A beautiful couple of singer-songwriters from Peru, Alejandro y Maria Laura, released a song earlier this year called “Yo no pasé por aquí” – I didn’t pass through here. The first lines say – Una parte de mí se quedó en otro país A part of me stayed behind in another country No pude viajar…
Author: Ana Lucia
Homecoming (as I make my way to Monterey)
As we began approaching LAX, the flight attendant began giving us the usual instructions – keep seatbelts on, here is where your luggage will be, and… “if California is home to you, welcome home.” It felt as if the plane had dipped down. Memories of 2019 and 2020 came rushing to my head as I…
Setting Roots
I speak English with passion, it’s the tongue of my consciousness, a measure of my flawed assimilation. Julia Alvarez – Bilingual Sestina Assimilation as part of my story I was reflecting today about how the things we hold closest to our essence never really go away. Things we may not even be able to name,…
When Madrid Stole My Heart
An unexpected delight Madrid has been on my mind a lot lately, for many reasons. I am thinking about the delicious restaurants, the wide, open plazas, the striking architecture, the markets that felt like home. But my time in Madrid represents one of the absolute best parts about travel for me: surprise. Before traveling there,…
Our Happy Place: A Costa Blanca Road Trip
Here’s a trip I have been dreaming up since last year. Once I knew we were going to Valencia, I began to dream up an itinerary for a Costa Blanca trip. The Costa Blanca (white coast) stretches over 120 miles in the south eastern coast of Spain from Denia to Pilar de la Horadada in…
4 Reasons Why I Think Spain is Toddler Parent Paradise
Growing up in Peru, I was always used to seeing kids in public spaces, mothers nursing without a cover, and kids walking next to parents on a busy street. As a child myself, I was always around adults, in restaurants, late-night dinners, weddings, any gathering, really. It all existed in my periphery and I never…
Cafecito (Pt. 4) – Valencia, Spain
Ever since we decided to visit Valencia, I was excited to have some cafecito time with my husband. Valencia is one of the top cities in the world for expats, Europe’s green capital, and just checked a lot of boxes for us. We went during Fallas, too, which was fun and wild and loud. Each…
Cafecito (Pt. 3) – Madrid, Spain
Madrid might be one of my favorite cafecito spots. Every morning for the week I spent there, I would experience the cozy, elevated vibes of Madrid, walking around Castellana, Salamanca, Chueca, Hortaleza, Recoletos…with a delicious taza de cafe. It was tough to come up with just three, but here are my top cafecito spots for…
Baby’s first flight? Check out this family-friendly destination
Today I’m giving love to my East Coast folks (West Coast, hang tight for more California content, and in the meantime, check out my Monterey articles!) Baby’s first flight? If you’re looking to try your hand at flying with your baby or toddler but feel intimidated by long flights, and also want a family-friendly, beautiful…
6 Do’s and 3 Don’ts: Flying with a Toddler
Flying with a toddler, just like riding a bike? This page contains affiliate links that help me earn a small commission so I can keep providing you with the best travel content I can. Thank you for your support! When my husband and I met, our love of travel was evident within the first ten…