The news and headlines of this past weekend are enough to keep anyone up at night with fear, anxiety and sadness, so my house decided to take a little break this past weekend. We wanted to get lost for a bit and focus on things that made us happy and distracted our thoughts, even if it was just for a bit.

ID 157230194 © David Pillow | Dreamstime.com

We traveled, in the purely imaginary sense. The weekend weather was beautiful here on the East Coast, and my significant other and I sat on the porch, enjoyed some wine and cruised the world. Some fun things we were able to do included using a filter Belmond has on Instagram that transports you to the Venice Orient Express, just one of the illustrious Belmond properties you can visit. We also toured Italy via the Italian Government Tourist Board’s site and visited Rome on a scooter (thanks to virtual reality). It made us excited to travel again, and we’ve already started planning our next trip (Italy always wins for us).

ID 51255398 © David M Sacerdote | Dreamstime.com

After traveling to Italy, we visited the Philadelphia Art Museum and really enjoyed the exhibition on mindfulness. It was a great way to spend the night, seeing the world right on our back porch. We decided to continue the distraction into Sunday and took the dog out for a long walk. We went a new route — the long way to our favorite park (shown here), the flowers are blooming and the clear skies were a perfect backdrop for the lush green trees. Nature just has a way of instantly bringing things down a degree or two for me. It’s been nice to “rediscover” our town, and it’s a beautiful area we really enjoy.

While things have been challenging lately, it’s been amazing to find ways to see the world (and things in your backyard) from the comfort of your own home. I definitely suggest checking out exhibits on line as well as traveling to destinations far and wide via tourism boards. It’s a wonderful way to keep planning and traveling. Also, don’t forget your own neighborhood! I’m always amazed at just how much there is to do right in my own zip code. Stay well, stay safe, and keep traveling.

— Sarah Ward, account executive