Dunlace Castle

When traveling, I find that so many of the best moments are those that are unplanned.  Perhaps because the lack of expectation erases any chance of disappointment, leaving only room for discovery and adventure.  One morning we were navigating hairpin turns along the coast of Northern Ireland, and just ahead, perched on the edge of a cliff, the ruins of Dunlace Castle came into…

The Dark Hedges

We arrived in Ireland so early in the morning there was hardly any daylight and immediately jumped in a rental car, heading straight out of Dublin towards Northern Ireland.  Although it took a while to adjust to driving on the left, being on the highway so soon after arriving left us feeling like we could be anywhere, even driving through the pasture lands of…

Cinque Terre

When I close my eyes and think of Italy, it’s usually memories of Cinque Terre that come to mind.  Cinque Terre with it’s colorful towns clinging to cliff-sides and the blue green Mediterranean crashing on the rocks below. Pictures of Cinque Terre were what had originally spurred me to ask for a honeymoon in Italy and we quickly agreed to spend the third and…

Pisa

Sometimes the best travel experiences are the ones that take you by surprise.  Pisa was a convenient stopover for us, and, expecting to just pay a cursory visit to the Tower and try to get as much sleep as possible, we hadn’t done much research or bothered to muster up any excitement.  Dropping our bags at the hotel, we immediately ventured out for food,…

Florence

Near the end of our stay in Tuscany, we hopped on a train to spend a day in nearby Florence, or Firenze, as they say locally.  It was such a whirlwind of a day, but the beautiful Duomo looms heavily in my memory, with its towering dome peeking out at us from around every corner as we explored the city.  Florence was a day…

Tuscany

After an amazing week in Rome, we hopped a train for the Tuscan countryside, where we spent the second week of our honeymoon relaxing in an old farmhouse.  Opting to spend our time enjoying the surrounding fields and vineyards instead of renting a car and driving from town to town, we stocked up on groceries and made the most of our farm house kitchen. …

Rome

Every year, around our anniversary, I find myself daydreaming about the three dreamy, sun-filled weeks we spent in Italy for our honeymoon, and this year I thought it would be fun to share a few of my favorite photos from those days. Four years ago, in early May, we spent seven days in Rome.  The city was warm and breezy, and we found a…

Machu Picchu

Are there adequate words to describe a place as breathtaking as Machu Picchu?  If there are, I can’t seem to find them, even now, several years later.  We arrived just before the sun rose, and spent most of the day wandering around the ruins in quiet disbelief that this was real, that we were there.

Islas Ballestas

One of the more beautiful places we visited were the Islas Ballestas outside of Paracas on the southern coast of Peru.  We cruised around in a little boat, seeing geoglyphs carved in the mountain side before heading further out to where the rocky islands rose out of the sea.  There were penguins, pelicans, sea lions, and seals on the rocks, and a dozen species…

Arequipa

Arequipa, in southern Peru, is a lovely city, but my heart only really remembers the Monasterio de Santa Catalina.  Built nearly 450 years ago, the monastery was built as a cloister for upper-class nuns, and it is one of the most beautiful and peaceful places I have ever been.  Even now, when I try to find a quiet place in my mind, I travel…

Lake Titicaca

We spent a few days in and around Lake Titicaca, sleeping on its shores in Puno, floating around on Uros, beautiful islands entirely constructed of reeds, and having a lovely lunch on Taquile, where I bought a beautiful woven bracelet that I still wear every day.

Wanderings: Peru

Winter seems to be extending her icy hand into March, and since we’re still a week away from longer days, I thought it might be fun to share a few photos from greener days.  Several years ago we spent a couple of weeks traveling around Peru.  It was an absolutely magical adventure, spanning emerald mountains, golden deserts, massive lakes, and wild rocky coasts, forcing…

Wanderings: Nyhavn

During our brief visit to Copenhagen, we couldn’t resist a visit to the colorful Nyhavn canal and waterfront.  The canal is well over three hundred years old, and lined with a charming kaleidoscope of townhouses, restaurants, and historic ships.  We were visiting too early on a Sunday morning for most of the usual tourist attractions like boat tours, Tivoli Gardens, or the local palaces,…

Wanderings: Christianshavns Kanal

The first place in Copenhagen we visited was Christianshavn Kanal.  It was still early morning and the sun had barely risen.  The canal and surrounding streets were shrouded in a thick fog, and the neighborhood was nearly empty of people.  Armed with hot coffees, we slowly made our way along the cobble-stoned path, buildings and boat masts slowly emerging from mist ahead as we…

Wanderings: Copenhagen

On the way home from our recent trip to Paris, my mother and I had a fourteen hour layover in Copenhagen, Denmark.  Neither of us had ever been to Copenhagen, and we both jumped at the chance to spend even a few hours in a new city.  After snagging a couple of hours of sleep on some obliging benches in the airport, we took…

Wanderings: Honeymoon in Italy

Our anniversary always makes me think of our honeymoon, which was about as perfect as could be.  We spent three perfect, leisurely weeks in Italy—one in Rome, one in Tuscany, and one in Cinque Terre, with day trips to Florence and Pisa.  Someday maybe I’ll share those photos here, but for now here’s a glimpse of some of my favorite memories from those weeks.

It’s Friday, I’m in love

Weekends are nice, but today is extra special because it’s my favorite person’s birthday.  We’re on the road, today celebrating the Mister’s big 3-0, and tomorrow a loved one’s wedding.  I’m excited to spend a few days hanging out with my guy, catching up with family, and hopefully dancing till I drop. Hope you have a great weekend!

Mama in Paris

I live far from where I grew up, which means I often miss family events like birthdays, anniversaries, and holidays.  This year, my mother had a milestone birthday, and we thought it would be fun to celebrate an important year by planning a little Parisian getaway, just us two ladies. Here are some of my favorite photos of my beautiful Mama in Paris.

The sweet life

Since we were largely in Paris to celebrate my mother’s birthday, we thought it would be fun to try to visit at least one pastry shop everyday for a little something sweet.  While we used David Lebovitz’s Paris Pastry App as our primary guide, as we wandered around the city, we found ourselves visiting any chocolaterie, patisserie, crepe stand, or ice cream cart that…

Le carrousel

On our last day in Paris, my mother and I were walking past the carousel at the Hotel de Ville.  In a moment of whimsy, she decided that a few rounds on the carousel were in order, and before I knew it, she had paid the fee, found a pretty place to sit, and was going round and round looking as pleased as I’ve…

It’s Friday, I’m in love

As much as I’d be happy to be back in Paris right now, ideally in this pink-treed park, I’m excited for the weekend.  The Mister has a big birthday coming up soon, so we’re having a little party to celebrate on Saturday.  It’s always wonderful to gather up friends and family, and, in a way, it feels like a little bit of a kick…