Cities & Culture

After a short week in London, we decided we’d spend the last bit of our journey touring around the U.K. and Ireland. It wasn’t something we’d initially planned, and we knew the weather might [finally] be a bit squirrelly, but … Read More

Consistently at or near the top of the ‘world’s most visited cities’ list (England’s capital has hosted some 20 million visitors this year), London is renowned not only for its iconic landmarks, but also for offering a veritable melting pot … Read More

Amsterdam’s busy downtown area is built into the concentric rings of canals (the ‘Canal Belt’), which date back to the 17th century, and include the Singel, Herengracht (Gentleman’s Canal), Keizersgracht (Emperor’s Canal), and Prinsengracht (Prince’s Canal). Originally used as defensive … Read More

In northwestern Belgium’s Dutch-speaking Flemish (Flanders) region, sits the quiet city of Ghent. Once one of northern Europe’s largest cities at the end of the Middle Ages, Ghent is now a laid-back university town. Quirky cafes, artisan chocolate shops, and … Read More

A wistful, “ah, Paris!” was the reaction of nearly everyone who heard we were headed there. The name evokes a hundred images: the city of lights, the city of romance, the capital of fashion, the home of world-renowned chefs in … Read More

Nestled snugly amongst the thick evergreen forests of the verdant Matter Valley (Mattertal) sits one of Switzerland’s most beautiful treasures. Named for the prominent peak that stands like a sentry over the remote, alpine village, Zermatt is a veritable haven … Read More

Rome is one of those world cities that I’ve always wanted to visit. Boasting more than 2,000 years of history, the ‘Eternal City’ has been inspiring playwrights, composers, artists, and novelists for centuries. The ancient metropolis is habitually portrayed with … Read More

After a joyful reunion in Florence, our clan of eight piled into two vehicles and headed southwest for a week in Tuscany. My brother’s friend had found an amazing four-bedroom home outside of Asciano, and we were so thankful to … Read More

Back in 2009, when Jenn and I were on a cruise around the Galápagos Islands, we met a German couple named Margot and Martin and quickly became friends. We chatted about a little bit of everything, spending a lot of … Read More

One of the most well-known towns in Slovenia (a relative measure, for sure), Bled is a lively community whose self-named lake sits at the center of it all. We decided to strike out early from Triglav National Park and take … Read More