Mexican Adventures 1.2

It’s all about the country where tourists talk about tacos, and travelers about torta. Where tourists talk about tequila, and travelers about mezcal. Where tourists talk about chile, and travelers about mole. My point is that I’ve been lucky to experience this beautiful country not just as a tourist, but as a traveler.

First Impression

Arriving in a country where they can’t pronounce your name, where they only know your language as a dance -Flamenco-, and where some people did not even hear about your country before, is quite overwhelming. Especially because you will spend 3,5 months of your live working in this place. Fortunately, I’ve been lucky enough to be immediately surrounded by a lot of amazing and very welcoming people. Here in the Mexican Riviera Maya, I’m literally living in the middle of the jungle, but close to breathtaking beaches, and as local as it can be: Chemuyil. A small town located between Tulum & Playa del Carmen, right beside Akumal. Living in the residence of the hotel where I work for gives me the opportunity to create everlasting relationships with coworkers and roommates.

About the job

Not only do I like the weather and the beautiful nature, I also really like my job in the biggest resort in this area: Bahia Principe Riviera Maya. Bahia Principe is a Spanish hotel chain with hotels all over the Carribean and Spain. Being part of a family of more than 2000 employees, I am working as a Public Relations and Guest Services Intern. I love the contact with the people, the adrenaline of solving their problems, and the power it gives me to see the guests leaving full of satisfaction. This all fascinates me enormously. To be more precise, you can divide my work in an operational and administrative part. For the administrative part, I am mostly in charge of the precontact with the clients and travel agencies to arrange different requests through email. I also make VIP lists as a support for different departments such as housekeeping and food & beverages, I make event orders for groups, write welcome letters for Dutch & Belgian guests, and assist the Social Media Coordinator in analyzing and responding to TripAdvisor & MarketMetrix reviews. The operational part includes making a la carte restaurant reservations, handling major guests problems, sending courtesies to the rooms, and hosting VIP events to obtain feedback and build relationships with guests.

Exploring the area

Besides working, I’ve also had quite some time to explore the wonderful Riviera Maya. From swimming with fishes in cenotes, to paddle right beside a crocodile, and snorkeling with Turtles. I visited the most known places in the Riviera Maya such as Cancun, Playa del Carmen, Tulum, and Akumal. At night, The Blue Parrot in Playa del Carmen is my favorite place to be: a nice beach club with swimming pool and good (commercial) music. The first week I was here, I was given the opportunity to go to the Tulum Carnaval. And I was not just watching it, I was participating in the Carnaval to represent Bahia Principe, so the people were actually watching me! It was a crazy night, a once-in-a-lifetime experience that I will never forget!

The challenges

The transportation here in Mexico is a bit of a struggle, although the colectivos (name of the public transport) are very convenience, I am not a big fan of them. Some of the drivers are crazy, they can be dangerous at night (including people trying to touch you!), and they charge you a double price if you dare to speak another language than Spanish. My Mexican friends are always laughing when I tell them: don’t talk English to me during this ride, otherwise I will have to pay the tourist rate. Fortunately, my Spanish is going better and better since at this moment I am able to have fluent conversations with people. Oh, what do I love this language so much!

Honestly, although I really like my internship and this area, I would not be able to live here. This beach life is perfect for a certain period of time or for holidays, but I still miss the city vibes and adrenaline. The only thing I really don’t like about this place is the humidity. I never experienced it before, but here in the Riviera Maya more than ever. Even if it’s not that hot outside, humidity makes you sweating all the time, makes white spots (mold) on your clothes that are just hanging in the closet, and is even more sensitive for people with allergies (like me). But besides this, I am really enjoying my Mexican Adventures and I’m looking forward to sharing some more stories with you soon!

With love,

10 things you should do when going to Tulum

Welcome to my blog about the, according to TripAdvisor, number 1 destination on the rise. I’ve been here for a month and a half now and I can tell you: it’s a breathtaking travel destination. I already had the chance to meet a lot of local people who are taking me to amazing, eye-opening, and sometimes unknown places. This is the reason for my blog. If you are ever traveling to Tulum I want you not to miss one of these places.

1. Tulum Mayan Ruins

Starting with the most obvious (but beautiful!) one, the Tulum ruins are located on the beach right before you enter the center of Tulum. At the entrance, you will see big groups of tourists from all over the globe, excited to see one of the most beautiful places in the world. There was no sunshine the day I visited the ruins, so I can imagine with a beautiful blue sky and sunshine they are even more breathtaking. I would suggest you to take slippers with you and even a towel because you can actually go downstairs and lay on the beautiful beach while watching the ruins. Depending on how interested you are in the history and stories behind the ruins, I recommend you to take a guide who will explain you everything into detail. There are guides standing at the entrance of the archeological zone who speak different languages. One more tip: try to go early in the morning, before the mass of tourists comes!

2. Playa Paraiso

The beach inside the archeological zone where I was talking about in the previous paragraph is called ‘Playa Paraiso’, and is absolutely beautiful. Upstairs you have a beautiful view over the ruins and the beach and if you go downstairs you can take pictures in the clear blue water. At the end of the beach at the right side, there are also big rocks in the sea where you can take wonderful pictures.

3. Sian-Ka’an Biosphere Reserve

Welcome to paradise. Located approximately 30-40 minutes driving from Tulum center, you will enter a totally different world. I like to call it the Tulum jungle, the surreal world or simply: paradise. I suggest you to rent a car or jeep and drive from Tulum along the Cabañas to finally arrive at the entrance of the Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve. Great beaches, beautiful fauna & flora… This is the place to be if you want to relax and escape from the stress of every day. There are a lot of beautiful cenotes you should visit in this area, inside the reserve but also outside of it. A local tip: most of the cenotes have an entrance fee, but I know one ‘hidden’ and thus free one right next to the entrance of Sian Ka’an. There is a path which will lead you to the cenote and most of the time there are no other people so you can have the entire place for yourself. Breath in, breath out, and enjoy the smell of the jungle.

4. Full Moon Party @Papaya Playa

Do You like to party? Do You like beaches? Do You like good music? Do You want to meet good looking people? The monthly Full Moon Party at Papaya Playa offers you all of this. Amazing venue right at the beach, chilly atmosphere, and good cocktails. The entrance fee and the drinks are quite expensive, but it’s worth it. So remember if you are booking your trip to Tulum, make sure to be there when the moon is at its best.

5. Diving in Cenote Dos Ojos

Cenote Dos Ojos, literally translated Cenote Two Eyes. I can guarantee you, you will wish you have more than two eyes when you will be diving there. It’s such a beautiful cenote with wonderful fauna and flora.  A combination of various geological events and climate changes created an incredible and unique ecosystem which is only found in this part of the world. With this being said, this cenote will give you the scuba diving experience of a lifetime! Again, try to go early in the morning because this one is very well-known and thus it can get very busy during the day.

6. Zine Food & Films

A unique venue, unique concept, unique people. I didn’t expect to find something like this in Mexico. Bow, what is it now? It’s hard to explain. You have to experience it. Imagine you are watching a movie with your love or friends in the middle of the jungle, with a lot of privacy, great service, and good food. Well, this is Zine Food & Films. Don’t need to say more, just go and experience it!

7. Spend a night in a Cabaña

What if you could sleep in a wooden cabin in the middle of the jungle with a magnificent view over the beach? Or simply outdoors? In Tulum is everything possible. In the beach area between Tulum and Sian Ka’an, you will find a lot of different cabaña hotels. Besides the cabañas, you will find a lot of cozy shops, bars, and restaurants in this area. Go with a group of friends or simply with that one person you love the most. It’s also a very nice place to host a very romantic wedding. Check out one of my favorite cabaña hotels here.

8. Sunday Salsa Night @Zebra bar

Relax, rest & enjoy. These are the three keywords of La Zebra in Tulum. Go on Sunday and enjoy a delicious and authentic Mexican meal or try one of the homemade cocktails. They offer a free lesson of salsa every Sunday at 6pm, which will lead you into a hot and fun night of salsa dancing. At 8pm, the salsa band begins to play. This unique venue will give you the opportunity to dance with enthusiastic locals, travelers or even the staff! Visit their website for more info.

9. La Popular & Macondo Restaurants in Hotel Nomade

It was a tip from a local and I truly love these two restaurants. La Popular is a by the fish market inspired beach restaurant, serving fresh seafood. Macondo, also located in the Nomade Hotel, is a very trendy restaurant serving authentic Mexican gourmet, raw and cooked organic food. Only natural and seasonal flavors are on their menu. They also have gluten-free, vegan and vegetarian options!

10. Batey Mojito & Guarapo Bar

Last but not least, enjoy a night in the best Mojito bar in town! It’s a unique spot to enjoy a delicious Mojito. Nice atmosphere, live music and lots of locals. What do you need more? Maybe food? Good news, they also serve delicious meals! All the ingredients are fresh and local. Try the guacammmole…

With love,

A little note to say Thank You!

This is a little message to the people who filled in my survey regarding Airbnb vs. Hotels. Thank you for having taken the time to help me writing a successful bachelor project, I really appreciate your help. Please let me know if I can return you a favor.

Do you have any comments or feedback you want to share with me? Please find my contact information below.

PS: Have you not yet completed my survey? You can do it here: http://www.enquetemaken.be/toonenquete.php?id=273604

With love,

100% Budapest

Hey there,

Welcome to my story about my stay in beautiful Budapest, the capital of Hungary. Definitely one of my favorite cities in Europe so far, besides Barcelona. The city is split up into Buda & Pest, with the Donau river in between. Pest is the busiest part of the city, where you can find most of the touristic attractions, restaurants and bars. Buda is located a little bit higher, with a lot of historical monuments and beautiful buildings.

First Impression

Arriving in the country where your own first name has its origin feels quite special, but strange at the same time… Although I have a Hungarian name, I did not understand anything from their language… Lol. I did have high expectations for this city, and they are more than fulfilled. I truly loved the people, the cleanness, the food, the ruin bars, and the architecture. I stayed in the trendy Bo33 hotel, which is a new hotel located in the Erzsébetvaros area. I would highly recommend this hotel because the staff is really friendly, the rooms are very clean and there is a nice spa on the rooftop.

Things to do

When going to Budapest, every traveler should absolutely visit the Szechenyi Baths, the biggest and most popular thermal baths in Europe. They have both outside and inside pools, and apparently the natural water is very good for your health. I would recommend going there on a sunny day, so you can relax in the outside baths with the sun shining on your face. Amazing! If you go quite early in the morning, before the crowd comes, you can even play a game of chess with the locals.

Besides the thermal baths, Budapest also has some beautiful architecture to show. The parliament building, for example, located just next to the Donau. You can take beautiful pictures over there, especially when the yellow tram just passes by. When walking in the city center, you will definitely see a lot more beautiful buildings, with the Szent István Basilika as one of the highlights. For only 400 Forints, you can take the elevator or stairs up to the top and enjoy a beautiful view over the city. Absolutely breathtaking!

When going to the other side of the city, Buda, I would recommend you to take the cable car up to visit the Buda castle and the Matthias church. Stunning views! If you like being integrated with the local people and the smell of fresh ingredients, then you should go to the market hall, back on the other side of the river. It’s a sort of farmers market where you can buy organic products and meals, but also souvenirs. It’s a very nice and colorful place with a lot of friendly local Hungarians.

If you like nature or you just want to go for a walk, Margaretha park is your place to be. It’s actually an island located in the middle of the Donau river. It’s a great place to relax or to sport. The park offers a Japanese garden, a water park, a playground, and a hotel or two.

Another thing you should do is watching the sun going down on the well-known chain bridge. You will see the city change as the cozy lights will suddenly shine everywhere. Now you can even take more beautiful pictures of the buildings and the different bridges Budapest has to offer.

Hotel visits

In my opinion, the two most beautiful hotels of the city are the Four Seasons hotel in Pest and the Hilton hotel in Buda. They are both beautiful located, integrated into traditional buildings and have magnificent views over the Donau. Besides these hotels, I also visited the Sofitel and InterContinental, both located next to the Four Seasons hotel. The Marriott hotel also has a beautiful location, but I was not impressed by both the inside and the outside of the hotel.

Food & Beverage

Budapest has some very nice and trendy spots to eat, most of them are quite new and are serving traditional Hungarian cuisine with international influences. My three favorite places were Monk’s Bistrot, Mazel Tov and KIOSK. It’s very hard to choose which one the best is because they are all quite different. They only have two things in common: the food is amazing and the venues are very modernized. Monk’s has an open kitchen and serves a more traditional kitchen with a French & Italian accent. Very friendly and attentive staff! Mazel Tov is a big ruin bar, specialized in Israeli cuisine. You should definitely try some wines over there since they are very cheap and delicious. They also play live music in the evening! KIOSK is located in a beautiful building with views over the Donau. Nice staff, good music and delicious food! Make sure to try one of the homemade cocktails.

Nightlife

I’m sure every visitor will tell you the same thing: ‘Szimpla bar’ is absolutely brilliant! I never saw such a nice and innovative bar/club in my whole life. The venue is immense, it’s like integrated in a kind of apartment building. You can go upstairs, outside, downstairs… They have a wine bar, a cocktail bar, a Latino corner… It’s a very open-minded and trending place with all types of people. Besides Szimpla, I also liked the Yellow Zebra Bar, a small but cozy bar in the same street with live music and friendly people. If that’s not enough for you and you want to dance the entire night, you can go to Tütü, a quite chic nightclub with good music and nice people. If you’re more into the gay scene, you should go to AlterEgo club & lounge. The biggest gay club in Budapest, sometimes with drag queen shows.

Budapest, you were absolutely amazing to me. This is not a goodbye, but a see you soon 🙂

With love,

Vancouver as an exchange student

Hey there, 

Welcome to my first blog post! I’m excited to tell you more about my studying abroad adventure in Vancouver. Hidden places, highlights, insider tips, things to avoid… This is your place to be if you are planning to go to Vancouver, whether as a student or just as a traveller. 

First impression

Arriving in a place where everything is different is quite overwhelming and eye-opening. A place where every person you meet can make your adventure a totally different experience. A place where equality and tolerance are at a surprisingly high level. A place where you are not able to count the money you are holding… A place I got to call home for the next four months. And I can tell you, Vancouver is a beautiful place to call home.

Living in an Airbnb property for four months was quite challenging [and expensive] but also very educative and entertaining. You see people come and go, people from Brazil and Montreal, but also from Singapore and Germany. Students, travellers, mothers, business people… I am very grateful for having had the opportunity to share a suite where all these cultures could come together. Late night talks, trying other cuisines and teaching each other about our own culture are some of the highlights. I also would like to thank Jamie for being such a caring and hospitable host and his wife for helping me doing my laundry every single time.

Vancouver Downtown

Make sure to visit Downtown and all the beautiful districts it has to offer. If you like shopping I would recommend you to start with Granville street and Robson street, the two leading shopping streets of Vancouver. If you prefer to avoid the crowd, you should better go to Stanley park, which is a beautiful and peaceful place adjoining West-End. I rented a bike and did the entire area by bike, which was magical. Make sure to bike to prospect point, where you have a breathtaking view over the mountains and the Lions Gate Bridge. It’s quite hard to climb that mountain, but it’s worth it.

After putting all my energy in biking through Stanley park, I went to the English Bay Beach in West-End. An amazing place to enjoy a good talk with friends on the beach, watch the sunset or having a cocktail on a terrace.

Another part of Downtown is Gastown, one of my favourite parts of the city by the way.  I enjoyed it mostly at night because it is so cosy with its little lights and the fabulous steam clock. It just feels like Christmas… If you have a small budget and you like cheap drinks, you should definitely go to 131 Water Kitchen and Bar. Friendly staff, nice atmosphere and free games! I enjoyed a few amazing nights over there.

If you are gay-minded and want to discover the gay scene in Vancouver, then you should go to Davie Village. Davie village is well-known in the North-American gay scene because you have plenty of gay bars, restaurants and nightclubs. They even have crosswalks painted in the gay flag colours.

Are you looking for a nice place to take breakfast and up for a challenge? Then I can recommend you The Elbow Room Café on Davies. Their motto is: “Come for food, stay for the abuse”. Instead of being friendly, they abuse you in a funny way. And if you don’t eat all your food, you have to donate money for a good cause. You are warned, the food is delicious but you need a good sense of humour.

Some of my other favourite places in the city to have a snack or just a good coffee are Breka Bakery on Bute Street and Purebread and Bean Around The World on Hastings. Nice venues, friendly staff and delicious food.

By the way, try to avoid East Hastings. Vancouver, in general, is very safe and nice, but this area was a bit sketchy and scary.

North Vancouver

Northern Vancouver has some beautiful spots you should check out. To hike, unwind or just enjoy the breathtaking views. Let’s start with the most famous one, Grouse Mountain. You can take the SeaBus at the Waterfront Station and once you arrived in North Van you can take a bus to Grouse Mountain. You can hike the mountain [that’s what I did] or just take the gondola who brings you to the top in just a couple of minutes. Once you’ve reached the top, you can even go higher to have a beautiful view over Downtown Vancouver and the ocean, or just enjoy a drink in the bar.

Besides Grouse Mountain, I also did a hike in Deep Cove. You have a beautiful view on top, and the birds come so close you can even touch them. Deep Cove also has a beautiful lake and a pretty little harbour.

Local Travels

I have spent the first weekend of my Vancouver adventure in Victoria, the capital of British Columbia. Victoria is located on Vancouver Island, so you have to take the ferry in Tsawwassen to get there. The city has beautiful architecture, with the Parliament Building and the Fairmont Empress hotel as the two highlights. Make sure to visit Butchart Gardens, located approximately 30 minutes driving from Victoria. These beautiful gardens receive close to a million visitors each year. If you don’t get that far, option two is to visit Beacon Hill Park in the city itself. If you like to connect with the ocean, then you should do the Eagle Wings Whale Watching tour. But be aware that it is very expensive and the chances are that you won’t see any whales. Do you feel like having an afternoon tea? The number one place is definitely the Fairmont Empress hotel!

During my field trip with BCIT, I also visited the famous ski resort Whistler. There was no snow because we went there in September 2015, but nevertheless, it was a beautiful place to visit. On our way to Whistler, we made our stop at the Sea-to-Sky Gondola where you have amazing views and a suspension bridge. Whistler itself has a few excellent and beautiful hotel resorts, represented by Four Seasons, Fairmont and Hilton.

In the beginning of October, I also visited Seattle, which is located within a 3-hour drive from Vancouver. I spent the weekend with a lovely French girl, Sophie, who was studying a semester at BCIT too. A pretty city, well-known for the world famous Space Needle, Pike Place Market, and the first Starbucks ever. Exploring the city by bike is nice, but I would not recommend the Pronto Cycle Share service because their system is crap. You have to put the bike back in a station every half an hour, which I think is not very practical. You should also definitely go to Kerry Park, where you have an amazing view over Downtown Seattle.

BCIT Student Life

Besides discovering British Columbia and the West-Coast, I also had to go to school, of course. BCIT, one of the best institutes of Canada, brought my professional career to a higher level. Studying in a totally new environment and in a language which is not your mother tongue is quite exciting, as well as very challenging. BCIT is a school full of hard-working, inspiring and friendly students and instructors. I really want to thank all these people for making my adventure an amazing one, for all the support and their hospitality. Attending BCIT as an exchange student is not easy, because of the heavy workload, but the return you get is so much worth it. I have had the opportunity to compete in a case competition, to go to IMEX Future Leaders Forum in Las Vegas, to attend amazing seminars, and so much more. My BCIT Tourism crew has a place in my heart, forever.

The Hardest Part

Studying abroad also has its difficult parts. For me, the hardest part was saying goodbye to the people who were just classmates in the beginning but became true friends very soon. It was not my first time spending a few months abroad and saying goodbye to people, but this time was exceptionally difficult to me. These people gave me so much positive energy and inspiration, I wish I could keep them forever with me. I will never forget my last weekend in Vancouver when I was dancing with a friend in a nightclub and she started to cry because I had to leave soon. So you are warned, studying abroad is something I would recommend everyone, but you also have to be aware of the difficult and challenging parts of it.

California Travels

Besides Seattle and Las Vegas, I also went to other parts of the USA: Los Angeles & San Francisco. I travelled just by myself, and I think this is something everyone should do at least once in a lifetime. You easily meet new and like-minded people, you can find yourself and you can go wherever you want to. I’m not gonna go into detail on my travels through California, but I will definitely write another blog about it very soon.

Talk to you soon.

Love,