Adventure Culinary Travel
Our first night of camping in Iceland was at Þorlákshöfn Campground, a little under an hour away from the city. We pulled in with our camper van, and had to learn the ropes best we could as it was closing in on midnight despite the sun still glowing on the horizon. The van was cozy and comfortable… and nothing follows a fine night sleep better than a camp-cooked breakfast!
Read MoreOur first stop in Iceland was the magnificent Hallgrimskirkja in Reykjavik! Fresh off the bus from the airport early in the morning, we had the whole area to ourselves! We check out the church and marvel at the splendid architecture, pay homage to the great Icelandic explorer Leif Erikson, and delve a bit into Ásatrú, the ancient religion of the Vikings that is having a modern resurgence!
Read MoreThe Church of St Cavan is a ruin on the Irish island of Inis Oirr. Excavated from being mostly buried in the ground, St Cavan’s is an amazing site to see! The patron saint of the Aran Islands, St Cavan himself is buried alongside the old church. We ventured through the old stone archways to explore inside the ruins…
Read MoreAn Irish story for St. Patrick’s Day! On the edge of Counties Clare and Galway, a confusing wrong turn leads us deep into the rural countryside, where we stumbled on old ruins, emerald green fields, and a stroke of that old Irish luck!
Read MoreA stroll through Eguisheim before we headed off dropped us into the middle of a festive morning! There were musicians set up outside the main square, tables set up with wine and snacks, people from the town out mingling and having fun, and a local cycle group riding through with a local mayor.
Read MoreIn the center of Eguisheim is the Chateau Saint-Léon, with its beautifully painted church filled to the brim with the most amazing detail.
Read MoreWe made our way back to the wonderful little town of Eguisheim. Very likely my favorite town in the world, I couldn’t wait to walk through those medieval streets and see everything we could! We had amazing food, great drinks, saw the most beautiful contrasts, and settled in to a nice pub for a fun end to the night. What more could you want?
Read MoreOur return to the impossibly beautiful town of Kaysersberg was a stop we have long been looking forward to, as we didn’t spend as much time here before. Around every corner we found ourselves in awe over the sheer incredible beauty of this place, from the integrated nature to the colorful buildings and the surrounding hills and vineyards. We followed in Albrecht Schweitzer’s footsteps, visited a memorial to fallen WWII soldiers, wound down with great coffee, and gave in to the temptation of the many amazing pastry shops. And the skulls? Yes, we went back to visit the skulls!
Read MoreWe continued through the Black Forest along the back roads, with views over hills and fields to mountains beyond. We stopped in Sankt Peter, a little town with a very big church!
Read MoreOur last morning in France we spend getting in touch with some local wine. We talk about terroir and its impact on wine as we taste some of the winery’s finest. Beth tours the church, and I get some medicine and reflect on the difference between our health care and that in Europe.
Read MoreUpon arriving to Colmar we were greeted by a severe storm. No worries, we just waited it out in a cafe, then went exploring! The city is just stunning, with the typical Alsatian style on a larger scale. We found a nice little artisan show, wandered the old streets, and checked through the city’s amazing covered market. We ventured through the Fishmonger District and Petite Venise, two of the most beautiful areas we’ve ever been through, and ended up at the quirky House of Heads!
Read MoreOn a whim we stopped in the beautiful town of Kaysersberg where we found colorful buildings lining the waterways and cobblestoned streets. We climbed up to the castle on the hill and were rewarded with the most amazing views, before heading back down to the church and the most unexpected find of our journeys - a wall of actual skeletons!
Read MoreA town I flagged as a must stop, Gengenbach did not disappoint! From the beautiful platz lined with colorful buildings to the back alleys and tiny Bächle, and one of the most impressively painted little churches we've ever seen, this was a great "goodbye" to the Black Forest!
Read MoreIt’s New Year’s Eve, and tonight we celebrated in Vienna! We picked up some things in the Nachtmarkt which led to a horrifyingly embarrassing yet hysterical experience! Surviving that, we settled into an outstanding cafe, found Johann Strauss in the park, and visited Vienna’s famous cathedral…
Read MoreAn easy side trip from Vienna, we took a train out to Bratislava! We were in the right place at the right time to happen upon a changing of the guard at the presidential palace, then we ventured through the old town for cafes, churches, and a crumbly old yet still beautiful abandoned street. We couldn't resist the inner tourist coming out when we found our way to the old square!
Read MoreAndechs, home to one of my favorite breweries in the world!! Beer was had for sure, but first we had our jaws dropped at the most beautiful monastery church we've ever seen. After getting one of my favorite beers right from the source, we drive back to Munich, then take the train to Salzburg....
Read MoreWe took the slow way down the Romantic Road to the absolutely beautiful town of Dinkelsbühl, which quickly became one of our favorites! We walked through the old streets lined with brilliantly colored buildings, trying to imagine a life here. We traveled further down the Romantic Road and found an old castle ruin, finishing our day in an interesting hotel in the mountain town of Fussen.
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