One World One Backpack (1W1B) builds bridges by sharing global stories about food, culture, and our shared humanity. Once a week, 1W1B explores a unique location, shares someone's story, divulges a new/ancient recipe, or highlights someone making a difference in their community. While our content is generated from a travel standpoint, we focus on the human [...]
A Walk in the (Red)Woods
Where: Hoyt Aboretum, Portland, Oregon, US Cost: $2.50 (public transportation; arboretum admission is free). Take the red or blue light rail to Washington Park and exit toward the Oregon Zoo; Follow the purple signs to the free seasonal shuttle just steps away. The shuttle runs every 15 minutes from about 9:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. and [...]
Travel Tip: How to Not Be Lonely
Recently, one of my oldest friends sent me some questions about traveling alone: ....do you get lonely? How is travel as a true "solo"? How do you meet people and have these eye-opening conversations? Do you miss sharing your day with a trusted friend? I have been afraid to travel alone, not for safety, but [...]
A Madman or a Genius: Casa Batlló
“I do not know if we have awarded this degree to a madman or to a genius; only time will tell.” ~ Elies Rogent, Director of the Barcelona Provincial School of Architecture (1878) The theory that the term "gaudy" is based off the controversial works of architect Antoni Gaudi is unfounded: "gaudy" dates back to [...]
Barcelona’s Las Ramblas: Magnificent Markets, Fiery Dragons
After a week trundling through the sleepy hills and towns of southern Spain, you might board a night train to one of the country's largest cities, determined to get your legs moving at an urban pace, to stand agape before architectural wonders, to be carried away by the undertow of big-city life. Descending from your train, humidity embraces you [...]
How to Not Get Lost
Whether in dense forests or an unfamiliar city, being lost is a primal and disorienting feeling. It's a risk you run every time you visit a new place. Old-school handheld maps and modern technology such as google maps have revolutionized how people travel, but there's no leaving your comfort zone without inevitably feeling it, sooner or later: [...]
Alhambra: Light, Shadow, Water
The motivation for this international trip began with an episode of Anthony Bourdain's "Parts Unknown," when the former chef visited the Alhambra. With his longtime director of photography leading the way, Bourdain called the experience “one of the most enchanted, inscrutable, maddeningly beautiful structures ever created by man.” My experience was not dissimilar, though I expect [...]
Street Art: El Nino de Las Pinturas
Walking through Realejo in Granada, the old jewish quarter, you will find yourself face-to-face with some truly inspiring street art. Granada artist El Nino de Las Pinturas is currently in New York, having just finished a gorgeous, four-story high mural in SoHo, NYC. But his work in Granada, while often on a much smaller scale than [...]
A Tale of Two Cathedrals: Catedral de Sevilla and Catedral de Mallorca
What do you look for in a house of worship? Some seek austere simplicity, while others yearn for majesty, something to both make them feel small and a part of something greater. As an American, the great churches of Europe are awe-inspiring and omnipresent, and visiting them can be a complex, conflicting experience. The Cathedral of [...]
Carlos del Rio
As I left the Alcazar yesterday, a flamenco guitarist performed just outside the ancient gate. He was so good that I stopped and recorded a few tracks. I got his name from his CDs, googled him this morning, and he's quite an acclaimed performer. The video isn't mine - it's taken from a youtube search, [...]
Nothing’s Under Control, and Everything’s OK: Eleven Hours to Sevilla
In deciding to backpack around Spain, not really deciding from one week to the next where I was heading, one of the questions I had was whether I would actually enjoy that open-ended, potentially-chaotic experience. It's easy and even understandable to get frustrated when you're traveling. Cultures are different, social norms are different, the transportation [...]
Palma de Mallorca
Flying to Mallorca, your first impression might be that of a giant European party bus. You might find yourself surrounded by jovial groups of grown men bearing hot-pink tank tops declaring themselves "Helene Fischer Ultras," a reference to prominent and award-winning German folk singer. They will down a few beers before takeoff, sing drinking songs throughout [...]
Heidelberg, Germany: The Philosophers and Snakes Workout
While traveling, people often worry about how to stay in shape. My answer: Heidelberg. The picturesque, romantic city, nestled between two banks of the Neckar river in south west Germany, is quite overrun with tourists. If you're a first-time American traveler anxious about not being able to understand the language, Heidelberg is the place to go: [...]
