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AFAR|March/April 2017Where Are You From?THAT’S OFTEN ONE OF THE FIRST things we’re asked as travelers. I don’t have just one answer. Oklahoma, where I was born? Arizona, where I lived most of my life? California, where I pay my taxes? San Francisco and New York, the two cities I bounce between each month? Or maybe simply the United States? “I’m a citizen of the world,” was the answer reportedly given by ancient Greek philosopher Diogenes. I’d probably get some funny looks if I said that, but I do consider myself a global citizen. If you’re reading this, you might consider yourself one, too. And you’ve probably learned what I have: The more we travel, the more we realize how much we have in common with our fellow humans and how dependent we are on…2 min
AFAR|March/April 2017REYKJAVÍK’S MEMORY LANEA STEEPLE with A VIEW The standout silhouette in Reykjavík’s skyline, Hallgrímskirkja is the modernist triumph of Icelandic architect Guðjón Samúelsson. Pop inside the church’s great white hall for a concert or take an elevator to the top of the tower for the ultimate panoramic view of the city. Hallgrímstorg 101 SMOKY GOURMENT Inside the cozy, wood-and-leather decorated walls of Kol Restaurant, chef Kári Þorsteinsson conjures Viking-era flavors in Nordic comfort foods with an Icelandic twist, including braised ox, duck-fat soaked and deep-fried potatoes, and grand platters of fresh fruits de mer. Skólavörðustígur 40 JUST LIKE GRANDMA KNITTED Skip the tourist shop imports and hunt for handmade knitwear at the Handknitting Association of Iceland. “Traditional Icelandic sweaters are knit using yarn made from undyed sheep’s wool—brown, black, gray, and white—in…2 min
AFAR|March/April 2017Peak AttractionCape Town’s Table Mountain National Park, which hugs the perimeter of the city, is so popular that the line for the cable car to the top can be longer than a queue for a Disneyland ride. But why stand in line when you can put your feet to use? There are several routes that lead to the top of the 3,562-foot, flat-topped mountain, including the two-mile Platteklip Gorge trail. Yes, it’s steep, but startling views of the city and the Atlantic await. Trek, get hungry, then picnic on local provisions—crackers, Dutch-style Gouda, and biltong, the thick-sliced South African jerky—before riding the cable car back down.…1 min
AFAR|March/April 2017Namibia Discovers SeafoodI’VE EATEN BIVALVES in France, on the Chesapeake Bay, along Florida’s Gulf Coast, and in trendy Seattle oyster bars where I’ve blown my meager paychecks on the ephemeral pleasures of Washington Kumamotos and Quilcenes. During those moments, an oyster’s raw, creamy brine is the only sensation I know, and it’s bigger than mere food: It’s the entirety of the ocean in my mouth. Once it dissipates, I’ll open my wallet to the wind just to feel it again. So when I saw local Walvis Bay oysters on the menu at a restaurant in the Namibian coastal town of Swakopmund, I was surprised, but I ordered them without hesitation. Nothing in my lifetime of oyster chasing prepared me for what I discovered that night: shellfish so sweet and rich, it tasted…3 min
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Page 1440 – Christianity TodayAFAR|March/April 2017DISPATCH PARADISE FOUNDI tapped into the spiritual magic of the city of Ubud on a recent trip to Bali, thanks to the new Mandapa, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve, located a 10-minute drive out of town. A stroll through a working rice paddy and past an ancient temple led me to my villa, one of 25 on the Ayung River. From my private pool, I watched as a wall of riverside vegetation undulated with the breeze, my idyll occasionally punctuated by the shouts of passing rafting groups. On a more exploratory day, a tour in the resort’s vintage Volkswagen 181 convertible took me to a purification ceremony at the Tirta Empul water temple. I spent evenings in Mandapa’s spa, where a blind healer steered me away from bad energy, and Indah, my Balinese masseuse,…1 min
AFAR|March/April 2017THE CULTURE SPONGEEXPAT FILE NO. 2 ONE DAY SEVERAL years ago, I was walking home with a baguette still warm from the oven under my arm. It was a sunny morning in Madrid, and in the few blocks that separated the bakery from my apartment, I passed the dim bar where an elderly man stood staring into his 11 a.m. beer; the market where a pair of Pekingese waited patiently for their owner to emerge; the kiosk where Manuel handed me my paper of choice every day without asking. It was in every way a normal morning, or at least it was until I decided to do the unthinkable. Feeling peckish, I broke off a heel from the loaf and began to snack. Almost immediately, I got my comeuppance. Watching me as…3 min
AFAR|March/April 2017THE HOTEL BRATEXPAT FILE NO. 5 THE RICE COOKER I own is a dinged-up workhorse, its insides browned from years of use. Thanks to my dad’s hotelier career, that rice cooker followed my family into a string of hotels in Asia and the United States that we called home; it was the one constant in every new en suite kitchen. What changed were the things we put on our rice: vinegary chicken adobo in the Philippines, sweet and smoky lap cheong sausage in Hong Kong, or spicy beef rendang in Singapore. The nightly duty of washing rice, one of my Japanese American mom’s tasks as a girl growing up in Hawaii, became our own family ritual. She swore we would live a normal existence, with chores and home-cooked meals, even if room…1 min
AFAR|March/April 2017THE POLYGLOTEXPAT FILE NO. 7 I’VE BEEN fascinated by language ever since I was a child, growing up in Nigeria amidst more than 250 tribes and their unique dialects. I taught myself Italian (which has waned over time), struggled with German, and studied Spanish at university. When I arrived on Sweden’s shores seven years ago, newly married to a Swede, I knew I needed to learn the language as deeply as I could. Though most Swedes speak English, cracking their hard outer shell can take years. Here, friendships date back to childhood and compliments are rare. Mastering the subtle nuances of the language was the hammer I needed to start chipping away. I enrolled in free Swedish classes offered to immigrants. And while it was challenging to learn how to properly…2 min
AFAR|March/April 2017THE RETIREESEXPAT FILE NO. 9 WE WERE LIKE most couples back in the States: workaholics. But we traveled a lot when we were younger and knew we wanted to retire overseas. Each time we went on a trip, it got tougher to come home. We decided to retire sooner rather than later. We were 55 and 49 when we moved to Nicaragua in 2006. For us, retiring abroad was largely a financial decision. Health insurance in the United States would have eaten up our pension. These days, we pay as we go. It’s that cheap. A doctor’s visit is $17, and you don’t need a prescription for anything but narcotics. Hospitals are of North American quality. And the doctors are not only great, they’re accessible. They’ll give you their home number…2 min
AFAR|March/April 2017WHAT TO READ BEFORE YOU GOIn a country where pubs are named after playwrights and festivals celebrate poets, the literary tradition is gloriously unavoidable. These reads make good travel companions. —maggie fuller The Wanderings of Oisin and Other Poems by William Butler Yeats The first collection of Yeats’s poetry exemplifies his interest in mythology and romanticism. The title epic helped establish his reputation. The Country Girls by Edna O’Brien Banned upon publication, the controversial coming-of-age novel follows two childhood friends from bleak, rural Ireland as they navigate the repressive society of 1950s Dublin. The Countess Kathleen and Various Legends and Lyrics by William Butler Yeats Yeats’s love for Sligo influenced his second poetry collection. “The Lake Isle of Innisfree” is a classic example of the Celtic Revival style, which strove to be uniquely Irish in…1 min
AFAR|March/April 2017DREAMSCAPES“All the images out there of refugee kids are the same,” says photographer Patrick Willocq. “Google it, and you’ll find so many photos of dirty, crying kids. I wanted to break away from that and give them back their dignity.” Last year, Willocq visited refugee camps in Tanzania and Lebanon on assignment for Save the Children, the humanitarian group. First, Willocq spent five days in each camp playing with the kids, coloring, and talking about life in the camps, their lives back home, and their dreams for the future. Then, Willocq and his team returned to each settlement for 12-day stints. With the help of adults from the camps and refugee children (whose names have been changed), the team built sets depicting scenes from these conversations, using props made from…3 min
AFAR|March/April 2017It’s Time to Go FartherI’LL NEVER FORGET receiving my roommate assignment the summer before my freshman year of college. Sitting on my family’s front porch in Berkeley, California, I tore open the envelope and there it was: Anna from Paris. I couldn’t believe my luck. Visions of spring breaks spent gallivanting around Europe filled my head. I had been to France once as a child and had fantasized about returning ever since. Anna didn’t disappoint. Born in Italy, she had also lived in France and Miami before coming to New York for college. Because she had attended international schools, she knew people from all over the globe. At 18, her worldview seemed vast and sophisticated compared to mine. We quickly became friends and did in fact spend school breaks exploring Italy, France, and even…1 min
AFAR|March/April 2017KNOCK ON WOODImagine booking your next Airbnb stay—with an entire town as your host. That’s the idea behind Yoshino Cedar House, the home-sharing site’s first-ever guesthouse, set along a river 65 miles south of Kyoto in rural Yoshino, a town surrounded by the cedar forests of Japan’s Nara prefecture. Yoshino Cedar House is the inaugural project from Airbnb’s new Samara design and innovation studio, created by cofounder Joe Gebbia to explore the company’s next frontier of service offerings. Part guest lodgings, part community center, the building was designed to boost the town’s economy and support the aging, dwindling population, a common demographic in rural Japanese communities. Locals manage the house, and profits stay within the community. The project started as an exhibit in Tokyo before the structure was permanently installed in Yoshino,…1 min
AFAR|March/April 2017Cape Town on $100 a DayR30 ($2)Tour of the historical District Six Museum R48 ($3.50)Boerie sausage roll from Gourmet Boerie From R125 ($9)Concert at the Kirstenbosch gardens From R418 ($30)One-bedroom house on Airbnb From R767 ($55)Lavish dinner for two at Chef’s Warehouse…1 min
AFAR|March/April 2017State of the ArtTHE WATERSHED DESIGN MARKET With more than 150 stalls, the cavernous market is made for omnivorous art lovers. Look for Simple Intrigue, where artist Keri Muller displays her whimsical book sculptures. waterfront.co.za WOODSTOCK CREATIVE TOUR World-renowned street artist Faith47 is based in Cape Town. See some of her masterpieces on a tour of the Woodstock district with Juma Mkwela of Township Art Tours. townshiparttours.co.za WORLDART GALLERY Founder Charl Bezuidenhout showcases provocative emerging artists such as Khaya Witbooi, a former newspaper illustrator who now produces politically inclined pop art paintings. worldart.co.za Plan your trip at afar.com/visit/capetown.…1 min
AFAR|March/April 2017The Hostel, 2.0Hostel Takeover What do you get when you take the playfulness of a hostel and add a dose of sophistication? These five new lodging options. Plus: a new retreat in Bali that will cure whatever ails you. 1 Generator 12 LOCATIONS IN EUROPE Launched in London in 2007, Generator has grown at a steady clip, expanding into 11 European cities. The focus is on prime locations (Canal St. Martin in Paris, for instance), inspired design (300 lanterns hang from the ceiling of the bar in the Generator Barcelona), and inviting spaces that are part of the social life of the neighborhood (a latenight speakeasy in Amsterdam). The latest addition: the 75-room Generator Rome, whose rooftop terrace offers panoramic views of the city. The first Generator in the United States will…3 min
AFAR|March/April 2017You’re a Brave GirlPOSTCARD 1 The Hammam I WAS NAKED EXCEPT FOR A PAIR of granny panties that were soaking wet and riding up uncomfortably as I flopped on the hammam’s smooth white floor. My body was covered in what looked, and felt, like bicycle chain grease, goopy and the color of petroleum. But the smell was faintly herbal and the air was thick with steam. A sturdy, middle- aged woman, also wearing only underwear, manhandled my clueless body into position— tugging an arm here, pushing a leg there on the Moroccan tadelakt plaster. She scrubbed with such force that my skin tingled, then burned, then became increasingly numb to the near-scalding water she delivered in sharp, shallow flicks. I felt like a fish being filleted. But through the heat and exhaustion, the…12 min
AFAR|March/April 2017THE GLOBAL DADEXPAT FILE NO. 3 THE FIRST STEP is the hardest. It took months of preparation for my American family of four to relocate from New York City to London in 2011. Storage, bank accounts, taxes, schools—we had a never-ending list of chores. But the next step is always easier. Moving from London to Singapore a year later was a snap: buying one-way tickets, renting an apartment online, changing SIM cards. Five years on, we’re not just expats but “perma-pats,” joining the nearly 9 million Americans who live abroad, many chasing opportunity rather than longing for home. We’ve got plans for mini sabbaticals in Berlin, Dubai, and San Francisco. Our goal is to live in a different city every year or two. It has become impossible to imagine our two kids…2 min
AFAR|March/April 2017PROMOTIONThe Nantucket Project (TNP) strives to make this possibility a reality. Its gatherings attract a small group of curious people eager to delve deep into compelling stories and issues. They congregate on Nantucket each fall, after the tourists have packed up and as the island takes on a starker, wilder beauty. Over four days that feel like camp for grown-ups, 400 TNP attendees take part in thought-provoking presentations and conversations, broken up by music, art, and comedy interludes. Speakers and performers have included Tony Blair, Steve Wozniak, Julie Taymor, Paul Giamatti, John McCain, Eve Ensler, Norman Lear, Hope Solo, and Neil Young. It's an eclectic mix, but they are all asked to take the stage in the same spirit: to shake up your perceptions and inspire you with possibilities. How…1 min
AFAR|March/April 2017Ready to Ship Out?C’MON OVER! TAIWAN Of the 67 countries surveyed, Taiwan took top honors in the quality-of-life department. Expats report feeling safe and pleased with their work-life balance. MALTA The Mediterranean nation scored well for its sunny climate, hospitable locals, cheap housing, and welcoming environment for entrepreneurs. ECUADOR Though the country has recently suffered through tough economic times, Ecuador is consistently top-rated thanks to its quality health care and low cost of housing. THINK ABOUT IT NEW ZEALAND Kiwi-wannabes enjoy a strong job market, a clean environment, and lots of leisure activities. But making friends is tough, as is dealing with the geographic isolation. ITALY Expats report shorter workweeks, heavenly food, and outstanding beaches. But high taxes and the continuing economic crisis are major downsides. INDONESIA The beaches are stunning and the…1 min
AFAR|March/April 2017What $2,000 a Month Buys You Around the WorldNEW YORK CITY Old-school charm abounds in this studio walk-up on the Upper East Side: arched doorways, hardwood floors, decorative fireplace. But living quarters are cramped, and the kitchen—with its minifridge—is nanoscopic. THE NETHERLANDS A three-bedroom, 1,356- square-foot duplex on the two upper floors of a historic canal-front mansion in the town of Utrecht also offers a spacious balcony where you can relax and watch the boats go by. JAPAN It’s a tight squeeze, but at least this 314-square-foot, onebedroom tower apartment comes with a ninth-floor balcony and a walk-in closet. Plus, it’s located in Tokyo’s nightclub-saturated Roppongi district. TANZANIA A furnished three-bedroom, four-bath beachfront bungalow sits on 8.6 private acres in the seaside town of Kigoma. Selling points include a private terrace with an ocean view, garage, manicured garden,…1 min
AFAR|March/April 2017WHERE TO STAY, EAT, AND PLAY IN WEST IRELANDLocal pride runs deep in the region William Butler Yeats dubbed “The Land of Heart’s Desire.” Historic houses trace their lineage back generations, restaurant owners greet their suppliers by name, and the countryside begs to be explored along well-worn trails. —maggie fuller STAY Ashford CastleCong, Co. Mayo The recently refurbished castle, which dates back to 1228, is perhaps the finest hotel in Ireland. Antiques and art fill the 82 rooms and suites, and the surrounding 350 acres provide a playground where guests can try archery, falconry, and many other activities. From $330. Coopershill House Riverstown, Co. Sligo The stately house at Coopershill is straight out of a Georgian-era novel. Dainty-legged mahogany antiques and plush sofas furnish the eight bedrooms, and the 500-acre estate provides seasonal game and vegetables for dinner.…2 min
AFAR|March/April 2017a return to OAXACAmy wife and I got on a local bus like old times on the roof, rearranging pipes from the well so we could take a shower. We’d been kept awake all night by a farmhand who liked to sneak into our garden at 2 a.m., shitfaced on mezcal, and howl at the moon. and headed away from the tourist center of Oaxaca, in search of the house we’d lived in 18 years ago, when we were young and adventurous and stupid and thought that living in the mountains of southern Mexico with a 20-yearold Volvo was a good idea—an inspired one, in fact. In this house, we had been stung by multiple scorpions. We’d almost died from a gas leak. We’d spent a great deal of time Now, simply taking…15 min
AFAR|March/April 2017CONTRIBUTORSERIC PUCHNERWriter A Return to Oaxacap.96 On taking chances: “My wife and I talk about our life in Oaxaca as a trial by fire. We moved with rudimentary language skills and a nearly broken-down car, and we lived together for the first time. We’ve been together ever since, so I’d recommend it!” Mexico today: “It’s weird to think about the Mexico that I know and compare it to the negative version we see in American news and politics. The discrepancy motivated me to visit again and see it as I remember it.” JOONEY WOODWARDPhotographer The Other Sidep.76 Rain or shine: “It was pouring during the majority of my time in Ireland. Once, I got out of the car with an umbrella to get a shot, and the umbrella nearly broke…2 min
AFAR|March/April 2017CAPE TOWN CALLINGHow to Weekend in the Winelands To get the full measure of Cape Town’s mountain-ringed winelands, give yourself at least two days. Private, all-day tours are available, but renting a car allows you to meander as you please. And the three-town triangle of Stellenbosch, Franschhoek, and Paarl is full of pleasures. Paarl-based Babylonstoren, with its glass-and-steel tasting room, edible garden, and Cape Dutch cottages, remains the most romantic place to spend your first night. Babel, the on-site restaurant, is a stunner, but for an unrivaled farm-to-fork meal, book the Table at the nearby De Meye wine farm. Chef Jessica Shepherd creates family-style dishes out of produce grown on-site and serves them at wooden tables beneath a canopy of trees. On day two, start early to try wines at a cluster…1 min
AFAR|March/April 2017Neighborhood to Stroll: TamboerskloofSlated to open in March, the veggie-focused SUNNY SIDE will sound out Adam Whiteman's restaurant empire. 1 POWER UP It’s easy to spend a day at The Power & the Glory, run by restaurateur Adam Whiteman. Mornings bring the city’s best flat white;
AFAR|March/April 2017TIME TO PLAY1 Baltimore The city’s empty industrial spaces are buzzing with new energy these days. The 50,000-square-foot food hall R. House, once an auto shop, rolled open its garage doors in December with seven restaurants, a café, an ice cream shop, and a bar. Early this year, West Coast hotel brand Pendry opens its first eastern outpost on Fell’s Point Recreation Pier. The 1914 building was originally a dance hall and social hub for Baltimore’s immigrants, and the former ballroom will now become a banquet space. The whole city is easier than ever to explore after the October launch of a 24/7 bike share program with a fleet of both eight-gear and electric-assist rides. 2 Telluride The ski town is shaking its image as a hard-to-reach destination with more frequent nonstop…2 min
AFAR|March/April 2017ARABIAN SIGHTS“Before we started the d3 project in 2012, we were hearing from tourists that it was hard to access work originating here. “In November 2015, we completed the first phase of the district: 2 million square feet of space with concept and niche shops, galleries, and workshops for artists, including the product designer Aljoud Lootah.” (Her “Oru” chair is pictured below.) “We’re still moving in, though people can visit. The second phase—a mix of ateliers, workshops, and retail space—will be in place in 2019. When complete, the district will be a meeting zone for design enthusiasts and practitioners from all over the world and the Arab region in particular. We want creative people to collaborate, vibe off each other, and ultimately establish a new design vernacular. And it’s completely accessible…1 min
AFAR|March/April 2017THE EXPAT FILESTHE SEA DOG Magazine-editor-turned-mariner Amy Paulsen squeezed her family of four onto a sailboat (twice!) and let the winds guide their adventures. What they found in Barcelona, however, was a reason to stay put. —AS TOLD TO ANDREW PARKS EXPAT FILE NO. 1 MY HUSBAND AND I are big fans of quitting our jobs; we ditched “real life” twice to live on a boat. The first time, when my daughters were 11 and 7, we sailed from the Chesapeake Bay to the Bahamas. We hopped from island to island for 11 months, homeschooling our kids along the way. Five years later, we sold our townhouse in New York and had a boat custombuilt and shipped to Mallorca. We had no idea how long we would be abroad, but we stayed…2 min
AFAR|March/April 2017THE ENTREPRENEUREXPAT FILE NO. 4 IN 2004, I CAME to Argentina for what I thought would be a three-week vacation. I needed a break after working as a consultant on the John Kerry campaign. We lost, of course. At that point, I couldn’t imagine living outside the United States. But Argentina struck me on a deep level. It was spectacularly beautiful, and the people were warm and welcoming. So I figured, I’ll stay for six months. It’ll be a great adventure. I’ll learn Spanish, have a good time, then go back to the States. As a wine nut, I wanted to visit Mendoza. I went to a tasting in Buenos Aires and asked the sommelier if she knew anyone in Mendoza. She connected me with winemaker Pablo Giménez Riili. We met…2 min
AFAR|March/April 2017THE HUMANITARIANEXPAT FILE NO. 6 I DOCUMENT HUMAN stories in some of the world’s most remote and misunderstood locations and cultures. I have lived abroad for nearly 17 years and called a dozen countries home. Now I’m back in Afghanistan. When nonprofit organizations contract me to document the work they do, some give me insurance, medical coverage, and kidnapping protection. When I’m not with them, I take care of all that myself and know that if I get kidnapped, I’m on my own. It’s more difficult, but I have a lot of freedom. I can travel where I want and choose where I live without meeting the security standards imposed by NGOs. I need that flexibility to tell the best stories. The last time I was in Kabul, I had my…3 min
AFAR|March/April 2017THE FOREIGN SERVICE MAMAEXPAT FILE NO. 8 WE’RE DRIVING A minivan with a Space Shuttle bumper sticker: three children, one husband, and my visiting sister. The kids squirm in the backseat. Everyone’s hungry. It’s Saturday in Istanbul, our fourth Foreign Service home in seven years. I turn onto a narrow street, heading to our usual parking lot near the Grand Bazaar. A few ablas (sisters) in their bright hijabs walk in front of us, bags full of lemons and pomegranates. I turn into a current of carts that are pushed by men peddling copper wire and knife sharpeners. I stop. Is this a oneway street? Is this even a street? I thought I remembered. This doesn’t look right. The car behind me honks a long, irritated honk. More men cross the street, balancing…3 min
AFAR|March/April 2017The Other SideTHE LEVEL OF TURBULENCE WAS HIGH FOR A HOTEL ROOM. As the late afternoon wind howled up from the white-capped bay, the rain-lashed window rattled in its frame, the pipes in the bathroom groaned, and periodically the building itself gave an overwrought shudder. It had been a long day. Then again it had been a long month, arguably a long year. I brushed my teeth at the old sink, pulled on every piece of warm clothing from my bag and started walking. I set out from a grassy bluff above Clew Bay, where the Mulranny Park Hotel has sat for more than a century. Evidence of time’s passage was scant. It could’ve been yesterday that these parts were ruled by Grace O’Malley, the swaggering 16th-century chieftain and Ireland’s so-called Pirate…12 min
