December 02, 2016

Review: Norway in a Nutshell Tour

December 02, 2016/ Meghan Oaks

Norway is one of the most beautiful countries that we have visited. The weather was beautiful when we were there (mid-May), and the landscapes are, quite simply, breath taking. When my sister and I had some time in Bergen, we decided to do one of the most popular tours - the Norway in a Nutshell tour. The idea is that you get to see a little bit of it all, and travel the world famous train route between Oslo and Bergen (or, round trip from either Bergen or Oslo, if you so choose). It's an all day tour and you go on a bus ride, a fjord cruise, ride the Flåm railway, and then take a train either to Oslo or Bergen. We opted for the round trip tour departing from Bergen.

November 29, 2016

Ruffino Winery Tour in Beautiful Tuscany + Two Villa Recommendations

November 29, 2016/ Meghan Oaks

In June we did a driving trip through Northern Italy. We started near Innsbruck, Austria before driving through the Dolomites followed by the Prosecco Road, then spending a couple of days in Venice before heading to Tuscany, making a stop along the Mediterranean near La Spezia, spending a day in Milan to see the Last Supper and finally driving back through Switzerland. It was awesome. We both fell in love with Tuscany. We spent some time in the heart of the Chianti Classico region and it was only common sense that we visit a winery!

November 24, 2016

Happy Thanksgiving

November 24, 2016/ Meghan Oaks

From our little family to yours, we'd like to wish all our readers a very happy Thanksgiving! Thank you so much for following along on our journey! May your bellies be full, your hearts overflowing, and your guests not overstay their welcome :)

And, since it's Thursday, let's to a #tbt to last year when we spent three days cooking an American Thanksgiving dinner for German friends and family in our tiny European kitchen (with a tiny European oven!).

November 18, 2016

The Bone Chapel of Kutná Hora, Czech Republic

November 18, 2016/ Meghan Oaks

Back in May when we visited Prague, we wanted to do something a little out of the ordinary. Months earlier, IFLS, a science blog I follow via Facebook, ran an article about a chapel that had a chandelier made completely out of bones. Well, it's not just a chandelier, the entire place is decorated and line with bones. In any case, I filed it away in the back of my head for "later." When we planned Prague, I remembered that this place existed and we made it a point to visit. And I'm so glad we did.

November 16, 2016

6 Things to Do in Bergen, Norway

November 16, 2016/ Meghan Oaks

As the second largest city in Norway, there is a ton to do in and around Bergen. Back in May, Aaron and I spent 3 days there before we sailed off to a dive resort for a few days, and then my sister and I spent a couple more days there before heading off to Oslo. Since I had so much time in Bergen, I made sure to find a ton of stuff to do. Thankfully, this was really easy. One of the best resources I found was to stop in at the Visitor's Center, right across from the world-famous Bryggen. They had tons and tons of brochures - from horse back riding to hiking to fjord cruises to museums and tours. There really is something for everyone, whether your idea of a vacation is shopping or hiking or somewhere in between. Read on to learn about things to do in Bergen!

November 09, 2016

Our First 100 Days

November 09, 2016/ Meghan Oaks

The first 100 days are said to be significant. Not sure who, exactly, but let's go with it. Today, it has been 100 days since we returned from the Germany and started the next chapter of our lives in Texas. In that time, we have grappled with not only reverse culture shock, but culture shock in general. In case you didn't know, Texas is not quite the same as the north. So, what are some of the thoughts that crossed our minds in the last 100 days? What are some of the things we miss, and some of the things we are glad to have back?

October 31, 2016

Nature Diving in Fjord Norway

October 31, 2016/ Meghan Oaks

When one thinks of ocean diving, places like the Caribbean or the South Pacific, popular warm water dive locations, come to mind. Here, there are beautiful coral reefs, full of colorful fish, big creatures, and small delights. While warm water diving is always nice, there is still so much of the ocean that can be dived, if only you're willing to deal with the cold. Norway was one such place.