It's a Schmahl World

Around Iceland’s Golden Circle – A Day Trip from Reykjavik

If you don’t have much time in Iceland but still want to see some sights outside of the capital, Iceland’s Golden Circle is the perfect day trip from Reykjavik! The Golden Circle can be visited either by renting a car or going on a tour bus with one of the many companies leaving from Reykjavik….

Visiting the Blue Lagoon in Iceland

The Blue Lagoon, a geothermal spa known for its milky waters, is a easily one of the most recognized places in Iceland. We visited the Blue Lagoon to unwind on the last day of our 8 day Iceland adventure. Ordering your tickets online in advance is a must, or else it may be too full to go in when you get…

Visiting Piazza San Marco in Venice, Italy

Our last stop on our two week Eurotrip this past spring was in Venice, Italy! We spent two and a half days there and knew that we had to see Piazza San Marco, one of the busiest squares in the city and home to the Doge’s Palace and the Basilica of San Marco. Hoping to…

Going on a Glacier Hike in Southern Iceland

One of our Top 10 things to do on Iceland’s Ring Road was a glacier hike at Sólheimajökull glacier. The glacier is very accessible off of route one (the Ring Road) in Southern Iceland. Sólheimajökull glacier is a 14 km long outlet glacier for the much larger Myrdasjokkull glacier. We went through Arctic Adventures and had a wonderful…

6 Must-See Waterfalls of Iceland

Along our 8 day trip around Iceland’s Ring Road we got to see hundreds of waterfalls. Here are six of the most notable ones and where to find them: Skogafoss – Located in southern Iceland between Reykjavik and Vik, Skogafoss is an easy day trip from the capital or a stop on your way around the country….

24 Hours in Reykjavik, Iceland

We kicked off our 8-day trip to Iceland with about 24 hours in the capital city, Reykjavik! After arriving at the Keflavik International Airport in the morning, we had to take a ~45 minute bus ride to downtown Reykjavik. We dropped our bags off at Loft Hostel then headed out to start our day! We first headed…

My Top 10 Things to See & Do on Iceland’s Ring Road

Iceland’s Ring Road is full of beautiful views and adventurous opportunities – these were my top 10 experiences (in no particular order) on our 8 day Ring Road roadtrip! 1. Snorkeling in the Silfra Fissure– In Thingvillir National Park you can snorkel (or scuba) between the America and Eurasian tectonic plates! The fresh water is…

Going to a Japanese Festival in Utsunomiya, Japan

While in town for work we were lucky enough to be around for the Miya Matsuri festival in Utsunomiya, Japan. It occurs on the first Saturday and Sunday of August each year. The festival started in 1976 when Japan was going through some slow economic growth as a way to encourage people to get out…

Tokyo, Japan in a Day

While there are way too many things to do and see in Tokyo in just one day, here is how we made the most of our limited time! After our 1 hour and 45 minute train ride from Utsunomiya we got off at the Tokyo Skytree station. We saw the Skytree from the outside while…

An Adventurous Dinner in Utsunomiya, Japan

A couple weeks ago, I had a chance to travel to Utsunomiya, Japan on a trip for work and had the chance to try a lot of new foods while I was there! One night we went to a yakitori (translated as grilled bird/chicken) restaurant with our new Japanese friends. We were seated in a back room…