Polyglot Petra - Culture Travel Blog

30/01/2025

The burning question among visitors... Ayutthaya or Sukhothai—which ancient city should you visit? 🤔

Discover the key differences and pick the perfect historical escape! ✨

Ayutthaya or Sukhothai? The two UNESCO heritage sites in Thailand are equally serene and packed with ancient ruins. Let me help you decide!

30/01/2025

NEW ITINERARY! 📌 Save it or SHARE with your K-travel buddy 🙌

⏳ A week in Seoul, while nowhere near enough time, is the perfect sweet spot that lets you explore the best sides of the city and decide whether or not you want to return.

In my custom-designed itinerary for 7 days in Seoul, see everything from the hyped-up Gyeongbokgung to the peaceful cafes in the underrated Ihwa Mural Village 🩵

FOR A PREVIEW ✨

📸 The Garden of Morning Calm
📸 Gyeongbokgung Palace, night visit
📸 Gyeongbokgung Palace
📸 The National Museum of Korea
📸 Seoul City Wall - Naksan Trail

Discover the rest, plus the story behind every place we're visiting, in my latest blog post (link in comment) 🥰

29/01/2025

Forget ordinary souvenirs—how about crafting your own calligraphy scroll in Insadong? 🎨✍️

Click for the full 7-day itinerary for your Seoul trip!

Maximize your precious 7 days in Seoul with my cultural itinerary, crafted with historical sites, food markets, hidden gems, and more!

29/01/2025

🤔 What should you do when you’re ready for a check at a restaurant in Seoul? Or South Korea in general? 🇰🇷

😅 And what if you want to take some food home? How do you ask? 🥡

In the final set of the restaurant-themed Korean words, learn how to go through the checkout process when you’re ready to leave 😃💡

Do you have a food allergy? Should I do the next series on ordering food with dietary restrictions in Korea? 🙃

📲 Follow for more cultural tips and guides you can use to enjoy your trips on a deeper level!
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📌 Hi! I’m Petra, a full-time cultural traveler. I’m here to help you discover the local stories and connections so you can feel more fulfilled on your trips everywhere you go 🥰

Does that sound good to you? Let’s connect! 🙌🏻

26/01/2025

🍴👩‍🍳 Tiny hole-in-the-wall Korean restaurants are sometimes all about yelling your order directly to the staff.

Think you’re loud enough? 😅

These are only some of the biggest culture shocks for tourists while eating out in South Korea for the first time 🇰🇷

Find the rest in my latest blog post (link in comment) ✍🏻

25/01/2025

😬 Have you ever eaten at a restaurant so old, the staff are like your grandparents?

Isn't their food magically delicious? 😭

There's just something about older places. They make food in ways modern restaurants can never 😩

🍽 One of my absolute favorite restaurants in Bangkok is ✨Sanguan Sri✨

🩵 My grandparents loved it there when they were younger...
🩵 And then they took my parents there...
🩵 And then my parents took me there 😍

This bond I have with the restaurant is why I included it in my very first "local things only" 3-day itinerary for Bangkok.

In this plan, there's no Wat Arun, no Grand Palace, no Reclining Buddha, no Asiatique, nor the weekend markets 🤯

✅ Highly recommended for returning visitors who'd love to experience the Bangkok metro area like a true local.

Head over to my blog (link in comment) for the full schedule! 🙌

24/01/2025

👥 Did you know Korean BBQ prices often depend on the number of people at the table?

Stress-free dining in Korea starts with knowing the basics. 😉

Learn the ✨secrets✨ to decoding menus before your next feast!

Dining in Korea can be confusing. Even reading the prices on a Korean restaurant menu is. This guide minimizes any confusion that may arise!

24/01/2025

About to visit Bangkok for the first time? I’ve got you! 🙌🏻

This itinerary gets you acquainted with vibes of the city, even if you have less than 3 days to explore 🥳

Hey… it’s not ideal, but layover trips sometimes have to happen, am I right?

Swipe until the end to find a 💎gem💎

📌 SAVE this for your use or SHARE it with a friend who’s coming to Thailand!

📲 Follow for more cultural tips and guides you can use to enjoy your trips on a deeper level!
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📌 Hi! I’m Petra, a full-time cultural traveler. I’m here to help you discover the local stories and connections so you can feel more fulfilled on your trips everywhere you go 🥰

Does that sound good to you? Let’s connect! 🙌🏻

🇹🇭

23/01/2025

🍲 Find a family-run gem at Sanguan Sri and taste home-style Thai dishes you won't EVER find on overseas menus. This is what comfort food dreams are made of! 😋

Curious? Check it out in my latest blog post below! 😍

From an island hidden in the city to a dinner spot where no tourist know about (except you), take this 3-day Bangkok itinerary for your trip!

22/01/2025

⏳ Only got 4 days in Rio de Janeiro and not sure what to do and what to skip? 🇧🇷

While 4 days is not nearly enough to see all that Rio has to offer, you can certainly try to feel out its culture and try as much delicious Brazilian food as you can!

✨ That, I can help you with! In a new 4-day itinerary, I leveraged everything I know from living an entire summer in Rio and crafted an all-rounder plan to help you maximize your 4 days in the city.

✅ You'll get to experience everything from the beaches, a sunrise hike with the best view of the city, an untouched hidden gem, and oh... so much food 🤩

FOR A PREVIEW 👇🏻

📸 Ipanema Beach with its soft afternoon light
📸 Freshly-made Tamonhas at Feira de São Cristóvão
📸 An artwork from Museu de Artes do Rio
📸 The Royal Portuguese Reading Room, downtown Rio
📸 The iconic Rio sunset at Pedra do Arpoador
📸 Stunning architecture inside the National Library

Are you convinced? Head over to my latest blog post (link in comment) for the full schedule with all the details you need to start planning! 🥳

21/01/2025

⏳ Only got 4 days in Rio de Janeiro and not sure how to maximize your time? 🇧🇷

I've got you! 🥳

Leveraging my knowledge after spending an entire summer with hanging with the locals in Rio, I've crafted a brand-new 4-day itinerary you can use for your trip.

The plan introduces you to the city's story, the best of its food scene, and the hidden gems foreigners know nothing about (well, except you and me 😉)

Read the full schedule through this link below and get started on planning! 🫶🏻

Forget about the bars in Copacabana. For your 4 days in Rio, see the hidden gems like Ilha da Gigóia and Feira de São Cristóvão instead!

21/01/2025

FOODIE! 📌 Save this list for when you come to Thailand 🇹🇭

Have you had any of these dishes before?

🙃 Do you want a part 3?

📲 Follow for more cultural tips and guides you can use to enjoy your trips on a deeper level!
______

📌 Hi! I’m Petra, a full-time cultural traveler. I’m here to help you discover the local stories and connections so you can feel more fulfilled on your trips everywhere you go 🥰

Does that sound good to you? Let’s connect! 🙌🏻

18/01/2025

🚫 Listen, foodie. Here's why I do NOT recommend eating at Confeitaria Colombo when you're in Rio de Janeiro 👇🏻 (Don't come for me, I know I'm unpopular 😬)

Okay, fine. You can visit, but only for photos! 📸

There's no need to waste your time lining up for a seat because I have a better option for you. Baked Padaria in Ipanema 🍞🥧🍰

They make the best Brigadeiros in my opinion (which is IMPORTANT), not to mention everything else 🤩

✨ It is one of the twelve foodie spots on the list of my favorite places to eat in Rio. The list does NOT include the touristy Confeitaria Colombo and Plage Café. Forget about them 😂

FEATURED IN THIS POST 🇧🇷

📸 Cashew Nut Caipirinha at ViaSete
📸 Pinic Apimentada pizza at
📸 Matcha Azúl vegan ice cream at
📸 Acarajé at
📸 Picanha à Brasileira at Garota de Ipanema
📸 Vatapá at

Find the other half of my favorite places to eat in Rio on my latest blog post (link in comment) and add them to your list! 🥰

17/01/2025

📌 SAVE this for your next restaurant visit in South Korea!

Now that I’ve shown you how to get the staff’s attention, we’re digging deeper into making an order 🍚

💡TIP: Did you know there are unit counters in Korean? The lack of plural form means you add a unit to every noun you count. Example: Rice 2 unit, Kimchi 4 unit. This unit is the word “Gae” or 개 on the last slide 🥰

Except when ordering ONE of anything. You just say one!

👉🏻 Did you miss part 1? It’s on my feed 😄

📲 Follow for more cultural tips and guides you can use to enjoy your trips on a deeper level!
______

📌 Hi! I’m Petra, a full-time cultural traveler. I’m here to help you discover the local stories and connections so you can feel more fulfilled on your trips everywhere you go 🥰

Does that sound good to you? Let’s connect! 🙌🏻
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Do you get nervous ordering food in a foreign country too? 😖

16/01/2025

🤔 Should you visit Confeitaria Colombo when in Rio de Janeiro?

Sure. For photos ONLY, not for the food or pastries. They're massively overrated, plus, I have better spots for you! Try Baked Padaria in Ipanema instead. 😉

Check out my latest curated list of local favorite restaurants, sweet shops, food carts, and high-end steakhouses in Rio. Every single one of these, I've been with my Brazilian friends and loved! 🥰

You could say they're local-approved and Petra-approved 😂

Where to eat in Rio de Janeiro if you want to feel like a local? Definitely NOT Confeitaria Colombo. Check out my list of local foodie spots!

13/01/2025

🤤 Is Thailand on your list, foodie? Save these dishes so you can try them when you’re there!

One of the most well-known cuisines in the world, Thai food thrives on the perfect balance between salty, sour, and sweet. If one taste stands out too much, it’s not good 💡

And I’m sorry to say… no one does it well enough out there, so you just have to come and taste it here 😉

Which one would you try first? 👀

👀 Part 2 coming soon!

📲 Follow for more cultural tips and guides you can use to feel more comfortable on your trips!
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📌 Hi! I’m Petra, a full-time cultural traveler. Through cultural insights and local spots, I’m here to help add the stories, context, and meaning to your travels so you can enjoy them to the fullest and nothing feels underwhelming 🥰

Does that sound good to you? Let’s connect! 🙌🏻

11/01/2025

🤔 Not sure which DMZ tour can take you to see the famous blue buildings at the Joint Security Area in the Korean Demilitarized Zone?

Let me make the process easy for you. ✨NONE OF THEM CAN✨

🚫 The Panmumjom Declaration of Peace has been voided since 2023, and the relations between North and South Korea have gone downhill. As a result, the JSA has been closed to visitors since, with no sign of reopening.

➡️ You didn't ask, but here's my opinion. The DMZ tours are still worth joining. They still give you great insight into the important history that shaped South Korea and its people.

Plus, you still get to go down an infiltration tunnel and stand only 270 meters away from the demarcation line 😅

Still... there are a plethora of DMZ tours to choose from, and they all take you to the same place. So which tour should you choose?

I can't help you decide, but I can tell you all about my experience with one of them. YOU decide if you want to do it 😉

Head to my latest blog post (link in comment) for my ultimate review of a DMZ tour!

10/01/2025

✍🏻 Here's everything you need to know before you join a DMZ Tour.

➡️ You're NOT entering the actual demilitarized zone. Nobody can.
➡️ You're NOT going to see the famous blue buildings.
➡️ You WILL get to go down an infiltration tunnel.
➡️ You WILL get to stand 270 meters away from the demarcation line.
➡️ You WILL gain invaluable insights into the Korean way of life that can enhance the rest of your time in South Korea.

So, is it worth joining? My opinion is yes. Absolutely. ✅

Find out everything you need to know to pick a good tour and not waste your money in my latest blog post below! 😄

Do you actually enter the demilitarized zone on a DMZ tour? Do you get to see the blue buildings? Get your questions answered before booking!