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White Castles in the Sky

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No, not Laputa, sadly. Instead, we will go high into the mountains of the Sierra Nevada to see the white villages of La Alpujarra. This section of Andalusia is still a hidden gem and you’ll find that this is a destination you won’t want to share with others. The drive up gives you Spanish “Sound of Music” feels and there are handfuls of lookout points along the way.

Lanjarón: One of the lower villages before heading up to Pampaneira

Pampaneira was our first official stop, one we knew was the main tourist site. Most tour buses stop here because the town is a lot bigger than the others and most aesthetically pleasing. There were many cafes and restaurants, as well as the famous chocolate shop, Abuela ili. Expect to run into multiple cats sunbathing on the corner of buildings or quietly observing humans!

  • Our tour guide for the day!

The streams in the middle of walkways are one of the most photographed items in the village. They do make for a great photo op! It creates the feeling of the perfect quaint village and the water has been said to have healing properties. There are many local vendors, ranging from homemade jams and marmalade to throws and rugs.

Our next stop was the second highest village. This was the one that most people don’t really stop at but the quiet and stillness of this village gave you the sensation of actually being able to settle down there. (If my memory is correct, this is village Pitres.)

The church is a great pit stop for a break before venturing on!
The white houses are an alluring contrast to the dark mountains in the distance.

One last jump to the last village, Trevélez. Probably one of the more exciting villages in my opinion because if there is a landing strip for Laputa, it may as well be here. It was supposed to snow and lots of clouds were rolling in so it felt like we were in a cloud heaven. I don’t think I’ve been so close to actually touching a cloud.

I would definitely recommend this tour to get out of the city and see other faces of Spain. The whole tour spanned maybe 8 hours, including pick up and drop off. (I’ll add details below!) It wasn’t tiring at all and there was time for our own wandering in all of the villages. The tour included a lunch option which was nice because when could you ever have Iberian ham at the top of a snowing mountain?

Because of the small group, we were able to pick out what we wanted to do (photography and wander around) rather go to the tourist traps. La Alpujarra was most certainly one of the highlights of my trip to Spain. As a mountain person, it felt like I was at home for those 8 hours.

If you need any more persuading, this is definitely one of the trips that you can squeeze in when you’ve seen all of Granada. I was recommended Nerja and Frigiliana, the beach option to contrast with Alpujarra’s mountain option. Nerja and Frigiliana were booked through so I ended up with the mountains and not a second do I regret it. You can learn a lot of history from the tour guide and experience what it’s like to be a local. The villages are small and we were given a walk through for each one, even with our time restraint.

Let me finish off with some final pictures before the links for the tours!

  • One of the best smelling bakeries in the area

I went with the GetYourGuide website and here are the websites for the:

La Alpujarras: https://www.getyourguide.com/granada-l207/la-alpujarra-day-trip-from-granada-t41379/

Nerja and Frigiliana: https://www.getyourguide.com/granada-l207/day-tour-to-frigiliana-nerja-from-granada-t153579/

Packing!

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Itinerary is done, tickets are booked, hotels or hostels have reservations, so now what do you bring?

One of the hardest things to do while planning for a trip is packing. I’ve heard from many people that this is the one thing they dread doing because it takes so much time to debate over whether to take that shirt or those boots. So I’ve got some quick and easy tips to share!

First things first, clothes! Tackle the biggest obstacle head-on first! You might be tempted to throw everything in the suitcase but we all know it won’t fit. Always pack layers; it’ll save you from the random chilly mid-day stroll or the sudden heatwave. Organizing a few short and long sleeve shirts with pants that match the local weather are a great way to start. It makes sense to bring sweaters to Sweden, but not to Costa Rica. Especially for the places where you can experience four seasons in one day, you’ll be wishing you brought that jacket! It’s always good to look at the forecast for the future days before you start packing as well.

Next, technology! It may seem obvious to bring your phone and laptop along with all the cords and cables, but shifting to a minimalist mindset will be helpful during your trip. Do you really need a laptop when you’ll be out all day? Sure, you’ll edit photos at night, but you’ll be pooped by the end of the third day. Bring the necessary cables and chargers, but save the chunky pieces at home. Same goes for cameras since many people bring fancy cameras with them on vacation! Are the ten lenses really worth your luggage space? (Some of you might disagree, and I totally get that ^^)

Passport! PASSPORT. Make sure it’s not expired and if you need to renew it soon, make sure to do it at least 6 months in advance. Also, don’t misplace it like I did.

Bring on the moooooo-lah. There’s always restrictions on how much you can bring in cash (though the limit is usually high), but make sure your banks have been notified and can work in a different country. If you were to exchange cash, do it at home first. Currency exchange is always more pricey in the airport and train stations, so research the exchange rate first and search around your local areas to find the best deal. Gotta get the most out of it!

You might have extra bits and bobs, but I like to leave my house the same way I do as if I were to meet with friends. You got your phone and keys, along with your wallet. The other two additions are the passport and suitcases. And that’s it! As long as you have the tools to get home, you don’t have to worry about a thing.

Don’t be too overwhelmed and good luck!

Back Pain

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Well, well. I’ve come upon this subject because guess what? My back hurt all day and it didn’t go away until after I fell asleep.

I personally have back pain from scoliosis (and let’s be real, just awful posture) and I get back pain at least 6 out of 7 days a week. I need to feel a nice steady row of clicks and clacks when I stretch and crack my back to feel like I can breathe again. I know, it sounds kind of gross, but it literally feels that way.

As something that used to be categorized as the “old person’s illness,” it’s been hitting the younger generation more often than some would have thought. Americans do sit a lot, from the workplace offices to relaxation at home. There’s been many studies lately talking about how increased sitting time, whether in traffic or extended periods of time, can increase risk of illnesses.

Most of my joints crack at some point in the day; my big toes are a fun place, my ankles do really hurt, and I cracked my shoulder when I rolled over on it this morning. Ah, exciting times. Interestingly though, I can’t crack my fingers. Weird, right?

The thing that’s causing me pain is scoliosis, which is a curvature of the spine. Sometimes people might have it, but not at to a degree of hindering daily activities. I was maybe 1 or 2 actual degrees of curvature from a back brace. (Honestly, I would like one now if it helps.) If you happen to Google it (oh, you poor soul), you’d see S shaped spines and some really intense stuff. So now that my spine isn’t straight, it affects my shoulders and neck, as well as how they hold up my head. I’m not really sure what wrong with the other parts of my body, I’m just a middle aged person with a nice shiny young coating.

Here’s another weird story: I was about to go to sleep but there was this crick in my pelvic area (the joint that connects your upper thigh to the pelvic bone) and I just couldn’t crack it at all. Throughout the night, I just couldn’t sleep because it was too painful to get it to crack, but also too uncomfortable to fall asleep. (Which is why I was awake at 4 in the morning to make this site :D) But this type of thing happens all the time for me.

I also don’t take the situation too light; I do yoga and try to stretch and get up as much as I can. You see, as a super lazy potato, it takes me a lot of effort to be active. I like the idea of walking and getting out of the house, but take me running and I might just put you on a blacklist. I also have the problem now that I have to sit if I walk too long, and I have to get up if I sit too long. There is no greener side, sadly.

So the conclusion is: remember to exercise and stretch! Don’t take too much pain meds and schedule regular check ups!

(Can you tell that I’m in the medical field as well? )

Until next time!

Carbs for LIFE

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Today is a bread day. Sadly, I am occupied with being a caretaker most of the day so I will think about back when I was baking almost everyday.

BREAD!

  • Whole wheat loaf

The love of my life. Many people always assume making bread is hard and takes a lot of time. I agree, it does take up quite a good chunk of the day, but if you time it right, you can be even more productive in your day.

You can make bread with the stuff in your pantry now; it’s only flour, milk/water, yeast, sugar, salt, and eggs. There’s really just one main way of making bread, and a ton of variations you can do to make different types of bread.

My favorite bread in my current phase is a swirl bread. I made a black sesame bread last week and it was pretty good. Cinnamon raisin is always a party, though.

Whatta beaut.

The piece of advice I give to people for making bread is having enough patience. Rising, kneading, rising again, tossing it in the oven. God, it all sounds like an extensive exam. But say you need to do laundry or go through your mail, having small tasks in between each session is a good time saver.

People also tend to either over-knead or under-knead their dough, and that may make your bread flat and tough. Well, how you do know then, you ask? A good dough will be stretchy and smooth, rises in an even arc and doesn’t latch to the sides.

You also gotta trust your gut. I started making bread in the fall and winter (the worst times of the year) and I’ve made some disgusting bread. Some were so flat I couldn’t even categorize it under bread, some were underdone in the middle, some were as pasty as a vampire. So many failures. But I’ve made bread so much, it’s easier to touch the dough and feel it, and I will automatically know it’s ready.

I totally recommend making bread yourself. If you learn how, it’s so much cheaper than buying it, makes your house smell amazing and so inviting, and is a good hobby. It also makes for really spectacular gifts!

Cucumber sandwiches with blueberry tart. Because #classy

So take a step out of your comfort zone and create a masterpiece! Either way, it will make for a wonderful memory. Good luck!!

The Highlands

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Ah, time for reminiscing. Another episode of of “What Happened to Me” shall start again! Cue the facepalm(s).

So this time, Little Ol’ Me was on the way to the Scottish Highlands by herself on a tour early last year. It is rather odd to be the only one in a group of twenty or thirty and stand on the side, watching everyone in pairs and small groups. But this was an exciting day, full of adventure and mountains!

  • That railway is magNIFicent.

It did start with a ton of snow and slippery roads in the morning, but we got to Loch Lomond and Glencoe in a whirl. So going north a bit, we arrived at Loch Ness in a rollercoaster of narrow and bumpy roads. At this time, it was around 2(?)ish in the afternoon and we were shown around the area, then left to be free for a couple of hours.

Funfunfun. We get back to the bus and suddenly our driver gives us this weird noise through the mic and says that we might have to stand by for little while because our bus wouldn’t start.

? ? ?

There were two groups of college kids that were on vacation who had to be back in Edinburgh by the next day and a lady (not the most organized) had a flight out of the city at night. So Panic spreads in the bus and people are making phone calls like crazy, the mother in front of me is growing with concern that she’s jittery, and I am in the back on my phone.

In around a half hour, we were notified that there was a mechanic coming down from the other side of town and he very quickly figured out what was wrong (apparently some of the batteries melted some part of the system under a panel in the bus…or maybe the batteries itself?)

I am totally downplaying this because it was really chaotic and our driver was slightly freaking out over prepping to make night reservations (just in case). But would you ever expect that the bus for a day trip to suddenly break down?

Also to add, in the earlier part of the day, parked on a cliff side (remember: mountains), the bus was starting to get faulty because it was shut off, but started to move on it’s own with me, another lady, and the driver. Imagine this in your head: a group of tourists taking pictures of mountains and their bus behind them starts rolling away in circles.

  • Right before we left the Highlands~

Ah, solo travel. What an experience. It all sounds really stressful, but I knew myself that I would be back safe and sound. Also, I get this story out of it. I still recommend to go and try travelling by yourself because you learn a lot more about your attitudes and behaviors in a new environment.

Until next time!

Optimism

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Some people look naturally positive and hopeful when you see them on the street, at your workplace, at home. No one is truly always optimistic or pessimistic. It takes a whole ton of energy and effort to constantly be optimistic. For myself, being pessimistic is sometimes even harder than being positive.

So why you are here again? Optimism today, tomorrow, yesterday can definitely affect you and the ones around you. There will be times where unfortunate news hits you in the face and you just have to deal with it. Some might be angry, some might be in denial, some just bottle it up. (I am absolutely 100% the latter.)

But what I’ve realized is that while some people look happy and content on the outside, they might be slowly erupting from the inside. Being positive all the time means continually supporting others mentally and emotionally (and sometimes physically). It’s reassuring others, the silent hugs that come with a squeeze, a secret smile. Being aware of others and responding to their reactions in a positive way honestly can be a side job.

It can suck the energy out from you to constantly put others in first and make sure they feel safe and loved. It’s also very rewarding, to know that your presence is comforting for someone. Just remember that those who give more, also need a person to give back to them.

Find someone who listens to you and you want to listen to. ❤

Solo Travel

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Im the idiot that got lost on a group tour. Yup. That scary fleeting thought that crosses your mind when you step onto a tour bus is now ingrained into my memory forever. It wasn’t in Paris (thank god) but I still went on tours there. (I am still very scarred.)

Follow me on Instagram! @ah.rin.1211

Traveling solo is an extremely scary thing to do if you have never left your own country or like to move in groups with friends. The first time I left, I went to Scotland because they also spoke English and it was close by. Low risk, small city, walk-able as well. I had everything researched and got my trusty portable charger.

Boy, was I in for a party.

I got lost so many times, texted my friend “it’s so damn windy” everyday, and had to walk in snowy streets. Europe apparently doesn’t have shovels.

This trip did teach me a lot of life lessons and let me think through what my life was/is like. For example, many people find it uncomfortable talking to strangers and will absolutely never ask for directions. There are others who hate eating out alone because it seems like others are staring or you’re taking up space at a busy restaurant. Others straight up don’t like walking out alone because they can’t be alone; they need a companion to feel stable. These are all reasonable and I understand why people feel uncomfortable. I have also done all of these things and way more embarrassing things while traveling.

I’ve realised with traveling that there is no way to combat fear except for facing it on. Fear of traveling solo? Buy that ticket and drop yourself onto another continent. You can only think, “well, I’m here now, might as well make the most of it.” As long as you take one step at a time, think with an open mind, and slow down your pace, it will all work out.

  • Ah, Oxford. High ranking university and my most cringe-y memory.

So to finish this up, I’ll tell you about that time I got lost. I was in Cotswold that day and it was really nice (which mean the weather was cooperating). I was on the way to Oxford and was handed a self-walking tour which was around 1.5-2 hours long. So here I go, sun shining, adrenaline high, and hopping off the bus. Speed up to an hour and fifteen minutes, I am in the open market and I’m buying a few things before I run back to the meet-up point. I somehow turn one wrong corner and I am so screwed. Everything suddenly looked the same and there was no campus map. So I run into numerous cafes, get right up into strangers’ faces (and one very nice professor), and somehow find the museum where I saw no bus. No bus. It’s 4:45 and I totally missed it. Well. I waited around a while and then decided, hell I’m going to the train station. And all this stress in a place that I had BEEN TO BEFORE. -facepalm-

And mind you, I had no wifi and had only 2G on my phone. So I buy that £27 ticket back to Piccadilly. It was an hour ride and halfway through, I get attacked with messages and to find out that my tour leader was calling me and leaving messages of “HI, WHERE ARE YOU?” and then I realized, “oh shit.” I had actually gotten the meet-up time wrong. Whoops.

I did get back safe and sound and I have a very entertaining story to tell. You’re welcome. The point of this story is that while things do go wrong, don’t be stressed or panicking. It’ll remain a great memory and train you to be better prepared in the future. Also, you you an awesome ice-breaker.

Have a wonderful day!

Sunrise

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Morning Successes

It’s been three hours and I still can’t crack my pelvis area. Not that it should be cracked…? But it kept me up all night and I was awake at 4:48am and decided, screw it. Might as well be productive. It’s early but I’m definitely not going back to sleep. In this span of time, I’ve gotten two pretty good time lapses, a decent cup of coffee, and saw the sun rise. Pretty good for a crappy morning, right?

So here’s the first bit of positivity: there’s always something small that can be uplifting, no matter what circumstance. Optimism is an interesting emotion and feeling, and a tiny dose from yourself or another can really get you rolling with your day.

And yes, that is Stonehenge! I actually wasn’t as excited to visit this (because I was so excited to go to Bath) but I got there and it was like a totally different world. As something you only seen in textbooks or pictures, it’s a whole other experience to actually stand in the presence of history. It was a great day trip and learning experience!

This Potato Has Something To Say…

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Hi World! I’m a baker (who is currently obsessed with bread), a traveller who seeks out the best outdoor markets, and a person who cannot deal with too many choices. I’m here to share ideas and inspiration, along with random spiels, uncontrollable giggling, and too many mentions of doggos.

Here’s some weird quirks about me:

  • I just BOUGHT SOUP CROCKS. And I am in love.
  • I love maps. Dunno why, I just like looking at roads, elevations, and cities.
  • I’m on the ultimate quest to go to all of the European countries.
  • Also the life mission to make as much bread as I can. #carbsforlife
  • Indecisiveness is my downfall. Don’t give me options.
  • Laughing is my defense mechanism.

Hopefully when you arrive, you’ll want to stay!