Deustchland? Not my typical Mediterranean home turf, for sure. I hadn’t been to Germany in at least 20 years, & all the cities above were completely new to me. With little time to brush up on some rusty, dusty German, I hoped for the best… & was pleasantly surprised. This book assignment helped me rediscover what a great destination Germany is. Let’s get going!
Read More »germany: guidebook research 2024
Of all the wonderful sights on the Rick Steves’ Paris & the Heart of France tour, none captured my heart like the Renaissance castle of Chenonceau. Full of royal intrigue, World War II history & maintained with such care, I could have easily spent all day exploring the grounds… hopefully this post inspires you to visit as well.
Read More »france: château de chenonceau
Sandwiched between our time in DC, Rafa & I spent five nights in Maryland. My bestie’s parents —Suzanne & Jim— invited us last year, but we changed plans & went to Boston after finding insanely cheap airfare. Now that DC was our main destination again, getting to Annapolis was super easy; a whole new state for us to explore. Hello, Maryland!
Read More »usa: annapolis
After traveling around the Pacific Northwest, the Midwest, the South & Boston with Rafa, this year seemed perfect for us to experience the national capitol together. My first & only visit was 19 years ago in 2004, & I mostly stuck to monuments & walking the city. I knew Rafa would put together a busy schedule, heavy with fantastic, free museums… we took advantage of our time in DC.
Read More »usa: washington, dc