For the first time in forever, I have no idea how the summer will play out. I have two weeks of camp scheduled and that’s it. I have a one way plan ticket to New Jersey. I have two weeks booked in Bali, but one hand on the travel insurance policy in case it all…
Due to my father’s ongoing cancer battle, I came to Jersey for a week to meet with doctors and deal with some additional affairs. While at my dad’s home, I got the chance to walk around my hometown with my new camera. Having fun with my camera, I decided to do a photo essay of…
“Look at the giant bottle of ketchup!” “Are we really going to see Mr. Rodgers?” “Can I push the button?” “A trolly!!!” “Kidsburgh!!!” This was just some of the things the five extremely excited children shouted as we started to enter the Senator John Heinz History Center in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. During a quick trip to…
Malta has 359 churches between the islands of Malta and Gozo. That’s almost one for every day of the year! While we were in Malta, we saw quite a variety of churches, from major cathedrals to minor parish churches. All were beautiful and full a splendor unlike many you find in the United States. Seeing…
Ever since the launch of the Basic Economy Fare (see my blog post on it), I have been exploring and reading about ultra light packing. How to pack for a long trip in just a backpack. On my trip to Barcelona, I got the perfect opportunity to test the idea. I bought an ultra low…
Before Christ, before the great pyramids of Egypt, before the wheel, the ancient settlers in Malta built grand temples to honor the gods of their time. Over time they were abandoned, wind wore down some of the big rock, dirt and vegetation grew over some of it, and they were forgotten to time. That was,…
When I travel I love to learn about cultures, check out historical sites, and admire architecture. But I also really really love to eat and drink. A lot. Love to try the local food, and make sure to sample all the local wines. I am lucky to live in such a rich area of the…
When home dealing with my father’s health crisis, I got the unusual chance to spend three days alone with him in Philadelphia. Due to weather and back to back appointments at the prestigious UPenn Medicine hospital, my dad and I decided to get a hotel near Philly. Now, the days were full of appointments, but…
Coffee by the sea. Colorful fishing boats filling the harbor. A small market with food, linens and souvenirs. Limestone buildings in the background. That’s what vacation is made for. That’s why you leave the comfort of your home to explore places unknown. And that’s what you get with Marsaxlokk. We actually first went to Marsaxlokk…
We woke up the morning of our fifth full day in Malta to cold. Not Chicago, Polar Vortex cold. But cold for us Northern Californians. It was 50 degrees Fahrenheit and windy. So we put on layers, hats and gloves, and came to find our tour guide for the day was dressed like an Eskimo.…
It started as a normal day. I was making plans for my dad’s trip to California that upcoming weekend. We were making a plan to get the house clean. Drove to work and excited about an easy and fun Friday with my coworkers. Called dad to ask him if he rented a car yet. “Not…
When people hear Malta, they often are only thinking about the island of Malta. But the country of Malta is actually made up of four islands. Gozo is the second largest and second most populated of the four islands (the other two have little to no people living on them). The island is small (26…
New Years Morning, after a night of drinking and talking until 3am, 6 hung over zombies – I mean 6 strong independent women, and 1 very energetic baby managed to get on a bus, and make it to the Phoenicia Hotel just outside Valletta to start our walking tour of the ancient city. Our tour…
Our first full day in Malta. After getting in around 2am, I had trouble getting up and out of the house for a 1pm tour. I’m tired, I’m groggy, I’m jet lagged. But I’m in Malta so I’m determined to make the best of it. The guide stops and makes us walk down steps half…
This is the year that many of my friends hit a big milestone birthday. 40 always seemed like a daunting age to me. It felt like the time when you become “old”. When my mom turned 40, a neighbor put up “Over the Hill” decorations. It seemed like an age I was not excited to…
