Yes, Venice is slowly sinking. This was reason enough for us to not delay a visit to this luxury jewel box of a city. “Unlike anywhere on earth,” is not an overstatement. Venice is a showstopper. I found planning for this part of our trip overwhelming from the start. After all, it’s Venice. There’s so … Continue reading
If you like to eat, visit Italy. If you love to eat, visit Bologna. The region produces some of the world’s best natural products, Parmigiano Reggiano, prosciutto and mortadella, balsamic vinegar and Lambrusco, and its culinary legacy includes some of the country’s most famous dishes, tagliatelle al ragù, tortellini, and Lasagna alla Bolognese. Capital city … Continue reading
Having just spent five weeks in Southeast Asia, I traded in the bikini and flip flops for beanies and boots. Zurich was my last stop on my way home after a Fuller Center Global Builders trip in Lampang, Thailand and extended travel in the area. It may seem odd, spending a week in Zurich in … Continue reading
There are five microstates—very small sovereign nations—in Europe. Vatican City among them, is also the smallest country in the world. The other four are Andorra, Monaco, San Marino, and Liechtenstein, which I visited as part of a bus tour out of Zurich. Although I had seen pictures and even a Rick Steeves episode on it, … Continue reading
Although this would be my third time visiting Istanbul, because it’s one of my favorite places I didn’t mind the two-night stopover offered by Turkish Airlines in my way home from Malaysia. Plus, it gave me a chance to deplane, decompress, and delight in 3 new experiences in this magical, ancient city. Continue reading
Having led three Global Builders teams to Romania, I decided to give their only other European outpost a try. I’d heard a lot about this particular project in Tadim, a six-unit apartment renovation, but also about many a volunteer’s love for the accommodations at Domus House. It’s a unique setup. Continue reading
Porto was the first stop on my first visit to Portugal in 2015. I’m happy to report that almost nothing has changed, it is as perfect and pretty as ever. This is how I spent three days with my friends. Continue reading
My nine-day journey throughout Slovakia begins in its capital. Bratislava is quite beautiful, especially the old squares and their landmarks. Once the Hungarian coronation city on the Danube, with its castles and palaces and summer resorts of Austrian nobility, the city retains its charms, even it never was grand. Continue reading
On our way to Sibiu, Romania my friend and I now had an entire day to kill in Munich. Obviously although we are dog tired after our delayed overnight flight, we are NOT going to stay in the airport. Enter the Internet. After a brief search and a few questions posed to the lady at the Information Desk in the airport, we locked up our luggage and headed for the Number 635 Bus to Freising. Continue reading
The first time I visited Sibiu I was only there for a few hours and knew I one day I’d return. This time, on my way to Cluj to meet my Global Builders Team to volunteer with The Fuller Center for Housing Romania, I opted to fly directly to Sibiu and spend three nights in The City with Eyes, so named for all the eyebrow dormers on the roofs of the buildings. Continue reading
Global Staci 