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Stray Cat Travels

Traveling around town and around the world while helping you plan your next adventure.

10/11/2023

5 years ago today I was back in Seoul, South Korea for my 2nd visit and fell in love even more than I had the first time! My friend Claire came along w me for her first international trip and we had a blast! I believe this was Day 1? We visited Changdeokgung Palace and the Secret Garden, had some dumplings and soup for breakfast, visited a 💩 themed cafe, visited a cat lounge(obviously but I didn't include photos of that like a dummy. Maybe I'll have a Post 2), and had dinner at Sancheon which is a temple styled food experience and honestly not all the food is my taste but the whole thing is so neat and they're so nice I had to go a 2nd this this visit.
Anyway I miss SK and can't wait to go back!!
#💩

10/10/2023

Another beautiful sunrise along the Blue Ridge Parkway, this time at the French Broad River overlook. I went to the Sleepy Gap overlook first and it is *not* a good sunrise spot despite what reviews said 😤 So I missed the actual sunrise part but caught some great photos driving back home at least.

01/10/2023

Happy Spooky Season! Want to plan a trip for next year to see the weird, the wonderful, or the grotesque? Let me help you! I offer 3 tiers of planning services and I work with you to plan exactly what you want, no pushing anything extra or pushing the boundaries of your budget. You tell me what you want and I make a detailed plan to get you there.
So let's start talking for Halloween 2024! Paris Catacombs? Salem? Jack the Ripper sites in London? Whatever macabre or morbid interest you may have I can help you make your not-so-final destination a reality 👻
📸 from the Medici Chapel/Crypt relic collection in Florence, Italy.
🇮🇹

01/10/2023

11/09/2023

Finally visited on Sweeten Creek in Asheville! It's very close to my home but I'd never been here before today. This Strawberry Saison is ~delicious~ and the milk stout was fantastic as well. They have food trucks on select days, a good amount of parking, are kid and dog friendly, and indoor seating on those rainy days as well 🍻

03/09/2023

I'm going offline for most of this week and it's going to be awesome! I have some books, going to take some beads to make into dangles, and just lay around! Maybe even go walk some trails! This is a very last minute decision so I hope my tent is in good shape 😅 Going to check it out today but I'm sure it's fine. Weather should be good until my last day when I'm leaving- of course 🙄 But at that point I can chuck everything into the car and worry about it later. I haven't camped once since I moved here which is crazy. I often visit dispersed sites but since I don't know of any good free sites nearby and wanna relax I reserved a site in a formal campground - but was able to see the site on Google Maps and the surrounding area. Looked good and private enough. Once I'm back home I'll make sure to do a little review 🏕️

02/09/2023

In honour of Mr. Buffet- a margarita styled beer from

28/03/2023

Final batch of Biltmore photos (but I have so many more to post. I have so many from my latest Europe trip to still post. I have too many photos to post!) .
Anyway. Since your Biltmore ticket gets you back onto the grounds on Day 2 I was able to enjoy the perfect day in wonderful surroundings. The grounds really are magnificent. The greenhouses are full of color and I took a ton of photos with the plan to identify the plants later on- cell service isn't great and the wifi is very spotty, sadly the plants aren't labeled either. There are areas to picnic which is what my friend and I did before wandering around too much. We also did a 2nd wine tasting(complimentary!) And in the Village there's a small museum about the family which included some possessions of Mr. Vanderbilt like this chess set gifted to him that once belonged to Napoleon as well as an invitation to the birthday celebrations of the emperor of Japan(the invitation is in French interestingly enough). If only offered some sort of pass for locals to get onto the grounds, I'd go back once a month at least! If you're visiting the area soon you'll probably have even better foliage in a few weeks or so!

26/03/2023

post 2. Vanderbilt had this home be fitted with entertainment so his guests never got bored, even if the weather outside wasn't pleasant. This included a bowling alley(with the now famous Brunswick brand accessories), and a swimming pool. In the late 1800s swimming in pools wasn't really a thing. People would go wading in the ocean, but a formal pool and swimming laps was new to most. Note the ropes on the sides for those that tire while swimming or need some stabilization. There was also a very modern gym including what is called a 'needle shower'(2 seen against the back wall)- which shoots needles of high pressure water all over your body to invigorate you. We also saw the smoking room and the gun room along with a different view of the great dining hall. This was originally built as a bachelor pad, but Vanderbilt knew he would be entertaining mixed company here so there is the 'mens wing' with the masculine entertainment rooms and their living quarters. This way no scandals would erupt by men and women sharing rooms next to one another. Then back in the lower levels we saw some of the servants quarters, kitchen, working rooms, and laundry. The workers on this house made NYC wages in North Carolina, so they did well all things considered. Other servants rooms would have been closer to the family in the upper levels, like the lady's maid. The house is full of modern technology- things that may have scared some off at the time. For example there are two Otis Elevators-yes the same company as today- in the home and the entire house was made for electricity(both AC and DC current runs the house and machines as architect Hunt wasn't sure which would win it). Even the laundry was to of the line. The last photo shows the dying room where linens hung in a warm air room to better dry the hundreds of linens constantly needing attention. Clothing would not have gone through the industrial machines however- dresses were too fragile for one- and shirts and dresses would have been hand washed, dried, and pressed when needed.

05/09/2022

I'll be off on another adventure soon, this time to Italy! Thanks to my car deciding to be a jerk my budget took a hit and I'm staying in hostels 😭 Listen, they're great for some people but for me? Well I just won't be sleeping this trip. But! Maybe you love hostels or maybe you've never been in one and want to check it out. So the next few days I'll be posting some tips to help make your hostel stay better!
First one- these compressed sheets. They're vacuum sealed so they take up very little room in your bag and, while most hostels these days provide linens, they don't always provide more than the bare minimum. Or sometimes the bedding is a little rough looking. They will last quite a while and are soft enough to be comfortable as a fitted or top sheet Having an extra sheet on hand can really help make your stay more comfortable. I get mine from Shein but you can find them online all over the place. Obviously if you plan on using hostels often it would be best to invest in some inexpensive linens to take with you rather than use the disposable ones.

25/04/2022

Oh how I miss Kiraku sushi in Tokyo! It was the most amazing meal I've ever had. Certainly the best omakase service. The chef took time to explain each dish, of which we had almost 20! Plus the generous pours of sake and the intimate setting- just wonderful. If you're ever in Tokyo you must have a meal here, but be sure to make reservations in advance!

23/04/2022

Have you been through in ? It's a gorgeous airport with lots of amenities- including a butterfly garden! Unfortunately it's currently closed, but I hope they open it back up because it was such a great way to spend time during my layovers there. Have you enjoyed hanging out in Changi as well?

14/04/2022

This is my current suitcase of choice. It's a High Sierra rolling backpack. I like it because most of the time I roll it like a normal suitcase. But when I need to use it as a backpack the straps are already attached- they don't need to be hooked on like most others which I find cumbersome and takes too much time. There's a flap to protect your clothes from the dirty wheels and it's quite sturdy. This isn't an ad, but if needs anyone to try out new products I'm available 😀

13/04/2022

Being from Florida, and having grown up in the citrus industry, I was excited when I saw Florida's Natural juice in Seoul!

12/04/2022

I find the sound of the ocean so soothing. What about you?
📸 of Dun Duchathair on the larger of the Aran Islands
😎 🍀

11/04/2022

I watch a lot of K-Dramas and they always make me miss having some soju and fried foods with girlfriends! Do you have any favorite K-Dramas? How do you like your soju- straight or as a shot in beer?

10/04/2022

The weather is starting to be perfect for enjoying an espresso outside in the morning. ☕️
📸 from my balcony at the Hotel Europe St. Severin I LOVED this spot and highly recommend it
😎 ✈️

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Today I visited the Foxfire Museum near Clayton, Georgia. It was a perfect way to spend an afternoon outside while learning about the Appalachian people. @foxfireorg has been keeping their stories alive for decades now so it was nice to support a great organization as well as educate myself and get some exercise 😅😅😅 Some of my relatives in Georgia and North Carolina would have been living like this, and it's inspired me to get back into my genealogy research! It's only a couple hours from several major cities, including Asheville in my case. This could easily be a day trip or stay overnight and make a relaxing weekend of it. . . . #ashevilledaytrip #foxfiremagazine #foxfiremuseum #appalachia #southernappalachia #reenactment #livinghistory #historymuseum #outdoormuseum #atlasobscura #americanhistory #indigenouspeople #cherokeenation #folkart #mountainpeople #makedowithwhatyouhave

Some little things you may have never encountered until you came to Europe! For some these may be obvious, but for others not so much- so a few little things to look out for when you stay in a hotel in Europe. #1- There may be a spot by the front door that needs a card(any card will actually do) before you can turn on the lights. The thought is you'll use your room key so that the lights can't be accidentally left on while gone, saving power. But you could use an old gift card if you wanted. Still- don't leave the lights on! #2- in some smaller places you may not actually get a full bed. They may just push together two singles or twins. And, on the flip side, your two twins that you requested may be pushed together but oftentimes can be moved apart easily if you ask. #3- those in warmer climates may not have seen this- in a lot of countries that get cold weather (or more posh stays) there is probably a towel warmer/heater in the bathroom with simple numeric controls located somewhere. So stay toasty when you get out of the shower 😁 . . . . . #traveltips #travelplanner #travelconcierge #straycattravel #europehotels #traveladvice #europetravel #solotravel #travelinfo #newtraveler #usefultraveltricks

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10/11/2023

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