Return to Switzerland
Hiking in Switzerland: Before we moved back to the US, we spent two weeks hiking in Switzerland together as a way to wrap up our four years in Europe.
Snapshots of Poland: Gdańsk and Chełmno
The overnight bus left Berlin at around 9pm and arrived in Gdańsk, Poland at 4:45am. It was one of those nights you think will never end. Ben and I pushed against one another on the sticky hot bus, trying to get some sleep. I spent way too much time lamenting my unwillingness to pay for …
Snapshots of Bavaria, Germany
Last spring we went camping for a weekend in Bavaria, Germany. From the moment we told folks we were moving to Germany, people told us we had to go and visit Neuschwanstein Castle (German: Schloss Neuschwanstein). It was raining when we stopped there on our way to our camping spot, but that was ok, because …
Snapshots of Germany in the Fall
Walking through Autumn in Southern Germany (Baden-Württemberg) Y’all, the autumn was so beautiful in the little town we lived in last year. In the morning, you would walk to town and the hills would have a Scotland-like mist over them, but the afternoons were usually gorgeous blue skies and incredible color. I walked in the …
Snapshots of Rome
ROME ITALY The face I’m making in this picture could be summed up like this: OH MY GOSH I’M IN ROME AND THERE ARE A MILLION PEOPLE EVERYWHERE AND I WANT TO GO BACK TO TUSCANY BUT ACTUALLY IT’S REALLY BEAUTIFUL HERE BUT I’M EXPERIENCING SENSORY OVERLOAD SO…GELATO IS THE ANSWER FOR EVERYTHING! I am …
Snapshots of Tuscany, Italy
On our first day in Tuscany, my sister drove and I navigated. Between giving her the next directions (3 more kilometers on this road and then turn left) and catching up on stories about our kids, we were gasping at the scenery. Anna, look! Vineyards and towers on hills and cypress trees and red poppies …
Snapshots of Ostia, Italy
The scent of ylang ylang filled the air, knocking me over with its sweetness. I looked up from the map I was following to stop and smell the flowers, then to see the columns, and to smile at the bright blue sky. A few blocks later, I found my hotel, dropped my backpack and crossed …
Snapshots of Strasbourg, France
One of the advantages of where we live in Germany is that we are just a few hours from several other European countries. So earlier this winter we headed to the closest French town west of us: Strasbourg. I’m surprised it took us this long to get to Strasbourg because we have a dear friend who …
Walking and Eating in Venice
Walking and Eating in Venice with Walks of Italy I think that you plan a trip to Venice because you’ve seen how gorgeous it is in pictures and in films. And when you go, the canals, bridges and alleys of Venice will totally fulfill your expectations by being as enchanting as you always imagined. But another reason …
Snapshots of Venice, Italy
Me to Taido in October: Oh my goodness. Direct flights to Venice from Stuttgart are less than $20 right now! What do you think? Christmas in Italy. We could surprise the kids! Taido: Let’s do it. (My husband is a man of few words.) It’s funny how many of our trips have begun with an exchange like …
Snapshots of Christmas Markets in Germany
Christmas Markets in Southern Germany I have to say that being in Germany for the Christmas season has been a delight to the senses. We did not travel far and wide to get to Christmas markets this year, but we thoroughly enjoyed the ones in Tübingen and the surrounding area. What I loved about attending …
A Walk to Lichtenstein Castle, Germany (Schloss Lichtenstein, Deutschland)
Lichtenstein Castle (German: Schloss Lichtenstein), also known as the “Fairy tale castle of Württemberg,” is an 1840s Biedermeier style Gothic Revival castle built on a large rock near Honau, Reutlingen, in the Swabian Jura situated in the Tüblingen region of Baden-Württemberg, Germany. -wikipedia We set out from our flat in Tübingen on a recent Saturday to hike to Lichtenstein Castle. After taking a bus and a train to the nearby town …
Snapshots from Tübingen: Our First Month in Germany in Photos
We have been in our new home in Tübingen, Germany for over a month now. And I have to say that I have struggled to put together this first post from Germany, because I want to strike a balance between the two extremes of HELLO GORGEOUS PHOTOS OF OUR NEW HOME TOWN and HEY WE …
Climbing Mt Keen in Scotland
When you have lived somewhere for three years and you invite your friends along on what is to be your Final Walk In Scotland, apparently people feel obligated to come. Or maybe they just don’t want to miss a final opportunity to climb a munro with you. Or maybe lots of folks want to make …
Climbing Ben Nevis in Scotland
We’ll have to get up early. We’ll need to leave by 6am, but I’m pretty sure we can do it all in one day. It will take us over three hours to drive there, somewhere between 5 and 7 hours to climb it, and then three hours to drive back home. Plus I think we should …
A Sunny Spring Walk to Bow Fiddle Rock from Cullen, Scotland
Bow Fiddle Rock, Cullen, Scotland On my first Sunday in church in Scotland, a gal introduced herself to me and gave me her number. She said I could call her for coffee sometime. But I didn’t call her. For all kinds of reasons. I was in a state of total overwhelm. I thought she was just being …
Snapshots of Manarola, Italy
Oh Manarola, Italy. How do I love thee. Let me count the ways. So, I know I wrote about the end of our trip to Italy last week, but I have one more post because I really like to save the best for last. And maybe it is just because we stayed there and we …
Snapshots of Pisa, Italy
One Day with Kids in Pisa, Italy After our glorious week in Cinque Terre, we were all a bit sad about leaving Italy. We had a 1pm flight out of Pisa, so we packed up the night before and left the beautiful town of Manarola at 6am. We each had a small daypack and then …
Snapshots of Vernazza, Italy
Hiking in the Cinque Terre from Manarola to Vernazza, Italy via the 506/AVT5/507 Vernazza was the only one of the five villages in the Cinque Terre we had left to visit at the end of our week in Italy. We had taken a day off from hiking to rest and enjoy Manarola and so I …
Snapshots of Riomaggiore, Italy
Hiking in the Cinque Terre from Manarola to Riomaggiore, Italy Here’s something you should know about hiking in the Cinque Terre in 2016. Once upon a time there was a trail that ran along the coastline all the way through all five towns of the Cinque Terre. It started in Monterosso al Mare and went …