Days out/Excursions
TORREY PINES STATE NATURAL RESERVE – AN EASY HIKE IN THE WILDERNESS
Are you looking for some time in nature in Northern San Diego County? Want to go hiking but not up for a huge challenge? Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve is the place for you. This was my second visit at this park with its rare trees and I enjoyed it even more than...
SAN CLEMENTE – A PERFECT BEACH TRIP FROM LA WITHOUT A CAR
There are numerous great beach towns all along the coast from LA down to San Diego, but if you are looking for a day trip to the beach from Los Angeles without a car nothing beats San Clemente. I have visited many of the small communities along the coast and love them...
SAN DIEGO BOTANIC GARDEN OR MEDITATION GARDENS – WHICH ENCINITAS GARDEN TO VISIT
Encinitas, CA, offers not only one but two popular botanical gardens: the San Diego Botanic Garden and the Meditation Gardens of the Self-Realization Fellowship. So which one should you visit? During my recent trip to Southern California I visited both in one day and...
PARANORMAL WALK ON QUEEN MARY
When my Uber driver dropped me off at the Queen Mary's parking lot in Long Beach he shuddered and declared that he would not want to stay the night there. Not because the ship didn't look inviting (it does) or because he was afraid of being on the water. No, he was...
SHORT GUIDE TO SINTRA
Are you planning a trip to Sintra but feeling overwhelmed? Do you find it confusing to figure out which attractions to see there? If so this short guide is for you! Until a couple of years ago, Portugal had never been on my radar as a vacation destination. Sure, the...
ROYAL ASCOT – WHAT FIRST TIMERS SHOULD KNOW
Royal Ascot is probably the most famous horse race worldwide and one of the biggest events in the British Social Calendar. But what is Royal Ascot really like and what can you expect?I attended Royal Ascot last year on Ladies' Day. My visit wasn't quite perfect but I...
ÈZE ON YOUR OWN
You have probably seen pictures of Èze before - this beautiful medieval village is the subject of many postcards. Located about 8 km to the east of Nice, the town is a bucket-list destination on the Cote d'Azur. Èze is a staple on cruise excursions but luckily you...
THE PALMENGARTEN – MY TOP TIP IN FRANKFURT
With almost 800,000 inhabitants, Frankfurt am Main is one of the biggest cities in Germany but it is generally not on top of the list for tourists (other than as the location of Germany's busiest airport). Nor do I think it should be!I do apologize to all...
NICE – YOUR PERFECT BASE FOR THE COTE D’AZUR
With almost 350,000 residents, Nice in the South of France is a major city yet it has the vibe of a vacation destination. To tell the truth, I first chose Nice as the base for my vacation on the Cote d'Azur because it had great transportation links to many dream...
6 EASY SHORE EXCURSIONS FROM VILLEFRANCHE
So your cruise has a stop in Villefranche? Congratulations, you are in for a treat! Villefranche is one of those rare ports that not only offer a number of wonderful destinations for a memorable shore excursion but also easy and inexpensive public transportation to...
THE ROYAL CORNWALL SHOW – A GREAT DAY OUT
A great way to experience another country is to attend local events so I was superexcited when I saw that the Royal Cornwall Show was to take place during my trip to Cornwall. Even though getting to the show with public transportation was a bit tricky, I was...