A Moment in Mostar

Here is one that got lost in my drafts folder. It's a quick sketch of a night in Mostar, Bosnia during our Croatia and Bosnia trip last summer.

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Montenegro - Ten Days & Ten Photos

Here's the write up on the second part of my trip. Once again, I challenged myself to tell the story using just ten photos.

Click here to read about the first part of the trip, which was to Austria

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Welcome Home Bingo - European Edition

Here's a fun game you can play when you return from your next trip to Europe. See how long it takes before you see or experience the following. Challenge your travel companions to see who can be the first to check off all of the items found on the list.

Do you have items to add to the list? If so, please share them in the comments section of this post.

Note: This list is based my experiences during numerous trips to Europe. I just returned from a trip to Croatia and Bosnia and many of the items found below are specific to the trip. I am by no means suggesting that this is how it is everywhere both home and abroad. And it is not my intention to pass judgement or to say that one way is better or worse than the other. These are just my observations. You may find different things during your travels and where you live.

Please take this game lightly as it is intended. Most importantly, get out and travel.

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Beyond the Obvious - My Favorite Backcountry Ski Spot Near Bozeman

This story has been floating around for a few years - a tale that runs through my mind on long approaches while backcountry skiing. I decided to get it down in writing and put it "out there." When I have time one day I'll refine it by adding sensory details, more thoughtful reflection, and all of the other writerly details. If only I were retired...

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My favorite place to backcountry ski close to Bozeman is a bit like Eastern Europe; a touch scrappy and rough-around-the-edges, but it rewards those who are willing to go beyond the obvious and explore deeper.

Outdoor Idiosyncrasies - Contemplating High-Performance Gear

A story inspired by a hiking trip in the High Tatras of Slovakia and Poland. It was useful for me to step outside the Northern Rockies mountain town "bubble" I've lived in for so long and take a closer look at my gear buying habits.

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For the First Time - Discovering the Wild East

During a long run this morning I found my thoughts drifting to the city of Prague. Still thinking about it upon my return, I took a few moments to jot down these recollections of my first visit there in 2000. This is a work in progress. 

These Three Things I Know...

Lately it seems I've been surrounded by know-it-alls. It is always enlightening to listen to these individuals in a conversation and see the passion they put into discussing/arguing subjects whether they are knowledgeable about them or not. The social scientist in me is fascinated with the know-it-all and ponders what might be going in his or her mind.

I could tell you a thing of two about the Wild East but only if you ask.

Contemplating Wild Beauty

My recent trip to Montenegro with Mike marked my third time in the country and his first. I have a passion for traveling in the Wild East and Montenegro, with its rugged mountains, beautiful coast, and off-beaten-path feel, has all of the elements I look for when traveling abroad. You can find my reflections below.

And here is a link to all of the Montenegro posts on this blog: http://annvinciguerra.blogspot.com/search?q=montenegro

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Reflections on the Wild East

RIP

It all started with a trip to Prague in 2000. I was there with one of my favorite travel buddies, the vibe was vibrant yet low-key, and the dollar was strong. It was 11 years after the fall of communism and a palpable sense of discovery was felt by locals and travelers alike. It was then that I fell in love with the Wild East.

Where Tito Once Roamed

Highlights from my recent trip to Europe

(Scroll down for slideshow)

On Lake Skadar

High Performance Gear – A Clever Choice?

My British travel companion Andrew limped towards me in pain. Blisters again. “That’s what you get for wearing brand new leather hiking boots,” I thought to myself.

“And why don’t you get yourself a pair of lightweight trail shoes?” I added silently. ‘They’ll surely help you move faster.”

I contemplated all of this as I soaked in the magnificent view from the summit of Rysy, a 2,499-metre peak in the High Tatras that straddles the Slovakia and Poland boarder. Andrew and I spent the prior day hiking to Chata Pod Rysy, a mountain hut precariously situated below Rysy’s summit. We woke to a noisy room filled with rambunctious Czech climbers eager to attack the nearby crags and after a hearty Slovakian breakfast, we were off to Rysy.