Sailing Croatia: Why I never took the same trip twice. Until I did.
Sailing Croatia and the Dalmatian Coast / Nearly three years to the day of our first sailing trip along the Dalmatian Coast of Croatia, we found ourselves there again. The same boat, but a new captain, crew, islands, bays, and coves to explore. Not too much had changed there in those three years, and in the best possible way. Swooping seagulls, secluded island villages, schools of iridescent fish, and the gentle flapping of the Croatian flag off the stern of the boat as we motored...
Snow-capped Summer in Chamonix, France
Face to Face with Mont Blanc, Chamonix, France / You don’t have to be an intrepid mountaineer to get up close and personal with majestic Mont Blanc in Chamonix. You can do as we did, which was to take the first cable car up and be gratified instantly. We stood on the chilly observation deck, gawking at the looming mountain, not believing it could be so cold up here, while at the base the July temps were soaring into the high 70s. Suddenly, what could...
Cumbria. Many Lakes. One Star.
The Lake District may be England's best kept secret. The Lake District, England / Dungeon Ghyll, Crinkle Crags and Harrison Stickle. No, these aren’t characters from a Harry Potter novel, they are the illustrious names for ravines and peaks in the majestic Lake District of England. Where, if you are American, you won’t see a fellow countryman for days and wonder why this place has seemingly escaped our radar. It is a mere four hour drive from London, which by US standards, is a typical...
8 Amazing Days Exploring Cape Town, South Africa
Wandering Cape Town and the Western Cape of South Africa / About 15 years ago my husband came back from a trip to Cape Town and declared it one of his favorite cities in the world. A bold and hyperbolic statement from an otherwise understated and pretty well-traveled guy. Fast forward a few years and I can’t disagree. If there was ever a city that had it all, Cape Town is hard to beat. Beaches, museums, lush wine lands, world-class restaurants, and hotels. Unique ethnic...
An hour’s drive and a thousand miles away from Marrakech
Travel research makes me happy, and I can spend hours finding 'the best' of anything. Sometimes though, my husband just nails it, and discovers the best places to stay, or eat. In the case of Morocco's Atlas Mountains, he won, finding the hidden, beautiful gem, Kasbah bab Ourika, just outside of Marrakech. Kasbah Bab Ourika, Atlas Mountains, Morocco / Thirty minutes into the hour-long journey to Ourika from Marrakech, the road narrowed to a single lane, and became dark red packed earth. We slowed to...
Cartagena is The Night Circus
Five days in Cartagena, Colombia / “It rained for four years, eleven months, and two days.” —Gabriel García Márquez So wrote Gabriel García Márquez, in his Nobel Prize-winning novel, One Hundred Years of Solitude, and single-handedly introduced magical realism, the writing style that normalizes fantastical events, to mainstream literature. Simultaneously, Márquez catapulted his native country, Colombia, to the forefront of Latin American tourism. Captivated by his novels for years, and a spring break to plan, Cartagena was calling. I hoped it wouldn’t rain. The Legendary...