We're on the Road to Everywhere

One of my greatest joys is photographing the places we visit. That probably comes as no surprise to those of you who have followed Carla and me as we have wandered over these past four years. I have been anything but shy about sharing my photos on Facebook, Instagram, and here on the blog, and I love this way of sharing our travels with others.

This is a busy week as we prepare to leave Montenegro and make our way to Greece, so I don’t have the time I usually like to spend refining this week’s blog. Instead, I’m leaving you with a visual parade of photos from our time in Montenegro. It is a gorgeous country, and I believe this little photo exhibition will be well worth your time. Next week, I’ll return to the regular blog. Thanks for understanding, and I hope you enjoy this beautiful visual tour of Montenegro.

Remember that old word from the 1960s . . . vibes? Well, the more Carla and I travel, the more I have come to believe that vibe of a place may be one of the most important parts of whether or not we enjoy being there. Maybe even the most important part.

I write a lot about our travels and how they affect us. For me, sharing our journey is about more than simply telling people where Carla and I are or what we happen to be doing. My hope is that something in it may resonate with you. Maybe it opens you to a place you had never thought of visiting before. Maybe it opens you to a different way of seeing your life. Or maybe it simply puts words to something you have already been feeling and, in that way, offers a little comfort o

Even as Carla and I travel through Europe, we remain very aware of the pain, division, and deep unease so present in the world right now. And sadly, so much of it seems to be coming from our home country, the United States. We do not look away from that, and we do not pretend it is not happening. It saddens us deeply. But travel has also shown us something else, just as clearly: how much beauty, kindness, tenderness, and love are still happening around us every single day.

Split, Croatia has something that matters just as much as beauty, maybe even more. It has an inviting feel. It is easy to feel at home here. The people have been friendly. The city has energy without feeling overwhelming. The promenade is lively and full of life. There is always something happening, always people out walking, sitting, talking, eating, and meeting.

Every evening, as the light softened and the day slowly gave way to night, people in Zadar, Croatia, gathered at the end of the promenade to watch the sun go down, accompanied by the haunting songs of the famous Sea Organ and the glowing light show of the Greeting to the Sun installation. They take their gorgeous sunsets seriously in Zadar, and that alone makes the town worth visiting.

Dubrovnik, Croatia is undeniably beautiful. Nearly every blog post or review about it is glowing, and it is easy to understand why. Its setting on the Adriatic is stunning, the old stone streets are striking, and the famous city walls are among the most intact and impressive in Europe, perhaps even the world. Walking those walls and looking out over the sea and the terracotta rooftops was a memorable experience. And yet . . .

In early April, Carla and I had planned to spend three weeks in Turkey, with time in Istanbul, Cappadocia, and the coastal town of Alaçatı. It was one of the parts of this journey we were most excited about. Turkey offers so much history, culture, and beauty, and we were eager to experience more of it. But over the past several days, we made the difficult decision to cancel that part of our trip. The reason is the war involving the United States, Israel, and Iran.

Just beyond the town, the mountains rise quickly and sit close enough that you can’t ignore them. They’re steep, rugged, and always present. When clouds move in, the peaks disappear. When the sky clears, they return just as suddenly. After a storm, they feel even larger and their color shifts. Their presence changes how you experience the town. You’re constantly aware of the power of the landscape and how surprising it feels to find a place this small and gentle tucked right