Life is a patchwork of experiences
In this Rosa barge cruise review, I share all my expereinces with lots of details after a week of cruising on the Garonne Canal in southwestern France
After spending ten days exploring southern France by car with my husband, I was ready to let someone else do the driving, cooking, and guiding. A weeklong cruise on the Rosa barge on the Garonne Canal was the perfect way to end an extended holiday in southern France.
Continue reading “My Rosa Barge Cruise Review – A Perfect Week Discovering France’s Gascony Region”
In this detailed Athos barge cruise review I describe my wonderful experiences cruising on France’s Canal du Midi.
The Canal du Midi is the only one of France’s 3000 miles of canals that is inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list. Built in 1661, the canal connects to the Canal du Garonne and provides a continuous, controlled waterway connecting the Mediterranean Sea to the Atlantic Ocean. Continue reading “My Athos Barge Cruise Review – Exploring Southern France’s Canal du Midi in Style”
Sailing on the Star Clipper from Athens to Malta was a unique cruise experience that took me to less visited ports in the Mediterranean
“On a day when the wind is perfect, the sail just needs to open, and the world is full of beauty,” Rumi
I have always wished that I had learned to sail a boat. But since I never did, a Star Clipper cruise indulged my inner sailor without all the hard work that goes into sailing a masted ship.
Continue reading “Sailing Into the Sunset in the Med – A Detailed Star Clipper Review”
In this Regal Princess cruise review I share my detailed expereinces on this beautiful Royal Class ship, including lots of photos.
I was lounging in a deck chair with an Irish coffee in hand, tucked under a cozy blanket, and watching a movie on the big screen as the sun set behind me.
I do not think of myself as a princess – quite the contrary. But occasionally, I do like being treated like one. For a little while, it’s nice to have someone else make my bed, cook my meals, and bring me a specialty drink when I am in the mood for one.
A cruise gives me all this and more. I love being on the water. I love feeling the ship’s gentle rocking under my feet. I love staring at the ocean and watching the sunshine play on the waves. And I love feeling and smelling the salty breeze when I am on deck. Being on a ship gives me a sense of serenity that I don’t normally feel when I am on land.
Continue reading “Cruising Like a Princess – A Complete Regal Princess Cruise Review With Photos”
In this post I share the Norway shore excursions that I did during a cruise to Norway and the Arctic Circle. Use this information to plan your sightseeing stops on your next cruise to Norway.
I have always wanted to take a cruise along Norway’s coast, so when I saw a great last-minute offer with no single supplement from Princess Cruises, I jumped at the opportunity. The cruise was at the end of August on the Sky Princess, and you can read all about my experiences on the ship in my story Cruising Sky High – A Complete Sky Princess Review With Photos.
Continue reading “Norway Shore Excursions – How I Spent a Day in Norway’s Most Popular Cruise Ports”
In this sky Princess review I am sharing my personal cruise experience with lots of information about the ship, the itinerary and the excursions I did, including many photos for inspiration.
As I sit on my balcony, drink in hand, I am mesmerized by the scenery that slips by. On this day, it’s not the typical frothy ocean blue. Today, the water is a calm, deep, sapphire shade, reflecting the surrounding emerald green slopes where waterfalls slip and slide for hundreds of feet and little, red-roofed cottages look like something out of a fairy tale.
I am cruising through Norway’s longest fjord, and I wish this day would never end!
Continue reading “Cruising Sky High With Princess – A Complete Sky Princess Review With Photos”
Another eventful year of travel is coming to a close. I had a little less travel time than in past years, but then it is all relative. I still managed to explore various parts of the world for 152 days in 2025. Boats, planes, trains, and automobiles were all part of the adventure.
I’ve been fortunate to see the northern lights at different locations around the world. In this month’s podcast, I share my experiences and give some tips on seeing the northern lights.
Podcast link: Chasing the Northern Lights: An Adventure Awaits
Continue reading “Dec 11, 2025 Podcast: Chasing the Northern Lights: An Adventure Awaits”
After traveling the globe to personally experience the aurora borealis, these are my tips to see the northern lights.
Seeing the aurora as it undulates across the night sky is an unforgettable experience. I was fortunate to see it for the first time in Alaska. Since then, I’ve chased the northern and (soon) southern lights around the world and have been very fortunate to see them on many occasions.
Continue reading “Chasing the Aurora Around the World – My Tips to See the Northern Lights”
Poppies have become a symbol of remembrance throughout the British Commonwealth
In 1915, Canadian physician John McCrae wrote a poem after a friend died in the Second Battle of Ypres in World War I. He noticed how quickly the poppies grew among the crosses that marked the graves of the fallen and used that as his inspiration for the poem.
Since that time, the poppy has come to represent Remembrance Day throughout the British Commonwealth.
Continue reading “Remembering With Poppies in London – A Photo Essay”
