Barcelona, Spain

On my first night in Johannesburg, I had dinner with my boyfriend and his co-worker, who lives in the US but travels to a different country almost weekly.  We were enthralled by his stories of world travel, and curiously we asked him what was his all-time favorite place.  With no hesitation he answered, "Barcelona."  Spain.  Boom.  I could not agree more.  Although my view of the world is comparitavely limited, it's my favorite as well, and since this conversation I've been reminiscing about my trip there in 2006.



The photo above is the best way to describe my visit.  Pure joy.  I love Barca for the culture, food, people, location (beaches!), architecture, history...

Frankfurt, Germany

Greetings from Johannesburg, South Africa!  It took almost two days, but I'm finally here and enjoying their winter weather in August.  On the way, I had a long layover in Frankfurt.  I've never been to Germany before, so I was excited to explore!  (Travel tip: If you're traveling with carry-on bags and you don't want to haul them around during a layover, some airports- like Frankfurt- offer bag drop service for a nominal fee.)



Frankfurt has an excellent public transportation system which I would have used if I was staying longer.  You can get on the S-Bahn at the airport and it will take you to the city center in minutes.  I hailed a taxi at the airport because I didn't want to waste time potentailly getting lost.  My driver was very helpful and told me about the best ways to get around and what to see.

Life in Instagram

Hey fellow nomads!  Just for fun, here are some pics from Instagram taken over the past few weeks.  Follow me @theglamnomad!

Bluebonnet Trails

"The bluebonnet is to Texas what the shamrock is to Ireland, the cherry blossom to Japan, the lily to France, the rose to England and the tulip to Holland." -Jack Maguire, historian

Bluebonnets are the Stetson hats of the flower world.  They are distinctly Texan.  The arrival of bluebonnets announces the coming of spring here, which came a little early this year.  Fine by me!



Yesterday I dragged my bf to the Ennis Bluebonnet Trails Festival.   It's a short drive (about 45 miles) outside of Dallas.  Ennis has been deemed the "Official Bluebonnet City of Texas" and boasts over 40 miles of mapped bluebonnet trails surrounding the city.  These trails are the oldest in the state and attract tens of thousands of visitors each year.

Trip to Minnesota

Spring arrived early here in Texas, so I'm anticipating the heat to follow soon.  Last summer was the hottest I've ever experienced.  Fortunately, I got a little respite from the sweltering Texas heat last August when I visited my brother in International Falls, Minnesota.  It's the northern-most town in the United States. Canada is literally in its backyard.

Easter Weekend Projects

Happy Easter y'all!  I spent this weekend hanging out with family in Oklahoma.  It's pretty low key up here, which is nice for a change!  I hit up a couple of thrift stores near my parents' home and found some great items!  I love buying second-hand.  It keeps old threads out of the landfill and allows me to get creative.  When thrifting, you have to know what you want since there are no advertisements or displays in the store to
controlguide you.

I found a very large yellow, linen skirt that I was able to alter into a little peplum number.  That paired with a Shelli Segal top from 1995 made a cute Easter outfit!



Before

Chicago

Chicago  is a special place to me.  The first time I ever purchased my own plane ticket, it was for a trip to the Windy City to visit my bestie who went to the University of Chicago.  (Smarty pants.)  When I started my stint in the travel industry five years ago, I took advantage of my stand-by airline benefits to visit her often.  She has since moved to London, but now work brings me back a couple of times a year, and it's always a treat!