 2016
    • Bridges and Water – My Happy Place along the Loire River in Nantes
    • Urban Art and Fascinating Pieces of the French Urban Landscape
    • Maybe They Are Called “French” Fries for a Reason…
    • A Typical French Seaside Market (Cheese and Crêpes included)
    • French Cookie Lovers Gather at The St Michel Cookie Store
    • Low Tide and Amazing Finds
    • Honestly, French People Are Pretty Predictable
    • (Nice) People of Nantes
    • An Instruction Manual To French Playgrounds
    • Capturing a Quiet Streets and a Moment in France
    • Rediscovering French Bureaucracy Renewing My French Passport in France
    • Love It or Hate It, 2016 Voyage à Nantes Modern Art Exhibitions
    • Mouth-Watering Pics of the Talensac French Sunday Market in Nantes
    • Discovering Angers and Its Medieval Castle
    • What’s The Atmosphere in France in Summer 2016 After Several Terrorist Attacks?
    • Discovering Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie And Vendée Beaches
    • When a Spider is Almost as Big as an Elephant
    • Fest Noz Breton Party at the Castle in Nantes
    • The “Brought You That From Canada” Gift-Giving Ceremony
    • Flying Across the Atlantic With a Four Year Old (Do You Need to Pee?)
    • Landing in France (is Less Glamorous Than You’d Think)
  • Category: France - Summer 2017
    • French Stuff a French Brings Back from France – 2017 Edition
    • Plane on Time, Bus Delayed and Other Airport Adventures
    • Late August Mood and Atmosphere in Nantes
    • Written on the Walls (But Not in Stone)
    • Overheard in Nantes – Reflections and Reflections
    • Thoughts on French People and Food
    • Along the Erdre River in Nantes
    • Is France Living in Fear of Terrorism?
    • A Pachydermatous Sunday
    • Exploring One of The World’s Largest Shipyards in Penhoët
    • A Medieval Day in Angers
    • 7 Facts of Life in France That Are Funny, Puzzling or Annoying
    • Lost in Communication Styles
    • Puzzled by Traditional French Food and Eating Habits
    • Gross or Practical?
    • Saint-Michel X 11
    • Along The Loire River
    • A Splinter Situation
    • Nantes’s Newly Reopened Art Museum
    • That “Unique Place”
    • Miscellaneous Useless Skill – Diabolo Juggling
    • Inside A Former Detention Centre in Nantes
    • Dentist Duty Done – Smile!
    • These Timeless French Sundays
    • The Quiet Charm of the French Atlantic Coast (Gimme My Sweater, I’m Cold!)
    • Wipers? Optional (With the Right Attitude)
    • 2017 Journey to Nantes – From Quirky Playgrounds to Pretentious Projects
    • 7 Random French Moments
    • Riding a Trottinette Is an Acquired Skill
    • Sun, Rain and Reflections
    • Sunday Is Food Activism Day in France
    • “Trois Baskets”
    • You Know You’re in France When…
    • A Sleepless Flight Later – Montreal-Nantes with Air Transat
    • The Final Countdown to the 2017 Trip to France
    • Trip to France Status? “It’s Complicated”
  • Category: France - Summer 2018
    • The Slightly Unusual Things a French Brings Back From France
    • Nantes to Montreal – Being Pleasantly Numb is the Key
    • People of Nantes – August 2018
    • Don’t Copy American Culture (Or at Least, Make It Better)
    • I’m All Over the Place and Lost, We’re Going Soon…
    • 7 Weird Things French Say
    • The Migrants Saga – And Now, Riot Control (But No Riot)
    • Dentist Checkup and Opening a Bank Account in France
    • Appreciating Visual Arts is a Learning Curve
    • Food Matters More Than You Can Imagine in France
    • Pretty Sure The French Turn into Werewolves at Night…
    • The Assalam Mosque in Nantes, an Amazing Cultural Experience
    • Angers – Massive Castle, Old Cathedral and Medieval Atmosphere
    • Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie – Sardines, Amazing Beach and Striped Clothing
    • Nantes’ Most Unusual Buildings and Architectural Details
    • There’s a Weird New Scammer in Nantes…
    • Teaching a Tablet-Addicted Kid How to Climb a Tree
    • Cultural Mystery – Why French Sellers Don’t Want to Sell
    • Dark Clouds, Wind and Rain… for an Unusual Beach Day
    • A New, Fun Way to Cross the Loire River
    • The Migrants Saga – Late-Night Brawl and a Concert
    • A Walk on The Fortified Ramparts of Nantes’ Castle
    • Nantes? Now Rainy with A Chance of Gloomy
    • Weird Things French People Say (And Write)
    • When It’s Hot, Go Along the Loire River
    • A Contestant for the 2018 Trottinette World Cup
    • 10 Sure Signs of a True Brittany Beach Town
    • Exploring Saint-Brevin-l’Océan and a Gorgeous Beach
    • Art Is Best Enjoyed on a Hot Day, and It’s Free After 7 P.M.
    • The Migrants Saga – Third Chapter
    • People of Nantes – July 2018
    • 5 Funny and Interesting Expressions to Describe Rain in French
    • How Good is the 2018 “Journey to Nantes” Art Festival?
    • French Food vs. North American Food – Ultimate Battle
    • Possibly the Most Cliché French Day Ever
    • A Few Roadblocks, Then Finally, The Beach!
    • No More Stroller, Time for a Trottinette!
    • … And This is Why There Are Fountains in France
    • The Migrant Camp Saga Continues – And Now, Police Raid
    • Switching to French Language, Oh, my Poor Brain!
    • 7 Days After France Won the 2018 FIFA World Cup
    • The Migrants in Nantes – The New Summer Saga
    • Moments from Trudeau International Airport, on the Way to France
  • Category: France - Summer 2019
    • 18 Kilos of Must-Have French Products – This is My Special Stash!
    • Weird and Funny Moments From the 10-Hour Transatlantic Trip Back to Canada
    • This Strange Summer
    • People of Nantes – 2019 Edition
    • I’m so Happy, Mark’s French Language Pack is Finally Downloading!
    • (Failed) French Mission #2 – Using My New French Bank Account
    • Fascinating Apocalyptic Sky Over Nantes, the Loire River and Trentemoult
    • Typical French Night Out of Drinking and Fighting
    • These Bittersweet End-of-Summer Chilly and Rainy Days in Nantes
    • The Tour de Bretagne’s “Bird Nest” and Observation Deck
    • (Successful) French Mission #1 – Getting a SIM Card and Prepaid Plan
    • People at the Museum – Musée d’arts de Nantes
    • Meet the People of Paris – Summer 2019 Street Photography Project
    • The Ghost Train to Nantes (Where Was It??)
    • How to Enjoy a Typical Parisian Sunday
    • A Map and No Plan – How to Enjoy Paris on a Hot Day in August
    • Our Second Unexpected and Unplanned Last-Minute Trip To Paris
    • The New Trottinette and a Crazy Idea
    • An Awkward French Family Visit That Made Me Cry
    • The French and Their Weird, Outdated Parking Lot Rules
    • The Craziness of Taking a Family Trip to the Seaside
    • Nantes is Asking “Where is Steve?” and Wnats to Know What Happened That Night
    • “Are Parisians Rude?” and Other Legit Paris Questions
    • The High-Speed TGV Train Trip From Paris to Nantes
    • This is Why You Should Cross Paris on Foot
    • Paris Looks Amazing from the Top of a Ferris Wheel
    • Surprise, This is the Eiffel Tower… and a Lunar Eclipse!
    • Five (or More) Signs You’ve Landed in Paris (Yay!)
    • Ottawa-Montreal-Paris – We Made it, Let the Fun Begin!
    • The Strange Day My Parents Went Off Script
  • Category: France - Summer 2020
    • Unpacking 18.5 Kilos of my Favourite Oh-So-French Products
    • Air Transat Flight TS601 – Pandemic Travel from Nantes to Montreal
    • People of Nantes – 2020 Pandemic Edition
    • Nantes After Sunset and Night Walk Magic
    • Lost in Pandemic Unknowns, With and Against the Flow
    • The Test Put to the Test – Getting Tested for COVID-19 in France
    • Saint-Nazaire, Unique Shipyard on the French Atlantic Coast
    • New 2020 Mask Mandate in France (Everywhere, Even Outside!)
    • Deep Into the French Countryside, Between Apple Trees and Vineyards
    • Nantes by Night – Lights, Moon, Art, People and Mirror-Like River
    • Clisson’s Unique Heavy Metal-Themed Park
    • Night at the Art Museum in Nantes
    • Exploring a Massive Medieval Castle and Cute Bakeries in Angers
    • Rings and Bananas (There Are No Easy Answers)
    • We’re Living Strange Moments, There’s No Story (Because Uncertainties)
    • French Atlantic Coast vs. 2020 Heat (and COVID) Wave
    • Strange Things French Say: “Oh Shit, Forgot The Bread!”
    • Where Would You Rather “Hide” During The COVID-19 Pandemic?
    • Just Your Typical 2020 Pandemic Summer Weekend in Nantes
    • An Entertaining 1950s Summer Holiday Feel at Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie
    • 10 Fascinating Cultural and Pandemic Details You Notice Upon Landing in France
    • Flying to France in Summer 2020 During COVID – Ottawa-Montreal-Paris-Nantes
    • Aren’t Borders Closed Because of COVID? Yes… and No
  • Category: France - Summer 2021
    • The 2021 Bag of Essential French Products I Brought Back
    • Nantes-Paris-Montreal-Ottawa – Yet Another Pandemic Flight (part II)
    • Nantes-Paris-Montreal-Ottawa – Yet Another Pandemic Flight (part I)
    • Flying to the Familiar Unknown
    • Last Beach Day in Les Sables-d’Olonne
    • Tiffauges – The Alternate Life
    • Knights, Trebuchets, Swords and Armours at the Medieval Château de Tiffauges
    • Exploring Les Sables-d’Olonne for a New Beach Experience
    • Low Tide and Hot, Sunny Beach Days in Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie
    • Nantes – The Health Pass and the Protests
    • Apocalyptic Weather in Angers
    • Paris to Nantes
    • Seven Naïve, Amusing or Useful Observations from Our Trip to Paris
    • The €31,800 Ring, Social Distancing According to Louis Vuitton and a Fun, Free Attraction in Paris
    • Day 2 in Paris – The “French Taj Mahal”
    • Three More Days in Paris (and Straight to Notre-dame)
    • “Surprise! We’re Going to the Top of the Eiffel Tower!”
    • Beach Day in Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie
    • A Beach Day in Posh La Baule
    • Paris Explained to Mark and an Unexplainable Paris Moment
    • Paris – Top Sights for An Eight-Year-Old First-Timer
    • Bastille Day in Paris
    • Ottawa-Montreal-Paris – Taking Mark to France
  • Category: France and UK - Summer 2010
    • Are French Rude?
    • London Shopping
    • Beauty Comes From Within (And From Shopping In France)
    • The Walls Are Talking
    • Europe in our Eyes
    • A Parisian Bug Story
    • French Bakeries
    • St Nazaire
    • Nantes By Night
    • Nantes’ Elephant
    • The Isle of Nantes
    • Whoui Spik Inglish
    • Bastille Day in France
    • Paris By Night
    • Gardens of Versailles
    • Sights of Paris (Part II)
    • Sights of Paris (Part I)
    • London By Night
    • Buckingham Palace
    • Along the River Thames
    • The Tower of London
    • Oh-So-British
    • Art and Culture in the U.K
    • The Tube
    • The London Eye
    • Crêpes Dinner in Nantes
    • Thanks for the Party… Eh!
    • A French Market
    • A French Castle
    • A French Protest
    • The French and the World Cup
    • Palais de Justice
    • On The Way To France
    • Going To…
  • Category: France – Summer 2022
    • Nantes-Montreal Air Transat TS 603 – Quick Flight, Long Lineups
    • Suddenly, the “Mind The Gap” Warning Makes Sense
    • A Last Carefree, Sunny Weekend at the Beach
    • Is The Grand Elephant Ride in Nantes Really Worth It?
    • How to Eat a Crêpe au Chocolat on a Hot, Sunny Day
    • Fascinating Shipyards in Gritty Saint-Nazaire
    • Wind And Waves Make For An Incredible Sailing Trip
    • Begging All The Weather Gods For Another Sailing Adventure
    • Half-Timbered Houses, Sweets and Quiet Streets in Angers
    • An Unexpected Change of Scenery in Nantes’ Wine Country
    • The Latest Summer 2022 Weather Oddities in France
    • Another Day at “Wow, Check Out This Car!”
    • In Motion (and Why I Love French SNCF Trains)
    • Far Out at Sea, on a Stand-Up Paddle Board
    • Ever Heard of This Weird French Calendar Tradition?
    • Periwinkle Foraging and Happy Beach Adventures in Les Sables
    • “Yes, It’s a Genuine Picasso”
    • Meet Charon, Ferryman Of The Dead, Crossing The Styx
    • A Very French Moment in a Sunday Night Train
    • My French Life Feels Easier Than My Canadian Life
    • Unusual Day at La Baule With Record-High Temperatures
    • Watch this Spectacular Bastille Day Fireworks Display in Nantes
    • A Wonderful Bastille Day in Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie
    • The Not-so-Bad Year 3 of Pandemic Travel Montreal-Nantes Flight
    • Travel Chaos in Canada – From “Lucky You!” to “Good Luck”
  • Category: London 2012
    • A Simple Cure for Homesickness
    • Nantes’ Non-Tourist Spots
    • Nantes’ Tourist Spots
    • “A Journey to Nantes” Art Project
    • The Crazy Trip from London to France
    • Nightime in London
    • London’s Tourist Spots
    • The London Underground
    • London’s Parliament Square
    • The Olympics Fever and Hyde Park
    • The London Millennium Footbridge
    • The City and Canary Wharf, London’s Business and Financial Districts
    • Never Take the British Weather with You
    • London 2012 and the Olympic Venues
    • Do You Speak British English?
    • Green Park and Buckingham
    • The Queen’s Walk and Tower Bridge
    • London’s Camden Markets
    • Jet-Lagged in London
    • Of a Last Minute Trip to London
  • Category: Mexico - Winter 2014
    • Hi Again, Frozen Hell…
    • Curious About Mexican Food?
    • Vivir La Vida
    • The Wonder That Didn’t “Wow”
    • Progreso and the Gulf of Mexico
    • The Lost Ruinas of Uxmal
    • Mérida Centro and Beauty in Chaos
    • Mérida’s Zoo
    • Sunday in Valladolid
    • Hello Yucatán!
    • Gran Cenote (Or Cave Swimming With Niño)
    • Tulum Playa
    • Cobá Ruinas (Or Climbing a Pyramid Carrying Niño)
    • Tulum Ruinas
    • Exploring a Mexican Supermarket
    • Puerto (Non) Aventuras, Souvenirs and Rain
    • Playa del Carmen
    • Porto Morelos
    • Mexico – Cancún Centro
    • Mexico – Playa Caracol, Cancún
    • Flying to Mexico for Mark’s First Backpacking Trip
    • Step One, Show up at Airport, Step Two, Learn Your Flight is Cancelled
    • Off We Go… (Yes, to Mexico with a One-Year-Old Baby, Why?)
  • Category: Mexico, Belize, Guatemala and Honduras - Winter 2012
    • Mexico to Canada – Post-Travelling Limbo
    • After Mexico, Belize, Guatemala and Honduras… Time to Meet Winter in Canada
    • Playa del Carmen, Mexico – Back to What People Call “Civilization”
    • Isla Cozumel, Mexico – The (Ghost) Town
    • Isla Cozumel, Mexico – The Reverse Culture Shock
    • Tulum, Mexico – Beach Bumming, What Else!
    • Valladolid, Mexico – Cenote and More Maya Archeological Sites
    • Chichén Itzá, Mexico – Back to the Maya World
    • Ambergris Caye and San Pedro, Belize – Paradise Found!
    • Travelling Around Belize – Chicken Buses And Passengers
    • Caye Calker, Belize – I Swear It Was Better Before!
    • Cruise Ships Changed Belize City (And Not For The Better)
    • Dangriga, Southern Belize
    • Belize – Quiet and Friendly Placencia
    • Puerto Cortes (Honduras) to Placencia (Belize) – The Boat Ride From Hell
    • Sedate Puerto Cortes, Honduras
    • La Ceiba, Honduras – Suicide Showers and New Food Addictions
    • Princess IV Boat Accident Between La Ceiba and Utila, Honduras
    • Honduras – Disconcerted in Utila and the Bay of Islands
    • San Pedro Sula, Honduras – Most Dangerous City in The World?
    • Copán, Honduras – Exploring The Famous Maya Archeological Site
    • Copán, Honduras – New Country, New World
    • Antigua to Copán – Crossing the Border Between Guatemala and Honduras
    • San Pedro to Panajachel, Guatemala – Strange Day, Strange Place
    • San Pedro, Guatemala – Coffee, Jesús and the Lake
    • The Many Towns Around Lago de Atitlán, Guatemala
    • And This is What We’ve Been Eating So Far in Mexico, Belize and Guatemala
    • Guatemala – Antigua to Lago de Atitlán
    • Guatemala – Chicken Buses and Jesús
    • Happy New Year From Antigua, Guatemala!
    • Guatemala – Market Day in Chichicastenango
    • Antigua, Guatemala – Street Photography
    • Guatemala City to Antigua – A Chicken Bus Ride Later…
    • Accidental Thrill Seekers in Guatemala City – Walking Through Zona 1, By Night
    • Santa Elena, Guatemala – Street Photography
    • El  Petén, Guatemala – Tikal and the Lost World of the Mayas
    • Flores, Guatemala – Christmas 2011, Guatemalan Style, Firecrackers Included
    • Belize to Guatemala – Border Crossing at Melchor de Mencos
    • San Ignacio, Belize – Xunantunich and Cahal Pech Archeological Sites
    • Belize – Orange Walk to San Ignacio, a Day of Chicken Buses
    • Mexico-Belize Border Crossing – Chetumal to Orange Walk
    • Chetumal, Mexico – Getting Closer to Belize
    • Tulum, Mexico – The Town and This Amazing Beach
    • Tulum, Mexico – Sleeping on the Beach, Hot Water and Power Optional
    • Cancún, Mexico – A Fair and The Beach
    • Cancún? Niagara Falls with Sand and Saltwater
    • Ottawa, Washington… and Cancún!
    • Pre-traveling Rush – What Do I Need for Central America, Already?
    • Welcome To The Jungle! – Central American Again, Ten Years Later…
  • Category: Panama, Costa Rica, Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Argentina, Uruguay and Brazil - Winter 2008-2009
    • The Food Saga: The Drinks
    • The Food Saga: The Sweets
    • The Food Saga: The Feast Era
    • The Food Saga: The Fish Era
    • The Food Saga: The Chicken Era
    • The Best & The Worst
    • Hello Frozen Hell…
    • Cataratas Do Iguaçu (Brazil Side)
    • Cataratas del Iguazú (Argentinian Side)
    • Beautiful Beaches Of Brazil
    • Pão de Açúcar
    • Copacabana And Ipanema
    • Samba De Janeiro!
    • It´s Raining In Paradise
    • Cachoeira Do Tobogã
    • Bloco Da Lama (Mud People)
    • Brazilian Carnaval In Paraty (2)
    • Brazilian Carnaval In Paraty (1)
    • Colonial Paraty
    • Easing Into Brazilian Culture
    • Looking For The Brazilian Border…
    • Beach Bumming In Uruguay
    • Old Montevideo
    • Crossing To Uruguay
    • Argentinidad
    • An Argentinian Coin Story
    • Buenos Aires By Night
    • Colorful Boca
    • Busing 3,048 Kilometers…
    • Ice Field And Icebergs
    • Torres Del Pain(e)
    • Ushuaia, The End Of The World
    • The Road To The End Of The World
    • Patagonia – Punta Arenas
    • Relaxing In Santiago
    • Arica, First Stop In Chile
    • Crossing The Andes To Chile
    • Malegria In La Paz
    • Lake Titicaca – Bolivia
    • Perú To Bolivia
    • Por La Carretera – Arequipa
    • Southern Hemisphere: Lima, Perú
    • Faces Of Central America
    • ¿Y Ahora Qué?
    • Adrenaline Rush In Monteverde
    • It´s A Wild Life…
    • Busing Around Central America
    • Sunsets At The Beach
    • Costa Rica, Pacific Coast
    • Peñas Blancas – Chaos And Chaos…
    • Parque National Manuel Antonio
    • Welcome To The Jungle
    • Border Crossing – Panamá To Costa Rica
    • Cuidado En Panama
    • Boquete, Chiquiri Province
    • Panamá, Old And New
    • Buenos Dias Panamá!
    • Of Laundry And Losing Everything
    • On The Road Again
  • Category: Peru, Brazil, Argentina and Chile - Winter 2020
    • My Santiago-Toronto Flight During the March 2020 Pandemic Panic (3/3)
    • My Santiago-Toronto Flight During the March 2020 Pandemic Panic (3/3)
    • My Santiago-Toronto Flight During the March 2020 Pandemic Panic (1/3)
    • There’s a Scary Pandemic, and I’m in Limbo in Santiago
    • Some Chilean Protests with your Scary COVID-19 News, Maybe?
    • Hello, World, Are We Scared Yet? (This COVID Thingy Makes Me Feel Uneasy…)
    • Buenos Aires to Santiago – What a Day and What a Mess…
    • My 10 Favourite in Buenos Aires (And 4 Funny Puzzling Moments)
    • Buenos Aires – The Old World in the New World
    • A Militant International Women’s Day 2020 in Buenos Aires
    • Unexpected Boca Fever and Crazy Football Night in Buenos Aires
    • Tchau, Brazil – A Day in Airports and 2,700 Kilometres Later…
    • Rio de Janeiro Ain’t No Easy City… This is How I Feel After a Week of Rain
    • An Unusual Version of Rio de Janeiro’s Famous Beaches
    • 2020 Rio Carnival – It’s Never Over in Centro and Copacabana
    • “Welcome to the Dangerous São Paulo-Rio Flight”
    • Carnival 2020 in São Paulo Carnival – Day 4 of Partying…
    • Carnival 2020 in São Paulo – Day 3 of Partying…
    • Carnival 2020 in São Paulo – Day 2 of Partying…
    • Carnival 2020 in São Paulo – Day 1 of Partying…
    • Carnival 2020 in São Paulo – Let’s Get This Party Started!
    • A Strange Last Night in Santos
    • 10 Tested and Approved Tips for Santos, Paulistas’ Favourite Beach Getaway
    • Guarujá – It’s Not the Destination, It’s the Journey
    • I Went on an Awesome Pirate Cruise in Santos
    • Exploring Centro and the Coffee Lords of Santos
    • I Don’t “Get” Santos, But I’ll Unlock It!
    • Salvador to São Paulo – Time Warp and Alternate Reality
    • Foodie Adventures in Brazil – How to Master Bakeries, Buffets, and Tapioca
    • Unexpected Saturday Night Clown Party in Salvador
    • Itaparica, The Island Without a Beach (No, Seriously)
    • Salvador – The Streets of the Pelourinho
    • Welcome to “Barra”, Salvador’s Number One Stop for Tourists
    • Salvador, the City With an Elevator Worth Getting Excited About
    • This is What a Brazilian Bus Trip Pit Stop Looks Like
    • The Many “WTF” Moments of a Weekend in Aracaju (Part 2)
    • The Many “WTF” Moments of a Weekend in Aracaju (Part 1)
    • … And I Got an Airbnb From Hell in Aracaju
    • Another Brazilian Mystery – The Challenge of Doing Laundry in Recife
    • I’m in Love With Maceió and Its Gorgeous Palm-Lined, White-Sand Beaches
    • Olinda, The Town With More Churches Than God Asked For
    • A Few New Brazilian Mysteries to Solve in Recife
    • Boa Viagem and a Long, Long Unique Shark-Infested Beach
    • How and Why Did I End up In Recife’s Jungle , Already?
    • São Paulo to Recife – Alone for a New Adventure
    • Leaving Paradise, Mysterious Fever, and Downpours in São Paulo
    • Praia Do Pântano Do Sul And The Perfect Wave
    • The Scariest Thing You Kid Can Say When You’re Driving
    • This Is All I Need to Be a Fun Parent
    • The Challenge? Climbing Sand Dunes on a Windy Day
    • Floripa and the Unexpected Rain-Soaked Carnival Rehearsal Party
    • In the Car to Praia do Moçambique
    • Argentinian Tourist Lost in Translation on Ilha de Santa Catarina
    • Rio to Florianó–… Wait, Where the Hell Did We Land??
    • New Brazilian Mystery – Why We Can’t Have a Phone in Brazil
    • Sunset and a Thunderstorm on Top of the Pão de Açúcar
    • 10 Things You Learn Beach Bumming in Copacabana and Ipanema
    • 10 (Weird) Travel Essentials I Always Pack
    • It’s Raining in Rio
    • The Thrilling Flight from São Paulo to Rio de Janeiro
    • People, Building, and Tree Watching in São Paulo
    • Two Million on Paulista for a Massive 2019 New Year’s Eve Party in São Paulo
    • A Strange Last Night Where I Lost Sleep Over Santiago
    • Forget About the Protests, This is the More Classic Santiago Experience
    • Massive Protests, Tear Gas, Fire, and Barricades in Santiago
    • “Chile Woke Up” 2019 Protests – This is What’s Going on Santiago Right Now
    • Half-Asleep in Lima to Very Much Awake in Santiago
    • 10 Random Things I Discovered in Lima + People of Lima
    • Miraflores, Lima’s Fascinating Cliff-Top Neighbourhood
    • Finally Rediscovering Lima… and It’s Totally Worth It
    • When You Land at 5 a.m. in Lima, Peru…
• Category: Author Seeks Publisher
  • Licking My Wounds After Yet Another Rejection
  • I Need Your Help, And a Better Querying Strategy
  • The First Query Rejection Emails
  • I’m Not a Unicorn
  • Two Readers
  • The Missing Step
  • 10,916 Revisions Later
  • No News (from Querying) Is No News
  • Author Seeks Publishers – The scenarios
  • Author Seeks Publishers – The Moment I Hit the “Send” Button
  • Author Seeks Publisher – The Query Letter
  • Author Seeks Publisher – The Starting Point
• Category: Blog
  • 3 Things That Exhaust Your Money If You Work From Home
  • Home Ownership for Newcomers to Canada: What You Should Know
  • Travel gadgets can actually make a difference to your adventure away
• Category: Canadian Immigration
  • What’s Hardest About Aging Loved Ones When You’re Far Away
  • 6 Weird Comments People Make To Immigrants
  • Why Life in Canada is Both Exhausting and Full of Opportunities
  • 4 Things I Learned During my Five-Month French “Exile” (Part II)
  • 4 Things I Learned During my Five-Month French “Exile” (Part I)
  • Is It a Smart Move to Immigrate to Canada When You Hate Winter?
  • 5 Useful Tips For Immigrants and Expats Facing Crisis
  • Ace Your G Road Test in Ottawa with this Full Guide + Walkley Route Map!
  • G Road Test at Walkley – I Got My Full License!
  • Finally Found the Confidence to Take my G Road Test
  • The Working Holiday Visa Option to “Test” Canada Easily
  • 7 Questions People Like to Ask Canadians They Meet Abroad
  • 20 Situations Most Immigrants Experience at Least Once (Right?)
  • 4 Mistakes I Made When I Came to Canada
  • 8 People Every Immigrant Should Have on Speed Dial
  • 5 Useful Learning Experiences All Newcomers Should Embrace
  • Love It Or Hate It, I Have An Accent (Do You?)
  • The Art of Asking (The Right Person, The Right Way)
  • “Will My Life Be Better in Canada?”
  • Leaving Isn’t Such a Trivial Act, After All
  • “Wide, Open Spaces” and “Opportunities” – The Canadian Dream in France
  • It’s a Small World… Or Is It?
  • This is Why I Won’t Vote in the Second Round of the 2017 French Presidential Elections
  • An Immigrant’s Dream in Canada
  • 9 Tips to Help Other Immigrants Beat the Holiday Homesick Blues
  • 10 Realistic Tips to Americans Interested in Moving to Canada
  • When a Trip Ends, Close Your Eyes and Just Jump
  • 6 Strange “Side Effects” of Being Fluent in Another Language
  • Being Alone Abroad Means Having Nowhere To Go For Comfort
  • Four Mind-Blowing Lessons Travelling Taught Me
  • 5 Unexpected Little Pleasures Every Immigrant Enjoys
  • The Worst Marketing Pitch for Canada You Will Read
  • The Ultimate Canadianness Assessment
  • Gagan & Shikha, From India to Landing in Ottawa
  • The Blogger’s Burden
  • French Diplomacy
  • The Language Connection
  • People I Used To Know
  • The Emigration Checklist: Before You Move Abroad, Remember To…
  • 4 Short Answers to 4 Immigration Questions: Can I change my name, how long the process takes and more!
  • 3 Short Answers to 3 Immigration Questions: Opening a Language School in Canada, Immigration Consultants in India and More
  • The Day I Was Almost Denied Entry to Canada (Don’t Be Like Me!)
  • Don’t Mess Up With CBSA—Tips for a Smooth Border Crossing to Canada
  • Are You a Good Fit for Canada?
  • [Interview] Tax Tips for Canadians, with Allan Fefergrad, CPA, CGA
  • Living in the National Capital Region—What’s Best, Ottawa or Gatineau?
  • How To NOT Ask For Help
  • 10 Great (and Free) Resources to Improve Your Canadian English Language Skills
  • “You May Say I’m a Dreamer” – Tourist vs. Resident
  • Marriage Fraud in the News Again
  • The Canadian Immigration Taboo: Those Who Go Back Home
  • When Do You Stop Being An Immigrant?
  • 5 Things to Do When You Land in Canada (That No One Told You About)
  • Estefania: From Argentina to Quebec
  • Natalia: From Colombia to Montreal… and Back to Colombia
  • Jorge: From Mexico to New-Brunswick
  • John Erick: from Venezuela to Montreal
  • Daniel: From Paraguay to Montreal
  • Neeraj: From India to Toronto
  • My Biggest Challenge as a Newcomer? Loneliness
  • 3 Unexpected Consequences of Immigration
  • I Want Out… But How and Why?
  • Marriages of Convenience
  • 5 Reasons Your Visa Officer Hates You
  • 5 Subtle Cultural Differences
  • 30 Different Expenses You Might Have Once In Canada
  • 5 Immigration Mistakes To Avoid
  • The WTF Question: Sample Fill-Up Forms
  • 4 Reasons Why I Live In Canada
  • Khatia Odzelashvili: From Georgia to Ottawa
  • (No) Bitching Allowed
  • Challenge Your Beliefs
  • Canada’s Visa War
  • I Belong Here… And There Too
  • I made It
  • The Wall
  • Jigsaw Falling Into Place
  • Scar Tissue
  • Ignorance Is Bliss
  • I’m A Legal Alien
  • Landing in North America and Discovering Canada for the First Time
  • Category: Immigrants Interviews
    • [Interview] Hélène, from France to the mountains of British Columbia
    • Stephanie, a “Frozen African” in Canada
    • English Girl + Canadian Man = Holly, From England to Canada
    • Martin, A French Truck Driver in Canada
    • An Update on “Chiruza Canadiense”—The Road to Permanent Residence is Long
    • “Mrs. Gaou”, From Togo to Toronto
    • Gaston, from Costa Rica to Quebec
    • Julien, from France to Ottawa on a One-Year Work Visa
    • [Interview] Jeff, an American Globetrotter Settling in Nova Scotia
    • [Interview] From One Gold Mine to Another: Emily, from Australia to Kamloops, BC
    • [Interview] – Paco, A Self-Employed Designer Moving from Spain to Ottawa
    • [Interview] – Carol, a Filipina Live-in Caregiver in Calgary
    • [Interview] Miguel, From Mexico to Quebec City
    • [Interview] Lou: Trading the UK and a Stressful Life For the Shores of Lake Ontario
    • [Interview] Alice, a French Post-Grad Student in Quebec City
    • [Interview] Isa: The Montreal Experience as a French
    • [Interview] Cecille and Her Family: From The Philippines to Mississauga
    • [Interview] Chiruza Canadiense: An Argentinian Stuck in Immigration Limbo
    • Lucile And Murtaza: From France and India to Montreal
    • Jean-Paul and Emma: From France to Montreal
    • Nelson: From Venezuela to Toronto
    • Nui: From Thailand to Ottawa
    • Oui, I hablo Spanish!
    • Gill: From Britain To Brampton
    • Mourad Regragui: From Morocco To Ottawa
    • Yasmine: From Former Yugoslavia To Québec
    • Adam and Eric: From the USA to Toronto
    • Ed Maruyama: From Brazil To Nunavut
    • Gabriel Almada: from Argentina To Canada
    • Guillermo Ziegler: From Argentina To Canada
  • Category: Permanent Residence in Canada
    • 3 Short Answers to 3 Immigration Questions: Is there a minimum income threshold to sponsor a spouse, should I use an immigration lawyer and more!
    • 5 Reality Checks on Your Immigration Project
    • Five Types of Immigrants or Prospective Immigrants
    • Immigrating to Canada through Quebec: Still Worth It?
    • Immigrating to Canada: 6 Years Later, What Changed?
    • How to Avoid… Immigration Fraud
    • Uncovering an Immigration Job Scam
    • Four Years, Already…
    • Useful Links For Immigration (10/10)
    • First Steps As A Permanent Resident (9/10)
    • 10 Common Immigration Questions
    • Arriving In Canada With The Permanent Residence (7/10)
    • How Long Does The Immigration Process Take?
    • How Much Does Immigrating To Canada Really Cost?
    • If You Immigrate To Quebec (4/10)
    • Immigrating to Canada – The Family Sponsorship Category
    • Immigrating to Canada – The Skilled Worker Category
    • Two Immigration Myths
    • How To Learn More About Canada (10/10)
    • How To Survive Your First Year In Canada (8/10)
    • How To Manage Your Money In Canada (5/10)
    • How To Bank in Canada
    • How To Visit Canada (3/10)
    • How To Work Temporarily In Canada (2/10)
    • How To Immigrate to Canada (1/10)
  • Category: The Road to Canadian Citizenship
    • The Pros and Cons to Canadian Citizenship
    • Voting in Canada For The First Time
    • My Brand New Canadian Passport!
    • Citizenship Ceremony In Ottawa
    • Citizenship Exam Day In Ottawa
    • Please No Smiling
• Category: Canadian Life
  • 5 Steps to Make Friends in Canada When You’re New to the Country
  • My French Survival Kit (When Everything is Expensive in Canada)
  • One, Two, Three, We Are a Weird COVID-Mystery Family
  • I Used to Enjoy Grocery Shopping… Now I Hate It
  • Canada is No Longer Affordable, What’s a Good Inflation Strategy?
  • Talk To Your Kid About Sex, It’s Important and Fun!
  • It’s So Grim Here… O Canada, What’s Happening to You?
  • Anything Can Be Learned – I’m Cracking Zumba, And I Love It
  • What’s a Typical Canadian Dinner, Exactly? (Enlighten Me!)
  • My Ontario Vaccine Passport Fiasco
  • This Impossible-to-Get Vaccine (Not COVID, The Other One!)
  • Pandemic Restrictions – One Step Forward, Two Steps Back
  • Early and Lovely 2020 Fall Colours in Gatineau Park, Quebec
  • The Stupid COVID Blame Game
  • The CERB, AKA “Sorry, Eh” Canadian Pandemic Money
  • Let’s Compare 2020 COVID Draconian Lockdown in France vs “Stay Home” in Canada
  • Ontario’s 2020 Lockdown and Unique Notes Posted on Windows
  • 2020 Ontario Lockdown – Feels Weird to be Wandering in Empty Parking Lots
  • Pandemic Grocery Shopping is An Acquired Skill
  • Back to Norm—… Wait, What’s The New “Normal,” Already?
  • I’m the Person All Gyms Hate
  • Do You Plan for the Future, Money-Wise? I’m Lost, Here
  • Two Amazing Fall Colours Spots in Ottawa
  • Stop Being Scared of China (and Get a Chinese Massage!)
  • My Canada is a Kindhearted Canada
  • When Canada Was Really Shitty
  • Weed Is Now Legal in Canada (No, I’m Not High!)
  • The Greatest Thing About Blogging – We’re Not Strangers, After All
  • A Year of Crisis With My Parents Later…
  • 10 Sure Signs It’s Summer in Canada
  • Political Lawn Signs, Yet Another Strange Canadian Mystery
  • Honest Question, Why Do You Live Where You Live?
  • The Lonely Neighbour from Halfway Across the World
  • You’re Tired Too, Aren’t You?
  • The Fall of Fails
  • 3 Weird Canadian Behaviours (Somewhat) Deciphered
  • Sick of Doctors
  • Ottawa’s Twelfth Homicide of the Year
  • Under the Weather
  • Why Do I Always Get Weird Comments From Random Strangers in Ottawa?
  • Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers at the 2017 Ottawa Bluesfest
  • The German Nipple Story (Or the Art of Imparting Cultural Wisdom)
  • Canada One-Five-Oh – Pick the Most Irrelevant Branded Product!
  • “Bon Cop, Bad Cop” and Canadian Humour
  • Live on CBC as France Breathes a Sigh of Relief
  • The Special, Awkward and Funny Side of Interracial Unions
  • Yet, In Canada, I Was Happy To…
  • Night Owl (Or Yet Another Questionable Decision)
  • Our Chinese Home – Why I Have a Pig Around My Neck
  • 7 Awfully Canadian Moments that Happen Daily in Canada
  • 5 Good Decisions that Made My Life in Canada Easier
  • 6 Common and Confusing French Words Used in English
  • How to (Involuntarily) Break Up with Your In-Laws
  • Wait, Canadian Radios Play a “Clean Version” of Radiohead’s Creep?
  • Are you an introvert or an extrovert?
  • It’s Summer, It’s “Something Something Season”!
  • 8 Questions that Somehow Make Sense in Canada
  • It’s Not THAT Personal, Ask Away!
  • Yet Another Frustrating and Typical Walk-In Clinic Visit in Canada
  • My friends, The Tim Hortons Parking Lot Outlaws
  • My Cravings ≠ Your Cravings ≠ Their Cravings
  • 10 Things That No Longer Surprise Me in Canada
  • Coming Back is All About Logistics… And Reiventing Life
  • Restored: Faith in Mankind
  • Immaterial
  • My Oddly Specific Fear
  • People of Ottawa – Fall 2015 Edition
  • This Is Why I Used To Hate Small Talk
  • The Shot
  • Two Countries, Two Systems
  • TMI
  • Sick of Being Sick
  • Voting Harper Out, Step One
  • The Household Deity
  • Every Life Happens
  • The Dog Days of Summer
  • This is Rubbish
  • 10 Noticeable Small Differences
  • … Just Take the Firetruck
  • Hidden Skill
  • I Want It
  • Suffocating Blandness
  • Where Does It Smell Like Teen Spirit?
  • I’m Rooting For Dandelions And Other Little Wild Things
  • Flagged
  • Retail Tales
  • I Guess this is What Doomsday Would Look Like…
  • Automobile Folklore (Why Crossing Parking Lots Can Be Fun)
  • Ten Years (Holy Shit!)
  • 8 Sounds That Will Become Familiar in Canada
  • Screwed Up! Fixed It! (With a Side of “Lost in Translation”)
  • Letting It Go of Control (To Regain Some)
  • He Might Be Friendly But I’m Not
  • 3 More “Conveniences” I Missed When Traveling
  • 3 Things I Missed During This Trip
  • Stepping Back Into the Fridge
  • $2.36 to Escape
  • Wake Up and Smell Canada!
  • Dear Canada, I’m a Bit Mad At You
  • A New Chapter?
  • The Land of “OMG-So-Much-Awesomeness”
  • Overwhelmed
  • The Capital Fair
  • Canada Hall: A Thousand Years of Canada’s History and Culture
  • “Snow” and Canada’s Titanic
  • A Rainy Day at The Children’s Museum
  • It’s Fresh, Colourful and Tasty
  • Splurges Vs. Steals
  • Storm over the Farm
  • Dear Universe… Did I Piss You Off or Something?
  • C’mon Let Me Ride
  • Allegory of the Shopping Mall
  • At The Bus Stop
  • How To Get Your Kid Hooked to Hockey
  • Ottawa – The Arboretum
  • An Unexpected Ottawa Gem – Petrie Island
  • More Candids in Ottawa
  • Candids in Ottawa
  • Canadian Museum of Civilization – The Grand Hall and The First Peoples Hall
  • When the Lousiest Salesperson Participates in a Garage Sale
  • Skyline of Ottawa – By the River
  • By The Flooded River
  • The Trashier, The Better or Why I Watch Stupid Shows on TV
  • French Words and Expressions I Forgot—No, Really!
  • What Does a Canadian, Chinese and French Household Look Like?
  • Celebrating Chinese New Year, 新年快乐!
  • Fall Leaves
  • A 2012 Fall Day along the Ottawa River
  • A Very, Very Pregnant 2012 Thanksgiving
  • It’s Garage Sale Season
  • Ten Foods and Food Products I Discovered in Canada
  • Racism in Canada
  • 5 Canadian Culture Facts I Never Truly Understood
  • The Fitness Quest
  • Canada is Huge
  • Picture of the Week – Canadian “I Love You”
  • Fall Sky
  • Charity Begins at Home (And is Everywhere)
  • Cocooning
  • The Same… Just Different
  • Early Fall in Ottawa – After The Rain
  • Canadians Behind The Camera
  • French-Spotting and Relationships in North America
  • The United Nations At Home
  • 5 More Things My Mum Observed in Canada
  • 5 Things My Mum Observed in Canada
  • Mysterious Signs
  • Broken English
  • 8 Things More Expensive in Canada than in France
  • Splitting Hair on Haircuts in Canada
  • Spring is Campaign Signs Season
  • Five Great Songs About Canada
  • A Movie Rant – Why Are Tickets Getting So Expensive?
  • Looking For a Family Doctor in Canada – No Luck in Ottawa
  • My November
  • The Picky Eaters
  • The Rideau Bus Stop
  • 25 Cents
  • The Nostalgic Chameleon
  • Food In Numbers
  • Of Bathrooms and Cultural Differences
  • The Road To Hell
  • The Corner Store
  • Lipstick For The Girls
  • A Very French Taboo
  • Stuff Canadians Don’t Like (Part II)
  • Stuffs Canadians Don’t Like (Part 1)
  • Another World Is Possible
  • 10 Myths About Canada
  • 10 Canadian Political Facts
  • 10 Facts About Canadians
  • The Alien Student
  • 10 Canadian Sports
  • 10 Canadian Expressions
  • The End of Fall
  • 10 Great Canadians
  • The H1N1 Vaccine Dilemma
  • I’ve Just Landed My Very First Office Job
  • The Ottawa Valley
  • No Dark Sarcasm In The Classroom
  • 5 Canadian Debates
  • The Campus Theory
  • From Teacher To Student
  • 10 Clues I Became Canadian
  • The Sweets, The Fat And The Scale
  • Lost In Franglais
  • Chatting Is Cultural
  • Unpleasant Realities of American Life
  • Things I Love/ Hate About Canadian Food
  • Nightmarish Bureaucracy
  • Do You Speak Canadian…Eh?
  • Fast Food, Junk Food (4/10)
  • Sports Nation (3/10)
  • Freedom Of Speech (2/10)
  • The Housing Bubble (1/10)
  • The Upward Dog
  • The Land Of Plenty
  • A Nation Under Debt
  • Stuff Canadians Like (Part 2)
  • Stuff Canadians Like (Part 1)
  • Canada Looking For Marijuana Suppliers
  • The Hill And Its Inhabitants (10/10)
  • Aboriginal Perspectives (9/10)
  • A Canadian Mindset (8/10)
  • Multiculturalism (7/10)
  • The Animals Kingdom (6/10)
  • Sweet Tooth (5/10)
  • The Hugeness (4/10)
  • French And English (3/10)
  • Supper’s Ready
  • Hockey (2/10)
  • The Tipping Dilemma
  • The Weather (1/10)
  • Top Ten Reasons I Love Canada
  • The Other Side Of The Story
  • The Culture Of Fear
  • On The Road To Nowhere
  • Us vs. Them
  • Two Solitudes And One Loneliness
  • Working Class Hero Is Something To Be
  • Don’t Look Back In Anger (I heard them say)
  • Cigarettes And Alcohol
  • Geographical Humour
  • To Be Or Not To Be
  • Losing My Religion
  • Lost In Translation
  • One, Two, Three, What Are We Fighting For ?
  • Diddly-Ho, Neighbor-ino
  • Do You Speak English?
  • Funny, How ?
  • Only in Canada…
  • First Culture Shock in Canada
  • Category: Life in Ottawa
    • Raindrops and Vibrant Colours at the 2022 Canadian Tulip Festival
    • Intriguing Missing Persons Cases in Ottawa
    • [Wanted] Workers, a Working Supply Chain, And Explanations
    • Little India in Ottawa Suburbia (So Many Changes, So Many Questions!)
    • Thanksgiving Fall Colours and Warm Weather in Ottawa (Plus Birthdays!)
    • Hello, Hello, Hello… Is There Anybody in There?
    • All We’re Chasing is the Sunset (And Surprisingly Warm Weather)
    • An Unintentionally Spooky Month of October 2020 in Ottawa
    • New Restrictions and Fall Colours 2020 at Rideau Hall, Ottawa
    • The Creepy Driver, A Scary “Walking While Female” Story
    • Ontario to Quebec on the interprovincial Alexandra Bridge
    • Second COVID Wave and Attempts to Normal Life in Ottawa
    • Where Are We in the Pandemic? Ottawa, Four Months Later
    • Navigating These Weird Pandemic Restrictions, From “Stay Safe” to “Stay Sane”
    • These Essential Non-Essentials – Lessons Being Learned from The Pandemic Shutdown
    • Secret and Forbidden Rendez Vous Among Tulipcs in Pandemic Times
    • 2020 COVID-19 Pandemic – Looks Normal… and It’s Not
    • Pandemic Physical ↔ Distancing (Isn’t as Easy as It Sounds)
    • A Pandemic Mystery – This Strange Black Car, in the Neighbourhood
    • Too Bad, I Suck at Pandemic Productivity and Trendy Activities
    • Grieving – Goodbye, Papi You Meant a Lot to Me
    • How Did I Not See Ottawa’s Darker Side For Years?
    • The Many Signs It’s Fall In Ottawa
    • Have You Ever Been Attacked by Crows? (Cause That’s My New Phobia)
    • In Canada, There Are No Sidewalks in Suburbia (But Why?)
    • We Are Being Stalked (By an Unlikely Stalker)
    • Against the Clock, Because Life is… Time-Consuming
    • The Fleeting Beauty of Fall (Literally Happened Overnight)
    • In A Fog (And Nautical Metaphors)
    • 2017 Fall Colours in Ottawa
    • When in Doubt, Go to the Hill
    • Not Inspired by the Canada 150 “Inspiration Village”
    • Canada 150 and a Special Edition of the Ottawa Tulip Festival
    • The Scene of the Accident
    • Not Halloween, a Real Crime SCene (#MajorFacePalm)
    • One Leaf, Two Leaves… Okay, Fall Colours Are On
    • Cryptic Signs Found in Ottawa’s Chinatown
    • Victoria Day Long Weekend 2015 in Ottawa
    • Gorgeous Fall in Ottawa
    • Dinosaurs, Spiders and Whale: The Canadian Museum of Nature
    • A Visit to the Canada Agriculture and Food Museum
    • The Canada Aviation and Space Museum
    • Playing Tourists in Ottawa
    • OMG, Ottawa Is Actually a Nice Place!
    • Flower Power!
    • Picture of the Week – The Classic Canal Shot
    • Fall Candids in Ottawa
    • Glorious Fall
    • It’s Fall. It’s Beautiful.
    • A Strange Cultural Difference (Or Feeling Unsafe in Peaceful Suburbia)
    • Anatomy of Grocery Shopping in Ottawa
    • Picture of the Week – Rain and More Rain
    • Inside Château Laurier
    • Spring on the Hill
    • Early Spring at The Farm
    • Ottawa Does Not Suck
    • Rideau Hall
    • Sunset on Mackenzie King Bridge
    • Fall Colours at the Park
    • Night Owls
    • Entertainment Week — WWE and Pearl Jam
    • Wheat Kings and Bees
    • Picture of the Week: Double Rainbow
    • The Food Dilemma
    • Naked!
    • Doors Open Ottawa
    • And The Tulips Bloomed!
    • Tulips at Dow’s Lake
    • Foodies Sunday
    • Protest Against the Gadhafi regime in Libya in Ottawa
    • Human Beans (Canadians Love Coffee!)
    • A Cold Sunset
    • The Phone Booth
    • Fall Rhapsody
    • Changing Sky
    • Inside CBC Ottawa
    • The Byward Market
    • Warm Summer Night
    • Remic Rapids
    • Summer in the Farm
    • Close Up of the Canadian Parliament
    • The Supreme Court of Canada
    • Ottawa Paramedics Headquarters
    • Prince of Wales Bridge
    • Last Winter Sunset
    • The Invisibles – Homeless in Ottawa
    • Skating On The Rideau Canal
    • Ottawa By Night
    • On Campus (Part III)
    • No Prorogation Rally In Ottawa
    • Holidays Lights
    • Château Laurier
    • On Campus (Part II)
    • On Campus (Part I)
    • Amazing Skies
    • Greyish November
    • Sunset on the Hill
    • 1, Sussex Drive
    • Smells Like Fall…
    • The Rideau Neighborhood
    • Chinatown In Ottawa
    • The Peace Tower
    • Meeting People Is Easy
    • Inukshuks On The Ottawa River
    • Building Reflections
    • The Experimental Farm
    • The Ottawa Locks
    • Texas Style
    • The Locks At Dusk
    • In Bloom
    • Ottawa At Dusk
    • Happiness
    • Magical Clouds
    • Along The Canal
    • The Rideau Canal
    • A Bizarre Story
    • Interesting Skies
    • Magical Skies
    • Smells Like Spring…
    • Destruction
    • Snowy Scarves
    • Woman On Top
    • One… Spider Taking Over The City!
    • Cigarettes And Creationism
    • Canadian Skies
    • Colors Of Decay
    • Flower Power
    • A Walk In Ottawa
    • Spring Is Here!
  • Category: Practical Advice
    • Two-Factor Authentication is The Bane of my (Semi-Nomadic) Life
    • Two Amazing Fiction Podcasts for Your Winter
    • If You’re Not Okay Right Now, Read This
    • International Money Transfers Are Tricky When You’re Not the 1%
    • 3 Types of Crisis All Immigrants Must Be Ready to Face
    • This is What You Should NOT Do When Switching Telco Providers
    • 8 TV Programs to Understand Canada Better
    • And This Is How I Finally Got My Christmas Shopping Done
    • 5 Things I Learned Working Out at the Gym This Fall
    • Fix or Replace? The Consumer Conundrum
    • 6 Problems Solved by 6 Life Hacks (That I Should Have Tried Earlier)
    • How to Buy a Winter Jacket in Canada (With Plenty of Canadian Wisdom Inside)
    • Dialing 911 or Not, A Tough Call
    • 5 Mistakes I Made in Canada (Avoid Them!)
    • Anger and Stress – There’s Something Wrong with Healthcare in Canada!
    • “The Doctor Will (Hopefully) See You Now” – A Canadian Walk-In Clinic How-To Guide
    • 4 Very Annoying Canadian Business Practices
    • These “What Was I Thinking” Moments
    • Three Easy Steps to Save Money on Groceries (Tested and Approved!)
    • Living in a National Capital: The Perks and Drawbacks of Ottawa [Part 2 – Quality of Life and Activities]
    • Living in a National Capital: the Perks and Drawbacks of Ottawa [Part 1 – Working]
    • 5 Personality Traits of Canadians You May Not Know
    • 5 Great Beauty Products for Winter – Tested and Approved!
    • 10 Neologisms You Didn’t Know You Needed
    • When Canadians say…
    • 10 Signs You Are Still New to Canada
    • Can You Opt out of the Canadian Car Culture?
    • 10 Great Resources to Improve Your Quebec French Language Skills
    • Lips, Face, Hands, Body, Feet… Fight Winter!
    • Learning Personal Finance, the North American Way
    • Cash, Debit or Credit? Canada’s Three Payment Methods
    • Three More Faux Pas I Committed in Canada
    • How to Avoid Three Major Faux Pas in Canada
    • Being a Canadian Consumer
    • How My Bank Account Was Compromised (And Depleted)
    • Couponing, a North American “Sport”
    • Sale Pitches and Hidden Fees – Getting a Phone Plan in Canada Sucks
    • 10 Ways to Not Become Poor in Canada
    • Canadian Souvenirs
    • How I Gained (and Lost) Weight in Canada
    • 5 Things You Wouldn’t Believe Are Banned or Illegal in Canada
    • How to… Report Scams
    • How to Avoid… Phone Scams
    • How to Avoid… Scammers
    • How to Avoid… Summer Jobs Scams
    • How to Avoid… Banking Scams
    • How to Avoid… Email Scams
    • How to Avoid… Identity Theft
    • How to Avoid.. Consumer Scams
    • American and Canadian English 101
    • 5 Things Canada Taught Me
    • Free Stuff in Ottawa… and in Canada!
    • 5 Things That Get You In Financial Trouble
    • A Driver’s License Story
    • Guide To Clothes Shopping In Canada
    • 10 Things You Must Eat (Or Drink) In Canada
    • 10 Things To Experience In Canada
    • 10 Canadian Restaurants
    • 10 Canadian Bands
    • Damn, I Wish I Had Known That…!
    • How To Understand Canadian Jokes (9/10)
    • Learning French Or English In Canada (6/10)
    • Things I Learned In 2007
    • Ten Priceless Canadian Experiences
  • Category: Traditions, Events and Holidays
    • Canada Day 2022 – Who Let the Crazies Out?
    • Halloween 2021 – Pumpkin Carving and Trick-or-Treating in Ottawa
    • 15 Years of Marriage (Holy Shit!)
    • 37
    • This is Why I Asked Santa to Come Early
    • Halloween 2019 and a Scary Situation – Bad Weather
    • 7 (and 45)
    • “Everything Pumpkin” and Sugar Season
    • Canada Day 2019 + Celebrating 10 Years of Being Canadian
    • 36
    • Heatwave and Quiet Streets on Canada Day 2018
    • “B” as in “Blizzard,” “C” as in “Christmas”, “D” as in “Done”
    • Trick-or-Treating With… Prime Minister Justin Trudeau (?!)
    • Halloween Treats Madness
    • Canada Day 150 in Ottawa – It’s… a Fiasco
    • The Never-Ending 2017 French Election Saga – Voting Day
    • The French Bureaucracy Saga – Decision Made
    • I’m Fighting the French Bureaucracy (And I’m Not Sure Who’s Winning)
    • All the Canadian Clichés All Conveniently in One Place – An Afternoon at the NHL Centennial Fan Arena
    • 34
    • Sprinkles of Christmas Magic (Cough, Cough)
    • The Night Immigration Canada Website Crashed (This is What Happens When Trump Is Elected…)
    • Hunting for Thanksgiving in Ottawa
    • Faces in the Crowd – This is Us, Who We Are
    • Celebrating Canada Day 2016 in Ottawa (Eh)
    • Victoria Day in Bloom and Ottawa Looking Gorgeous
    • 15 Minutes of Fame at Blog Out Loud 2016
    • No-Snow Christmas
    • Christmas Lights in Ottawa
    • I Ain’t Scared
    • The Remembrance Poppy
    • The Day Prime Minister Trudeau Was Sworn In
    • Bye Bye, Monsters
    • Thank You for Voting, Canada!
    • Anything But Harper – Election Day
    • Ottawa Tulip Festival – 2015 Edition
    • 32
    • Boxing Day, a Canadian Tradition
    • Holiday Season Wins and Fails
    • Halloween Night
    • In the Wake of the Ottawa Shooting
    • A Toronto Blue Jays MLB Game
    • Ottawa Tulips Festival – 2014 Edition
    • Counter March to the Anti-Abortion Rally
    • Ottawa Tulips Festival – 2013 Edition
    • Happy Canada Day From Ottawa!
    • Ottawa Tulips Festival – 2012 Edition
    • French Presidential Elections This Weekend
    • Hockey Playoff Game 3: Ottawa Senators vs New York Rangers
    • The Pumpkin Massacre – First Carving Experience!
    • 2011 Ottawa Zombie Walk
    • Occupy Ottawa
    • Ottawa’s Gay Pride
    • Billy Talent, Live
    • The Tragically Hip, Live
    • Night Show On Parliament Hill
    • Canada Day 2011
    • RibFest and Visitors
    • Pow Wow in Ottawa
    • 8 North American Social Events and Traditions You May Not Know
    • … And The Government Fell
    • Latina Dances in Ottawa
    • Thai Dance at the Tulips Festival
    • International Friendship Stage – Egypt
    • Ottawa’s Tulips Festival
    • Hockey Day in Canada
    • The Holidays
    • The Olympic Torch Relay In Ottawa (2/2)
    • The Olympic Torch Relay In Ottawa (1/2)
    • Metallica Concert In Ottawa
    • ACDC In Ottawa
    • Ottawa Busker Festival
    • Green Day In Ottawa
    • Happy Birthday, Canada!
    • National Aboriginal Day
    • Flight 447 Tragedy
    • Canada Day In Ottawa
    • Tulips Everywhere
    • A Night With The Police
    • Hockey Night
    • They Did It
    • Go Sens, Go !
  • Category: Winter (and Extreme Weather) in Canada
    • Hiding From A “Derecho”, My New Extreme Weather Experience
    • Winter, 5:30 p.m. – I’m Sorry But It’s Starting, Ottawa…
    • 10 Signs It’s the Middle of Summer in Ottawa
    • Winter Came Early in Ottawa, and I Ain’t Happy
    • It’s May, and Winter Finally Went Away, Yay!
    • Every Year, Canada Wonders “Will Winter Ever End?”
    • Curious About Winter in Ottawa? This is What it Looks Like in December
    • 10 Common Canadian Winter Problems
    • It’s Cold, Even The Weather Network Agrees
    • After the Tornadoes – Power to the People
    • Life Without Power After SIX (!) Tornadoes in Ottawa
    • What Happens When Tornado (Or Two) Hit Ottawa
    • Snow Has Melted, Time for Ottawa’s Legendary Downpours
    • Ottawa Ice-pocalypse or How to Survive an Ice Storm
    • Snow Quiet
    • Hi, Harvey!
    • No Rain, No Rain!
    • The Day Ottawa Was Colder Than Mars (For Real!)
    • 10 Minor and Major Winter Annoyances (Team “I Hate Winter”)
    • Canada, Hard Mode
    • Fall + Winter (aka Snow and Fall Colours)
    • Signs That Maybe, Possibly, One Day, If We Are All Super Nice, Spring Will Come and Stay
    • It’s Not “Just” Winter: It’s a Way of Life (A Checklist)
    • Before the Wind Blows Fall Away
    • Winter? What Winter?
    • An Ugly Side of Winter
    • Cold. Must Rant.
    • Suburbia, the Forest and Snow
    • 3 Winter Skills Every Canadian Should Master
    • Winter Misery
    • ANOTHER Snow Storm? Come On!
    • It’s -40°C And I’d Like To Complain About It
    • The First Snowstorm of 2013
    • The Art of “Winterizing”
    • “Vacuuming” Snow
    • You Know it’s Way Too Cold When…
    • Starting 2013 Snowed Under
    • After The Storm
    • Winter Weather 1 – Doomsday 0
    • Picture of the Week: Snow in April
    • Picture of the Week: Shoveling Snow
    • Picture of the Week: Slush
    • On The Rideau Canal
    • Picture of the Week – Red Gloves
    • Surprise Snow Storm
    • Winterlude 2012 in Gatineau
    • Winterlude 2012 in Ottawa
    • Picture of the Week – Snow Melting
    • Picture of the Week: 42ºC
    • Winter Melting Away
    • March Snow and Slush in Ottawa
    • Winterlude 2011 in Ottawa
    • In The Dead of the Winter
    • A Creepy Winter Night
    • Pumpkins and Snow
    • A Rainy Day
    • Warm Weather Makes Headlines
    • Winter Fun
    • Ice Sculptures At Confederation Park for Winterlude 2010
    • Ice Carvers At Work
    • The Great Melt
    • Freezing Rain
    • And… Winter Is Here
    • Not Winter Already…
    • Snow Sculptures And Winter Fun
    • Winterlude (Or Having Fun In The Cold)
    • Winter In Canada
    • Blizzard? Checked!
    • Seven (Canadian Winter) Facts
    • Snow, Snow, Snow… And More Snow
    • Through The Storm
    • Spot The Difference
    • Tired of Winter Weather Forecast in Ottawa
    • Walking on Frozen Ottawa River
    • 2007 Winterlude Festival in Ottawa
    • January Snow Fall in Ottawa
    • Cold Weather Crash Course in Canada
  • Category: Working in Canada
    • 8 Secrets of the Translation and Copywriting Industry
    • You Asked: “Can I Work in Canada Without a Visa?”
    • A “New Normal” Suggestion That Should Actually Be Normal
    • 5 Things You Didn’t Know About the Life of a Freelance Translator
    • Life and Plans, 200,000 Translated Words Later…
    • How to Get Paid (and Spot Red Flags as a Freelancer)
    • The Freelancer’s Lament – Call Me Maybe
    • 5 Surprising Characteristics of the Canadian Workplace
    • Doing Blogging Wrong or Going for a Dream and Failing
    • 6 Critical Lessons I Learned After 6 Years of Freelancing
    • 10 Tips to Hack Your Canadian Resume
    • Why I No Longer Advise Newcomers to Use Staffing Agencies
    • References, Favours and Judgment: A Cautionary Tale
    • 5 (Real) Perks of Freelancing
    • Five Myths about Freelancing (Busted!)
    • Missing: Money
    • 10 Numbers to Know When Working in Canada
    • Being a Mom and a Freelancer: The 5 Commandments
    • Maple World Translation
    • Inside an Inbound Call Centre: “Welcome to Petro-Points, How Can I Help You?” (Part II)
    • Inside an Inbound Call Centre: “Welcome to GM ‘Hot Button’!” (Part I)
    • The World Needs More Proofreaders
    • I Ain’t Working for Free (And Neither Should You)
    • [Special Feature – Part VI] Working in Canada: the Ugly
    • [Special Feature – Part III] Working in Canada: the Bad
    • [Special Feature – Part II] Working in Canada: the Good
    • [Special Feature – Part I] Working in Canada: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
    • Getting Your First Job in Canada, The Challenge Never Ends
    • 7 Canadian Work Culture Facts You May Not Know
    • How to Avoid… Employment Scams in Canada
    • I Have Way2many Pa$$word$
    • What’s For Lunch?
    • 3 Qualities Job-Seekers Must Have
    • 5 Canadian Work Culture Tips (9/10)
    • 3 Potential Career Challenges (8/10)
    • 10 Tips On Workplace Etiquette (7/10)
    • Developing Interview Skills (6/10)
    • Canada’s Hiring Culture (5/10)
    • Avoid Job Scams (4/10)
    • Finding Job Opportunities (3/10)
    • 3 Basics To Start Job-Hunting (2/10)
    • Getting Reading For Job-Hunting (1/10)
    • In The Mood For Change
    • Money, Get Away
    • How To Find A Job In Canada (7/10)
    • Call Me (Not), Part II
    • Call Me (Not)
    • Teaching 101
    • Summer In The City
    • Morning Glory
    • The Interviews From Hell
    • Dirty Little Secrets
    • Overtime Work And The Overreactive Alarm
    • The Teacher And The Test Dilemna
    • It’s Been a Hard Day’s Night
    • Us And Them
• Category: Food Around The World
  • Let Me Clear Out a Big Chinese Food Misunderstanding
  • And Now It’s… Chocolate Season!
  • Golgappe And Mooncakes with Your Thanksgiving Turkey, Maybe?
  • I Love You, Pumpkin
  • Fries + Cheese Curds + Gravy = Poutine Fest in Ottawa
  • Did You Hear About the Chinese Mooncake Party?
  • Slow Cooker Wild Rice with Beans and Vegetables
  • Effortless Slow Cooker Curried Rice and Lentils with Veggies
  • Problem? Solution. Delicious Slow Cooker Recipe Inside.
  • More Popular Canadian Grocery Items… With Pictures!
  • A Seasonal Delight for the Eyes
  • “They Eat What?!” – This is What You Can Find in Canadian Supermarkets
  • Tim Hortons, Yay or Nay?
  • How to Start a World Culinary Journey
  • 10 French Foods Locals Eat (While Foreigners Think “WTF?!”)
  • 11 Foods Canadians Seem to Be Crazy About (And Strangely, I Am Not)
  • Foodie Review – Merivale Fish Market
  • Foodie Review – Yummy Sushi
  • Foodie Review: New Pho Bo Ga La
  • North American Desserts: The Carrot Cake
  • Foodie Review: Vittoria Trattoria
  • Foodie Review – Dick’s Drive-in & Dairy Dip
  • Foodie Review – Sushi 88 (Ottawa)
  • Foodie Review: Taste Ramen+Fusion
  • Foodie Review: Planet Coffee (Ottawa)
• Category: Just Blogging
  • 10 Reasons Why I Stubbornly Keep On Blogging (17 Years Later!)
  • Blogging is Getting Pretty Weird, and Kind of Scary Too
  • Three Podcasts for the Dreaded 2020 Back-to-Work Season
  • 2019 Blog Update – Bye Flickr, Hello Better Readability, and More
  • Do You See Your Smartphone as a Basic Need or as a Luxury?
  • It’s 2019 and Blogging Has a Shady Side
  • White Hair, Kind of Care – I’m Getting Old, Ain’t I?
  • What’s With Flickr and All the Creeps? [NSFW Language]
  • This Is Why Blogging Can Save The World
  • 35
  • Four Fall Podcasts
  • The Good People of This World (Or Two Feel-Good Stories)
  • Where Did All the Blogs Go?
  • Four New Podcasts That Make You a Better Person
  • A Fun Food Swap Between France and Canada (With Lessons Learned!)
  • 5 Captivating Podcasts for Your Fall Commute
  • And Now, a Page of Internet Drama…
  • Behind The Scenes of Blogging – Interacting With The Community
  • Behind The Scenes of Blogging – Managing the Back End
  • Behind The Scenes of Blogging – The Writing Process
  • 4 Awesome New Podcasts for Spring 2016
  • Worries, Big and Small, Silly or Real
  • 33
  • My Overpriced Status Symbol (aka Bag to Put Stuff in)
  • Another Year of “Merci” and Numbers
  • Life’s Little Treats
  • 4 Marketing Pitches Most Bloggers Hear
  • 3 Awesome Podcasts for your Back-to-Work Commute
  • 6 Unique French Words and Expressions
  • 5 Great Podcasts You Should Listen to Now
  • Beautifully Flawed
  • Breathing Space
  • Two Readers
  • Another Year of Blogging: 2014 Stats
  • To Each His Own
  • A Blog’s New “Clothes”
  • Spam. Sigh. And More Spam.
  • The New Camera Saga
  • 10 Things That Feel Pretty Awesome After a Long Trip
  • My New Handbag + What’s in Your Bag?
  • Alright, Let’s Talk About Sex
  • 8 Times I Lied Today
  • Buy Clothes and Plant Trees (No, Really)
  • The Weight Check
  • My New Chinese Top
  • 31
  • 10 Awesome Nonfiction Books You Should Add To Your Reading List
  • Ditching BlackBerry For A Samsung Galaxy III (Feels Good!)
  • Ottawa is a Good Place For My New Nail Salon Addiction
  • Sahifa, A New Theme for Correr Es Mi Destino!
  • The Scratched Cornea Eye Saga Continues in Ottawa
  • Bye, 2013!
  • Picture of the Week – Admission of Guilt
  • Picture of the Week: Condo Hate
  • Pay It Forward and Good Karma
  • Picture of the Week: Birds at the Farm
  • Owls of the Nile from Threadless
  • “It’s Just My Imagination Running Away With Me” – A Threadless Tee
  • The Price of Fame
  • The Not-So-Great Topbox
  • The Latest Tee: “WTF Happened?” From RIPT Apparel
  • One More Tee – Baggins Family Jewelers from Five Finger Tees
  • Picture of the Week: Ontario Wine Pick
  • Picture of the Week – Traffic Jam
  • The Tee Quest – One Color Only and My Collection from Design By Humans
  • Picture of the Week – “Capital BIXI” Are Back
  • Picture of the Week: Sens Fever
  • Good Luck Nobita—A New Tee!
  • Picture of the Week: The Polite Sign
  • 5 So-Called Girly and Trendy Skills I Quite Don’t Master
  • I had a Fantasy
  • Paris doesn’t have to be expensive —Tips from a Former French
  • Turning 30
  • My 5 Website Pet Peeves (Or Why You Lost a Visitor)
  • 10 Reasons Why I Completely Stopped Buying “Group Deals”
  • 10 Great Time-Wasting Entertaining Websites
  • Mommy and Expat—A Busy Week Online!
  • Product Review: Beats By Dre Dre In-Ear Headphones
  • How I Got Addicted to Pedicures
  • Italian Cars in Ottawa’s Little Italy
  • Picture of the Week – Majors Hill Park and the Parliament
  • Picture of the Week – Construction Work
  • Picture of the Week: The Classic Ottawa Shot
  • Picture of the Week: Hungry Pigeon
  • Picture of the Week: War
  • Picture of the Week: Little Italy
  • Picture of the Week: Let’s Kidnap a Girl!
  • 10 Things I Wish I Had Known About Blogging
  • Picture of the Week: Gunball Machines
  • Picture of the Week: Maple Toffee
  • Picture of the Week: On The Rink
  • Bought My Very First eBook Reader, and I Love It
  • Picture of the Week – Man on the Roof
  • I Love Moo
  • Picture of the Week: Occupy Ottawa, a Month Later
  • Picture of the Week: The Canal Drained
  • Picture of the Week: BlackBerry
  • Picture of the Week – Lonely Dog
  • Picture of the Week – Halloween 2011
  • Picture of the Week: Crazy frog
  • Picture of the Week: iSad
  • Seven Things About Me
  • Picture of the Week: Campaign Signs
  • 10 Blogging Basics I Learned
  • Picture of the Week – Recycling
  • All About Blogging: Dealing With Blogging Annoyances
  • Picture of the Week – Chalk
  • All About Blogging – Ten Tips To Be a Better Writer
  • Picture of the Week: 9/11 and the American Embassy
  • All About Blogging: What to Blog About When There is Nothing to Blog About?
  • Picture of the Week – The Evangelists
  • All About Blogging – 8 Neat WordPress Plugins
  • Picture of the Week – Orange Crush
  • All About Blogging: 5 Blogs Turn-Offs or Why I Stopped Reading Your Blog
  • Picture of the Week: Winnie-the-Pooh Characters
  • All About Blogging: Blog Monetizing, What Works Best?
  • All About Blogging: Building a Community
  • Picture of the Week – The House of Paint
  • All About Blogging – 5 Ways to Promote your Blog
  • Picture of the Week – The Contortionist
  • Little quirks
  • All About Blogging – The Evolution of a Blog
  • Picture of the Week: Red Bikes
  • Picture of the Week – The Drummers
  • Picture of the Week: Curious Ant
  • At War Against Spam
  • Picture of the Week: 33°C
  • Picture of the Week: Fender Bender
  • Picture of the Week: Lost Something?
  • A Weekend Offline
  • State of the Blogosphere
  • Group Coupons – a Bitter or Sweet Deal?
  • We May Be Stupid But We Are Good At It
  • Four Twenty
  • The Best 3 Photography Tips I Was Given
  • Back Online!
  • 28
  • I’m a “Professional Worrier”
  • 5 Last Photography Tips
  • 5 Things To Do With Your Pictures
  • 5 Places to Find Photography Inspiration (VIII)
  • 5 Photography Tips For Bloggers
  • 5 Basic Photo Editing Tricks (VI)
  • 5 Ways To Ruin a Picture
  • Mornings
  • 5 Weather Photography Tips
  • 5 Concert Photography Tips
  • Street Photography Tips
  • Tips For Night Pictures
  • It’s Not The Camera
  • 500 Articles And Four Years Later…
  • Change A Life
  • 27
  • Exhibition in Paris
  • 10 Clues I’m Still French
  • It’s Okay Not To Believe
  • “What A Weird Day” Blog Carnival
  • 15 Minutes Of Fame
  • (5+5=10) Other Things About Me
  • (5+5) Things About Me
  • My Dirty Little Crush
  • Travel Stories
  • Merry Christmas!
  • Five French Things I Really Can’t Find in Canada
  • My Personal Stalker
  • Photo Hunt – Sunset And Night
  • Things That Freak Me Out
  • The Last Four Things I Bought
  • Pig Day In Ottawa
  • Blogging Etiquette (10/10)
  • Under The Moonlight…
  • 20+ Tools For Your Blog (9/10)
  • The Kindness Of Strangers
  • Assessing Your Blog’s Value in 2008
  • Making Money With Your Blog in 2008
  • Tweak Your Blog (6/10)
  • 5 Must-Have on Your Blog
  • Four Little Things
  • The Art Of Promoting A Blog (4/10)
  • Be The Blogger People Read (3/10)
  • The Best 2008 WordPress Plugins
  • Blogger Vs. WordPress (1/10)
  • Seven Random Facts
  • Happy Birthday To Me!
  • The Tricky Questions Contest — Win Free Advertising!
  • Things That Suck
  • The Amazing Race
  • Seven Things About Myself
  • Happy Holidays!
  • Lazy
  • Can I See Your Bag, Please?
  • ¿Que Voy Hacer? ¿Que Voy A Ser?
  • The Division Bell
  • 雨一直下。。。
  • Have You Eaten Yet?
  • Five Strenghs, Four People
  • The Communist Girl
  • Correr Es Mi Destino, Reloaded and Now on WordPress!
  • Veni, Vidi, Not Quite Vinci
  • You And Whose Army ?
  • The Wall
  • Sicko(s)
  • Eight Random Facts About Me
  • How To Get Rid Of Telemarketing
  • Ten Things I Can Do
  • The Interview
  • I Am A Passenger… And I Ride And I Ride
  • List of Weird Things I’ve Tasted
  • Power To The People
  • Do You Want To Argue ? Pleeeeease…
  • Ten Things I Can’t Do (Does It Matter?)
• Category: Raising a Canadian-Chinese-French Kid
  • Category: Baby Mark
    • The Darkest Hours
    • Idiotic Strangers Are The New Toddler Police
    • Love is a Complicated Thing
    • June & 20 Months
    • Apparently, I Suck at Play Time Etiquette
    • Bubbles!
    • Recipe for Disaster or A Night Out With the In-Laws
    • Yes, It’s Wrong. Yes, It Happens.
    • May & 19 Months
    • 12 Tips to Keep Your Sanity Through Tough Times
    • I Can’t Even Pick a Title
    • Report From The 2014 Baby Show
    • 10 Things Parents Don’t Love to Hear from Strangers
    • The Magic Box
    • Shocking: I Discovered That I am Still French
    • April and the Year-and-a-Half Milestone
    • Hair Everywhere And Big Tears—Never Again!
    • I Got You Babe
    • Kids Have It Easy
    • The Art of Learning Social Skills or the Fine Line between Cute and Embarrassing
    • Better? Yep, I Think So (Mental Health Check)
    • With a Little Help… From My Son
    • March & 17 Months
    • Having a Kid Changes Family Dynamics (For Better and For Worse)
    • Not Speaking Much at 15 Months… And So What?
    • Going Back From Travelling Solo – “Mark… I Am Your Mother…”
    • I’m Not Okay (Post-Partum Depression is a Thing, I guess)
    • December & 14 Months
    • “Guilt” is My New Middle Name
    • Skip—Fast-Forward—Pause—Rewind
    • Thirteen Months
    • 16 Unexpected Perks of Having a Kid
    • Thank You for Your Comment, Random Stranger (Said No One Ever)
    • My Day with Google
    • Halloween as a Pirate (Not Me, Obviously…)
    • The Undomestic Goddess
    • Don’t Judge. Just don’t.
    • One Small Step for a Baby, a Giant Leap for Parents
    • Mark is Turning One!
    • September & 11 Months
    • Then… and Now—Ten Months of Parenting Make You Wiser (And Lazier)
    • Oui! Non! (Or Discovering the Art of Parenting)
    • Unleashing the Dragon
    • August & Ten Months
    • Mark – Code Name: The Destroyer
    • My Son Is Not a Fucking Sumo Wrestler
    • July & Nine Months
    • Overheard in the Stroller (One Baby, One Mother and Weird Strangers)
    • The Velcro Baby
    • Spinach vs. Biscuits
    • June & Eight Months… in Numbers!
    • A Kid Friendly World—France and Canada
    • “It Gets Better…”—Okay, So When Exactly?
    • May & Seven Months… in Numbers!
    • From “Yuck” to “Yummy” – A Baby’s Food Adventure
    • Overheard in the Stroller: “You Should Know, You Are the Mother!”
    • 4 Types of People Who will Drive You Crazy after You Had a Baby
    • April & Six Months… in Numbers!
    • Love is a Battlefield
    • Then and Now (Or Five Months of Developing Mother Instinct)
    • Sexy Boots
    • March & Five Months… In Numbers!
    • So, Are Babies That Expensive?
    • Privacy Issues in a Big Scary World
    • I trade you an Advil for a Tylenol Extra Strength—Welcome to the House of Germs!
    • Girls, Guilt is Killing Us!
    • February & Four Months… In Numbers!
    • 10 Signs You Are the Mother of a Baby
    • Baby Money and Social Benefits
    • The Quest for Insouciance
    • 1 + 1… + 1 = Family Portraits
    • Of Losing Control (And Changing That Pyjama)
    • Three Months… in Numbers!
    • A Pinch of Chinese, a Pinch of French—Our Biracial Baby
    • Lost – Identity
    • Five Baby Items I Bought That Actually Turned Out Useful
    • Calling a Spade a Spade—When It’s Not the Time to be Modest
    • The “Too Much Information” Article on Breastfeeding
    • Two Months Later – Pee, Smiles and the Month in Numbers
    • The Most Stressful Sound in the World
    • Mark, the Sling and I Against The World
    • 10 Tips for Better Baby Pictures… With Examples!
    • Sleeping Like a Baby… Not
    • Parents vs. Newborn—How We Attempt to Keep Our Sanity
    • 10 Weird Consequences of Having a Baby
    • Me, a Mommy? Seriously?
    • One Dragon Baby to Rule Them All—A Month Later, in Numbers
    • Hurricane Mark
    • My Non-Scary Non-Gory Labour and Birth Story – Part II
    • My Non-Scary Non-Gory Labour and Birth Story – Part I
    • The World: Meet Mark, Born 12/10/12!
  • Category: Grade 1
    • Grade 1 Completed – By The Way, Did You Know That The Dog is a Bus?
    • These Waves of Primal, Overwhelming Love
    • Our New Tuesday Evening Phobia
    • Turns Out I Didn’t Screw Up My Kid—School Did!
    • Easter 2019 is a Very Rainy Easter (Sigh)
    • These Unsolved Mysteries of Everyday Life
    • The Story of the Slippers (Or Parenting Gone Weird)
    • This Puzzling Place Canadians Call “School”
    • “They all float down here” – Halloween 2018 in Quebec
    • My Most Memorable Night Ever Night, Six Years Ago
    • How Do You Get To Be a Cool Kid? You Tell Me, I Wasn’t One
    • And This Is How Grade 1 Started (With the First “WTF Moment” Of the Year)
  • Category: Grade 2
    • 2020 COVID-19 Lockdown – A 7-Year-Old’s Very First Pandemic
    • The Wizard’s Challenge
    • Liar, Liar, Pants on Fire
    • An Eventless and Very Canadian Grade 2 Back-to-School Day
  • Category: Grade 3
    • And Mark Turned 8!
    • Pandemic Back to School 2020 – Monday, First Day
    • Pandemic Back to School 2020 – Feeling of Impending Doom
    • Pandemic Question – Are Kids Going Back to School, Like, Ever?
  • Category: Grade 4
    • Pfizer for Christmas – Vaccinating Mark, 9 Years Old, Against COVID-19
    • How Do You Tame the YouTube Beast? (Asking for… Ahem, Other Parents)
    • Back to School in Ontario
  • Category: Kindergarten
    • “Love, The Tooth Fairy”
    • Summer Camps are Really Cool in Canada!
    • Penises and Vulvae 101 – Explaining Genders to a Kid
    • Mark “Won” His First Medal… I Mean, Millennial Trophy
    • Canadian Schools are a Weird Canadian Cultural Mystery
    • Mark’s New Addiction? Michael Jackson’s Music
    • Mark and I are Trading Fun Notes
    • The Endless Question Stage With “Question Mark”
    • Swimming Lessons for Baby Shark
    • Small Boo-Boos and Big Fright
    • “Mommy No Fun” Does a Hopefully Fun Easter
    • When Plan B is Almost Better Than Plan A
    • Christmas Angst
    • “You Suck!” (Chinese Parenting Explained to Westerners)
    • A Real Trilingual* Kid (*Minus Two Languages)
    • Nobody Can Be Uncheered With a Balloon
    • Five
    • Go to Camp, Make Beaver
    • School Is Out (And I Still Don’t Understand the Canadian Education System)
    • The One Thing I Didn’t Know I Would Ever Have to Explain
    • What is Love? (Shhh, Haddaway…)
    • Bang, Bang – I don’t Like Guns
    • How to Develop Unhealthy Eating Habits (Rant of the Week)
    • Evil Rabbit vs. Six-Year-Old – Easter Egg Hunt 2018
    • Too Small
    • To Santa Claus, The North Pole
    • More Than Just a Story
    • School in Canada, The Late Culture Shock I Didn’t See Coming
    • Four
    • I Asked You a Question… Mark
    • The IKEA Milestone – When You Realize Your Kid is Growing Up…
    • First Day of School for Mark – The 8:30 A.M. Test and The 3 P.M. Verdict
    • And Mark is Starting Grade 1!
  • Category: Nine months
    • Postpartum
    • Pregnancy and Travel – Yes You Can!
    • 10 Things That Feel Great When You Are No Longer Pregnant
    • Baby Shopping: From “Aww So Cute” To “What On Earth Is That?”
    • 10 Perks of Being Pregnant
    • The Day Canada Tried To Give Me Diabetes
    • Baking a Baby in Canada, or Why I Have Never Considered Going Back To France
    • Trolls, Hot-Button Issues and—Gasp!—Boobs
    • My Non-Scary Non-Gory Labour and Birth Story – Part III
    • Being Pregnant – What Does It Feel Like?
    • Dear Canada, Thank you For Your Health Care System
    • Why Do Random Strangers Love To Give Advice To Pregnant Women?
    • 20 Reasons Why I’m Looking Forward to The “Grand Finale”
    • Boy or Girl, the Bets Are On!
    • “Pregnancy? It’s Like Going Through Puberty, All Over Again”
    • The First Trimester and the Baby Bump in France
    • How to Really Embarrass Yourself at The Doctor’s Office
    • The Bean-Shaped Baby
    • My Big Announcement – 1 + 1 = 3 (Yes, I’m Pregnant)
  • Category: Preschool
    • Halloween 2016 – Pumpkins, Monsters, A Skeleton and A Bucket of Candies
    • The “Yes” Project
    • My New Nemesis at Mark’s Daycare Centre
    • Mark’s Daycare Nemesis – The Young and the Restless
    • How to Raise a Perfectly Trilingual Child
    • Spring Lunch Boxes + Random “Thoughts for Food”
    • Did You Know That Kids Have a Quotable Stage?
    • The Just-Like-in-a-Hollywood-Movie Experience
    • Mark, Version 3.5 (Years Old)
    • Polite Fiction
    • Santa Replied!
    • The Letter
    • Grocery Shopping Pet Peeve + November Lunch Boxes in Picture
    • The Little Seed
    • Three
    • The Packed Lunch Tradition… with Pictures!
    • “Yes, Thank you”
    • Keeping Cool on Labour Day
    • Twinkle Pee Twinkle Poo Stars
    • The Potluck Minefield
    • “A” Is Not For Airplane
    • Black Hole (A Wet One)
    • Keep Wicked Calm and Carry the Hell On
    • Did He Just Say That Out Loud?
    • Found A New Career Option
    • Mommy’s Little Secret
    • ▌▌
    • This Odd Number
    • Second Shift
    • This is… Nuts
    • “What’s This?”
    • Rice and Cheese
    • Scratch Me If You Can
  • Category: Toddler Mark
    • Ghostbuster
    • When Pretending is Hard
    • “Newspeak” for Kids
    • Hit Me Baby (One More Time)
    • Just Your Usual Saturday Morning Spent Scoring Drugs…
    • Selfish Little Monster
    • In the Beginning Was the Word
    • Dear Santa
    • Daycare-Hunting Hell—Report from the Front
    • The Mother Who Sucked at Christmas
    • No.
    • And Once Again, It is the “Merde”…
    • Mark and the “Machine” (Your Laugh of the Day)
    • “No Hand, I Swear!”
    • IKEA, Apples and Cravings
    • Three Steps Forward, Two Steps Back
    • The Not-So-Fine Art of Dropping Your Kid at “School” For the First Time
    • Five Books about Family (That Will Make You Feel Sane, Competent and Normal)
    • 8 Tips to Survive Flying with a Baby (Been There, Done That!)
    • “Zàng”, I said!
    • And Mark is Turning Two!
    • Finally, the Language Pack is Downloading!
    • Being the “CEO” of Family Inc.
    • The Settlers’ Mentality
    • August & 22 Months
    • Dear Pregnant Woman…
    • Fighting “Ganashes”, One At The Time
    • The 10 Most Overused Sentences at Home

MailPoet Page

• MailPoet Page