The Carribeean in Europe?

Do you love the Caribbean? Its one of my favorite places, I have  fond memories of sitting by the  beach the waves lapping up and the sun shining bright while relaxing drinking a virgin strawberry daiquiri thinking this is the life and it doesn't get much better than this, and I was right. One of the many things I got right at the age of eight. Ever since I have been looking for the best beaches around the world. Barcelona is truly a gem of a city. It has some of the most vivid and intriguing beaches in Europe, the electric blues and light purple colors of the water, the creamy golden color of the sand and the kindness of the people make it a magical and special place. 

Its a place where you feel as if everyone knows your name, the friendliness of the people along with a great appreciation of the essential things in life  food, music and good times. I always judge a place based on the coffee and the coffee in Barcelona is amazing it is strong and flavorful which is a great representation of the people and the city. 

If you are looking for a your money to go a long way Barcelona is the place to visit. You can find outstanding food for under five euros for breakfast and lunch and dinner will run you under ten. Its a shoppers dream location, I found a vintage fox fur jacket for under 50 Euros at the local Humana store, and there are shops for all price points. I stayed at the Equity Hostel right on the beach for 15 Euros a night. And while at Barceloneta beach there was a Japanese culture festival, where one could try on a kimko, sample japnesee beer andl learn more about the culture. 

There are daily  free tours, of the city which is a great opprotunity to learn about the how the Moors took the city, the Catalan people and the rich and diverse history of the city. And if you look on the publication Time Out you can find the catalan practice, and see people bravely climbing towards the sky. 

Barcelona has the best to offer, the food, music, culture, and shopping are  extradordinary. If you love the carribbean this is a great location in Europe to visit that is much cheaper and has so much to offer. What is the most important thing that you look for when you visit a city?

Looking for a good deal? Then get the best in Budapest!

Do you like a great bargain? Well Budapest is the place for  you, great shopping, restaurants, and relaxing thermal baths all at a great price. When I first decided to go  to  Budapest l was excited for the new journey. Reading about the famous bath houses  and amazing Hungarian food made me think this was going to be a perfect city to visit.

The joy of traveling is that you do a little research and see things you would enjoy and off you go! Then next thing you know you arrive in your new city by train,  plane or automobile and there your research meets reality. Budapest is a large impressive city with magnificent architecture that rivals Paris, or Vienna in beauty. When I went into the  underground Metro, I stepped back into time, way back into time.  The jerk and rough ride were just the beginning of an interesting journey. The trains were very old and looked like antiques from the 60s or maybe an earlier time and the above handrails were made of out of leather, real leather. I had never seen leather on public transit. But it was quaint a throwback to a bygone era.

When I stepped out of the subway it was as if I was stepping into a dream, the large avenues the cobble stone sidewalks gave way to  beautiful architecture from a bygone era.It was majestic and powerful evoking awe and wonder, each unique that seemed to be made with love and attention to detail. Each building seemed to have its own personal story that it longed to tell  you. 

The fashion is fabulous, everyone has their own unique style and vintage clothing stores are everywhere. On every corner there are vintage stores, some perfectly organized with racks of clothing and a chic atmosphere perfectly staged while others are more grungy with baskets of clothing that you have to riffle through to find that perfect gem of clothing. But with the exchange rate of 300 Forinths to 1 Us Dollar it is the perfectly place to find  great high quality bargains. I was able to find a beautiful vintage heavy silk rose colored blouse with huge ruffled sleeves for about 1 American dollar at Retrock. There were so many clothing stores with great bargains along with the great exchange rate it is a shoppers dream. 

The best part of Budapest was the Thermal Baths or Turkish Baths, they were truly magical places that were relaxing and therapeutic.  As ancient as time the baths have long attracted travelers to its relaxing waters. It is a super sized spa with different baths in differing temperatures, a large swimming pool to do laps, and outdoor pool with wrap around seating for sun bathing and a restaurant complete with drinks and tasty Hungarian food. If you do one thing in Budapest the baths are a must see it can be an all day adventure.

Great deals and fun in Budapest. What do you like about cities that are reasonably priced? Comment below