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!

BONAIRE Totally Unexpected: Street Food And Urban Art Tour

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Basically, all visitors are coming to Bonaire for the waters, for swimming and diving, and for snorkeling. And you cannot blame them, the smallest of the ABC islands is surrounded by some of the world’s best reefs. Getting into the water, you’re basically entering a borderless aquarium.
But come on, you water maniacs lovers, you don’t want to miss out on the best Bonaire has to offer ashore, do you? So quick, dry yourself off, put on some shorts and flip-flops, and let’s explore what Bonaire has in store when it comes to street food and urban art.
I promise you won’t regret it!

House in Bonaire. Bonaire Street Food Urban Art
That’s Bonaire: Flamingos everywhere.
This Way to the Whole Story ->

Guide to CADIZ – the Oldest City in Europe

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I’m so happy to guide you to Cadiz, according to archeological founds, not only the oldest city in Spain but in all of Europe.

However, it’s difficult to define the date of its founding as there were no written records at past times. According to historians, Phoenician traders founded Cádiz as their first settlement in Europe over 3,000 years ago.

Panoramic view of Cadiz, oldest city in Europe
A picturesque old town, bathed by the Atlantic Ocean.

Yet, at the same time, it’s one of my personal favorites in modern Spain – due to its charming and laid-back atmosphere.

This Way to the Whole Story ->

Carnival 2025: Floats’N’Festivities on ARUBA, BONAIRE, and CURACAO

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Don’t let that winter blues bring you down: Better enjoy floats’n’festivities during carnival season 2025 in Aruba, Bonaire, and Curacao! In this post, I’m telling you a bit about the history, I give you tips on where to see the best events and what to bring so you can enjoy the parades to the fullest.

Lady celebrating the carnival in Aruba.
Let’s get wild!
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Guide to ICA and HUACACHINA

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Let me guide you to Ica, unjustly, mostly considered a gateway to the desert and artificial oasis of Huacachina which is a major tourist attraction.

Woman hiking the desert of Huacachina, an oasis close to Ica
Hiking the dunes of Huacachina looks far easier than it actually is.

Nonetheless, Ica itself has a handful of landmarks. Most of all, it gives you the chance of experiencing a Peruvian town out of the tourist hot spots.

This Way to the Whole Story ->

BUENOS AIRES – from the must-sees to the hidden gems

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Buenos Aires and me – from the must-sees to the hidden gems: It was love at first sight. The stately baroque architecture like in Barcelona, the elegant cafés – even a bit more charming than those in Paris. Old-fashioned gelato parlors like in Rome. The powerful street art of Bogotá next to the picturesque decay of old Havana, and an entire neighborhood named after Palermo.
In short: This city simply has it all.

Couple dancing Tango at the Cafe Tortoni in Buenos Aires, Argentina
Tango – that’s what Buenos Aires stands for. But it’s only a fraction of what Argentina’s capital has to offer.

The beauty and energy of Buenos Aires took me by storm – and was definitely the highlight of my trip to Argentina.

This Way to the Whole Story ->

24 hours in LISBON

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This is a completely revised, updated, and expanded edition of one of my first 24 hours in… posts. This series was created because, like most travelers, I’m always on the hunt for the cheapest flights possible. The downside is that this often includes connecting flights and, especially on transatlantic flights, I have a longer stopover in a city. Instead of killing time at the airport in annoyance, I venture to the center and this way, enjoy an extra city break. Funnily enough, my first two visits to Lisbon were stopovers: once on the return flight from Miami and the second time on the outbound flight to Santiago, the capital of Cape Verde. This inspired me to summarize in a short guide what you can see and do in Lisbon in 24 hours.

Trams in Lisbon
Even trams can get into a traffic jam.

By the way, I now deliberately postpone connecting flights to include short stays like this when my schedule allows it. Hence, I recently booked the flights on my flight to the Azores so that I could spend time in Porto on the outward flight and in Lisbon on the return flight.
I hope I can inspire you to make a virtue out of a supposed necessity.

This Way to the Whole Story ->

24 hours in PORTO

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Although Porto is certainly not a major hub, it’s still Portugal’s second-largest airport with many connections all over Europe and also to remote Portuguese territories such as the Azores. Since Porto is such a mesmerizing city full of beauty and wonders, you shouldn’t miss the opportunity to get a taste of the city during a short visit – I’m sure you’ll come back soon for more. But now I’ll show you how you can have a perfect stay of up to 24 hours in Porto.

View of Porto and the Dom Luís I Bridge
Grand view of amazing Porto.
This Way to the Whole Story ->

Best Street Art in LISBON – Part III: Moscavide

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This is the third and last part of the murals I saw during my recent trip to Lisbon. Already in some of my past posts on urban art, I took you to some rather inhospitable neighborhoods. Whether the 13th Arrondissement of Paris, Copenhagen’s Nordvest neighborhood, or the satellite town of San Pablo in the northeast of Seville – hardly any sightseer makes his way to these places on the outskirts of Europe’s glittering metropoles.
And in Lisbon, too, you have to leave the picturesque historic old town and roam through high-rise developments like Moscavide to see some of the best street art the city has to offer.

String Quintet by Juanjo Surace and a massive collage by Colectivo RUA in Moscavide where you can find some of the best street art Lisbon has to offer.
String Quintet by Juanjo Surace and a massive collage by Colectivo RUA are waiting for you in Moscavide.
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Best Things to do in FUERTEVENTURA in One Week

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Since some of the best things the island of Fuerteventura has to offer are its endless sand beaches, wild waves, and picturesque villages, you’re in for one week of relaxation as well as activity and great inspiration.

Woman walking on the beach of Morro Jable.
Walking down what seems to be an endless beach is one of the greatest pleasures in Fuerteventura.

Although the net of buses is not as close-meshed as for instance in Gran Canaria or Tenerife, it’s still possible to visit most places comfortably by public transport. I’ll supply you with all the information necessary.

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