Pregnancy: Preparation

During the third trimester, you really start feeling the aches and pains everywhere. All the meanwhile, you’ll probably be in full blown nesting mode and trying to prepare for labor!

At 30 weeks, I had excruciating round ligament pain. I felt like my hip was grinding. It was too painful to even walk but I had to push through and increased my daily walks. I also started pregnancy yoga via Youtube and started wearing this maternity band and it helped drastically! I woke up one night from a crazy charlie horse! It was probably the worst one I ever had. I had it once and never again (thank God!). During my last month, I had massive swelling to my ankles and feet. Keep in mind, it was dead of winter and it was still bad! I was only able to wear 1-2 pairs of shoes if I was lucky. Near the end, wearing sandals was the most comfortable…in winter. I definitely got some stares. I tried some hospital grade compression socks at night which helped some but it was hard to keep my feet up during the day. Bless the women who are pregnant and on their feet all day long. I also got a couple braxton hicks contractions but none that were painful. I only say that in hindsight because I had no idea what a contraction even felt like.

Contractions: How do you know? This is a tough one to explain. I asked some of my friends that have had kids before and they all said something similar, “You’ll just know”. Some described it as a menstrual cramp…but worse. I guess that is the best way to explain it! It feels like a lot of pressure and cramps combined AND it only gets worse, if you are indeed in labor.

Putting in your car seat is a great idea in the third trimester. It gives you enough time in case it’s not installed properly. It’s a good idea to make an appointment with your local fire station. They do car seat checks! If you installed it wrong, they do it the right way and tell you how in the case you need to take it out. I read that 95% of car seats are installed improperly. If that doesn’t freak you out, I don’t know what will!

Finding a pediatrician can be a daunting task. It’s a good idea to ask around to see where you can find good care. I kind of did this super last minute but luckily I found one that could fit in appointments right after baby B was born, and they did house calls too! Since they were all under the same network, I just had to provide the name of the pediatrician for my file.

Last but not least, packing your hospital bag! I did A LOT of searching on this. I wanted to have some cute hospital pictures (which didn’t really happen, I was too in the moment!). The instructor at our baby class told us that if we didn’t bring anything, we would be okay because the hospital has all the basics.

I ended up packing 2 nursing bras, a pair of PJs, going home outfit, one newborn sized outfit, one 0-3 month sized outfit, a swaddle, make up, underwear and socks. Overall, I think I did pretty well! The only thing I didn’t use were my PJs!

Since I was moving to a new home during the time of my due date, we didn’t set up a nursery. We did a travel crib in our room and set up everything in the new house. Even then, I probably didn’t need to rush. Baby B didn’t sleep in her own room til she was about 4 months old!

Take a couple deep breaths, labor is near!

Pregnancy: Third Trimester

The third trimester is a tricky one. You will be large and uncomfortable but anxious and excited to meet your baby! I got to the point where I was so uncomfortable, I just wanted her out of me.

Since I was pregnant during the fall/winter months, it was recommended that I got the flu shot. I didn’t know that the the OBGYN’s office offered them so I went out of the way to CVS to get one. If you haven’t asked about it, please do so! It’ll kill two birds with one stone.

At my 29th week appointment, I received the Tdap vaccine which passes to the baby so they are protected until they get their own vaccine.

The appointments go from every other week to every week at week 35. If you haven’t gone into labor yet, they’ll want to start monitoring you on a weekly basis!

At my 36th week appointment, I got the Group B Strep Test. A sample taken by swabbing the vagina and rectum. It’s a type of bacteria that some people have and if test is positive, they give antibiotics prior to delivery so the baby doesn’t come into contact with it.

My baby girl was STILL breech and refused to go head down. There was so much movement during the third trimester that it kept me up at night (she’s a party animal!). I kept thinking that she would just do it but when I wake up, she would still be in the same position. There are so many wives tale of ways you can “get the baby to turn”, including doing a headstand….which I attempted. Let me just tell you, it’s SO hard doing it when you’re that heavy. It didn’t work. I scheduled to have a procedure called ‘external rotation’ done, which is exactly how it sounds. They try to flip the baby from outside the belly. I wanted to have a vaginal delivery so I wanted to do whatever it took to make that happen. I scheduled my appointment at week 37.

When the next week rolled around, I started to nervous. They told me to not eat anything in the event that the stress would cause me to go into labor. I arrived early morning and by the time the procedure started, I was starving. The doctors were performing a c-section so they were running behind schedule. I started getting more anxious when the team came in. They laid back the bed and told me to keep breathing. There were 3 doctors and they felt around the baby to see where the position was. 3 pairs of hands were on my belly and on count, they started pushing. It’s on the top of my list as one of the most painful experiences in my life. It took about 5 minutes, but felt like eternity. I was told that for some women, it doesn’t work at all or takes way longer. I consider myself lucky! I was kept for observation for another hour and I got to see baby B on a portable ultrasound upside down and sucking her thumb!

I continued my weekly appointments til I hit week 40. Still no baby. I was scheduled for induction but ended up going into labor 4 days later 🙂

More to come on labor!

Pregnancy: Breast Pumps

Breast bumps will come in handy if you plan on breastfeeding and returning to work or even trying to bottle feed your little one. A friend of mine had suggested that I get one through my insurance with Obamacare while it was still available so I did a quick Google search. There are many sites out there that will let you place the order through them and then they will process it through the insurance for you. I started the process with one website when it dawned on me that I should probably shop around for it.

I decided on getting the Medela Freestyle, a portable pump. I wouldn’t have to rely on an outlet to pump and it’s small enough to fit in your purse. This pump was considered an “upgrade” on many websites which meant you had to pay out of pocket for a portion of it. It also appeared that just a few years ago, this pump was actually 100% covered through my insurance.

I called my insurance company and got a list of vendors that they worked with for DME (durable medical equipment). The list was pretty long but I picked out the ones that carried breast pumps. I narrowed down the ones that carried Medela and called each one to ask for the price. Some will say that they can’t tell you the price without actually running it through your insurance; just ask them for an estimated ballpark.

I had Aetna during my pregnancy and these were the suppliers and prices for the Freestyle:

Lenox Medical Supply: $210
Edwards Health Care Services: $130
Mckesson Patient Care Solutions: $195
Pumping Essentials: $197.50
Sunmed: $150
Yummy Mummy: Out of pocket only, no upgrade

I was going to proceed with Edwards Health Care Services but they told me that the price actually went up due to the new year and the allowance from Aetna decreased, making the pump over $200! I had procrastinated so I was a bit upset with myself for letting it happen but I was reassured by a customer service rep that as long as I got my application in before the end of the year, they would honor the price — they didn’t. I moved on and got mine through Sunmed instead. With this particular company, you kind of have to do a little more legwork to get your pump. Instead of them contacting your provider for a prescription, I had to ask for one. I filled out a form saying that I would pay for whatever the insurance didn’t cover and gave them my payment information. I got my pump just a few days later.

I was super close to ordering my pump through Aeroflow Breast Bumps because they had outstanding customer service, but they couldn’t price match for me so I decided not to go with them. They would have been my next option if Sunmed hadn’t worked out.

Once you receive your pump, make sure to open it and read through the instructions. If you wait until last minute, the amount of pieces and things to do can be very overwhelming! Most of the parts need to be washed and sterilized, dried and packed away until you need it.

There are so many brands and styles out there! Happy shopping!

Pregnancy: Second Trimester, The Best Trimester

Moving onto the second trimester, everyone will tell you that it’s the best one! No more morning sickness and not big enough yet to feel super uncomfortable. People might even mention that you’re glowing!

My morning sickness started feeling better at around week 15. I started getting back to a normal eating pattern and even started snacking. People will start to telling you that you can anything you want because you’re eating for two, but it’s only about 300 extra calories! I also started feeling more energized again which meant not sleeping at 6 pm everyday. Around that same time, I also had to buy a new set of bras. Luckily I didn’t have to buy new pants quite yet. I didn’t start showing til nearly the end of my second trimester so I was able to wear my clothes for as long as possible! I still shopped for longer, non-maternity tops in anticipation for winter.

Around this time, the baby will start kicking! During my week 17 follow up, they asked if I started feeling movement yet but I honestly wasn’t sure. With the gassiness of pregnancy, who knew if it was a gas bubble or a kick? But just a few days later, I felt my first kick. It was the most amazing feeling in the world!

Guess what is the most epic buzzkill during this time? The start of back pain. It was the point where I couldn’t find a comfortable position in bed. After some research, I got what I consider as the cadillac of body pillows. I got the Leachco Back N’ Belly Chic Body Pillow. I ordered it from Bed Bath and Beyond with their 20% off coupon which was the best deal I could find. It takes up half the bed, but it’s THE BEST!

And for the most exciting part of pregnancy: finding out the sex of the baby! Providers tend to have different opinions of when this should be done. I was recommended to go in around 20 weeks which paired with the anatomy scan. My appointment was scheduled for week 21 and it was torture waiting for that day to come. I was SO sure it was a boy; I was in for the biggest surprise EVER! The anatomy scan takes about an hour, where the tech checks for the fetal size, baby’s general anatomy, location of placenta, amniotic fluid, etc. I was told I had a low lying placenta, which wasn’t necessarily a bad thing at the time; I was advised to go back at week 28 for another ultrasound. All in all, the baby was found to be healthy (yay!), but of course gave us a really hard time with finding out the gender. The tech kept trying to find the right the position but in the end I had to lay sideways. And…Baby B is a girl!!! The tech printed out some ultrasounds for us, which I guarantee, you will never want to put away. I stared at it for weeks!

During the second trimester, the baby’s senses are rapidly developing and they can start to hear and respond to sounds. We started talking to the baby and playing music, which of course she would kick along to. At week 22, I felt her hiccups for the first time 🙂

At around 23 weeks, I ordered some bands to cover up the zipper/button portion of my pants. They are great for if you don’t want to buy too many maternity clothes! I snagged the Ingrid & Isabel Bellabands for 50% off during Cyber Monday!

Around 25 weeks, I went in to take my glucose test to test for gestational diabetes. This wasn’t as unpleasant as everyone made it out to be, but it’s no fun. You drink a super sugary drink and wait about an hour before they take a blood test. If you “fail” this test, you would have to go back and take a 3 hour test.

One thing I forgot to mention: linea nigra. It’s a bit hazy now, but I’m pretty sure it started appearing on my belly during my second trimester but the line was pretty faint. I was actually in denial about it until the line darkened up (closer to the third trimester). Along with the line came the stretching of the skin. I slathered on belly butter religiously. I read somewhere that this does nothing to prevent stretch marks but I used it anyway. It came in handy during those colder months when my skin was severely dry.

During the second trimester, there are also a lot of things you can do to start preparing so you don’t get overwhelmed with a huge checklist all at the end. I procrastinated so everything came fast near the end. Hospitals tend to offer free prenatal classes so be sure to sign up for them pretty early. You can also schedule a tour of the hospital so you know exactly what to do when the time comes. This is also a popular time for people to look into doulas or midwives. If you are planning on having a baby shower, starting a registry or starting to look at items is super important especially if you are indecisive or don’t know a lot like me. Keep up with the exercises And if you haven’t already, order a breast pump through your insurance while you still can!

Pregnancy: First Trimester Woes

As I’m inching closer and closer to labor (only 7 days left til my due date!), I’m reflecting back on my pregnancy. It has not been the easiest journey but it’ll be bittersweet when it’s over.

Infertility is a scary thing and there are so many what ifs. Especially post surgery, those type of thoughts always crossed my mind. My surgeon had reassured me that it shouldn’t be an issue as my husband and I are two healthy adults. With a more cautious outlook, I didn’t and I still don’t want to lose the opportunity to have kids. I won’t lie; I was already super nervous after a month of trying. After some Googling, I decided to download an app, Flo, to keep track of my ovulation. It was quite shocking to see that in one month, you only have a small window to conceive!

I stopped taking birth control the month before we started trying and paired it with prenatal vitamins as advised by my surgeon. There are so many different kinds of vitamins out there but you can’t go wrong with the gummies!

I pretty much knew I was pregnant right away. It was around week 5 or 6 and I felt like shit. I wanted to spend most of the time laying down. I think the boobs were the worst part. They felt like they weighed a ton and were so tender. By early afternoon, I wanted to just close my eyes. I could barely keep food down. Everything grossed me out, especially meat. I didn’t mind cooking but I couldn’t stand the thought of eating it. I lived on ginger ale and Ritz peanut butter crackers. Popsicles were a plus on the super hot days. Morning sickness lasted pretty much all day mostly after meal time. After more Googling, all signs pointed at a baby boy a la old wives tails.

I scheduled my first appointment at week 7 with a nurse. They took a urine sample and confirmed pregnancy right away with a stick test but also took a blood sample. It was a good overview of what to expect for upcoming appointments and notes on breastfeeding and the importance of skin to skin contact post birth. They recommended taking B6 for nausea but I got sick after taking one. It probably wasn’t the cause, but I never took one again after that.

I had my first ultrasound at week 9 and that was the first time I laid eyes on Baby B. Right when the image popped up on the screen, I fell in love. As the tech moved the probe around, Baby B did a little wave and I knew she was my child! Baby B looked like a little bean with a tiny little head and tiny little limb buds. It’s amazing to see that growth even that early on. I couldn’t wait to see Baby B again!

Appointments are typically scheduled for every month until you hit your third trimester. During these routine appointments, weight and blood pressure are taken.

Screening tests are also offered during the first trimester to test for down syndrome and other chromosomal abnormalities. There are also options during the second trimester. At first, we scheduled an appointment, but the uncertainty of insurance coverage and the fact that we wouldn’t have changed anything, we decided to cancel our appointment. You would sit down with a genetic counselor and discuss options before moving forward with a test.

Dental cleanings are also recommended during pregnancy! I had bloody gums, which turns out is pretty normal during pregnancy. I had no idea until I asked the dentist. It’s also important to keep up with exercise; it’ll only get harder as time goes on.

Now onto the second trimester, AKA the best trimester! 🙂

Falling Spring Falls

I’ve lived in the state of Virginia for the last 7 years and have yet to do much traveling within the state and surrounding areas. Prior to my move to Charlottesville, I lived in Roanoke for 4 years. Roanoke was filled with lots of hiking spots along the Appalachian Trail; my favorite hike was McAfee Knob. It’s quite an intense hike, but the views were worth it. Another great hike around the area is Cascade Falls in Pembroke (nearby Virginia Tech). The hike is always crowded with students but there is potential to play around under the falls to cool off!

After exploring a few of the hikes, I wanted to trek out and check out the neighboring areas. After a quick search, I came across Falling Spring Falls in Covington, Virginia. I wanted to explore it while the leaves were changing colors and before it got too cold. We probably missed it by a week or two so by the time we went, there weren’t anymore leaves on the trees!

It was about an hour and a half drive from Roanoke so it wasn’t too bad of a drive. The drive takes you through a small industrial looking town.

Thomas Jefferson had once visited the Falls and mentioned it in his manuscripts called ‘Notes on the State of Virginia’ in 1781. He wrote, “The only remarkable cascade in this country is that of the Falling Spring in Augusta…it falls over a rock 200 feet into the valley below”.

Although the site was impressive, there is not really a hike where you can go down to look at the Falls up close (unless you’re willing to trespass). Still, we got to experience the cool, crisp air of Fall and got to see one of the tallest waterfalls in Virginia!

Are there any hikes you love or recommend?

New Year, New Everything!

Hi all!

I’m going to try to take a stab at this blogging thing…once again! 2017 was an epic roller coaster ride, with a life changing surgery, marriage, moving, lots of travel and finding out we were expecting! I wouldn’t want to change anything at all, except logging it all to look back on. As I’m nearing the end of my pregnancy, there is a lot to reflect on so this blog will shift from just food and travel to also include my experiences and reflections. I’m so excited to share 🙂

Asheville, North Carolina

Asheville is one of those charming cities that I would love to go back to someday. I had gone with one of my best friends back in August (mainly to eat of course).

Upon arrival, we got our stuff together and went to Sliding Rock in Pisgah National Forest. Sliding Rock is a 60 foot natural water slide and extremely popular during the summer months. I was glad to go on a Friday and even then lines were kind of long. We stood in a line on the left hand side and walked over to the middle area near the top and gave ourselves a little push. I’m naturally scared of heights so I panicked going down, even on the more shallow end. Hitting the cold water at the end kind of takes your breath away. The warmth of the sun dried us up pretty quickly and we found the courage to go a couple more times before calling it quits. I even went a time by myself!!

Right near the exit, there is Looking Glass Falls. There is parking all alongside the road so it’s pretty accessible. This area is also a swimming hole but I couldn’t bring myself to get in the water again because it was so cold.

We grabbed a late lunch at Buxton Hall BBQ. We were over ambitious and ordered too much food. We got the Buxton Pulled Pork Plate and Original Buttermilk Fried Chicken Sandwich. The pulled pork is served with a vinegar sauce in case you were wondering! We ate way too much and had no room for any dessert 😦

We tried to find a good place for a sunset but struggled so hard. Everything was either blocked by trees or buildings. We gave up and ended up in the lively downtown area, filled with people and food trucks. We walked around and looked at the huge selection of restaurants and little shops. We grabbed a super late dinner at Cúrate, a tapas bar. It was super reminiscent of the food I ate in Spain. Of course, by the end of the dinner we were way too full to do anything else. We went back to our Airbnb and crashed.

Asheville is part of the Blue Ridge Parkway and has a huge variety in hiking trails and sites. Even the drive down from Roanoke was picturesque! We did our first trail at Crabtree Falls, one of many, many waterfalls. It’s a moderate, looped trail with a 70 foot waterfall in the middle.

Next we hiked the Craggy Pinnacle Trail. I loved the unique greenery throughout the trail and the views at the top are just amazing!

We took our hunger to Chai Pani. Indian street food was so intriguing; it was a must try for me! Don’t forget to order the mango lassi!

Post lunch, we went to the Basilica of Saint Lawrence for mass. The church is impressive! The architecture is of Spanish influence and it’s also the largest unsupported dome in North America.

We had dinner at farm burger, known for using grass fed beef. We ordered a pork burger off the blackboard menu and did one build it burger. And to say we wanted to eat light for dinner…

The next morning we went to Honey Tupelo Cafe for breakfast with a Southern flare. We got biscuits with jam instead of the expected bread; it was a nice surprise! We ordered something sweet and something savory, the Shoo Mercy Sweet Potato Pancake with a piece of buttermilk fried chicken and some fish tacos.

For dessert, we passed by French Broad Chocolates and picked up some chocolate bars for souvenirs. The truffles are amazing! We went next door to French Broad Chocolate Lounge and got a liquid truffle. It’s super thick, super rich and super delicious!

Asheville is filled with tons of things to do and things to see. We ran out of time but The Biltmore Estate and the North Carolina Arboretum seem like great places to visit! Also, the beer scene is pretty big so if you’re into that type of thing, a visit is a must!

San Francisco, California

I traveled over to the other coast last June (yes, last June) to see if the West Coast is indeed the best coast.

My main goal was to hit all the sites and stuff my face everyday til it hurt. I think my mission was accomplished.

After getting to the Airbnb, we dropped off all our things and went to get boba!

We grabbed dinner at The Richmond. I ordered the oxtail and scallop starter. After filling up on my boba, I wasn’t terribly hungry. The starts are pretty filling here; it was a struggle to finish! The seating area is quite small but it was packed.

We woke up bright and early the next morning to be the first in line Brenda’s Soul Food. We started off with the Beignet Flight which included a plain, chocolate, granny smith apple, and crawfish. Beware, they are extremely hot! I ordered the Hangtown Fry (I couldn’t resist the crispy oysters!). We fueled up enough to get us to Napa Valley.

We were blessed with beautiful weather in Napa Valley. We went to Sterling Vineyards which included a tram ride up to the winery. It’s a self guided tour with tastings and beautiful views in between. We also went to Castello di Amorosa, the castle in the Valley. This visit was more of a photo-op visit for me. Note: do not eat the grapes off the vines, they’re way too sour!

We worked up enough of an appetite and trekked over to Mission District to Farmhouse Kitchen Thai Cuisine. This place was worth the wait! I ordered the Grilled River Prawns Pad Thai and crushed it. The sauce is everything!!

We decided to be early birds and see the Golden Gate Bridge at sunrise at Marin Headlands the next morning…and it was well worth it. The view is incredible!

[Cue in the Full House theme song]

We grabbed some coffee at Philz Coffee in Sausalito to wake ourselves up. I don’t think I’ve had eye bags that big so long!

The morning was so quiet and peaceful. It was fun seeing the houses on the hills with curvy roads and boats all the way at the bottom.

We continued our adventure to Twin Peaks. Everything is teeny tiny but a great view of the whole city. We had no clue that you can drive all the way up and park. We parked halfway up and tried to walk up before someone stopped us. Be careful of all personal items in your vehicles!

We ended up in Chinatown for lunch and ate at Great Eastern. This place filled up as we kept ordering and eating. My guess is that it’s like any other dim sum place on the weekend; you have to get there early if you don’t want to wait long. President Obama ate at this restaurant which was all the hype.

We started or walk from Chinatown all the way to Lombard Street. We kept walking and walking…and walking some more.

San Francisco hills are no joke. I had expected typically breezy weather but I guess temperatures had been warmer than usual so I ended up sweating the entire time! We kept trying to find the trolley but we either couldn’t figure out the stops or they were too full.

Even though we were dying, the views speak for themselves!

Anddddd we finally made it! There were so many cars and people, it made it impossible to get a good shot. We probably made plans to double back but never did because of the great struggle of getting there in the first place.

And we find an empty trolley! So naturally we take a million pictures of it and with it. There’s me, sweating and dying but still smiling!

We continue to Fisherman’s Wharf. It was super crowded and super hot! There is no coverage from the sun whatsoever unless you’re eating inside.

And there is the infamous Alcatraz!

We got out of the sun and got ourselves more boba! Yay! We went to Plentea and got plenty of boba. The cool thing is you get to keep the containers which I ended up lugging home. I had grand plants to make it something cute but it is still sitting in my room.

After cooling off, we went to the Palace of Fine Arts Theatre. Everyone and their moms want to take a picture here so you have to be stealthy if you want to get your pictures in. We ended up getting stuck here for awhile because Uber and Lyft had surge pricing during a game. We ended up laying in the shade make flower crowns 🙂

We ate at Burmese Superstar to end our crazy long day. The Tea Leaf salad is one of their most popular dishes. It was well balanced, filled with different textures and flavors. I could go for that again!

I began the next morning ready to eat again! We went to Sushiritto for “breakfast” and finished every last bite. I have a craving for this right now as I’m staring at this picture.

As we were eating our burritos, we were eyeing the iTea, the boba shop across the street. And of course we ordered something. We spent forever deciding as their menu was pretty extensive but was sold on the sign next to the cash register advising the mango sago.

Plentea was the only one I double backed for. I got to try another flavor but don’t worry, I did not keep that bottle too.

We then went to Cool Tea Bar and got even more boba. My dream was coming true!

We went to Fisherman’s Wharf and saw one lonesome sea lion. He was struttin’ his stuff all by himself. (Maybe he was a she)

We went to The Codmother Fish and Chips to get some fish tacos but they ran out! We ended up getting fish and chips. I guess it was a pretty good consolation prize.

And then the long awaited Painted Ladies!!! I was super excited to go here and I’m so glad I got the chance to. The top part was under construction so we couldn’t go all the way up but you can still see a snippet of the city behind the houses 🙂

[Cue in the Full House theme song again]

We stopped by Verde Tea Cafe for a nightcap. We got the frothy green milk tea and mango tea, both recommended from Yelp. We were so stuffed, we couldn’t even finish them. They key is to get something without the tapioca balls; it lasts a bit longer in the fridge!

We started our food tour the next morning at Boudin Bakery & Cafe, known for their soup bowls and animal breads. So many carbs but how can you resist a little turtle bread?

We ordered this amazing dry pho with a fried egg. Super cheap but super delicious. I’m hoping to recreate this one someday!

And no matter how full we were, we had to get a boba pick me up 🙂

These steps are super cool! It was hard getting pictures of it alone or with us in it because there were always people! There were cute succulents on the side too!

We also went to Dolores Park. This was one of my favorite places. It was filled with all sorts of people, although some questionable, lounging around the entire park. It was so vibrant and relaxed; the perfect place to people watch!

We had our first dinner at Orenchi Beyond…

…then tried to work it off by strolling through Balmy Alley Murals and Clarion Alley.

We had our second dinner (and my last dinner in SF) at The House. The dim lighting didn’t help the pictures but everything was sooo delicious. I think it’s the best attempt at Asian fusion cuisine I’ve ever tried. The restaurant itself is pretty tight and it’s a pretty long wait without a reservation, so be sure to make one. I would love to go back here one day!

So in conclusion, I would say…the West Coast is the best coast. Now I need to plan another trip out!

Athens, Greece

I’m back with another #tb post. I traveled to Athens back in April 2012 which seems like eons ago. Two things I took away from this trip were temples and tomatoes!

On our first day, we visited Sounio, the Temple of Poseidon. We actually stayed a couple hours just to see the sun set and it was a beautiful sight!

For dinner, we went to eat souvlakis! The fries in the wrap were the best part!

The next morning we went to the Acropolis museum and Acropolis. It was incredibly crowded but the views were well worth it!

Athens is covered in graffiti like many other big cities but I found some of the pieces charming.

For lunch, we dined at Taverna Platanos. My favorite thing about Greek food is that it isn’t masked by a ton of ingredients. It’s simply cooked so the flavors stand out.

sakanaki – fried cheese

lamb with egglant

grilled octopus

Temples, temples, and more temples! We visited the Temple of Olympian Zeus. I spy the Acropolis!

The streets of Athens has all kinds of souvenirs, restaurants and cool bars such as this one!

We had a meal at the Old Tavern of Psaras. Once again, clean and fresh flavors!

beef w/ eggplant

lamb and potatoes

The Corinth Canal was beautiful! I was lucky enough to catch a boat passing through.

We explored Ancient Corinth and Mycenae. It’s extraordinary how well everything was preserved!

Anddddd we stuffed our faces once again!

grilled ocotpus

okra and tomatoes

calamari

open souvlaki

bakaliaros – fried salted cod

We visited Epidarus and there was a castle at the very top!

The Epdarus Theatre was huge! I got a good workout in just climbing all those steps.

Next we drove around and visited some monasteries. They were so beautiful!This was the monastery where James Bond was filmed!We went island hopping to Hydra, Poros and Aegina. It was very different from Athens and a lot less congested.

Our first stop was Hydra, meaning water, was surrounded by beautiful water! It’s very close to Athens and the interesting thing is they don’t have cars!Our next stop was Poros. You can get a great panoramic view from the Clock Tower.Our final stop was Aegina! One of the best landmarks is the Cathedral of Saint Nectarios of Aegina! Another must see is a pistachio farm! The pistachio ice cream was the best way to end the tour.