Floating Piers - Lake Iseo [Italy] July 2016

We realized this was taking place after it opened, but we only had 30 hours until we were flying to Mallorca to meet friends. So we jumped in the car and drove there! It was a total whirlwind, we slept in a hotel on the way, woke up at the crack of dawn to arrive there around 6:30am, parked illegally very close to the entrance and spent a few hours walking on the pier. 
Took some photos and drove back to catch the plan that evening. 

Another example of why living with my partner is never without excitement. 

Christo and Jeanne-Claude

[2014/2015] The Dessert, Morocco

No words needed

 

[2014] Papa Francis - The Vatican, Italy

The church never turns you away. Although the St. Peter's Basilica states that you need a ticket to attend mass as a visitor. You can also just show up and go to Mass. Local church members don't need these tickets and guards also don't check them. We are so happy we showed up for Maundy Tuesday to ask the Swiss guards.

[2015] Berwick Upon Tweed, Englad - Love an excuse for a fascinator!

Our friends Liam and Mari from Basel got married during Easter break in England - but we flew into Edinburgh as it's the closest airport. It was a crazy trip over as our flight was delayed and our connection in London was soooo short - but we made it by a hair - thank goodness we didn't have any checked luggage. 

The wedding was at a wonderful location where most people from out of town stayed in the wedding night. I don't remember many details, but I do recall some great speeches, lots of drinks, wonderful live band, and sitting in the kitchen/dining room in the wee hours of the morning. 

 

[2015] Vulcan, Sicily, Italy

We spent just a 2 nights in Vulcan. I felt like we had landed on a different planet going up this little crater. We also jumped in the hot springs caused by the volcanic activity and we smelt like sulfur for a few days...this can also be mistaken for burnt rubber and seemed to really attract flies for some reason... Some of our clothes we had to trash.

It was a short trip, very cool, and local place - not sure I'd return to stay over night, but it's a nice little island. 

Milan + Piemonte [2015]

 Oh how young we once were! My goodness, nearly 7 years since we went on this lovely trip to Piemonte with our good friend Bill and Sam. This was before our families had two children!!! Oh to be double income no kids once more...

Sam and Bill were wonderful guides as this was not their first time in Piemonte. I fell in love with the wonderful food in this region, it is definitely my favorite cuisine in Italy that I've tried. So simple, delicious and fresh. 

We went to a few wine tastings in the region, and the best one was at Mustela Piemonte, super affordable wines and perfect for a dinner wine. A restaurant owner and his two sommeliers joined us for the tasting, which made it even more interesting. They invited us to their restaurant that evening, so we dropped in - door was locked, so we waited for patrons to leave and snuck in. Our sommelier "friends" hosted us in the foyer, gave us some appetizers, cheese, a great wine recommendation and it was the perfect treat after a wonderful meal at a different restaurant! 

Oh, and they gave us a tour of their wine cellar! Once we went through a room filled with every vintage Dom Perignon, we saw a vault with their expensive stuff...Oy! I was looking forward to leaving the cellar because I was scared I would knock a bottle over. 

Quite memorable trip, and one of the top places I've visited!

[2014] Rome, Italy

I think we can all agree that Rome is the most romantic city in the world

A short trip to Rome around Easter we had divine pasta, coffees and saw the Pope during a service at the Sistine Chapel. Classic.