Author: Renata

The world is my oyster: I'm Renata, founder and editor of this travel blog. bye:myself - no, that's not a typo, it's referring to me saying bye to my comfort zone and heading for new shores solo. Having been a solo traveller, flashpacker, and poverty jet setter for ages made me an avid and savvy planner and organizer of worldwide travel. Since I've been an author and journalist practically all my life, I love to put my travel experience into writing to encourage, inspire, and assist you. Looking forward to meeting you somewhere on this planet!

JEONJU – Cradle of Korea’s Cultural Heritage and Home to the Country’s Best Food

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When you look at pictures of Jeonju’s famous Hanbok Village, you might think that we are dealing with a cute small town where time has been standing still for centuries. But no, with almost 700,000 inhabitants, Jeonju is actually a bustling’n’busy mid-sized city. Nevertheless, the cultural heritage is the most celebrated side of Jeonju – together with the best food Korea has to offer.

Roofs of the old town of Jeonju in Korea.
Jeonju’s historic Hanok Heritage Village from above.

Mind you, Jeonju’s amazingly rich culinary scene even catapulted the city onto the list of Creative Cities for Gastronomy as part of UNESCO’s Creative Cities Network in 2012. Hence, it’s no wonder that Jeonju is one of Korea’s most important tourist centers.

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The World’s Largest Mural in Incheon

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Basically, all visitors to Korea have heard about a place called Incheon – for the simple fact that the city 28 kilometers west of the capital Seoul is home to the country’s busiest airport. But this major hub has also an amazing superlative in store: According to the Guinness Book of Records, Incheon is home to the World’s Largest Mural!

The world's largest Mural in Incheon seen from the Wolmi Sea Train.
16 books are guiding the young boy through life.
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INCHEON – Best Things to Do in Korea’s Only Chinatown

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Basically, all visitors to Korea have heard about a place called Incheon – for the simple fact that the city 28 kilometers west of the capital Seoul is home to the country’s busiest airport. But this major hub is by far not all Incheon has to offer. In this post, I’m sharing with you the best things to do on a day trip to Korea’s only official Chinatown.

Chinatown Incheon
The backside of Incheon’s famous Paeru, the entrance gate into Korea’s Chinatown.
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Stroll the Fortress Wall of SUWON

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Yes, I know, there are tons of interesting and exciting things to do in Seoul. However, you should make time for a day trip from Seoul to the satellite city of Suwon where you can literally step into the past and the footsteps of Korean Royalty on a stroll on top of the Hwaseong Fortress Wall.

Northeastern Corner Pavilion - Banghwasuryujeong Pavilion which is part of the Fortress Wall of Suwon, visited on a Day Trip from Seoul.
The ancient wall with the modern city in the backdrop.
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All You Need to Know Before Visiting a Korean Spa

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An important part of Korean culture is the so-called Jjimjilbang. A Jjimjilbang is a public bathhouse consisting of traditional saunas and pools. The latter are not used to cleanse the body; this should be done thoroughly before entering the thermal pool. The Jjimjilbang’s facilities are designed for leisure and relaxation. Therefore, it is unsurprising that some establishments even allow customers to sleep there overnight. When visiting a traditional Korean bathhouse, certain procedures are expected, and strict rules must be followed. In this post, I have put together everything you need to know when visiting a Korean Spa so that you don’t make any mistakes even as a first-time visitor.

SPA in Seoul, one of the best things to do in Seoul, hence here is All You Need to Know Before Visiting a Korean Spa.
Insendong’s cozy SPA.
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Best And Most Beautiful Bookstores in Seoul

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If every country was like Korea, amazon, kindle, and co. wouldn’t stand a chance: The number of bookstores and public libraries is just incredible – almost like in ye olden days of literature. There are actually entire streets lined with good old-fashioned stores where you can smell the scent of freshly printed pages, hear the rustling of paper, see beautifully designed covers – in short: A feast for all your senses. The shop owners have tried to give their stores an individual touch and arrange and present the books like works of art. Cozy reading corners and integrated coffee shops invite you to browse on-site and make Seoul’s bookstores and libraries wonderful places to spend a rainy afternoon.
In this post, I’m introducing my personal favorites among the best and most beautiful bookstores in Seoul.

Renata Green at the Seoul Book Bogo, one of the best and most beautiful bookstores in Seoul.
Mesmerized by a tunnel of books.
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PARIS for Free!

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In my last post on Paris, I introduced the Paris Museum Pass* which makes every culture vulture’s stay in the self-proclaimed city of light smoother and, most importantly, far cheaper.
While that’s already pretty great, it actually gets even better: There are tons of fantastic things to see in Paris for free! Whether inspiring museums, amazing views, lush parks and gardens – the old saying that the best things in life Paris are free is absolutely right!
So leave your wallet at home and let’s explore Paris completely free of charge.

Eiffel Tower and a Carousel in Paris. Paris for free.
You can make Paris your playground without breaking the bank.
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10 Most Beautiful Palaces in the Marais Neighborhood of Paris

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The Marais is one of the trendiest neighborhoods in Paris. Cool bars and crowded restaurants, hip stores, and expensive, stylish apartments – these are just a few things you can find in the Marais neighborhood today.
In the 17th century, the Marais became the preferred residential area for the nobility, who had numerous villas and city palaces built there. In the course of the French Revolution, however, the nobility was expelled from the Marais. They probably took their belongings with them, however, they had to leave their posh cribs behind.
In this post, I’m inviting you on a stroll that will take us to 10 of the most beautiful palaces in the Marais Neighborhood of Paris.

Hôtel de Sully, one of the 10 Most Beautiful Palaces in the Marais Neighborhood of Paris
The manicured courtyard of the Hôtel de Sully.
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Best Street Art in PARIS: How Mehdi Ben Cheikh Transformed the 13th Arrondissement Into An Open-Air Gallery

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Yes, there is the Eiffel Tower. D’accord, you need to pay the Louvre a visit. Okay, let’s go on a walk alongside the River Seine. But besides all this, make sure to pay also some of the lesser-known and underrated arrondissements a visit. Because it’s right there where the best street art in Paris is waiting for you!

Mural by Pejac - the best street art in Paris.
If you cannot see right away why this mural by Pejac is simply genius, you need to take a closer look. Or check out the zoom below.

Under the aegis of Parisian art dealer and cultural entrepreneur Mehdi Ben Cheikh, the 13e arrondissement in particular has undergone an impressive revival from an a bit run-down part of the city into an open-air gallery.

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Best Street Art in LONDON – Part II: Shoreditch

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In the first part on urban art in London, I guided you through Camden Town where there’s barely a street you can walk down without spotting some amazing murals. In this post, I’m proving that it gets even bigger’n’better by introducing you to the best street art in Shoreditch in the Eastern part of London – since that’s where it basically all began.

Mural in Shorditch. Best Street Art in London Shoreditch.
Nuff Said.
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