Monthly Archives: August 2016

A Weekend Getaway to Bayfield and the Apostle Islands

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“Bayfield and the Apostle Islands – Where the Water Meets the Soul”

Growing up in Minnesota, I have spent many years enjoying the rugged North Shore of Lake Superior which is filled with excellent hikes along the Superior National Hiking Trail, gorgeous views, and tons of nature for the outdoor enthusiast. This summer we even took a family trip to the North Shore and headed further to explore Ely, Minnesota the heart of the Boundary Waters Wilderness Canoe Area. As much as I love this part of Lake Superior, after all these years I wanted to try someplace new. I had always heard about the incredible beauty of the Apostle Islands outside of Bayfield, Wisconsin on the other side of Lake Superior yet had never visited there. With my parents in town for the week and free babysitting for the kids, this was my chance for an adventurous, romantic weekend away with my husband on Lake Superior’s South Shore.

Bayfield, Wisconsin is about a four hours drive northeast of Minneapolis at the end of the Bayfield Peninsula. It is the launching off point to the stunning, pristine Apostle Islands – an archipelago of 22 islands and a National Park – and is known for its sailing, sea kayaking, hiking, biking and pristine beauty. It is also home to the incredible sea caves that line the mainland as well as Devil and Sand Islands that can be reached only by sea kayak, boat or foot when the lake freezes over.  Madeline Island – the most well-known of the Apostle Islands and also the only inhabited island – is a short 20 minute ferry ride from Bayfield and is a popular destination in its own right.

Apostle Islands WI

A view of Lake Superior from Cornucopia on a cloudy day.

We set off Thursday morning after saying goodbye to the kids, our puppy and my parents, and enjoyed the beautiful drive through Wisconsin dairy land and verdant forests to Bayfield. Since it was a big tourist weekend in Duluth, we decided to take the more scenic back roads to Bayfield passing through the cabin and lake country of Hayward, Spooner and Cable, Wisconsin. After we hit Ashland and left the small farm towns along the way, the scenery became even more stunning that I imagined. Unlike the rocky rugged look of the North Shore of Lake Superior, the South Shore of Lake Superior and the Bayfield Peninsula is dramatically different. It is equally as lush and green yet softer and gentler. Instead of lupines lining the highway, sprays of yellow and pink wildflowers fill the landscape alongside Deciduous trees and the famous Bayfield blueberries.

A walk down to Myers Beach
One of many hiking trails through the green forests of the Bayfield Peninsula
The craggy shoreline of Lake Superior

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A Rare Weekend Away

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This past weekend my husband Paul and I had a rare weekend away without the kids. We have been married for 16 years and together for 22 years (where did the time go?) and have only been away together as a couple without the kids a few times since we had our first child 11 years ago. After such a crazy summer, filled with a ton of travel for me, a new puppy, and a chaotic schedule of camps, soccer games and playdates for the kids, we needed this time alone together as a couple more than ever before.

A weekend away along the South Shore of Lake Superior, home to the stunning Apostle Islands and quaint Bayfield, Wisconsin was the perfect antidote to a stressful, busy life. I realized how tense I have become and how incredibly important it is in life to take a step back and relax. I also realized how important it is for a marriage to have time alone together away from the kids. As much as we love our children, we rarely spend time alone together except for a nice dinner out or a walk around the lake with our dog. Getting away from it all together was the best thing we could have done!

Sailboat Ride in the Apostle Islands

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Windows and Doors of Prague

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“Better keep yourself clean and bright. You are the window through which you must see the world.” – George Bernard Shaw

I admit, I tend to have a small obsession with photographing doors and windows. I don’t know exactly why but perhaps it is because of the mystery they behold of what lies behind. The unknown stories from centuries of the past. I have written several posts on windows and doors from around the world. Up there with Paris, there is no other place in Europe in which I found the doors and window decorations as fascinating and beautiful as in Prague.

Prague is an enchanting, delightful city with some of the most well-preserved architecture in Europe. Yet her beauty has caught on and there are few times throughout the year that Prague is not overwhelmed with tourists. Given the constant crowds, I ended spending a lot of my time looking up and craning my neck to crop out the people from my photos. Thank goodness I did, as otherwise I would have missed so much as the windows, doors and rooftops of the buildings are sensationally decorated.

Prague is known for its interesting decorative door signs that back in medieval times when the signs were used for street addresses. The ornate doors and windows are befitting of Prague’s eclectic mix of architecture ranging from Baroque to Renaissance and Neo-Classical genius. After visiting other places in Europe, I’ve come to realize how incredibly fortunate Prague was to have avoided the bombing from WWII and remain relatively untouched. The entire city feels like an enormous open-air museum that is a true joy to see.

Here are some of my favorite little treasures I saw while wondering the charming cobblestone streets of Prague.


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A Summer of Minnesota Sunsets

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There is something about summer that is truly fun. It is a time of year that I always feel once again like I am sixteen. The warm summer skies and sun make me come alive with energy and a sense of utter freedom that I only feel this time of year. Perhaps it is because after months of being trapped indoors, I can finally be outside for hours and hours every day. Or else it is the warm humid air or the feeling of the silky cool lake upon my skin that bring me back to my amazingly fun days of youth. The smell of lake water a constant reminder of my childhood growing up surrounded by lakes. The fragrance of roses, watermelon, sunscreen and an evening fire.

Summer is the one time I allow myself to truly let go, to dive in and embrace life. To not be stuck inside on my computer but to be outside running, biking, walking, swimming and reading under a big shade tree. To drive with the windows down letting my long hair blow wild, singing to the radio at the top of my lungs.

This summer I took on a new adventure and tried my best to head down to the lake every night and catch the sunset. As long as there were some clouds to add color and it wasn’t raining, I either jumped on my bike or took the dog down to the lake to capture the stunning views of summer’s ultimate gift: Her extraordinary sunsets. For me, this has been a summer of sunsets and here are some of my absolute favorites from my lovely neighborhood lake.

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GivingWay: Connecting travelers to volunteer opportunities around the world

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Looking for a place to find the perfect volunteer opportunity abroad? Check out GivingWay, a new online platform that connects travelers with over 250 international organizations around the world. 

Eight years ago, as a stay-at-home mother of two young children a yearning developed that wouldn’t let me go. I had always been fortunate to travel and I quit my career in business to stay home and raise my kids. Yet after a few years, I felt like something was missing. I wanted to give something back and make a difference in the world, outside of my daily life. I turned to the internet and found an organization that for a fee, provided a short-term international volunteer experience working with elderly in a small town in Costa Rica for a week.

It was such an amazing, life-changing experience that I did it again the following year in Morocco with the same organization. The only downfall was the price was exorbitantly high – over $2,000 for a week that included lodging, food and administrative fees and did not include airfare. As a woman traveling alone I thought it was my only option to find a short-term international volunteer position without going through a church or mission group. I viewed the high fees as my donation to helping others, not realizing that the majority of the money did not go to the non-profit in country.

I was so inspired by my experiences volunteering abroad that I dreamed of making a list on my blog of different international organizations that accepted volunteers. However, I never got around to it. You can imagine my delight when I learned about GivingWay, a new online platform that connects travelers with international volunteer experiences around the world for free.

Comunidad Inti Wara Yassi in Bolivia runs three Wildlife Custody Centres where they tend to over 400 rescued animals.

To view the above volunteering opportunity with Communidad Into Wara Yassi, click here.

Volunteering abroad – also known as Voluntourism – is one of the fastest growing sectors of international travel, with an expected 20 million travelers participating in volunteer activities on a trip by 2020.

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Morning at the Bell Tower in Prague

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Prague is one of those cities that seduces one’s soul. It is a magically beautiful city that is easy to fall in love with its architectural charm, its open air squares, cobblestoned streets and endless array of terra-cotta rooftops, medieval churches and spires. Voted as one of the top touristic destinations in Europe, Prague has obviously been discovered and the best way to see her unspoiled beauty is to get up and going early.

On our last morning in Prague, we set off right after breakfast to Old Town Square to climb the Bell Tower knowing that if we were lucky, we would beat the crowds. Our timing was perfect and there is nothing quite like getting a bird’s-eye view of the city as it wakes up and comes to life.

Old Town Hall (Staroměstská radnice) was built during the reign of King John of Luxembourg in 1338 as the seat of the Old Town administration. The oldest part of the complex consists of a lovely Gothic tower with a bay chapel and a unique astronomical clock – known as the Orloj –which is the oldest and most elaborate functioning astronomical clock in the world.  Although watching the hourly presentation of the “12 Apostles” is a huge tourist attraction, the real pleasure of the Old Town Hall is its remarkable views of the city from the Bell Tower.

As you climb up a series of winding steps, you are delighted with a sense of awe and wonder at the views below. Here are a few of my favorites.


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Horizon App: Providing Private Hospitality Exchange Networks for Communities

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“It’s no secret, every traveler wants a friend in every city they visit. Trusted friends, and insider information, is the lifeblood of amazing travel experiences. Two people with shared passions and experiences meeting eye-to-eye in the same room and forming real relationships is where life’s magical moments stem from. Finding those amazing connections is a horribly inefficient process. We see a better way” – Drew Meyers, Co-Founder of Horizon App

With the growing demand for free or cheap places to stay around the world, many new services have risen to prominence within the hospitality and travel marketplace. Airbnb, VRBO, HomeAway and coach surfing services have become fierce competitors to the traditional hotel stays giving travelers better options for lodging and an opportunity to live like a local while abroad. Horizon, a relatively new mobile app and web-based service has joined the marketplace offering travelers the ability to intersect travel, community and social good with each stay. Launched in March of 2015 by Drew Meyers, Will Moyer and Oren Borovitch, Horizon provides a searchable private hospitality exchange network in over 120 countries around the world.

The mission of Horizon is to increase access to travel opportunities by enabling shared hospitality among trusted contacts and communities; providing free or cheap accommodation and cultural experiences not otherwise available. The founders of Horizon strongly believe in the importance of getting people to travel and experience cultures vastly different than their own in order to create a society that gives back and understands the world.

“Enabling more people to venture outside the friendly confines of the their own country and experience an array of foreign cultures, will grow the community of those who realize we live privileged lives the majority of the world can only dream of. Those who experience the world are exponentially more likely to work on projects that improve society and raise the standard of living for those in poverty, rather than just maximizing income”. – states Drew Meyers.

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Prague’s St. Vitus Cathedral

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Perched magnificently above the River Vltava in Prague lies the spectacular St. Vitus Cathedral, a spellbinding masterpiece of French Gothic architecture whose dramatic spires dominate Prague’s fairytale skyline. The St. Vitus Cathedral is the largest and most important church in the Czech Republic and its chapels, frescos, tombstones and sensational stained glass make it one of the most incredible churches I have ever seen. Its construction took over a thousand years and its origins date back to the end of the 9th century during the formation of the Prague Castle, one of the largest ancient castle complexes in the world.

The first stones of the foundation were laid in 1344 upon an earlier 9th century altar that had been dedicated to St. Vitus. Emperor Charles IV who inspired many of the great buildings and beautification of Prague wanted to make a grand medieval cathedral within the palace grounds and hired architect Peter Parler to work on the church.  Parler worked on it for 46 years until his death in 1399. Unfortunately not much work occurred for several centuries after Parler’s death, leaving the cathedral half-finished until a resurgence in the desire to complete it consumed the national psyche of the re-emerging nation. For the next several decades, a mix of architects, artists and sculptures worked on the church giving it a rather asymmetrical, piecemeal appearance. An opening ceremony for the church was held in 1929 to commemorate the millenium of St Wenceslas. Yet it still took until after WWII for the cathedral to be fully completed. Despite its chaotic past and building, St. Vitus Cathedral is a magical place and a must-see for any visitor to Prague.

As you walk through the castle gates, you will quickly realize that it is impossible to get a sense of how large the St. Vitus Cathedral is given it’s location. It is literally smushed within the buildings of the third courtyard of the Prague Castle and it takes numerous photos to get an appreciation for its sheer dominating size and grandeur.

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