From Texas to Beyond

Local, Near and Far: Our journey of exploring the world.

Category: Itineraries (Page 2 of 5)

Sunset Over Dubrovnik from Mount Srd
Sunset Over Dubrovnik from Mount Srd

Why We Went to Slovenia and Croatia

November 16, 2015 / / 0 Comments

David and I wanted to make a “last hurrah” trip before our new addition to the family arrived.  We knew, at least for a while, travel would look a little different for us with a baby boy in tow.  We couldn’t swing Iceland, a place top on my list, so after some research, we headed to Slovenia and Croatia (and a long layover in Madrid).  Both before and after our journey, the predominant question from friends, family and strangers was, “Why the hee-haw did y’all go there?”  (That is the Rebekah version of the question.)

David & Rebekah at Bled Castle, Slovenia

David & Rebekah at Bled Castle

Four Reasons…

1. I saw a Rick Steves show on Lake Bled in Slovenia and thought it looked enchanting.

2. A friend had visited Plitvice Lakes, and immediately I added it on my bucket list.

3. I wanted to experience something new that I had little or no prior context.

4. David had really enjoyed delving into Central Europe during our previous trip to Prague, and we wanted to explore more of this delightful region.

Veliki Slap Falls at Lake Plitvice National Park

Veliki Slap Falls at Lake Plitvice National Park

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Prishtina, Kosovo - Skenderbeu Square in Downtown Prishtina
Skenderbeu Square in Downtown Prishtina

Why You Should Visit Kosovo: Prishtina

November 9, 2015 / / 0 Comments

Guest Blogger and my good friend John Seale bring us a four part series on his recent journeys, beginning with a brief layover in Vienna and continuing today in Prishtina, Kosovo. John is one of my frequent travel partners, from across Texas to the other side of the world (2 trips to Kenya). From Texas to Beyond is excited to bring you his unique perspectives on travel, along with some fascinating locations in Kosovo and Albania.

Europe is a small continent where numerous ethnic groups are smashed together in close proximity. The Balkans are the same way, but on an even smaller scale. The sheer number of countries that Yugoslavia broke into (7) tells you how diverse the region is. My wife and I had the opportunity to visit Kosovo and Albania in 2015, as my sister has lived there for a number of years. Kosovo is ethnically and linguistically Albanian, but for several years it was yoked with Serbia, with whom they share almost nothing except mutual dislike. Since their independence, Kosovo is now a nearly unknown destination for tourists.

Prishtina, Kosovo - The Newborn Statue, a Make-Your-Own-Art Kind of Thing

The Newborn Statue, a Make-Your-Own-Art Kind of Thing

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Panoramic View of Paris From the Top of the Arc de Triomphe

Paris City Overview

September 29, 2015 / / 2 Comments

On the final leg of a European vacation, Rebekah and I flew from Prague to Paris on EasyJet, one of many budget flight operators in Europe. We found that flying was the easiest and cheapest way for us to connect from Czech Republic to France.

Detail of the Eiffel Tower

Detail of the Eiffel Tower

While one of the primary reasons for visiting Paris was a convenient direct flight home to DFW using frequent flyer miles, I was excited to experience first-hand the magic of Paris. Rebekah visited Paris on a multi-day layover before we were married, but was eager to share this enchanted city with me. Playing the part of tour guide, Rebekah planned our itinerary based on her prior knowledge of this massive city.

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In Case You Missed It…Kansas City, MO

September 26, 2015 / / 0 Comments

Every couple weeks we’ll be collecting links from past posts grouped together by location; we thought it handy to have everything in one convenient location as you plan your upcoming travels. Not long ago, we featured a series on Kansas City, MO so here’s your recap:img_1304

Kansas City, MO Overview: Explore my (Rachel) hometown of Kansas City, MO with us on our series that features this quintessential Midwestern town.

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The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art: One of the most amazing museums in the country, the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art has some of the finest pieces you will find anywhere

 

 

Gates Bar-B-Q: Gates Bar-B-Q is dedicated to family traditions, friendly customer service, and delicious sauces, meats, and
barbeque in Kansas City.img_2076 copy

Kansas City Union Station: Kansas City Union Station is full of history, beautiful architecture, and is definitely worth the stop to marvel at the grandeur of this iconic Kansas City building.

IMG_1233Harley-Davidson Factory Tour: A great way to spend time in Kansas City is by exploring the great tours offered by the Harley-Davidson Factory.

Country Club Plaza: “The Plaza” in Kansas City is a swanky district known for its fine dining, upscale shopping, chic hotels, and location for many annual events.

National World War I Museum & Memorial: The National World War I Museum & Memorial is a beautiful piece of Kansas City history and architecture built to honor those who gave their lives in the Great War.

WW1-3

 

Austrian National Library on the Heldenplatz
Austrian National Library on the Heldenplatz

Layover: Vienna in an Afternoon

September 24, 2015 / / 0 Comments

Today, I proudly introduce our first Guest Blogger and my good friend, John Seale. John is one of my frequent travel partners, from across Texas to the other side of the world (2 trips to Kenya). From Texas to Beyond is excited to bring you his unique perspectives on travel, along with some fascinating locations. In this four part series, John takes us to Vienna, Austria, after which he leaves the conventional European vacation behind with destinations in Kosovo and Albania.

My wife Katie and I planned nearly the perfect itinerary for a three-destination trip. The weak Euro was making European travel cheap, and the threat of terrorism was making Kenyan travel cheap, so we were combining a visit to my sister with a visit to a former ministry I volunteered with for years. Most of our long-hauls were overnights so we could sleep, and we even had a long layover in Chicago, where my wife has family.

The only problem was a long layover in Vienna, Austria. Unfortunately long, really – over 9 hours. I’ve done my fair share of long layovers in airports, and nobody likes them. Naturally, therefore, I started looking to see if it was enough time to have a valuable visit to this beautiful, historic city. Turns out, it was plenty of time, and I’m here now to share how we did it and how you can make it work on your long layover too. Continue reading

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