by Jan Mauer | Jan 18, 2011 | European Travel, Travel Adventures
If you live in the northeast U.S. like I do you definitely experience four distinct seasons. Each season has pros and cons, but people around here seem to complain mostly about winter. It’s cold, it can be dreary (if you let it) and that pretty white stuff can cause havoc when driving. I say the best way to get through winter is to get moving! Take up a winter sport, get outdoors and enjoy your winter wonderland! Growing up in the Rockies, I had the wonderful opportunity to learn how to ski when I was young and have been skiing ever since. Of course that means ski trips to incredible ski destinations not only in our country, but to the Alps in Europe as well. One of the most awesome ski trips I ever took was to Davos, Switzerland. Davos is one of Europe’s most celebrated resorts. It’s linked to neighboring Klosters and especially popular with snow boarders. You fly into Zurich Airport to get there. It is a municipality in the district of Prättigau/Davos in the canton of Graubünden, Switzerland. It is located on the Landwasser River, in the Swiss Alps, between the Plessur and Albula Range. At 1,560 meters (5,118 ft), it is the highest city in Europe. Davos is also host to the World Economic Forum (WEF), an annual meeting of global political and business elites (often referred to simply as Davos) as well as the home of a huge ski resort. We arrived in Zurich after a short flight from the East Coast and took a motor coach to Davos. Arriving in Davos we saw... by Jan Mauer | Jan 11, 2011 | European Travel, Travel Adventures
Have you ever visited a city and felt so comfortable there you wished you lived there? That’s how I feel about Paris, France. As a young adult, I lived in Avignon in Provence, France for several months and spent many week-ends visiting Paris. Every trip to Paris was like visiting an old friend. Since I speak French – enough to get by – I find the people and ambiance of Paris exhilarating! Each person I meet there has a clear purpose. They savor every morsel of food they eat. They cherish every sip of wine they taste. Their love of fashion is engrained in the French. It is not uncommon for men and women to be dressed to the nines simply walking to the boulangerie to purchase their daily baguette. Most French men and women are very mindful of Parisian fashion! I love this city so much that I visit as often as I am able! My most recent trip was a long week-end in early December, 2010. It was just as beautiful then as it was the last time I visited with all the bright holiday lights and decorations, the crisp, cool weather with the smell of chestnuts roasting in the air. Paris is the capital and largest city in France and many think it is one of the most influential cities in Europe. With many attractions, museums and art galleries with beautiful parks and magnificent gardens, Paris offers so much to see and do year round. The architecture is incredible. The scenery is beautiful. The food is phenomenal! Paris emits an air of romance! It is one... 
