Rutana Waterfalls, Burundi // Spring 2019

Rutana waterfalls are a series of seven falls we hiked into in the southern part of Burundi. The drive to reach them is long and bumpy but utterly worth it. As we hiked into the falls, we scouted for monkeys and bright, local birds as we traversed around sweeping vistas. We hired three local guys to wander with us and show us around. They provided complimentary walking sticks, which I initially denied because I am from Idaho and have been hiking my whole life. But I should have listened because they were definitely needed as we crossed over some of the slippery, deep river areas of the hike! All in all, this is definitely a place I would take any visitor!

Gitega, Burundi // Spring 2019

In April we moved back to Burundi for my husband’s research. We spend quite a bit of time in Gitega where Youth for Christ runs a kids home and a school. Every couple weeks we hop on the motorcycle and drive the three hours from Bujumbura to Gitega and stay at this paradisiacal place. Most people think Burundi looks like a combination of Hawaii and Cambodia – especially with the tea fields! But Burundi has its own unique character which keeps drawing us back year after year with its red dirt and eucalyptus trees and hospitable people. Enjoy some shots of Gitega and Homes of Hope.

Strasbourg, France // Spring 2019

Just before we moved away from the UK this past Spring we visited Strasbourg, France with my dad and stepmom. This area is known for its Riesling wines, which, at first, I wasn’t sure about, as I am not a huge fan of sweeter wine. But after wine tasting from local vineyards in the small villages scattered along the Grand Est region, I quickly got on board! We stayed in an Airbnb that looked to be straight out of the Beauty and the Beast! Each of the little villages are surrounded by ancient walls, and in the middle of each one there is an adorable town square with pubs and cafes all serving local cuisine. While a very wet trip, we wandered, walked and drove for days around the many castles, vistas, villages and vineyards all along the valley and surrounding mountains. Unbelievably beautiful!

 

Eze, France // Spring 2019

While we were visiting St. Jean Cap Ferret, we drove to the village of Eze – an ancient city built into a stone monolith on the sea. This beautiful architectural feat was populated in 2000 BC! You hike into the village, meandering through endless alleyways, full of hole-in-the-wall shops and cafes tucked inside. In the center there is an ancient church, completely serene and peaceful with views of the sea and France on all sides. At the very top there is a garden with many varieties of cactuses and Mediterranean plants and flowers. I could have easily spent all day in this gem of a place!

St. Jean Cap Ferret, France // Spring 2019

For my 29th birthday we traveled back down to Nice with our dear friend and spent the weekend on his yacht. Pastries every morning. Crystal champagne. Bateau lunches of cheese and baguettes. Turquoise waters. One of the days we took a short ride over to Ville Franche for coffee. It was absolutely perfect. Enjoy some beautiful scenes from this stunning part of the world!

Seven Sisters, England // Spring 2019

Because we lived so close to the Seven Sisters, we visited them often. This time we took a different route than the previous Summer. We went to the East side of the cliffs and hiked to two separate lighthouses. It was a foggy, misty day, but it made for a totally different experience to our first visit -sunshine and blue skies! A treat at the end of our time was the discovery of a whole herd of wild ponies grazing on the cliffs surrounded by yellow wildflowers. An outstanding day, indeed.

Berlin, Germany // Winter 2019

This past January we visited our dear friends in Berlin. As far as our time with our friends goes, it was one for the books! Great conversations, yummy food and endless laughs. However. Berlin was probably my least favorite European city I have ever visited. Admittedly it could have been due to the dreary January weather, but even with that consideration, I can’t say I would go back. That said, it is the third time we have visited Germany and the rest of the country is stunning, it is just Berlin that felt so monochromatic. We are grateful for the wonderful visit we had with our friends, but overall, I would say there are better places in Europe to visit. Here are a few shots of the city, Checkpoint Charlie, the Wall, and a few of the historical buildings. We did enjoy some great German beers!

London At Christmas // Winter 2018

There is truly no more stunning place to spend Christmas than in London. Every single street you turn down has more a wow-factor than the last. We wandered for hours and we never ran out of outstanding scenes. After a long walk through the lights, we spent Christmas at our friend’s home. Here are some snapshots of the most traditional British Christmas we have ever experienced. We were totally spoiled!

Pevensey Castle, East Sussex // Winter 2018

We discovered this place on a bit of a whim. It was dull, rainy day in England and together with our friends, we decided we needed an adventure! So we set out mileage for  fifty miles and spun the map. While the weather was a total mess, this little journey was exactly what we needed! We found out this castle was built by the Romans in 290 AD! It still astounds me that castles like this exist all over the United Kingdom. Totally worth the five pounds entry fee, and the cute, quaint town surrounding it provided the perfect pub for a place to warm up after our exploration!