11 June 2026 It’s a little unsettling to look back across the map of my travels. Not because of how many places I’ve been, but how easily some of them blur at the edges. I revisit them through old photos and my travel movies. Vivid memories do return, but often Read more
26 May 2026
We started our day of excursions beneath the shadow of the Berlin Wall, descending underground to hear stories that feel almost impossible today: young men and women digging through clay, sewage, and darkness for the chance to reunite with family, lovers, and freedom itself.
(more…)24 May 2026 Berlin can overwhelm with beauty, culture, and energy, but today’s walk strips away all distractions. It is a journey through the physical remains of one of history’s darkest chapters, where ordinary streets became witnesses to dictatorship, persecution, war, and genocide. The power of this route is not Read more
24 May 2026
Whit Sunday arrives as one of those perfect early summer mornings that seem almost staged for postcards and travel brochures. The sky over Berlin beams bright and clear, the kind of blue that promises long hours outdoors and excuses every decision to linger.
(more…)23 May 2026
Berlin presents me with a different kind of wall – not concrete and barbed, but the mental tug-of-war between being a present parent to my German daughters and answering the insistent call of history that seems to echo from every corner of the city. I find my thoughts detouring toward places like the Berlin Wall Memorial or Underground Tunnels. It’s a delicate negotiation within myself of how many historical stops should be smuggled into a day before I feel like a bad mother.
(more…)23 May 2026 I had the pleasure to host several foreign students back in the ole’ Bakersfield days. I always felt a little sorry for them as they arrived at the airport and for the first time in their young lives experienced 112° August heat. On my part, apologies were Read more
30-31 May 2025
We laze in charming Würzburg as long as possible. Temperature reaches mid-seventies and the sun is blasting. However, sadly, we must board an ICE direct train from the Hbf to Frankfurt’s Airport. It is over an hour delayed, proving the Germans right in their complaints about their trains.
However, once onboard, our trip is smooth and speedy. We arrive into the airport, practically beneath our hotel the Hilton Garden, within less than 2 hours. Just enough time to choose our “favorites or not-so-much list.”
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