INSPIRATION & EXPERT ADVICE FOR INDEPENDENT TRAVELLERS
In Saint-Étienne-du-Mont, a church in Paris near the Pantheon, you’ll find a beautiful shrine dedicated to Sainte-Geneviève, the patroness of Paris. The remarkable golden reliquary you see here was used to hold the remains of Sainte-Geneviève, along with many important relics. The citizens of Paris would parade the relics from the church to Notre-Dame and...
Mike and I visit Lake Louise regularly, as it’s our favourite place to stop on a road trip in the Canadian Rockies or to have a romantic weekend getaway in Alberta. I always walk to the edge of the lake to take a photo with Victoria Glacier in the background, but this time I wanted...
As part of our bear viewing excursion in Neets Bay, we got to enjoy a ride in a float plane and marvel at Alaska’s monumental beauty from above. All buckled in for our flight back to Ketchikan, our pilot announced over our headsets, “My next flight isn’t until 12:30. It’s such a beautiful day, we’ve...
What stands out the most from my 2006 visit to Milan, was the Duomo. For me, the inside was just a typical European cathedral, but the exterior really caught my eye. Even from a distance, the Duomo di Milano stands out from its surroundings, easily recognizable as a symbol of the city. I couldn’t wait...
As a lifelong resident of Alberta, and frequent visitor to Banff National Park, it’s very odd that I hadn’t visited Peyto Lake before now. Over the last few months, I was seeing so many photos of this beautiful lake on Instagram, that I decided we had to make a special stop on our way home...
My favourite time of day to explore Prague was late at night. After dark, the crowds of tourists disappear, but the city is still very much alive. Seeing Prague’s important monuments and buildings lit up against the dark night sky, added an element of romance to an already fairytale-like city. We happily wandered the streets...
The origins of Pompeii may be unfamiliar to most, but the city’s catastrophic demise is a story known around the world. Pompeii was founded by the Campanian Oscans in the sixth or seventh century BC. The city was built on prehistoric lava from the precariously close Mount Vesuvius. In 80 BC, Pompeii was captured by...
This photo of Elliott Bay was taken from the observation deck of the Seattle Space Needle. The bustling waterfront was calming down for the evening as the setting sun cast a warm, golden glow over the bay. Not only did we get to enjoy this peaceful sunset, but the Space Needle offered great views of...
In the centre of Athens, just southeast of the Acropolis, stands the ruined Temple of Olympian Zeus. In 1515 BC, Athenian tyrant Peisistratos laid the foundation for what he envisioned being the greatest temple in the world. Unfortunately, construction was abandoned five years later when Peisistratos’ son, Hippias, was overthrown in 510 BC. Over the years,...
Standing on the sprawling lawn of the Campo dei Miracoli, is a collection of some of Europe’s best Romanesque architecture, and one of the world’s greatest architectural blunders- the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Built on top of weak, unstable subsoil, with only a shallow three-metre foundation, the design of the cathedral’s free standing bell tower...
Matthias Church is understandably one of the main attractions on Castle Hill in Budapest. After all, it is one of Hungary’s most important churches. It has hosted many coronations since its construction in the 13th century, the most notable being the crowning of Franz Joseph and Elizabeth, as well as the last Habsburgs, Karl IV and...
Epidaurus was once celebrated as a place of miraculous healing, but these days visitors don’t come seeking a cure for what ails them, they flock to see the remarkable ancient Greek theatre. It’s hard not to let your mouth fall open when the theatre at Epidaurus first comes into view. I remember being shocked at...
Since 1939, the Tropicana has been Cuba’s defining cabaret show. At this famous open-air nightclub in a lush tropical garden estate, guests are entertained by a colourful medley of song and dance reflecting elements of Cuban culture. The Tropicana Havana Cabaret- Our Experience Our cab heads down a broad, tree lined avenue into Miramar, Havana’s...
Varadero’s white sandy beach was the perfect place to enjoy a quiet sunset, the evening breeze shaping the blue water into small, curling waves. Varadero is Cuba’s top resort community and occupies the 19 km long Peninsula de Hicacos. If you would like to experience more than just Cuba’s beaches, the resorts at Varadero offer...
One of my favourite views at the Palace of Versailles, is the one overlooking the Orangerie and Pond of the Swiss. The Orangerie was built by Jules Hardouin-Mansart from 1684 and 1686. The garden is flanked with a grand 100-step staircase and contains over 1,000 trees, some over 200 years old! There are orange trees from...
When we were in Hallstatt, our short visit meant we had to choose between visiting the salt mines or the nearby Dachstein Ice Cave. Hallstatt is known for its long, prosperous history of salt mining, so I almost felt obligated to go tour the mines. Once I tuned into my instincts, instead of the guidebook...
Just north of Place de la Concorde in Paris is L’église de St-Marie-Madeleine, or St. Mary Magdalene Church. When we first came across La Madeleine, as it is commonly called, we didn’t know it was a church because the building resembles a large Roman temple. There are 52 Corinthian columns that surround the temple, topped...
The Strasbourg Cathedral dominates the square at the end of Rue Mercière, standing tall over the heart of the city. Notre-Dame de Strasbourg was built between 1190 and 1439, a Gothic masterpiece that would be the tallest construction in the world for over 200 years. At 142 metres tall, its single steeple makes the cathedral...
The ceiling of the Sistine Chapel is probably the most incredible painting I have ever seen. Michelangelo’s masterpiece, painted from 1508-1512, illustrates nine episodes from the book of Genesis, the highlight of which is the Creation of Adam. I was intrigued by the illusionary architectural elements of the painting, the fictive moldings appearing as if...
We only visited Cologne very briefly, stopping in for about four hours on our way from Bruges to Nuremberg. We came specifically to see the ambitious Cologne Cathedral, a World Heritage Site. Unfortunately, I wasn’t overly impressed with the cathedral itself. We were in Strasbourg a few days earlier, and the cathedral there blew my...
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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