There’s more to the world than Europe
Sorry Prague, it’s not you, it’s me
A background tune for reading this newsletter:
I moved to São Paulo, Brazil two years ago from New York City. As someone who thinks guide books have never gone out of style and currently has 56 lists on Google Maps (I’ve never counted before — cue mild embarrassment), I dove into researching restaurants, bars, neighborhoods and day trips. São Paulo is the largest city in the Southern hemisphere, so of course I was disappointed to see most English-language travel guides to Brazil were limited to only Rio. Brazil is the fifth-largest country by landmass and population, but you’re better off finding more information on Portugal, a country 5% of its size.
I’ve seen rushing waterfalls, paradisiacal beaches, rolling hills, culturally rich cities and more in my new home country, and I feel like I’ve barely scratched the surface. One of the reasons I started Good Trip is to put a focus on places that might not get a lot of attention — at least in English-language media — but are rich in what they have to offer to explore.
As Good Trip gets started, we want to know: what places have you been to that you think deserve more love? Don’t worry, we’re definitely not about to send mobs of tourists to ruin your favorite idyllic spot; we’re too small-time for that. We’re here to get people thinking about how to expand future travel plans beyond London, Rome and Machu Picchu (although those places are awesome too).
One of our core philosophies is:
Every corner of the world is someone's favorite place. No matter where you are, there's something interesting to find or experience. Even Ohio — we promise there’s even fun to be had in Ohio (I can say this because I’m born and raised in the Buckeye State).
Email me, comment on this post on Substack, or send me a DM — what places should Good Trip cover?
xo
Brandy
Good Trip Founder
Local’s Corner
When it comes to traveling the world, Clément Daguinos has more miles under his belt than most people — quite literally, since he’s a flight attendant with Air France. He’s been just about everywhere, so who better to check in with on his favorite travels and places in his current home city of Paris.
His favorite local-to-France snack:
I'm from the southwest of France, so I'm overusing Piment d'Espelette. It's a chilli pepper grown in a lovely small town in the Basque Country. It has a spicy but also delicate taste. I use it instead of regular pepper. My friends are always impressed when they try it.
The movie anyone should check out to get a feel for Paris:
Cédric Klapisch's last movie, “Someone, Somewhere.” It's refreshing to see neighborhoods like the Xth or the XIXth on screen. The plot captures well the modern daily life of Parisian people: grocery stores, subway, catching up with lost friends or finding love nowadays in France.
The place he’s traveled to that he’d like to go back to:
Probably China. It is a huge country and I would like to know more about it because the culture is so different from the Occidental one. I used to go there for my work. I like Wuhan a lot, more than Beijing. There are so many lakes and temples, and people are really nice and funny. I liked to order a beer in a local bar, after I tried to be understood by the waitress for 15 minutes. I would sit down, totally jet lagged, and I would watch people walk by. When you are in China as a Westerner, you feel like you are in a "Lost in Translation" scene everyday.
His favorite local Paris spot within a 15-minute walk of his apartment:
Along Saint-Martin canal, there is bookshop called Artazart where you can find beautiful graphic books, cards, postcards or posters. It's really colorful and arty. Plus, you have a range of coffee shops and restaurants around it. So next time you are going to Paris, make sure to visit this area.
His ideal day in Paris (non-COVID times):
I would eat lunch at Maison Maison, along the Seine. Then, I would hang around Rue de Turennes where you can find different art galleries like Perrotin or Galerie Cinema. I would eat a cake in Le loir dans la théière before having some drinks with friends at Barapapa, a bar on a barge where we would watch the sunset. After? The night would belong to us.
Where he wants to travel next, post-COVID:
To South Africa. I have already been to Johannesburg but I would like to visit Cape Town and then drive around the wine route. I can't wait to drink some wine and see some animals, I mean, what do you want more?
Good Trip Tip
Stuck at home daydreaming what your next adventure will be? If you want to be as obsessive as Brandy (see above stat of 56 lists), use this time to star and save places you want to visit on your Google Maps. You can customize the lists or use the “Want to Go” pins. When travel opens up more and you’re ready to book a trip, you’ll have your research saved and easy to access so you can spend more time actually enjoying the place!
Good Use of Screen Time
🎶 Every day I look at the world from my window 🎶
Not just a song by The Kinks, but also our daily reality. Get a different view with WindowSwap. Remember ChatRoulette? It’s kind of like that, but more calming and genital-free.
