Istanbul Part 1: Mostly Mosques

After leaving Antalya in the south of Turkey, Phil and I were off to Istanbul. I was equal parts nervous and excited for the trip. After getting used to the relatively laid back vibe of Antalya, I knew Istanbul was going to be intense. At least we would have a larger hotel room in IstanbulContinue reading “Istanbul Part 1: Mostly Mosques”

Antayla, Part 2

Antalya has a lot to offer aside from the food and the beautiful turquoise water. It has a bustling night life, family friendly activities such as the aquarium and asusement park, as well as numerous public parks. We saw many Antalyans, particularly in the evenings once the blazing hot sun had started it’s journey westward,Continue reading “Antayla, Part 2”

Antalya Part 1: Let’s Talk Food

Our first stop in Turkey was the beach city of Antalya, in the south along the Mediterranean coast. Citizens of the U.S. need a Turkish Visa to enter the country, though this can be easily obtained via website or in-person at the airport upon arrival (we read). Phil completed the application online, paid $50 each,Continue reading “Antalya Part 1: Let’s Talk Food”

Adventures in Turkey: Pre-travel Worries and Confronting my Biases

After parting ways with my mother-in-law, Marie (read all about our adventures here), in Geneva, Phil and I flew to Turkey. Turkey is a place Phil has wanted to travel to for a long time but to be perfectly honest, I did not feel the same. I was apprehensive and a bit nervous about travelingContinue reading “Adventures in Turkey: Pre-travel Worries and Confronting my Biases”

Covid, My Mother-in-Law, and Prosecco: Three Unforgettable Weeks in Italy

Phil and I have been lucky enough to have visited Italy three times previously. Our first trip was to Rome in 2004 which also happened to be my first trip to Europe and it was a magical experience. Then, a short fifteen years later, in 2019, we took a road trip up the Adriatic afterContinue reading “Covid, My Mother-in-Law, and Prosecco: Three Unforgettable Weeks in Italy”

Adventures in Seville and Edinburgh: A Story in Photos

Our last Spanish city (for now) was Seville, and we arrived the evening we left Granada (Phil also wrote about our time in Granada here). My aunt Harriet and her daughter, my cousin, Hannah had arrived a bit earlier at our rental apartment in Seville and we were eager to meet up with them. HannahContinue reading “Adventures in Seville and Edinburgh: A Story in Photos”

Exploring Granada

After leaving Frigiliana, Phil and I returned our rental car at the train station in Málaga and boarded the train for Granada. A short while later, we left our bags at our hotel and were off to explore the ancient city at the foot of the Sierra Nevada mountain range. There is also a SierraContinue reading “Exploring Granada”

Frigiliana: Pueblo Blanco in the Mountains

After leaving Málaga, Phil and I headed 45 minutes westward to the mountain village of Frigiliana. Because it was Semana Santa or Holy Week, accommodations almost everywhere in Andalusia were quite expensive. Andalusia is a very popular destination for Spanish and international tourists alike, especially during Holy Week. It’s essentially the national spring break forContinue reading “Frigiliana: Pueblo Blanco in the Mountains”

First stop in Andalusia: Málaga

Phil and I left Gijón on April 1st and headed for Andalusia. Our plan for sometime has been to spend the month of April here in the south of Spain exploring Andalusia. We have never been to the south in any previous travels and it offers cultural experiences unique to the region. The Moorish influenceContinue reading “First stop in Andalusia: Málaga”

Adventures in Asturias, Basque Country, and Castile : A story in photos

Hi there! It’s been a while since I’ve posted anything and that’s because Phil and I have had a very busy month. A good kind of busy. My aunt, uncle, and cousin visited us in Asturias, then we traveled with them to San Sebastian and on their way back to the Madrid airport, they droppedContinue reading “Adventures in Asturias, Basque Country, and Castile : A story in photos”