Of my 13 trips to Iceland so far, my most memorable one was my first time there, in 2002, when I happened to meet my future wife. At a distant second was our trip in the summer of 2011, when we took a week-long road trip through the West Fjords region, the far northwestern peninsula that juts out into the cold North Atlantic Ocean like a dragon's head on a Viking longboat. It's not necessarily an inaccessible nor difficult drive to get … [Read more...]
Mellieha in Malta
It’s always difficult trying to find reasonably priced holidays in the summer school break, so when I spotted this package deal to Malta I snapped it up for me, my husband, Tom and my two daughters, Eva, 12, and Lily, 10. I wasn’t sure what to expect, as Malta used to have the reputation of being a destination for older holiday makers, rather than families, but it seems the island is trying to change all that. Our resort, Mellieha, has the … [Read more...]
Pissing on Snakes: a Postcard from Georgia; the Country on the Fringes of Europe
Too vast. My eyes have nothing to rest on, sliding over rolling landscapes. With no point to hold my gaze, I’m afraid of tripping over the horizon. The road doesn’t look like it was designed to lead anywhere but merely to serve as a metaphorical symbol of the journey into the unknown. There isn’t much to know in the unknown, it seems. It looks unfinished and bare. Only in places the ground is covered with withered grasses, sometimes leafless … [Read more...]
Cheesecake in the Vineyard
To say food inspired me on a trip to Italy sounds trite and a little too rehearsed. After all, there are lots of people who have been inspired by Italian food. Right? I’m telling you...this was different. Maybe it was because this was our first trip to Italy. Or, maybe it was because it was before GPS, and we had to rely on maps, road signs, and our basic sense of direction to get to our food. Some meals were more of an adventure than … [Read more...]
When you learn (yet again) how much you don’t know: Agios Michael Synadon
We weren’t inside this little church for more than twenty minutes, but that was long enough to be reminded yet again of my ignorance on… well, so many things. Architecture and Greek Orthodoxy are topics that come to mind, as well as the history of the 100+ public and private churches that exist in Skopelos, the little Greek town we’re residing in while my husband completes an artist residency. We discovered one of those churches, the Church of … [Read more...]
Road Trip to Schladming
I live in Germany so Schladming, Austria was not my first choice. It was not my second choice. I’m not even sure if it was not my third choice. I wanted to go some place where they don’t speak German but my husband wanted to go… so… okay, why not? It was a two-day drive. The first night we stopped along the autobahn at a random hotel. Our overnight stay was nothing special. The hotel served its purpose and we were all packed and ready to go … [Read more...]
By a Single Thread
A birthday card from our kids shows the front paws of a tiger; a cub is peeking out between two protective legs, cub eyes full of mischief as if saying, "is anybody out there silly enough to dare touch me, with my big daddy around?" I gaze at it for a while. Gradually, a decisive fraction of a second once upon a time starts to cross my mind... * * * Entering deep relaxation after some yoga that morning, I've planted gratitude in my mind for … [Read more...]
Naples, Italy: A Gastronomic Plunge Into Pizza
There are many sites to see in and around Naples, Italy. For travelers who live to eat, it’s the vibrant cuisine that acts like a magnet, drawing us to this southern Italian city like bees to honey. Situated in the shadow of Mount Vesuvius, residents live with the constant threat of eruption. Rather than living in fear, they throw caution to the wind, embracing each moment with a carefree attitude and plenty of gusto. Each meal might be your … [Read more...]
Guide to Cinque Terre
The Cinque Terre is a collection of 5 colourful villages built in the Cliffside in the Italian Riviera. I've had Cinque Terre on my bucket list ever since I saw an iconic photo of this part of Italy in National Geographic. When I was planning my trip to France and Italy in the Summer of 2017, I knew I wanted to check it out. It was the perfect stop between Nice and Florence; it took about 5 hours to get to the Cinque Terre by train … [Read more...]
Exploring Wine in Switzerland’s Lake Geneva Region
As a wine enthusiast, I seek to sample wines from lesser-known regions. While I appreciate the supple richness and velvety texture of a Pomerol from Bordeaux and the complex fruit concentrations of Southern Tuscany’s great Brunello di Montalcino, it’s the pours from destinations that are not yet written on the wine lover’s map that really get my palate going. I recently visited Switzerland’s Lake Geneva Region. It’s a gorgeous part of one the … [Read more...]
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