Incredible Icelandic highlands - summer 2023

This time our objective was to visit southern highlands as much as possible. This part of the island is accessible only in summer months as it involves driving on F roads and crossing rivers. And it was AMAZING! We thought we had seen already so much of Iceland but this time again new places positively surprised us with wonderful views.
Lofoten’s postcards from the arctic circle in Norway

Pic by Gilles Servais
Lofoten is a well know destination for nature lovers and should be on the list for anyone loving north. Initially there was a plan to visit Lofoten in autumn but we went to Iceland instead, so had to catch up now! After a thorough research, I realised that winter is indeed the perfect timing for visiting Lofoten. You can get there by plane, by ferry or by car. We had chosen not a common way to get there. We flew to Tromso trough Oslo and then took the Hurtigruten ferry for 17 h to arrive in Svolvaer.Enchanting Westfjords in Iceland

Incredible Iceland - summer 2022 vibes

300 km above the Arctic Circle in Norway: Tromso & Senja

Recharging batteries in Iceland (yes... Iceland again)

Sicily: Under the spell of Etna and granitas

Sicily was not in our initial plan to visit this summer (sorry, was there a summer?), it was Iceland, of course, but the prices for car rental had doubled and we just thought that 2000 euros for a rent of a Dacia Duster was not really worth it. And as we did not really have much summer, south seemed to be a good choice to get some vitamin D. Although Sicily has been on my list for 10 years or so, somehow beautiful Greek beaches always won it over. This time Sicily had two strong points: Etna - after having seen the active volcano in Iceland, I definitely wanted to see the most active volcano in Europe and I had started to learn Italian during the pandemics, so it was an opportunity to practice.
Volcano frenzy in Iceland
When the volcano in Reykjanes finally erupted after 3 weeks of constant earthquakes end of March and 3 days later the Icelandic authorities had made it possible for public to view this miracle, it was clear for us that we had to go to check it out ourselves - 5th time in Iceland! Nobody knows how long the eruption will be going on, it could stop tomorrow or it could go on for years.
Covid (free) Xmas in Iceland

Iceland: Where the mountains sing through the screams of seagulls

Paxos in Greece: A hidden gem

Magic Iceland: The tour of northern lights and hot pools

Amorgos and Naxos - a sure value

Ok, once again our choice was Amorgos and Naxos. These islands don't stop surprising us and is a sure thing, you just cannot go wrong. A paradise for travelers who want to enjoy nature's beauty, local culture and very, very good food :)
Iceland - the land of ice and fire

Iceland was not a classical holiday. In October 2019 there was a Latvian theatre festival where Latvian groups from all over Europe participated with different plays. Of course Brussels Latvian group joined as well.
It was clear that it was not worth going to Iceland only for 3 days, so a little group of friends stayed for a week longer. The festival itself in Reykjavik was a blast, such a lovely atmosphere - acting, singing and dancing and just having fun.
Azores - Sao Miguel - Adventure in the middle of the ocean

Irresistible Greece: Naxos and Amorgos (and horrible Mykonos)

Zanzibar: A true paradise

Incredible Bulgaria - roses, roses and roses again

This May, early June I had an opportunity to visit Bulgaria during the period when roses are being picked in the valley of roses. What an amazing trip and experience. I had been intrigued by Bulgaria since I filled a test on Facebook which told me that I should be living in Sofia... :-) The result surprised me so much that Bulgaria immediately became a top country on my list. And when a friend said that she was organising a trip to the valley of roses, I did not have to think twice.
Naxos - a hidden pearl in Cyclades

The lost village of Doel
