DEBBY DOES DESTINATIONS

Bite-Sized, Virtual, Flash Travel: Fab Photos, Rapid Reads, Handy Hints

Discover A New Destination In Less Than 60 Seconds!

This blog has been SEVEN YEARS in the making. I had scads of travel photos, bits and pieces of writing, a smattering of random ideas, and pages of notes on how to set up a blog. I even had a name for it: The Tremendous Traveling Couch (I know, name leaves something to be desired).

Then, my boob tried to murder me.  I ended up writing a very different kind of blog—one about what it’s like to have breast cancer (but funnier).  You can read that one—Debby Does Chemo—here on my website as well.

7 years later, here I am—with folders full of travel photos and stories and a desire for some of it to see the light of day.

So, welcome to my travel photo blog thingy, where I’m pretending to be a real travel blogger.  Consider it a kaleidoscopic showcase of places that have left their mark on me—like a scrapbook, but without the glitter glue mishaps. A way to connect with others who love the world, words, images,

So, whether you're a kindred spirit with a love for exploring, a word nerd, a visual voyager, or just a supportive friend or family member I guilt-tripped into reading this—welcome.

Thanks for humoring me. 

Our Friendly (and Growing) Index of Articles by Country:

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The Time I Lied My Way Into a 5,000-Year-Old Tomb [Newgrange, Ireland]
The Time I Lied My Way Into a 5,000-Year-Old Tomb [Newgrange, Ireland]

I didn’t plan to lie my way into a 5,000-year-old tomb—but Ireland had other ideas. After a frantic dash across the countryside, a smug ticket counter, and my fourth near-miss with Newgrange, a mischievous priest appeared like a plot device with good timing. Four students didn’t show. Four “students” were suddenly available.

Minutes later, we were boarding the last tour of the day—two people in their 50s, two in their 70s, all apparently enrolled in college. Ancient stone, modern ethics, and a lesson learned: Newgrange may be older than the pyramids, but luck favors the bold… and the convincingly educated.

Conclave Chronicles: Rome if You Want to, 5/8/25 (+ Phototour: St Cecilia Basilica)
Conclave Chronicles: Rome if You Want to, 5/8/25 (+ Phototour: St Cecilia Basilica)

Last night, I found myself in an elevator with the Pope—or something pope-ish—when a chainsaw blared outside my window. Reality check: 8:19am, the conclave was in full swing, and my special edition blog was still asleep. But don’t worry, there’s more in this blog: a bird-elected Pope and a photo tour of the Basilica di S. Cecilia, where martyrdom meets subterranean secrets.

Conclave Chronicles: Rome if You Want to, 5/7/25 (+ PhotoTour: Rome’s A-List Sites)
Conclave Chronicles: Rome if You Want to, 5/7/25 (+ PhotoTour: Rome’s A-List Sites)

The world bids farewell to Pope Francis, and as the cardinals shuffle in, I’m tracking the conclave from afar in this special edition blog. The Vatican buzzes with anticipation, and I buzz with procrastination. In this issue: battling writing demons, conclave fun facts, and a photo tour of Rome’s icons—while I expertly sidestep a job hunt.

From Dead to Dazzling: The Unlikely Rise of Bob the Bejeweled Skeleton [Waldsassen, Germany]
From Dead to Dazzling: The Unlikely Rise of Bob the Bejeweled Skeleton [Waldsassen, Germany]

Eleven jewel-encrusted pseudo-saints dripping in dazzle rest in glass cases, rock stars of the afterlife. Adorned with colorful gems, pearls, gold, and silver (even their eye sockets and teeth are embellished) and clad in sumptuous 18th-century attire, they peer at us from glass cases…

Soggy Socks and Staggering Cliffs [Inis Oírr/Cliffs of Moher, Ireland]
Soggy Socks and Staggering Cliffs [Inis Oírr/Cliffs of Moher, Ireland]

Serpentine stone walls, tiny homesteads, castle ruins, emerald green hills, and beaches…

A 36-Year History with Notre-Dame (or, the Cathedral that Tried to Kill Me) [Paris, France]
A 36-Year History with Notre-Dame (or, the Cathedral that Tried to Kill Me) [Paris, France]

1988. I’m a high school senior, standing in Notre-Dame de Paris…crash! Completely unexpected in a place like this…a little stone, about the size of a golf ball, just sitting there on the floor to my right. I can only assume it fell from the vault above. Not exactly a comforting thought when you’re standing under an 850-year-old ceiling.

Hooves and Handshakes: the Ballinasloe Horse Fair [Ballinasloe, Ireland]
Hooves and Handshakes: the Ballinasloe Horse Fair [Ballinasloe, Ireland]

In a sprawling field crowded with horses and people, the business of buying and selling horses happens across the withers of a horse, and deals are sealed with a handshake. Little ones, perched atop their ponies, gaze wide-eyed at the carnival rides as they dream of sugary treats.

Hot Rocks and Cold Noses [Mt Etna, Sicily]
Hot Rocks and Cold Noses [Mt Etna, Sicily]

Close enough to the top to smell the burning earth…

Sunshine and Shadows: A Day at Dachau [Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial Site, Germany]
Sunshine and Shadows: A Day at Dachau [Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial Site, Germany]

So many shades of suffering that permeated this space…

Turquoise Tranquility: Lake Königssee’s Eco-Friendly Beauty [Berchtesgaden, Germany]
Turquoise Tranquility: Lake Königssee’s Eco-Friendly Beauty [Berchtesgaden, Germany]

Eva Braun was said to have sunbathed frequently on its shores and Hitler to have boated its waters…