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Photo Blog: The Greek Islands

Photo Blog: The Greek Islands

It’s no secret that Greece stole my heart long ago.

Something about that particular shade of blue water, found only there, the bright fuchsia bougainvillea that line the white-washed buildings and the winding, black-and-white cobbled streets that seem to stretch on for forever are captivating. There’s nowhere on Earth quite like it.

Without fail—when I return home, my dreams are always Greek-inspired for weeks after. I spend countless hours looking up apartments for rent and trying to finagle a way to return—this time permanently.

I’ve been so blessed to visit Greece multiple times in this life, and each time I am more amazed than the last that such a breathtaking place exists. Each time, there are new hidden gems to uncover, new people here to fall devastatingly in love with it as I have, and new adventures to be had.

This trip was easily the best visit yet. I don’t know how a place can be exempt from feeling stagnant and continue to lure me in like a siren calls to sailors to the sea—but Greece continues to call me back—and each time the urge to resist becomes harder than the last.

So often I’m left scrambling to try to convey the magic of what I’ve experienced, and fall painfully short every time, but thanks to the magic that is Brooke Phillips, I can share a small piece of the magic with you. No one can quite capture the true feeling of a place like she can. I hope, through her eyes that you too can share in a small taste of the magic that was our Greek Islands trip.


crete


Our adventure began on the beautiful island of Crete. Our home base was in Heraklion—named after Hercules, as the island is believed to be his birthplace.

We enjoyed one of our most incredible meals on the first night at a local tavern. The food was incredible, the hosts amazing, and it seemed like the desserts and spirits (all on the house) were endless.

The following day, we toured the island with our animated and lovable local guide, Ed. He learned our names within an hour of meeting us, although he took some liberties. Our youngest traveler, Layla, was dubbed “cheater” because she had a penchant for googling the correct answers to his many trivia questions. Despite working together with previous clients and communicating for over a year, he refused to call me Mandy, instead I was “A-man-dah!" which became my nickname for the rest of the tour. Angela, was “principal,” Symphony, “Stephanie” and on and on it went. I think we all agreed that if we had even an ounce of Ed’s energy, we would’ve never needed coffee again.

Ed taught us the Greek concept of “siga, siga” which means, slowly, slowly. It’s the idea that life doesn’t need to be rushed—you can and should stop and smell the roses and enjoy the beautiful moment while you’re in it.

Together, he took us to an olive oil factory, where we sampled oil in the style of a wine tasting and got the chance to purchase local products direct from the farmers. From there, we visited a mountaintop village where we ate grapes off the vine, sipped coffee and toured a local Greek Orthodox church. Afterward he took us into the ravine to a working farm near some old retired windmills that we hiked to and were rewarded with an amazing views. Afterward, we visited a lovely restaurant where we had lunch overlooking the valley. On the way home, we stopped at a beautiful lookout and shared local wine together.

Pictured below you can see our guide Ed climbing a wild grape vine with the energy of Maria von Trapp’s “The Hills are Alive with the Sound of Music!” He was certainly the life of the party and he won our hearts when at the end of the day he gave us all samples of locally grown oregano and olive oil.

It was quite an amazing way to experience Crete.


paros


From Crete we made our way via ferry to the neighboring island of Paros.

Everyone agreed that Paros was our favorite of all the islands we visited. It had an untouched feeling that the other islands lacked—probably due to it’s lack of cruise ships. It wasn’t over run by tourists and it had a charming quality that made you feel like it was your own little hidden gem that no one else knew about.

We stayed at a really amazing resort by the sea and were greeted every morning to the beautiful sights of the local ships sailing in and out of the harbour.

Our first full day on the island was a relaxing one. We spent the morning swimming in the ocean, relaxing by the pool and getting spa treatments. That afternoon, our guide Agvi, took us to the neighboring port of Naoussa—famous for it’s instagrammable streets, boat lined harbor, and fresh octopus that can purchased directly from the fishermen each day.

We spent some time at the port shopping, eating gelato, and soaking in the beautiful harbor.

Following our time in Naoussa we headed across the harbor to Petra Farm. Our host, Alkis, toured us through the mountainside of his family-run sustainable farm.

He explained that it was only three generations ago that his grandfather was forced to flee with his family from Cyprus and start over completely on Paros. The small plot of land he purchased was the very land we stood on.

Alkis upholds his grandfather’s vision—tenderly working the farm, battling the arid soil, feeding the chickens and goats, and harvesting local produce—grapes, olives, capers, oregano, and lavender—whose quality outshines many other commercial farmers.

After our tour, Alkis lovingly welcomed us into his family home to feast like kings on the local products and wine they produce. Littered throughout the house were family photos, baby pictures, and heirlooms that highlighted just how amazingly they have thrived as a family despite the odds.

The following day we chartered a boat and spent the day sailing to the neighboring islands of Despotiko and Antiparos.

The water was the most amazing shade of blue, and saltier than our oceans in America—or at least that’s how it seemed.

We each secretly put songs onto a running playlist and we spent the afternoon guessing who had contributed which song. Angela and Brian treated us to a rap battle, and Hannah and Tammy spent the morning braiding just about everyone’s hair so it wouldn’t blow away.

We ate, we drank, we swam til we were spent, and we took turns seeing who could swim the deepest on one breath.

Our captain, an Italian transplant, brought his two young sons on board and the highlight of the day was when the oldest wrote a love note to Layla, communicating solely in hearts and emojis, to which she heartlessly responded, “Well, that’s sweet, but I’m taken.”


santorini


From Paros we made our way to the stunning island of Santorini where we stayed on the iconic cliffside town of Oia (pronounced EE-yah).

Unlike Paros, Santorini was swelling with tourists and cruise ship visitors during the day, but once night fell and they crept back to the ships, we had the place to ourselves.

If you’ve never been to Santorini, it’s definitely a must-see. The white cave houses cling to the cliffside and set a stunning view of the Caldera.

Oia is not for the faint of heart or the clumsy—it’s countless stairs are slippery and never-ending. You are rewarded for your efforts though with some of the most breathtaking scenery on the face of the planet.

We stayed in an amazing hotel with unobstructed views of the volcanic crater and watched as the boats glided in and out of the Caldera each morning.

On our final day in Santorini, we took a tour with local guide, Eugenia, to some of the lesser-known parts of the islands.

We started with a visit to Akrotiri—a recently uncovered ancient city found beneath the volcanic ash that buried the city centuries ago. Akrotiri is believed to be the lost city of Atlantis, and there is quite a bit of mounting evidence to corroborate that theory. Unlike it’s famous sister-city, Pompeii, the residents of Akrotiri successfully fled before the eruption took place, and left behind some pretty amazing archeological finds—indoor plumbing, mattresses, and some very intricate mosaic artwork.

From Akrotiri, we visited the lowest and highest point in Santorini—a black sandy beach at the waters edge, and the highest peak overlooking the island below.

Our final stop was the village of Pyrgos, where our host Eugenia lived. The magic of Pyrgos was in it’s untouched nature. Here local men and women gathered to gossip, feed cats, and go about their daily lives far from the tour busses and tourists of neighboring villages. Here life stands still, and it was arguably one of the most peaceful and serene places we visited on the whole island.

This was a trip for the books, and none of us were quite ready to say goodbye. Sadly, the time had come, and we were forced to say our goodbyes and start the long journey home.

I think I speak for us all when I say—we’ll be back!

Photo Blog: Girls Trip Spain + Portugal

Photo Blog: Girls Trip Spain + Portugal

As a traveler, I often get sucked into the dark vortex of obsessing about pictures. Sometimes I spend more time looking at my phone than at my surroundings. Hours of editing, applying filters and timing when to post eat away at time I could be eating, drinking, and experiencing a place.

As convenient as it is to have a tiny camera in your pocket at all times, there’s something nostalgic about simpler times when we could travel and just soak in the moments, candidly laugh with our friends without worrying if we are capturing it correctly, and instantly flocking to social media to share.

Don’t get me wrong. I do all those things.. and often. But I find it tedious and wasteful and it definitely takes away from the joy of travel (for me anyway).

Thankfully, this trip was a game changer, thanks to our resident travel photographer and friend, Brooke. She dreamed up the idea of having a photographer capture the moments, allowing the rest of us to simply be present—no strings attached.

While I’m sure this trip would’ve been magical no matter what, thanks to Brooke, we were able to really immerse ourselves in the experience. Many of the girls in these photos will tell you they didn’t even know the camera was rolling, giving us a rare glimpse into the candid side of our Girls Trip—the laughs, the scenery, the newly formed friendships, and all the beautiful memories we made together.


Seville, Spain


We started our adventure in Seville, Spain. Our hotel straddled the banks of the Guadalquivir River and we went on a locally guided walking tour of the old town. Our guide Alba showed us the many juxtapositions of Seville—the Moorish architecture, the Jewish history, and the Catholic influence that remains today. We learned about many impressive women that played a role in making this city what it is today. We enjoyed a live flamenco show and ended most evenings on a picturesque rooftop somewhere—dancing, sipping sangria, and planting seeds in the soil of new friendships.


The Algarve, Portugal


From Spain, we made our way west to Portugal, to the Algarve coast. Along the way, we stopped at Cabrita Winery, a locally-owned and operated Vineyard. At Cabrita, it’s not about speed or mass production, it’s a slow, savory experience from start to finish, and one that can’t be rushed. Here, there are no shortcuts. Only the freshest locally-sourced products will suffice. Similar to the relaxed pace one experiences elsewhere in the Algarve, the grapes are in no hurry to mature. They take their time in the rich, arid soil, soaking in the Portuguese sun until they reach perfection. Much like the evolution of the vineyard itself, the wine is cared for delicately and intentionally—recipes and techniques that have been handed down for generations. Our host, Duarte took us on a tour of the vineyard, followed by a master class in the maturation and fermentation process. Finally, we enjoyed locally sourced charcuterie and a sampling of their four most famous wines. Needless to say, many of us came home with cases to enjoy later.

Our hotel was in Carvoeiro along the coast and it had the most beautiful uninterrupted cliffside that guests could hike. One direction took you into town where you could souvenir shop and eat at the most amazing restaurants, and the other direction took you to the beach. Many of us opted to stay at the hotel and enjoy the facilities because they were so relaxing. As you can see, we had the most amazing views you could ask for.

One of the funniest memories from this trip came on Wednesday. We had a boat tour planned to see the coastline and Portugal’s renown cliffside caves. When our driver dropped us off we had a little trouble finding the specific dock we were supposed to depart from as it wasn’t clearly marked and there were so many docks. The captain called and said if you aren’t here in one minute we are leaving without you. We took off in a mad sprint to the dock that wasn’t very funny at the time, but we all shared a good laugh at after-the-fact.

The tour itself was beautiful. There were so many amazing cliffs, each with unique features. The boat ride itself was really entertaining. We passed a nude beach, one of our travelers got pretend engaged, a few of us got a little seasick, while others took a dip in the beautiful water.

The town of Benagil was one of a kind. It’s vibrant buildings were so colorful and interesting even if they wreaked of the 1990s and Saved By The Bell reruns.


Lisbon, Portugal


From the coast, we headed north to the capital of Lisbon. I’ll be honest, I expected this to be my least favorite of all our stops, but I couldn’t have been more wrong. Lisbon has so much charm and character and it absolutely stole our hearts. We met our guide, Angela, and promptly tasted Portugal’s most prized treasure, the pastel de nata pastries. These suckers are addictive. From there we took a walking tour through Lisbon’s winding streets and neighborhoods. We definitely put some miles on our feet this day, but we were rewarded with amazing views and delicious Ginjinha, a cherry liquor that is best enjoyed from an edible chocolate shot glass.

We spent the following day exploring the fairy tale town of Sintra. We took TukTuk rides up to the top of the mountain. Our first stop was Pena Palace, where our guide Angela gave us a first hand look at what life was like for the royals. Our visit coincided with the anniversary of their execution, making it a somewhat somber day to visit and walk in their footsteps. We spent the remainder of the day exploring the town of Sintra, shopping, eating, and of course enjoying more Ginjinha!

On our final day in Lisbon we took a walking tour of Belem where we saw preparations underway for a royal wedding. We walked along the water and marveled at some of the beautiful street art in the area. In the evening we went on a food tour where we sampled many local favorites like ham sandwiches and sardines! We ended the evening by honoring three very special travelers, Tammy, Yasmine, and Angela, who combined have traveled to 19 countries with Land + See Tours.


All in all it was a fantastic trip, and one that none of us will ever forget. It’s true what they say—girls really do run the world :)

Photo Blog: Croatia + The Balkans

Photo Blog: Croatia + The Balkans

I’m still pinching myself in disbelief that such an amazing week is humanly possible. The Balkans remain at the top of my list of places to travel. I’m torn between shouting from the rooftops that you must run as fast as you can to the breathtaking Dalmatian coastline and keeping it close to the chest as my own little hidden gem that remains mostly unspoiled. Although it seems reckless, it feels selfish not to share, so here it goes…


Split, Croatia


We started and ended our journey in Split, Croatia—a beautiful waterfront town that has a rich history, dating back to Roman rule in the 4th century AD. The impressive structure, Diocletian’s Palace, remains as a nod to it’s former glory.

Most of us were completely wiped out from our journey, but we did manage to sneak in a delicious wine tasting before dinner. We also sampled the locally-brewed Rakia, which one traveler jokingly noted resembled Mountain Dew—the taste, however, is quite different.

We ended the night on the rooftop bar of our hotel which has arguably one of the most beautiful views of the city skyline.


Mostar, Bosnia + Herzegovina


From there we traveled by bus to Mostar, in Bosnia and Herzegovina. We were instantly taken by the remnants that stand as an ever-present reminder that the Yugoslav Wars were quite recent—bullet holes lining walls and buildings and shells of building frames stand as a looming ghost of it’s bleak past.

The local shop keepers and vendors however, are bustling with the recent tourism boom after covid. The town is a time capsule— a juxtaposition between past, present and future.

We had a lovely, but honest walking tour with our host, Sheva, who shared Mostar’s complex history with us. His personal experience during the war was moving and candid and gave us tremendous insight into the realities of war on innocent children—fishing with grenades, rigging makeshift bicycles to get electricity, and complicated blurred lines between family, friend and enemy. He was a shining example of the resilience, forgiveness and hope that the human spirit is capable of.

As a local diver himself, Sheva was able to give us insight into Mostar’s famous sport—diving from Stari Most and even arranged for us to meet one of the young diving recruits. The sport has gotten so famous that Red bull sponsors a a diving competition from Stari Most each year.

We ended our time with a Turkish coffee experience—learning all about the growing, harvesting, and brewing process. Even the non-coffee drinkers in the group were faced with a challenge to their coffee biases.


Ston, Croatia


From Mostar, we returned to Croatia by way of Ston—a local salt-producing village surrounded by immense stone walls known for it’s unrivaled oysters. The sea is saltier in this region than most places and it produces some of the best Oysters in the entire world!

We also visited a family-run winery with our guide, Tonka, and learned about the different ways the local grapes can be harvested to produce countless different types of wine. We again encountered some locally-brewed Rakia and everyone left warmer and happier than they arrived.

On the ride to Dubrovnik, Tonka entertained us with stories from her days as an extra in the HBO hit series Game of Thrones. Needless to say, we were all very impressed to know village woman #20!


Dubrovnik, Croatia


In Dubrovnik we completely lost ourselves in the luxury of our hotel—most travelers even opted to skip dinner just to sit by the sea and watch the impressive sunset.

The next day, our local guide Tom took us through Dubrovnik and gave us both a fascinating history lesson and a private peek into some of the secret filming locations in Game of Thrones. Even those unfamiliar with the show were ready to go home and binge watch it after our afternoon with him. Together, we climbed the fortress and took in one of the most beautiful views Dubrovnik has to offer.

That evening we had dinner by the sea and watched as the most impressive moon rose over the Adriatic. It’s a night none of us will never forget.


Kotor, Montenegro


From Dubrovnik, we drove to Perast, Montenegro and hopped a boat to the man-made monastery Our Lady of the Rocks. Legend has it that local fishermen collected stones and slowly built the island over time. The locals still have a tradition of bringing a stone once a year to continue their work of expanding the island.

Our boat driver took us from the monastery straight to the dock at our hotel, and many of us felt like James Bond as we rode through the waves.

We headed into Kotor’s Old Town that afternoon for some shopping, cat museums, hiking, and so much gelato, before returning back to our beautiful hotel to swim, risk our lives paddle boarding (special thanks to Speedo Steve for saving one of us from getting tangled up in a rope) and taking in the breathtaking scenery.


Lokrum Island, Croatia


The next day brought us back to Dubrovnik for an afternoon exploring the island of Lokrum. We ate, pet peacocks, jumped off of cliffs, and sat on the Iron Throne. It was an amazing way to spend the afternoon before heading to the highlight of the trip—dinner with Marija and Zlatko!

Our local Croatian hosts were kind enough to have us over for the most amazing dinner of our lives. Zlatko and Marija cooked a literal feast of peka for us in the traditional way—slowly cooking over hot coals in an iron bell. We tasted Zlatkos home-brewed rakia, and ate proscuitto straight from the source!


Split, Croatia


The next day had us heading back to Split to say farewell to Croatia, but first many of us chose to stop at the kitschy, Froggyland museum—the lifeswork of an eccentric early 20th century taxidermy artist and easily the best $10 I’ve ever spent!

We ended our tour with an amazing dinner and found ourselves again at the rooftop bar for a final cheers and a quick laugh at some funny things that had been said along the way. All in all the trip was a dream—the destination, the hospitality, and the friendships we made were hard to beat!

Photo Blog: Northern Ireland + Scotland

Photo Blog: Northern Ireland + Scotland

We just returned from Scotland and Northern Ireland after three long years of holding our breath–waiting and hoping. I don’t know if three years of deprivation made this a more intense experience, or if we’ve just figured out the formula, but I think those that walked this journey with us would agree–it awoke something in our souls that had been lying dormant, something I’ll do my best to share with you through Brooke’s beautiful photos. They tell the story more beautifully than any words could relay.