Read more about the article Mykonos, Greece – Then and Now

Mykonos, Greece – Then and Now

I’ve always loved Greece.

When I went with my parents in 1983, I was a blonde teenager who enjoyed catching the eye of handsome Greek men. I decided that I would move to Athens after high school graduation.

Reality got in the way – things like college, graduate school, a job – and I never returned.

My husband traveled there after college and also wanted to return. When we got engaged, we briefly talked about Greece for our honeymoon destination. Instead, we ultimately decided to go somewhere neither of us had been before and chose Hawaii. Although lovely, I knew I wanted to go back to Greece one day. (more…)

Read more about the article Old Town Kotor, Montenegro

Old Town Kotor, Montenegro

Montenegro. Just saying it out loud sounds like a place somewhere in Africa. It is not. It’s a new country located south of Croatia in what was part of the old Yugoslavia.

Our port of call was Kotor, located on the Bay of Kotor. Although Montenegro is a relatively new country (only 11 years old), it is steeped with history. To learn more, we booked a 90-minute walking tour of the Old City. Our guide, Yelena explained Montenegro’s turbulent history. It was ruled by Rome, Serbia, Hungary, Bosnia and a few others until becoming part of the Venetian Republic in 1420. It stayed that way for almost 400 years. (more…)

Read more about the article Hiking up to San Giovanni Castle in Kotor, Montenegro

Hiking up to San Giovanni Castle in Kotor, Montenegro

The word Montenegro, which means “Black Mountains,” aptly describes this enchanted area south of Croatia. As our ship traveled through the Bay of Kotor, the captain recommended we get up early to watch the majestic mountains loom on both sides of the ship.

Since we were up early to watch the sunrise, I decided to disembark as soon as we docked. I wanted to take the hike to San Giovanni Castle (or St. John’s Fortress) before it got hot and crowded. (more…)

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…)