Winter sun in Europe can be as elusive as a unicorn. Even destinations you might expect to stay warm, like the Amalfi Coast and Istanbul, can be blanketed in fog or even snow. I wasn’t sure what to expect when I traveled to Lisbon in December, but I needn’t have worried. Thanks to the city’s […]
Winter Travel
Fun Things to Do, See, Eat, and Drink in Porto
Porto, or Oporto, is a city in northern Portugal, where the Douro River meets the Atlantic Ocean. Porto’s 2000-year-old center is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, notable for historic buildings of various architectural styles that showcase continuous growth and prosperity over the centuries. Porto’s prime location near sea trade routes ensured that the city’s port […]
Celebrating Christmas in Taipei, Taiwan
I have a little secret to share: While I continue to report on locales across Latvia and Europe, for the past few months those dispatches have been sent from the tropical island of Taiwan. Technology is amazing, no? Although I missed Riga terribly at first, Taipei has charmed me with its fascinating mix of cultures […]
Tips for Spending Christmas in Lisbon, Portugal
When looking for the best Christmas markets in Europe, Lisbon probably doesn’t register. Most people head further northeast to France, Germany, and Austria to have their Christmas market needs met. But what if you want to avoid the crowds and the cold? The Lisbon Christmas Market is a fun alternative! Elegant strings of lights showoff […]
Trakai Castle: A Medieval Fairytale in Lithuania
Regular readers of this blog will know that I love a good castle. This fact traces to my childhood, when my favorite movie was Disney’s Robin Hood. I delighted in watching the cartoon animals sing and frolic around ye olde countryside and dreamed of being Maid Marion in a castle of my own. (Dramatic scenes were often […]