Vienna's Schönbrunn Palace: Imperial Splendour

Our first morning in Vienna, Austria, my husband and I were booked by his company to tour the majestic Schönbrunn Palace. The tour promised to expose us to the "Imperial Splendour" that Austria, and Vienna in particular, is famous for.

(The day's agenda was literally titled "Imperial Splendour" so that there would be no mistaking what we were about the experience that morning!)

The incredible Schönbrunn Palace is well-worth a visit if you are ever in Vienna. It is so impressive that it has made it onto the UNESCO World Heritage Site list of attractions, and sees up to 8 million visitors a year - so don't expect to be puttering around the grounds alone! However, just because Schönbrunn Palace is busy does not mean you should skip seeing it.

Attending a Ball at the Hofburg Palace in Vienna, Austria

As a little girl growing up under the influence of Disney princesses and romantic musicals, I always pretended to be a lady of culture attending a fairytale ball. I'd put on my best dress or costume gown, slide into my mother's high heels, and waltz around the kitchen while my parents did their best not to trip over me while they made dinner.

As I aged, I realized that in our modern society, princes inviting all maidens in the land far and wide to cha-cha though his castle is not exactly a common occurrence. In fact, dances of any kind can be a bit difficult to find. In my community, there are lots of charity auctions, gala dinners, and special events, but very rarely do these occasions include a dance of any sort, let alone a ball that matched my vision as a wee girl.

"Do balls even exist anymore?" I wondered, and I truly believed the answer was NO.

But then I went to Vienna, and I attended what felt like a royal ball inside a true-blue palace, where I wore a legitimate ball gown, and for the first time in my life, I actually felt like a Disney princess come to life.

Wandering Old Wardour Castle in Tisbury, England

Recently we were visiting friends who live in Shaftesbury, Dorset in England. Due to a hectic travel schedule involving both Vienna and Venice in under two weeks, my husband and I were only able to stay in England for a few days. The bulk of that time was reserved for catching up with Joey's high school bestie Jason and his wife and kids, as well as a day trip out to Stonehenge, which is about 40 minutes away from Shaftesbury. Needless to say, there wasn't a huge chunk of time left over for travel blog exploration.

But Jason's lovely wife, Emily, was immensely supportive of my travel blog and YouTube channel endeavours, and was excited to show me around the area so that I could make a couple videos and articles during my stay. A BIG shout-out to the beautiful and enthusiastic Emily; we loved staying with them and will hopefully repeat our stay in the near future!

One of the highlights of the Shaftesbury area is the Old Wardour Castle, a lakeside medieval stone ruin that is amazingly picturesque and surprisingly intact despite being partially destroyed during the English Civil War. Emily and I ditched the boys and headed out on a morning girls' trip to the castle to see what we could find.

A Visit to Versailles: Paris' Golden Palace

There are literally hundreds of amazing things to see and do in the vibrant city of Paris, France - the Eiffel Tower, cruising the Seine River, wine tastings, explore the Louvre, and so much more.  But visitors to Paris must also remember to take at least one day and get OUT of the city to stroll the grounds and palace of historical Versailles.  This beautiful feat of architecture is dripping with gold and sprinkled with opulence.

DTWH Featured in "TrekWorld"!

Another exciting announcement for Down the Wrabbit Hole! My Loch Ness post has been featured in the online magazine "TrekWorld" - please go check it out and "like" it, "tweet" it, "stumble" it - whatever you have to do! I have been invited to contribute to the magazine in the future as well, so keep your eyes peeled for more articles and announcements. 

My article featured in "TrekWorld" - A Loch Ness Monster and Castle Quest

Visit Loch Ness and Search for Nessie the Loch Ness Monster

Facts About Loch Ness, Scotland:

1. There is more water in Loch Ness than all the other lakes in England, Scotland and Wales put together.

1. Loch Ness never fully freezes: it is too large and too deep.

1. Because warm water rises, and colder water sinks, in the middle of winter Loch Ness can be seen steaming like a hot tub as the warm water hits the surface.

1. And of course, Loch Ness is infested with a giant, humped-back water monster, nicknamed “Nessie”.  Or is it?

When my husband and I ventured to Scotland this summer, I made it a priority to drive up north to Loch Ness as a part of our adventure. I was determined to stand at the lake’s edge and search for this infamous creature, and see what there was to see.

Top 5 Things to See & Do in Stirling, Scotland

Stirling was an unscheduled stop in our Scotland trip. We were planning on driving through it on the way home from Loch Ness, but ended up staying overnight and most of the day in Stirling while driving to Loch Ness. No matter the agenda, we were glad we made some time for this historical and beautiful town.

It is literally dripping with Scottish heritage, so much that you really could spend a few days there rather than just a morning. We packed in as much as possible before having to drive through Caingorn National Park up to our BandB in Loch Ness. Here are some of our Stirling highlights!

Castle Touring the Lothians Outside Edinburgh, Scotland

One thing Scotland is renowned for is its castles. Ruins upon ruins of once grand structures dot the countryside, and every now and then you'll be lucky to see a castle that has remained mostly intact due to the Historic Scotland Society. You don't have to drive far to stumble upon a castle in Scotland's green hills and valleys.

Visit the Historic Edinburgh Castle in Scotland

The city of Edinburgh is a cultural hub for Scottish history, and there is so much to see and do. On my second day in Scotland, and my first full day in Edinburgh, my husband and I spent the morning on foot exploring some of the fascinating architecture and historical sites in Old Town. After lunch, we had saved several hours to explore the sprawling Edinburgh Castle, visible from nearly anywhere in Old Town.

Go on an Edinburgh City Walk-About

After our first crazy night in Edinburgh, what with the airplane flying and Scottish singing and military-men dancing, you'd think I'd be too exhausted to get up in the morning full of energy and the need to explore. Well, if you think that, then you don't know me at all, and how obsessed I am with experiencing everything while traveling. I was up at 7:00 a.m., fresh as a daisy, much to Joey's chagrin. Ready was I to have him show me around Edinburgh, since he'd been there a whole week before me!

Scotland 2012: The Journey Begins

It is the last day of school today - an exciting day in its own right. My students and I suffered through one last final exam, and then it was a day of fun and games, with a water fight, a game of Predator and Prey, and an afternoon movie. Fun... but exhausting. And the day isn't over yet!

In my car, sitting calmly but full of promise, is my suitcase, jam-packed full of items for my impending journey to Scotland tonight. My husband is already waiting for me in Edinburgh, and has been for the last five days or so.

Visit Windsor Castle and Maybe see the Queen

It's British fever these days, what with the Royal Wedding hot in the news: William and Kate, Pippa and her show-stealing dress, and those oh-so-cute miniature flower girls. So I thought, what better time to talk about visiting Windsor Castle, home of the Queen and her royal family?

Visit the Tower of London's Creepy London Dungeon Wax Museum

When I was sixteen, I went to England to visit a pen pal. I'd been writing to my friend Graeme from the age of 11 or 12, when I'd met him at a family friend's birthday party. I thought it was terribly exciting that I had a friend in England, and even more so when I found out I was able to visit him the summer before I began Grade 11!