Munich 🇩🇪

It made me smile that our hotel in Munich shared a name with my dear late grand-père, Augustin. I can't imagine his reaction at such a modern, vibrant, bustling place. We thought the surf-themed lobby was random. 🌊🏄‍♀️🚙

At breakfast, we were surrounded by Swifties, there to see a concert that weekend. We would hear a North American accent, and a sparkly cowboy boot or an arm full of bracelets would surely follow. Eras t-shirst were ubiquitous. The breakfast itself was worth writing home about:🥚🌭 there were Le Creusets full of eggs, and frightening white sausages. There were yogurts, cheeses, dried fruits, nuts, and muesli as far as the eye could see, and the German bread and jam game is next level. 🥖🥨🥐🫐🍒🍓We fueled up and made the most of our three days. 

We visited Dachau, the first WWII concentration camp. With our kids, ages 12 and 14, we walked around the enormous memorial site, heavy with emotion for the people who suffered and died there. There was a lot to read, see, and think about as we made our way through different buildings. Photos, videos, and artifacts told the stories of horrifying cruelty. Although there were hundreds of other travellers from all over the world there, it was quiet and sombre, and there was a sense of shared grief, and humanity. We will continue to reflect on it. 

The modern art museum in Munich was a mental palate cleanser. We saw Picassos, Dalis, and a dizzying range of expression. 🖼️  We shook our heads at the cool, comical, and challenging exhibits. Ask me about the walk video someday. 🤣

We traveled around the city by subway 🚊 and clued in that paying for fares is totally optional. The toll gates are open, which is great. We rode e-bikes around Englischer Garten, stopping to watch the surfers 🏄🏄‍♀️ that line up to ride the consistent wave at the Eisbach River. So cool. 

  

We tried a different beer garden every day, where there was always a jolly crowd and plenty of great snacks— baked pretzels 🥨, fresh corn 🌽, bbq 🍗, salads 🥗, and sausages 🌭. We did a hurried walk through the oldest beer hall, Hofbräuhaus, just in time to listen to the rocking band. It was too packed to stay for long, but I’d love to return in the off-season someday. 🍻 I’d also like to time it right to get in on the monthly rollerblade event. The city blocks certain main streets and thousands of people skate around together. What a vibe. 🛼

Tyrol, Italy 🏔️🇮🇹

Our room at the inn, Garni Alpin, was on the fourth floor. The stairs were a great warm up for the days ahead. The area has endless trails through forests and pastures with beautiful views of mountains, farms, centuries-old churches.  ⛪️ 

On the first day we took a wrong turn so our two hour hike turned to three, but we ended up at a lake with an excellent pizzeria. We had a refreshing swim in the cool water. At the pizzeria we met a cool couple from Australia 🇦🇺 — Courtney & Keiran — so fun! 

The next day we took a gondola to the great pasture to hike around and take breaks at the restaurants along the way. Strudel & coffee set us up! It was a lot to see — the rolling hills, the surrounding mountains, the towns below, and hear — the cowbells ringing across the fields, the steps on the gravelly trails, the many languages being spoken by other hikers. Although there must’ve been thousands of people hiking the trails, it was never crowded and the fresh air was calming and invigorating at the same time. 🌬️

We returned the next day and took a different route — steeper and even more stunning. Our sneakers 👟 were kind of slippery but we made it. 

It was a privilege to see this part of the country, and the pizza, pasta and gelato were exquisite. The hiking and biking infrastructure was impressive. I'm sure the winter is as spectacular for skiers. I'd love to go back someday. Ciao.

⛰️Innsbruck, Austria 🇦🇹

I’m glad everyone in the family watched The Sound of Music before we got here. That way, any one of us could break into 🎶”Edelweiss”🎶. 

From Lindau we took a train 🚞 to Innsbruck and rented a car for a few days. Innsbruck was a stop on the way to Italy, and it was a lovely one. We walked around the downtown, looking at the historic buildings, the most unique being the palace with the golden roof where queen and king looked over their square. The city was bustling with tourists and we met the first of many Swifties in the area for Taylor’s Munich shows. With beer and wine cheaper than water around here, it was tempting to start a drinking game… take a drink when you see someone with an Eras T-shirt or a sequined outfit. My liver couldn’t.😝

Austria hosted the Olympics three times, and it was fun to check out their ski jump in Innsbruck. I was pretty good at the Wii ski jump myself, if I do say. To our delight we learned that jumpers can practice all year. We bought tickets up to the look off tower and before we got into the funicular, we saw a fella getting into position, then he flew by! 🚀 

We went into the massive tower and took in the views of the mountains, forest, and storybook villages. We had cake and coffee in the restaurant and planned the rest of our day: swimming at the Völser Badl, another outdoor swimming complex with — you guessed it — stainless steel pools, my new obsession. Four pools, a long twisting slide, clean facilities for changing and storage lockers, a licensed canteen, beautiful surroundings — what a place to relax. The landscaping was impeccable with rolling terraces, tall trees and topiaries. It was a great deal too. 

Lindau & Bregenz 🇩🇪🇦🇹

We got a little muesli and stayed at the Hostelling International Jugendherberge Lindau for three nights. It took me back to residence life, with bunk beds, a shared bathroom, and a solid cafeteria. There was a lot of common space, with a courtyard pub, playrooms, reading rooms, and a big games room where we wiled out on slacklines, played pool, ping pong 🏓 and pinball. 🤩 

We walked to the Bodensee (Lake Constance) and took a swim. I was delighted when a blimp flew by. I had forgotten they were real. They look pretty whimsical. 🎈 The landscapes, trees, bike paths, architecture were stunning. We rented bikes and made our way to the picturesque island where the cobblestone streets led to the landmark lion & lighthouse, ornate churches, restaurants, museums, botanical gardens, and finally a huge lido with a cafe/pub. We swam in the choppy lake and sat in the sun with hundreds of people having fun. It was beautiful. 🌞

Dinner was a bit of a Bavarian bust. We went to a German restaurant and ended up with pretty pricy plates of pork, kraut, and potato dumplings. It was okay. 🐖 😬

The next day we took a 10-min train to Bregenz, Austria. We walked through their iconic opera, where stadium seats look out to the stage built on the lake. The set was a half sunken creepy moonlit village. Five minutes later we arrived at the Strandbad swimming complex with huge stainless steel pools! They were gorgeous. I splurged on a new swim mask and the water was so clear it was like they were prescription lenses. The water glimmered on the pool surface, and felt fresh and clean. 🧼 

That night, I ordered pizza and salad in German. 🍕🥗The waitress was so tickled that she gave us a tiramisu. My 200 days of learning German on Duo Lingo paid off. 🦉

24 hrs in Zurich, Switzerland 🇨🇭

From the plane to the train downtown, Zürich is more temperate than Athens. The train station is as opulent as the airport. We hop off downtown and walk a few blocks to Furdich Guest House & Kafi. The cafe is cozy and eclectic, chill folky music is playing. We leave our baggage in the office and set out to spend the couple hours before checking in.

🥨🧀🥖

I love going to grocery stores in other countries. They’re usually pretty cool (AC) and it’s fun to see the local snacks and differences in all the sections of the store. At Migros we bought baked pretzels, a loaf of soft sliced bread, a tube of mustard (genius), a little pack of salami and a cheese platter! We also got plums, yellow watermelon, hazelnut yogurt, and the cheapest Swiss chocolate bar, just to test it as a base line for our Lindt factory tour later that afternoon. 🍬

The park is big, green, and blessed with lots of enormous trees. There are couples, and people on their lunch breaks, families with kids and it looks idyllic. We sit in the grass about 6m from a tree and a black and white dog strolls by. We miss our dog so we’re watching him with tenderness. 🐶 He decides to “use the WC” halfway between us and the tree, which puts a damper on the picnic, but luckily his owner comes by to scoop. 🌳

No worries. The picnic is phenomenal. There are no sketchy ingredients allowed in this Swiss délice! We ppl watch a little more and notice that around the perimeter of the park, on benches, some characters are a little erratic, getting loud now and then. Not great vibes. A very sexy lady walks by very slowly. An older fellow follows her. Hmmm. Time for us to take a hike. 🗺️

We walk out to explore the neighborhood. We pass shops and cafes. There are a few people out and about. The architecture has story book details like curving iron balconies, and dormered roofs, in beiges and ochres. But the color palate shifts to black and red. Prints on the businesses look like 80s albums with cartoon lips and sultry eyes. The people outside seem to be wearing a lot of makeup on such a hot day. Ohhhhh… this is a district… 🛑

We head back to the neighborhood where we saw the funky record store, back to the more wholesome vibes. Our room at the Guesthouse is ready. We settle in, change and Uber to the Lindt factory! We get an interactive history-of-chocolate tour which culminates with a cloying amount of samples. In a word, decadent. Chocolate fountain, chocolate bark, chocolate bar dispenser, and the classic shiny spheres of all flavours. Now we’ve got about $40 worth of chocolate on us to keep from melting. Silly. 🍫

We walk to the waterfront and the locals are swimming and stand up paddle boarding. Some picnickers are even sipping champagne and a big fella does a backflip. Mike can’t resist a refreshing plunge in the stunning scene. 🏊‍♂️

We Uber back to relax. We have snacks on the balcony and listen to a live band playing in the park. It’s across the road. Mike and I check it out for a half hour. It’s a cool little band called Bandit Voyage. They rock out in French, German & English. The guitar player is in roller skates the whole time. 🛼🎸

And that’s that. We leave Zurich 24 hrs later by train. Off to Lindau via Bregenz. 🚞

Greece 2024 🇬🇷

🇬🇷 We thought we’d wait three years to return but we couldn’t do it. Tortuga Beach called us back to Greece. Getting to travel and hang out with friends and family was a special bonus! Labi, Jill, the girls, Aaron, Leigh, B, and Yvonne — what a crew. 💕 Our restaurant dinners for 12 were adventurous, with fantastic food every night and only mild chaos if the wasps showed up. They love souvlaki too. 

As soon as we arrived I forgot what day it was and sunk into a deep restorative relaxation. Daily swims in the warm ocean “set me up forever” (as Jane Austen put it in Pride & Prejudice). Drinking cheap Greek beers (Alpha for €2,50) and eating Oregano Lays in the afternoon, and reading a few chapters, lounging on a chaise is just dreamy. Catching up with folks is also a treat. 

Greece is foodie paradise of course: souvlaki, spanakopita, salad, perfect feta, sweet red onions and the peppers, cukes, tomatoes were exquisite. We tried something new — yemista but it’s in zucchini flower instead of veg. So good. In Athens I had a game changing dessert called chocolate mosaic! I’ve already done a preliminary Pinterest search for recipes. 

In the countryside it was sometimes quite windy and the sound of cicadas in the olive trees was loud. They’re intense. Like the waves in the distance, they swell and retreat. There are cacti and palms, mountains and valleys. The sky - light blue- meets the ocean - Med blue- and dry beige land  is speckled with green brush. There are rare pops of pink flowers. It’a a soothing colour palate. 

We returned to some special places — Plitra, Elafonisos, Monemvasia — and explored caves in Neapoli. Before leaving Greece, we visited the Acropolis, its museum, the agora, and walked around the neighborhoods in their shadows. 

It was all daxi. 🇬🇷

USA! USA! Springfield, Mass. & NYC

         Over the last few years, our daughter Sylvie has developed a love of R&B, hip-hop and 90s style. We knew she’d love to see some of her heroes live, so when we found that BoyzIIMen were performing in New England, we planned a trip around it. But we kept it secret… kudos to Chloe for keeping it under wraps for months (best sis). 

We dropped off our dog and took the Cat from Yarmouth, NS to Bar Harbour, ME. It was a smooth ferry ride, foggy for most of the way until the sun lit up the green tree-lined coast of Maine. From there we drove to Springfield. At Theodore’s Blues, Booze and BBQ, we revealed the news to Sylvie over a bowl of mac and cheese and brisket bites. She had tears of joy in her eyes. 

To keep the concert secret, we found some more good reasons to go to Springfield. We spent a day at Six Flags, a sizable Looney Tunes/Superhero-themed amusement park. That was a blast, with roller coasters, Dippin’ Dots, and overpriced drinks in the sweltering heat. Mike and I rode The Batman, The Crime Wave, The Riddler, and the Wicked Cyclone, and chose to watch the kids brave the scarier ones (The Harley Quinn, The Joker, etc). They were fearless. 

We checked out the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Both girls play bball, so that was a slam dunk. There were lots of famous sneakers to compare one’s own feet, and plenty of paraphernalia and history on display. The WBNA was well represented, which was awesome. There’s a gleaming gym where you can shoot on nets of all sorts, including ye olde peach baskets from the Heritage Minute. 

It also happens that Theodore Seuss Geisel grew up in Springfield, and The Amazing World of Dr. Seuss Museum is there. He’s a family-favourite author and illustrator, and the museum is a wonderful, whimsical manifestation of his work. It was inspiring to see more of his art and learn about his life. His funny phonetics and invitation to imagine warm my heart. It’s amazing how he portrayed universal and complex concepts in lighthearted ways. His poetics are on point as well – the rhythm, the rhyme, the weird imagery – I love it. 

Finally on Friday night, it was time for BoyzIIMen at the Springfield Symphony Hall. The Hall itself seats about 2600 people, with beautiful architectural details and excellent acoustics. The Boyz still have the voices for those emotional ballads and rich harmonies that we slow-danced to in the nineties. The audience was swept away in their feels and just about everyone had a hand on their heart, swaying and singing at the top of their lungs. For the last couple of songs, Sylvie made her way up to the front with the other superfans, reaching her little hand out and getting handshakes from all three of the singers, and one of the red roses they flung to fans. We all had so much fun and it was well worth the effort. 

Springfield exceeded our expectations, and with 4 more nights on the road, we drove to the Big Apple. We spent the first night in Manhattan, checking out some classics like the Empire State Building and Times Square (intense!). Then we had the great luck of being able to stay in our friends’ lovely home in Brooklyn. (Thanks again to Sarah and Gijon, who we met traveling in Tulum in 2019, who are now traveling in Iceland with their children!) From there we could take the subway wherever, and we also drove around to check out my dad’s childhood neighbourhood (or should I spell it “neighborhood”?)  in Park Slope, quite nearby. 

A few highlights were the general cool vibes of NYC and Brooklyn, the familiarity of always seeing it in movies and shows, the thought that so many artists and characters are from this megalopolis, and that there’s always a slim chance of catching a glimpse of someone famous. We saw the Statue of Liberty – she counts, right? 

We had the best pizza ever, and exquisite bagels and lox cream cheese. We walked a lot, just taking in the density of the city, the diversity of its buildings and its people, the importance of public parks and social spaces. NYC has over eight million residents and even more tourists and travellers at any given time. The stories buzz all around you. No wonder it's a cradle of creativity. 

Last but not least, we popped into Salem, Massachusetts on the way home. I’ve been reading and teaching The Crucible for about 15 years, so it was surreal to be in the town of the witch trials. The Salem Witch Museum does a great job relaying the history and psychology of events of 1692. It was creepy and thought-provoking, with enough kitsch thrown into the kettle to keep it cool.