FREAKY ART IN GUATEMALA
In general, the art
in Guatemala is quite beautiful – there is a lot of professional photography to be found, plenty of gorgeous paintings and an abundance of textiles (remember THIS POST?)…but… there is also some not-so-nice stuff.
Namely, the paintings below. I found them in a market shop (I forget the name) on one of the busy city streets in Antigua, and while there was... Read More
Design Blunders in Central America
I cannot control
the smug designer in me who likes to scoff at nonfunctional, ridiculous and downright ugly design and decor that I encounter on my travels. In most cases, I run into comical decorating attempts while staying in budget accommodations while backpacking – but I still think there’s NO EXCUSE FOR BAD DESIGN, even if the hotel costs $6 a night!
And so, I’d like to... Read More
Undercover Design Investigation: Brisas de Amor
Panama is home
to some pretty unique establishments, including roadside Chinese furniture stores, Fondas (where you can get a home cooked meal out of a house!) and colourful mini-supers (cross-breed between a convenience store and a supermarket), but the strangest of all has to be the local PUSH that I drive by on the Pan-American highway.
A view of the 24-hour Brisas de Amor... Read More
Florence Hotel Shower Mishap
With all the great design
being featured on Passport To Design lately, I thought I’d try to balance out the good with the bad and give you a taste of some more bad design I’ve encountered on my travels.
As you can imagine, I am pretty picky with hotel rooms (when I can afford to be, that is), and although I’ve stayed in my fair share of dingy, dirty, run-down and down-right... Read More
Leave the Rainbows for the Sky
Remember when coloured porcelain
was actually cool in the 1980s and 1990s? No..? Funny… me neither.
I got a kick out of the rainbow selection of toilets and sinks at the local hardware store in Coronado, Panama. Can we all sing-song the words “Ugly Pooper” in unison now? Ready…go!
Why would anyone ever need a pastel green toilet?! What's wrong with pastel green hand... Read More
Follow Up: Fire Code Violation
Remember the post I wrote
about the new condo building in Panama City, Panama, that was occupied with residents but missing the very crucial Fire Code Safety features? I sure do… I’ve been thinking about this gorgeous condo that is at risk of burning to the ground and taking all it’s residents with it for months now (click here to read the original post).
Well, as it turns out,... Read More
Frankenstein Roofing Is Super Distracting
I never thought there could be something ugly in Ubud…
but alas, a view of the market from above proves otherwise.
The sun is so hot in Ubud the last thing anyone can think about is seeking shelter in style…clearly…the only thing on anyone’s mind is getting under some shade.
This is a view of the market below in Ubud, Indonesia. All these umbrellas are set up and torn down... Read More
Better To Be Left in the Dark
Siena is one of those medieval towns
in Italy that makes your heart pitter-patter with the anticipation of new love. I too, fell victim to the romance Siena has to offer…it was easy to walk around with a giant smile on my face as I admired the rustic stone buildings, the gently crumbling window sills and pediments, the worn-down cobblestone paving and the super-hideously-ugly light... Read More
Just Let It Burn
Rules are different in some countries
when it comes to fire safety and building occupancy.
I have a freakishly nerdy love for the OBC (Ontario Building Code) and occasionally find myself anxious to flip through it’s big, chunky chapters in search of a new code. Ok, fine. I don’t REALLY read the OBC for fun, but I have always thoroughly enjoyed searching for (and finding) that... Read More
You’re Not Fooling Anyone!
I am a fan of wallpaper.
Correction: I am a fan of tasteful wallpaper.
I think wallpaper has come a long way and really isn’t as user-hostile as it used to be. Advances in adhesive backing has made wallpaper easier to apply, but also a lot less painful to remove. Plus, with the help of steamers (and in some cases) professionals, there really is no need to sacrifice great design for fear... Read More
A Little Bit About Me
Welcome to Passport To Design! My name is Tania. I love Design almost as much as I love Travel, and here is where my two loves collide. Check out the "About Me" page for more info. Thanks for reading. Happy travels, my dear design-loving friends.
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