April 2020 – Bri Right Back

What to do when everything but your wanderlust is canceled

April 29, 2020 Brirightback

First off, and most importantly, I hope everyone is safe and healthy at home during this time of uncertainty. Hopefully, everyone’s sacrifice will be paying off soon and we can all resume our usual activities. Thank you to everyone that’s keeping the world running!

We’re in the midst of a pandemic and that is giving me way too much free time to yearn for more traveling. It’s been just about a year since I set off on my first solo European backpacking trip and I know the memories popping up on my social media are going to continue to tease me throughout this quarantine. While it’s certainly not the time to travel, all this time at home is the ideal time to plan your next adventure.

So I want to share some of my favorite shows that have helped when I miss traveling and gave me some ideas for future trips.

Master of None (Netflix): This show is an awesome take on modern dating and, during the second season partially set in Italy, features Aziz Ansari enjoying so much Italian food and culture. If these episodes don’t make you want to book the next flight to Italy, I honestly don’t know what will.

Idiot Abroad: Ricky Gervais sends his friend Karl Pilkington to various destinations, despite his total lack of interest. If you’re someone who has trouble getting out of your comfort zone, you will be relieved that you are still way more open to new experiences than he is.

Something tells me Karl’s loving the lockdown

Conan Without Borders (Netflix): The late-night host explores several countries in this 10-episode season. The Italy episode is a must-see but the whole season will not disappoint.

Departures: I watched this Canadian show where three friends go on a year-long backpacking journey before I went on my Eurotrip. It’s beautifully shot and they visit some amazing destinations. You can watch it here on Youtube. I’d also recommend following the boys on instagram, especially cinematographer Andre Dupuis (@andre_dupuis). His photos are unreal.

Dark Tourist (Netflix): If you like to travel off the beaten path or enjoy anything creepy or weird, this will be your jam. Journalist David Farrier visits the morbid and strange corners of the world.

Ugly Delicious (Netflix): This is one of several shows that will make you want to travel just to eat. Be prepared to be inspired to cook in the meantime.

Travel Man: British Actor Richard Ayoade makes the most of 48 hours visiting cities with a guest. Super funny and shows the viewer exactly where to go and how much they should expect to spend.

Jack Whitehall: Travels With My Father (Netflix): If you’ve ever been on a trip with someone who has a very different travel style from yours, this show is for you. Stand-up comedian Jack Whitehall brings his father along for his adventures and they do not share the same ideal travel experience. Hilarity ensues.

I’ve also been watching a lot of stand-up comedy to pass the time and combat the sadness of being in isolation.

Here’s a list of recommendations: (Netflix)

James Acaster: Repertoire. Four specials, all of them fantastic.
John Mulaney: Just watch anything he is involved with. He’s a national treasure.
Bert Kreischer: Both specials will make you wish you were isolating with him and his wacky family.
Maria Bamford: The Special Special Special, which was recorded in her living room with her parents as the only audience. Quarantine vibes for sure.
Neal Brennan: 3 Mics. You’ll laugh and cry, so well-written.
Joe Mande‘s Award-Winning Comedy Special. I saw him perform this set in NYC. He’s hilarious.
Marc Maron: He has a few great specials on Netflix. Witty, cynical, and justtt a bit neurotic.
Matt Braunger: This guy should be a household name. (Comedy Central, Amazon Prime).
Eddie Pepitone: In Ruins. One of my all-time favorite specials. (Tubi).
John Oliver’s New York Stand-Up Show: John Oliver hosts and several stand-up comedians perform. (Amazon Prime).

That’s all for now! Stay safe and entertained in quarantine!

The Girl who went to Paris… and Lyon

April 20, 2020April 20, 2020 Brirightback

Paris! The city of love! In a super fun turn of events, Paris was my first stop after a breakup. What could go wrong, right?

This was not my first time in Paris. I had visited for a few days once before and it coincided with a terrible loss in my life. Feeling like I missed out on experiencing the beauty of this city previously, I was determined to redeem this place in my mind. Thanks to the amazing people I met while visiting Paris, I ended up having the best time.

I stayed at St. Christopher’s Paris Canal Hostel. It wasn’t exactly central, but the location near the canal was really nice. It had a bar and club, along with different events each night so it had a very social feel to it. There was a mojito making class and a big beer pong competition while I was staying there. Those are the only ones I remember because I’m pretty sure I left quite a few critical brain cells in Paris. One tip that I learned is to book directly through their website, rather than through the HostelWorld app, to receive free breakfasts during your stay. That’s something that can be good to check up on no matter where you’re planning to stay.

Paris seemed like it would be the perfect place to be boujee and book a photo shoot with AirBnb Experiences. I was nervous but Julia, the photographer, put me completely at ease and got some great shots while showing me some parts of Paris I might not have seen on my own. A majority of my sightseeing was while taking these photos so the experience was very quick but we covered a lot of ground in a short amount of time.

While in town, I saw the Arc de Triomphe, Champs Elysees, and the Trocadero (an excellent spot to get photos in front of the Eiffel Tower.) I found Paris to be very walkable but a lot of points of interest are a bit of a hike away from each other. The metro was pretty easy to navigate. Just don’t make my mistake and buy a metro pass that works for all the zones when you only need the central ones. I was rushing because I didn’t want to look like a clueless tourist and ended up overspending (like a clueless, albeit polite tourist). Before you buy the pass, do some research on where you plan to go and that will help you choose the right one for you.

During this trip, I was able to see the Eiffel Tour during the day for the first time. I’d recommend seeing it during day and night. The tower has a light show every hour from sunset until two in the morning during summer. Bring some wine and a blanket and watch the show. If you forget drinks, there will be people selling them (rather aggressively at times), so make sure you have some cash. One of my favorite memories in Paris is sitting with all my new friends mesmerized by the lights and haggling with wine vendors.

Everyone always says my mind’s in the gutter

Paris was exactly what I needed and while it’s not on the top of my list of favorite places, I would definitely return there. If and when I go back, I promise to be a better food blogger and eat something besides drunken kebab meals in the early hours of the morning. As you can see, there is photographic evidence of me eating a croissant. Very French. I tried.

I was very glad I chose Lyon as my next destination. I arrived there on an insanely delayed bus and, thanks to the kindness of a fellow traveler, was able to get to my hostel without much hassle despite getting to town around three in the morning. It was chill enough in Lyon that in just a couple days, I was able to recuperate from my partying in Paris. I can’t say I accomplished very much but the food was delicious. The burritos at So Food were fantastic- they had melted cheese on top and fries inside. What more could you ask for?

Fries in the burrito and on the side? Sold.

I’d love to return to Lyon one day and see more of what this beautiful city has in store when it isn’t just a quick stop. Next up will be Naples, Italy! I have a feeling the pizza will be worth the eighteen-hour bus journey.

Exploring Porto: Peacocks and obviously more Pasteis de Nata

April 9, 2020April 10, 2020 Brirightback

I knew only seeing Lisbon would not be nearly enough Portugal for me, so I headed to Porto. I didn’t know it at the time but there was a big football game during my stay. It made for a loud couple of nights near the hostel. Luckily the fans weren’t getting as crazy as the ones I encountered in Madrid.

One of my first stops was Manteigaria for pasteis de nata since I’d exhausted my supply on the three hour journey over. They were just as delicious as in Lisbon.

I set out kind of aimlessly to check out the sights in Porto and was fortunate to stumble upon the Miradouro da Vitória. This was a nice viewpoint that overlooks the Dom Luís I Bridge. It was a little hidden but there’s a small sign. The best part: it’s free unlike other viewpoints in the city!

You’ll find beautiful blue and white tile work on the Igreja de Carmo and lots of other buildings you’ll encounter in Porto.

I’d recommend checking out the baroque architecture of Clérigos Church and really paying attention to the amazing amount of detail that went into this structure.

Visiting the Jardins do Palacio de Cristal was easily one of my favorite parts of my trip. The reason for that is almost entirely peacock-related. While the gardens were very nice, I really just followed peacocks around for a couple hours (which will now be made very obvious since they’re basically in all the following photos). No regrets.

Seeing the gardens was well worth the very long walk from the center of town.

One place I didn’t get the chance to see was the Livraria Lello, a bookstore that was inspiration for J.K. Rowling. So if you’re a Potter fan, definitely reserve a spot early if that’s on your list!

I really enjoyed seeing what Porto had to offer, and feeling ten pounds heavier from the delicious desserts, I continued on and caught my flight to Paris!