Read more about the article 24 Hours (or less) in Venice, Italy
Venice in peak travel season

24 Hours (or less) in Venice, Italy

Water, water everywhere is what most people think about Venice. However, our experience was more like people, people everywhere.

It’s true. Roughly 30 million tourists flock annually to the area which is no more than 160 square miles. If it’s summertime (peak tourist season) and you don’t like crowds, you may want to only spend a day or two in the famous city of canals.

Another thing to think about is this: Venice is not ADA compliant. If your hotel isn’t on a canal, a water taxi will do you no good. Instead, you will have to carry your luggage through the tiny street and over bridges which consist of steps, not ramps. (more…)

Read more about the article City of Walls – Dubrovnik, Croatia

City of Walls – Dubrovnik, Croatia

Picture a coastline with mountains. That’s the Dalmation Coast and home to our first stop on the cruise – Dubrovnik.

When I toured it back in 1985, it was part of the now-defunct Yugoslavia. I was so taken with the area that I did a large college project on Yugoslavia in my International Business class. However, the Croatian War of Independence began in the early 1990’s and I feared that Dubrovnik as I knew it was gone forever. Nobody expected this UNESCO World Heritage Site to be shelled — but it was.

My husband took a walking tour of the city walls. They are so thick that for 20 Euros, you can walk all the way around the city on top of them. It took him about 90 minutes and he said it was worth every minute of it! Below are pictures he took on top of the city walls. (more…)

Read more about the article Touring a Castle – Gorizia, Italy
Gorizia Castle

Touring a Castle – Gorizia, Italy

For those who’ve never heard of Gorizia, this small Italian town lies near the border of Slovenia. At various times, it has been ruled by the Venetians, French and Austrians. At the beginning of WWI, it was under Austrian rule until being conquered by the Italians in 1916 and again in 1918. To make matters more confusing, the boundary was also disputed after WWII when outlying areas of the town went to Yugoslavia in 1947.

It’s no wonder that a WWI museum is located here. But you wouldn’t know today that so many battles were fought here. Instead, the red-tiled town (which was mainly rebuilt in the 1920s due to significant damage in WWI) seems peaceful and definitely not touristy.

My other daughter quickly vetoed the plan to see a war museum. Thankfully, Gorizia Castle is located next door and we went to visit it while my husband and other daughter went to the trenches. (more…)

Read more about the article A Magical Day: Portschache, Austria and Lake Bled, Slovenia
A magical place - Lake Bled

A Magical Day: Portschache, Austria and Lake Bled, Slovenia

It’s 1985 and I have just finished my junior year of high school. My parents and I embark on a three-week trip to Europe, but I’d much rather be at home with my friends.

We spend three harrowing days in Vienna. Why do I say harrowing? Because I blew out my contact lens cleaning machine when I forgot to use the correct electrical adapter. I’m forced to wearing my glasses for an entire evening until we purchase a new machine.

Then, my parents have the brilliant idea of hiring a guide to take us to Budapest for the day. Back then, Hungary was still a communist country and I really didn’t want to be stuck behind the Iron Curtain and miss my senior year of high school. The day trip turned out fine, but I had written postcards to my friends telling them if I didn’t come home at the end of June, my family and I were being held prisoner in Hungary.

Now that we leave Vienna and head towards Venice, where we’ll get on a cruise ship, I relax a bit. We drive through Austria and spend the night near Klagenfurt at a resort called Portschach. It is beautiful! Lake Worthersee, sailboats and plenty of outdoor activities manage to turn my sour disposition around. The next day, we go through Lake Bled in Yugoslavia. It’s another warm-weather town with a lake. Although we don’t spend much time there, I vow to return.

Portschach am Worthersee, Austria

Fast forward several decades.  After finalizing a cruise departing Venice, I know where I want to take my family first. You guessed it – Portschach, Austria and Lake Bled, Slovenia. (more…)