Although my tour of Italy technically finished with Milan, I didn’t really spend any time downtown or doing any sightseeing (it was more a day of relaxation, wine, and eating), so Florence “capped” the trip. There is something for everyone in Florence. Foodies, wine aficionados, history-lovers, party people, shoppers, hikers, and explorers can all find […]
Posts Tagged ‘Travel’
Finally, Florence
Posted in Travel, tagged Florence, Italy, Museums, Travel on September 10, 2016 | Leave a Comment »
The Tuscany Tour
Posted in Travel, tagged Italy, Travel, Tuscany on September 7, 2016 | 1 Comment »
Since I stayed longer in Florence, I’ll talk about the Tuscan countryside first. I joined a tour with my coworker, Alycia, since we were both going to be in Florence at the same time. She had already booked the tickets with her husband and another couple, but said I was welcome to come along, and […]
Two Out of Five Ain’t Bad
Posted in Travel, tagged Cinque Terre, Italy, Travel on September 6, 2016 | 1 Comment »
Regrets, I’ve had a few. But then again, too few to mention. If I had known about the Cinque Terre sooner (instead of booking a day last-minute), I would have opted to spend a lot more time there. However, I saw it as an opportunity to “scout” for myself and Aimee, and others potentially thinking […]
The Eternal City, Top to Bottom
Posted in Travel, tagged Italy, Rome, Travel on September 5, 2016 | Leave a Comment »
Rome was, in a word, intense. Getting through the train station, Roma Termini, was eye-opening. North America doesn’t match Europe for train networks. I counted between 25 and 30 rails (~15 platforms) in Roma Termini, and the massive clusters of people let me know right away that I was in a busy city. Roma Termini was probably the size […]
Ahh, Venice
Posted in Travel, tagged food, Italy, Murano, Travel, Venice on September 1, 2016 | 1 Comment »
My desire to see the legendary city of merchants and Marco Polo comes from my childhood. One of the ultimate expressions of humanity’s defiance of the natural world, the opulent lagoon city was brought to me by the romance and adventure of Indiana Jones and the music of Vivaldi (a regular occurrence in my household […]
Villages and Fortresses
Posted in Travel, tagged castle, Slovakia, Travel on August 30, 2016 | 4 Comments »
From Terchová I travelled further east, toward the birthplaces of my grandparents: the villages of Zábiedovo and Vitanová. While I had been hoping to bump into a long-lost relative, I was rewarded with a different kind of existential experience: a glimpse into the beauty of rural Slovakian life. This was not a tourist area in the […]
Getaways and Legends
Posted in Travel, tagged castle, Slovakia, Terchová, Travel on August 26, 2016 | Leave a Comment »
In spite of my original plan to visit downtown Bratislava, I was feeling rather run-down from getting a mere four hours of sleep in a hostel. I opted instead to get out of dodge, book a private room last-minute and head out early on my journey northward. My first stop was Čachtický hrad, a ruined […]
Brno, Bratislava, and Borders
Posted in Travel, tagged Bratislava, Brno, Czech Republic, Mendel, Slovakia, Travel on August 26, 2016 | Leave a Comment »
Although Brno’s downtown is picturesque and historic, it’s also bustling with ordinary (non-touristy) activity. I ordered an espresso from a café and people-watched urban professionals, young families, and university students going about their business. Not a lot of tourists. My first destination was: you guessed it, another ossuary. One may accuse me of being morbid, but […]
Bones, Barbora, Brief History Lesson
Posted in Travel, tagged Czech Republic, Kutna Hora, Travel on August 23, 2016 | 2 Comments »
I began my day with a stroll back to my car through Plzen’s historic downtown, stopping at a bakery for an espresso and an open-faced sandwich. I asked one of the girls how to say ‘thank you’ in Czech. “Děkuji” (sounds like yah-koy-oh to my untrained ear). The Czech countryside is beautiful, and my trip […]
Plzen and Pilsner Urquell
Posted in Travel, tagged Czech Republic, Plzen, Travel on August 22, 2016 | 3 Comments »
I landed in Prague at about 7:00 A.M local time and got my things together for the drive to Plzen. My rental is a Skoda; they’re manufactured locally. It’s a zippy little compact. Fun fact: European models have an auto-shutoff feature if you idle for too long. That was a bit of a shock the […]
Skates and Shoes, or Toronto in Twelve
Posted in Travel, tagged Hockey, Toronto, Travel on August 22, 2016 | Leave a Comment »
My journey began with a twelve-hour layover in Toronto. Well, technically it began with toasting Gord Downie at the Flying Beaver. Details. In order to combat jetlag, my plan was to stay awake during the red-eye and sleep on the flight to Prague in order to awaken bright-eyed and bushy-tailed for Europe time […]
Backburners and Backpacking
Posted in Uncategorized, tagged Blogging, Czech Republic, History, Italy, Slovakia, Travel on August 9, 2016 | 2 Comments »
As you may recall, I like to write stories now and again. However, many of my fiction projects have been put on the back burner due to an increased focus on a job I love, a diploma I’m pursuing, and a novel I’m publishing. Happily, my predilection for writing extends to travel blogging, so […]