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Our Little Voyager

5/31/2015

Apologies for the delay since my last post. We had quite a surprise last weekend - our son decided to make his debut three weeks early!! He arrived swiftly and with purpose, and we made it to the hospital in the nick of time! Meet little Benjamin - the newest Beyond Voyager.

Only a day old and already laughing :)

For now, our travel adventures are confined to about a three block radius - Harvard strolls, the grocery store and the pediatrician - as we learn how to care for a newborn. But we are hoping to plan some bigger trips for the fall. In the meantime, we have a trove of past adventures to write about and future travel plans to dream about, so stay tuned to Beyond Voyage!

We chose to name this site Beyond Voyage because we didn't want to limit our adventures to just one or two voyages a year. Instead we wanted to incorporate what we love about travel into our daily lives. Whether we are half way around the world or close to home, we seek adventure in food, music, new cultures and experiences. Now we are taking another step "beyond the voyage" by starting a family and learning to travel, both near and far, as parents - seeing the world through the eyes of our son and watching him learn along the way.

For us, being good travel companions has meant being good teammates, often in very stressful situations. After a week with a newborn, that teamwork has definitely paid off, just in a different, and even more rewarding way. We are a bit out of our comfort zone, but that's a great thing, because we've learned that's where the magic happens :)

Our friends made this onesie for Benjamin. It's a little too big for him now, but it should fit him in about three months!

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Our Boston Baby Shower

5/21/2015

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A few weeks ago, we attended a beautiful baby shower in honor of our little boy due this June. Our family & friends organized a brunch party at a delicious Italian restaurant called Cinquecento in Boston's South End neighborhood. Chris and I had been here for brunch before and had LOVED the food, atmosphere and service, so we were delighted that our baby shower was held in their private room downstairs.

Me & Baby B ready for the shower at Cinquecento in Boston's South End.

Everything was beyond our expectations - the food, drinks, decor and best of all - time with our family & friends. Our little guy is incredibly lucky to have so many wonderful people in his life.

The party planning team consisted of my parents - Abuela & Grandpa (the hosts), Chris' parents - Grammie & Papa and Aunt Jen (the decor team), and good friends Lisa & Kim (the fabulous organizers). The shower was safari-themed which was wildly appropriate since one of our favorite world destinations is South Africa. Here are some pictures of the details:

Safari themed invitations from Tiny Prints

Diaper cake centerpieces, handmade by Grammie!

Decorate a onesie station. There was some serious artistic talent in the room!

Baby B now has a drawer full of creative, colorful, funny and clever onesies - all made by friends and family.

We left the shower with a barrel of safari animals used to decorate the room. They are currently eagerly waiting to play with their new friend.

Aunt Jen found us this adorable "guestbook" poster on Etsy. Guests signed the balloons and stuck them to the poster which will be framed and hung in baby's nursery.

Party favors!!! Everyone loves a Lindt truffle.

Like I mentioned earlier, the food was phenomenal and I highly recommend Cinqucento for brunch if you happen to be in the Boston area. This was our menu:

Fruit Platters & Pastry Baskets (the round ricotta fritters are to die for!)
Zucchini and Feta Frittata
Hazelnut Chocolate and Cherry Crespelle (crepes with NUTELLA, black cherries & bacon - YUM)
Tuscan Kale Salad with Chicken-toasted farro & sharp pecorino romano
Italian Panini-toasted with salami prosciutto, mortadella, and hot peppers
Of course there were Bloody Mary's and Mimosas at the bar :)

There are many wonderful places to host a private party in Boston, but I really liked Cincquecento for a few reasons:

Unique, hip atmosphere: The restaurant used to be an old factory and they preserved the exposed brick and beams, cast iron details, and large windows that let in in tons of light.
Despite being in the South End, they have complimentary PARKING for guests. This is huge as it's usually difficult to find a spot for one car, let alone a whole party of people in this neighborhood. The attendant at the parking lot was extra sweet, saving a couple of rows in the lot for our guests.
The private room is on a separate floor from the main dining room which makes it really private. It's also close the bathroom - a bonus for us pregnant ladies.
Have I mentioned the tasty food?

Here are a few snaps from the party:

[Pictured Above] The beautiful grandmas! I know, they look WAY too young to be grandmas.

Wallman-Barbier family photo. I think this one might be framed for small fry's room!

We had some pretty adorable kiddos in attendance. These two little ones give the BEST hugs.

The lovely party planners - Lisa & Kim. I swear we didn't coordinate outfit colors.

Papa and Uncle DJ catching up

Book signing! We very much enjoyed this particular entry from Tim :)

Grammie announcing the answers and winners to the Chris & Eva trivia game. Who knew us best?

It was a tie between long time friend Hanna (an occasional BV guest blogger!) and baby bro. Luckily it was an easy prize to split in half.

Buddies! These three, along with our friend Mike, are part of an elite club called Steak Hunters. Maybe one day Chris will write a Culinary Delights feature about it (hint hint).

We had an amazing time at our shower! Thank you to my parents for hosting, our family & friends that helped plan the party and everyone who joined us to celebrate our little guy. The three of us are so lucky to have you in our lives!

xoxo,
Eva & Chris

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Where to Stay in Havana, Cuba: The Casa Particular

5/14/2015

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The USA's new relaxed restrictions on travel to Cuba has resulted in a flurry of buzz and interest among US travelers. Google searches in the US for "Cuba" skyrocketed after Obama's December announcement about normalizing relations and search interest has been up year over year ever since. Check it out:

Source: Google Trends

If you are one of the many people interested in visiting Cuba, you have probably contemplated where to stay during your visit. Many Americans will travel with a special interest tour group, in which case accommodations might be pre-arranged. However, if you are traveling independently and/or have a choice in the matter I strongly encourage you to consider staying at a Casa Particular.

What is a "Casa Particular"?
In a nutshell, it's a private home, similar to a B&B. When Cuba re-opened to tourism in the mid 1990's, there was a shortage of decent hotel rooms. The government's solution was to allow Cuban citizens to apply for licenses to rent out extra rooms in their homes. These houses are known as Casas Particulares. The Cubans say "particular" instead of "privada" when describing privately run (or non-government run) businesses because the word "private" carries negative connotations in a communist system.

Why should you stay at a Casa Particular over a Hotel?

Experience Cuban hospitality. Renting a room in someone's house allows visitors to experience life in a real Cuban neighborhood. Cubans are super friendly so you'll likely get to know your hosts, meet the neighbors, and learn tidbits about the area known only to its residents. Your hosts may also know guides or drivers that offer a far better price than what you will find at downtown hotels. Our hosts, Pavel & Haifa, were wonderful and we really enjoyed getting to know them one evening after dinner. We were only their second guests from the US so I think they were as excited about talk to us as we were to them! You can read more about our stay with them in the second half of this blog post.
For most US travelers, it's inexpensive. Our room cost about $30/night and we had our own kitchen, A/C, bathroom, balcony and separate entrance. The accommodations were modest, but clean and comfortable. Every morning our host, Haifa, made us a complete breakfast for $5. Compare this to the hotels that charge you hundreds of dollars for a basic, and often dated, room.
Support the local people. $30/night goes a long way in Cuba where a typical salary is $12 a MONTH. Room rentals help families maintain their homes, buy food and medicine and communicate with their loved ones abroad (outbound telecommunications are VERY expensive for locals). If you stay at hotel, your money goes straight to the government and while theoretically that money should go back to the people, it likely goes to the upkeep of the hotel - a place that most locals cannot enjoy. Our host, Pavel, is a biochemistry professor at the university. He would teach classes on the front porch of his house and it was obvious that his students loved him. When he wasn't teaching or helping us, he was working on projects around the house and I'm sure that a large portion of our room fee helped pay for the materials he used to maintain his family's home.
Enjoy home cooked meals. Around the world people enjoy the eclectic flavors of Cuban food. However in Cuba, the food at the big restaurants can leave a lot to be desired. That combined with steep prices leave many travelers feeling disappointed. When you stay at a Casa Particular, you often have the option of joining the hosts and other guests for dinner. Based on our experience, the food still doesn't compare to the delicious Cuban dishes you find outside of the island- ingredients are scarce so people have to make due with what is available. But you'll still get a good home-cooked meal for a reasonable price and, more importantly, you'll share your meal with new friends.

Chris with Pavel & Haifa in front of their home in Vedado. We highly recommend this casa particular because the hosts were wonderful!

We originally inquired about staying at Ana & Pepe's casa particular but they were full at the time and referred us to Pavel & Haifa down the street. We still enjoyed a dinner at Ana & Pepe's house followed by an impromptu dance party. We also booked a tour with Pepe to see Miramar, Vedado and Old Havana. Here we are with Pepe at El Bodeguito del Medio bar, listening to a fantastic local salsa group.

Are there any downsides to staying at a Casa Particular?

If you are very particular about your room being impeccable and new then yes. These accommodations are basic, and while they are typically clean, homes can be run down and dated by US standards. Keep in mind that while hotels may be a step up in the decor department, they are certainly not luxurious, and you may be disappointed in the value you get for the price you pay.
The more well-known and well-reviewed Casas might be booked far in advance. Don't fret! Email them anyway and ask if they have friends nearby that have an extra room. This happened to us with Ana & Pepe and they referred us to Pavel & Haifa who were amazing hosts! Plus, we still got to dine with Ana, Pepe and all of their guests.

Here are a few pictures of our apartment at Pavel & Haifa's casa. Knowing that our readers have very diverse tastes, some of you will find this appealing while others might ...well...cringe. Please keep an open mind, prioritize cleanliness (this place was spotless) and remember that the one of the major benefits of visiting Havana is getting to know the people (not a fancy bed).

We had our own private kitchen. While we ate breakfast downstairs in Haifa's dining room this was nice for storing water and snacks. If you plan on staying longer you can prep meals here and eat out on the private balcony!

Our room off the kitchen had two double beds, a wardrobe, TV & A/C (neither of which we used) and a bathroom.

My favorite part of this casa was the private side entrance and balcony. It was the perfect little spot for a drink and cigar after a long day touring Havana!

How do I find Casa Particulares?

We found ours on Trip Advisor. There are now hundreds to choose from, many of which look pretty nice! When we were looking over a year ago there were far fewer options. It's just one of the many signs that Cuba is changing is quickly.

For more information about Cuba, check out the following blog posts:

Traveling to Cuba - Tips for Americans
Havana, Cuba Photo Tour
Meeting My Family in Cuba
Traveling to Havana, Cuba (via Mexico City)

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Happy Cinco de Mayo!

5/5/2015

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Hotel Secreto on Isla Mujeres

In honor of Cinco de Mayo I've updated our Riviera Maya page with a few pictures from our trip there several years ago. On this page you'll find our 10 day itinerary, hotel recommendations, a list of activities that we enjoyed, a few tunes and some general tips. Here were a few highlights from our trip:

Best Margarita: Mezzanine Hotel bar

Best Beach: While it's REALLY hard to choose I'd have to go with Tulum

Best Snorkeling: Garrafon Reef Park in Isla Mujeres

Best Non-Beach Activity: Dos Ojos Cenote Tour in Tulum

Best Meal: Huevos Motuleños at La Hotel Tortuga in Playa del Carmen

Check out our Riviera Maya page for more information, pictures and a few tips about dealing with corrupt traffic cops!

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Our Little Voyager

Our Boston Baby Shower

Where to Stay in Havana, Cuba: The Casa Particular

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

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