When the Cows Come Home
“… until the cows come home.” It's probably a phrase that you've heard used before. Not often, but I'm sure you've heard it. The...
5 Things to Love About Sighisoara, Romania
Where I come from, places like Sighisoara just simply do not exist. Ancient churches, a walled town center, thousands of years of history… you...
Village Scenes: Life in Rural Romania
“It's like stepping back in time.” How often have you heard this phrase? Probably plenty. But how often has is actually been true? Well, in...
Merry Cemetery: A Different Way to Look at Death
When I say “old cemetery,” what do you picture? Crumbling tombstones? Grand old mausoleums? Overgrown shrubbery? Chances are, whatever you picture is fairly dark; morose;...
Eger and the Valley of the Beautiful Women
Just two hours north of Budapest lies a small city that feels worlds away from the hustle and bustle of the Hungarian capital. A...
Soaking at the Szechenyi Baths
Picture this: Baroque-style baths, filled with thermally-heated water, that are outdoors and open year-round. If you're a Midwesterner like me (or just anyone not...
Packing List: What to Pack for Backpacking Around Europe
For two consecutive summers, I backpacked around Europe. I stayed in hostels, traveled by train and bus, and yes, carried everything I had with...
Is Going to the Blue Lagoon in Iceland Worth It? Here’s What You Need to Know
It was like being in some sort of late-night-food-induced dream. You know, the kind where you're walking on the ceiling and people are climbing...
Fire and Ice in Iceland
After my unexpected near-death experience on a snow-covered Icelandic mountain, I really didn't know what to expect from the second half of the “Essential...
The Time I Almost Died in Iceland
It's no secret that writers often exaggerate events in order to make them seem more interesting or exciting. You know, like writing about “a...
The Hidden People (Elves) of Iceland
Myths, legends, folk tales — I love them all, especially as they relate to new places I travel to. They are a great insight...
The Horses of Iceland
I've always had a bit of a soft spot for horses. There's just something about these gentle giants that melts my heart — their...
What You’ll See in Iceland’s Golden Circle
The Golden Circle. The bread and butter of tourism in Iceland. This popular 300 km loop from Reykjavik into central Iceland is the single...
20 Fun and Interesting Facts About Iceland
The Land of Fire and Ice has become a tourism darling in the past couple of years – and for good reason: Iceland is...
Iceland Packing List: What to Pack for a Trip to Iceland (in Summer or Winter)
In recent years, Iceland has suddenly shot to the top of many travel bucket lists. The little island country is unlike any I've ever...
There’s No Place Like Rome: A First-Time Visitor’s Guide
“There's no place like Rome.” That was the motto of my first trip to Italy, back in 2005. That trip was a one-week performance...
