My breath rose up as a white puff into the frigid February air. I tucked my chin further into the warm scarf wrapped around my neck. Then the sun freed itself from the clouds and shined down between the grand buildings surrounding us. Well that’s better. It's amazing how much some direct rays of sun can warm up a 25°F day in Oslo. February isn’t the time of year I would have normally chosen to explore Oslo. We booked a cruise to see the northern lights in northern Norway, …
Europe
Guimarães and Braga
Guimarães and Braga are two historic cities near Porto. While many people combine these two cities in a single day trip, I believe they deserve at least a day each. Guimarães This charming city in the north is fondly referred to as the birthplace of Portugal. The first king, Afonso Henrique was born here and fought the Battle of Sao Mamede nearby, which led to Portugal’s independence. Guimarães became Portugal’s first capital in the 12th century. Imagine yourself in …
Historic Porto, Portugal
Blue and white tiled churches, mosaic sidewalks, colorful apartments, bridges, hills, and port wine. This is Porto and it's delightful. Porto is the 2nd largest city in Portugal and was the capital before Lisbon. It was spared by the terrible 1755 earthquake that devastated Lisbon. Therefore, more historic buildings remain in the older districts. Porto is full of small winding streets, many with mosaic tiles (known as Portuguese pavement) creating the sidewalks. Layers of …
December: The Worst Month to Visit Iceland?
December view over Reykjavik on a nice day. I can’t say for sure that December is the worst month to visit Iceland… but it sure felt like it. Rain, fog, and clouds interfered in our enjoyment of supposedly spectacular landscapes and wonders in this country. I know, some reading this will have had a fabulous time in the land of fire and ice in December. However, I think it’s definitely worth considering planning your trip either in October or March if you want …
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