South Beach Miami, Florida

Every year around this time we pack up and head to Florida to spend time with Mrs. Traveling Honeymooners family. While spending time with family is great, we thought that we would take advantage of having family around and escape for a few days without our kiddo.

We decided to take the Brightline train from West Palm Beach to Miami for our fun weekend getaway. The Brightline is a fast train that runs up and down the Florida coast from West Palm Beach to Miami every hour. The train is nice and super convenient! We arrive in Miami around 4pm and grabbed an Uber to our hotel.

Accommodations

Shelborne South Beach

Address: 1801 Collins Ave, Miami Beach, FL 33139

The Shelborne Hotel was the perfect place for what we were looking for. The room and amenities were nice and the location was good. We were located right on the boardwalk, walking distance from Lincoln Road Mall and a variety of restaurants. The hotel also provided bikes which we used daily to ride up and down the boardwalk.  The only complaint we had was that there were not enough beach chairs at the beach and they charged for an umbrella ($22). We arrived at the beach around noon and all of the chairs were taken, which was a major bummer.

Our Eats

Breakfast, Brunch & Snacks

Pura Vida
110 Washington Ave #2, Miami Beach, FL 33139

Dirt
232 5th St, Miami Beach, FL 33139

Joe The Juice

1600 Collins Ave, Miami Beach, FL 33139

Delicious Raw

1828 Bay Road, Miami Beach, FL 33139

Lunch

Taquiza
1351 Collins Ave, Miami Beach, FL 33139

Dinner

Stiltsville
1787 Purdy Ave, Miami Beach, FL 33139

Prime One Twelve
112 Ocean Ave, Miami Beach, FL 33139

We had the perfect weekend away and we can’t wait to go back!

XOXO The Traveling Honeymooners

 

 

 

 

Amarante, Portugal

Mr. Traveling Honeymooner was unable to join us on this leg of the trip, unfortunately, because he had to return home to go back to work. Boring eh?! We forgive him though because by the time we made it to Portugal, we had already been traveling Europe for about three weeks, with my family. Anyhow, I stayed behind with a few family members and we toured part of the Douro Valley and Amarante during our stay. Everywhere we visited was absolutely gorgeous and boy did we have a blast! I think we ate and drank more in the last four days of our trip than the rest of the trip combined! By the way, eating paleo ad gluten free in Portugal is as easy as can be, so I got to eat my little heart out.  If you are interested in our time in Porto and the Douro Valley, stay tuned…more post to come!

We had the pleasure of visiting this little town on our way back to Porto from the Douro Valley and loved every minute of it. Amarante is a small village with a population of about 12,000 people and is located in the northern Portuguese district of Porto, right on the Tamega River. It is a quint town that has a cozy and creative feel to it. When we arrived, we immediately felt a sense of calmness. We had to stop for a few minutes and just take in the views. There were not many people wandering the streets but we felt welcome and at ease. Even though the town center is small, they had a city center with restaurants, shops and a market. My favorite shop was an art supply store that was located along the main road. The store was small but had everything one would need to paint a beautiful piece of art or draw a pretty picture. The thought that kept running through my head as I walked the street was, ” I want to stay here for a week and just paint what I am experiencing.”

 

We visited the Sao Goncalo convent and church that is right across from the center of town. The first thing we noticed was that the doors of the empty church were open and it was free to enter. This was a bit shocking to us because we had been in Europe for about three weeks at that point and have never been able to enter a national monument for free. Once we walked in, we immediately noticed the gold leaf that lined the walls, which was stunning. We learned that Napoleon tried to demolish Amarate during his time and was successful in destroying almost half of the city, including one of the bridges that was located in the center of town.  The original pictures still hung on the walls but had large pieces of frame missing because Napoleon’s army removed parts of the gold leaf coated frames to see if more gold was hiding inside.

A luxury hotel sits in the heart of Amarante called Casa da Calcada, where the Michelin Star restaurant Largo do Paco can be found. We did not get the chance to eat here because we were full from our fantastic lunch in the Douro Valley, but we have made a note to come back one day.

This small town has so much history that you can feel, just by looking around. Above is a picture of the floods they have had over the years. To give you perspective, the lowest waterline that was recorded was almost six inches over my head and I am 5’6”.

This little town has so much to offer. The people are kind, the sites are exquisite and the history dates back to the 4th century. My wish is to return here some day soon with Mr. Traveling Honeymooners and stay a night or two in Casa da Calcada.

Thank you for stopping by!

XOXO

Mrs. Traveling Honeymooner

Cooking Class: Ubud, Bali

Mrs. Traveling Honeymooner LOVES to cook and Mr. Traveling Honeymooner loves to eat. So naturally we wanted to take a traditional Balinese cooking class during out stay in Ubud.

We chose to take our private cooking class at Kayun Organic Restaurant and we are so glad we did! The restaurant grows all of their own fruits and vegetables in their organic garden, which is absolutely beautiful.

We started our class off by picking our ingredients from the garden, which was fun!

After gathering all of our fruits and vegetables, we headed over to the outdoor kitchen and started to cook.

 

The menu for the day consisted of traditional Balinese dishes like curry soup, chicken satay, fish cooked in banana leaves, hibiscus tea, and coconut salad. We chopped, grated and mixed everything by hand and after about two hours we were able to eat all of our hard work. The best part was that all of the food we made was naturally gluten free!

Overall, it was a really fun day!

Bali had so many different cooking schools, so if you are in the area we would encourage you to try one out!

Thank you for reading!

XOXO

The Traveling Honeymooners

Beating Jet Lag

Here at TravelingHoneymooners.com we have a very short list of things we do not like about traveling, but jet lag is definitely on that list! Missing our dogs are also on that list but more on that later…

There is nothing worse than getting to your destination and feeling exhausted, especially if you have limited time at said destination. So here are some tips and tricks to help you beat the jet lag and help you maximize your vacation time.

In the weeks leading up to your flight, start to notice your bedtime rituals. What do you do in the hour before you go to bed? Do you brush your teeth (let’s hope so), dim the lights, brush your hair, put on lotion, read a book, change into comfy clothes or drink tea? Start to notice your bedtime routine. If you are someone who just gets home and falls asleep anywhere and doesn’t have any sleep hygiene, then you should probably make an appointment with Mrs. Traveling Honeymooner at her office in Houston so you can restore healthy sleeping patterns; yes, Mrs. Traveling Honeymooner is a psychotherapist and sleep hygiene is something she is very passionate about. Anyhow…once you start to notice your evening patterns, jot them down or remember them for your next flight. Keeping your evening routine, even while traveling and on a plane, is a sure-fire way to make sure you get quality sleep.

Plan ahead and make sure you pack things in your carry on that make you feel comfortable. Whether it is a neck pillow, eye cover, ear plugs, an extra sweater, your pajamas, etc; pack it. Leave the tight, restricting jeans and your high heels in your luggage or at home. Whatever will help you endure your long flight, pack it and have it handy when it comes time to wind down.

When you book your flight, take into account your flight time in relation to the time at your destination. For example, if you live in Houston and are traveling to Southeast Asia, it is probably best to take an evening flight because you will want to sleep the first leg of your trip because Asia is thirteen hours ahead of Houston. Vise versa if you are traveling from Southeast Asia to Houston. While this may not always be possible, it is good to keep in mind when booking flights.

Lastly, the second you sit down in your seat on the airplane, set your watch to the time it is at your destination. This will help you get acclimated to your new time zone and let you know when to sleep and when to stay awake.

We hope these tips help you beat the jet lag and maximize your trip!

XOXO

The Traveling Honeymooners

 

Lombok

We arrived in Lombok via fast boat yesterday morning and have felt relaxed ever since. What a change of pace from the bustling streets of Bali. Lombok doesn’t have traffic and the street are wide, with plenty of room for cars to drive both ways. If you have ever been to Ubud, you probably know what I am talking about. If not, you just have to experience the “traffic” for yourself while exploring Bali. I have LOVED every single place we have visited on this trip to Asia. Each place has been so unique and had so much to offer us. However, I have to say, the subtle sound of crashing waves and the sunshine here in Lombok have welcomed us with open arms and have allowed us to take a big deep breath and find deep relaxation.

From Ubud, the east harbor was about an hour and fifteen minute car ride. We chose to take Bluewater Express which apparently was the most reliable fast boat company. We didn’t really understand the meaning of “reliable” until we got all loaded up on the boat and were cruising at a fairly fast speed. About twenty minutes into our trip the boat broke down and we floated for a bit while the captain and his men tinkered with the engines. After about fifteen minutes we were on our way again. This routine happened three different times during our journey but we made it to Lombok safely. I would hate to think of what an unreliable company would look like. Anyhow, the boat ride was peaceful and enjoyable. We met lots of fun people and chatted with them about their travels. The total time spent on the boat was about two and a half hours. Normally the ride is about an hour and a half. The thing I liked about Bluewater Express was that you could choose to sit on the roof of the boat, or inside. It was a beautiful day so we chose to sit outside and enjoy the breeze.

Accommodations

We are staying at Qunci Villas on the main island of Lombok. From the Harbor, Qunci is about a thirty minute car ride. The hotel is beautiful and the service is great. Before our trip, we made sure all of the hotels knew that I have Celiac Disease and Qunci has been very accommodating to my gluten free needs.

Our first night here we were tired from being in the sun all day so we chose to eat at the Mediterranean restaurant at Qunci. The food was delicious and the kitchen even made be gluten free bread to have with my mussels. I think the key to gluten free traveling almost anywhere is to let the hotels know you are gluten free well in advance and remind them upon arrival. This has been incredibly helpful for me and would recommend it to anyone who has a food restriction.

The rooms are nice. The bed is a bit firm for our liking but we slept comfortably and loved that we could hear the waves from our room. One thing to note about this resort is that each room has it’s own bathroom, but the bathroom is all outdoors. Meaning the toilet, sink and shower are all private, but open air. This is very common in Indonesia but this is the first hotel where were we have experienced it. Overall we have enjoyed our stay here!

Exploring

Today we took a slow boat from Lombok to Gili Air, Gili Trawangan and Gili Meno which are small islands just off the coast of northwest Lombok. We had so much fun snorkeling and exploring the islands. The Gili islands do not allow any motorized vehicles so you can explore the islands on foot, bike or horse drawn carriage. We chose to rent snorkeling gear from the people at the Harbor in Lombok but you could rent snorkeling gear anywhere on any island. The only regret we have about visiting the islands was that we did not have a GoPro or waterproof camera with us to capture all of the beautiful fish and sea turtles we swam with!

Tonight we are going to eat in the town of Senggigi which is about ten minutes from Qunci Villas. We have been told this is the place to visit in the evenings for dinner and drinks.

Update: We went into town and ate dinner at Asmara Restaurant & Bar and had a great time! They were very accommodating to my gluten free needs and served us one of the best meals we have had since eating at Bridges in Ubud! The Restaurant also offers a free shuttle to and from our Hotel, and others in the area.

We are also considering visiting Kuta tomorrow. Kuta is famous for snorkeling, surfing and scuba diving. We shall see!

Thanks for stopping by!

XOXO

The Traveling Honeymooners

Best Walking Shoes

To start: I am not being paid to write this article, even though I should be. I just love these ugly shoes so much.

There is NOTHING worse than traveling and exploring a new country with tired and sore feet. When we explore new places we like to walk everywhere. Partially because we would rather spend our money elsewhere and walking allows you to stumble upon cool new restaurants, markets, etc. We have met some of the coolest people walking the streets of new cities and have found some of the best local restaurants. When we travel, it is not uncommon for us to walk, at a minimum, ten miles plus a day so comfortable shoes are the first thing that go in my suitcase when packing.

I have tried MANY different styles and brands of “comfort shoes” over the course of our travels but no pair of shoes has made me want to skip down an unpaved road more than the shoes I purchased for this trip! I have walked in these shoes for twenty-one days straight. I have walked through water, forests, rocks, and have hiked up a mountain in these shoes. I LOVE them! The best part!?! They are under $70 normally but I bought them on sale at Zappos for $30. Yep! They are probably the cheapest, most comfortable shoes I have ever owned.

Mr. Traveling Honeymooner has made fun of me the entire trip because they are not the most sexy looking shoes but I don’t care. I have planter fasciitis and that shit hurts like nobody’s business.

I am sure by this point you are just wishing I would tell what kind of shoes they are so you can move on with your day (foot ache free) so here they are….

Skechers Go Walk

These shoes come is a variety of colors and styles. I personally have been wearing the gray, Go Walk 4- Pursuit but I am sure all of the styles and colors would be just as comfortable!

I hope these shoes change your life as much as they have changed mine.

XOXO

Mrs. Traveling Honeymooner

Rome, Italy: A Photo Diary

In August 2013, we took a twelve day, five city tour of Europe. Our first stop on our European adventure was Rome. Mrs. Traveling Honeymooner is part Italian and grew up with her Italian grandmother and great grandmother, Cynthia and Violet who were major influences in her life. She grew up eating homemade pasta, pizza, lasagna, all of which are traditional Italian dishes. It is easy to see how Mrs. Traveling Honeymooners developed celiac disease as such an early age! Anyhow, Italy has always been on her bucket list so we packed our bags and headed to Rome! We hope you enjoy our photo story.

 

 

Our Hotel

Spanish Steps

The Colosseum 

The Vatican 

We ate gelato for lunch every single day.

Spanish Steps

We were only in Rome for two days but I think we walked over 35,000 steps each day. We explored as much of the city as we possibly could. Clearly we were not able to see everything that we wanted to see, but we know we will be back!

Thanks for stopping by!

XOXO

The Traveling Honeymooners

Bangkok, Thailand

We made it to Bangkok! After traveling for 24 hours from Houston, Texas, we have arrived and have explored this busy city.

We chose to stay at the Shangri-la Hotel which is right on the Chao Phraya river. The hotel is large with two towers, multiple restaurants, spa and shopping area.  The amenities were nice to have, but we did not spend much time at the hotel so they were not necessary in our case. The two best things about our stay at the Shangri-la was that the restaurant where they served breakfast was right on the river and the hotel provided free shuttle boat rides to the night market.

We took the free shuttle boat to the night market one evening and had a delicious Thai dinner at Baan Khanitha and walked around the night market afterward.

Bonus: The Shangri-la served gluten free bread at breakfast.

Neither of us had ever been to Bangkok before so we decided that we would do a few tours to get the lay of the land. We are both SO glad that we did! We had the best time with our guides! I would highly recommend doing at least one guided tour while in Bangkok because there is so much to see and experience!

The first tour we took was of the Grand Palace and surrounding city Temples. It is a historical time in Thailand right now because King Bhumibol Adulyadej passed away on October 13, 2016. The entire country is in mourning of their beloved King for the next year. The King’s body is currently being held at the Grand Palace so people can pay their final respects to him. People were lined up for miles. The city is currently working on building a crematorium for him to be cremated in right outside the Grand Palace. The streets outside the Grand Palace are lined with kiosks offering free food for people visiting the Grand Palace. We also saw the Emerald Buddha and the original school of traditional Thai massage here. If you are in Bangkok, the Grand Palace is a must see.

Next we explored Wat Pho and were able to catch the Monks morning chant. For me, this was one of my favorite activities and it became a morning ritual for us to find a temple to catch the morning chants.

We also hopped on the public ferry and took a short ride across the river to Wat Arun which was once the grand royal temple to King Rama II. Our tour lasted about three hours and we were able to cover so much ground in that short time frame.

Our tour guide, Nancy, was great!

The next day we took a tour with Bangkok Biking Company, the name of the tour was Rickshaw and Hike: The Colors of Bangkok. Our tour guide, Amm, was fabulous! We explored many different neighborhoods, visited multiple temples, took a long-tail boat across the river to Lumpini Park and walked through fruit plantations and fed the fish. Afterward we took rickshaws to a local restaurant on the water which was delicious!

Overall, we had a great trip to Bangkok! I think there is a misconception that there is not much to do in Bangkok but I feel as if we only scratched the surface during our three night stay.

XOXO,

The Traveling Honeymonners