Travels with Tricia

Category: Outdoors

  • A pair of bicyclists ride on a pedestrian lane, in the shadows of Mount Kofel, a mountain peak in Oberammergau, Germany.

    Hiking to the Kofel, Oberammergau’s Signature Mountain

    Towering over the village of Oberammergau is the Kofel, a Matterhorn-shaped mountain with an elevation of 1,342 meters (4,400 feet). The name Kofel means “cone-shaped mountain” in Celtic, and so hints at the different peoples who once passed through this mountainous part of Germany. The Bavarians we’ve met in this picturesque town are well-versed in the art…

  • A Peek at Linderhof Palace

    Schloss Linderhof is the smallest of three castles built by King Ludwig II in Germany’s state of Bavaria in the mid to late 1800s. Simultaneously referred to as the “Fairy Tale King” and “Mad King Ludwig,” eccentric Ludwig is perhaps best known for having commissioned Neuschwanstein Castle, the so-called “Cinderella” or “Disney Castle.” King Ludwig…

  • Claude Monet's pink home, surrounded by purple irises and other flowers. It's located in Giverny, France.

    An Afternoon at Claude Monet’s Garden in Giverny, France

    Artist Claude Monet‘s name is synonymous with his dreamlike paintings which were inspired by his graceful gardens in Giverny, France, where he lived for 43 years. In 1980, Monet’s home and garden were opened to the public allowing Monet’s canvases to come to life. Today, visitors to Giverny can see the Japanese-style footbridge that spans the…

  • Vientiane, Laos: An Afternoon at Buddha Park

    Marry Buddhism, Hinduism and a touch of whimsy, and the result is Buddha Park – a sprawling green space dotted with more than 200 concrete sculptures near Vientiane, the capital city of Laos. Hopping out of a minivan shared with French and Swiss travelers we’d met at Vientiane’s bus station, we expressed relief that we…

  • Sunrise, Sunset on Santorini

    Santorini days are bookmarked by some of the most majestic sunrises and sunsets I have ever seen. During the ten marvelous days we spent on this legendary Greek island, our sole task was to decide how to spend the time in between. And so we filled our agenda with a Santorini cooking class, learning how…

  • Savoring the Sunset at Greece’s Meteora Monasteries

    As we looked into the sea of Meteora’s dramatic rock formations illuminated by the setting sun, our Greek host, George, asked the five of us to observe two minutes of silence. Up until then, we’d been marveling at the beauty of Meteora’s monasteries perched atop the sheer rocks, snapping photographs, and continuing conversations started earlier…