We all remember what we were doing and where we were when we heard about the September 11th, 2001 attacks. Moreover, in my case, I had the opportunity to see the twin towers with my own eyes in the 1990s… The 9/11 memorial is located exactly where the twin towers were. Underground, there’s also the 9/11 […]
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Ellis Island was the entry point the United States for the immigrants coming from all over the world between 1892 and 1954. Most of these immigrants were the Jews persecuted in Europe, looking for a brighter future in the USA. Other immigrants were going to the United States to flee poverty, war, etc. Ellis Island […]
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I wrote several times on this blog what it’s like traveling while black : going through immigration takes longer, the locals stare at you in some areas of the world, locals who want to get a picture with you, people asking about your origins (“where are you really from?”), the ridiculous comparisons with black celebrities… […]
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New York is probably the most popular city in the United States. People going to the US usually visit New York. Those who’ve never been in the US first think about the things to do in New York, before potentially going to see other cities. Yes, New York hosts more than 60 million tourists every […]
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I’ve already been to several US cities, but I was often hearing people say “You have to visit Chicago when you go to the US“. I even heard “Chicago is one of the very few US cities where I can see myself moving in“. I thought about it more and more often, and finally, I […]
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It’s 10:30pm. I’m at the restaurant in Catania, Sicily, in the south of Italy. We’re a big group, about 30 people, the food is delicious, the alcohol is flowing in abundance… We could hear bursts of laughter in the room. The atmosphere is relaxed, we’re having a great time, and damn we eat so well! […]
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From what I remember, the first time it happened was in Montenegro, summer 2013. A few locals came up to me, and asked to get a picture with me. I didn’t understand. Like really, I was perplexed and confused. It never happened in my whole life before, and I didn’t understand why strangers stopped me […]
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When tourists decide to visit Italy, they usually go to Rome. Then it varies depending on the people : Tuscany, Cinque Terre, Sicily… But few people go visit Trento in Italy! For the more popular places, check this one-week Italy itinerary. Regarding Trento, truthfully speaking, I didn’t even know the existence of this city before […]
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Should you buy travel insurance? Especially when you’re long-term traveling? Short answer : yes! Everybody has to get travel insurance when you’re hitting the road! A travel insurance covers you in case a mishap occurs, we all know that. The problem is… whenever I’m preparing my next trip, I notice -reading online forums and travel […]
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Going back home, in your country, in your city, after a long trip is not as easy as it looks. Very often, we talk about how hard it is to quit your job, leave everything behind and travel the world. It’s true, the hardest part when it comes to long-term travel is actually leaving your […]
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I’ve been blogging for several years now and more and more often, I see a new phenomenon, which wasn’t existing not that long ago: articles listing the most instagrammable places in a given city. Meaning, the visually breathtaking places which will wow your Instagram followers and garner tons of likes and comments. To me, these […]
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Before reading the article, be aware that I wrote a 200+ pages book about traveling as a black person. Click here for more info. I still remember vividly what this conversation I had with this French guy I met in Chiang Mai. He was talking about one of his friends, another French guy “He loves […]
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Long term travelers all face this problem at some point, and I’m including myself. I’m talking about traveling peacefully with no onward ticket. For instance, if you’re Canadian and you take a week off to visit New York for the first time, you don’t have this problem. You get to the NYC airport, you show […]
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Stonehenge is the most famous prehistoric monument in the UK. It’s actually one of the most famous in the world. It’s not surprising that it’s one of the most photographed places in the UK. Every year, one million people decide to visit Stonehenge. The site is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It’s an unmissable if […]
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Saying that I like London is an euphemism. I love this city! A bit like Paris, everytime you visit London, you discover new things. Moreover London is a cosmopolitan, modern and dynamic city. You’ll find there stores, restaurants, pubs, museums, markets, parks… I love the vibe and the atmosphere there, the London state of mind… […]
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Holy shit I wrote a book! I WROTE A BOOK! Who would have believed it? Honestly, if you had told me two years ago that I would write a book one day, I would never had believed you! To me, until then, writing a book was reserved for literary people, philosophers, those who read a […]
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When you’re about to visit Paris, especially when it’s the first time, you usually already know what you want to see : the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe and the Champs Elysées, the Sacré Coeur Basilica, Notre Dame de Paris… The basics! Those who already visited Paris go back to wander in various areas […]
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I had been hearing about Montreal for a long time. People kept saying good things about this city. For quite some time, I was telling myself “One day, I’ll go visit Montreal“. The opportunity finally arrived! After visiting New York, I told myself “Why not also visit Montreal? It’s not far…” All right let’s go! […]
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“No you cannot stay here, the hotel is fully booked” “But I booked a few days ago, many rooms were available!” “Yeah we can see you have a booking but we made a mistake. Actually there’s not a single room available. You’ll have to go somewhere else“. It never happened to me before, check in […]
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This is when I started traveling that I realized how fast, efficient and clear the subway in Paris (my hometown) is. When traveling elsewhere… It immediately gets more complicated! “How to use the New York subway? How does it work? I don’t understand all the signs…” Those are questions many travelers ask themselves and it’s […]
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About Me
Blogger & Traveller
Hi! I'm Roobens, from Paris. Wanna know what it's like to travel in some areas of the world as a black person? There's not much info online about black travel, so follow my journey here!
About Me