We have just started traveling the countries in the European region. We move slowly but enjoy getting to know each country. Below we share more about the places we love along the way.
A steady drizzle falls from the sky like soft tears onto the pavement. The delicate persistence darkened the red splashes of a Sarajevo rose at my feet. This rose is a wound in the pavement created by a mortar explosion during the siege of Sarajevo. The explosions left behind craters and blast marks. Local artists […]
Stunning landscapes abound, but there are moments when a dramatic peak or majestic vista can leave me speechless. Hiking in northern Albania offers such experiences. Although hiking in southern Albania is certainly worth the trek, we found the north to be even more captivating. The Accursed Mountains (cursed mountains) is the portion of the Alps
Hiking in Albania doesn’t require rental cars or expensive taxis to access great trails and there are lots of options. Every town we visited had a beautiful backdrop of mountains that provided trail heads within walking distance. We won’t claim to know where the best hiking in Albania is because we haven’t traversed every trail,
The fragrance of jasmine fills the streets, and flowerbeds overflow with roses of every color. Artists have converged to create buildings that are far more than just functional, turning Tirana, Albania into a photogenic city with their architectural designs. The rugged mountains in the backdrop add the finishing touch to Tirana’s beauty. Very few cities
Nestled within the snow-capped Galichica Mountain Range, Lake Ohrid contains crystal clear waters with visibility extending down to 22 meters (66 feet). This lake, enriched with a biodiversity that boasts an estimated 45 million acre-feet of water, is the equivalent of 379,884 Olympic-sized swimming pools. Lake Ohrid spans across North Macedonia and Albania. Approximately 64%
Lake Ohrid: Bridging Nations with Waters of Timeless Beauty Read More »
The aroma of fresh bread filled the air as Gaius pulled new loaves from the oven. Although he was a slave, he ran this small bakery, built into the front of the House of the Faun. Gaius opened the door to let the aroma waft down the basalt stone street, drawing in more customers. He
Echoes of Pompeii: A Tale Under the Shadow of Vesuvius Read More »
We watched the sunset behind the almost perfect cone of Mt. Errigal. Heather grows in strands from the bottom of the mountain, reaching towards the top in ever-increasing narrow bands, fighting against the rock and shale that descend from the top. A rainbow graced the valley beside the mountain. Rainbows are such an occurrence here
A Night on the Moor: Favorite Lodging in Ireland Read More »
“When in Rome, do as the Romans do.” However, with the density of tourism to Rome, visitors can often outnumber locals. So, how does one know what the Romans do—or don’t? Or maybe the saying is to do as the ancient Romans did. So we look to the statues that remain for inspiration. “Does that
There is a 27-kilometer (17-mile) tunnel 175 meters (574 feet) underground on the border of France and Switzerland at the CERN (The European Organization for Nuclear Research) research facility. Inside this tube is the world’s largest high-energy particle collider the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). Physicists shoot protons through this tube at the highest possible speeds, near
The volley of explosions vibrated through our core. Smoke obscured the view of the streets ahead and the smell of gunpowder filled the air. A dark cloud of smoke rolled between the high buildings towards us. When the deafening noise stopped, a roar arose from the hordes of people in the streets. They were cheering.
