My Life is a Map of the World

This past weekend I found myself with a lot of solo time on my hands. Times like these are vital to my mental health and balance in life. And more times then none, they lead me to deep thoughts and discovered inner joy.

During a moment of reflection where I was bundled up in a cozy sweater, perfect for fall, and watching the leaves fall from the tree in our backyard, it dawned on me. It dawned on me that I am a small reflection of the world and that so much of what I do is inspired by the world. Let me dig a little deeper.

My birth certificate and current zip code prove my U. S. Citizenship but my ancestors give me the history of England, Scotland, Poland, Lithuania and Native America.

The man I love most is someone who descends from Africa and Europe.

My religion originated in the Middle East.

I own a dog whose breed was made popular by Germany

I like to carry out my skincare routine like the Koreans.

I like to drink coffee like the Italians.

I’m inspired by the natural aesthetic and use of make-up and hair care like the French.

I like to eat like the Japanese.

I dress myself and fill my home with furnishings that you’d find easily in Scandinavia.

These are all just a few of the things I value, love, am drawn to and want to know more about. And it’s in all of those curiosities that I find, that we find, how truly connected we are to the past, the present and the future. It’s in those things where we find connection to others no matter how near or far.

Who or what are you connected to?

-Kriss

Roadtrip during the Pandemic

Face mask ✔

Hand Sanitizer ✔

Roadmap ✔

Let’s Go!

Since the world meet Covid-19 face to face, many people have had to restructure their lives. This looks different from life to life but many include changes in the home, work schedules, education, rescheduling milestones and putting off goals in an effort of doing the right thing. If this season has taught us anything it’s that we all have our own compass to help us navigate this pandemic season.

And with so many health aids now available, booming research findings and time passed- we decided that it was time for us to get off of the couch, back into an adventure and to travel again. The only real question now was “how.” So, we decided to skip the flights and to gas up the Jeep instead.

Starting in our home state of Indiana, we mapped out our trip to see mountains, the country side, sunrises, cities, oceans and beaches. Our route included Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Kentucky and then back home in Indiana. Some of these states we’ve been to together before and some brand new.

My overall experience was that of hope. I’m really glad we traveled when we did because we needed a vacation full of fresh perspective and in the process found renewed hope in humanity. This is because at each stop in every state, masks were worn and enforced. I saw extra sanitizing stations and measured spacing for healthy social distancing. I saw local officials and citizens doing their part in helping to reduce the transmission of the virus and that one day we will overcome this pandemic.

Do I think traveling in this season is right for everyone? Not really. Do I think everyone can do it safely while also having fun? Absolutely! As I said above I understand and respect everyone’s individual reasons for their social gathering whether near or far, few people or to the max possible. This season is here to stay for the time being and I think if we all strive to do the right thing while having balance, we can turn this season into one of community and of learning.

If you could go anywhere, where would you go? Comment below!

You are loved, Kriss

Travel the World at Epcot

With being a lover of travel, there is no better amusement park than Epcot at Disney in Orlando, Florida! Travel around the world on one ticket while experiencing an introduction to eleven different cultures from iconic sights, tastes and traditions. Who knows maybe your curiosities will lead you to international travels.

Canada

Coming into the park one of the first countries you will experience is OH Canada! From majestic sights of their national flag in the wind to rows of different maple syrups to try and shops stocked with warm clothing fit for gearing you up for your next ski trip, you will instantly feel like you are away on a cabin retreat. So expect to see imagery of wildlife including beavers and moose! But if camping isn’t your thing then hold out for views of the Hotel du Canada, a Victorian-style hotel with a lush garden to explore.

The United Kingdom

Next door to Canada is The United Kingdom. From pubs to sit in and grab fish and chips to fine tea shops filled with china, you truly get the feeling of the underground and the cute English countryside. A lot of visitors to the Disney parks plan their trips around what characters are there to meet. Well if you are interested in meeting Mary Poppins or the characters from Alice in Wonderland, this is your moment. I definitely know that I am proud to say that I met Alice!

France

After getting your pub on you might be in the mood to get a little fancy. You’re in luck because with a skyline that is pointed with the Eiffel Tower, you are now in France. Expect to find artists along the way painting and selling gorgeous works of art, mimes acting out a joyous skit, made from scratch pastries and tunes flowing from an accordion. But no need to worry if you don’t speak French, simply order your favorite coffee and you’re as french as you need to be. And for me, I grabbed a macaroon to go with it!

Morocco

In a perfect world France and Morocco would be next door neighbors but in reality only Disney got it right. Enjoy a magic carpet ride as you stroll along open air markets full of everything a boho loving heart enjoys, get interior design inspiration from the gorgeous tiled fountains and archways and lastly enjoy meeting Aladdin and Jasmine in the flesh, I know I did!

Japan

Next is Japan and it cannot be missed. From the looming blue-roofed pagoda inspired by the Horyuji Temple where you can experience drum shows from the Taiko Drummers to the large, red Torii Gates along the waters edge, Epcot captures the Japanese spirit. Also expect to spend some time here because while here you can get some hand-rolled sushi and shop the “kawaii” culture!

United States

In the United States section of the park called “American Adventure” you can go down history lane with a throwback to the founding of the country, a progression of America’s flag, the use of freedom of speech and it’s impact on the nation and art exhibition of the American Indian. Some of the food fare speaks to the nostalgic 50’s and includes hamburgers, hot dogs and the classic slice of apple pie with ice cream on the side.

Italy

In contrast to the United States and its short history is the long reign and existence of Italy. Italy’s section of the park nods to its history of art, architecture, wine and slow living. You can find a smell replica of the Trevi Foundtain, shop at the corner wine stand, taste lemoncello shaved ice and smell flowering rose bushes along your walk.

Germany

Give me all of the snacks in Germany town because its Oktoberfest and pretzels are for sale! Strolling up to this section of the park you will feel like you are in mixed world of fairy tales and ancient Medieval times from the clock tower to the coat of arms and banners over each door. You can take part in a street finger puppet production or sit back and enjoy some soccer. Either way I suggest finding some childlike joy while marveling at the handmade cuckoo clocks.

China

If you are feeling tired from all of your traveling, then China is for you! From relaxing stone statues in the zen garden to a 360 film titled “Reflections of China,” you can take a moment to rest while viewing virtual sights in nature in the beautiful country of China. After the movie is over and you’d like to continue resting, sit down and enjoy watching a live performance from the Jeweled Dragon Acrobats. Feeling inspired by the strength and skill of the Chinese? Then step over and meet the legend and warrior herself, Mulan!

Norway

This is a huge tip for all of the parents of Anna and Elsa fans. At Disney the Magic Kingdom you see this pair sisters on floats and singing on stage but the best place to meet them is at their home which happens to be in Norway at Epcot. Here you can have a meet and greet with the sisters, take on a Frozen themed ride and enjoy merchandise from the movies. Who knows maybe you’ll even run into Olaf!

Mexico

Depending on how you started your adventure in the park, Mexico may or may not be your last stop but if it is then what a way to go! This part of the park is full of music from Mariachi bands, Mexican food full of spices, a Mesoamerican pyramid pointing you up towards the heavens and a threatening volcano to set you right along your way!

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As you can see, there is a lot to experience in this fantastic park! Like I said at the start it is a great park for my fellow travel buffs but its great too if you want a more laid back experience that offers a wealth of insight to other walks of life.

You might not be interested in this park if you are looking to go on a lot of rides. At Epcot there are only a few rides to go on so definitely keep that in mind. But in case you didn’t know, that big golf ball looking structure at the beginning of the park actually does have a ride inside! So never fear my adventure loving friend.

And for my 21 and older friends, definitely google “Drinking around the World” for an extra creative way to experience this park!

Thank you for going on this exciting adventure with me! Whenever I think of Disney, I will always think of Epcot and want to go back. But because Disney has so much to offer there is one other park I want to try out! So next week please come back for my final amusement park trip and review at Disney’s Animal Kingdom!

-Kriss

Holidays in the Tropics

We know the classic image of Christmas where there is fresh snow fall outside and a warm, lit fire inside where loved one’s are gathered together and drinking hot cocoa. But what if instead of snow you have sun and palm trees? What if you have glasses of lemonade and not hot chocolate or cider? We’ll you’ve come to the perfect place to see what the Holidays look and feel like in those warmer climates. Welcome to Christmas in Florida!

This year we planned to spend Christmas in Orlando, Fl. For someone who has never spent Christmas away from her Indiana roots, I knew I was in for some interesting events. But the thought of having Christmas without the possibility of snow or cozy sweaters, well that’s another story. To some this is the ideal situation but spoiler alert, it’s not all flip flops and tan lines!

One of the events we were eager to try out was beach life in winter. With swimsuits on, sunscreen rubbed in and towel in hand, we made our way to the beach. The temperatures were comfortable, the sun was warming but the water was… well lacking. I will admit I definitely went for a drip but it didn’t take long for me to go back to sun bathing.

Something I didn’t consider about our beach visit was the fact that there are tiki bars and restaurants all along the coast. We happily ordered ourselves some food and refreshing slushies. I was 100% in my happy place: good company, good food and complete detachment from unnecessary things.

She likes long walks on the beach and limited sun exposure.

If beach days aren’t your kind of days then I highly suggest pulling up a chair, pool side. Luckily when we were in Orlando we stayed at Jacob’s parent’s house whose neighborhood has a gorgeous pool and lounge. The water was cold, maybe even colder than the ocean, but I didn’t mind because there were a generous amount of unused hammocks to take advantage of! Some of us swam laps, some read books and some, like myself, enjoyed the simplicity of just being.

Once toweled off and dressed for the day, you can easily see the efforts gone to decorate every light post, archway and tree in pure Christmas splendor. The balance between the tropical feeling and the Christmas spirit is almost comical yet still makes its festive impact. So if you need to do some shopping for the holidays, expect to find Christmas trees, ribbons and bows, ornaments and stars while you are out and about.

Shopping in Winter Park, FL is perfect for those who love locally owned shops filled with coffee, unique gifts, antiques, high-end fashion and good food.

If you are missing snow while on your stay, I suggest pulling up a cozy Christmas movie. Because even though it is still technically winter in Florida you won’t exactly get that kind of precipitation. You will, however, experience highs and lows where some days will be 80’s and sunny with others being 50’s and rainy. This makes packing tough but if you’re the type of personality that loves change, this weather was made for you.

Featuring one of those cold and rainy days out on the patio with hot coffee and an unfeatured sweater moment.

For me and so many other’s who celebrate Christmas because of their faith in Jesus, making it about Him is everything to me. From preparing my heart to remember the true meaning of it all to praying over the individuals whose gifts I am wrapping to the activities I make sure to set time aside for. I love Christmas because it sets things back in their rightful place. By this I mean making time for family and friends, for giving and for finding peace because of His existence.

We went as a family to the Christmas Eve service at Faith Assembly Orlando, Fl

To find feelings of magic, family and stillness while on vacation in a tropical climate, this trip was that much more meaningful and memorable. So, no matter where or how you celebrate, whether it’s warm or cold, celebrating the big moments in life will always boil down to who you spend it with. This Christmas will be one that I will remember for a very long time if not forever and I hope that whatever season you found yourself in this past holiday season, that you experienced some of that Christmas magic.

Next week on the blog I am sharing a geek out worthy post! I am sharing my experiences from The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios. Oh yeah! We are talking trains, broom sticks, owls, spooky rides and delicious brews. To get instant updates to new blog posts and news please subscribe to receive email notifications.

-Kriss

Gent, Ghent, Gint

The city of Ghent, Belgium confuses me. Why? Because I’m not too sure the spelling of the city as a whole. From Google maps to local signs, it seems like everyone spells it differently. But what this city doesn’t confuse me on is my new found and deep love for it! Going into our time here I had zero expectations for it. I figured that it would be cute and a little bit slower paced compared to Brussels but as of today, it is my most favorite city in Europe!

Our commute to Ghent started off with gray skies that threatened to pour on us at any moment but by the time we got off of our train the sky was blue, no matter what direction you looked. My heart loved how everything looked, felt and smelled- but my stomach kept reminded me of its existence. So we walked to an address that I had previously found on the interwebs. We ordered breakfast sandwiches and french toast….but quickly found out that because of the language barrier (English to French) we had actually ordered some type of scone with berries and whip on top. It was a nice comedic moment for us that truly set the tone for the rest of the day.

But speaking of my Googling, I did have one main location that I wanted to visit while in Ghent and that was it’s well preserved Medieval Castle built in 1180 called The Gravensteen which offers its visitors panoramic views of the city. After brunch we set off in the direction of the Castle which took us over canals, through graffiti alleys, around modern architecture and cathedrals.

We walked over canals, smelled more chocolate in the air, sampled Gent’s famous candy called the Nose of Gent, heard church bells tolling and then we came upon our destination! With 10 euro each, we were able to climb up and explore every part of the castle. There were suits of armor, weapons of old, tales of torture, enough stained glass that my mom would melt over, winding spiral staircases and then the best view in the city. Aka cue the view!

Once we were back on the ground I knew what I wanted to do next and ironically it couldn’t take place on the ground but on the water. We found a canal touring company, tucked into our spot on the boat and saw another view of this lovely city. I highly recommend seeing any European city from this viewpoint but don’t get offended if you’re the only one of the three people proudly showing off your single language skills to your tour guide.

From weeping willows along the riverside to locals drinking wine and feeding pieces of baguettes off of their dinner plates to ducks, the lifestyle here in Ghent will truly leave you inspired, have you reevaluate how you spend your leisure time and make you want to find more joy in the simple things in life. To celebrate the ending of our day in Ghent and to start living out their way of life, we bought two decked out waffles and sat along another beautiful canal to enjoy the nightlife springing up around us.

Thank you all for sharing in my Ghent tales and support my love of travel! It truly is as they say “the only purchase we can make that makes us richer.” So to further enrich you here on the blog, next week I will be sharing Brugge, Belgium! Please stay tuned and if you would like email updates of new posts, please subscribe below!

-Kriss

Brussels, Belgium

One day in our Harrison Home (catchy huh? I should make an Instagram page for it) we were talking about how in the world we were going to celebrate our one year wedding anniversary. Some people go all out for this moment while some like to spend it at home going through their photographer’s amazing captures of the day. Both are definitely a good idea but for us we felt the need to go a little crazy. By crazy I mean we decided on a foreign location, booked the plane tickets and nine day long stay at an Airbnb all within four days… yeah we did that.

Personally, I have never daydreamed over the idea of spending much time in the country of Belgium. My thoughts always wandered to Greece, Italy, Sweden, Denmark, Ireland, Scotland, England, France, Spain and just about every other country in Europe but Belgium. However, even though it was never an idea in my head I soon realized just how blissful I was about to be while walking the cobblestone streets of the country oozing the fragrant smells of chocolate and waffles.

We are clear for takeoff!

On the afternoon of October 14, we started our journey. From Indianapolis we took a short plane ride to Chicago (shoulda coulda drove) then we boarded our eight hour flight to Brussels, Belgium. Jacob and I’s plans for the plane ride were polar opposite. He had a strict schedule of sleep, snack, sleep, dinner, sleep, arrive in Belgium. While I, on the other hand, was filled with envy over his ability to sleep on the plane. I am a deep lover of travel, of exploring new land, of trying new food but I am not a fan of the journey to the destination. Try as I might I can never sleep on planes so my plan for the eight hours was simple, watch all of the movies and not focus on how much time is left until arrival.

Good news is that it worked. Sooner than I realized, we were there and it was 9 a.m. local time on Tuesday the 15th of October! We grabbed our checked bags, got our euros, bought transportation passes (this step made me miss how effortless it was to get transit passes in Germany) boarded a train and road into the heart of Brussels ready to explore.

Whenever you research the city of Brussels you instantly see that one of the hottest locations to visit is the Grand Place. It is the queen of courtyards that gives all of its glory to the surrounding buildings dressed in gleaming, gold in the sunlight. Here you can find restaurants, coffee shops, hotels, gift shops and more. It really is a one stop shop that will stop you in your tracks.

Because of the nature of our stay in Brussels, we were able to come back to this city center many times to enjoy its splendor, the excited onlookers like us and the feeling of being apart of the heartbeat of this city. I am also glad that we were able to come back here a few times because even though it is still beautiful while rainy, it is even more special with a blue sky backdrop.

Moving past the Grand Center you will find four roads to take. Each of these roads leads to more gorgeous, old style buildings with cafes, vintage finds, chocolate and waffles. But if you want a mini mecca of chocolate, waffles and a little something to tickle your funny bone, find the junction of Rue de l’Etuve and Stoofstraat.

Here you can get your chocolate and fruit smothered waffle while viewing a local celebrity, little Manneken Pis. This local celebrity has two other comrades that are roughly a 10 minute walk in either direction. They are called the three Pis and they just happen to be sculptures of a boy, a girl and a dog peeing very proud and free. I personally found this to be the weirdest thing but I’m not mad about it.

But don’t let this area confuse you. Brussels is the capital of Belgium and also the largest city in the country so there is still so much more to see. So with this fact, Jacob and I took off towards another section of the city where we found a gate that gave us a nod towards our honeymoon in Berlin. This gate is called Cinquantenaire and is located in Jubelpark. It is apart of a lush park with plenty of green grass for a picnic to history museums full of war planes and cars of the world. Neither of those things interest you? Well there happens to be a food truck there serving up more waffles and coffee to help bid your time.

As the day grows darker and into the evening hours finding a delicious restaurant, pub or bar isn’t an issue. Most restaurants offer English menus to their non- French speaking guests. However, if they happen to not have this option my advice is definitely to download the Google Translate app to your phone (not sponsored but that would be a dream). There is a camera option in the app that if you hover your camera over, say a menu, it will translate the words right in front of you. Hence making it easy to eat within your tastes, preferences and dietary needs.

On our evenings in Brussels we ate gorgeous amounts of pizza from a shop right around the corner from our Airbnb. I will share more about our new neighborhood in a later post but for now we are saying goodbye to Brussels with an evening view of the sky while on a ferris wheel ride.

Next week come back for part two of my Belgium series as we board a train to the city of Gent. Expect those iconic European canals, unique treats, stunning views and more places to save for your future trip to Belgium.

Salut!

-Kriss