You Know You’re In Madrid, Spain When….
Four of the best years of my life were spent in Madrid, Spain and there isn’t a week that goes by that I don’t think about the capital city, especially the climate, culture, and the food. The weather is incredible: there are four sunny dry seasons which means every day is a good hair day. Writing about hair attributes can sound shallow and frivolous but a city with a “hair ease of maintenance” grade of A+ is worthy of page space. Read more 
“In The Garden of Beasts”
Berlin has always captivated me because it was the first European city where I could see and feel the remnants from World War II and the Cold War. The capital city isn’t known for its climate, especially in the winter when the weather can be harsh, the sky grey, and the days short but the weather is all but forgotten when walking through the streets because Berlin is really a dichotomy thanks to a series of events: World War II and the 28-year existence of the Berlin Wall which was torn down to the cheers of crowds in 1989. Read more
Exploring Masada, Israel
On a family vacation to Israel, we decided to take a day trip from Jerusalem to Masada, an archeological ruin in the Judean Desert overlooking the southwest coast of the Dead Sea. The concierge at the hotel made arrangements with a local tour company and we were picked up very early the next morning. The driver had a large van and after picking up several other small groups of tourists at local hotels in Jerusalem, we set off for Masada – a roughly 60 mile trip southeast of Jerusalem on the southern coast of the Dead Sea. Read more
You Know You’re in Switzerland When…
My great-grandmother was born in Soulalex, a village located in the French-speaking canton (similar to a US state) of Valais (section 23 in the map below) in Switzerland. Located literally on the side of a mountain, Soulalex was a small farming village a hundred years ago when she left and immigrated to Illinois in search of a better life. She was 16 years old. Read more
Nordic Walking
While living in Switzerland, I noticed that many people used nordic poles to walk vigorously. Their posture was excellent and yet their movements seemed so fluid, fast and effortless. More popular in Europe than the US, nordic walking is a sport that has yet to be recognized or “gone viral” as my daughter would say. She calls nordic walking an “old ladies sport” but there couldn’t be anything further from the truth. Read more
“To End All Wars”
A Weekend at the Alhambra in Granada, Spain
Granada, Spain is the capital of the Province of Granada and in the autonomous community of Andalusia in southern Spain. Although Granada is only an hour from the Mediterranean Sea, the city sits at the foot of the Sierra Nevada mountain range. Read more
Ypres, Belgium: The Christmas Truce
Three years ago while my daughter was on a school trip, my husband and I went on a weeklong WWI battlefield tour. Normally, I am the travel agent in the family securing flights, hotels, rental cars, and doing most of the research. But, this trip was my husband’s brainchild and all I had to do was show up because this adventure was a “duty” trip: the only reason I was going was to spend time with him. My husband bought books, maps, made endless phone calls, and spoke to other WWI enthusiasts before deciding which sites, museums, and towns we needed to visit. And, he made the hotel reservations and mapped out our whole trip. Read more
Shopping in La Antigua, Guatemala
When I think of Paris, New York, Madrid, London, Geneva, Aix en Provence, and even Hong Kong, I think “good shopping” but for years, I never thought the words “shopping” and “Guatemala” ever went together because of the difficultly in finding high quality products. I would go to markets and stores but always end up disappointed, especially with the textiles which is what Guatemala is known for. But through the years, I came to realize that Guatemala has some truly amazing products although these goods are not readily visible; you have to know where to look. In the spirit of sharing good information consider the following sources for shopping in La Antigua, Guatemala: Read more
Restaurants and Gourmet Markets in La Antigua, Guatemala
Antigua is filled with restaurants and there are always new ones opening up. Below is a short list of my favorite places to eat in this colonial treasure of a town: Read more
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