Mac On the Map

The
journey
is the Goal

Find your next adventure as I take you across the map

  • To Tanglewood & Beyond: Berkshires, MA

    To Tanglewood & Beyond: Berkshires, MA

    Driving out to the Berkshires is one of my favorite summer adventures.  The lush green of the rolling hills, cute small town centers, historic houses and museums, and artistic flare provide something for everyone.  This year’s visit centered around a concert at Tanglewood. The summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Tanglewood offers classical concerts… Read more

  • Traveling to the Birthplace of Portugal: Guimarães

    Traveling to the Birthplace of Portugal: Guimarães

    When I found out that the birthplace of Portugal was located just over an hour from Porto by train or bus, I knew I had to add it into my itinerary.  In the 12th century Guimarães was the first capital of Portugal. Since then it has maintained its medieval urban layout and architectural style.  Most… Read more

  • Exploring the Tri-City: Gdynia & Sopot, Poland

    Exploring the Tri-City: Gdynia & Sopot, Poland

    Gdynia, Sopot and Gdańsk are known as the Tri-City, so while I stayed in Gdańsk, I was able to spend some time in these neighboring cities as well.  I had taken the overnight ferry from Karlskrona, Sweden to Gdynia; thus, Gdynia was actually my first experience in Poland.   Just as I had arrived by boat,… Read more

  • Beating the Heat in Lesser Town Prague, The Czech Republic

    Beating the Heat in Lesser Town Prague, The Czech Republic

    I visited Prague in June 2026 during a massive heat wave. Every day of my visit was in the high 90s (mid-high 30s celcius) with two days reaching over 100 (38 degrees celecius).  This of course wasn’t ideal, but I can’t control the weather.  However, I could figure out ways to make the most of… Read more

  • Walled in Wonders in Toruń, Poland

    Walled in Wonders in Toruń, Poland

    Toruń is a small walled city that luckily escaped much of the World War II damage; thus, while cities like Gdańsk have been rebuilt in their historic style, Toruń’s buildings are mostly original.   The medieval wall encircling the city allows one to wander without getting lost, and I enjoyed finding small cafes, murals, unique architecture,… Read more

  • Hiking into the History of Tourism: Saxon Switzerland National Park, Germany

    Hiking into the History of Tourism: Saxon Switzerland National Park, Germany

    Saxon Switzerland National Park is nowhere near Switzerland; instead, it extends across the border between Germany and the Czech Republic – in the Czech Republic it is called Bohemian Switzerland National Park. The Elbe River runs along the edge of the park and several small towns dot its banks. While the park and many of… Read more

  • Living the Fairy tale in Gdańsk, Poland

    Living the Fairy tale in Gdańsk, Poland

    Gdańsk was a surprise delight. I had heard that it was beautiful, but I wasn’t ready for the coupling of beauty and history.  While Gdańsk suffered devastating bombing at the beginning and end of World War II, instead of rebuilding with modern buildings, they decided to rebuild with the same architectural style that they had… Read more

  • Appreciating Copenhagen’s Culture of Sustainability: Copenhagen, Denmark

    Appreciating Copenhagen’s Culture of Sustainability: Copenhagen, Denmark

    Even though the city is vast, because of the lack of skyscrapers and the multitude of plazas, canals, and parks, Copenhagen doesn’t exhaust me like other cities do. I feel like I can breathe and enjoy wandering without feeling overwhelmed.  The focus on sustainability – with green design, bike & public transportation infrastructure, and recycling… Read more

  • Reflections on Workstays

    Reflections on Workstays

    Over the course of my sabbatical year, my goal was to travel as much as I could. However, constant travel can be exhausting for many reasons, so I wanted to find ways to avoid getting burnt out too quickly. Additionally, travel can be expensive, so I needed to think about how to make a whole… Read more

  • The Power of Nature: Taupo, New Zealand

    The Power of Nature: Taupo, New Zealand

    Staying just north of Rotorua meant that Taupo was about an hour and half drive away, perfect for a day trip.  While I’ve heard the downtown of Taupo is nice, I wanted to focus on some of the natural wonders, so I decided to bypass the lake side area.   I started with a visit to… Read more

  • Alaska

    Alaska

    Even though some of the drives in Alaska were on the longer side, the constant awe dropping views made the time fly by. This trip was a 7 nights, 8 day trip at the beginning of August. I knew I wouldn’t do well on a cruise – for several reasons, so I tried my best… Read more

  • A Summer Saturday in Sydney, Australia

    A Summer Saturday in Sydney, Australia

    Looking at the forecast for the weekend, it was the perfect weather to get sweaty and cool off along Sydney’s coast.  However, I had one stop to make before the big adventure. The Rocks Market runs every weekend between 10am – 5pm along George Street.  Several stands are actually open and ready for customers before… Read more

More Posts