by Wendy
Paris and I go back about twenty years. The inaugural visit was with my sister April right after I graduated from college. The second and third connections were with my husband Jack – a long weekend in January, a summer trip in August. When I learned my sister Sunny was planning a first-time journey to Paris with her husband and daughter, I asked if I could tag along. Sunny said Oui, and we spent a week there earlier this month. Continue reading
by Wendy
Train travel can be nostalgic, modern, adventurous, efficient, rustic, glamorous, educational – provoking many combinations of potentially contradictory impressions. I love planes (and hanging out in airports), and I love road trips. But trains are also cool. And the European high-speed train network is super-cool. Continue reading
by Sunny
follow me on Twitter @Sunnylooksleaps
The old proverb may be, “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks,” but I think it’s time to change it to, “Teach the old dog ALL of the new tricks!” Here are some of the new things that I will be trying for the first time this year!
by Wendy
Next time you’re in London, consider booking a guided tour of Parliament followed by afternoon tea. That’s right, you can actually drink tea in a House of Commons dining room! This is a cool activity for anyone interested in England, history, politics, the Queen, or a fine afternoon tea. Continue reading
by Wendy
There are so many things I love about London. One thing I don’t think I’ve mentioned before is the full English breakfast.
As far as I can tell, there are variations of the full English, but a plate often consists of fried or poached eggs, beans, toast or fried bread, sausage or bacon (or vegetarian option), mushrooms, and tomatoes. Sometimes kippers, or maybe bubble and squeak. Continue reading
by Wendy
Packing for this recent trip was a challenge, as we traveled to two very different destinations.
Iceland: mostly outdoor activities. Even though we were going in summer, nearly everything we read cautioned us to be prepared for any type of weather. Basic hiking gear was a necessity.
England: we would be in London most of the time, with a day trip to Dover that included quite a bit of walking. Always good to be prepared for rain in England. Though London is a style capital, anything other than comfortable shoes would be pointless. We weren’t planning any formal activities but wanted to dress appropriately for tour and tea in Parliament.
Right. Here is my list and a few notes on how I organized everything. Continue reading
by Wendy
I am just back from visiting Iceland with Jack and my parents. It was amazing and we look forward to sharing many stories on the blog. Right now, I think we’re all still in the midst of jet lag, unpacking, organizing, and getting back into the work routine – but I keep stopping to look at photos, jot down a few notes and feel grateful for such an epic vacation.
Continue reading
by Wendy
Flipping through television channels on a warm and sleepy Sunday, I noticed coverage of the Tour de France and was immediately transported back to an afternoon nearly 20 years ago. Continue reading
by Wendy
Follow me on twitter @wendylooksleaps
One of the rewards of visiting another country is the opportunity to observe and appreciate what is different – as well as noticing what is the same. These flashes of familiarity can make you feel very connected to a place in ways you did not expect. Dad talks about this a little in his Travel Epistle post, how senses are often heightened during travel, and how the basic human need of eating and drinking can help visitors get to know a new place.
The other week my eye doctor told me about a recent trip to Portugal with his sister. I’m a longtime patient of his, sometimes obliged to visit twice a year because I’m blind as a bat with unusually high pressure readings for glaucoma. Luckily this bat can see well with contact lenses and doesn’t get quite as nervous about these appointments as she did as a bat teen. It’s pretty routine, we shoot the breeze and I ask what cool trips he’s taken lately. Continue reading
by Wendy
Follow me on twitter @wendylooksleaps
For all my posts on Spain, I still haven’t written about one of the stories Jack and I tell the most. It takes place in an area north of Madrid, where Jack had a quick business appointment. I’m convinced that whether you spend 18 days or 18 hours in a Spanish city, you will see or do something interesting. Especially if you stay flexible and change plans as opportunity presents itself.
Enjoying the view from our hotel balcony… the day after the festival