by Mary Charleson | Jan 25, 2019 | Europe
High in the northern Italian Alps, surrounded by endless rolling green valleys, turquoise lakes, and glaciers you’ll find the Italian Dolomites. Spanning over 142,000 hectares, the Dolomites were named a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2009 for not only their beauty,...
by Mary Charleson | Dec 30, 2018 | Europe
The city of Prague has survived centuries of conflict. Preserved in time, despite multiple wars and occupation, it has emerged beyond the curtain with a bevy of stories to share. It’s cobblestone streets, and the historical path they pave, can easily charm the most...
by Mary Charleson | Nov 11, 2018 | Europe
Massimo charged his glass in a toast to friendship, “Ad amici e buon cibo.” While we didn’t understand what was said, we all smiled enthusiastically in agreement, intuitively knowing it meant “to friends and good food.” The intense heat of the day had subsided, and in...
by Mary Charleson | Sep 9, 2018 | Europe
Prince’s Purple Rain filled the hot summer night air in Paris, as a chorus of thousands seated on picnic blankets under open skies belted out the well-known lyrics. Fireworks burst from both sides of the Eiffel Tower in an escalading cascade of purple light racing to...
by Mary Charleson | Aug 25, 2018 | Europe
Guest post written by Karen Speirs The light is softening, casting a golden glow on the rolling hills, when the call for dinner comes. The teens scramble up the stone stairs from the pool. A quartet of card players rise from the table, pushing back heavy iron chairs....
by Mary Charleson | May 8, 2018 | Australia/New Zealand, Canada, Europe, USA
Author note: This piece was originally published in the Vancouver Sun in 2017. Having just set my son off at the airport for his 4th trip to Europe, and third time doing it solo, I am struck at the vision I had to travel as I did with him at the time of writing this...
