travel that speaks to the heart
When cold winds begin to push out the last remnants of autumn glory and the Zurich sky dons its grey cloak of winter, I take solace in one silver lining: fondue season has arrived! Here’s a list of the top restaurants in Zurich to enjoy fondue. Fondue in Old Town: Le Dezaley You can find…
Before I went to Zagreb, I didn’t really know what to expect from the Croatian capital. While strolling through the city center, I encountered a place that blends historic legacies with modern futures. I tried to capture on camera some of the details that caught my eye in order to give you a snapshot tour of Zagreb.…
As the days grow shorter and summer fades away into autumn, a warm cup of coffee seems to bring an extra special bit of enjoyment. I have never been much of a coffee connoisseur, but I gained a whole new appreciation for the roasted black bean on a recent trip to Sweden, Norway, and Denmark. Coffee…
Attention thrill seekers and adrenaline junkies! I’ve just found you a little slice of paradise… Canyoning in the Swiss Alps! Canyoning involves following a rushing river through mountain gorges, where you jump, slide, and scramble your way from entry to exit point. It’s fun, challenging, and one of the coolest activities in the Swiss Alps…
Croatia’s Dalmatian Coast has become world famous for its sparkling blue waters and its charming old towns that dot the rocky coastline of the Adriatic Sea. Last Saturday, the Swiss Family Domecks completed our 7-day chartered journey around the Dalmatian Islands, a vacation that we will always remember. If you are already dreaming of your next summer adventure, take…
Hip and trendy Oslo has some serious Scandinavian swag. The Norwegian capital city contains a seamless blend of historic settings, cosmopolitan shine, urban reinvention, and a twinge of grunge on the side. Admittedly, I can’t say I “did” much during my brief visit to Oslo earlier this summer. I didn’t face off with The Scream…
While Croatia’s sparkling coastline bustles with activity over summertime travel, another destination in the country’s interior attracts tourists by the thousands. Plitvice Lakes National Park – or Plitvička Jezera in Croatian – has experienced a shocking rise of visitors in recent years as images of romantic waterfalls and turquoise waters have spilled across the globe. As I…
Of all the countries I have visited, Spain will forever hold a special place in my heart. On my most recent trip back to the sun-kissed country I once called home, I had the pleasure of revisiting one of Barcelona’s most famous attractions: The Sagrada Familia. Join me on a digital tour of this architectural wonder. ¡Vamos! Barcelona is the…
When I give walking tours around Zurich with Free Walk Switzerland, I often begin my tours with a question: What images, products, historical events, or stereotypes come to mind when you think about Switzerland? The typical replies usually include some combination of banks, chocolate, cheese, and timeliness. Sometimes Roger Federer gets thrown in there, too. With…
It’s hiking season in Switzerland, and a yodel-like yahoo! escapes from my mouth at the very thought. Taking advantage of a gorgeous Saturday earlier this month, Justin and I set off from Zurich to tackle our first Swiss mountain of the year. We chose to hike Mount Pilatus, the impressively rugged peak jutting up into the Lucerne skyline. Summiting Mount…
Food – how we eat, what we eat, where we eat – is such an intrinsic part of human culture. When I travel, I desire to seek out places that reflect the specific region I’m visiting or that have a wow-factor to them. And maybe you do, too. Dining in Zurich, Switzerland can be a challenge for…
Earlier this month, I spent a week working with Clear Sicily – a company focused on supporting small businesses and giving tourists more access to the Italian island’s treasures. As I shared in my last post about Mount Etna, I cannot come to Sicily without reflecting on the power of this fiesty volcano. During my…
She’s of massive proportions. She’s got a feisty temperament. And you can’t come to Sicily without spotting her smoking in the distance. She’s Mount Etna – Europe’s largest and most active volcano. Per my fascination with volcanoes (is that weird?), I can’t help but marvel at this monstrous mountain every time I visit Sicily. Rising…
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…
“Everything about Monaci was all love-driven,” he explained. Birdsong fluttered into the restored 19th century building, and the soft light from the spring sun bathed the room in a hazy glow. He sat with me at a round table under a dome of faded paint. His large glasses covered much of his kind face, and…
Amongst the mishmash of urbanization along Taiwan’s west coast, a small town keeps traditions alive and has become a fascinating little travel destination. One year ago this month, I was first introduced to Taiwan with a tour of the Lukang Township, located about a 2-hour drive south of Tapei. To commemorate my GSE Trip with…
When you go grocery shopping, do you prefer one supermarket over another? Every time I move to a new city, I eventually find a favorite place to shop for my weekly essentials, and moving to Zurich was no exception. In Switzerland, two mega-companies vie for the support and loyalty of every Swiss household. They are Coop and Migros. Established as the Union Suisse…
In my last post, I wrote about my recent encounter with my favorite art museum in Paris: the Musée d’Orsay. As I wandered through the museum, I snapped some photos of the works that really caught my attention so that I could share them with you here on Global Heartbeat. Of course, taking a picture of…
As we travel and explore the world around us, we invariably wander into museums here and there. As time passes, we collect an indeterminable tally of standard-museum-visits that eventually fade from memory. Yet, that may not be the case for a select few. I believe that some museums stick with us for life. Take a moment to…
I’ll be honest: this Southern girl has a love-hate relationship with winter in Zurich. Here in Switzerland’s largest city, it can be cold, grey, windy and rainy for weeks on end, causing my soul to die for a drop of sunshine! (Now I understand why people love to visit Florida…) But Zurich can also be a winter…
When it comes to great cities on the global stage, Paris has enjoyed fame and fortune for centuries, an opera diva in the center of an international cast. Paris’ audience members travel far and wide to witness her performance, to explore her majestic monuments, examine her artist collections, or capture her joie de vivre. I am one of those curious…
As I’ve shared in Part One of our Crash Course in Winter Sports, Justin and I are embracing the Swiss habit of going to the mountains as much as possible. This past weekend was no exception: we spent two nights in the Alpine town of Bergün to go sledding with our dear friends, Katie and…
Switzerland is covered in snow, and the streets of Zürich – and my apartment – are buzzing with excitement over mountainside activities. “Winter is finally here!” shouts the Floridian gal from the window. “Hooray! It’s snowing!” Spurred by my ridiculous enthusiasm over the freezing chill, Justin and I are eagerly following the lead of local…
Snow falls softly on the quiet hillside, the flakes small and light – but numerous and relentless. A sparkling blanket of white spreads out slowly over yesterday’s footprints, filling in the lumpy gaps to restore the seamless covering over the frozen earth. The trees stand tall through the dusting of power, their branches stretching out to catch…
As I look back on my 2015, I’m struck by the diverse range of experiences I had in the world of food. And because I love lists and record-keeping, I’m sharing my most memorable food experiences of 2015. I’d love for you to share some of your top eats, too! EATING IN ASIA DRINKING FROM COCONUTS IN…