another year in review, 21.0

Years have felt less year-like. In the time warp following 2020, there’s just pre-pandemic and post-pandemic. Dates seem to drip, flowing without delineation into a blur. That’s why it took be so long to pull this year in review together. It’s a tradition I’ve kept since 2012 that usually brings me a lot of joy…

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A 989-year-old city of rebellion, the arts, and fine wine

Gordes–the picture-perfect commune in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region in the south of France–is the stuff of fairy tales.

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The City of Museums

Welcome to Zagreb, the capital of Croatia! It also happens to be the largest city in the country. Like much of Croatia, the city dates back to Roman times. The remains of Andautonia, the Roman settlement during the Middle Ages, were discovered in the 1900s, revealing a sewer system, streets, and city walls. Now, the…

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Exploring Plitvice Lakes National Park in Croatia

Plitvice National Park is incredible, and crowded, and has more waterfalls than I’ve ever seen. Plitvička Jezera, as it’s said in Croatian, is the country’s biggest and oldest national park. It’s made up of 16 lakes and over 90 waterfalls. The waters are brilliant blue greens, attributed to minerals and organisms. Over a million tourists…

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Split was so incredible, I had to post about it twice.

Good morning from an ancient city. If you like sunrises, this is the place for you. Split gets over 2,800 hours of sunshine every year. The following images are views from the patio of the Airbnb where I stayed in Split. Terra cotta shingles are an iconic part of Croatian architecture. These brilliant red tiles…

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Visit a place you’ve never heard of before. Maybe Split?

Sometimes, you have the rare occasion to sleep somewhere incredible. Platforms like Airbnb and Vrbo have opened a whole new set of locations. Like the Cube House I stayed in back in 2016, the barrel hut on an Icelandic farm, or this incredible one room cabin overlooking a glacier fed lake in Norway. After arriving…

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3 Reasons to Visit Dubrovnik (besides being a GOT fan)

As you’ve seen in my last few posts, I spent a good bit of time in Dubrovnik. It was the first stop on a Croatian road trip I took a few years back. Here are a few snaps and thoughts before leaving the city. 1.) Dubrovnik is for foodies. from fish paste, to crni rižot…

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The Fort Dedicated to Archivists and Comedians

Fort Lovrijenac overlooks Old Town in Dubrovnik. Three terraces make up the triangular structure above the West Harbor. Perhaps you recognize bits and pieces of it from Game of Thrones. It was the location of the Red Keep on King Joffrey’s Name Day Tournament. The fort was named for Saint Lawrence, who was burned alive in…

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This Super Old City is a Portal to Medieval Times.

Welcome to Dubrovnik, one of the most beautiful cities in Croatia, which is saying a lot. From what I’ve seen, most cities in the country are breathtaking. Old Town, the amazingly preserved medieval portion of this stunning port on the Adriatic, was one of the most important locations in Game of Thrones. Even though it…

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a long awaited goodbye to 2020

A lot of things could be said about last year, and most of them aren’t flattering. However, that’s not what you’ll find in this annual round up. I’ve decided to focus on the good. Despite the year’s hardships that I’ve chosen not to name, I found myself incredibly lucky. If you feel so inclined, take…

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