The West Side of Sao Miguel Happy to say I had a desperately needed solid night’s sleep. I still got up at a ridiculous hour to have some coffee, blog, write in my gratitude journal. I also planned today’s Sao Miguel agenda, and showered, all by the time my dad woke up. All was going […]
Getting to the Azores, An Azores Getaway v.1
Travel days are typically pretty boring, and getting to the Azores wasn’t much of an exception. My dad flew in from Dallas a couple days earlier and we flew from Baltimore to Boston without much fuss. Time to put another father-daughter adventure on the books! Airport Woes There was the part where we were looking […]
Super Useful Tips for Driving in Italy
One of my favorite ways to tour a country is by road tripping. I enjoy the freedom of going anywhere at any time, not being held to someone else’s schedule. When the #AdventurePartnerForLife and I started planning for our northern Italy road trip, however, we came across a couple of things that weren’t typical for […]
A Northern Italy Road Trip Itinerary
The #AdventurePartnerForLife and I have traveled to Italy a few times. I actually lived in Naples as a kid, but really only remember the basics. So, it’s nice to go back. Italy is one of the few countries we’ve been to more than once. For us, returning somewhere means forgoing the opportunity to explore a […]
Awesome Things To Do On Mainland Greece
When most people think of Greece, they think of the Greek Islands—Mykonos, Crete, Santorini. They think of white houses with blue shutters on a hilltop, a sunset in the background. And it’s truly beautiful. But, if all you see are the islands when visiting, you’re missing out on all the amazing things to do on […]
The Hotel Monte Palace in São Miguel, Azores
Well, well, well… what have we here? The abandoned Hotel Monte Palace in São Miguel, Azores. This hotel there would be the perfect place to stay, but for the fact it’s completely falling apart. It’s actually perched on a mountaintop overlooking the super picturesque Sete Cidades lagoon and offers some of the best views on […]
7 Unique Romantic Destinations in Europe
So… Valentine’s Day is right around the corner and romance is in the air. Imagine yourself strolling the streets of Paris or Rome, canoodling, wining, and dining with your special someone under the sunset. They’re both beautiful locations that exude romance, but how about some lesser-known romantic options? Global Debauchery gives you its top unique […]
Touring Eastern Europe v.4: Downtown Bucharest
Checking Out Downtown Bucharest Not too much to report today, unfortunately. Had breakfast and took the train to downtown Bucharest. I love the train. The trip was about two and a half hours and the first portion followed a little river through the mountains. Flat farmland after that. Romanian Rip-Off Artist No trip would be […]
Touring Eastern Europe v.2: Visiting Sozopol, Bulgaria
Crossing the Turkey-Bulgaria Border O . M. G. That’s all I have to say about today. So glad to be at my final destination in Sozopol, Bulgaria. Woke up at 5:30 to the first prayer call of the day. I had no idea prayers started that early, but it’s pretty dang early. What discipline and […]
Touring Eastern Europe v.1: Sightseeing in Istanbul
Getting to Istanbul Before we get to sightseeing in Istanbul… I don’t typically do this for my journal posts, but for this one, I think it’s important. I’m beginning by giving some context around what sort of political events were happening in this region at the time of our visit. Because it does actually come […]