travel that speaks to the heart
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…
I have a confession to make: I am fascinated by the itsy bitsy nations of Europe, and I harbor a secret desire to visit all of them some day. Since I am currently a bit homebound while I care for my newborn daughter, I am mentally reliving some of my more recent travels. As such,…
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…
As I mentioned in my last post, the Swiss Family Domecks spent the weekend of Swiss National Day in Zermatt. Thanks to the incredible magnetism of the Matterhorn mountain and half a dozen ways to reach the peaks surrounding this once-small-town in Canton Valais, Zermatt has become a major focal point for tourists visiting Switzerland.…
Zermatt is home to Switzerland’s most iconic mountain: The Matterhorn. With its croissant-shaped peak dramatically thrusting up into the sky, the mountain is absolutely magnetic. Visitors to Zermatt often let out a gasp of delight and awe when they catch their first glimpse of it. (Well, I certainly did!) Although I had visited Zermatt this…
Although I had no idea when I published Eating Through 2015, the meal I described in my last paragraph set the course for a wild and wonderful gastronomical journey through 2016: …I kicked off 2016 with an extremely memorable meal at Prato, thanks to a certain sous chef’s generosity and desire to treat our party with his favorite…
In 1291, three men stood in a field on a hillside above a lake and made an eternal pledge to one another and to the communities they represented. They promised to be there for one another, to defend and protect each other, to share in equal trade opportunities, and despite their differences, to remain united…
After two years of living in Zurich, I’ve been to the Zurich Airport (ZRH) enough to have noted a few things that makes this flughafen a travel experience in its own right. If you ever find yourself flying in or out of Zurich, Switzerland, then keep your eyes peeled for these six things to add…
Lake Como has easily become a favorite getaway destination for the Swiss Family Domecks over the past couple of years. Folded into the mountains of the Lombardy region of Italy, this wishbone-shaped lake is what travel dreams are made of. With romantic villas dotting the shoreline and dramatic mountains rising from the sparkling blue waters,…
As you have scrolled through your social media feeds, I am guessing that you have come across at least one article touting the top cities and countries around the world. And if so, you may have noticed that Switzerland and Zurich are constantly at the top of the ranks for “Best in the World.” Why…
Undeniably one of the most splendid cities in the world, St. Petersburg is an endless buffet of visual magnificence. From sprawling palaces and romantic gardens to mesmerizing cathedrals and authoritative monuments, Russia’s second largest city is defined by an unparalleled grandeur. Even though my encounter with this Baltic beauty was a dazzling whirlwind of sightseeing,…
With our eyes on the horizon, Justin and I cruised our way through Scandinavia, Russia and the Baltic States earlier this month. We wanted survey the region before the Littlest Global Heartbeat arrives, and we booked a 10-day cruise with Royal Caribbean as part of our “Babymoon” adventure. We had a fantastic trip that turned…
Snowflakes rush past – an army of sugar-coated ants scurrying home in the wind. The scenery moves with them: Forests built on rocks; Rocks resting on sea – a sparkling body of cold energy, an ever-changing tapestry pulled across the loom of my horizon. Wooden cottages, painted deep red, trimmed with white appear in the…
When I give walking tours around town, people often ask me where to eat in Zurich. As a result, I have created a running list of my favorite restaurants, bars, and coffee shops, and I’ve organized them by area. Each has met or exceeded my expectations, and my top favorites are marked with a “♥” symbol. Since this list is ever…
It seems like some destinations have been on my “Travel Bucket List” for ages. Recently, I had the sweet pleasure of visiting one of those locations from said list: Cinque Terre, Italy. Cinque Terre. The Five Lands. Five small fishing villages along the rocky western coast of Italy. Tiny dots on the map that millions have…
As I mentioned in my previous post, I recently discovered that boarding early to peacefully place my carry-on bag in the overhead bin is a major plus to flying when pregnant. But pregnancy has its special challenges that expecting moms may want to consider before boarding a plane. Here’s what I learned after taking 8…
If you’re travel style is anything like mine, you often try to avoid paying for checked luggage when flying by cramming all your belongings into your “personal item” and/or a carry-on bag. But when you arrive at your gate and see that 97.7% of the passengers on your flight are doing the same thing, you…
Two years ago this month, I set out from Central Florida with four other team members to Central Taiwan to take part in the Rotary International’s Group Study Exchange program. While I learned many things from our Taiwanese hosts, I gained an exceptionally unique perspective by traveling with one of my GSE teammates, Kyle Coon. Kyle Coon is an…
With its vast network of ski lifts and powdery pistes, the Arlberg region of Austria claims to be “the cradle of Alpine skiing.” Here are eight reasons why you may want to add this winter wonderland to your travel bucket list. 1. The Location Just over an hour west of Innsbruck by train and skirting the borders of the…
Rooted in the folds of the Valtellina Valley in the Italian Alps, you can find a romantic escape from reality. Ever since Roman times, the natural hot springs flowing through the area attract visitors to Bormio, a small town in the northeastern tip of the Lombardy Region. And it was precisely those warm waters that drew the…
To shake things up and offer a fresh perspective, I invited my dear friend and fellow traveler, Ida M., to write a guest post for Global Heartbeat. Ida is the curious and creative mind behind About A Book, a beautiful blog dedicated to the lost art of reading and the wonderful world of literature. Today, Ida shares her top reads of the year that…
With the rise of New Nordic Cuisine, Copenhagen has become a foodie destination of world renown. The Danish capital can thank, at least in part, pioneer chef René Redzepi for his bold culinary moves at Noma, the 2-starred Michelin restaurant named the “Best Restaurant in the World” several times over. Although Noma is closing its doors at the end of 2016 to…
After a visit earlier this year, Stockholm now ranks high on my “Favorite Cities” list. It’s one of those places that you just don’t get enough of the first time around. While you may be tempted to camp out in a coffee shop and delight in the art of fika the whole time, there is one…
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…
From October to March, fondue pots are bubbling all across Switzerland. Thanks to the Swiss Cheese Union (Schweizerische Käseunion) and huge advertising campaigns over the course of the 20th century, fondue has become the iconic Swiss dish. As a result, many travelers arrive in the Land of Cheese and Chocolate in search of a good…