Happy International Women’s Day! I always love to celebrate this day, although I celebrate the women in my life every day. But, International Women’s Day makes me stop and think. I think about how much I have as an American woman. How many opportunities I have. All the freedoms I have (and hope to keep). All…
A couple of weeks ago I wrote a post on some of the national parks in Europe. In this post, one of the parks I featured was the Cinque Terre in Italy. This national park and UNESCO World Heritage site has made the news recently, unfortunately for some not so great news. The big news…
To me, Italy is one of the best countries to travel solo. There is so much to see and to experience. And yes, while it is a romantic place to share with a special someone, there is also a lot to explore on your own. But, if you want some companionship, Italy is an…
So, when I say Europe, I bet you don’t think of national parks, do you? I’m sure when you think of Europe, you think of grand cities like Paris and Rome. You think of gorgeous works of art by Van Gogh and Monet. Architecture by Gaudi or Brunelleschi. And you probably think of small…
One of the best things about traveling for me is connecting with the local people. Sometimes it’s your hostess at the guesthouse where you are staying. Sometimes it’s a waiter at a restaurant. Sometimes it’s an owner of a shop. Often, these are brief moments in time that may only last a few minutes. Some…
Today I’m officially 50. Wow! That sounds so weird…Fifty. Half a century. Yikes! The thing is, I thought I’d be freaking out about this. But, I’m not. I’m sad that my mom isn’t here to celebrate with me. To say, “Happy Birthday, Sweet Pea!” To tell me I might be 50, but I’m still…
