Celebrating the Cows Coming Home
A beautiful tradition takes place every fall in many Alpine villages across Europe. Around the end of August and beginning of September, the cattle that feed high up on the Alpine pastures during the summer start coming back down to the valleys for the winter. Right before they depart their pastures high up in the Alps, the cows are adorned with elaborate wreaths and headdress full of colorful flowers and ribbons. As they make their way through the village in a parade, the cl
Matterhorn's Majesty: Exploring the Zermatt area
One of the world's most beautiful mountains with its unique near-symmetrical pyramidal shape rises above the village of Zermatt in the southern part of Switzerland. Matterhorn itself actually straddles both the countries of Switzerland and Italy from the other side (known as Cervino on the Italian side). The only place from which the mountain can be seen in its full beauty is the car-free village of Zermatt. The drive from the nearest large city, Visp, winds up curving roads
Matterhorn UltraK: Running Uphill In Honor of Dad
Ten summers ago, my dad and I stood at the top of the Gornergrat train station admiring the snow-capped peaks around us, hoping that the clouds would give way to a clear view of the Matterhorn.
The clouds eventually retreated into other corners of the sky to reveal an unobstructed view from the valley below. In awe, we gazed at the full pyramidal shaped magnificence of the Matterhorn in front of us. Dad had a special love for the Matterhorn. Since his passing, I have felt a
Magical Mornings: Alpine Awakenings
Mornings have always been my favorite time of day – the whole world awakening from their deep slumber, the sun coming back to shine its rays on everything, the morning dew sparkling with love, the cool fresh air, the possibilities that lie ahead… How much more gorgeous could mornings get than these views? Heaven has never been closer than living right here on this planet of green and blue.
Abundance is simply the awareness that all we need to exist is already around us
and
A First-timer's Paragliding Experience: Why Run When You Can Fly?
"What if I fall? Oh but my darling what if you fly?" It was one of those things that's been on my bucket list for years, yet whenever we were in a location that would be ideal for it, I always found some excuse for not going through with it. However after finally mustering up the courage and deciding that it's worth the cost, I can only say that my first time flying high above the Alps was so amazing that I am hooked and look forward to experiencing more tandem flights in the
GALLERY: Austrian Alps' Awesomeness
Rugged and wild mountain peaks, fields of vibrant Alpine flowers, streams of fresh water from the glaciers, sounds of cowbells, steep climbs up winding paths, and eerie yet divine silence near the summits. The Austrian Alps present awe and magnificence at every turn.
Here is a collection of some of my favorite shots from my countless hikes through the area near Sankt Johann. A gorgeous hike near Wilder Kaiser (from Sankt Johann): Hikes from Sankt Johann up to the cable car s
Zell am See: Turquoise Lake Nestled in the Alps
During our stay in Austria, we got to visit Zell am See a few times as it was only a 45 minute train ride from where we were staying. When we first rode the train from Sankt Johann to Salzburg on a sunny day, we noticed its bright turquoise color and its beautiful surroundings and knew we had to stop there at some point. We spent a day by the lake on one of our days off and then one afternoon after work when I went paragliding. The village is a decent size, not too big to whe
Salzburg: Mozart, Music & Marzipan
"Neither a lofty degree of intelligence nor imagination nor both together go to the making of genius. Love, love, love, that is the soul of genius." - Mozart 🎶 Some of the cities that are widely talked about can be overrated - Salzburg is not one of them.This city deserves all the attention it gets as one of the best cities to visit in Austria (perhaps even in Europe): elegant, charming, full of history, culture, and surrounded by gorgeous mountains and natural sights. Like
GALLERY: Exploring Sankt Johann
Sankt Johann is a town in the northern part of Austria, in the district of Tyrol. Called the hub of the Kitzbüheler Alpen, it is alive with culture as many events happen in the heart of its lovely town square. The Wilder Kaiser mountains and the Kitzbüheler Horn surround the town, creating a picturesque setting in the middle of the Alps. In addition to the ski area on the Kitzbüheler Horn, there are countless hiking trails that originate nearby, providing year-round entertain
