Hometown Odyssey

20/02/2018

Want to discover the real Madrid and avoid tourist traps?

Read Berenger Garnica's article to hack this city to find and how to live like a Spaniard!

https://www.hometownodyssey.com/home/2018/2/15/madrid-spain-finding-the-claim-to-fame

Don’t be fooled by the Taco Bells and Starbucks on every corner, Madrid has just what you’ve always been looking for in a classic Spanish city, it just takes a fine eye to discover it. Amidst the pastel colored buildings lining the cobblestone roads, you’ll find an array of bakeries, bars, and...

15/02/2018

Lagos, Nigeria!

It may be a crazy city but author Daniel Okechukwu shows us all there is to love about it!

https://www.hometownodyssey.com/home/2018/2/15/lagos-nigeria-the-mad-city-i-cant-stop-loving

(Cover photo via tourist-destinations.com)

12/12/2017

Delhi, India!

So many beautiful secrets and surprises, you'll have to read to find about them all in this article by Sweta Kushwaha!

https://www.hometownodyssey.com/home/2017/12/12/dehli-india-walking-through-dehli

It is 6 in the evening and a slight drizzle welcomes my parched senses after exiting the library in the Arts faculty. The weather welcomes me with it's aroma of soft earth and the lush greenery that becomes all the more beautiful after a drizzle. The faculty is almost half deserted as it’s the wee...

07/12/2017

Read about the town voted as the #1 suburb in the US by CNBC in the article below by Jenn Masters!

https://www.hometownodyssey.com/home/2017/12/7/edmond-oklahoma

Just north of Oklahoma's capital city is Edmond, a relatively small and close-knit town with lots of friendly people. In 2011, Edmond was ranked #1 on CNBC's top 10 perfect suburbs. Edmond is full of large mature trees, wonderful landscaping, and rolling hills; as a girl born and raised in the fla

01/12/2017

There are so many reasons to love Nigeria! Read Gabriel Eziorobo's top 5 below!

https://www.hometownodyssey.com/home/2017/12/1/lagos-nigeria-5-reasons-why-i-love-nigeria

Have you asked yourself why Nigeria is the giant of Africa? Why do business men and women come to Nigeria to invest? If you don't have answers to these questions, then here are some answers: 1. People: We are friendly, we are creative, and we treat foreigners well and make them feel at home. Most fo

28/11/2017

Warning: Don't read while hungry!

Dorothy P**n takes us on a gastronomic adventure through Vancouver, B.C. Brunch, ramen, crazy ice cream flavors, and more!

Read and feast your eyes on the article below:

https://www.hometownodyssey.com/home/2017/11/27/vancouver-bc-more-to-devour

It’s the Canadian city featuring practically everything you could ask for: mountains that drape over a dazzling nighttime skyline, an ocean that gently hugs every curve of the coast, and the laid-back feel of a young metropolis. There’s another unforgettable attribute this place has to offer: th

23/11/2017

A young and vibrant city with so many wonders, you'll have to read to learn about them all!

Check out Shenzhen, China below:

https://www.hometownodyssey.com/home/2017/11/23/asia

Shenzhen, the fastest developing city in the world, is located within the Pearl River Delta in Guangdong, China—a miraculous home to an estimated 12 million people. Just across the sea from Hong Kong, Shenzhen is notoriously known for it’s high-tech industry, endless number of skyscrapers, and its l

19/11/2017

Learn about the Middle Eastern oasis of Amman, Jordan. History and hospitality are pillars in this city with a beautiful landscape behind it all.

Expat and author of Sunglasses Suggested, writes an in-depth article on Amman and all there is to do in this Middle Eastern city.

https://www.hometownodyssey.com/home/2017/11/19/amman-jordan-travel-report-of-an-expat

Three years ago, when my husband and I had decided to leave our Austrian lives behind and to emigrate, or as we had in mind, to dare to have an adventure, we were not quite sure what we would run into. Would we regret it? In the year of our emigration (2014), the still ongoing tensions in the Middle

17/11/2017

Houston, Texas baby!

Read all about Houston, Texas and all of its amazing features and attractions in the article below by Jonathan Gurvey:

https://www.hometownodyssey.com/home/2017/11/17/houston-texas-the-gem-of-the-south

As a native Texan, I often get a kick out of the stereotypes that are often attributed to myself or my state. I often wonder, upon meeting someone and telling them I’m from Texas, if they assume that I live in a rural townhouse with some horses out back and a gun collection in the garage. This pictu

19/10/2017

So much beauty in Tehran, Iran! Read about the highlights of the city in the article below by Mina Allameh:

https://www.hometownodyssey.com/home/2017/10/19/tehran-iran

Tehran is the capital of Iran. It is a four-season city with hot and dry summers, cold and snowy winters, and very pleasant springs and autumns. Tehran is a historical city, with a combination of modern and traditional architecture. Iranians are well known for being very hospitable. Specific

18/10/2017

So much beauty in the city of Kumarakom! Explore it all in this alluring piece by Remya Ravindran below:

https://www.hometownodyssey.com/home/2017/10/14/kumarakom-india

If you ask me, a trip to India is never complete without touching the holy land’s verdant feet―Kerala, or the “The Land of Coconuts”. A land quilted with coconut palms and paddy fields, a land hemmed by rolling highlands on side; and sprawling beaches and sinuous backwaters on the other. A la

15/10/2017

Tacoma, Washington!

Local Leah Mueller describes her city as, "... wilder, funkier, friendlier, and more ethnically diverse than Seatlle"!

Check out what makes this Pacific Northwest city all of those things below:

https://www.hometownodyssey.com/home/2017/10/14/tacoma-washington-a-perfect-fall-day-in-tacoma

Many cities cherish their weirdness, but I've always felt that Tacoma's bumper sticker should read, “Keep Tacoma Gritty.” We're wilder, funkier, friendlier, and more ethnically diverse than Seattle, our northern neighbor. We don't boast world-class fish markets or ornaments like the

03/10/2017

History nerd or not, you can't deny the saturated history of Burlington, New Jersey.

Ben Aloi details the former prominence of this town which, in the past century, has turned 180 degrees to dealing with crime, poverty, and renewal.

Read this blunt, yet hopeful piece on this New Jersey town:

https://www.hometownodyssey.com/home/2017/10/3/burlington-new-jersey-a-love-letter

There is a particularly poignant passage from the opening chapter of John Knowles’ A Separate Peace, in which the narrator returns to his adolescent boarding school in New Hampshire fifteen years later and remarks that the campus has been rendered a “museum” by its new coat of varnish and othe

28/09/2017

Limassol, Cyprus is the new hotspot in the Mediterranean! go read local Jason Cotsapas's article on this city with ancient ruins, sparkling beaches, and an interesting political history!

hometownodyssey.com/home/2017/9/26/limassol-cyprus-a-new-mediterranean-hotspot

The island nation of Cyprus is up-and-coming. I’d like to tell myself that this is because we have become more map savvy; because to the far-off budding adventurer, the Greek speaking world now extends beyond the confines of Athens, Santorini and Mykonos; because people have gobbled up books

19/09/2017

Idyllic beaches, a bumping nightlife, and a rich history, Tel Aviv is a kind of paradise you can't miss!

Read Nitay Barel's piece on this utopia:

https://www.hometownodyssey.com/home/2017/9/19/tel-aviv-israel-vibrant-city-of-the-middle-east

Tel-Aviv is a beautiful sea-side city, full of young vibrant people, history, and incredible architecture. From the beautiful beachy coast to the art, culture, and nightlife—Tel-Aviv is the city for you. Tel-Aviv has 380,000 residents which makes it the second largest city in Israel.If you

16/09/2017

Get an in-depth view of London! Allen Ashley gives us history, a personal narrative, and iconic stops of this famous city!

Read it here:

https://www.hometownodyssey.com/home/2017/9/16/london-england-a-collection-of-villages

It is likely that Celtic people had formed settlements around the U-bend loop of the River Thames, but it was the Roman invasion and settlement from AD 43 onwards that essentially put Londinium on the map. Fun fact for you: London was not the Romans’ original choice of British capital; that ho

13/09/2017

Can't get enough of the Pacific Northwest? Here's Portland, a city that Samantha Clarke claims is more than just Portlandia, hipsters, and overpriced lattes.

Read her comical and proud take of this funky city:

https://www.hometownodyssey.com/home/2017/9/12/portland-oregon

Oh, Portland. Land of the bearded hipster, home of the overpriced latte. We’ve all seen Portlandia by now, and we know all the gags: Portland is a city where everyone is from somewhere else, where every person lists on their dating profile that they love hiking and play guitar, and where day

09/09/2017

Learn about the city of fries, chocolate, waffles, and beer! Eat and enjoy the sights of Brussels with beautiful architecture and scientific feats!

Read Leila Mathy's in-depth and delicious article below:

https://www.hometownodyssey.com/home/2017/9/9/brussels-belgium-the-small-but-mighty-heart-of-europe

Ever wonder who invented fries, waffles, cookie butter, or the saxophone? How about the Smurfs or Tintin? My country is small, often forgotten, but vibrant, dynamic, diverse, and certainly responsible for all of those things. It has a special place in my heart that’s difficult to explain to

03/09/2017

Find the coolest, hippest markets in Johannesburg!

Read Tiffany McClure's guide to the coolest pop-ups here:

https://www.hometownodyssey.com/home/2017/9/1/johannesburg-south-africa-the-coolest-pop-up-markets-in-joburg

Joburg, South Africa, is known for its edgy scenes, vintage décor and mouthwatering food. Unlike Cape Town, which is more ‘tourist attractive’, here you will find more of a hipster scene which voices its cultural state of treading the line between traditional and modern. Rich with culture, J

31/08/2017

Who can deny that Vancouver has it all? Beaches, parks, wildlife, mountains, a thriving city. What else do you need?

Read Alice Sun's stunning piece (accompanied by stunning photos) here:

https://www.hometownodyssey.com/home/2017/8/31/vancouver-canada-between-the-mountains-and-the-sea

Nestled between the Cascade Mountains and the Strait of Georgia, Vancouver is one of the most beautiful and most livable cities in the world, and it’s not hard to see why. I’ve lived in this city for my entire life so far, and frankly, despite my travels, I always find myself coming back. Why?

29/08/2017

Head up to the Pacific Northwest! Located between Tacoma and Seattle, Puyallup has so much to offer! Fairs, farmer's markets, haunted mansions and more!

Read Jennifer Evans tour through Puyallup, Washington:

https://www.hometownodyssey.com/home/2017/8/29/puyallup-washington-living-my-favorite-place

Everyone has heard of Seattle and Tacoma. Cruise ships line Seattle harbor in the early summer and early fall, making the crowds impossible to traverse for locals. Most of us stay in our own dens during those times, coming out when the skies turn darker and the rain falls. But there are hav

26/08/2017

Another local, Aqsa Humayun, of Islamabad writes about the best places to visits, things to do, and more wonderful things about Islamabad, Pakistan!

(P.S. There's even a Harry Potter themed café!)

Read it here:

https://www.hometownodyssey.com/home/2017/8/26/islamabad-pakistan-a-utopia-in-asia

Islamabad, capital of Pakistan, is a true beauty. You will love everything about Islamabad. Yeah, everything! Don’t forget to bring your kith and kin with you while touring here. Surely you will love Islamabad from your heart and soul. It is a perfect place to drift from the hubbub of your lif

24/08/2017

Sunny San Diego! A paradise to many, but for one local does absence make the heart grow fonder?

Read Autumn Palen's witty and affectionate piece on the famous beachside town.

Hometownodyssey.com/home/2017/8/22/san-diego-california-a-slow-burn-adoration

I was born and raised in San Diego. It's been my home for the entirety of my life. As such, I'd never really thought much of it. It's just been where I've woken up and gone to sleep. Where I learned to read, write, and walk, and once I was nice and ambulatory, I was off. Come senior year high

21/08/2017

Big Ben, Hyde Park, Royal Albert Hall... London!

A city so full of history, beauty, and culture! Read about it all by Mona Dash.

https://www.hometownodyssey.com/home/2017/8/19/london-england

I guess one of the first things I would ask anyone planning to visit London is what time of the year you plan to visit. Is it in the spring, when the cherry blossoms, snowdrops and daffodils are bursting forth? In the summer, when the evenings are long and lighted until 10 p.m.? In the autumn,

18/08/2017

A rich history surrounded by crystal beaches and beautiful islands, Bataan in the Philippines is today's great read. Versary Capili takes you through this amazing gem in South Asia.

https://www.hometownodyssey.com/home/2017/8/17/bataan-philippines-the-unknown-gem-of-the-philippines

What makes Bataan special? Was it the tragic event that happened decades ago? Well, it is not unknown to the locals that Bataan was one of the places that created a mark in our history. It is where the Death March started when thousands of soldiers were forced to walk from Mariveles, Bataan

16/08/2017

Durango! The small Colorado mining town is mapped out for summer walking by Kitt Keller

PC: Paul Hessels

https://www.hometownodyssey.com/home/2017/8/15/durango-colorado-walking-durango-in-the-summer

If you’re coming to Durango, Colorado in the summer, you probably already know about the major attractions: hiking, fishing, river rafting, and (of course) the train. It’s an outdoorsy place, with the blended charm of being a both Victorian-era mining support town and a college town. Yes, D

11/08/2017

Explore the lush and beautiful city of Casuarina in New South Wales, Australia. Read more about flash floods, fast drivers, and whale season all written by the talented Latesha Houston!

https://www.hometownodyssey.com/home/2017/8/10/casuarina-australia-my-new-home

My home, the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales downtown Australia is a lush wonderland of subtropical elements mixed in with the faint or odd eucalyptus tree that Australia is known for. If you look closely you may spot one. A mixture of hinterland, green and gold rolling hills, sweepi

06/08/2017

It's weird, brunchy, and doughy. Go read Meaghan Thurston's article on Portland, Oregon and yearn to visit the hippest city on the West Coast.

https://www.hometownodyssey.com/home/2017/8/5/portland-oregon-portland-perfection

Portland is a city located in Oregon on the west coast of the United States. From Portland, you can get to the Mountain in an hour (Mt.Hood) or to the lovely beach! There is a saying written on one of the buildings and it is “Keep Portland Weird” and, oh boy, does it ring true. Portland has a

04/08/2017

Learn about the charm and community vibes of Islamabad, Pakistan in an article written by Naymal Mirza!

Check it out here:

https://www.hometownodyssey.com/home/2017/8/1/islamabad-pakistan-community-vibe-in-the-city

When somebody asks me what my favorite city is, my answer is undoubtedly 'Islamabad'. I have spent most of my life in Islamabad, Pakistan, therefore I am obviously biased. But I really believe there is something special about it; something that makes it stand out from the little else I have

31/07/2017

Stop off along historic Route 66 in the town of Joplin, Missouri with wonderful scenery, food, and even mystical happenings. Stacey Billingsley shows us "Five Fun Things to Do" in this Midwestern town.

Read here:
https://www.hometownodyssey.com/home/2017/7/30/joplin-missouri-five-fun-things-to-do

If you’ve heard the lyrics to the famous song “Get Your Kicks, On Route 66,” then you know a little bit about the town I call home. The song has had a little bit of a revival since Disney’s Cars came out. After a couple of verses, the lyrics state, “It goes from St. Louis, Joplin, Missouri,

27/07/2017

Head to Asia as local Anna Herbst describes the amazing cuisine, nightlife, and more of Hong Kong!

Check it out!

https://www.hometownodyssey.com/home/2017/7/27/hong-kong-an-unforgettable-experience

PC: Anna Herbst

24/07/2017

Rajnish Mishra shows us the amazing city of Varanasi, India on a journey through the city with your senses.

Read it here: https://www.hometownodyssey.com/home/2017/7/24/varanasi-india-through-the-minds-eye

21/07/2017

New article, new city!

Sarah Bentivegna writes about Boston, where charm and history collide!

Check out her article here:

hometownodyssey.com/home/2017/7/21/boston-mixing-old-with-new

As one of the oldest cities in the United States, Boston boasts a wide array of historically embellished neighbourhoods mixed with modern architecture, hip cultural scenes, and traditional New England customs. Since spending the greater part of my teen years living in central Boston, I’ve le

20/07/2017