Upon his visit to a town in France, Jean-Jacques Rousseau wrote, “Now I have been happy, now I have lived.” No, he was not writing of Paris, but praising the beauty of Annecy. We decided …
Europe
Annecy: Beauty in the French Alps
Culinary Discovery in Terme di Castrocaro, Italy
When in France, my husband and I decided to squander beaucoup d' euros on a Michelin one-star restaurant. The experience was so satisfactory that, on a subsequent trip to Italy, we decided to make a …
November 13, 2011
Living Local in Paris
My husband, six-year-old and I spent a month in Paris. The best part was learning to live what the French call a "quotidien" life (just the day-to-day goodies) in the City of Lights. Since there …
A Week in Madrid, Spain
I was at the end of adjuncting three college courses, and hadn’t traveled internationally since 2006 when my husband and I went to Taipei to visit family. I had some money and time to go …
October 26, 2011
Dreaming with Freud in Vienna, Austria
Vienna, Austria, is a dreamlike city filled with two imperial palaces, one hundred art museums and countless Viennese cafes. So where do you begin for only a few days’ visit? If, like me, you’re married …
Delphi, Greece: In Search of Sibyls
I have a confession: I’m crazed about the ancient fortune-telling sibyls. So crazed that I’ve raced through the Vatican to see Michelangelo’s depiction of the sibyls on the Sistine Chapel and I’ve even flown to …
October 4, 2011
Basilica of Sacre Coeur, Paris
After a few days in Paris, I was ready to explore something out of the ordinary with my family. We'd done the Eiffel Tower (so over it). Stared at the stern statues on the Notre …
Glamorous Cannes, France
Cannes is a scenic resort town on France’s southeastern coast – a stretch of Mediterranean beach cities known collectively as the French Riviera. This busy destination features endless sunshine and gorgeous stretches of sand, so …
Isle of Eigg, Scotland
For a month-long visit to Scotland, I decided to hunker down in just one spot – on the remote and rarely visited Isle of Eigg. At twelve square miles and with a community of just …
August 25, 2011
Doing Europe: Corfu, Greece
In the summer of 2001 I arranged a job, with my Czech girlfriend, Katka, to work in Corfu, Greece, at Club Barbati. Katka and I worked with a Czech liaison in Praha (Prague) in getting …
August 9, 2011
Doing Europe: Croatia
After living in Prague for over a year, my Czech girlfriend, Katka, and I wanted to get out of the city and go on a summer holiday. At the time, in 2000, it was relatively …
July 26, 2011
Polar Bears in Svalbard, Norway
Halfway between mainland Norway and the North Pole – high above the Arctic Circle – lies the archipelago of Svalbard, Norway. A trip to Svalbard is not for the budget-conscious, so for many this might …
June 28, 2011
Amsterdam, Netherlands, on Queen's Day
This might be hard to believe for the fun-loving Irish lads, but I dare any Irish person out there to out-party the Dutch. Not gonna happen – and I’m not sure you’d want to. In …
June 21, 2011
Ascona, Switzerland
In Ascona, one of Lago Maggiore’s many lakeside gems, foodie and sailing fanatics alike are sure to find bliss. Located on the Italian-speaking Swiss side of Lago Maggiore in the canton (state) of Ticino near …
June 21, 2011
Doing Europe: Rimini, Italy
After living in Prague for about two years and struggling with the obtuse Czech language, a broken relationship and missing the feeling of being around people who understood me or vice versa, I was ready …
June 16, 2011