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Inside Hillwood Estate: Fabergé Eggs, Russian Royalty, and One Remarkable Woman

Inside Hillwood Estate: Fabergé Eggs, Russian Royalty, and One Remarkable Woman

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Bahama Mama

To wrap up an already a packed year with some sun and laughter, we went sailing in Bahamas with a group of friends for a couple of weeks.  No, of course we didn’t sail the 700 islands and God knows how many cays that made up this beautiful island nation. We chose Great Abaco and its surrounding cays instead, mainly to avoid the crowds of Nassau while still being able to explore towns and enjoy…

Bahama Mama

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Sailing 101 for Couples

Sailing 101 for Couples

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3 Days in Chios – Mastic, Citrus, and Stone Villages

3 Days in Chios – Mastic, Citrus, and Stone Villages

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Waves, Winds, and the Beautiful Mess of Living on a Boat

Summer is ending. With it, another season on Vagabond is wrapping up. From endless horizons to cramped cabins, boat life has its ups and downs. I started thinking about what I love about living on a boat… and the things I definitely won’t miss. My absolute favorites : – Waking up at some bay and just gazing around. But no deliberate thinking please. Thinking ruins it. – First morning…

Waves, Winds, and the Beautiful Mess of Living on a Boat

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Anastasiapolis: The Lost City of Kissebükü

Have you ever seen an ancient city come back to life, like a phoenix rising from its ashes? We have — together with fellow sailors, and of course the archaeologists — watching it return, stone by stone, year after year. Kissebükü – drone shot from 2017 About twenty nautical miles east of Bodrum, at the wide, open mouth of mighty Gökova, lies a bay called Alakışla / Kissebükü. Broad enough to…

Anastasiapolis: The Lost City of Kissebükü

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Leros

Some islands steal your breath the moment you arrive. Others, like Leros, take their time—working their way into your heart little by little. By the time you leave, you realize you’re hooked. Leros is that kind of island. Castle & Windmills & Boats August in the Aegean can be super windy, and this season was one of the harshest I’ve seen. We weathered three or four storms tucked safely into…

Leros

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Postcards from Fiji

Fiji is an archipelago of over 330 islands—about a third of them inhabited—scattered across the South Pacific. Although its total land area is relatively small, its maritime territory spans more than 1.2 million square kilometers, making Fiji a significant player in Pacific marine conservation and ocean governance. The two largest islands—Viti Levu and Vanua Levu—are home to most of the…

Postcards from Fiji

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Ephesus After Dark: Starry Nights and Cool Stones

Nestled along Turkey’s Aegean coast, Ephesus is not just a UNESCO World Heritage Site—it’s one of my all-time favorite places. As one of the best-preserved ancient cities in the Mediterranean, it stands as a living chronicle of civilizations.  Whenever I wander through ancient ruins, I try to picture them at their most vibrant—alive with voices, movement, and daily life. What was it like to…

Ephesus After Dark: Starry Nights and Cool Stones

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Raiatea - The Sacred Heart of Polynesia

Last year, we spent some time in the Pacific—a time and place I’ll never forget.  Arriving at Raiatea The Pacific Ocean mesmerized me for its vastness, stretching endlessly into the horizon, where the sky melts into thousand shades of blue. It has a way of keeping you on your toes—one minute it’s calm and serene, the next it’s wild and unpredictable, reminding you who’s really in charge. The…

Raiatea - The Sacred Heart of Polynesia

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Layers of Jordan

Jordan is a country of layers. Although the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan is relatively young, gaining her independence in 1946, people were living in those lands since the Paleolithic ages. Old Arab Kingdoms, Alexander the Great, Romans, Islamic Caliphates, Crusaders and Ottomans controlled these lands one after the other.  The Jordanian flag incorporates the typical Islamic colors and…

Layers of Jordan

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Moorea - the island of humpbacks

One of the best things about Tahiti is its sister island, Moorea. Not only it provides a beautiful backdrop to the gorgeous Tahitian sunsets, it is also one of the most stunning islands I have ever been. Going there is easy, there are several ferry companies that make the 11 mile crossing several times a day. They differ in price and speed. You don’t have to reserve in advance if you don’t have…

Moorea - the island of humpbacks

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Ia orana, Tahiti 

I always wanted to visit the Pacific. Just hearing the names of the places like Tahiti, Bora Bora and Tonga make my mind go overdrive and my heart miss a beat. Around a year ago, with a few good friends, we’ve decided to go on a Pacific adventure. We would do some island hopping, some sailing and some cruising.  Sun setting over Pacific After endless hours of planning, checking the flight…

Ia orana, Tahiti 

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Martinique

Martinique is an island with many nicknames; ‘the Island of Flowers’, ‘The French Caribbean Gem’ , ‘The Blue Paradise’ … All ring true of course. But for me, it’s the island of gorgeous sunsets, beautiful people and endless ‘Anse’s (coves). Sunsets @ Anse Mitan And, yes, an incredible combo of French & Creole culture. Some basics first : Martinique is an Overseas Territory of France, in West…

Martinique

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Guadeloupe - wings of a butterfly

Guadeloupe is completely unique, beautiful and huge. That is, compared to most of the Caribbean islands. In shape and color it resembles a giant green-gold butterfly, drifting lazily; the green comes from the heavy cover of vegetation, the gold from the constant play of sunlight and hectares of banana plantations. Sunset @ Deshais Guadeloupe is really two islands with the two butterfly wings…

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Discovering Saint Barth

Nestled in the azure embrace of the Caribbean Sea, Saint Barthélemy, or Saint Barth for short, is a captivating gem waiting to be explored. The name of the island, at least in my mind, was synonymous with rich and beautiful, mega yatches and super models; but to my delight, on a recent sailing trip to the French Indies, I found it quite charming and sailor-friendly as well. Like all Caribbean…

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Paragliding at Lac d’Annecy

My husband and I share a birthday. Which is not especially fun for me, but very convenient for him 😉. Lac d’Annecy We were at Annecy for our last birthday. We didn’t plan it that way, we simply happened to visit some friends who bought a chalet there, and invited us over for the weekend. Before that, I knew Annecy as a stop on the TGV Neige on the way to the French Alps. Vieille Ville It…

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