HAPPY HUMP-DAY...LITERALLY

Here's an excellent article by Kate Bartolotta on Huffington Post. It's the perfect morning pick-up for hump-day!

As quoted from the article, "We chase this idea of "I will be happy when... "

I will be happy when I have a new car. I will be happy when I get married. I will be happy when I get a better job. I will be happy when I lose five pounds. What if instead we choose to be happy -- right now? ... Life might bump and bruise us, it may not always go the way we plan and I know I get frustrated with mine, but here's the thing: You are alive.

Because you are alive, everything is possible."

Here's what she says you have to do in order to live a happier, more fulfilling life:

1. Stop believing your bullshit.
2. Be happy now.
3. Look at the stars.
4. Let people in.
5. Stop with the crazy making.
6. Learn to apologize.
7. Practice gratitude.
8. Be kind.

Now, I didn't go into explanation of these tips because hey, it's not my job- it's Kate Bartolotta's. Go on and read the article, it's brilliant.

Travel on wanderlusters!

ALGERIA

In North Africa along the Mediterranean coast, between Morocco, Tunisia, Libya and above Mauritania, Mali and Niger lies Algeria. The capital being Algiers and official language Arabic.













Several MUST SEE places in Algeria include:
1. The capital, of course, Algiers

2. Ain Sefra

3. Batna

4. Ghardaia

5. Oran

6. Touggourt

When in Algiers,
1. Check out some of the museums/galleries:

• Musee National du Moudjahid
• Bardo Museum of Prehistory & Ethnography 
• Palais de Rais
• Musee des Beaux Arts
• Museum of Popular Arts & Traditions

2. Snap some Instagram worthy pictures of the many monuments and historical landmarks:

• Dar Hassan Pacha
• Citadel
• Makam Echabid
• Grande Poste
• Ville Nouvelle
• 
  

3. Get holy at the Notre Dame d'Afrique, Djemaa el-Djedid or the Djemaa el-Kebir.

4. Feast away at the many restaurants: 

• La Maison de Couscous (Algerian cuisine)
• La Vague Bleu (seafood)
• Tontonville Cafe 
• Brasserie des Facultes (Algerian cuisine)
• Le Magelan (seafood)
• L'Arc en Ciel (Algerian cuisine)
• Le Brussels
• Restaurant le Faubourg (Algerian cuisine)
• Le Dauphin (seafood)
• Big Blue (burgers, french fries, etc.)
• Milk Bar (cafe)
• Auberge du Molin (Algerian cuisine)
• Les Puits d'Amour (French pastries)

5. Take a few shots, loosen up and mingle with the locals or other tourists!

• Bar Dey
• Le Racym's
• Riadh el-Feth
• Pasha (club)
• Alger Bar
• Taverne du Parc

6. For some good ole fashioned entertainment, check out: 

• Palais de la Culture 
• Goethe Instit
• Theatre National Algerien
• Cinema Algeria

The next post will be on: Uruguay (in South America)

Travel on wanderlusters!

MONDAY MORNINGS

Happy Monday wanderlusters! How are you starting your day today? If you are like me, you'll drag your carcass out of bed, probably hit your head on something, go to the bath and stare in the mirror like a zombie, lifelessly walk into the kitchen for either some juice, tea or coffee, followed by breakfast and then make your way to your laptop/iPad/tablet/smart-phone. Sound about right?

I know when I first log on in the morning I always browse the articles (and weather and horoscope sections) of Yahoo! Well, I came across this article on the "7 Craziest Hotels Around the World". Hmm. Sounds...crazy, yeah? Of course I had to read.

It looks like these are the craaaaziest hotels one can stay in when traveling: 

1. Hotêl de Glace, Canada

2. La Villa Hamster, France

3. Bubble Tree Hotel, France

4. Grand Cayon Cavern Suites, Arizona

5. Propeller Island City Lodge-Berlin, Germany

6. Save the Beach Hotels- various locations throughout the world

7. Sala Silvermine Underground Suite, Sweden

Even though they seem a little oddball, I definitely want to stay in at least 3 of the 7 someday! Have any of you wanderlusters ever stayed a night or two in one of these hotels?

Well, it's that time of morning for class and studying so I'm off! Have a lovely Monday and as always, travel on wanderlusters! 

INTERIOR DESIGN FAVORITES OF THE WEEK

THE NEW MISS AMERICA

Get ready for an opinionated post...every once in a while I feel really strongly about current events and I just feel the need to let me opinion out there and in the open:

So, if you do not live under a rock (I like to sometimes) then you know about the new Miss America and all the controversy behind her victory. The winner, Nina Davuluri, a New York native...of Indian descent. 

This last part caused much of the controversy. Tweeters are claiming she is a "terrorist" or a "foreigner" of "Indian, Asian or whatever she is" descent. Her skin color isn't white and she isn't a blonde, therefore she isn't an "American" and shouldn't have won Miss America. How incredibly absurd is that? Absolutely, indefinitely absurd. When I saw the articles this morning and tweets, I did something I never do: reply to these idiots and just let it all out, insulting their stupidity and telling them to get their shit together before tweeting something so rude, uneducated and ignorant. The funny thing about the people who tweeted these things is that they obviously have NO idea whatsoever that they are either in fact "foreigners" themselves or the descendants of "foreigners" seeing as America was one of the last continents in the world to be colonized and populated...by people from Europe, Latin America, Africa, India, Asia and all the other continents/countries of the world. Also, seeing as America is one of the only countries in the world that can be home to such cultural diversity, it doesn't quite make sense to judge someone as a "foreigner". Anyone living in America is either, by passport, considered an "American" or is in the process of becoming an "American". So calm your tits. 

Lastly, had any of them been educated, at least grade school educated, they would know that geographically, India is not a part of the Middle East- yes they are in the same area on the map but India is not a part of the Middle East but in fact part of South Asia. So, if they wanted to be racist, the correct term would have been "Asian" instead of "terrorist". However, if they brought race into that, it would make an even stronger argument as to how absurd and ignorant people are. To be in the Miss America pageant  you must either be a) American born and/or b) an American citizen. So, idiotic critics of the new Miss America, learn your shit and realize she too, like you patriotic morons, is an American and has been living in America her entire life. 

Come on, she's beautiful and probably extremely friendly, smart, caring and hard-working, why hate on someone like that? Plus, look how happy she looks, can't we just bask in that instead of hating on someone for where they come from originally? I applaud her, she knew if she won she would get this horrible type of criticism and yet she is still smiling. I think everyone needs to be a bit more like Nina Davuluri. 

Maybe they are just jealous of her success since from what I saw, the tweeters were either between the ages of 13-15, uneducated men and women who can't even spell or fat hill-billys. Sorry, but if you want to generalize someone then how about we generalize you, tweeters who are fearless behind a screen but would never say it to the new Miss America's face. 

That's all I have to say about this issue and happy Tuesday! I hope all of you wanderlusters have a lovely day and of course, travel on wanderlusters! 

OKTOBERFEST 2013

For those of you who don't live on this side of the world for the annual Oktoberfest in Germany but still want to celebrate with a day full of beer, friends, lederhosen and bratwurst, there are several towns/cities throughout the U.S. who can make it happen!

1. Leavenworth, Washington (from October 4th and 5th; October 11th and 12th; October 18th and 19th).
2. Cincinnati, Ohio (September 20th to 22nd).
3. Glendale, Wisconsin (Every Friday and Saturday night throughout September).
4. Helen, Georgia (September 12th to 15th; September 19th to October 27th).
5. Mount Angel, Oregon (September 12th to 15th).
6. Denver, Colorado (September 27th to 29th; October 4th to 6th).
7. San Francisco, California (September 20th to 22nd).
There is one near my hometown in Maryland, it's in Germantown, Maryland but I'm not so sure when it is...not at all like the real thing but hey, it's better than nothing!

So, if you aren't making it to Germany this Oktoberfest, are you going to any of the "Oktoberfests" in America?

Travel on wanderlusters!

HELLO THERE

It's been a crazy past few weeks that's why I have been M.I.A from the blog scene but I'm back and ready to dive back into Traveling with Wanderlust head-on. Of course I have to focus on uni this semester but I will have plenty of time to dedicate several days a week to sharing life's little things and travel dreams with all of you guys.

Some exciting stuff is about to start happening this week which I am really looking forward to: buying tickets to Auschwitz for the end of October, a possible Oktoberfest/Bavarian weekend and an interview with InStyle Magazine CZ. Oh and having my first full week of uni after about 4 months of doing absolutely nothing but traveling, eating, sleeping and spending time with friends and family.

Of course there will be an update post this week so keep your eyes peeled!

Travel on wanderlusters!