It’s taken a while for me to post the second half of my mini Euro Summer which was another one of my favourite destinations Cote d’Azur, Nice to be specific. Honestly in a perfect world every one of my summers would be spent here. Nice is legit the perfect place, the people are friendly, the weather is great, the water’s so blue *in Beyonce’s voice* and you can hop on a train and be in an equally beautiful town or village. I would recommend it over and over again to anyone who will listen.
My first time in Nice was a solo trip and this time around I went with my bestie, so its safe to say it works great as a solo travel destination as well as a girls trip destination.
The sun sets were at 21h30 or so and I tried to capture the beauty.
Sunset
Nights at the beach were lovely.
I revisited Ezè village and Monaco.
I made it to Cannes this time around and the train ride was longer and hotter (you have been warned). Train ride aside Cannes is absolutely gorgeous and their beach has sand instead of pebble beaches in Nice. ( I do not care for the pebbles personally).
Checked out their walk of fame and walked up and down Les Marches du Palais(the red carpet stairs)
Even in my blogs I’m a maximalist here are a bunch of pics that I’m posting just for kicks.😉
I returned to Farago on the roof for Sunday brunch and the views were as lovely as I remembered (pictured above).
At this point we all know how trigger happy I am when it comes to taking pictures, but they just sit on my phone and a select few make it onto instagram and this blog. My friend and I used to talk about actually print our pictures out and I recently finally did and compiled photobooks. That kinda led to my new hobby digital journalling/scrapbooking.
Yeah I’m an ipad kid so it only makes sense for me to scrapbook digitally. Here are some pages from my scrapbook with my travel chronicles if you will. Chances are at some point I’ll print these out into a photobook.
Yeah I know you’re all like “Geez Louise Ofentse how many more Florianapolis posts are there?”. Well I was there for a month and you all know how trigger happy I get with the shutter button on my camera, so I’ve got a bunch of pictures and where else can I share them if not here 🤷🏾♀️.
This post is about what I consider to be the highlights of the trip.
Favela da Mariquinha Street Art Tour:
This was a tour of the favelas and the artwork in and around the Favela da Mariquinha which could be considered one of the largest outdoor galleries.
A ARTE SALVA VIDAS which means ART SAVES LIVES
Our tour guide Alex was born and raised in Favela de Mariquinha and is a community leader and all round Mr Congeniality (He knew everybody in the neighbourhood and they all showed love) . He is involved in various projects aimed at increasing visibility and making a positive impact on his community through teaching kids about art, soccer, surfing & jujitsu . Alex knows the stories behind all the paintings and is passionate about sharing them. Here are a few of my favourite paintings:
And the view of the city from the favelas was absolutely gorgeous
This view
* Check out Favela de Mariquinha on instagram @roledamariquinha
The next highlight was our visit to the Olodum Sul which is like a centre for the kids from the favelas. They have all types activities and programmes for the kids to learn skills from dance, to music, art and general life skills. It really is a great place they even have psychologists at the school. My favourite part is how they instilling a sense of black pride in the sense they teach the kids about black history and black pride which is very important as the region they’re in Santa Catrina is a predominately white area (80% white population). Being black is a struggle worldwide so having a space like this really is amazing.
We did a mini tour of the centre, did some dancing and we did capoeira with the kids it was so much fun.
Below are images of historic black people all over the walls as well as their new podcast studio, it really is so cool how they are teaching the kids all of this.
20 November is Black ConsciousnessDay in Brazil.
An honourable mention to the list of highlights for me in Florianapolis was without a doubt sugarcane juice (I miss it so).
I have been in a not so great mental space this year, and I needed a change of scenery . I went to the internet in search of an escape for a bit. My default destination is Paris as that is my happy place but Paris in November is freezing and I was already depressed I didn’t need to be cold too.
I came across a YouTube video by Nikki Vontaya and she is on a 12 month trip with a travel group called Remote Year and her trip looked great so I looked them up. I obviously wasn’t going to do a 12 countries in 12 months trip that is pure insanity. But I did look them up and they do have a 1 month and 4 month travel option. Anyway I selected 1 month in Brazil because you know summer and beaches. So I booked a flight to Florianopolis, a town I’d never heard of until October this year.
I went for the Remote Year option because the trip planning was done for me, accommodation was booked for me, activities and attractions were organized and suggested for me, win win. After all of the airport drama I made it to my home for the month a place called Bewiki and I met the people I would be spending the month of November with, my fellow travellers :
From left to right
The Caipirinha Pusher
The Disappearing Man
Me (The Grumpy one)
Our City Manager
The English Patient
The Hopeless Romantic
And The Light Packer
I will break down whole trip in future posts as 1 month is too long for one post. So lets say to be continued…..
The past 3 years have been awful for me, but travel has always been a good band-aid or pick me up, not this time though. The first half of the year was very trying but at least the drama had a deadline, I knew by a certain day it would all be done and I’d be able to have a bit of a breather.
My cousin moved to Mauritius so I figured it made sense to go de-stress where I already had accommodation and my personal tour guide so I booked my ticket. So due to the aforementioned I did zero prep for this trip, mistake number 1.
The moment I landed in Mauritius things went wrong, my uterus turned on me then my luggage was delayed 🙄. Once I got my luggage I figured I was finally home free as I approached the doors towards the exit I was stopped by a security guard who asked to see my papers. I guess travelling solo as a black woman to a family holiday destination is suspicious 🤷🏾♀️. So I show her my papers, she calls another guy and I’m taken to another room where my luggage is searched. All of this in my first hour of being in that country. What a start to my long weekend break right?
Anyway I make it out and relay my ordeal to my cousin as we’re driving to her place. She informs me she has to come back home for a family emergency, so she’s leaving the next day but she’s leaving me in an apartment with food and a car with a full tank of petrol.
So I spent 4 days floating around Mauritius sometimes I’d forget to bring my tripod which is my favourite travel accessory. I took some pretty pictures though, Mauritius is looks like a living postcard even with its schizo weather.
I did do some touristy stuff, I went to the Caudan Waterfront to get a picture on the strip with all the umbrellas but they closed the umbrellas because it was too windy. I swear you cant make this stuff up. So went back on a less windy day.
I did lunch and sundowners and took strolls by the beach.
I will say the SSR Botanical Garden was my favourite part of Mauritius . So gorgeous, green and lush.
So its safe to say Mauritius needs a do over of some sort.
I’m back with another dope black girl feature for my Travel Spotlight. I started this feature to shine a light on black women who travel, I’m big on representation. And for the most part when we’re exposed to travel content creators they are flashy and promote luxury travel which makes travel as a whole seem unattainable. So with this feature I hope to do my part to show that travel is attainable. And that there is a sweet spot between slumming it and luxury travel.
And with that being said allow me to introduce the star of this edition of travel spotlight , ladies and gentlemen Malebo Fox.
Introduce yourself.
Hi there, I’m Malebo Fox, a 33-year-old adventurer who finds solace in the vibrant atmosphere of hostels. Born in Hillbrow and having lived in Soweto before settling in The Vaal. I worked as a fashion buyer until I decided to make the move to Canada. Before my relocation, I was living in the vibrant city of Cape Town. I’m an only child, which has shaped my sense of independence and curiosity. Currently, I’m pursuing a degree in public relations, a field that I’m deeply passionate about. And I’m fortunate to be married to my best friend, who shares in my love for travel and life’s adventures.
Tell us where you’ve been around the world and where you’re based now
I was born in South Africa, and I currently call Ottawa, the capital of Canada, my home. I’ve been fortunate to explore diverse corners of the world. My travels have taken me to six continents.
Africa- Mozambique, eSwatini, Lesotho
Asia- Japan, South Korea, Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia
Europe- France, Netherlands, Belgium and Greece
North America- Mexico, Usa, Cuba, Jamaica, Costa Rica, Panama and Antigua and Barbuda
South America-Brazil Oceania_ Fiii, Vanuatu and New Zealand
What was your favourite destination?
Japan hands down. I loved everything from the food to the landscape and the people.
Do you prefer using travel apps or travel agents?
Apps hands down. I will spend hours on google. I prefer making my own bookings, it’s part of the thrill.
What are your favourite travel apps?
Hostel world for accommodation and community. Airalo for digital simcards, talk 360for making international calls. And the trusted google maps to navigate.
When did the travel bug bite?
The travel bug bit me the moment I landed in Cape Town for the first time. It happened when I was in my early twenties, making me a bit of a late bloomer in the world of travel. Up until that point, I had explored my home country, South Africa, but international travel was an entirely new frontier for me. Cape Town served as a catalyst, igniting my passion for exploration and broadening my horizons.
What is your take on solo travel?
Solo travel is a remarkable experience, and I absolutely love it. It offers a unique opportunity to embark on a personal journey of self-discovery while exploring the world. One of the most appealing aspects of solo travel, for me, is the freedom it provides. You get to set the pace of your adventure, deciding when to move on or linger a little longer in a place that captures your heart. There’s no need to compromise or adjust your plans based on someone else’s preferences, which allows for a more spontaneous and flexible. Another incredible aspect of solo travel is the people you meet along the way. When you’re on your own, you become more open to connecting with fellow travelers, locals, and fellow adventurers.
Do you have any tips for people considering doing solo trips?
Opt for minimal packing, maintain flexibility in your itineraries, conduct thorough research in advance, and embrace an open-minded approach to your travels.
What do you never travel without?
My phone and power bank
Do you have a favourite travel buddy? And why?
My husband. He is my best friend, and he gets me. He always looks up restaurants ahead of time and he is always down for a good time.
What is your dream destination?
Ibiza. I dream of partying to the best house music at a beach bar while sipping on cocktails, surrounded by gorgeous people.
The cool thing about visiting the South of France is there are so many little towns within driving or train distance you can have cute little day excursions all over the French Riviera. Nice is nice and central so for the most part you can hop on a train to a small town like Éze village to major attractions like Monanco. I mention these 2 places because they are the ones I visited because they were the shortest trips (I get motion sickeness).
My first day trip was to Ezé Village because it was a quick train ride (not more than 15minutes from Nice). Ezé is a beautiful medieval town perched on a hilltop, it was recommended for the pretty views of the Mediterranean Sea and the historic buildings. A quick tip from me though if you’re going to visit Ezé from Nice take the bus or drive, I learned that the hard way. I took the train and it was quick and all but the train station is all the way at the bottom of the doggone cliff/hill, then you have to take the shuttle to the top and those don’t come frequently. We waited at that bus stop for over an hour by the time it arrived there were so many of us we were like sardines in a tin can. Same thing coming back down and the road was small and windy my goodness. Btw being in overpopulated train-cars and shuttles was a big theme this trip.
Waiting on the shuttle
My 2nd day trip was to Monaco and is one that requires a re-do and a lot more prep work, I disrespected this place with my go with flow attitude here, my bad. This trip was basically a walk through the city. The only way to describe Monaco is beautifully opulent.
The train was packed the whole way to Monaco, I was standing the whole time and I thought that was bad. The return trip was like a movie. There was a one and a half hour train delay so the platform was filled to the brim, there was damn near a stampede once a train finally arrived. I could’ve died ya’ll. No lie the people on the other platforms were taking pictures and videos. It was a little bit scary. So yeah after that I was like I’m going to stay put in Nice, no more trains for me for a bit.
This is the end of my summer holiday recap. Other than the luggage drama (documented in full detail in my previous post) Paris was an absolute dream as always. Correction this time was better because this was my first summer in Paris and listen this city in summer *chef’s kiss*.
Honestly there’s not much for me to say that I haven’t already said in my other Paris posts so I’m going to share a whole lot of pictures.
Galeries Lafayette views
The view of the city from the terrace at the Galeries Lafayette is quite a site to behold.
Places we ate
Touristy Shots
Sacré-Cœur
Cheesy Shots
Yes I do have a bit of an obsession with the Eiffel Tour
We only had a few days in Barcelona and no real plan. The only things on my Barcelona to-do list were Moco Museum and riding the cable cars to get a view of the city. The rest of the time could be spent at the beach and would have been if it wasn’t for the rain. Which got us exploring the city more. Yeah I’m one of those “go with flow, anywhere the wind blows” type of traveler.
DAY 2:
We took a walk around the port on a cloudy day and we saw some really cool boats and enjoyed the city views. The good news is the sun came out to play half way through our exploration walk.
DAY 3
We took the scenic route to the cable cars. Our search included an uphill walk, some stairs and we braved a little drizzle but it was worth it for the views, all this is before we actually got on the cable car. Quick sidenote when we reached our destination we figured out what the guy at our hotel reception was trying to tell us : there was literally a train from the metro station right outside our hotel directly to the cable cars *insert eyeroll here*. But if we had taken that option we would have missed a bunch of photo ops and what I’m counting as exercise.
That evening we went for supper at Cremat Lounge where the staff was super friendly and the gave a list of parties to check at the gothic quarter. We ended up at a place called Jamboree where they had a hip hop open mic session downstairs and a dj whose playlist was on shuffle upstairs. Yep we danced to Ace of base and Beyonce in one night. Fun was had.
In between suggesting clubs the staff took our pictures
DAY 4
We finally made it to the beach on our last full day in Barcelona and boy did I soak up the sun. A lot of interesting things to be seen at Barceloneta beach:
A lot of vendors: Mojito & beer salesmen, masseuses, ladies who braid hair and guys renting out umbrellas.
A lot of topless tanning
The beach blanket vendors bury the inventory in the sand *true story bro*
The day ended with another touristy activity, we went to go check out the Sagrada Familia. Because we got there so late (21h00), we didn’t get to go inside but the outside is so beautiful.
Also can we take a moment to appreciate the late European sunsets in the summer, love love love them.
So I’m the type of person who takes a bunch of pictures and videos which I do nothing with, my friend has nagged me into sharing more of it so here we go. Lets call this a continuation my last post.
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