Maps are for the weak.

Visited: Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Costa Rica, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France (including French Polynesia), Germany,Greece, Italy,  Japan,  Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, Panama, Peru, Portugal, Russia, Switzerland,Sweden, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States To go: Afghanistan Albania Algeria Andorra Angola Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Armenia Australia Azerbaijan Bahamas Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belarus Belize Benin Bhutan Bolivia  Botswana Brazil Brunei Bulgaria Burkina Faso Burundi Cambodia Cameroon Canada Cape Verde Central African Republic Chad Chile China Colombia Comoros, Cote d'Ivoire Croatia Cuba Cyprus Czech Republic Democratic Republic of the Congo Djibouti Dominica Dominican Republic East Timor Ecuador Egypt El Salvador Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Ethiopia Fiji Gabon Gambia Georgia G

Whenever you travel there is always that one food you miss terribly. Often, it is something you wouldn't necessarily want all that often but now that you can't have it you want it constantly.  My food cravings tend to be breakfast items. I enjoy the odd pancake at home (although, more often than not I like them for dinner instead of breakfast), but once I'm on the road I crave them incessantly. The thick doughy goodness of American breakfasts fills my empty ache for home. So you can imagine my delight when we walked around my Istanbul neighborhood and I saw several nearby places advertising waffles. Neon signs! Pictures of bright green kiwi toppings! Whipped cream! I filled my head with plans to eat one every day . Every single day until I never wanted a waffle again. Alas, there is apparently some secret of the waffle I do not understand. It all started on Monday when I eagerly went into the nearest waffle place (which is quite literally next door) for breakfast.

Well, we have landed safely in Istanbul. And all I can say is - WOW. It's absolutely beautiful and hectic and I'm in love. Hagia Sophia Blue Mosque Beyoğlu, Istanbul   View over to the Asian side View from bridge crossing the Golden Horn Crossing Golden Horn again Inside the Hagia Sophia

Jesucristo is always watching Bay at Ilo Where all the yummy avocados and cherimoyas grow!

While I recover from a ridiculously long trip home, I figured I'd give you some pretties to look at. Click on the images to see the big versions. Boats in bay of Ilo, Peru Moquegua, Peru Moquegua, Peru  Fields along Rio Moquegua

I've already written about  Arequipa's convent , but I figured it deserved a bigger post. Began in the late 1500's, the convent was originally built to house nuns (and their servants) from the upper-class of Peru. Over the following 4 centuries, the complex eventually became a small city within the center of Arequipa, boasting a maze of rooms, streets, chapels, kitchens and beautiful gardens. However, while a few nuns still live there today, they now occupy only the northern corner. The rest of the convent has been turned into a beautiful public museum. FOR YOU! The museum is inexpensive (about $10) and laid back. You are free to wander around for as long as you want, but I believe there are guides too. Inside there is also a cafe and gift shop selling religious objects, although I have to admit I haven't really checked these out fully. Oh, and as a bonus: I've even see advertisements for special night-time tours (I can only imagine how breath-taking/roma