St. Pierre is Miquelon’s older, louder sister. But before we go there—do yourself a favor and read the Miquelon entry first. Seriously. Otherwise, you’re missing the whole “drinking wine in France without leaving North America” magic. I won’t repeat myself. Go read it. I’ll wait. Now, after 24 hours soaking in the quiet charm of…
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You know what keeps me addicted to the road? After hitting all 193 countries—the entire UN roll call—you’d think the surprises would dry up. But no. There’s always some geopolitical curveball waiting to slap you in the face. Like this: France. In North America. And no, I don’t mean the usual Caribbean suspects—Martinique, Guadeloupe, Saint…
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Never thought I’d say this—and yeah, it still feels a little strange rolling off the tongue—but here we are: I’m Mexican. Officially. On December 16th, 2024, after a bureaucratic marathon of forms, fingerprints, interviews, and the kind of language exam that leaves your brain bruised and ego humbled, I crossed the finish line. This all…
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To The Extreme It’s been a minute since I pulled off what I like to call an “Extreme Layover.” For the uninitiated, that’s when the universe hands you a layover long enough to do something stupid, brilliant, or both—like running headfirst into a city with barely enough time to taste its grit and maybe get…
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I’ve been to a lot of bakeries—hundreds, in fact. From the historic, flour-dusted kitchens of France to the legendary patisseries of Vienna and Munich. I’ve seen it all, tasted it all. So, imagine my surprise when a tiny bakery in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, gets my top honor for pastry. But that’s the beauty of this…
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Surprise, Surprise Travel, at its best, is a series of surprises. The little ones—the perfect cup of coffee in some hole-in-the-wall café, the back alley neighborhood that somehow dodged the tourist mobs. Then there are the big ones—the moments when you step into an entirely different world, completely by accident. That’s how I found myself…
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If there’s one thing I’ve learned about myself, it’s that staying still ain’t in my DNA. Since I was a kid, I’ve been chasing movement like a dog after a scent. My first taste of real freedom came at 12, figuring out L.A.’s RTD bus lines. My bike only got me as far as the…
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(This delayed report is from my 2023 trip to The Philippines…) Top of the Charts People always ask me—after checking every box on the “countries of the world” list—where I’d go back to. Top of the pile? The Philippines. In my 20s, it was Brasil that stole my heart. In my 40s, it’s the Philippines…
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