Author: Anja Rot

  • A Journey Through Austria’s Enchanting Christmas Markets

    A Journey Through Austria’s Enchanting Christmas Markets

    This December I was lucky enough to visit two Christmas markets and one Advent Trail (Adventweg) in Austria. They really know how to put the spirit in these places.

    The first one I visited in Mauterndorf, which was situated in the Burg Mauterndorf. It was on for very limited time and it was tiny, but it was cute. There were only a few huts with gluhwein, gluhmost, maroni and wurst of course. Inside the castle there were artisans placed all over, selling their crafts and products.

    Mauterndorf
    Taurach creek
    Taurach creek
    Burg Mauterndorf

    Besides visiting Christmas market, I also did some skiing in the area – Grosseck-Speiereck, Obertauern and Aineck.

    The other Christmas market I visited was in Graz with my friend. There were many smaller ones, some nicer than others, but very enjoyable. Although they all had many crafts and products, drinks, there was not much food choice unfortunately. My friend and I rather found some Austrian restaurants to have proper meals.

    Schweinsbraten at Glöckl Bräu
    Wiener Schnitzel at Gösser Bräu
    Apfelstrudel at Gösser Bräu
    Gluhwein at one of the markets
    Breakfast at Weitzer

    Another Austrian highlight in December is also Katschberger Adventweg. It is an advent trail, where you pay the ticket and receive a thermos cup. On the way you get free tea refills, as much as you want. I visited it on the last day, on Christmas. It was magical, crispy cold and snowy. If you walk the whole way, you make 12 km there and back. There are beautiful lanterns along the way. There are also shuttle buses and horse carriages for some part of the way.

    You hike between rustic hay barns and huts, enjoy contemplative stories, music and warm tea at various stations. 

    Musicians playing alpine horns, creating festive atmosphere.

    The rest of December I got to ski some more and explore Mauterndorf. It is a cute little town, where it actually snowed so now and then, giving a very wintery feeling.

    Spent our New Year’s basically up on the mountain. Seeing all those fireworks going off at once was really magical. Let’s hope this good magic continues in 2026! ✨

  • Krn Hike in November: A Breathtaking Adventure

    Krn Hike in November: A Breathtaking Adventure

    Heading up to the Krn mountain on a sunny Monday in November is the best idea! Krn (2,244 m) is one of the most iconic peaks of the Julian Alps. It is known for its panoramic views over the Soča Valley. A mountain where history and stunning nature meet. is We hiked up from the side of Lepena and finished in Planina Kuhinja, just above the Krn village. Altogether was 16 km, 6.5 hours moving time.

    The path towards the Krn Lake from Lepena:

    The Krn Lake:

    The view back to the lake:

    The path from the Krn Lake to the top of the Krn Mountain:

    On the top:

    Going down towards Planina Kuhinja:

    There are also other options to go up or down to the Krn mountain, you can choose from. Make sure you check the weather. Also, check momentary conditions to have a safe hike!

  • First Time Hiking in France: A Short Van Trip Adventure

    First Time Hiking in France: A Short Van Trip Adventure

    We went with our MinionVan for a short but sweet trip to the border of France. It was actually a boys’ trip, but I decided to come along as well. And I’m glad I did!

    Our first lunch stop in France already had beautiful views of larches changing the color of their needles.

    But before we went to France, we had another stop in Pontida, Italy. We went for a short bike ride, where we stumbled upon a funny barbecue in front of the church.

    Anyway, the biking was a bit too cross country for me, but fun enough. The trails we did are called Uccellaia 2 and Guendalina Basso.

    Let’s return to France. It was still raining the first day. We checked out some waterfalls in the area of La Grave. We also visited my favorite French shop, E.Leclerc in Briançon.

    The second day the boys did some canyoning, I hiked up to Lac Lauvitel. Lac means lake in French. Beautiful, easy hike – 10 km, 2 hours up, less than 1.5 hours down, 750 m height difference. This was my first proper hiking in France.

    On the way to the lake:

    The views of the lake:

    The next day we were exploring a different part of Le Parc national des Écrins. I went for a nice walk to Cascade de la Pisse, along the Le Veneon river. I did this while waiting for the boys to return.

    The next day, Rick and I went to Les Deux Alpes, Venosc. Since it was a school holiday in France, we were lucky that the trails and chairlifts were open. Also the ticket was super cheap. There was snow on the top and wet further down. Still worth it!

    The views were magical!

    I was in love with this part of the trail! Photo by Rick.

    For the last day I had my morning coffee with the nicest views.

    After that I went for a stroll around La Grave. It was out of season, the town was very quite. All the locals were looking at me funny. The town is quaint though.

    This was it for our short, but magical French adventure!

  • Exploring El Hierro: A Diver’s Paradise in Europe

    Exploring El Hierro: A Diver’s Paradise in Europe

    A first proper diving holiday in Europe! El Hierro is the southernmost and westernmost of the Canary Islands in the Atlantic Ocean. Getting to El Hierro is quite the trip. It involves a plane, a ferry and a long drive to the most southern point of Spain – La Restinga.

    Walk around La Restinga

    Our walk to the Restinga volcano

    Sunset walk across the lava fields

    In our 16 dives, we explored 14 different dive sites. These included El Coral, Baja Fria, Baja Bocarones, El Rincon, and Roque Bermejo. Other sites were Punta Restinga, Cueva de la Arena, El Bajon, El Salto, and Barco Chino. We also visited Punta las Canas, El Rio, La Herradura, and Punta de Tacoron. Thanks to Tagoro Dive!

    We have seen many trumpet fish, lobsters, white-eyed morays, eagle rays, filefish, lots of plankton, I have never seen before. Also schools of barracudas, leopard eels, giant pufferfish, huge groupers, garden eels, turtles and even a torpedo ray! And a fangtoothed moray, which was also the first time I ever saw it.

    Here are some photos from the ocean floor. It is all volcanic – very unique!

    Ocean life

    I enjoyed this diving and thanks to Tagoro Dive we really had some beautiful dives!

  • 4 Days of Thrills: Canyoning and Mountain Biking in Italy

    4 Days of Thrills: Canyoning and Mountain Biking in Italy

    Time for a MinionVan trip. Rick planned for us 2 days of canyoning and 2 days of MTB. After the summer season we were not really fit, honestly. So, we went for 2 days of shuttling with Flow School.

    First day was canyoning day – Prialunga (V3A3IV). We spent 4 hours, car to car. Nice flow, awesome views, beautiful rappels.

    After finishing the canyon, we returned to Pietra Ligure for a gelato and the beach.

    Next day – shuttles! We did Toboga, Kill Bill 1, Madonna della Guardia, Val Nava, La Rete, DH Borgani, Ca Bianca, DH Donne, Briga Destra and Briga Sinistra. In the afternoon I managed to have a small crash, because I was tired. But it was fun.

    Photo by co-rider
    Photo by co-rider
    Photo by co-rider
    Photo by co-rider

    Barbaira (V2A3II) was the canyon of the next day. I liked this one very much! It took us less than 3.5 hours, car to car.

    First we had to walk through an old town to get to the start of the canyon.

    And it started with the most beautiful bridge. I love bridges, so I might be biased.

    Photo by Rick

    Although there was some walking in the canyon, I did not mind. It had beautiful pools and some narrower sections. I only missed some verticalness of the rappels.

    After a nice day out, we returned to Pietra Ligure and enjoyed a nice dinner at Machettö.

    The next day we had the backcountry shuttle day, which I liked a lot more. We did Ca du Campo, Euforia, Super Canaletta, Tobogazzo, Rientro, Roller Coaster into Cacciatore.

    This is how our 4-day trip to Italy finished and we drove home. Bella Italia, grazie!

  • Exploring Cappadocia: Sunrise, Sunset and Stunning Views

    Exploring Cappadocia: Sunrise, Sunset and Stunning Views

    My mother’s wish was to see Cappadocia. After 5 years or so her wish has finally come true. This was our trip. I was very happy to see it too. The formations there are out of this world. We stayed in a hotel in the center of Göreme. Our first sunrise there was magical.

    Photo by mom

    That morning I did so many photos, but still not one photo could describe the real beauty of it.

    Here is another video from when the balloons were still warming up.

    This video was made a bit later, when most of the balloons were in the air. There were probably more than 150 balloons up there.

    It was magical. We were also lucky, because the next 2 mornings the balloons were not going due to the strong wind.

    The rest of the day we took it easy around Göreme.

    Because later I had my sunset MTB tour around Rose Valley. Although the trails were not the greatest, the landscape and the views made up for it. Well, the Red Bull part of it was fun. Another magical moment! We started around four or five and it was still very hot to pedal.

    Photo by tour guide
    Photo by tour guide
    Photo by tour guide
    Photo by tour guide
    Photo by tour guide
    Photo by tour guide

    Of course I had a rental bike, I did not want to pack up my bike for only 1 ride. It was alright, but I sure missed my Switchy. The tour was nice, I’ve seen a lot and the guide stopped in some interesting historical spots as well.

    Photo by tour guide
    Photo by tour guide
    Photo by tour guide
    Photo by tour guide

    After a long day, I really wanted to try Turkish Ravioli. Where better to try them than at Turkish Ravioli Restaurant? Besides ravioli we ordered peravu and bulghurball. When ordering ravioli, be mindful that they do not serve it hot, but medium temperature. Bulghurball is made of bulghur wheat and filled with meat and walnut, great as hot appetizer.

    The next day we went on the “Green Tour”. It stops at Kaymakli Underground City, Selime Monastery, Ihlara Valley and Pigeon Valley. Unfortunately it does not avoid the crowds, but if you have only a few days there, it is practical.

    The next day we went on the “Red Tour.” We visited Zelve Open Air Museum, Pasabag (Monks Valley) and Uchisar Castle. These were the better stops. We also saw Devrent Valley (Imagination Valley), Avanos (pottery) and Love Valley.

    Besides the amazing landscape, we also enjoyed some nice Turkish food these days. Besides the kebab & Turkish ravioli the first night, I had them again at a different restaurant.

    Çokertme kebab
    Chef’s greeting
    Kofte
    Testi kebab
    Aside (dessert)
    Ambience at Topdeck Cave Restaurant
    Turkish ravioli at Kilim Cave restaurant
    Kayisi tatlisi kaymakli (apricots poached in syrup with walnuts and cream)

    Lovely experience I got to share with my mom.

  • Gačnik Canyon: A 7-Hour Journey Through Slovenia’s Wild Beauty

    Gačnik Canyon: A 7-Hour Journey Through Slovenia’s Wild Beauty

    Gačnik is the longest known canyon in Slovenia. By some descriptions it says it takes 8 hours. It took us 7 hours and a half, top to bottom. There are very long walking sections. All 3 of us were done with it at some point. At the end you are very proud of yourself for doing it though. The anchors are in a good state.

    There is still a sign that the canyon is forbidden. It is very old and the fine is stated in Slovenian tollars. Gačnik is located almost in the middle of nowhere and it is recommended you are with 2 cars. You save yourself another walk.

    I am happy I can say I did this one. It is beautiful, not too technical, but very long walking passages. Thanks to the boys!

  • A Short Paris Getaway: Concert, Sights and Cuisine

    A Short Paris Getaway: Concert, Sights and Cuisine

    Paris was not on my bucket list, at least not anytime soon, honestly. I got an email with concert dates from Beyoncé for her Cowboy Carter Tour. Going to Paris made the most sense for me to actually make it. After that my mom and I decided to make a short trip out of it. It was fun, hot and the concert was out of this world. Also very tiring for me, but worth it.

    We stayed in a cute b’n’b in Saint-Ouen-sur-Seine. It had good metro connections to the famous sights and to the concert location. We had a bakery with delicious treats just around the corner.

    We only had 2 full days, so we were on the roll. The first day we made around 15.000 steps. We’ve seen all the major sights. We explored Avenue des Champs-Élysées and everything it has to offer. We visited Arc de Triomphe and Place de la Concorde. We saw Musée du Louvre from outside only. On the way we had some lunch and macarones from Pierre Hermé.

    After that we slowly made our way to Montmartre. On the way we stopped at the rooftop of Galeries Lafayette, where the view is amazing. After we finally came to Basilique du Sacré-Cœur de Montmartre. We had some coffee and continued to lose our way around Montmartre.

    Galeries Lafayette
    Galeries Lafayette
    Galeries Lafayette
    Galeries Lafayette
    Galeries Lafayette
    Galeries Lafayette
    Montmartre
    Montmartre
    Vigne du Clos Montmartre
    Montmartre
    Montmartre
    Montmartre
    Escalier du Mont-Cenis
    Montmartre
    Basilique du Sacré-Cœur
    Basilique du Sacré-Cœur

    That night we have booked Moulin Rouge. It was my mom’s wish to have a dinner with a show. Honestly, I was excited to go too. So, after a long day out it was nice to sit down in the most famous French cabaret. Obviously, you are not allowed to take photos of the show. But here is the setting and delicious dinner.

    The next day we visited Tour Eiffel and went on a cute boat ride on la Seine. I only had a sweater because I got sunburn the day before. It was very hot.

    Breakfast at our bakery
    Escargots at De La Tour
    Duck breasts at De La Tour

    Finally, the time has come for Beyoncé. I was excited. But again, it was very hot. Luckily, my seat was in the shade. The daylight was also extremely long. At 22.00 was still not completely dark. The concert was amazing! Here are some photos and a few shorts. Enjoy!

    Paris was the only location where Miley Cyrus joined, you can imagine my excitement.
    Blue Ivy killing it.

    Wouldn’t mind going back to Paris for her concert again.

  • Exploring 4 Canyons in 3 Days in Italy

    Exploring 4 Canyons in 3 Days in Italy

    Another canyoning trip to Italy. Italy truly is a paradise for canyoning.

    The first day of the trip – Val Tovanella (V4A3V).

    Photo by Rick
    Photo by Rick

    Beautiful, quite slippery here & there and the water level was quite high. In some places too high for my liking. So we did some practice and built a zipline or two.

    The next day we did Val Fogare inferiore (V4A4IV). It is a very very beautiful canyon, very diverse. Unfortunately, not really permitted. There are some negotiations about it apparently.

    Some photos of me made by Rick.

    The next day our friend joined us and so did the rain. We had to change our plans. So we did 2 short canyons – Torrente Cunaz and Torrente Chiavola. They were both shorter than 3 hours altogether, from car to car.

    Torrente Chiavola (V4A2II) is a cute canyon, with a dinosaur footprint at the end. Normally it is done, when the surrounding canyons have too much water. So it was a perfect choice.

    Torrente Cunaz (V3A2III) – it was nothing crazy special, but nice. In some spots there should be anchors added.

    RIck’s photo session.

    Thanks to the boys and Italy, of course!

  • Discovering Diving: Our Liveaboard Adventure in the Red Sea

    Discovering Diving: Our Liveaboard Adventure in the Red Sea

    I have not been diving a lot so far. I know I love it. I want to do more of it. That is why Rick and I decided to try a liveaboard. This one was great. As their motto goes DIVE EAT SLEEP REPEAT. We traveled to Marsa Alam airport (Egypt), stayed the night in Port Ghalib and next day we board our boat. 6 full days of diving, 7 nights of sleeping. When we got off, we were still rocking.

    Here are some Port Ghalib photos at night. There is a very chill camel on the beach of our hotel. Also, see our boat and cabin on the upper deck.

    We did altogether 19 dives and here is some statistics of what we saw. It was beautiful!

    • Countless turtles
    • Busy, protective and adorable anemones (nemos)
    • Countless blue spotted rays
    • 1 hammerhead
    • 3 giant pufferfish
    • A shoal of many squids
    • A few triggerfish, bluefin trevallies & many other fish
    • Many morays
    • 1 barracuda & 1 crocodilefish
    • 1 sank safari boat
    Many adorable nemos
    Hammerhead in the deep blue
    Protective nemos

    Beautiful reefs, pinnacles, swim-through and other features that Red Sea offers.

    Plenty of beautiful marine life.

    Sunken safari boat.

    A shoal of squids

    On the photo you can see all the dive sites. We have met the nicest people, that we ganged up with. Thank you for your company.