La Sagrada Familia stained glass windows

The Barcelona Beauty – La Sagrada Familia

On my first visit to Barcelona, a quick cruise stop, we didn’t want to wait in line for tickets to the famous Sagrada Familia, Gaudi’s unfinished cathedral, more than 133 years in the works (since 1882) so I admired it from afar and took a few photos. I regretted not visiting the […]

Bike Tour Napoli

“Naples is Like a Movie Set” with Bike Tour Napoli

Despite the live version of Frogger playing out on the Naples streets where I was running thru traffic hoping that the cars, buses and scooters would stop to let me cross, I somehow decided “I want to do a bike tour of the city”.  I found Bike Tour Napoli on […]

Partenope Relais Naples

Don’t Be Surprised: My 15 European Hotel Tips for Travel

Despite all of my years traveling, I often forget about the little things that I take for granted staying in U.S. hotels (or Western chain hotels). It’s in Europe when I stay at the smaller hotel properties that I remember all the quirks that make for memorable encounters along the […]

Partenope Relais Naples

Boutique Hotel Naples: Partenope Relais, A Movie Themed Hotel on The Waterfront

In my research of Naples, I happened upon the Partenope Relais on the waterfront.  Intrigued by the fact that it was only 24 boutique styled rooms on one floor, I was sold on the theme – the movies.  Each room would have a famous scene from the actor or director […]

The Haven Suite Norwegian EPIC

My First Cabin Crawl on the Norwegian EPIC

Have you ever cruised and wondered if you should spend the extra money to upgrade your cabin? You read the descriptions and try to ascertain from the photos what the difference in cost and space really gets you? Well, for me who could only afford the inside cabin (reluctantly with the […]

Gaudi house Barcelona

My EPIC Journey begins

So my life is changing whether I want it to or not so I decided it was a great excuse to begin my EPIC journey and see where it leads.  When I wrote about the crazy $399 transatlantic cruise to Barcelona from Miami on the Norwegian EPIC cruise ship, I sent […]

Kimpton EPIC Miami Double Room

EPIC Miami Hotel Review: An “Un-Kimpton” Pre-Cruise Stay

  My initial thought was cheesy as I was sailing on the NCL EPIC on my EPIC journey, I thought it only fitting to stay at the EPIC Miami, a Kimpton hotel.  Miami was pricier than I thought and I wasn’t able to use my Kimpton Karma award, so I started stalking […]

Street Art London Thought Control

BLeisure Travel? I Blame “Bennifer” for the ridiculous names

To show my age, I remember Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez and the insane media circus around their relationship.  The combining of names began and they were no longer Ben & Jennifer they morphed into “Bennifer” to make it somehow easier than saying or typing their whole names?  Really? At the time, […]

Gondolas in Venice

I Won’t Pay 180 Euro for a Hostel Room in Venice!

Two years ago I attended a travel writer/blogger conference in Dublin.  At the time, I heard about this new type of boutique hostel, Generator Hostels.  The Dublin hostel, interestingly located in the same complex as the Jameson Whiskey Distillery, was full of attendees who all spoke highly of the new […]