48 posts

Vera Smirnova

California, USA Website

Italy: Getting Around

Visitors from abroad rarely spend all their vacations in Italy in one town. Italy is packed with historical and cultural attractions and it is quite tempting to take a look at and visit at least a couple (oftentimes five or six) places during one trip. One of my friends once
⸱ 8 minutes read

Wear sneakers on European trip and be in fashion!

At some point, gym shoes have become an apple of discord in the world of travel advisors. Those who call for blending with locals while traveling in Europe proclaim sneakers a big "no-no" and predict that all Europeans will look on you disapprovingly and laugh in your face,
⸱ 2 minutes read

Airplane travel tips and tricks

Hunting for airplane tickets and how to get comfortable during the flight. Getting ready for vacations abroad?  Then welcome to the tribe of ticket hunters! I am currently based in California, US, so my international travel tips will cover the situation when you travel from the US and back. Shopping
⸱ 7 minutes read

Packing for a travel: an ultimate guide

Summer is approaching and many suitcases are now being pulled into the daylight from storage rooms, attics and basements. Tickets are bought and hotels are booked. Long-awaited vacations are around the corner!  Now a good question arises: what to pack? Seasoned travelers probably have their own lists, and there are
⸱ 5 minutes read

City Of Flowers

Water pours down from the night sky as if from a shower faucet. We're standing on a narrow wooden balcony, arms outstretched with kitchen pots, collecting water for tea. The plumbing in the house has broken down. Heavy drops fall into the pots with a loud “ding!”, playing
⸱ 3 minutes read

The secrets of Parmesan

I recently went on a trip to Italy with my friends. The trip turned out to be wonderful: not lacking in adventure (a lot of funny things happened to us), and it also had some educational aspects (we learned a lot of interesting things there). For one, we learned how
⸱ 6 minutes read

Shopping Italian Way

I like to travel. In fact, sometimes it comes to my mind that while traveling, I feel somewhat more alive than when I am at home. (Not that I do not like my home, I do!) Maybe it is an unpredictability that drives me into it. Or, maybe my distant
⸱ 4 minutes read

Travel communications

People travel for a number of different reasons. They are interested in seeing various attractions, museums, foods, architecture, landscapes, nature, cultures, history and so on. But traveling is a complex activity, and one can't completely avoid interactions with locals. At least, not unless you stay in an all-inclusive
⸱ 4 minutes read

Cartagena: foodie guide

Colombian cuisine is a fusion of various South American,  Caribbean and European recipes.  It is less spicy than Mexican cuisine and you will see (and taste) a lot of seafood everywhere. Even for those who prefer meat over fish, I'd suggest to try freshly caught and wonderfully cooked
⸱ 3 minutes read
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