What better place to start a Germany road trip than the automotive capital of Germany? Every 4 people who live in Stuttgart are in automotive industry. Not only do you have a Mercedes Automobile Museum, Porsche museum and track, and Mercedes plant that is the size of a small city, but you also have plenty […]
Heart of Stone
Love and I are not getting along. This past year hasn’t been a good one for me and love…at least romantic love. I know that people love me – in fact, that’s the best thing about having your heart broken – and realizing the whole world of other people who love you and are there […]
The Collapsing Soviet Union
The Russian Far East is a place few people ever see…even for Russians. So it’s not surprising that it’s a bit neglected. Its history is one of exploration, doomed voyages, military positioning, and harsh conditions. It was either feast or famine in this area of the world. In the Cold War era from 1945 to […]
How German Christmas Ornaments Went Viral
You put them on your tree every year, but have you ever wondered – why? Why do we hang glass balls on a tree – it’s really kind of strange if you think about it. Yet we do it all around the world, year after year, after year. I’m often fascinated with how things became […]
Giving Thanks for Beds
The day is over; you’ve worked hard, played hard, and maybe even had a little wine with friends. You go through your nightly ritual of brushing your teeth and washing your face, and then comes the moment – the moment when you get to lie down in your bed. Our beds are one of the […]
The Fear of Being Still
“Welcome back,” he said to me as I hear the familiar sound of my passport being stamped. I smile genuinely and say thank you. A little burst of happiness goes through my body and sort of wakes me up from the 9 hour flight from Berlin. I know people say that the U.S. immigration can […]
A Different Way to See the Sydney Harbor Bridge
As I watched all of the little dots climb the Harbor Bridge in Sydney in the distance, I decided that I didn’t want to do what all the other tourists were doing. Instead of climbing the bridge, I wanted to sail under it. So much of Sydney culture is centered around the water and harbor. […]
The World is Scary
Every country has them…abandoned scary places. Places that give you goose bumps and make the hair on the back of your neck prickle. For Halloween I thought I’d compile my best scary and creepy pictures from around the globe. It’s heavy on abandoned buildings and cemeteries since those are two things I love to photograph. […]
How to Find Local Food Experiences on Vacation
My continuing series of how to make your next vacation more local focuses on food and how to find local food experiences when you travel. We all have to eat – but the question is where should we eat when we travel? Connecting through food has been bringing families and cultures together for years, and […]
Love – You Can’t Always Get What You Want
I have been fighting against the system my whole adult life. I have never bought a house/real estate, have never married, don’t have any kids, left my corporate career for something different, and don’t even have a home. I never know if I’m cursed or blessed with living a life outside the box. I was […]