Category: 2025
-
Whiskey, Movie Famous Castles & Haggis (Day 3) 🏴
Campsie Glen Holiday Park has been our base for last night and this one. 🏰 Doune Castle: A Stronghold of History and Hollywood Rising above the River Teith, Doune Castle is a remarkably preserved 14th-century fortress in central Scotland, known for its towering gatehouse and sweeping great hall. Originally built by Robert Stewart, Duke of Albany,…
-
Land Ho! Architectural & Engineering Wonders (Day 2)🏴 🇬🇧 🏴
Landing in Newcastle we headed North. A Pineapple in Scotland? Dunmore’s Curious Summerhouse Tucked away in the Scottish countryside lies one of the most unexpected architectural wonders: The Pineapple. Built in 1761 by John Murray, the 4th Earl of Dunmore, this whimsical structure was originally intended as a garden retreat. However, Murray left Scotland soon…
-
Scottish Highlands Road Trip Begins: Pancakes & a Ferry Adventure (Day 1)🇳🇱
Our Scottish Highlands adventure has officially begun! First stop: Hans & Gretel Pancake House in the Netherlands—because every great road trip should start with something sweet. The kids loaded up on candy-covered pancakes while we enjoyed the playful, over-the-top atmosphere. With bellies full, we headed to IJmuiden to board the overnight DFDS ferry to Newcastle….
-
Farm Overnight 🇧🇪
A simple overnight in Belgium 🇧🇪 before returning home.
-
Henri-Chapelle American Cemetery 🇧🇪
It is difficult to put to words how sobering and simultaneously beautiful this event was.
-
Ghent, Belgium 🇧🇪
A visit to Ghent offers a captivating blend of medieval charm, vibrant culture, and world-class art. The highlight is the Ghent Altarpiece in St. Bavo’s Cathedral—one of the most important paintings in Western art and a central focus in the film The Monuments Men due to its dramatic rescue from Nazi looting. Wandering Ghent’s cobbled…
-
Brugge, Belgium 🇧🇪
The first stop on the Monument Men inspired tour was charming Brugge, home of Michelangelo’s sculpture Madonna and Child. Also home to Basilica of the Holy Blood – A revered 12th-century church in Bruges, known for housing a relic believed to contain the blood of Jesus Christ, brought back from the Crusades. The basilica features…
-
Koblenz, Germany 🇩🇪
I was fortunate enough to meet up with some lovely friends from Maryland on their cruise up the Rhine.
-
Ingolstadt, Germany 🇩🇪
Ingolstadt is a historic city in Bavaria, Germany, located along the Danube River. Known for its well-preserved medieval architecture, it is home to landmarks like the New Castle (Neues Schloss) and the Gothic-style Liebfrauenmünster church. The city is also recognized for its role in literature as the birthplace of Frankenstein’s monster in Mary Shelley’s novel.
-
Bavarian Whimsical Beer Garden 🇩🇪
Brauerei zum Kuchlbauer GmbH & Co KG