18 European Hidden Gems for 2018

Did some form of travel make it on your New Year resolutions list? It certainly made it on mine. Even though I'm extremely grateful for the travel I've been able to experience during the past few years living abroad, I know I will always pursue more travel. That's because travel is powerful. Even if you …

What to Do in Lake Bled

We hopped a bus from Ljubljana to Bled, a quick drive up the valley, tracing the river to our destination. The bus rounded a bend, the lake coming into view, reflected town lights shimmering in the ripples. We sped past our stop at the top of the hill and barreled down into the town below. …

Slovenia: A Subtle Winter’s Paradise

Slovenia seems to be everywhere lately. Why? Because it truly is a gem of a place. Why else would we have visited the country two Christmases in a row? It really is that special. Winter escape to Slovenia? Here's why you should do it. I can still remember the feeling of arriving in Ljubljana for …

Budapest’s Best Christmas Markets

Ahhhh, European Christmas markets. Come December, they’re what us expats live for. We are far from home, friends, family, and our own traditions, so what fills such a huge void during the holidays? Mugs of steaming mulled wine, of course. Plus all the others: heaping plates of traditional foods, artistic crafts, twinkling lights, wafting music, …

10 Secrets of Slovakia

When you dream of European mountains, what comes to mind? I often picture the Alps in Switzerland and Bavaria. I imagine myself frolicking amongst the Dolomites in Italy and the Pyrenees in France. I long to set eyes on Norway’s endless line of peaks, reaching north like outstretched fingers. But Slovakia wasn’t on my radar… …

From Poland to Slovakia

I already wrote about this little adventure, but the story is worth another visit, and so is the entire region of the High Tatra Mountain Range. These enormous rocky peaks, along with the Białka River, create a natural border between Poland and Slovakia. And to our surprise, it was not so easy to cross.  Two …

A Photo Essay: Krákow, Poland

My trip to Krákow included my very first overnight train. To be honest, I hated it. (The train, not the city.) This was our first trip since moving to Budapest, so the excitement level was at an all-time high. We strolled into the old, picturesque Keleti train station wild eyed and ready, a romantic haze …

Finding Fall

It's October, a highly anticipated month as summer settles and autumn abounds. But here I sit, ever so patiently in Madrid... waiting, waiting, waiting... for those leaves to pop. Some have started their ritual, warm tones emerging amongst the jagged peaks of the Sierra Norte, creating that gorgeous scene I crave. But others remain stubborn, …

How To: Treasure Hunt at Budapest’s Largest Flea Market

Budapest is steeped in history - unique, turbulent, varied, discouraging, triumphant, hopeful history. Perusing the streets, ducking into courtyards, exploring alleyways, investigating the riverside... it has yet to get old, and I predict it never will. Of all the European cities I have visited, Budapest remains my favorite. Now, it's not for everyone. The culture is rich …

Coffee Break in Budapest

Growing up outside of Seattle, I developed a refined coffee palette. At least that’s how I prefer to describe my nearly out-of-control crazed caffeine addiction. Let me set the scene: The wafting scent of properly brewed java catches my attention, snatching me right out of reality. I begin to mindlessly wander until I’m standing in front …