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 Potsdam: Day Trip from Berlin
Potsdam, Germany is a fun and easy day trip from Berlin. Potsdam is a thirty minute drive from where we were staying in Berlin and boasts a garden that seems like a smaller and much less crowded version of Versailles. (Also it is free to visit!) So we decided to spend a day there. We …
Snapshots of Berlin, Germany
Snapshots of Berlin, Germany From the moment we moved to Germany, Ben told us he wanted to go to Berlin. Every time we took a short trip, he would ask when we were going to Berlin. So as our year in Germany was winding down, we decided we needed to make it happen. We rented …
5 Yoga Retreats You Should Probably Go On This Year
I think that a Yoga Retreat might just be the most perfect way to travel. It’s no secret that I love traveling. In the last few years, I have really been digging the kind of travel where you get to soak up time, culture and life in one single setting, like The Cinque Terre or …
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 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 Antigua, Guatemala
It seems ages ago now I walked the smokey gray cobbled streets of Antigua with my boys. We spent a couple of nights here after our week at Lake Atitlan in Guatemala. The city noises were jarring after a week of hearing mostly just the wind or the occasional boat motor. Antigua is loud and lively. …
Snapshots of Guatemala
Lake Atitlan Guatemala Over a month ago (or maybe it was a lifetime ago), we flew to Guatemala to join Taido’s family for a week on Lake Atitlán and a few days in Antigua. My mother-in-law has been raving about the beauty of this lake for years, so we were excited to leave winter in …
Snapshots of Winter Walks in Germany
Winter Germany Walking Winter is finally letting up here in Germany, but we’ve had lots of snow and icy days since December. There have been lots of frosty walks, and attempts to get our faces in the sun. Although there were many days in January when there was no sun to be found. Still, the …
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 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 …
Snapshots of Monterosso al Mare, Italy
Hiking in the Cinque Terre: A Hike from Monterosso to Levanto, Italy There’s just nothing like sitting in the blinding sunlight on a platform, waiting for a train to Monterosso al Mare. This is the start of a beautiful day! Steps off the train in Monterosso is the sea! We had to stop and play …
Snapshots of Corniglia, Italy
Hiking in the Cinque Terre: A Walk from Manarola to Corniglia, Italy. Right outside the doorstep of our apartment in Manarola, we climbed to the vineyard trail that runs around Manarola to begin our first big hike in the Cinque Terre, a trail that goes to Corniglia via Volastra. Corniglia is the next town up …