Travel
Detailed travel logs and trip journals live here. Expect day‑by‑day itineraries (e.g., our Switzerland & Italy trip) with weather notes, meals and family anecdotes, plus posts on museum visits, road‑trips and cruises.
- Mazie goes for a short run. Tammy a walk for last morning treats.
- Breakfast at hotel.
- Taxi pickup at 9:00 AM. John, our taxi driver shares many stories from his life. Highlights include patio project gone awry by Mick, his wife Pam, his cute grandson that lives with him, and much more.
- Check-in and check bags. Compared to day 1: Tammy 23.9kg — 0.1 kg under limit (52.7 lbs ⬆️ 4.7 lbs), Jamie 19.9kg (43.9 lbs ⬆️ 1.9 lbs), Mazie 18.2kg (40.1 lbs ⬆️ 5.1 lbs), and Tyler 16.9kg (37.3 lbs ⬆️ 6.3 lbs). Total of 174 lbs luggage.
- Stop at Butler’s Chocolates and get Caramel Squares that Tammy tried to get that morning but they didn’t have.
- Cleared US Customs.
- DL115 from DUB to MSP. ✈️
- Land in MSP. Bumpy ride and landing.
- Lyft home!
- Tammy and Mazie go for their runs in Dublin. Jamie does blog posts.
- Breakfast at hotel.
- Walk to Tara Street Station and take Greystones Dart train to Dalkey.
- Get off in Dalkey and walk to Dalkey Castle. Stop in The Gutter Bookshop on the way. Cappuccino at Thyme Out.
- Dalkey Castle tour.
- Explore stores in Dalkey: Hark, Papermint Store.
- Shared lunch at Finnegans of Dalkey.
- Walk to pier.
- Have Ken the Ferryman take us to Dalkey Island.
- Explore Dalkey Island.
- Return back with Ken.
- Afternoon treats at Thyme Out: Salted Caramel Bar, Carrot Cake.
- Afternoon gelato for Jamie.
- Explore downtown Dalkey.
- Return to Hark for Mouni and Gutter Bookshop for “Duffy and Son”.
- Take Howth Dart train from Dalkey back to Tara Street Station.
- Walk back to Hard Rock Dublin to change for evening.
- Went to Bunsen for delicious burgers after trying them on day 15.
- Walked into Temple Bar for one song and then proceeded to O’Donoghues.
- Listened to traditional music set at O’Donoghues.
- Walked back to Temple Bar for one final set of music.
- Walk back to Hard Rock Dublin for the night.
- Breakfast at the hotel.
- Figured out Dublin bus logistics.
- Took C2 bus from Wellington Quay (stop 312) to South Circular Road.
- Guided tour of Kilmainhham Gaol Museum.
- Walked to Guinness Storehouse experience at St. James Gate.
- Lunch at 1837 Bar & Braserie.
- Took cab to Windmill Lane Studios for very cool tour.
- Walked to Trinity College to see the Book of Kells.
- Walked back toward hotel and explored Grafton Street and got some truffles at Butler’s Chocolates.
- Got to hotel and cleaned up for dinner.
- Special Father’s Day dinner at F. X. Buckley on Crow Street. Delicious steaks.
- Return to Cloud Nine for Tyler to get a crêpe and Tammy and Mazie an ice cream.
- Stop quickly at the hotel to change clothes.
- Walk to Darkey Kelly’s for some traditional music.
- Four piece band playing with a lot of issues with their microphones.
- Return to the hotel. Everyone tired.
- Depart Tubbrid Castle at 8:44 AM.
- Drive to Dublin.
- Pastries at Bua Coffee trailer.
- Took class at Experience Gaelic Games and learn Handball, Hurling, and Gaelic Football.
- Scup Ice Cream.
- Fill up rental car with gas.
- Return rental car in great shape — no scratches and no damage.
- Get taxi to Hard Rock Hotel Dublin. Luggage barely fits in the taxi.
- Delicious pizza at Pi PIzza.
- Experience EPIC: Irish Emigration Museum.
- Walk back to Temple Bar district.
- Tyler and Jamie get crêpes at Cloud Nine Temple Bar.
- Jamie gets a pint of Guinness at Norseman Temple Bar.
- Jamie, Tammy, and Tyler share a double cheeseburger from Bunsen and are floored at how good it is.
- Tammy and Mazie go for a walk.
- Pack up suitcases for journey home
- Breakfast at hotel
- Taxi to Florence Airport
- Tyler forgets Pokémon gifts in airport at another gate and runs back and is able to recover them right before we board. 😳
- KLM 1642 City Hopper flight to Amsterdam
- Flight delayed over 40 mins due to baggage loading issues. Anxious with an already short transfer to next flight.
- Another Amazing Race experience as we dashed from the Cityhopper late arrival to gate D47 with only 25 minutes to departure. Cleared passport control on super-fast-cut-in-front-of-everyone and were the last four welcomed onto the plane by the KLM gate agent waving us along! 🏃🏼♀️🏃🏼♂️🏃🏼♀️🏃🏼♂️
- Delta 165 to Minneapolis landed at 5p CT
- Lyft ride home
- Home Sweet Home!
- Breakfast at hotel
- Walk to cooking class pickup
- Ride to Accidental Tourist villa
- Pasta cooking class in Tuscan Countryside with Accidental Tourist
- Ride back to pickup location
- walk to hotel
- Cool down, freshen up
- Taxi to Chalet Fontana to get olive oil and honey, but they don’t sell their honey ☹️🍯
- Walk back to hotel with “The Struggle”
- Cool down and freshen up
- get gelato at Venchi
- Help Angie get pool open over FaceTime
- Walk around and shopping
- Tammy and Mazie purchased matching linen shirts
- Dinner at New Bridge pizza with Moscato d’Asti
- Stroll around Duomo and take in last scenes of Florence at night
- Return to hotel
- 😴
- Breakfast at hotel
- Short walk to meeting point for David and Duomo VIP Walking Tour
- Viewing of Michelangelo’s David
- Tour of Duomo of Florence
- Walk to special tour of rooftop terrace of Duomo
- Walk up to tour dome of the Duomo which triggers fear of heights and makes all but Mazie turn down before proceeding to the top of the dome.
- Mazie solo visits the top of the Duomo Dome.
- Mazie’s trek to the top of the Dome is extended due to a dignitary from China visiting Duomo
- We all collect together and get Gelato at Venchi and Tyler chooses a crêpe instead
- Lunch at Central Market: Tyler gets smashburger, Jamie gets Tagliatelli with truffle sauce, Mazie and Tammy split caprese panini.
- E-bike Florence & Taste of Tuscany with We Like Tuscany
- Stop at Chalet Fontana for Olive Oil tasting.
- Walk back to hotel to freshen up and quick change
- Ristorante Natalino for Bistecca which is giant and very rare. Mazie gets the House Lasagna and likes it but it is very different than what we usually have for lasagna. Tyler has more pasta with butter.
- After dinner Gelato at Rivareno, again Tyler gets a crêpe and this time with two scoops of gelato as well.
- Slow walk back to hotel
- Stop at Venchi for some after dinner chocolate for Mazie and Jamie
- Bad restaurant choice for crêpes at breakfast, but had nice seating in the shade
- Much better choice for pastries at Pasticceria Giovanni
- Return to Combo Hotel to get luggage
- Attempt to recreate photo from our wedding.
- Water taxi to Venice train station
- Train 8929 to Florence
- Walk from train station to Arté Boutique Hotel with our luggage
- Get checked into hotel, first hotel where we are all in the same room on this trip
- Walk to meeting point for our evening Pizza and Gelato class
- Recreate photo from our wedding in celebration of our 21st Anniversary!
- Take bus few minutes out of Florence into Tuscan hills
- Great time at Pizza and Gelato Cooking Class: Tammy and Jamie make Stracciatella and Mazie and Tyler make Pistachio gelato. Everyone makes Margarita pizzas, except Jamie with sausage and spiced oil.
- Take bus back to Florence
- Walk back to hotel
- 😴
- Underwhelming breakfast at combo hotel
- Walk to Lagoon Excursion: Murano Glass, Burano and Wine
- Took boat to Burano with Christiano, Aubrey, and Ozzie on the special local route
- Admire Burano lace and watch one of the last 7 remaining lacemakers at work
- Rainbow of colorful houses
- Enjoy a ton of unique Venetian cookies: chocolate chip, coconut, apricot, and Nutella
- Sample tomato, basil, and cream cheese chicchetti as a pre-wine appetizer
- Walk around Vinezza vineyard and learn about the struggles of the high ground and low ground grapes
- Sample Venuza and Veniza wines
- Boat to neighboring Murano island
- Glass blowing and sculpting demonstration
- Explore the many various glass shops/factories in Murano
- Boat back to Venice and say goodbye to Christiano
- Walk to a pizza/ panini hole in the wall spot recommended by Christiano
- Meander back to hotel and stop at Time bakery for some Doja bread and cream puffs
- Pit stop at hotel: Jamie stays behind to update YNAB while Tammy, Mazie, and Tyler venture out to explore hundreds of secret alleys in the city
- Tyler buys Real Madrid jersey at soccer shop
- Meet up at Birraria La Corte for dinner
- Delicious bread, pizza, olive oil, Parmesan cheese, tiramisu, biscuit and marscapone cream basket, and panna cotta
- Walk back to Hotel
- Chill
- Depart Guarda and take bus to train station
- Take train to Funicular.
- Guide Dave gets a lot of static from the conductor about having the wrong tickets.
- German lady that moved to Switzerland sits across from Tammy and I and starts a lengthy conversation with Tammy.
- Arrive at funicular and take it 1,000 feet up to start hike.
- Huge climb up to Segantini Hütte.
- Delicious lunch. I had Barley Soup.
- Hike traverse from hut through rock field and take upper trail.
- Mad rush down to chair lift before storm shows up and possibly shuts lift down.
- Get on lift and have a slow, cold, stormy, raining, anxiety producing lift ride.
- Rainy walk to hotel.
- Attempt to get cash and fail.
- Shop.
- Dinner at restaurant.
- Downtime in room.
- Jamie realizes that he has lost his wallet and that sort of sucks a bunch.
- Breakfast.
- Jamie asks front desk person to see if they can help with locating wallet. They have some ideas.
- Dave, one of our guides, attempts to find Jamie’s lost wallet by going back to the train station at Ardez. Sadly no luck.
- We take off for todays hike up to Piz Buin.
- Everyone else hikes down on the service road, Jamie takes a mountain scooter and has a blast.
- Jamie gets back early and decides wallet search is over. It is lost, time to move on.
- Tammy and Mazie explore the town and Tammy has an amazing find! 🤩
- Cold therapy for our tired feet.
- Nice dinner at Meisser Hotel.
- Cool evening back in the room, getting ready for an earlier morning tomorrow.
- Breakfast at Hotel Guardaval
- Depart at 9a for day of hiking
- Hike Scuol to Guarda. We ended hike at Ardez and took train and bus to Hotel Messier in Guarda
- Relax with Coca Cola on terrace of Hotel Messier
- Delicious dinner at Hotel Messier
- Breakfast at Motel One
- Took Tram with luggage to Zurich HB
- Stored luggage at station (23-06, 23-09)
- S24 train to Kilchberg
- Visit Lindt Home of Chocolate
- S8 train back to Zurich HB
- Quickly retrieve luggage from storage, only 15 min stop
- Boarded IC909 to Landquart
- Transfer traina to Scuol
- Tammy published her first blog post in over 11 years! 🤩
- Taxi to Hotel Guardaval in Scuol
- Walk around Scuol a bit
- Meet fellow hikers and guides Dave and Erik for dinner
- Delicious four course dinner at hotel
Ireland 2024 Index
In the spirit of Harper’s Index, for our Ireland trip.
Kilometer driven: 1,907
Damages to car: none
National Parks visited: 1
Bicycles rented: 8
Killarney National Park, Aran Islands
Fish & Chips ordered: 18
Four orders unless otherwise noted:
Kitty O'Se's (day 3),
Namir's (day 5),
McGanns Pub (1, day 6),
Ivy Cottage (day 7),
Gus O'Connors (1, day 8),
Rusty Mackerel (1, day 10),
Titanic Hotel (2, day 12),
Finnegans of Dalkey (1, day 17).
Blog posts: 110
Pints of Guinness for Jamie: 16
One pint unless otherwise noted:
Hilliards (day 2),
O'Connors Traditional Irish Pub (day 3),
Kate Kearney's Cottage (day 4),
McMunn's of Ballybunion (day 5),
McGanns Pub (2, day 6),
Joe Watty's Bar & Restaurant (0.5, day 7),
Gus O'Connors (day 8),
Hot Tub at Cria Lodge (day 9),
Rusty Mackerel (day 10),
Whoriskey's Pub (day 11),
Titanic Hotel (0.5, day 12),
The Field Bar (day 14),
Norseman Temple Bar (day 15),
Guinness Storehouse (2, day 16),
O'Donoghues (day 17).
Castles stayed in: 1
Airbnbs Stayed: 5 for 12 nights total
Town Centre: Tiġ 13,
Beach: Breakers Beach House,
Cottage: Cottage at Doonagore Castle,
Farm: Cria Lodge,
Castle: Tubbrid Castle
Hotels stayed in: 2
Titanic Hotel,
Hard Rock Dublin.
Islands visited: 2
Inis Mór,
Dalkey Island
Wool sweaters purchased: 7
Tammy: 4, Mazie: 2, Jamie: 1, Tyler: 0
Museums visited: 3 Titanic Museum, EPIC: The Irish Emigration Museum, Kilmainham Gaol Museum
Photos taken: 1,648
Boats traveled on: 4
Gap of Dunloe Boat Tour (day 4),
Doolin Ferry (day 7),
Paddy's Sliabh League Tour (day 10),
Ken the Ferry Man (day 17)
Weight of luggage: 174 lbs
Part of the Ireland 2024 Collection.
Ireland 2024 Log - Day 18
Weather: Very nice, cool morning. Super humid in Minneapolis.
Jump to day 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18 or see Ireland 2024 Collection.
Ireland 2024 Log - Day 17
Weather: Another beautiful day. No jackets needed. No rain. Periods of sunshine.
Our last full day in Ireland.
Jump to day 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18 or see Ireland 2024 Collection.
Ireland 2024 Log - Day 16
Weather: Great weather. Maybe the best day we’ve had.
Jump to day 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18 or see Ireland 2024 Collection.
Ireland 2024 Log - Day 15
Weather: Excellent day. Warmer day today.
Jump to day 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18 or see Ireland 2024 Collection.
Milwaukee Art Museum
The Milwaukee Art Museum was incredible. It was one of our favorite art museums that we have ever been to. Incredible art set in an incredible museum.
Part of the Milwaukee Spring Break collection.
Had a great time at Big Cedar Lodge and driving home today. Departed at 6:40 am after being the first customers at Truman’s cafe for coffee. 9 hours of driving with a couple stops on the way. Final total of 1,338 miles in four days!
We had a great fall cruise on the Lady Liberty at Big Cedar. I live boat cruises. Fall colors are a little late this year. 🍂
We had a fun round of mini golf this morning at Big Cedar. Great course and the large bass was a nice signature hole! 🕳️
Switzerland & Italy Log - Day 17
Weather: Warm morning in Florence. Airports fine.
Jump to day 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17 or Switzerland & Italy 2023 collection.
Switzerland & Italy Log - Day 16
Weather: Hot and sunny.
Jump to day 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17 or Switzerland & Italy 2023 collection.
Switzerland & Italy Log - Day 15
Weather: Warm and cloudy in the morning. Hotter and sunnier in the afternoon.
Jump to day 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17 or Switzerland & Italy 2023 collection.
Switzerland & Italy Log - Day 14
Weather: Cool morning in Venice. Very nice. Much warmer in Florence in the evening. Nice in the shade.
Jump to day 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17 or Switzerland & Italy 2023 collection.
Switzerland & Italy Log - Day 13
Weather: Warm and sunny, cool evening
Jump to day 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17 or Switzerland & Italy 2023 collection.
Hike to Soglio
Our sixth and final day of hiking into the beautiful town of Soglio.
Part of Switzerland & Italy 2023 collection. Also see Casaccia to Soglio from Europe 2004 Collection collection.
Switzerland & Italy Log - Day 5
Weather: Cooler day. Very windy on the mountains today. Raced to chair lift before storm and lightning arrived.
Jump to day 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17 or Switzerland & Italy 2023 collection.
Switzerland & Italy Log - Day 4
Weather: Hot and sunny in the morning. Day cooled off a bit and was nicer in the mountains. Evening cool.
Jump to day 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17 or Switzerland & Italy 2023 collection.
Switzerland & Italy Log - Day 3
Weather: Warm and sunny. Cooler in mountains but still hot and sunny at prime of day. Evening clouds and breeze with much cooler temps.
Jump to day 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17 or Switzerland & Italy 2023 collection.
Switzerland & Italy Log - Day 2
Weather: Hot and Sunny.
Jump to day 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17 or Switzerland & Italy 2023 collection.