travel that speaks to the heart
The week before Easter is a remarkable time to visit Spain. It’s Holy Week – Semana Santa in Spanish – and the religious holiday is celebrated with long processions, enormous floats, striking costumes and haunting music. If you find yourself traveling in Spain during this extraordinary week, you very well may come across sights such as…
If you visit Switzerland during the Christmas season, you are likely to encounter a special cast of characters that very well may surprise you. With a history like Switzerland’s – where Catholic and Protestant beliefs have merged with German, French and Italian customs – today’s Swiss Christmas traditions are a rather unique mix. During your…
Without a doubt, the best part about Zurich in the wintertime is the magic that comes with the Christmas season. If you find yourself in this Swiss city from late-November through December, then make sure to check out these fantastic festivities! LIGHTS NAMED LUCY Christmas lights have bedazzled Bahnhofstrasse, one of the most expensive shopping…
Every October and November, families in Zurich ditch the massive orange squash many of us associate with Halloween in favor of another root vegetable: the turnip. Turnips – or räbe in Swiss German – are the stars of the autumn season… somewhat literally. In a century-old tradition, plain purple turnips are transformed into twinkling lanterns…
The first chilly winds of fall signal Alpine communities that the time has come: it is time to bring the cows, goats, and sheep down from their high mountain meadows to their winter homes in the valleys below. This past weekend launched the first of a series of festivals all across Switzerland that celebrate the…
The Zurich Wine Exhibition sponsored by Expovina is a Swiss event not to be missed. Every November, the ferryboats of Lake Zurich line up to form an impressive fleet dedicated to showcasing wine, wine, and more wine. Here are the top 10 things you need to know about Zurich’s Wine Boats before diving headfirst into the vino. 1. It’s kind of…
Justin and I inadvertently joined the world’s biggest water fight last year. After my extended visit to Taiwan, I flew to Phuket, Thailand to meet up with Justin and to visit a friend. My arrival just so happened to coincide with Songkran, the festival that kicks off the Thai New Year. Little did I know what was…
After the Mayor of Munich tapped the ceremonial keg and shouted “O’zapft is!” last Saturday, Oktoberfest 2015 officially began. Justin and I let our long-standing curiosity about the beer festival draw us back to Munich for the start of it all. As you may or may not recall, we spent a lot of time in Munich last…