Tagged with Museum

First Timers Guide to Venice | 10 Days in Italy

First Timers Guide to Venice | 10 Days in Italy

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

Bologna—Food Capital of Italy | 10 Days in Italy

Bologna—Food Capital of Italy | 10 Days in Italy

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

LIECHTENSTEIN | Meet a European Microstate

LIECHTENSTEIN | Meet a European Microstate

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

Global Builders THAILAND | Lampang

Global Builders THAILAND | Lampang

Thailand, The Land of Smiles, never truer than during the week my team and I spent volunteering with the Fuller Center in Lampang. I hope you will consider leading or joining a team there, especially in the very able hands of their new host coordinator, affectionately called Angel. She’s amazing! While it is a bit … Continue reading

THAILAND | “One Night in Bangkok…”

THAILAND | “One Night in Bangkok…”

“…and the world’s your oyster,” so the song goes. I used Bangkok as my landing pad, on my way to Luang Prabang, Chiang Mai and Lampang and again on my way out of Thailand before heading to the Maldives, then Switzerland. I bookended with two nights on the front end, one night on the way … Continue reading

LAOS | One Week in Luang Prabang

LAOS | One Week in Luang Prabang

After a failed attempt to visit Laos with a friend eight years ago, thankfully, I got a second chance. Luang Prabang had been on my travel wish list ever since. My first stop on a five-and-a-half-week trip, this delightful little town on the Mekong was the perfect place to begin to adjust to a new … Continue reading

TURKEY | The 2 Night Stopover in Istanbul

TURKEY | The 2 Night Stopover in Istanbul

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

MALAYSIA | Chilling in Hot Kuala Lumpur

MALAYSIA | Chilling in Hot Kuala Lumpur

I’m always game to visit a new place, and I’d never been to Malaysia. On my way to Indonesia, I decided to book my roundtrip airfare to/from the USA through Kuala Lumpur, aka KL. Most cities are easy to explore for a few days, and that’s exactly what my friend and I did, with very little pre-planned. If you have a few extra days, it’s a nice strategy to begin to get over the jet lag induced by crossing 12 time zones. Continue reading