The Maldives is one of those few places that blow your expectations out of the water.  One couldn't possibly dream up a paradise as gorgeous as these 1,100+ islands in the middle of the Indian Ocean. The amazing teal colored water, palm trees perfectly placed on gorgeous islands, fresh fish caught daily, and sunshine 365 days of the year -- it's pure bliss.

Chefchaouen, the Blue Pearl of Morocco, has topped my list of places to see for quite some time now.  I've been mesmerized by the beautiful blue buildings, small streets, and colorful culture that Chefchaouen provides.  As a photographer, it's one of those dream places that you really cannot take too many photos of.  Walking through the blue streets, I had to stop myself and soak it all in from time to time.  It's truly one of the most gorgeous cities I've seen in person.

There are 10 travel tips I believe every person needs to know before visiting Marrakech, Morocco. To avoid being disappointed, getting sick, or being taking advantage of follow these top recommendations and tips.  Although I went to Marrakech without knowing all of this; our trip would have gone a bit smoother if we had done the research.  So from one traveler to another, here is my best advice if you plan to visit this beautifully chaotic city.

When finding a place to stay in Fes, Morocco I had a few priorities: proximity to the Medina, safe location, and a beautiful Riad that had a terrace to relax on. Riad Anata provided all my necessities and totally blew me away by its beauty. In the heart of Fes, Riad Anata was easy to get to and allowed us to navigate the city by foot each day.

Mykonos Island was one of the most charming islands we visited during our seven days of island hopping in Greece.  From beautiful alleys to restaurants over looking the ocean and the iconic mills, this island was absolutely stunning. 

Although spending a few more days would have been ideal, one day was a perfect amount of time to see the main sites on the island and enjoy everything.

We had the opportunity to visit Berchtesgaden, Germany and stay with Kempinski Hotel in their newly remodeled space.  The week was full of a waking up to snowy views each morning, snow-shoeing for the first time, and having the most delicious meals in the Kempinski restaurant.  It was one of absolute favorite vacations of 2017 and gave me an opportunity to experience a real snowy winter. However, now that I have my fill of snow, I think I'm good until next year -- Summer 2018, where are you?

With 2017 coming to an end, I am in the midst of planning 2018 travels and it's got me daydreaming like crazy.  When we first moved to Germany, I was mostly focused on traveling within Europe. I figured, who knows how long we will live here -- let's take advantage of the places we can get to! For 2018, I am still wanting to check off a few places in Europe, but would love to see other parts of the world.