Welcome! This blog is called best of travels. I wanted to have a space to show my favorite pictures and tell a few stories from the last couple of years. Not necessarily in chronological order. If you'd like to see the full version of each trip then visit my profile.

The picture above was taken on a canal in Amsterdam. I was traveling with my sister Katie, pictured below.



This was in 2006. My sister and I took a 6 day trip to Paris and Amsterdam. We stayed in the Latin Quarter in Paris and in the Canal District in Amsterdam. We went in early March which meant it was pretty cold. But we were intrepid and we buttoned up and explored both of these beautiful cities. Here is a picture of us together on top of the Sacre Coeur in Paris.


Paris was beautiful and I have to go back soon! There was a lovely little cafe in the square below the Sacre Coeur, down the very steep winding stairs toward the back entrance. We shared a huge plate - a platter - of different cheeses, a salade nicoise, water, and wine. The view from the top of Sacre Coeur is amazing and absolutely not to be missed.


Two more sites that shouldn't be missed in Paris are The Cathedral of Notre Dame, and, just down the street, the lesser nown Sainte-Chapelle, located in the Palace du Justice. Notre Dame is perfect for lovers of gothic architecture. And Sainte-Chapelle, while much smaller, if filled from floor to ceiling with beautiful stained glass windows. The two religious sites make a wonderful and convenient pair that can be easily visited in an afternoon.



I have also traveled extensively by myself. I love traveling alone or with just a small group and I love traveling by train. This style of travel encourages you to travel light and to visit multiple destinations. And it allows you to make decisions on a whim feel like each city is yours for the taking. The first time I traveled alone to multiple destinations was when I traveled in Germany and the Czech Republic. I flew into Berlin, then traveled to Prague, Munich, Fussen (to see the Neuschwanstein castle), Heidelberg, and Frankfurt. I was so invigorated by this style of travel, moving from town to town every couple of days, that the following fall I traveled to Italy and visited Venice, Florence, Rome, and the Amalfi Coast. These experiences taught me the value of doing as much online research as possible before your trip, and of developing a sensible route of travel, easily accessible by train, and utilizing the "open jaw" method of flying into one city and out of another.

Another thing to mention is that I am a inveterate, unapologetic cheapskate. I hate to spend money in stupid ways when I have much better uses for my modest - nay, meager - funds while abroad. I ate falafel in Berlin so that I would have enough money for wienerschnitzel in Munich. I enjoyed pizza in Rome while saving enough for risotto in Amalfi. Picking and choosing where you spend your money is vital. As is the realization that some of the best times you will have will cost you next to nothing. One of my favorite memories of Venice, an infamously expensive city, was stuffing myself with a whole prosciutto pizza (I thought I had ordered a slice) while sitting on a park bench in a busy square in the student quarter. After finishing the pie I ambled in the direction of a large crowd of college students congregating around a storefront bar. They were serving spritz (Campari and prosecco), and although I thought I had ordered one the bar tender handed me two. I found a little language barrier ended with a double helping of everything, including fun with the locals.