The coconut is to a Carioca* what the baguette is to a Parisian. Okay, well, not quite. Rio de Janeiro’s locals don’t cycle along Ipanema beach with a coconut under their arm, nor will you see them munching into one (ouch!) as they walk home from work. But like the baguette in Paris the coconut … Read more
One of the first things we do when we arrive at a new destination is explore our neighbourhood. Despite having done the long haul down to Rio de Janeiro from Costa Rica via Miami, it didn’t take us long to get out the door and down to the famous Ipanema beach. Our Ipanema apartment is … Read more
Meeting locals when you travel has long been the most satisfying part of our travels, no more so than during the yearlong grand tour that launched Grantourismo. Not seeing the Sagrada Familia, the Eiffel Tower, the Empire State Building, or any other iconic monument or major sight. But engaging with people, because meeting locals is … Read more
Austin is known as the USA’s live music capital but this arty, laidback city also has a flourishing film scene. In fact, for film-types like myself, it was an indie movie, Richard Linklater‘s Slacker, about a day in the life of 20-something Austin Gen X-ers, that put the city on the map. Successful Austin-based directors include Terrence Malick … Read more
Everywhere we look in Austin, there are signs. Some are vintage signs that remind us of the neon signs we saw illuminating motels and diners on a Route 66 road trip we did years ago – like the original, iconic Austin Motel sign installed when the motel was built in 1938. Other Austin signs are modern and retro-inspired … Read more