Europe – Bon-Bon Voyage

What to Expect on a Hammam (Turkish Bath) in Istanbul

BonBon April 16, 2024 Leave a Comment

We stumbled upon the enchanting world of Hammam during our adventures in Morocco a few years back, and boy, did it leave us spellbound! We did it with our kids (8 and 9 yr old), and the rejuvenating treatments captivated us, making us want to experience it again. So, while in Istanbul, we couldn’t pass up the opportunity to immerse ourselves in this age-old tradition once again. This time, why not go for a bit of history? So we dive into the legendary Hagia Sophia Hurrem Sultan Bathhouse or the Ayasofya Hurrem Sultan Hamami. It preserved its unique structure for 450 years, opened a new era in Turkish Bath architecture, and has the title of the first structure where women and men sections are on the same axis. Our experience was like stepping into history in a world of luxury and pampering fit for an emperor and/or empress!

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Our Journey to the Center of the Earth

BonBon December 13, 2018 19 Comments

Life is short, so why not take a plunge into a volcano “Joe versus the Volcano” style, if possible, right? Well… we don’t want to instantly burn up in a second, and we definitely don’t want to venture into a journey of with no return. The good news is that the “Inside the Volcano” day tour is a real-life “Journey to the Center of the Earth,” as you do descend 120 meters via a cable lift into the magma chamber of the Icelandic volcano called Thrihnukagigur (“Three Peaks Crater”). From the bottom of the magma chamber, you’ll be able to marvel at the colorfully textured lava-rock walls. How cool is that?!?

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SILFRA: Snorkeling Between Two Continents

BonBon August 6, 2018 37 Comments

When I first started looking for things to do in Iceland and I read about diving in the Silfra Fissure, I knew it was something I’d love to do with my husband. “Seriously, diving between two continents? How awesome is that?!”

However after some research I found out that I needed to be certified for dry suit diving (a 2 day course at least). While I was willing, considering everything we had planned for the trip, we decided to do the snorkeling instead.

We all have our different comfort zones and while mine is undoubtedly anything water related it was NOT freezing cold water (around 2°C / 35°F). I was worried that I wouldn’t withstand the cold and have to quit halfway regardless of the drysuit. Sometimes we need to get out of our comfort zone to learn and to reach and experience new heights….. and of course, to better ourselves.

Anyways, this is how it is done.

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F1 Monaco Grand Prix Voyage with Azamara

BonBon February 21, 2017 24 Comments

Being at the Monaco Grand Prix has been on my bucket list since I started watching Formula 1, way back 2003. Aside from the sport, I’ve been wanting to see the beauty of Monte Carlo. My husband and I have been in and out Europe but hadn’t got the chance to visit Monaco and the French Riviera until last year. We just passed our 10th Wedding anniversary so we decided to do a couple’s trip – we haven’t done one since we had our first kid. We were lucky in that my in-laws were kind enough to fly in from South Africa to hang out and spend time with the kids. I know… they are the best!!! We went away for 2 weeks, kinda too long but we were so at peace knowing that the kids are in good hands and thanks to advance technology, we got to Skype with them everytime we got WIFI signal. We are beyond thankful.

You know the famous saying of Mark Twain, “Find a job you enjoy doing, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” Fortunately, I made my passion for travel into something that I can do for a living. I started my home-based travel agency last year and one of “the perks of the job” was to go onboard an Azamara Cruise for free… a choice of any destination I wanted. Pretty neat huh?!? So many options but one stuck out of the catalog was the 5 day F1 Monaco Grand Prix Voyage.

Azamara Quest tendered by Monte Carlo harbor Photo credit by Azamara Cruises — **Azamara Quest tendered by Monte Carlo harbor**
**Photo credit by Azamara Cruises**

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Scenic Drive on the French Riviera

BonBon June 14, 2016 27 Comments

One of the most scenic drives in the world is in the South of France. I knew my husband would love this drive but I wasn’t so sure if it was a good idea since I know what it can be like to drive in a foreign country without knowing the local roads and traffic. So, I didn’t bother to book a car nor book any tours in advance. This recent trip we took was with just me and my husband; the first time we’ve spend time away from the kids in their lives. My idea was to be spontaneous; aside from being busy the past months before the trip, I was also thinking to take this vacation slow – no schedules, no planned itinerary, and no tours.

We spent the first 3 days of our trip in Cannes for the Film Festival and see a little bit of Nice. We then decided to take a drive through the Provence-Alpes-Cote d’Azur region. It has a lot of similarity with the scenery in Madeira, Portugal and Cape Town, South Africa where my husband is from. He enjoyed cruising around in a convertible with the top down 🙂 Indeed, a must-do if you visit this corner of the world.

Here are few of the photos we took along the way. Hope this will inspire you to visit the French Riviera. Buzz me to help you plan your adventure. xoxo

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My Kids favorite European City – BRUSSELS

BonBon November 25, 2015 21 Comments

In the past days the news flash on our Amazon Echo has been talking about Brussels. The city is at the highest terror alert after the attacks in Paris. People were advised to stay away from train/bus stations, airports and not to gather around public places. Metro service and underground streetcar services have been interrupted. Last Saturday, the city was nearly empty since stores, bars and cafes closed down after 6 p.m.

**The Grand-Place is the central square of the City of Brussels**

This is the Grand Place in Brussels on a typical night. Can you imagine what’s it was like last weekend?

Lately, we have been bombarded with awful news around the world; Paris attack is just one of them… a long list for terrorist attacks happened this year. It is unimaginable for people who happened to be in those areas and it is heart breaking to hear their stories.

As a traveler and someone who encourages family travel, I had to pause and wonder as to what this means to people who love to travel. Would these incidents change their perspective towards travel? Is it still safe to travel or is their such a thing as safe anymore? I honestly can’t answer these questions for you but if you ask me, I’d say that my family will continue to travel the world. My hopes and plans for my children haven’t changed a bit. I still wanted them to explore the world – to learn, to have fun and discover the unknown.

Let no fear change the way you live!

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