The city of Lyon is adorned by the remnants of Gaulic history. Gaul was a historic region to the west of Italy that frequently clashed with the ancient Romans. This area is modern day France. Numerous Roman amphitheaters are dug into the gradient of the city. Locals walked their dogs by the aged, stone ruins … Continue reading Lyon, France: Gaul and Gastronomy
My first impression of Paris was rough. A massive line at the metro (subway) ticket machine greeted us as we exited the bus station. We opted to ride Lime scooters, fully encumbered by our combined 70+ pounds of bags, to our Airbnb. The route took us through some gritty areas where I was not inclined … Continue reading The Decadence of Paris, France: Escargot, Friends, and Catacombs
Every street of the town oozed charm. It was a city where we immediately regretted not spending more time. The sharp “click-clack” of horses’ hooves emanated from the black cobbled rows of streets as buggies passed with tourists. While it was a popular place for tourism, it did not feel like “too much” as other … Continue reading Bruges, Belgium: Marvelously Medieval
There differences between Ghent and Brussels, the previous city, were considerable. There were no sirens or flashing lights every 30 minutes from an emergency vehicle speeding by, nor uniformed policemen or armed anti-terror military units. The city of Ghent was sleepy with small pockets of enthusiasm in its most visited squares and the nearby college … Continue reading Ghent, Belgium: Castles and Waffles
Through most cities and circumstances on our trip, I rarely felt uncomfortable. I felt uneasy in Brussels much of the visit, and I will do my best to explain why. The city had an ominous foreboding feeling to it. It was the site of 3 coordinated terrorist bombings in 2016, killing 32 civilians and injuring … Continue reading Brussels, Dinant, and Namur Belgium: An Assortment of Cities and Chocolates
The image I had of Croatia was sun-soaked islands and red tiled roofs jutting out into the Adriatic sea. While some of it lived up to that expectation, for me the best existed in northern Croatia. Zagreb was alive. Within our first day we saw street performers, markets, festivals, and countless rows of large umbrellas … Continue reading Zagreb, Croatia: A City Alive
Split, Croatia: There were no maps for the public transportation system in Split, and even the lady at the bus station information desk could only tell us a bus number that ran in the general direction of our AirBnB, located 6 miles outside of the city. When it dropped us off, we slowly trekked the … Continue reading Bird Droppings and Sea Symphonies: Split and Zadar, Croatia
Within the first hour of our time in Croatia, it was apparent that it was still a Balkan state, but set apart from the others on our recent travel circuit. It was more decadent, modern, and less impoverished. This perception remained throughout the extent of our stay. Various large sailboats and cruise ships moored off … Continue reading Josh and Hannah Storm King’s Landing: Dubrovnik, Croatia
Our barely air-conditioned bus navigated switchbacks and steep, narrow roads for over 6 hours in 95 degree heat. A child in the back of the bus vomited in a bag. The bus drivers smoked cigarettes while driving. They took turns driving, sometimes alternating at a stop in the middle of a road. Everyone was sweaty … Continue reading Kotor, Montenegro: Fjord of the Balkans
Mostar is a city located in the south of Bosnia and Herzegovina close to the Croatian border. The city was characterized by an old Ottoman styled bridge spanning a deep, green river. Lanky, local men in Speedo swimsuits took turns seeking money from the gawking crowds while others leaped from the bridge into the moving … Continue reading Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina: Bridging Cultures
It's A Ritch Life 