January 04, 2017

Travel Review: Sandeman's Walking Tours of Prague

January 04, 2017/ Meghan Oaks

May in Germany is chock full of holidays. Most of them are religious in nature, but it doesn't matter much because it means we get time off of work! The weekend after Evelyn and I got back from Norway was another long weekend thanks to yet another holiday. Not wanting to lose out on a free 4 day weekend, we headed to a place that had been on our list for a long time: Prague. It was one of those places that was close enough to drive to, but far enough that we really needed a longer weekend to do it. And when we had longer weekends, we found we wanted to fly somewhere, you know, to maximize our time. So despite it being near the top of our bucket list, it took us nearly two years to actually go. But, I am so glad that we did!

December 23, 2016

The Genoa Aquarium

December 23, 2016/ Meghan Oaks

Most of our Italian road trip was planned on the fly. We booked hotels/AirBnB's as we went and found things to do along the way. We didn't stop at a lot of popular tourist attractions like the Tower of Pisa (although we did see it from the road as we drove past!), but rather just enjoyed seeing the beautiful Italian scenery. The east side and the west side are so completely different from each other too! Around Venice, it's pretty flat, with some rolling hills. Tuscany is hilly, but dry. And the Italian Riviera has towering hills covered in lush greenery and steep cliffs plunging into the Mediterranean. On our way north from Tuscany, we made a pit stop in Genoa after learning it's home to Europe's largest aquarium. See, we have a little one who loves to watch the fish - good news for her scuba diving addicted parents! So until she's old enough to snorkel, and then dive, with us, we spend time at aquariums in an attempt to foster her love of the underwater world.

December 20, 2016

5 Reasons to Visit Europe in the Winter

December 20, 2016/ Meghan Oaks

High travel season in the northern hemisphere coincides with the warmer months for a number of reasons. The weather is generally better (or, at least more reliable), kids are out of school, and it's easier to take off of work. But, the airlines, hotels, and tour operates know this and charge a premium - it's simple supply and demand. But, if you are looking for a cheaper way to see Europe, your best bet is to go in the winter. And here are 5 reasons why you should!

December 16, 2016

A Food Diary of Prague

December 16, 2016/ Meghan Oaks

Eastern European food is good old fashioned comfort food. Meat and potatoes, in one form or another, make up the majority of the cuisine. Dumplings, goulash, and sauerkraut are among the staples found on every traditional Czech menu. You really can't go wrong with any restaurant in Prague, as long as you pick one that is not on a main square (if you go on a walking tour, ask your guide for a recommendation of where he or she goes!), and has some people already eating. Of course, when we travel, we play the tourist and take pictures of our food - usually before we dig in, but sometimes it looks too good, so we dig in, and THEN remember to take the picture. So, without any further ado, here's what we ate in Prague!

December 13, 2016

The Great Dolomite Road in Northern Italy

December 13, 2016/ Meghan Oaks

When we were planning out driving trip through Northern Italy, we had a ton of people tell us we needed to see the Dolomites. We didn't exactly understand why - I mean, we were already driving through the Alps to get to Italy, what's the big deal? It's just more mountains. Well, as it turns out, they are beautiful. Think South Dakota Badlands mixed with Austrian Alps. Kind of weird to think about, but that's honestly the best way to describe them.

December 09, 2016

Venice - Finally!

December 09, 2016/ Meghan Oaks

If you've been following us for a while, you may remember that in November of 2015, we were supposed to go to Venice for the weekend. We booked an overnight train, got to Munich, only to discover that our train was CANCELED! It had been for MONTHS and Deutsche Bahn failed to notify us of this important fact. #veryunhappypregnantlady. Well, when we were planning our road trip through northern Italy, I made sure to schedule in a few days in Venice. I was excited to see the city of canals, Piazza San Marco, eat gelato, buy Murano glass, and explore this city before it sink forever (which won't happen for many many years yet, but still...). Thankfully, I had already planned a trip here, so I just pulled up my old research and went from there.

December 06, 2016

5 Things You Must Do in Prague

December 06, 2016/ Meghan Oaks

Prague is at the top of a lot of people's travel bucket lists, and for good reason! It's relatively cheap, easy to get to, the city is beautiful, and the people are some of the friendliest you'll meet. There is a ton to do in the Bohemian city, but here are 5 that you shouldn't miss out on!