Lake Como: La Bella Vita
Even though I had never traveled to Lake Como, I (for some reason) thought I had a pretty good idea of what to expect: nice scenery, luxury villas, ritzy towns, and George Clooney. While I didn’t see George (enormous yet unsurprising disappointment), I was excited to see that the area’s beauty far surpassed my expectations and it was much more affordable and approachable than I had anticipated! Lake Como was jam packed with quaint towns and postcard pretty views.
Read MoreParty in Portofino
This post should be titled “Thank you Ali and Zach for getting married in Italy.” Yes, due to the union of two of my good friends, I was able to trade my dri-fit t-shirts and shared-bathroom guesthouses for cocktail dresses and 5-star accommodations. I felt like I was on a luxury vacation within my year of long term travel. It….was…..AWESOME!
Read MoreExotic Eats: Ukraine
I found the food in Ukraine to be tasty and straightforward. – nothing special but always filling and enjoyable. Mike and I had the opportunity to try food and drink at both city restaurants (in Kiev and Lviv) and in the countryside. While we enjoyed both, we especially appreciated the home-cooked meals that we sampled while staying with a local family in Kosmach. (I have never drank so many shots of vodka or eaten so much homemade cheese in my life.)
Read MoreDidn’t Want to Leave Lviv
The third stop on our Ukrainian adventure took us to Lviv, a city in Western Ukraine that is viewed as one of the country’s cultural centers. Unlike in Kiev and Odessa where the predominant language is Russian, Lviv natives speak Ukrainian. Due to its Polish and Austro-Hungarian history and western location within the country, Lviv feels more like Western than Eastern Europe and is even nicknamed the “little Paris of Ukraine”. While I wouldn’t go as far as making Paris comparisons, I did find Lviv to be a beautiful, historic, and enjoyable city. It is an affordable gem within the oftentimes expensive Europe.
Read MoreBabushkas in Bikinis
ba-bush-ka: noun: an old woman or grandmother or a headscarf tied under the chin typical of Polish or Russian women.
bi-ki-ni: noun: a very brief two piece bathing suit for women
While most people would not think of these two things as going together, in Odessa, Ukraine, they seem to be the norm.
Read MoreGiving Back
A huge part of our journey is about giving back. While the personal travel is sure to dazzle, we are confident that it will be the volunteer experiences that will show us the most about the world and touch our souls. Read more...