Mindy and I met in the Spring of 2004 in Berlin, Germany. We fell in love and got married two years later in September 2006 in the Botanical Gardens near Niagara Falls, Ontario. On our wedding day, walking across the Rainbow Bridge from Canada to the USA! Through the years we achieved many goals together, watched each other grow and overcome fears/hurdles and created an endless number of travel memories. The time we moved to Thailand with nothing more than two carryons!Getting blessed in Bali, Indonesia After getting married we lived in Toronto, Canada for almost 6 years before moving to Chian ..read more

“Always remember that you are a Quaker”, was the last piece of advice my Grandpa gave me before he passed away. In his young adulthood my grandfather changed his religion and joined The Society of Friends (Quakers), of which he was an active member for the rest of his life. As I travel the world, I always keep my grandfather’s last written words close. Being exposed to other religions and cultures has contributed to my self-exploration of what it means to be a Quaker. Pacifism Quakerism is probably best known for its’ non-violence stance on the world. The Society of Friends is one of the three ..read more

So often travel photographs and the stories that go along with them only highlight the wonderful, the amazing and the life-changing aspects to the trip. When I show my pictures to family, friends and travel enthusiasts, they see that spectacular view or the amazing animals and listen to the funny or insightful stories that go along with them. But what is most often left out of the blogposts are the uncomfortable lodgings or situations we may have had to sleep in the night before just to get that great shot or experience that stunning hike, animal encounter or scenic view.  But when I look ..read more

Of all the countries we visited in the Balkans, we spent the least amount of time in Serbia. Although our time in this former Yugoslavian region was admittedly short, it did give us a taste of what being vegan in Serbia is like, as well as what it could blossom to be in the future. Graffiti message in the old town of Novi Sad, Serbia We arrived into Serbia on the tails of spending 3 days in the gorgeous, yet not overly vegan-friendly, area of Durmitor National Park in Montenegro. We were also nearing the end of our month-long road-trip, and had already visited Slovenia, Croatia, and Bosnia &am ..read more

As travelers we love to explore new places, meet new people and try new foods. So, what do we do when the state department issues a travel advisory Level 4 and the CDC asks everyone to stay home? We are giving our suggestions based on where we live: in a house with a yard in Florida, USA. We hope how we spend our time inspires you to change things up a bit and helps to combat boredom. Games One thing you can do when you can’t travel is playing games. We have a slew of board games from Cards Against Humanity to Boggle to Chinese Checkers. We also made our very own Yahtzee arena! Book ..read more

“All right everyone. Shhhh!”, the man’s voice pierced the air, heavy with anticipation. This was followed by light laughter from some fellow opera-goers and then clapping by all those who approved. I was one of them. “Here we go”, I thought sitting comfortably in the second seat from the aisle in row F of the Family Circle at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City. I felt like everything I had experienced in my life led me to this moment, about to enjoy Wagner’s Ring Cycle at the Met. Beginning as a small child, I learned to sit for long periods of time. The daughter of a composer and a mu ..read more

International trips was not in our cards this year! We spent much of our time turning a new house into our home. We planted fruit trees, put up a privacy fence, and decided where all our international souvenirs would go. We did, however, enjoy a year of domestic travel! A year of Domestic Travel New Jersey/New York – April Our first domestic trip took us to Jersey City, New Jersey where we spent a few days before heading over to Manhattan. We toured the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, visited with family and explored the vegan scene. It was our first time reaching Lady Liberty fro ..read more

After climbing up the Grove Street subway stairs I took in the scene around me as I do with every new place I visit. It didn’t take long to realize why Jersey City had been ranked the most ethnically diverse city in the United States for the third year in a row. And as I walked through the pedestrian-only area I quickly began to realize that Jersey City, which doesn’t often make people’s list of places to visit, was exhibiting what the rest of the US is trying to achieve – harmony among peoples. Everyone is welcome in Jersey City, New Jersey. As I wandered down Newark Street passing a f ..read more

Dear Baba, Today is your birthday and although we have never met, I am thinking of you. You may not know this but every time I dust the dining room table and chairs, which you had protected with plastic for so many years and that now stands in our dining room, I say hello to you. Mindy has shared with me her memories of you. She recalls you cooking a lot and making kreplach with you in the kitchen in Montreal. She also fondly remembers sitting on your lap as a small child. You would puff up your cheeks with air so she could squeeze them, and would laugh at the noise that resulted. Mind ..read more

We found Montenegro one of the most difficult Balkan countries in which to be vegan but our struggle to find food was totally worth experiencing the amazing views, gorgeous hikes and scenic drives. Overlooking the Budva Riviera in Montenegro Our journey began with a long wait at the border on a single-lane Bosnian road. With a stamp in our passport, a brochure about Montenegro in our hands and a smile from the border guard, we were officially welcomed to Montenegro for the very first time. Waiting at the border to Montenegro!Kotor It didn’t take very long to remember why we had inc ..read more