As much as I’ve traveled in Europe, there has been one major gap in my European travels: beaches. I’m puzzled over how this has happened. I’ve even been to cities like Lisbon, Barcelona, Rimini, and Venice without setting foot on any of their famous beaches! Don’t get me wrong, I’ve seen some absolutely gorgeous beaches […]
El Codolar, Tossa de Mar: My Favorite Hidden Beach in Europe Read More »
Is South Africa safe? Especially for women traveling alone? That was a question that I had often wondered, that I continued to ponder while traveling, and that I mused long after returning home. South Africa does not have a good reputation when it comes to safety. Much of this is overblown, or based on false pretenses.
Is South Africa Safe? Read More »
The Isle of Skye has long held a place in my imagination. Off the west coast, it’s been known as one of the most beautiful places in all of Scotland. It’s home to countless legends. My cousin, who adores Scotland, even dreams of getting married on Skye! So you can understand that I had high
On a Skye High in Scotland Read More »
One thing I need to be better about is photo editing. I’ve been so behind that I’ve only just edited these photos from my trip to Porto and the Douro Valley in September! I love northern Portugal. It’s beautiful, it’s warm year-round, it’s much cheaper than Spain or Italy or France, and because it’s not
Postcards from Northern Portugal Read More »
When I was in high school, I was in a performance of Brigadoon. The show — cheesy, but featuring some very beautiful songs — is set in the Scottish Highlands. Brigadoon couldn’t have painted a prettier, happier picture of life in the Highlands — weekly markets filled with cheerful merchants, beautiful fields of heather, proud Scottish
The Dark Side of the Scottish Highlands Read More »
Winter in Europe can be such a gamble. While we arrived in the Rhône-Alpes region to a clear day in Lyon, we were soon bombarded with snow, slush, and freezing temperatures in both Lyon and Grenoble. Despite three pairs of socks, my toes nearly froze clean off. Thankfully, Grenoble has a number of museums, including
Grenoble on a Perfect Winter Day Read More »
When I first landed in Paris at age 16, my favorite neighborhood was Montmartre. The artists, the views, the hills — it just captivated me. But as I grew up, I found myself falling for an entirely new neighborhood. Saint-Germain-des-Prés, the sixth arrondissement. Saint-Germain is located on the Left Bank of the Seine, just southwest
Living the Parisian Life in Saint-Germain-des-Pres Read More »
When I was 17, I saw the movie that would become my obsession for the next year — a tale of romance and deception, a light-hearted comedy slowly descending into tragedy, filled with zany music and wild and colorful costumes, bearing one message: The greatest thing you’ll ever learn is just to love and be loved
A Dazzling Night at the Moulin Rouge Read More »
Looking back over the years, my New Year’s celebrations have been mostly low-key, largely unexceptional. Oh, I’ve had some good ones — my Bangkok New Year’s was so much fun, and I’ve had a few memorable nights in Boston — but most of the time the night hasn’t lived up to the hype. It’s hard
Hogmanay: Bringing in the New Year in Edinburgh Read More »
Is there such a thing as a sexy trailer park? Oh yes, there is. I can assure you that the Grand Daddy Hotel Airstream Rooftop Trailer Park has the market cornered. We stayed here for our first night in Cape Town — and it’s probably the most unusual place I’ve ever laid my head for a
The World’s Sexiest Trailer Park Read More »