The town of Otranto rests just before the tip of Italy’s boot heel in the Puglia region. Said to be Italy’s main port to the Orient for nearly 1,000 years, Otranto was fast asleep. Arriving later in the day on an empty stomach, I stumbled upon a restaurant still filled with diners. The owner I assumed, the Italian woman that wore the pants in her relationship with her husband, quickly told me they were closed but they would make me something quickly. As all of the other diners got up and left, I began wondering if I said something wrong or smelled of a long car ride. Regardless, her kindness Continue Reading
The Local Battle
This week, I am pleased to present a guest post from Annie Bettis of Wayward Traveller. I am proud to say I have actually had the opportunity to meet Annie while here in Florence. Aside from being an incredibly nice person, Annie is also extremely insightful about Italian life, living with Italians, and making the leap for travel experiences. She has spent the last 6 months living in Florence and recently launched her new travel blog, Wayward Traveller. I love Annie’s tagline, “Until I’ve seen it all”. Follow Annie on Twitter while giving this new travel writer a read and learn about life in Continue Reading
The Taj Mahal Wishes You Were Here
This week's "Wish You Were Here" photo comes from Andi of My Beautiful Adventures. She visits the Taj Mahal and encounters a colorful line you just might want to get behind. Be sure to check out Andi's travel site and follow her on twitter. She always seems to be jet-setting off to a new place. Traveling to the Taj Mahal had been a dream of mine since I was a young girl. So, when I was finally there several months ago I was completely overwhelmed by the fact that I was actually there, as well as the intense beauty all around me. I had just walked out of the inside of the Taj Mahal and was Continue Reading
Oslo Wishes You Were Here
Last week, I found myself in Oslo, Norway, a city I never thought I would visit. Oslo has that rough-around-the-edges feel, something I wasn’t sure I hated or loved. My love-hate feelings in Oslo quickly turned to more of an embrace after viewing this scene. Two old men discuss the events of the day with ships, tires and water getting a word in edgewise. Who knows the topic of their conversation, sinister or harmless, but I like to think I took home a small piece of it. What looks like a tiny fishing village from this angle, you hardly know an outwardly cosmopolitan city is lurking on the Continue Reading
Conquering The Travel Aspect To Solo Travel
Solo travel is often looked at as though you are traveling to the moon. You are going there by yourself? Aren’t you going to be lonely? Will you be able to figure out the trains on your own? Should you really be traveling as a woman all alone? These are questions of those that I see whiz on past me in groups, with their families, or hand in hand with that significant other. They normally see travel as something you can only do with someone and never alone. A great deal of travel involves figuring out where you are going. You must rely on taxis, boats, trains, planes, buses, bikes and cars Continue Reading
Santiago, Chile Wishes You Were Here
This week's Wish You Were Here photo comes from Melissa McKee of the blog for Collette Vacations. She shares a great view she experienced in Chile. The park on top of Cerro San Cristóbal, the big mountain overlooking Santiago, was incredible. I took the 10-minute tram ride to the top, where a few last steps (o.k., it was a workout) led up to the 72-foot statue of the Virgin Mary, who seems to be casting a protective eye over the bustling cityscape where the Andes Mountains loom large. It seems romantic couples head here as well to enjoy the epic view… For more from Melissa, check Continue Reading
Always More To See
Florence begins to grumble as my stomach does the same. Rain sprinkles down, but not in a pouring fashion. Perhaps this is not the best time for exploration, but my feet have a mind of their own. Usually, if you have lived in a place or have visited before, you can remember your way around. You delight in being able to show your travel companions that you have roamed these streets before and don’t need a map. Even at home, we often take the same streets because we know where they will lead. Erring on being overly cautious, I choose the known, beaten path. Not in the sense that I don’t take Continue Reading