6 Things to Do in Beersel, near Brussels, Belgium
I’m always eager to explore a new part of Belgium and when it’s with a local guide, even better. So when a friend offered to show me around her town, Beersel, just outside of Brussels, I was keen to see what she had in store.
Hiking Belgium’s Hautes Fagnes Nature Reserve
Secluded woodlands, gushing waterfalls and hundreds of kilometers of forest trails – this can’t be Belgium, can it? It can, if you’re hiking in the Hautes Fagnes Nature Reserve, at the edge of Liège, in Belgium’s beautiful Eastern Cantons.
Rail-biking – Riding the Rails in Leykaul, Belgium
The railroad used to travel to many corners of the world, carrying people and freight. But what happens with the tracks when they are no longer used? We went to visit Railbike.be in Leykaul, Belgium to find out one alternative.
Zahara de la Sierra and the Pueblos Blancos of Andalusia, Spain
This entry is part 10 of 24 in the series Portugal & Andalusia 2012.Zahara de la Sierra has all the makings of the fairytale Spanish village. Its collection of white houses, or pueblos blancos, are nestled on a hillside with a crumbling castle perched on top, all of which overlook a turquoise lake. This beautiful destination was our first introduction to Andalusia, Spain.
Visiting Monserrate Palace and Gardens, Sintra, Portugal
This entry is part 9 of 24 in the series Portugal & Andalusia 2012.The Romantic, Mogul-style, Monserrate Palace was the third and final palace we visited, in UNESCO designated Sintra, Portugal, and it seemed we saved the best for last.
Belgium’s Top Ten Spring Sights for Garden and Nature Lovers | Update
Spring has sprung in Belgium and flowers and gardens are on the to-do list for many visitors in Belgium. This is one of our most popular posts each year so I thought it was about time I updated it. You can find my new comments written in red below. Millions of tourists flock to the Netherlands each spring to take in the beauty of the tulips fields. Most have no idea that further south, Belgium is a garden lover’s paradise.
Visiting the Cliffs of Moher, County Clare, Ireland
This entry is part 5 of 6 in the series Exploring Ireland.As a photographer, I am always looking for destinations rich in natural beauty. While I love architecture, and other man-made tourist sites, there is something particularly special about naturally occurring landmarks. One such place is the Cliffs of Moher, on Ireland’s west coast.
7 Reasons you should visit Maritime Canada
When Andrew and I tell people in Europe we’re from Eastern Canada, we usually get the confident response “oh, you’re from Quebec!” Of the 3 Canadian cities most Europeans have heard of (Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal) Montreal is the easternmost. However there’s still a lot of Canada hanging out east of Quebec. Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island may be small, but what they lack in size, they make up for in personality. We Canadians call it the Maritimes, and we think there are many reasons you should visit us on the east coast. Here are seven of the best:
Istebna, Poland – Our Wedding Adventure in the Silesian Beskids Mountains
Back in autumn, Andrew and I were invited to Poland for a wedding. After a lovely couple of days touring Krakow, and an afternoon at Wieliczka Salt Mine, it was time to head into the mountains and wind our way to the village of Istebna. When we first looked at a map of Poland, Istebna, when at last we located it, didn’t seem far from Krakow at all. In fact, we contemplated renting a car and driving there ourselves. It would only take 2 hours, tops – or so we thought. Luckily, the bride and groom had rented a small bus to transport the wedding guests to and from the lodge, in the Silesian Beskids mountain range, where the wedding was to take place. We boarded the bus with the other guests for, what we thought would be, a short trek to Istebna.
