Trove is a working farm run by two Aussie-Italians: Barbara and Ugo. A labour of love more than profit, the couple has been bringing HelpX-ers into their home for years through a work-stay agreement. HelpX is a popular traveling website that pairs budget travelers with farmers, hostel and hotel owners who are willing to swap room and board for work each day.

Our job was to mend and tend to the ‘orto’. When we arrive there was an assortment of random lettuces and herbs in the garden that grow so freely in Tuscany they’re considered edible weeds. Simon and I weeded for days, turned the soil and started planting from scratch. By the time we left the tiered garden bed was filled with tomatoes, zucchini, green beans, cucumber, arugula, lettuces, eggplant, strawberries, herbs and cabbage.

Emails from Barbara and Ugo reassure us that the veggies are doing well under the care of new HelpX’ers, and we even got to try the early-developing zucchini before we left at the end of June.

It was our first ever work-for-board exchange and though we were a little uneasy at first, we soon grew to enjoy the new experience. Barbara and Ugo run an Italian tour company as well as their farm, and we found it hard know if we were doing the right tending throughout the hectic schedule that is their life.

We were also, not shockingly, out of shape. But that changed soon enough!

If there’s anything I could bring home from the experience it’s the laid-back nature of farm work in Italy. All of our work was done before noon each day. While this meant early mornings, we were able to spend the afternoons reading and chatting and eating long lunches.

Compared with the stark contrast of Toronto office-life, I could use a little Trove orto back in my life!

The stone house at Trove. Yes, in case you’re wondering, I do want to live there!

Grape vines at Trove. Their wine wasn’t for sale and was bottled and stored in their own cellar.

A biking Baba outside Budapest, Hungary. I was scrambling to get this one in time…

I’m mostly attracted to her Converse style. In Split, Croatia.

A conference at the bus stop. Vienna, Austria.

This is a guest submission from my Dad. He says the photo, “captures the essence of a Canadian Baba on a cold winters day.” Calgary, Alberta.

But if you look above those facades, you’ll see a bullet-ridden past. Some of those historic landmarks are crumbling. The drive from the airport is dotted with demolished buildings and make-shift homes for the homeless. The city is torn between it’s new-found tourist status and what it has gone through to get there. Like many places you’ll see rich young people, and very poor old people who must be confused about what’s going on with their city.

But in the end it’s beautiful. The people are nice, the food is very good and (surprisingly to me) it’s a pedestrian-city where cars don’t try to run you over! And it’s still cheap (300 forint= 1 pound), which is why it’s seen an emergence of tourists since getting EU status.

-Words by Lyndsie Bourgon.

-Images by Simon Corkum.

In Corfu, Greece.

Also in Corfu, Greece.

In Frankfurt

Step off the plane in Dublin, and you’ll probably get the impression that they don’t want you there.

There’s an air to the city that makes you feel like it’s too important for its visitors. It’s bustling, and obviously the business and financial hub of the country. It seems like everyone is transient. The customs officers will give you a hard time – stamping your passport with a no-budge, must-leave date.

We arrived (by mistake) on the day Dublin was hosting England during the 6 Nations Rugby Championship. Our discount evening flight was packed, and the line to board the last evening bus downtown was elbow-to-elbow, full of jostling and panicked people trying to work out exact change for the grumpy driver.

I don’t blame him for the attitude – the bus was packed with screaming Frenchman, carrying baguettes and wearing mock leprechaun hats. They were tremendously drunk and singing ‘Les Champs Elysees’ the entire time.

We finally found our stop and worked our way down O’Connell Street towards a huge, landmark spire. Normally I’d be pretty cautious about arriving in a new city after midnight, but O’Connell was full of people yelling and screaming.

Since we only had one day in the city we wasted no time and started sightseeing early the next morning.

And here’s where things get tricky. Dublin is expensive. Really expensive.

We found ourselves searching in vain for an Irish breakfast that did not cost 10 Euro, and found one about two hours later. Before then we wound our way through the Dublin Book Market, Temple Bar, and the downtown core.

The rest of the day was spent idling at the beautiful Trinity College, before we found a pub far enough away from downtown, where we drank pints for 4.80.

And there is where the fun really began, with a bar-full of Ireland fans piling in for the game, and a corner of decidedly loud Englishmen cheering for their side (they would only lose by one point).

The experience was unique, and definitely worth the steep prices. We left the next morning a little disappointed we didn’t see more of Ireland.

-Words by Lyndsie Bourgon.

-Image by Simon Corkum.

One of the best parts about living in Edinburgh is that the Highlands are right on your doorstep. Ride the #15 Lothian bus from downtown for 20 minutes and you’ll be able to get off right at the foot of the Pentland Hills, which is what we did this weekend.

The Pentland Hills are a regional park (not technically the Highlands) and on a nice day they give stunning views of the city. We took the Capital View Walk – on Wikitravel it’s cited as “strenuous” but we didn’t find it too hard. The walk winds through the hills, with a few steep parts that are well rewarded with panoramic views once you get to the top. From there you can choose a harder hike or a pretty easy winding walk. Suffice to say we chose the easier walk.

On a mid-February day it was pretty warm but still very windy. The snow was melting and left the land soft and muddy but with some patience we navigated through it. The shades of green made up for any difficulties, and you wouldn’t recognize it as winter at all. Near the end of the walk (or the beginning, depending on where you start…) walkers go through picturesque yards and towns with traditional Scottish homes.

It wouldn’t be a day in Scotland without a nature walk that ends at a pub, which is where this one ends. The Steading is a pub/restaurant/café where visitors can sit by the fire, bring their dogs inside and enjoy a pint or two. The food is sold at a very high markup, so I wouldn’t recommend filling up there, but it’s a nice resting point after a mid-day hike.

For other outdoor excursions in Edinburgh, walk through Arthur’s Seat located right in the middle of the city, or down the Water of Leith path.

-Words by Lyndsie Bourgon.

-Images by Simon Corkum.

Bon appetite!

Edinburgh on the cheap?

It’s possible. It’s actually possible to do plenty of UK attractions on the cheap, though many North Americans like to think that travelling the UK is only for the uber-rich. And that’s true, if you stay to the high streets and Stonehenge.

Do and see: There’s so much to see outside the city centre. Buy a day pass for the bus (£3) and you can go ANYWHERE. Literally. The transit system is great. The 15 will take you to the Pentland Hills for a beautiful walk, you can take the 35 and get off at the base of Arthur’s Seat, or the 21 to see the Royal Britannia Yacht. Ticket prices at the amazing Cameo Cinema are low and you can catch new releases in historic theatres.

Leaving: From Edinburgh you can get two round-trip tickets to Perth or St. Andrew’s for less than £20, and it’s truly the Scottish countryside that’s worth a look. Don’t get me wrong, Edinburgh’s nice, but the villages are stunning, and almost hard to believe they’re real.

Eat: You can find a delicious cappuccino from any coffee shop in the city, usually for under £1.50 (in comparison, just a plain brewed coffee at a nice place in Canada will run you close to $2, a cappuccino being closer to $4). And when it comes time to eat you’ll find chippies, take-away curries, kebabs and even some great sit-down menus for less than £5.

Remember: Souvenirs is where your budget is most likely to break. Walk down the Royal Mile and purchase a few mementos along the way and your account will be done. But if you’re looking for whisky, visit any of the local ScotMid shops for better prices than tourist traps for the same products.

Accommodation: This is also a hard one. Travelling to Scotland in the off season is a big plus, and will bring hostel rates down to about £15-£20/night. But don’t bother arriving in August if you’re looking to save. The famous Edinburgh Fringe Festival draws millions from around the world, and most places boost rates. If you live here, considering avoiding the crowds AND earning money by renting out a room in your flat for a few weeks at high rates.

-Words by Lyndsie Bourgon.

-Image by Simon Corkum.

We made it to the base of the Acropolis. Close enough to see a small sign, printed on letter-sized paper with faded ink. Admission fee: 13 Euro per person, an extra 2 Euro to see the back of the ancient building.

Maybe for a history buff, this is worth it. We took a long look from outside the gate, gave our respects to King’s’ Foundation Year Programme, and walked on.

For the foodies out there, it’s shocking and almost heretical to say that Athens had the worst food of our trip.

On a day trip out on the town we wandered for almost two hours before finally finding SOMEWHERE to eat—a corner café with a few seats on the sidewalk where we found a few small pieces of pizza. Athens is the land of no food, especially when you consider the kebabs and pies found in Corfu town and Paros Island.

-Words by Lyndsie Bourgon.

-Image by Simon Corkum.

In the end, Athens was a passable city. Good for a layover but not the highlight of Greece.

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