As you know, we have started introducing you to our favorite traveling couples and decided to make this a series. Next up in our spotlight are Christina and Keith of the blog Cityloveee. Though it started as an individual platform, this website full of useful tips and information is now managed by a couple. Curious to know more about how an individual blog can become a tool for two passionate travelers? Then Christina and Keith’s story will be a source of inspiration!

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Christina & Keith: The vegan lifestyle bloggers

When it comes to this pair’s story, we have to go back several years to when they were still at school. Keith and Christina met in 6th grade but it was only in high school that they became friends. They started dating eleven years ago and have been together ever since!

A few years later, Christina launched Cityloveee, her own individual blog. “Cityloveee has had many faces” she explains. “It started as a fashion and DYI blog. It’s always been a lifestyle thing but now I mostly blog about something I am very passionate about, veganism and travel. Compassionate, eco-friendly travel is a subject matter that more and more people want to be exposed to, and fortunately, I like sharing that information. I love to document these topics in the form of travel guides and vlogs.”

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When they started their backpacking trip to Europe together, Keith started contributing to the blog. “Keith has become a contributor more and more” Christina says. “First and foremost, my travel content wouldn’t exist without his research for us to find the most interesting places to travel to & activities to do. We make a great team because he likes finding the information and I like sharing it. With regard to blog posts I ask for his input so we make sure we produce the most comprehensive vegan travel guides. And I want him included in the vlogs because he’s full of travel information and he’s pretty cool too 🙂.”

My next question to Christina is one people have probably asked her a thousand times. Isn’t it hard to travel when you’re vegan? “It’s actually not difficult at all to travel and be vegan” she answers. “It’s a common misconception but the world is a lot more vegan friendly than one would think. It’s easy to have misapprehensions about other parts of the world before you travel to them. That’s why I’ve been documenting what I’ve found to give people peace of mind and to know that you won’t go hungry in cities like Barcelona. Some cities and cuisines are more vegan-friendly than others, but veganism exists everywhere in some form! I’m not saying traveling as a vegan is easy, it does take planning and practice but once you get the hang of it, it gets better!”

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And if you ask the specialist what are the most vegan-friendly places, Christina has a whole list ready for you! “Berlin is the vegan capital of the world as far as I’m concerned. When we arrived in Berlin, I looked at vegan/vegetarian online travel guide, HappyCow.net, and Berlin has hundreds of veggie listings and 50 purely vegan restaurants. Portland, Oregon is the vegan capital of the United States, in my opinion. Not only does it have a vegan strip mall, but many veggie restaurants and the majority of the city is willing to accommodate a vegan diet. New York City is another vegan Mecca of the world which I haven’t had the honor of going to but the amount of vegan variety in that city is incredible. Bring on the Dunwell Donuts! Another vegan-friendly city is Los Angeles. We actually made a vegan guide to Los Angeles that will show you the variety that LA has to offer. And back in Europe, I was happy to discover how vegan-friendly Prague is. When we arrived there, we found so many higher end vegan restaurants throughout the city…”

Berlin, Prague… Keith and Christina chose Europe as their first destination together. What memories do they keep of this three-month trip? “We choose these destinations to absorb as much European culture as possible. We went to 11 countries and 30 cities. Museums, beaches, vegan restaurants, outdoor markets, opera houses, pintxo bars, churches, forts, airplanes, ferries, we saw a lot… It was a life changing trip. We knew it would be. Now we are even more obsessed with travel and knowing more about the world” they answer.

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They documented their adventure on Cityloveee through posts and videos, but also through vlogs. “I truly enjoy incorporating video into my content because it’s a medium I’ve been interested in for a long time” explains Christina. “I studied film in college so learning about film production has helped and inspired me with my current video production. And although photography has a big place in my heart, I absolutely love creating videos. I love editing and learning more and more about post production. It’s something I constantly want to improve at. I also found that I like expressing myself through video.”

Christina has been using her skills in photography and videography to make some money as a freelance, while traveling. She is now working with Keith on opening an Etsy shop where they will have vegan itinerary guides that will be packed with information on how to navigate a city as a vegan and more. “We also want to have another long term backpacking trip but this time in Southeast Asia” she says when she talks about the future. “We are drawn to more long term travel and want to experience another major part of the world for a significant period of time.”

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Before leaving, I ask Keith and Christina if they have a last piece of advice for couples who, like them, would like to blog and travel. “Learning each other’s travel styles is so important,” they say. “And communicating each other’s needs is essential. Of course, adjust your needs as you go. Not only respecting each others’ needs but understanding each others’ strengths.”

For more tips on how to manage a trip as a duo, where to find delicious vegan restaurants and what to do in the main cities of Europe, make sure to check out Keith and Christina’s blog, youtube channel, twitter account and instagram.

Couples who Travel and Blog: Christina and Keith

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