INSPIRATION & EXPERT ADVICE FOR INDEPENDENT TRAVELLERS
Sunsets in Key West are a much anticipated, highly celebrated, beloved event. For us, there was no better place to enjoy the changing colours of the evening sky than aboard a sailboat. Sunsets are inherently relaxing, but add in the gentle rocking of a sailboat and you’ll soon feel calmness take over. I’m not usually...
The Tybee Island Light Station is Georgia’s oldest and tallest lighthouse, at 144 feet (44 metres). Originally constructed in 1736 under the order of General James Oglethorpe, it has been rebuilt and altered several times. The version you see today was completed in 1916. The Tybee Island lighthouse is still used as a navigational aid...
Dry Tortugas National Park was the place I was most looking forward to visiting during our trip to the Florida Keys. I first discovered it in a photograph. It was an aerial picture, giving a bird’s eye view of the six-sided historic Fort Jefferson, so large that it nearly filled the entire island. I was...
One of my favourite things about visiting Savannah was seeing the abundance of large oak trees shading Savannah’s squares and walkways. Their moss draped branches contributed to the mystery and intrigue of a city well known for its haunted tales. Yet, as I walked below these aged oaks, stared up at their mighty limbs, I...
When choosing our flights home from our trip to Florida, we had the option to have a 4-hour layover in Montreal, or a 10-hour layover in San Francisco. I had been to San Francisco before but Mike had not, so I saw this as a great opportunity to show him around a city I really...
After a weekend of hiking to Larch Valley and horseback riding to the Plain of Six Glaciers Tea House, we ended our visit to Lake Louise with a delicious meal at The Station Restaurant. As a train lover, I was immediately impressed. Located in Lake Louise Station, the oldest building in Lake Louise, the restaurant...
It was our quest for new adventures in Lake Louise that led us try horseback riding for the first time, going all the way up to the historic Plain of Six Glaciers Tea House nestled high in the Canadian Rocky Mountains. Neither one of us had been on a horse before. I had always been...
The Larch Valley hike near Lake Louise has been something Mike and I have been talking about doing for years, so this fall we finally decided to make it happen. Wow, had we been missing out all this time! The Lake Louise area is a special place any time of year, but it shines just...
One of the fondest memories of our trip to Miyajima Island was hiking Mount Misen. Seeing as Mike and I both love nature, history and experiencing the culture of a destination, Mount Misen was the perfect place for us to combine our interests into an active afternoon of exquisite views and spiritual sites. About Mount...
Miyajima may be known as “shrine island”, but there is just one that takes centre stage- Itsukushima Shrine. You may not know Itsukushima Shrine by name, but you probably have seen photos of the shrine’s famous torii gate, standing in the waters of the Seto Inland Sea. It was photos of this torii gate, seemingly...
Vienna’s Karlskirche, or St. Charles Church, was built from 1716-1737 after being commissioned by Emperor Charles VI. The emperor had promised to build a church after his namesake, St. Charles Borromeo, if the Black Plague that was infecting Vienna in 1713 left the city. Borromeo was an archbishop of Milan in the 16th century who was known...
On our way home from our Alaska cruise, we decided to take the scenic route back to Edmonton. Well, it was more of a scenic detour since it wasn’t even close to the normal route we usually take home from Vancouver! Anyone who knows me is aware that I am a stickler for efficiency, and...
The Tokyo International Forum is one of the most unique and distinctive buildings in central Tokyo. Forget your typical city skyscrapers, the International Forum resembles a large ship! Its glass atrium features elegant, curved walls reaching 60 metres high, all supported by metal columns and bars. The inside of the atrium was filled with natural...
“Where are you heading today?” the border security agent asked as we prepared to enter Washington. “Winthrop,” Mike confidently replied. The agent’s next question was a little odd and caught us off guard. “Why would you want to go there?” he asked with a condescending tone that instantly made us feel silly. “Because it’s a...
An unmissable monument in Paris’ cityscape is the glittering gold dome of the royal chapel at Les Invalides. Dôme des Invalides was first inspired by the dome at St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. Designed by Jules Hardouin Mansart, the dome is considered one of the finest examples of French Baroque architecture. The dome was finished...
Koyasan- sacred, traditional and somewhat mysterious- was one of the most rewarding places we visited in Japan. In this quiet mountain town, we not only got a glimpse into the time-honored ways of Japanese religious life, we got to experience it. We stayed overnight in Buddhist temple, sampled the customary vegetarian cuisine and attended a...
The stone path was dim and moody. Centuries old cedar trees towered above us, shading the moss-covered tombstones below. We didn’t say much as we quietly wandered deep into this ancient cemetery, the largest in Japan. When we did speak, it was in whispers, as though not to wake the dead. You see, we were...
As a sacred site for Buddhism in Japan, Koyasan features many temples dedicated to the practice of Shingon Buddhism. While each is important in their own way, none is as central to Buddhism in Koyasan as the Dai Garan Complex. About the Dai Garan Complex (Danjo Garan) Since the founding of Koyasan in 816, the...
As soon as we arrived at Mt. Koya, I was excited to begin exploring the temples and shrines of this sacred Buddhist site. We started our day in Koyasan by visiting Kongobuji Temple, the beautiful headquarters of Koyasan Shingon Buddhism. About Kongobuji Temple Kongobuji Temple is the result of combining two temples, Kozanji and Seiganji,...
This week I’m featuring a photo taken at Mycenae during my 2007 trip to Greece. The aptly named Lion Gate is the main entrance to the citadel of Mycenae, an archaeological site in the north-eastern Peloponnese area of Greece. Mycenae was a major centre of Greek civilization and powerful kingdom way back in the second...
We are Rhonda and Mike, a Canadian couple who make it a priority to travel every chance we get!
We describe our travel style as "laid back luxe" and enjoy a mix of outdoor adventures and historic sites.
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