Italy, the Tuscan region, specifically, has a special place in my heart. Not only was it the place where we got married, but it was also my first mini solo trip!

As the capital city of the Tuscan region, Florence cannot be any better situated as the center of dreamiest rolling hills on earth.
Florence, Italy, the birthplace and symbol of the Renaissance. There's nothing short of things to do in Florence. Home to some of the world’s greatest pieces of art and architecture, Florence itself is a large piece of artwork; and it is just a treat walking down the streets of this walking city!

Withstanding several hundred years of history, this city has done a superb job in wonderfully preserving its finest art and rich culture for all of us to experience and become part of...and I am so happy to finally be sharing my experience of it :)

They say traveling is the only thing you can buy that will make you richer (that, and an education. But that’s another story)
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I, hands down, agree with this in all ways possible. Thinking back at all my memories, most of the most special moments had nothing to do with anything materialistic. And I have to remind myself of this from time to time.
​I feel like James and I are pretty frugal when it comes to how we are to spend our money, with a strict budget when we are at home, and putting money away every paycheck for traveling. We usually will save on several aspects of the trip, and then select a certain experience to spend a little more on.
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​Now, picking the one thing we will splurge on when traveling is always the debate. Luxury traveling is subjective, yes. Some of us may think that luxury traveling is flying away in a private jet to stay in a multimillion dollar mansion, cruising on a 30 foot yacht, while some of us may just mean that we are able to stay in a proper hotel that provides a good daily breakfast. And , I understand that traveling itself is a luxury, but there are also certain things to it that allow the experience even MORE SPECIAL. What that would be is based on our perception of what is relevant in our purpose of travel.

​As James and I have grown older, we realize that luxury has become more about self enrichment than materialism. Experiences, food, or sometimes accommodations, by large, are much much more satisfying to us. But we also have to remind ourselves to do so sparingly when we are away, being careful to not get carried away. Looking at the big picture, we feel that it takes the meaningfulness away when all are just at an excess.