Exploring the Aztec Ruins, archaeologists crouch on their hands and knees in the heat of the day, delicately brushing the sand out of contours and grooves. The Aztec Ruins National Monument near Farmington, New Mexico is an ongoing archaeological dig site that dates back to the 12th century. The unearthing process is tedious and difficult, […]
For a Florence must-visit, the Medici Chapel located in the Basilica of San Lorenzo is top of the list. Florence, Italy is known as the “cradle of the Renaissance” and home to one of the best-known duomos in the world, the Basilica of Santa Maria del Fiore, or Florence Cathedral. The dome of the Cathedral […]
“Once in a while it really hits people that they don’t have to experience the world in the way they have been told to.” – Alan Keightley Like many people, my husband and I looked forward to retirement. But the more we thought about it over the years, it was beginning to seem like more […]
All aboard the historic Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad! I think I can, I think I can, I think I can, seemed to be the chant of the 1925 steam engine as it billowed out black and white smoke. Soot filtered through the air landing on anything in its way. Welcome to the colorful journey […]
New York City fills its visitors with awe, its soaring buildings and striking land marks make it one of the top echelon cities in the world. Chicago is a hive of activity, a center of business and is one of America’s most photographed cities. Boston is the city of firsts, steeped in the history of […]
Climbing the stairways of medieval monuments has become one of our favorite ways to explore European cities. It not only challenges us physically, but it seems to immerse us into the culture by giving us a better perspective of the history, the craftsmen, and the engineering of medieval architecture. When we visited Paris this spring, […]
On a recent trip to one of the top travel destinations in the world, Italy, Ron and I finally realized one of my dreams, hiking in Cinque Terre. We spent three days on Italy’s Ligurian coastline in Cinque Terre National Park. I share our adventure in the following article as a guest writer for one of our […]
What is it about Florence (or Firenze) and the Italian Renaissance that keeps calling us back? Even when our travel agenda is not targeted on Italy, we still make it back to that country because we look forward to going to Florence. Getting off the train at the Santa Maria Novella train station, we felt […]
Italy’s Cinque Terre on it’s Ligurian coast has been on our travel radar for several years. Touted as having spectacular beaches and challenging hiking trails, we decided we really should see it for ourselves. This spring when we were in Turin (an overlooked but phenomenal city at the base of the Italian Alps), we hopped a […]
It’s fun to enjoy extended periods of travel, distant countries, sightseeing historical places, and eating in Irish pubs, French cafés, and Italian pasticcerias. The benefits of culture, history, determination, and foreign language are immeasurable. But once you’ve made the decision to go, how do you prepare for extended periods of travel? A standard suggestion for […]
The word “Disneyland” conjures up images of crowds of tourists, many with mouse-eared caps and fairy wands, scurrying about to get to the next amusement ride. However, it can be a great staging site for exploring the French countryside. This picturesque region of France is also a tranquil setting of swans and lily pads, […]
Standing on the front of the boat, it felt somewhat like a “Titanic” movie moment. Arms outspread, breathing the fresh sea air, I was filled with exhilaration and excitement to be out in the water on our 300-person tour boat to see the incredible engineering marvel on our cruise through the Panama Canal. Ron had […]
When we left the lush rain forest and geothermal area of Arenal to explore Costa Rica’s iconic Pacific coastline, we drove two-and-a-half hours to Liberia, the second largest city in the country and the hub for the northwestern coast. When we reached Liberia, we exited the freeway and headed south towards the Pacific beach towns. […]
The third week of our south-of-the-border adventure immersed us in the beauty of central Costa Rica. We flew Volaris Airlines from Cancun, Mexico to San Jose, the capital of Costa Rica. Centrally located in the beauty of central Costa Rica, San Jose lies in a valley surrounded by dense green mountains shrouded in the mornings […]
Playa del Carmen is a bustling little city on the Caribbean coast on the Yucatan peninsula located mid-way between Cancun and the obscure little Village of Tulum. Playa del Carmen seems to have qualities of both. The Little, Big City and its Famous Fifth Avenue Playa is small enough to be less expensive than its […]
Ron and I arrived in this Mexican colonial favorite – San Miguel de Allende after a four-hour bus ride from Mexico City. Yes, we took a double-decker cross country bus! Public transportation in Mexico is not what you might think. Here, buses run on-time, are modern, clean, and have bathrooms. When you purchase tickets you […]
Ron and I just finished a short stay in Mexico City where we attended an International Living conference. It’s easy to see why the conference was held here because Mexico City is one of the most vibrant and exciting cities in the world. The conference was packed with information and we enjoyed visiting with many of […]
Next week, Ron and I will be heading out for a Latin American adventure to experience one of our long-dreamed-about destinations in Mexico and Latin America. We’re very excited about getting away for a few weeks on a Latin American adventure and exploring the cities, rainforests, and colonial highlands of three countries, Mexico, Costa Rica, […]
On our recent trip to Italy, we had the good fortune of touring several towns on a tour through Tuscany with Walks of Italy. Upon our return, Shelli penned the following article, which was published 11/15/2017 at My Itchy Travel Feet. Here is an excerpt: “Learning about secret tunnels in the heart of Florence . […]
Several years ago, Shelli and I became acquainted with Walks of Italy, one of the premier tour companies available today. We have toured with them many times throughout Europe, and have always found them to be professional, knowledgeable, and fun. Last year, Loredana from Walks introduced us to the Pineli family, and Fontanaro Organic Farms, in […]