Oh, the Alps. Glorious. Majestic. Breathtaking. They’re the mountains of your dreams, every hiker’s delight, and a “must” destination for so many. For the past week and a half, Rick and I have been leading 26 tour members through the Alps from Austria to Italy to Germany and to Switzerland. And now we’ve arrived inContinue reading “Why Climb Every Mountain When You Can Take the Lift?”
Category Archives: transportation
The Dynamite Dolomites: Easy to Access, Easy to Love
I’m not what one would call an outdoorsy kind of person, and no one ever mistook me for a Birkenstock-wearing “granola girl,” but I sure do love hiking in the Alps. Our outdoor-loving and nature-respecting European counterparts make getting there so easy. From well-groomed trails and mountain huts to clear signage and industrial-strength cable lifts,Continue reading “The Dynamite Dolomites: Easy to Access, Easy to Love”
Bienvenido a Havana: Cuba at First Glance
Weary from 14 hours of travel (in the middle seat of three different airplanes from Seattle to Mexico City to Havana), my body longed for a simple bed to sleep in, but my mind was awhirl with anticipation of a trip of a lifetime. Rick, his son Andy, his daughter Jackie, and I were Cuba-bound,Continue reading “Bienvenido a Havana: Cuba at First Glance”
Adventures in Los Cabos
Tiny beads of sweat tickled my dusty brow. The grease accumulating in my hair could have fueled an SUV. The metallic grind of the engine drowned out all conversations on the jostling bus as we made our way from the airport to Cabo San Lucas. I had neglected to book a shuttle, and forking overContinue reading “Adventures in Los Cabos”
12 Hours in San Juan, Puerto Rico Part 2: From Boricua to Mofongo
After Tarzan-ing through Puerto Rico’s tropical forest, we freshened up on the ship and headed back out into the city of San Juan. We opted out of a ship excursion because we craved an authentic feel for the place. But we’d already discovered that the guidebooks we bought were lacking in any real content, context,Continue reading “12 Hours in San Juan, Puerto Rico Part 2: From Boricua to Mofongo”
In Search of a Perfect Cruise
My eyes felt like shriveled raisins, abandoned on the vine under the harsh glare of a seething sun. After having stared at my computer screen for so long, I couldn’t tell if my vision was going or if my haggard brain had simply stopped sending messages to my eyes about how to function. It wasContinue reading “In Search of a Perfect Cruise”
How to Find Great Values in Venice
Centuries-old former palaces crackle and peel away in the thick, briny air. Bottom floors of old merchants’ warehouses sit empty and still cling half-heartedly to their romantic patina of a time long past, slowly but beautifully decaying under the Venetian heat, humidity, and rising waters. As I glide down the canal on a slow vaporetto,Continue reading “How to Find Great Values in Venice”
New York, NY Part 6: Where the Past Meets the Present
Our last day in New York granted me and Rick some much-welcomed alone time; Jackie, Linda, and Caleigh had returned home, Nikki was off to Vienna, and Andy caught up on some sleep. The early morning was crisp, and our heavy coats, gloves, and hats were little match for the windy chill off the HudsonContinue reading “New York, NY Part 6: Where the Past Meets the Present”
New York, NY Part 3: NYC for the Culture Vulture
My partner Rick and I recently took trip to New York with a large part of the Steves Family: his son Andy, daughter Jackie, sister Linda, youngest niece Caleigh, and eldest niece (and amazing artist) Nicolina. Part family vacation, part art tour of Nicolina’s works, we got to know the city better than we everContinue reading “New York, NY Part 3: NYC for the Culture Vulture”
New York, NY Part 2: I<3NY
My partner Rick and I recently took trip to New York with a large part of the Steves Family: his son Andy, daughter Jackie, sister Linda, youngest niece Caleigh, and eldest niece (and amazing artist) Nicolina. Part family vacation, part art tour of Nicolina’s works, we got to know the city better than we everContinue reading “New York, NY Part 2: I<3NY”