Europe

What is it like to take a Viking River Cruise? Truthfully, it is impressive!

 

What is it really like to take a Viking River Cruise?

So you want to take a Viking River Cruise ?

Like me, haven’t you always wondered what it was really like to take a Viking River Cruise? I have always been curious and actually never been on any kind of cruise. You may find that surprising, but it has never really been at the top of our travel adventure list. But that list has been re-written!

What is it like to take a Viking River Cruise?
Tam & Me

 

Recently, I was presented with the opportunity to travel with Viking River Cruises on the Elegant Elbe River Cruise that begins in Berlin, Germany and ends in Prague, Czech Republic. My friend and fellow travel writer Tam Minton of Travels with Tam, took this first (for both of us) river cruise with me as well.

Side note: On the first evening of the cruise, the Cruise Director, the fantastic Benne Bennison, asked for a show of hands who had been on a Viking Cruise before. Every single hand went up except Tam’s and mine. How is that for validation! They keep on coming back for more! 

Read more

An Italian Cooking Class in Tuscany for the Whole Family

Italian cooking class
The divine Chef Dania at La Chiusa – How cute is she? So talented too!

Italian cooking class

Who wants to go to an Italian Cooking Class? Me!

How many of you have dreamed of taking an Italian cooking class that is actually in Italy? Yes, me too! Last summer I enjoyed my time with Tuscan Women Cook so much, but I was traveling alone. I had a total blast, but often I was thinking how much fun it would be if my family was there with me too!

Read more

Our Dreamy Life at the Villa on our Trip to Tuscany ~ Our family style feasts, local wines and spritzin’

trip to Tuscany
Gus, Linda, Craig, Me, Alex, Brent, Kylie, Nick

More adventures from our trip to Tuscany!

For our trip to Tuscany, trying to decide the best itinerary and finding the perfect accommodations was a fun process, but truthfully a bit stressful for me. I am confident when I plan travel for myself or with just Craig, but to include six other discerning travelers, I wanted everything to be just right. No one dictated a thing, it was just my need to make sure that everyone had the very best possible experience! Through the tour company Palio Tours, we found the perfect size villa for our party of eight. The enormous house was just big enough to allow every couple to have their own room and offered several indoor and outdoor living spaces where we could all hang out, but it never felt overwhelming or too large to navigate.

Read more

Adventures at The Palio in Siena ~ An Exhilarating Experience

Piazza del Campo – The Palio

Hold on to your seat, you are in for a wild ride at The Palio!

Before we even arrived at The Palio in Siena, I knew that it would be a vibrant, colorful spectacle, but it was way bigger than we imagined! The passion and emotion that runs through the crowd feels like a strong electric current. Not a seat or section of pavement was available and the famous Piazza del Campo was transformed into a carefully constructed racetrack with an audience of thousands of excited Italians, mostly from the walled city of Siena.

Read more

I’m Back From The BIG Summer Travel Adventure It was…absolutely AMAZING!

summer travel
The German Cathedral in Berlin

I am back from the BIG Summer Travel Adventure – It was…absolutely AMAZING!

Miss me? I’ve just returned from twenty-nine adventure-filled days in Europe. Here’s how it went!

  • I traveled to six countries – Italy, Spain, England, Germany, Czech Republic and Hungary
  • Eight total flights: Los Angeles to London to Rome, Florence to Barcelona to Palma to Berlin, Prague to Budapest to London to Washington DC to Los Angeles
  • 2 trains
  • 2 Viking ships
  • Many kilometers by Viking Coach
  • Two rental cars
  • Multiple cabs
  • Several subway rides
  • Miles walked? Who knows!  A lot!

Read more

BIG Summer Travel – Where are we going this time?

summer travel
Majorca, Spain

Summer Travel Update

Hey fellow adventurers! I wanted to check in to let you know that we are embarking on a BIG Summer Travel Adventure!

Craig and I will be traveling with our family to see The Palio in Siena, Italy with a quick couple of days in Rome! Next, we say goodbye to the family and fly to the gorgeous island of Majorca, Spain. We visited last summer and it was so spectacular that we just had to go back! And there’s more…

Read more

Adventures in Italy ~ Our Big Summer Trip to See The Palio in Siena

the Palio in Siena

Are you familiar with The Palio in Siena?

The Palio di Siena is one of Italy’s most famous sporting events. It is a horse race with unique rules and centuries-old history. My guess is that you may have never heard of it either! About ten years ago our close friends Nick and Victoria, who are world travelers (67 countries), shared their story of the Palio in Siena. Craig and I were captivated and totally hooked. We vowed one day we would see this special event as well!

Read more

Have you seen our Empty Nester Video? It will make you smile.

empty nester video
Dinner at Kualoa Ranch, Oahu

 

Adventures of Empty Nesters: How did it all begin? The quick version.

Four years ago, I was having a bit of a struggle trying to decide what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. Where did I belong exactly? Our son was in college, our daughter had graduated from the University of Washington in Seattle and never moved back to California. My husband Craig was often traveling for business and I no longer had to spend every waking moment focused on what the family required. Everyone was happily doing their own thing, I was truly an Empty Nester and it was my time now.

Created in 2014, AdventuresofEmptyNesters.com has evolved through the years, with the original emphasis on my life in the Empty Nest. I adored offering advice to others who were about to begin this new empty nester chapter or already living it. As time passed, I allowed the blog to carry me and my thoughts along with it toward new adventures.

Read more

Plan your next adventure! A Trip to Portugal Should Be On Your Travel Radar

trip to Portugal

Angela, my dear friend from college and avid traveler, has returned to the blog to share their luxurious adventure in Portugal. I didn’t know nearly enough about this incredible country, but now I know that a trip to Portugal must be at the top of my travel adventure list!

How does one describe Portugal? Glorious. Mysterious. Land of ancient explorers. A must-go destination.

Portugal had been on our travel radar for some time. Between reading about it on travel sites, seeing Porto featured on my favorite fashion blog, and one of our daughters having visited Lisbon when she was studying in Madrid years ago, that was enough to whet our appetites.

Read more