Reykjavík, Iceland: ‘Should I go to the Blue Lagoon?’
The first question anyone would ask when I spoke of our upcoming trip to Reykjavík, Iceland was: ‘Are you going to the Blue Lagoon?’ It would lead one to think that it is the only place worth seeing in the entire country. The Blue Lagoon had not originally been on our hit list, as I thought it would be overcrowded and gimmicky. As it turned out, we ended up arranging it at the last minute, just 12 hours before boarding our flight home to DC....
Finding love in Les Baux de Provence
Provence has its own aura, its own colorful, magical, vibe. It was hard to decide where, in all of Provence, we wanted to use as our base. In the end, we chose Les Baux de Provence, and the bucolic hotel Baumanière to stay in. It was truly the most lovely place from which to explore the French countryside, not to mention being one of the best hotels among so many beautiful choices. Bucolic Baumanière, Les Baux de Provence / In Provence, I fell in love...
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...
The Best (and Only) Lunch in Erbonne, Italy. Pop. 11
Often, my husband and I head off the beaten path, so to speak, and wing it, when we travel. When we visited Lake Como, we did just that one morning and were rewarded with the best lunch to be found just outside of Lake Como, at the only restaurant in the tiny hamlet of Erbonne. It was a surprise that one of our best lunches in the Lake Como area was not at a stone grotto-ed Michelin-starred restaurant, or on a lakeside patio with the...
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...
Delaire Graff Estate is The Jewel of Stellenbosch
Delaire Graff Estate, Stellenbosch, South Africa / Sometimes lunch is lunch. And sometimes lunch is a destination. A place where you want to settle in and make yourself comfy. That was definitely the case when arriving at Delaire Graff Estate in the Stellenbosch Winelands of South Africa. It was clear that this was one of those places that you wanted to linger, take your time with, and fully absorb. Delaire Graff Views It was the kind of winter’s day where you could happily sit outside,...
Dunton Hot Springs, A Home away from Home
Dunton Hot Springs is a remote getaway filled with wildlife and hiking adventures, farm-to-table meals, and a western vibe that had us dreaming of simpler times. Dunton Hot Springs—a little escape from reality in the cool, breezy San Juan mountains of Colorado. Remote, restorative, and secluded, are buzzwords that have always piqued my curiosity when reading about travel, but never as much as they do at this particular moment in time. I long for fresh air and wide-open spaces. I have a pressing need to...
Villa Dubrovnik. Beyond the Wall of the Old City.
Villa Dubrovnik, Croatia / The entrance to Villa Dubrovnik is completely unmemorable. You may even think you have arrived at the wrong place, as there is no building per se. What you see is an L-shaped structure (imagine a periscope that has popped up from the water) with a wood-paneled door and a small button. Press it, enter, and you are swiftly transported, James Bond-style, many levels below to the lobby of Villa Dubrovnik. The elevator doors open and the full expanse of the Adriatic Sea...
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...