Divine Light: St. Peter's

I am not religious, but the light in St. Peter's Bascillica was divine, just another reason I loved Rome (and yes I know it's technically in Vatican City).

Oh Rome: The Pantheon

Rome, for some travelers it's just a typical tourist destination that everyone goes to, yada yada yada. I do not care what others say or how cliche it might be, I love Rome. The history, the tucked away masterpieces, the ruins, the new right up next to the old. That might be my favorite part, how the old historic elements of the city are nestled right in with the modern buildings. It is amazing how the city has grown over thousands of years and preserved its history. Every site I went to I stood in pure amazement. On the first day we made our way through the twist of small streets that lead to the Pantheon. Although everyone knows where the historic sites are, each one that you finally find feels like an exhilarating discovery. Your anticipation grows and grows until you turn that last street corner and are facing something so old like the Pantheon. Everything is silent, the light streams in, you spin around looking at each wall, the smell is a mix of crisp summer air and the ages of history, it's an "Oh Rome" moment.

Like a Fairytale: Lucerne, Switzerland

Just a hop and a skip away from charming city to charming city I went...this time heading down thru Germany to Switzerland. Nestled in the Swiss Alps is Lake Lucerne and the city. Lucerne is one of the most charming places I have ever been. Have you ever read a fairytale? Then this is the place they were talking about. The water is crystal clear, an old castle sits high over looking the village, bridges span the river with baskets of flowers in full bloom, the sun shines, the air is pure, the place is perfect. Well, at least the first day I was there it was...low and behold it does rain in Lucerne! Within twenty four hours my picturesque idea of the city was shattered. Trying to get in a Swiss hike, we attempted to climb close by Mt. Pilatus in the rain. When I say rain, I mean downpours...I mean soak-you-to-the-core, leave-you-shivering-and-miserable rain. On any other day I am sure the hike would have been spectacular, even breathtaking, but instead I look back and laugh at how silly we were to attempt to hike in such weather. I also reflect back and remember how beautiful the city was just the day before and realize I have all the more reason to get back and try again because after all fairytales always have a happy ending.

Guest Post on C'est Christine!

Today I am over at C'est Christine, guest posting about visiting the charming town of Heidelberg, Germany. So head on over to see more photos and read what I shared.

The Beach in Winter

On the road to Portsmouth, New Hampshire, on a cold December day, friends and I stopped at the beach. The coastal towns and their main attraction is so very different in the winter. The only people walking the sands are those who live year round by the sea, hearty souls who love their beach warm or cold. Without the busy summer vacationers, the beach feels fresh and wonderfully peaceful. So while some may start to dream of tropical getaways with dropping temperatures, I do find a visit to the beach in the winter equally pleasing.

Oh and have you ever seen a "butt rock"? Cause I have...

New Year's Resolution

The past few weeks I have been trying to organize my thoughts and come up with my New Year's resolution. I tried to put into words with my friend the other night what my resolution was, but it did not come out clear. I stumbled over my words, drifted into examples and could not put into words what I really meant. With a lot of changes about to happen in my life this seems like the best year ever to make a resolution and while usually I come up with something simple and quickly forgotten come February, this year I want something more permanent. And then I stumbled upon this post by Kendi and she explained what I had been trying to put my finger on.
This year going forward I want to be fearless and fear less. I want to ignore that nagging little voice that always sneaks up on me and over analyzes saying, "but what if?". I do not want to be afraid of failure, success, happiness, and going for what I want. So here's to being fearless and 2011.

Happy New Year!