We spent 6 weeks slowly exploring the southern part of Spain called Andalucia (Andalusia). We chose to travel to Malaga, Rhonda, Córdoba, Granada, and Seville. By accident, we visited these cities in what I think was the perfect order. This region once was part of the Roman Empire, then an impressive Muslim stronghold before being overtaken by the Christians. Many impressive sites related to this interesting history can be seen throughout Andalucia. Malaga We started in Málaga simply because this is where we found a good flight into Andalucia, Spain. We only spent a few days here which we filled with sightseeing. We saw our first Roman site and two fortresses from the Arab time …
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Northern Lights Cruise in Norway
One of our top goals for 2025 was to see the Northern Lights. This is why we traveled to Norway in February and it was worth all the cold weather. We saw them and they were incredible!! We took a 6 night cruise with Hurtigruten from Tromsø, north to Honningsvåg, and ending in Bergen. This post gives a brief description of each day on the cruise. If you are only interested in if we saw the Northern Lights, yes we did. The night of day 2 and day 3 were both successful. The best photos are from day three. Why We Chose Hurtigruten Hurtigruten offers cruises that go to the top of mainland Norway. We spent multiple days above the Arctic Circle which …
Sauna and Fjord Experience in Tromsø
One of the top things I wanted to do while in Norway was the sauna and fjord experience. While we were in Oslo, we chickened out of doing it after seeing ice floating in the fjord. I was already regretting this failure when we got on the plane to Tromsø. But luckily we would get another chance once on the ground in Tromsø. Saunas are very popular throughout the Scandinavian countries. In Norway, combining sitting in a steamy sauna with refreshing dips in the cold fjords has become quite popular in many cities around the country. Tromsø is one of those cities. Getting to Tromsø The flight up to Tromsø was short and actually an awesome experience …
February Trip to Oslo, Norway
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, and that happens in the winter. Therefore we found ourselves experiencing this modern city while wrapped up in extra layers of warm clothes. We enjoyed our time here despite the cold weather. …
2 Weeks in the Dominican Republic
Our time in the Dominican Republic was spent enjoying lovely beaches and learning about its history. Our trip began on the beach in popular Punta Cana. Then we traveled to Santo Domingo to learn about the country’s history. For the second half of our trip, we relaxed on the picturesque beaches of Las Terrenas. We visited the Dominican Republic in January of 2025. Any prices listed were the cost at that time. Punta Cana A Failed New Year's Eve We had planned on 3 nights and 2 full days in the Punta Cana area to start our trip. We were to arrive December 30th, giving us a day to figure out where we should celebrate New Year’s Eve the next evening. However, flight delays caused us to …
Zanzibar – History, Beaches, and Monkeys
As I hang out in another beach town in a very different part of the world, I realize it’s now or never to get a post out on Zanzibar. We visited Stone Town, Jambiani Beach, Jozani Forest, and Nungwi Beach during our week in Zanzibar. We visited this gorgeous Tanzanian island in October of 2024. Stone Town Stone Town is the oldest part of Zanzibar City and the former capital of the Zanzibar Sultanate. When Zanzibar and Tanganyika joined together to make present day Tanzania, Zanzibar kept a semi-autonomous status with Stone Town as its local government center. Stone Town got its name from the use of coral stone as the primary building material. Stone town is full of small, …
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