The travel mishap on the way to Munich wasn’t our fault. Or I suppose it WAS our fault for not knowing German, but sadly my German knowledge is limited to the word for “dog.” On our early train from…
Christmas Markets in Prague, Gingerbread, and the World’s Largest Castle
My first impression of Prague was when I saw the public piano in the train station entrance. It wasn’t a keyboard—it was a full-size upright piano, there for the general public to use. Someone was playing it beautifully as we…
Vienna, Austria—First Stop on the Grand European Christmas Market Journey
The train strike had ended by morning, and it was finally time for our train ride to Austria. We were taking the same route I’d taken back in August on my nightmare overnight journey from Venice to Vienna. Under no…
The Time We Got Stuck in Italy, and Why Fall is the Best Time to Visit Venice
We took a high-speed train from Florence to Venice. I’d been through Venice twice on my trip before this and even wandered around the island once for a few hours in between train rides in August, but this was the…
Cinque Terre, Florence, and My Mom’s First Hostel Stay
When I started planning the itinerary for my mom’s visit to Italy, I thought I would leave Cinque Terre out. She knew she wanted to see a seaside town, and at first I was torn between the Amalfi Coast and…
A Surprise Guest in Rome—My Mom’s First Trip Abroad
Ever since my first visit to Rome over a decade ago, I’d tried to convince my mom to visit Italy with me because I knew how much she’d love it. My mom grew up in rural Mississippi (where she still…
