travel that speaks to the heart
Switzerland is a fascinating paradox. It’s profoundly conservative in some facets of life, perspective and governance, but absolutely liberal in others. I have learned quite a bit about this European singularity since moving to Zurich almost six months ago. So, in honor of this next milestone, I’m sharing six interesting facts about Switzerland that you probably didn’t know.…
Recently, I escaped the chill of Switzerland and jetted down south for the weekend. The destination: Catania, Sicily. Located just off the toe of the Italian boot, the island of Sicily – Sicilia in Italian – is a rugged nugget of historical significance, geographical dynamism, and cultural intrigue. For a weekend in this fabled land, I booked my…
I am counting down the days until I return to Orlando to reunite with friends and family over the Christmas holidays. Ever since we moved to Zurich this summer, I’ve been missing my peeps like whoa! But I must admit that people aren’t the only reason I am looking forward to visiting sunny Florida: I cannot wait to eat at some…
When we are reintroduced some twelve years later, we are little more than acquaintances. Proud and distinguished, like an elderly woman born into luxury and predisposed to a particular standard of life, Milan greets me in her finest display of fashion prominence and financial power as I step off the train. Amidst the briskly moving…
Justin and I hosted his parents earlier this month, and they treated us to an excursion into the Black Forest of southern Germany. We rented a car in Zurich and set off for a relaxing afternoon of countryside driving and leisurely exploration. The Rhine Falls (Rheinfall) Europe’s largest waterfall is lodged between the Swiss and…
I still don’t believe that I actually live in Switzerland. Over the past three months, Justin and I have slowly started to settle into Swiss life. After weeks of searching and months of waiting, we found an apartment and moved in to our own place. By now, we’ve learned the public transportation system and have picked up…
In the very center of Switzerland stands a little city with lots of charm: Lucerne. Spelled Luzern in German, this idyllic Swiss town is just a short train ride from Zurich, and it has just become my choice destination for a day trip from Zurich after Justin and I gladly joined our friends visiting from Orlando, Florida one autumn afternoon. With an interesting blend of…
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…
Justin and I spent our anniversary weekend exploring the Jungfrau Region, one of Switzerland’s most popular tourist destinations, located in the Bernese Oberland (the Highlands within the Canton of Bern). We quickly fell in love with this beautiful slice of Swissness, where regal mountains and dramatic valleys welcome outdoor enthusiasts and encourage the imagination. IMAGE SOURCE After 200+…
Justin and I celebrated five years of marriage last month. Five years! Whoa – that seems legit, doesn’t it? My, oh my, how time flies! Actually, so did we. To start off our weekend getaway in Switzerland’s Jungfrau Region (think Interlaken) and commemorate five years of wedded bliss, Justin and I did something neither of…
If you’ve decided to include unconventional places on your European travel itinerary, consider visiting the Principality of Liechtenstein. You can tour this tiny Alpine country sandwiched between Switzerland and Austria in just a couple of days. Here are some tips and tricks to enjoying your time in Liechtenstein. 7 THINGS TO DO IN LIECHTENSTEIN 1. Purchase an…
Last summer, my friend SK and I included Andorra in our European Road Trip, even though travel reviews weren’t promising. Our journey through the small Pyrenean country of Andorra was rewarded with a splendid day of hiking and a humorously confounding cultural experience: Are we in Spain, France or somewhere else entirely? However, Andorra is…
Justin and I moved to Zurich, Switzerland just over a month ago; and in that time, we have discovered some of the reasons why Zurich has consistently held first or second place as the city with the highest quality of life. The Swiss are notorious for an infrastructure that runs like clockwork, top quality and…
With a culinary heritage from its Chinese, Japanese, and aboriginal ancestry, Taiwan boasts an extraordinary food culture that every world traveler must experience. From smoky barbecue squid to steamed taro cakes, gooey oyster omelets and broth with pork liver, from deep-fried sea creatures and crispy chicken to candied strawberries on a stick, the variation and creativity of…
On my last day in Taiwan with the Rotary Club, I visited one of the tallest buildings in the world: TAIPEI 101. After it opened on December 31, 2004, Newsweek Magazine listed the elegant superstructure as “One of the New Seven Wonders of the World,” and I could see why. She’s a real beauty! A COMMERICAL CENTER Taipei 101 stands…
Just a stone’s throw away from the colorful Grand Palace of Bangkok rests a really big Buddha. Barely fitting his massive and lanky body under one roof, Wat Pho is home to the largest rendition of Buddha in Thailand. The Reclining Buddha, or Phra Buddha Saiyas, is a lacquered and gilded Buddha image in brick and…
The most popular tourist destination in all of Thailand is not a beautiful beach paradise, but rather a royal compound and spiritual haven located in the bustling city of Bangkok. The Grand Palace attracts 8 million visitors to the Southeast Asian capital each year and ranks the third most-toured royal site in the world, according…
A magnitude-7.8 earthquake turned the nation of Nepal into a disaster zone on April 25, causing severe devastation throughout the region. Many of Nepal’s UNESCO World Heritage Sites were flattened and now lay in piles of brick and dust – unique pieces of history lost forever. Even worse than the destruction of these historic landmarks is…
When I was a kid, I came across an old copy of the 1982 May issue of National Geographic. Since that moment, I have never forgotten the enigmatic stone face glaring out from that magazine’s cover and the fantastical images of the jungle-run ruins of Angkor held within its pages. While planning a two week trip to Thailand, I…
On a blistering hot afternoon in the Cambodian countryside, we walked into a landmine. A landmine museum, that is. About 25 km outside of Siem Reap resides the Cambodia Landmine Museum. This little complex has a big heart for healing war-torn Cambodia and a mission to care for and educate children who have been directly affected…
In addition to hiking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, Justin and I tackled another peak of Peru in the fall of 2013. Together, we conquered El Misti, an active volcano that looms ominously large over Arequipa. Although the journey was not nearly as long as the Inca Trail, summiting El Misti was no less…
A Domeck Dream came true in the fall of 2013: Justin and I completed the 4-day, 3-night hike along the traditional route of the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. It was an incredible journey, rife with majestic vistas and physical challenges. To this day, we still ask ourselves, “Would we ever do it again?” My answer…
On a new adventure I soon embark. My heart, full of joy and gratitude, looking forward to this foreign place: Where East and West collide to create a modern fabric of ancient traditions, A sweet potato surrounded by rolling waves, A land of old and new, whose rugged physicality mirrors a turbulent history. I am…
Did you know that there is more to Orlando, Florida than a famous cartoon mouse, a famous orca whale, and a famous British wizard? No? Then, please, allow me to introduce you to the real Orlando in this “More Than Mouse Ears” series. First, we focused on the creative and collaborative culture emerging from DOWNTOWN ORLANDO. Today, let us survey Orlando by neighborhood to understand…
Orlando, Florida. Best known for Mickey, Minnie and Cinderella’s castle, the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, the controversial splash of Shamu, and copious amounts of sunshine, heat, and humidity. Right? Yes, the gang’s all here… and we really do love them! BUT unless you live in Central Florida, you may not realize that Orlando has so…