If you have had the chance to visit the French Riviera it is a magical place. With Mediterranean sunsets, fishing villages, cliff embedded towns, and a beautiful turquoise coastline that you can’t take your eyes off of, there is all the reason to plan your trip to Southeast France. But before you take off to the majestic destination, here are eight amazing places to discover while in the Southeast of France.

Cannes

This elegant resort city may look modernized, but it holds a ton of historical value. In fact, hundreds of years of history were made between this city’s walls. Back in the 11th century, the monks fearing an invasion of the Saracen built a watchtower, which still stands in Cannes’ Old Town. Strolling along the coast of the mile-long La Croisette, you will discover quaint shops and several designer boutiques. Dine at one of the many fabulous French restaurants after you have taken a hike in the Massif de l'Esterel, a coastal Mediterranean mountain range.

The Azores is an archipelago of nine volcanic islands scattered across the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. Although an autonomous region of Portugal, they’re located exactly half-way between Lisbon and Boston. You can fly directly to these paradise islands from the East Coast in as little as five hours.

With their subtropical climate, the Azores remain warm year-round and temperatures never drop below double figures. Once the rainy season (November to March) subsides, the islands are alive with flowers. The mild weather and scenery make the Azores an attractive choice for hiking, watersports and whale watching. 

Find out which of these islands are the most interesting to visit. 

São Miguel 

As the largest of the nine, São Miguel is the ideal starting place for a vacation in the Azores. It draws together lush landscapes, fine food and cultural activities.

With its elegant black and white architecture, bustling marina and spread of museums, Ponta Delgada is the capital of the island. Meanwhile, over in Furnas, you can dine at Tony's Restaurant where local speciality, cozido, is slow-cooked on the volcanic soil.

Lisbon truly has something for everyone in this eclectic European city.

When most people decide to take an amazing trip to Europe, they think of visiting Rome, London, or Madrid. One of the places that seem to fly under the radar is Lisbon, Portugal. It is the perfect place for a summer trip for reasons that you likely never even knew.

Lisbon is Portugal's capital; it has so many things to offer visitors. Perched atop seven hills, Lisbon is a vibrant seaside town bursting with history and tradition. Here are five reasons why you need to add Lisbon to your list of dream destinations.

The Sun

When most people think of sunny European destinations, places like Athens, Rome, or Barcelona come to mind. Lisbon is the last place people consider, although it should be the first. Lisbon averages 2,799 hours of sun a year, making it the sunniest European cities. The beautiful beaches are located about 30 minutes from the city center are the perfect place to enjoy this sunshine.

This Thursday, I will team up with the Madeira Promotion Bureau and Belmond Reid’s Palace to deliver a virtual presentation about the island of Madeira. Ahead of this event, I want to give you some background on this beguiling island. 

Madeira is an archipelago of islands located in the Atlantic Ocean that is geographically closer to Africa while officially a part of Portugal. The largest of the cluster is the island of Madeira - a mere 90-minute flight from Lisbon. With its gorgeous landscapes, resplendent flora, and fresh seafood, Madeira is the perfect island getaway that gives you a taste of both Europe and Africa. 

Explore Madeira’s beautiful wilderness! 
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Madeira’s natural beauty has earned it a number of accolades, including the Hawaii of Europe, the Island of Eternal Spring and the Pearl of the Atlantic. Surrounded by sapphire ocean, the terrain of the island is a mix of plunging ravines, emerald-green valleys, and graceful waterfalls. 

Vienna is a shining city that emphasizes its history, as you can tell by many of its attractions. Visiting the city is such a unique, memorable experience that you'll likely want to come back time and time again. Did you know that in Vienna wine has been grown in the city since the middle ages? 

A visit to Vienna would not be complete without visiting some of the many cultural attractions along with exploring the cities lively wine scene. As you are planning your next trip to Vienna, either on a river cruise on the Danube or a land based trip, check out some of these experiences.  

Schönbrunn Palace

Constructed in 1696 as a hunting lodge, the Schönbrunn Palace later became the elaborate home to Austria's most admired royal families, the Habsburgs. As it stands today, the palace is open to the public. Take a tour through the Habsburg family's apartments and visit the Hall of Ceremonies and Mirror Room before leisurely strolling through the gardens. 

Even the tiniest countries have the power to surprise us with their diversity. One of those is the former Soviet nation of Georgia.

Its location on the westernmost tip of the Asian continent earned Georgia its nickname, the Balcony of Europe. Drawing together fascinating yet turbulent history, unique gastronomy, rich winemaking heritage, monastery-topped mountains, cave cities, and subtropical Black Sea coastline - Georgia is a wonder for travelers to discover. 

Here are six places in Georgia to add to your radar.

Your taste for adventure isn’t the only thing that’s indulged on a Rocky Mountaineer train journey. Traveling between Vancouver and the Canadian Rockies, what you’ll find on your plate is almost as impressive as what’s outside the glass-dome windows. Delicious multi-course breakfasts and lunches are served on board each day you’re on the train, freshly prepared by Rocky Mountaineer’s professional culinary team. 

The first indication that this will be one delicious journey comes before you even leave the station: raise your glasses for a toast as you’re all welcomed on board! Those traveling in GoldLeaf Service are divided into two meal seating groups per rail coach and head downstairs to the dedicated dining room. Perusing the menu, you can choose from five different main courses at each meal. Those in SilverLeaf Service choose from two main courses served at your seat. This really is restaurant-quality dining executed on the rails, as you pass through some of the most remote parts of Western Canada. 

Arresting mountain vistas, beautiful sapphire lakes, alpine forestry, and the hope of sighting a bear - this is what we conjure up when we think of the Canadian Rockies.

Boasting four incredible national parks - Banff, Jasper, Yoho, and Kootenay - the Rockies are a haven for wildlife lovers and outdoor enthusiasts. If you’re planning a trip to the Canadian Rockies, then you will want to explore at least one of the national parks.

But which one should you choose? Let’s run over the two most popular parks, Banff and Jasper, to help you make your decision. 
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Almost everyone is feeling cabin fever these days, making it the perfect time to get away and enjoy the great outdoors without leaving the country. There's nothing like taking a deep breath of crisp cold air on the peak of a Colorado mountain before leaping off into the powdery snow.

The best thing about visiting Colorado is the abundance of options that can quickly fill a one- or two-week vacation here. Denver is the premier starting and stopping point. This city can delight every one of all ages, and why not begin the adventure with a pampering spa treatment at the Ritz Carlton, where the aromas of vanilla, rosewood, and cedar will refresh your senses. After sampling just some of what this great city offers, the mountains beckon.
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I hope you all have a very happy holiday!  We are coming to the close of 2020. I know many of us cannot wait for this year to be over, but there is always something to cherish from the year gone past.  For me, it was time to connect with my girls and my parents.  As we reflect on what 2020 brought to us both personally and professionally, we can focus on the positive things, bless the negative, and move forward.  There indeed were challenges, but through challenge comes resilience and strength.  
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Well, here we are in the week before Christmas 2020. Despite the chaos and uncertainty of the year, the holidays came quickly. I hope everyone is ready for the holidays.  This year’s Christmas traditions will look different for all of us. We will miss our Christmas Eve together with my parents, my girl’s Nana, and aunts, uncles, and cousins.  But my girls and I plan to begin a new tradition on Christmas eve of making pasta for us to enjoy on Christmas Day.  
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​Our holidays may feel quieter this year, but that’s all the more reason to try to make them even more special. Both Hannukah and Christmas are a chance to celebrate and be thankful for our loved ones - even if we can’t necessarily see them all this year. 

I’m optimistic that soon, we will be able to travel again. In the meantime, I’ve rounded up some of the most interesting holiday traditions from around the world. Perhaps you can work some of these into your own celebrations this year.

Colombia

Some Jewish communities in Colombia, such as Chavurah Shirat Hayyam, have started introducing patacones to the Hannukkah feast. These fried plantains have replaced the classic latkes.

Last month, Stephen Batjiaka from AMA Waterways and myself teamed up to talk about our European river cruises. 

Thank you to everyone who tuned in for these special virtual events. Steve and I discussed what to expect on these vacations and shared highlights from our own experiences of life on board. In case you missed it, here are the key takeaways from our presentation. 

River cruises with AmaWaterways

​“Oceans take you to countries, rivers take you through them” 
- Jimmy Murphy, co-founder of AmaWaterways

That’s the essence of a river cruise with AmaWaterways! These culturally immersive trips take you into the heart of Europe, where you can experience architecture, heritage, gastronomy, and local life. 

When you venture off from the Rhine River to drive inland to the Alsace Wine region of France, you will discover the charm of Medieval Chateaux and Renaissance houses along this easy route.  The countryside was beautiful even when the weather is rainy.  Once off the highway, you encounter narrow streets with the Vosges Mountains as the backdrop.  These quaint towns are filled with vineyards, beautiful churches, and many old buildings.  One bridge we drove through was so narrow that the bus only had inches on each side to navigate, glad I was not driving.
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This November is a time for gratitude and being thankful for all that we have in our lives, especially after the last nine months of 2020.  With Thanksgiving next week, I wanted to share with you all that I am thankful for in my life and I hope you have time to reflect on the things you are grateful for in your life. 

My Daughters -  I am thankful for the time given to my daughters and me this year to spend together.  We could slow down and have quality time together that we may not have been giving in a normal year.  I know that I look at the future past the pandemic and hope that this time together will be a regular event and not just in 2020.  

My Parents -  I am thankful that my parents have stayed safe during this pandemic.  I know it has been hard for them not to see myself, their granddaughters, and their friends as often as they would have in a typical year, but their staying healthy and safe is more important than gathering together.  
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