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Wednesday, 01 September 2021

Rose's House, Jabal Akhdar, the Sultanate of Oman

Written by Erin Coyle

Dozens of stars, cool weather, and birds and crickets' sounds are all reasons to go to Jabal Akhdar in the Sultanate of Oman. Now is the best time to go, especially when it is 22 degrees at night. An excellent place to rent is Rose's House in Alaqur Village. This original-style mud house is full of charm and character. The house has many traditional items, such as clay pottery water jugs and straw-colored mats with embroidery that hang on the walls. It has three bedrooms, suitable for six people, a majlis (a parlor where guests are received) and a living room. The living room is a lovely spot to play cards and board games. The house is owned and run by the Alfahdi brothers – Ahmed, Mustafa, Amjad, and Saeed. It took them two years to renovate it. Amjad explained that they wanted to rent it to show people a…

Wednesday, 30 June 2021

Swakopmund and the Skeleton Coast, Namibia

Written by Richard Taylor

“We don’t have the money,” said Wolfgang. My big genial driver was expounding on Namibia’s lack of infrastructure. He sounded cheerful. Everything Wolfgang said sounded cheerful, even his lamentations. His case had been made hours ago, when the gravel road had petered out and Wolfgang swerved the rover from side to side, avoiding the deeper mounds of red earth. Happily, we didn’t spin our wheels in any serious way, the route upgraded finally and we continued without incident to the Tropic of Capricorn, its marker sign faded after years of sand and wind, further obscured by the stickers plastered on by previous drivers. It surprised me to feel jazzed about a line of latitude. Not your typical bucket list item. We reached Swakopmund in the late afternoon, stopping by its lighthouse and adjacent market, where Wolfgang inquired about vacancies and found one for me at the Villa Weisse. “Spitzkoppe tomorrow?”…

Saturday, 01 May 2021

Slow Traveling in Emilia Romagna, Italy

Written by Russ & Emily Firlik

On our last slow travel road trip before the devastating Covid 19, we rented a studio in the historic center of Reggio Emilia (pop. 171,000), in the Emilia Romagna region of northern Italy, and spent six weeks visiting the neighboring cities of Parma, Modena and Bologna. Some years ago, we spent six weeks during the summer living in a studio in the historic center of Reggio nell’Emilia, while studying their internationally renowned Reggio Approach to early childhood education. We returned twice more to learn more. It has been thirty years since the publication in Newsweek that pronounced the Reggio Emilia preschools as one of the best in the world. Since then, thousands of educators from every corner of the world have visited their schools and learned about their unique approach to early childhood education. The "International Centre for Children Culture and Creativity Loris Malaguzzi”, was dedicated to its founder, Loris…

Monday, 01 March 2021

Exploring Amsterdam and its ‘Big Three’ Museums

Written by Russ and Emily Firlik

We arrived at Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport, which is one of the busiest airports in Europe, for our two week slow travel adventure. Normally, we have a longer period of time, so we planned well and just focused on the city. Having just finished Dutch Culture in the Golden Age, by J.L Price, I was anxious to spend as much time at the Rijksmuseum as possible. The majority of our time we were joyfully visiting the museums, enjoying several canal rides, and leisurely walking around and admiring the sights along the Amstel River. After researching Amsterdam, we discovered it is a two wheel culture, bikes take priority over pedestrians and there are over 300 miles of bike paths. It also has 165 canals — with a combined length of 50 KM (31 miles). There are 281 bridges and over 2,500 houseboats. The ‘Big Three’ museums and highlights of our slow travel:…

Friday, 01 January 2021

South Africa's Artists, Craftspeople, History and Unique Culture

Written by Russ and Emily Firlik

We arrived at O.R.Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg and taxied to our hotel in the northern suburbs. Our quest was to observe, learn, and reflect on South African’s history, culture and unique arts and crafts, especially businesses owned and operated by women. Our slow travel adventure was not intended to take a safari tour; perhaps at another time. We arranged to have a guide for our entire Johannesburg stay. During the next few days, our guide happily took us to visit some of the best art galleries and markets of contemporary and tribal arts, crafts and artifacts from across the African continent. We observed, lingered and were inspired during these exploratory visits. Our guide, Enzokuhle, meaning ‘Do Good’ in Zulu, introduced us to Joburg, (or Jodz) as it’s known, and acquainted us with this economic hub of southern Africa. Enzokulhe mentioned that the city has over 6 million trees! We…

Sunday, 01 November 2020

Hymn to Fourni, Greece: Goats, Honey, Octopus, Calm… and much more

Written by Donal Conlon

The passengers struggle down, swaying on the rope ladder, rucksacks banging against the side of the ferry. They load awkwardly into a small boat which takes them – including me - to the pier. Big ferries from Piraeus had no docking facilities on the isolated, lovely, small island of Fourni in the eastern Aegean, but that was forty years ago. The disembarkation is much smoother this time round. I first arrived in Greece fifty years ago, exhausted from a three-day train trip. I have liked it ever since: visited much of it, lived in it once, and come back every so often. It sent me off in a new direction for my life and I went eagerly. I am more tolerant of its faults than I am of my own. Many of Greece’s island tourist destinations have changed radically but for those who don’t hanker after international cuisine or exotically-named…

Tuesday, 01 September 2020

Our Favorite Places in Rome

Written by Russ & Emily Firlik

Some time ago we lived in Rome for six months. We'd walked and bussed all the streets of the city and developed a list of our favorite places. When we had a chance to visit for a three night stopover we were astonished that our long-term memory of the city was still very much intact. I will spotlight the places we returned to – some very special sights: (1). The Piazza Mattei - Where in the past we spent many hours having coffee and admiring the Fontana delle Tartarughe, or the fountain of the tortoises. The fountain was designed by Giacometti della Porta in 1581: with 4 bronze youths and 4 bronze sculptured dolphins by Taddeo Landini is a real gem of Mannerist art; later on G.L. Bernini added the four bronze tortoises. Nothing without Joy; (2). The Church of Santa Maria della Pace, designed by P. Cortona in 1656,…

Wednesday, 01 January 2020

Seven Magic Mountains

Written by Jill Weinlein

While taking a complimentary art walking tour inside the Park MGM Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, I learned that the multi-million dollar curated artwork and installations pay tribute to nature surrounding the Nevada desert and urban parks. The art pieces enhance the MGM park theme and beauty of the resort. We stopped at a model of renowned Swiss born artist Ugo Rondinone’s unique Seven Magic Mountains. His colorful art installation is located about 20 minutes south of Las Vegas near June Dry Lake. After the tour, I was inspired to hire a SUV to drive out to the exhibit to see it up close. My driver arrived before sunset and followed Google Maps for about 10 miles to Jean, Nevada, before driving off the paved road onto a dirt trail. As the drive became very bumpy, and we passed a mustang convertible car stuck in the sandy soil, I…

Friday, 01 November 2019

Hiking the Caldera in Santorini

Written by Jill Weinlein

One of the stops on the eight day Galileo sailing ship exploring Greece's Cyclades is a day at the dramatic island of Santorini with an underwater volcanic crater. The rugged cliff landscape is shaped after an eruption in the 16th century. Clinging to the cliffs along the caldera are sugar cube whitewashed homes and picturesque blue dome roofs. Visitors can rent a car, motor cycle or hike from one village to another. Variety Cruises anchors at the old port Ormos, offering a few taverns and small shops and the option of three different ways to get up to the top of the picturesque village of Fira. The easiest way is to ride a three minute cable car up to the edge of the cliff. Visitors can also walk zigzag over 600 stone steps uphill or pay to ride a mule up to the top. Fira is the most visited area…

Monday, 02 September 2019

Taipei, Taiwan: Intriguing, Alive, Charming

Written by Katy Hawkins

Taipei is seedy – a never ending red light district. Illuminated signs flash, studded lights line up in an arrow formation pointing to unknown places. Elegant, grotesque Banyan trees flank and frame streets. Blackened bark. Tendrils drool. Branches dance with one another – making contorted shapes with their bodies. Buildings are smothered in a layer of dirt that seeps into the cracks between the tiles, coating the thickets of wires that spew out of buildings: the guts of the city laid bare for all to see. But this is just an impression seen through a western, British lens. Relative to a place where streets are ordered, straight-laced, sterile: to pass through, not to be touched. Here, the streets are alive. The streets are workshops. Unfinished projects left out everyday: Brooms, fabric, nails, sinks, pipes. Protected by the city’s endless arcades – that extend shop units outwards. Find a well positioned…

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Monday, 01 July 2019

Five Secluded Beaches You Should Visit This Year

Written by Kylee Ryers

Photo thanks to Humphrey Muleba With around 2.4 billion people in the world living with 60 miles of the coastline, according to information from the U.N.’s Ocean Conference, there are a lot of beaches that tend to be pretty crowded. While not all popular beaches are bad places to go, sometimes you want a more private, quiet experience to enjoy the wonders of the ocean. These are some of the best unique, secluded beaches you should consider checking out this year. Playa Arcos, Costa Rica The name of this beach translates to “arch beach” in English, and it’s a stunning ocean area that you can get to by hiking through Ballena National Park. Adventurous travelers will love that the beach is next to rainforests and rugged cliffs. Plus, you might see some amazing marine wildlife in this protected marine park, and there are even rock caves and hidden waterfalls to…

Wednesday, 01 May 2019

Out of this World: Visiting the Stunning Islands of Alaska

Written by Katlyn Grannis

Photo by Rod Long There are currently 2,670 named islands in Alaska and several unnamed islands that make up the largest state in America. Although they have a population of fewer than 800,000 people, twice as many people visit Alaska each year for business and pleasure. These islands are so large that many of the mountains found in Alaska are scattered among them. On the mountain tops you will find snow-covered peaks and inactive volcanoes. Beautiful little houses are nestled in the valleys where you can spend the night. Chichagof Island Chichagof is the fifth largest island in North America with its terrain ranging from snow-capped mountains to white sandy beaches. This island offers plenty of tourist options, from the small towns near the docks on the northeastern coast to the Ziprider – the world’s longest zip line. Visitors from all over the world come to watch the humpback whales…

Tuesday, 01 January 2019

The Last Wild Miles of Glen Canyon

Written by Jim Chamberlain

I have dreamed of floating the Colorado River through towering red rock walls, past hanging canyons, and shorelines dotted with wildlife and petroglyphs. I did not want to have to spend a week camping or going through dangerous rapids or hiking down three thousand feet. Glen Canyon was the answer to my dream. The 15 miles of the Colorado River that stretches between the Glen Canyon Dam and Lee’s Ferry is a trip for everyone. This is the last wild section of the canyon that was mostly buried by the deep blue waters of Lake Powell. This stretch of the river is smooth and calm. It allows you to take in the towering walls of Navajo Sandstone that reach over 1000 feet up into the sky. You see how nature has used water and wind to carve its own rock sculptures into the cliffs. Wild Horses, Bighorn Sheep and several…

Thursday, 01 November 2018

“Pure Barry” Cycling in Scotland

Written by Dale Fehringer

Just a few minutes earlier standing among the blooming foxgloves, bluebells, and buttercups and holding our bikes next to the path overlooking the lake (or loch as it's known in Scotland) I had remarked to my companions that if there was a heaven it wouldn't be much different than this. The sun had come out, there were a few puffy white clouds left in the brilliant blue sky, and it had warmed to around 70 degrees. It was a perfect day to cycle around Loch Katrine in Scotland's Trossachs region, a romantic area of sparkling lakes, tree-covered hills, and welcoming villages, and we had finished a delicious lunch and were enjoying a leisurely ride. It was turning into a fantastic day! As we turned to get back on our bikes we watched an orange and black butterfly flutter in the ferns next to the path. It reminded us of my…

Saturday, 01 September 2018

Comparing Tuscany and Provence

Written by Emily and Russ Firlik

We spent two months (October & November) driving about 3,500 kilometers in both Tuscany and Provence. After extensively exploring both we considered these questions: How does Tuscany differ from Provence? Conversely, how are they similar? Our unavoidable bias and unscientific observations are indeed noted. (1) We found the Provence countryside, landscape and topography much more diverse with more vineyards than Tuscany. (2) Missing in large parts in Provence towns and villages are the piazzas that are found in Tuscany. (3) The churches in typical Provençal villages were mostly near the top of the hill, not at a focal point at the center of Tuscan towns and villages. Provençal churches were always closed except on Sundays. Tuscan churches were open parts of the day and many contained some bits of fresco, paintings or sculpture. (4) Between French and Italian cuisine it is still a toss-up! There is such a wide range…

Tuesday, 01 May 2018

Lost in the Jungle: The Mayan Temple of Faces at Kohuhlich

Written by Jim Chamberlain

A visit to two cities of the ancient rulers of the Yucatan: Kohuhlich & Tulum The vines covered the grey stones with a lattice work of green. The cries of the howler monkeys from the trees sounded a warning to residents long gone. I climbed up narrow and steep steps of the temple toward the sky. You could almost imagine the priests of the temple looking out over the whole city from their vantage point at the top of the Temple of Masks at Kohuhlich. This old Mayan city sits near the border with Belize in southern Yucatan, Mexico, and is slowly being recovered from the jungle which has been trying to envelope it for hundreds of years. The cloudy sky made the green of the jungle seem more luminous and the ruins more ominous. You enter the city along a dirt trail and the first structure you see is…

Thursday, 01 March 2018

Lost in Porta Portese Flea Market, Rome

Written by Stephanie Cooke

There was no doubt about it. We were well and truly lost. Our coach was due to collect us in 20 minutes, and we had no idea where we were, let alone how to find our way back to our pick-up point at the magnificently ornate 17th Century Trastevere Arch. We were on the first leg of our tour of Italy, and the trip to the flea market at Porta Portese in Rome seemed like a great idea at the time, especially to seasoned bargain hunters like us. Open from 6:30am to 2pm every Sunday, the market is a sprawling mass of stalls spilling through the bohemian Trastevere area of the Eternal City. Manned by traders from all over the countryside, you can find and haggle for all kinds of goods here, from clothes and jewelry to cheap plastic electrical items and rather dubious looking antiques. Bargain hunting Italians in…

Saturday, 30 December 2017

Montenegro: Land of Adventure

Written by Dale Fehringer

It was a little unsettling when we received word that the cycling tour in Montenegro we had put a deposit on was cancelled due to insufficient sign-ups. It was just a week before we were to leave for Europe and now we had nowhere to stay and no plans for our time in Montenegro. What to do? Thank goodness for the Internet. We found and reserved hotel rooms, and then contacted tour companies in Montenegro. We heard right away from two of them; one was booked for the week and couldn’t help us, but the other was happy to put a schedule together. Marko, who heads Active Travels Montenegro, asked us what we wanted to do and what restrictions we had. Cycling, hiking, and kayaking we told him – with really no limits. Oh, and maybe a boat trip … and how about swimming in the Adriatic Sea? No problem,…

Friday, 01 September 2017

Curacao & Bonaire—A Perfect Combination of Islands to Visit

Written by Roger Marks

My wife and I were seeking a vacation destination in March, after the typical long Chicago winter with its mostly grey skies each day. We wanted a place that would incorporate historical/cultural sights, unique and interesting scenery, relaxation—which in our case happens to be water sports—particularly snorkeling or diving, and that extra something that is different than places we have been to in the past. Because we allocated 12 days for the trip, including 2 travel days, we didn’t want to fly half way around the world. Curacao & Bonaire perfectly satisfied these requirements. Both islands, situated between 40-50 miles off the coast of Venezuela, offered desert scenery filled with giant cactus gardens (as opposed to the more common lush rain forests one sees on other Caribbean islands), historical plantations to visit and a UNESCO World Heritage site—Willemstad—the capital of Curacao that offered many interesting cultural sites and museums, and…

Wednesday, 01 November 2017

London through the Eyes of a Cabbie

Written by Dale Fehringer

There is much to see in London and taxi driver, Dominic Shannon, will help you take it in – from a unique perspective. From the moment you enter his cab you embark on an adventure; not just moving around the city, but observing it. Shannon has been photographing London for years, capturing thousands of moments in time, from vistas to vagrants, and he gladly shares his views with his customers. It started with a traffic accident when Shannon, a former boxer and family man from Camden, wished he had a way to record the positioning of the involved cars, so he bought a disposable, then moved up to a smart phone, and finally to a point-and-shoot camera. Today, he takes photos primarily from the cab of his taxi, often leaning on or shooting into the rearview mirror. Taken together, his photos are an extraordinary collage of an amazing city. As…

Monday, 01 May 2017

Beyond Skógafoss

Written by Kristi Anderson

A misty breeze blew into our faces as we approached the base of Skógafoss. The thundering waterfall in Iceland pours a huge volume of water off a cliff as high as an 18-story building and can be seen from the main highway a kilometer away. Tourists traveling the Ring Road find it an irresistible stop. For my friend and me, it marked the beginning of our run on the Skógar trail. We hiked up the stairs to the top of the falls weaving through throngs of people wielding selfie sticks and tripods. A short distance beyond the upper viewpoint of the falls we clambered over an A-frame step ladder through a fence and found ourselves in the company of a few sheep in the quiet realm of the Skógar trail. Our plan was to run 20-25 kilometers toward Þórsmörk and turn around to come back before the afternoon rain. Rapid…

Wednesday, 01 March 2017

One Ticket, Twenty Euros: Pamplona at the Running of the Bulls

Written by Caleb Lee Gonzalez

I can’t help but wonder if anybody has passed by on the highway to see a clear image of my sleeping face smashed up against the window on the bus. Later, I open my eyes to see an almost empty little town. The streets are empty. Then again, it is 2 o’clock. The infamous siesta. When everybody goes back into their cave to eat, sleep, drink wine, do something other than being outside. The town still seems smaller than what I always imagined it would be. The buildings are rusty. I wonder where the bulls are at. As I step out of the bus, I immediately can feel a change in temperature. It is much cooler than Madrid. The air brushes against my arms. I walk around the quiet ghost town and notice a family dressed in white pants with red handkerchiefs tied around their necks. The dad has his…

Sunday, 01 January 2017

Chasing the Northern Lights in Finland

Written by Dale Fehringer

We traveled a long way to see them, and we have one more shot at it. We flew for nearly 11 hours from San Francisco to Copenhagen, and then another two hours to Helsinki. After a couple of days exploring Finland’s capital, we boarded a train (the super-fast, super-clean Lapland Express) for an eight-hour ride up Finland’s west coast to the Lapland city of Rovaniemi. We are staying in a comfortable small hotel and hoping for the best. Last night was too cloudy and tomorrow we will head back to Helsinki, so this is it … our last opportunity on this trip to see the Northern Lights. It’s on our bucket list, for sure. We have heard about the Northern Lights (or Aurora Borealis, as we knew them in school) our whole lives. As children we studied what caused them, but we didn’t really understand it. Our science books said…

Monday, 31 October 2016

The Cabot Trail Begins and Ends at Baddeck: The Gem of Cape Breton

Written by Habeeb Salloum and Muna Salloum

“Don’t miss traveling at least a part of the Cabot Trail when you visit Nova Scotia. The scenery is heavenly”. Our colleague who hailed from that part of Canada advised when I told her that my daughter and myself were making a trip to Cape Breton Island for a writer’s conference. We took her advice to heart and a few months later, we were at the village of Baddeck, the starting and ending points of the Cabot trail. Tourist literature describing this trail conjure images of a magical island claiming that if one never believed in magic, this is the place where one becomes a believer. “Your eyes may not be big enough to take it all in, but your heart will”, another of the promotional statements of the island’s official Destination Cape Breton Association, are words that we hoped to verify during our short tour. The 297 km (185…

Thursday, 01 September 2016

The Rome You Might Have Missed

Written by Alexandria Bottelsen

Out of breath and far sweatier than our touristy outfit desired, we had finally reached the crest of our hike. Briefly looking back to admire the steep, sloping road we had just conquered, we then turned our view to the jewel that our “extra” day had allowed us to see: a panoramic view of Rome. Now there are many magnificent places throughout the tourist-laden city to get a bird’s eye view, and perhaps it was the journey that made this one so worthwhile, but as we looked out across the tiny buildings, laid before us like building blocks for the gods, we could do nothing but stand breathless. Within the forest green and sky blue frame of nature stood the entirety of the city. At one edge of the painting is The Vatican, and then all the way on the other stands the ancient ruins, including The Coliseum. Here before…

Friday, 08 July 2016

Antiquities in Plovdiv, Bulgaria

Written by Richard Taylor

They weren’t making this easy. Flexibility is the top card in Rules for Travel. Taking things in stride and all that. Since my default setting is pouting rigidity, it can be a tricky business. But one tries to roll with the punches and with that maxim in mind, I arrived in Plovdiv, got off the bus, stepped into the ring and took a pummeling. After weeks of comfortable Romanized alphabet, I was back among the loops, symbols and wacky diphthongs of Bulgarian Cyrillic. But there wasn’t merely script to interpret but body language, for they stoke the confusion with contrarian head feints, nodding for NO and shaking it for YES. On top of that, my city map made no sense in any language. Oh, most of the streets were there and the bus station. But the ruins and museums and old city walls were evidently disguised with a cloaking device.…

Sunday, 01 May 2016

Pondicherry at Christmas Time

Written by Richard Taylor

You can always judge a city by its road signs. Well, no you can’t but they do indicate priorities. There’s the rather stark advisory I saw in Madurai: WEAR A HELMET, AVOID DEATH, which was at least intermittently observed and the laughably ineffectual NO HORN ZONE, in several cities throughout India. In Puducherry, there’s a large red and white billboard at the north end of Goubert Salai: PUDUCHERRY ISN’T THE SAME WHEN YOU LITTER. This doesn’t exactly forbid it – in fact, it may prompt some staunch nationalist to add a garnish of pop cans, wet newspaper, dirty linens and the more unspeakable stuff. No, it isn’t the same when you litter. Too sterile by half. Downright Un-Indian in its way. India had its own Macao, its own Hong Kong. Or more accurately the French did. While Britain was shedding its colonies after the Second World War, Puducherry or Pondicherry…

Tuesday, 01 March 2016

Destination Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

Written by Meredith Chait

Dar es Salaam, Tanzania is known for its airport. Many foreign travelers come to Dar es Salaam only to connect to their next flight, usually to a national park for a safari or to Zanzibar. But during my months of volunteering in Dar es Salaam, I found that the city of 4.5 million people has a lot to offer itself. Markets One of the more popular places for tourists to shop is Mwenge Craft Market. It is a little courtyard area surrounded by stalls of people selling artwork. Watch people carve wood on the outside of the courtyard. The market is famous for woodcarvings and ebony. However, beware of shoe polish cans that the sellers use to color other wood to make it look like ebony. Woodcarver at Mwenge A place the locals go to shop is Karume clothes market. However, beware that these clothes are not perfect. I bought…

Friday, 01 January 2016

Kiev, Ukraine: Golden Domes, Shimmering Spires and Bohemian Spirits of Freedom

Written by Lesley Williamson

The capital of Ukraine is a surprising destination to be explored in the fall, when the season transforms autumn leaves into striking hues of golden yellow, red and amber. The city center that staged Ukraine’s revolutionary demonstrations and protests awakens to a beautiful and serene existence. After the political turmoil that shook the country in 2014 and affected its entire tourism industry, a visit to its glowing capital is a powerful and overwhelming insight into the wind of change blowing over Ukraine. When you think of a city break away, Kiev doesn’t instantly spring to mind. However, back in 2012, tourists and investors were flocking to the city and Ukraine stood proudly as the 8th most popular tourism destination in Europe welcoming 23 million visitors. No wonder really, the “Mother of all Slavic nations” is steeped in history, rich in culture and culinary delights. Meet the Locals “Babushkas” are the…

Saturday, 31 October 2015

10 Sights to Visit in Xi'an

Written by Jill Weinlein

The city of Xi'an is one of the great ancient capitals of China and is the starting point of the Silk Road. It's also where the Terra Cotta Army of Emperor Qin Shi Huang was unearthed in the late 1970s. The best way to get to Xi'an is by Shanghai Air after exploring the city of Shanghai for a few days. Here are 10 of the top sights you will want visit while in Xi'an for two to three days: 1. Ride a Bike. Xian's offers one of he best preserved city walls in all of China. The modern wall was initially built during the old Tang Dynasty between 618 to 907 A.D. It's at least 40 feet tall and once surrounded by a deep moat for added protection. The top of the wall has an almost 9 mile bike and walking path. There are a total of 18 gates.…

Monday, 31 August 2015

Bus 18 to Ramallah

Written by Paul Michelson

If we were ever going to visit the West Bank, this seemed like the time. The fighting between Israel and Hamas had ended months earlier, and although the hostility lingered, no large-scale violence had broken out in the Palestinian Territories since. So after a few days sightseeing in Jerusalem, Mardena and I crossed into East Jerusalem, found the New Arab Bus Station, climbed on bus 18, and settled in for the ride to Ramallah. Ramallah was a city I especially wanted to see. For one thing, since it was the de facto political and cultural capital of the West Bank, I thought it would give us about as unvarnished a view of Palestinian life as we were likely to find. Later that week, we’d be spending a few days in Bethlehem, another West Bank town, but given the importance of Christian tourism there, I had a feeling it might affect…

Tuesday, 30 June 2015

I Survived Mt. Sinai! (barely)

Written by Jill Dobbe

On the way to the Red Sea on the Sinai Peninsula we drove through the long underground passageway that ran beneath the Suez Canal. We stepped onto the beach and rushed toward the water catching hazy glimpses of Saudi Arabia far off in the distance. The white sand beach was secluded except for the few camels that strolled languidly by. As we lounged on fat pillows that lay beneath a traditional Bedouin tent our peaceful atmosphere was momentarily interrupted. Word got out that foreigners had arrived. Soon sun-wrinkled Bedouin women plopped down next to us and unloaded their cheap plastic trinkets. Mt. Sinai, Egypt, where Moses was believed to have received the Ten Commandments, was just a short distance from the beach. A popular trek for pilgrims and tourists, my husband, Dan, was anxious to climb it. Hesitant at first, I let him talk me into it. “You must experience…

Friday, 01 May 2015

Konya: Guidebooks Don’t Quite Capture This Turkish City

Written by Paul Michelson

At first glance, Konya was a little disconcerting: mosques, lots of them, squatting among warehouses, apartments, and tidy green lawns, the harsh July sun radiating off their bright aluminum domes. With scarcely a bush in sight, the city’s industrial suburbs looked spare, almost severe, in their neatness. In the distance, against a cloudless blue sky, barren mountains formed a stark brown backdrop to this metropolis on the Turkish steppes. To me, it all looked a little alien, even intimidating. It wasn’t like I hadn’t seen a mosque before. There’d been plenty in Istanbul, but there they’d been stately historical relics: the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, Suleiman Mosque. Here they were like living, breathing things, fresh, vibrant, somehow assertive. And they were everywhere. I admit, of course, I’d been on edge even before we got here. The guidebooks had said Konya was one of the most conservative places in the country.…

Sunday, 01 March 2015

Inside America’s Most Haunted Prison, ESP, Philadelphia

Written by Simone Armer

“Lesson 4,” a voice blasted from the MP3 player of the man sitting across from me. It was the only noise on an otherwise quiet bus, the bumble of which had put my sister to sleep. We had begun our journey in Chinatown, and now, as I stared out the window, hypnotized by the blur of branches that line the road from New York to Philadelphia, it occurred to me: the dark humor in taking a bus to prison. Eastern State Penitentiary, or ESP, was once the most famous and expensive prison in the world, before it was shut down in 1971. It lay abandoned for a decade, home only to invading vegetation and stray cats. In 1994, The City of Philadelphia reopened its doors to the public. We were a half hour away from walking through those doors. And then the bus broke down. “At least we got access…

Saturday, 27 December 2014

Alaska’s Inside Passage: Glaciers, Tlingit Culture, and Crab & Salmon

Written by Maureen C. Bruschi

Imagine seventy-six miles of flowing rivers of ice gushing into the sea forming a 7-mile wide, 600-foot high wall of ice. Hard to imagine? Absolutely. But that’s exactly what you’ll witness at Hubbard Glacier, an amazing natural phenomenon not to be missed if you travel to Alaska’s Inside Passage. And this was only one day of an incredible voyage, which started and ended in Vancouver, Canada, stopping at Alaska’s Icy Strait Point, Juneau, and Ketchikan. We toured the Inside Passage for seven days via Celebrity Cruises and experienced an impeccable staff and crew, and several cultural and festive shore excursions. And best of all we lucked out with perfect sailing weather for the entire cruise. We set sail for Icy Strait Point on a Sunday. For a day and a half we cruised the Inside Passage, a spectacular long line of rugged and remote coastal islands comprising fjords, cliffs, snow-covered…

Friday, 31 October 2014

Outer Banks, North Carolina: A Family Paradise

Written by Matthew MacCormack

The golden late-afternoon sun, ready to begin its remission and tuck itself beneath the horizon, glints off the surface of the azure water. Waves form their own impromptu percussion session, their wooshing heard from several blocks away. Sandpiper birds scurry across the surface of the warm sand, sure not to let the waves wet their thin feathers. A few hundred yards out in the ocean, the graphite tips of dolphin dorsal fins can be seen poking out of the water, and baitfish dance and leap from the water as manta rays, as big as a kitchen table, leap from the surface, and acrobatically backflip through the air. Is this Heaven? Well, sort of. Welcome to the Outer Banks, North Carolina. OBX, as it is affectionately called by vacationers, is a set of thin barrier islands off the coast of the North Carolina’s eastern shore. Although it is famously known as…

Thursday, 23 October 2014

Salamanca: The City of Gold

Written by Jennifer Walter

Salamanca is a brief two hour bus-ride from the city of Madrid. The city known as “Golden City” (because of the way it looks when the sun hits it) has much to offer in the way of scenery, history, shopping and nightlife. It is home of the oldest University in Spain, Universidad de Salamanca founded in 1218. As our bus arrived into the city, my first view was of the spectacular chapel. It appears as if it sits upon a hill, and I couldn’t wait to see it up close. My cousin, who was a student at Universidad de Salamanca, met us at the bus station and we decided to have lunch. My first view of La Plaza Mujer was one that caused me to stop and catch my breath. This breathtaking town square was built in the 1700’s. Originally it was created for things such as bullfights, and now…

Sunday, 29 June 2014

Dracula Tourism in Romania

Written by Jonathan Cox

It started with the Satanists. The year was 1999, and Bruno Frohlich, a Lutheran pastor in the Romanian town of Sighisoara, had received several phone calls from local Goths interested in renting his parish’s courtyard to use for “religious ceremonies.” Naturally, Bruno turned them down. He considers himself lucky that they bothered to ask permission at all—other Satanist groups had snuck into the cemetery next to the nearby Scholar’s Stairs to perform rituals, sometimes carving swastikas into the hundred-year-old headstones. Talking about this strange phone call a decade later, Bruno neglected to mention feeling the emotions that would seem most natural if someone asked to perform a Satanist ritual in your backyard: shock, outrage, indignation. He says he politely turned down the Goths’ request, and got on with running the parish and preaching to the local congregation. You learn to take Satanist rituals in stride, living in the birthplace of…

Wednesday, 30 April 2014

Stone Towers of Mount Svaneti, Georgia

Written by Obiagbor Fortune

Leaning forward, holding tightly to the roof beams, we poked our heads out of a 800-year-old stone tower in the country of Georgia. From our vantage point some 25 meters above the ground, we saw scores of other ancient stone towers scattered throughout the village of Mestia, Svaneti’s regional capital. The gently sloping valley, carpeted with green hay fields, contrasted strikingly with the immensity of the lofty snowy summits that soared around us. We were captivated by this ancient place, feeling that somehow we had stepped back into the Middle Ages. Visiting the famous stone towers of Svaneti had, in fact, been a goal of our trip. Our journey to the high mountain area of Svaneti began in Zugdidi, Georgia, near the Black Sea. The morning was clear, and from there we could already see the magnificent white peaks. When we reached the Inguri River George, we slowly wound our…

Friday, 31 January 2014

Provins: An Easy Escape from Paris

Written by Ashley Peterson

A short distance from the hustle and bustle of crowded Parisian streets, there lays a small medieval town called Provins just waiting to be explored. This little sleepy village has much to offer any type of traveler, from its magnificent 12th century cathedrals to its scrumptious patisseries and picturesque waterways. Life in the village seemed dormant and quiet when we arrived, but then again the day we decided to visit was an incredibly cold and wet fall day. Nonetheless after a little over an hour on the train, we followed the giant looming cathedral on the hill and were happily surprised along the way. Snaking behind houses and in-between streets are some little rivers that almost give you the feel of being hundreds of miles away amongst the water ways of Venice. But we’re brought back to France by the lovely medieval houses adorning the streets. With old woodwork and…

Monday, 30 December 2013

Following Sinbad’s footsteps in magical Muscat, Oman

Written by Benjamin Mack

A white-tinged, time-trapped city nestled along the Arabian Sea, the Oman capital of Muscat is more like a storybook come to life than anything else. Need proof? Try men in spotless robes sporting a khanjar (curved dagger) in their belts, perusing a subterranean souq amidst the smells of frankincense, myrrh, perfume oils, jasmine and spices. Or merchants hovering over stalls full of glimmering Omani silver, gleaming daggers, jeweled swords, brightly colored cloths, handmade hookah pipes, antique pottery, and rare incenses in a marketplace known as “The Darkness.” Or, different still, the haunting sounds of the Islamic call to prayer emanating from one of the largest mosques in the world, which also boasts the second-largest chandelier and hand-woven carpet on earth. That’s the surface of Muscat, anyway. The soul of the city that also – fortunately for travelers –has a reputation as the safest in the Middle East is a somewhat…

Wednesday, 30 October 2013

Kyoto: Three Girls, Three Days

Written by Patti Morrow

“Everyone is staring at us,” said Rebecca. “That’s because you’re dressed like a Geisha!” I reminded her. I have to admit, she did look stunning, even minus a Japanese heritage. Kyoto is awash in stunning sights, and with a pair of good walking shoes and a lot of energy and motivation, it’s possible to see and do a lot in three days. Our centrally-located Karasuma Kyoto Hotel was an excellent choice. It was spotless, reasonably priced, and close to both Kyoto Station and downtown. The rooms were large by Japanese standards. But the best part was the bakery in the lobby offering the most humongous, rich cream puffs I’ve ever tasted. You know the kind I’m talking about…. they’re so big you buy one to “share” but they’re so good you end up eating nearly the whole thing yourself. Established in 794 A.D., Kyoto is a treasure trove of culture…

Sunday, 01 September 2013

Rowing Through Rice Fields

Written by Pamela Roth

"Ohhhh. You a foreigner?" said the middle-aged Vietnamese man wearing a wrinkled suit. He sat down across from me at the child-sized blue plastic table along one of Hanoi's narrow, crowded streets in the old quarter. "Yes, from Canada," I replied. He flashed me a friendly smile, displaying a mouth full of crooked, yellow teeth. I picked up my chopsticks and began plucking at the noodles in the bowl of pho (soup) I had purchased from one of the many street vendors selling it for breakfast outside my hotel. The man took a liking to me and tried to engage in conversation with the little English he knew. He ordered a clear alcohol and poured it into a shot glass, taking a few tiny sips. When a wave of panic spread across my face from biting into a chilli pepper by mistake, the man pushed the shot glass toward me…

Monday, 01 July 2013

Ireland and the Life of Riley

Written by Ellen Riley

When my husband, Jake Riley, announced that he needed to travel to Ireland to continue his genealogical research, our three children (then ages 16, 18 and 21) and I became newly supportive of his hobby. Admittedly, in the past, all four of us were guilty of tuning him out when he shared discovery of yet another generation of Rileys. His frequent lectures on the family tree, fueled over the years by his research tours of New England cemeteries and libraries, were met with rolling eyes and theatrical yawns. The lure of a trip to Ireland, however, brought a rush of family pride and our excited cheer of “Slainte!” We decided to arrange the trip without a tour operator, using it as a chance to model to our children how to travel independently - and on a budget. We cut back on Christmas gifts and spent the holiday planning our summer…

Sunday, 28 April 2013

Exploring the Cordoba of the Moors

Written by Habeeb Salloum

Calling it "the gem of the world" the 9th century German nun, Hrosvitha, went on to describe Córdoba, Arab Spain's capital: "In the western part of the globe, there shone forth a beautiful ornament - a city well cultured - rich and known by the famous name of Córdoba, illustrious because of its charms and renowned for all resources, especially abounding in the seven streams of knowledge, and ever famous for continual victories." With these words Hrosvitha described Córdoba at the pinnacle of its grandeur when it was the capital of Moorish Spain and the cultural and intellectual heart of Europe. At that time, the city had a population of from 500,000 to 1,000,000 literate inhabitants. Miles of its avenues were paved and brightly lit. Sewers carried away the refuse and well-kept parks dotted the town. Above all, the city was famous for its libraries - a number boasting some…

Thursday, 28 February 2013

Kashmir and Ladakh: Roads Less Traveled

Written by Sam Hopkins

Sitting in a beaten-up Land Rover, being choked with dust, whilst perching perilously over a mile-high canyon is not everyone’s idea of fun: however, this was the situation I found myself in on the infamous Srinagar to Manali Road. I was in the ‘Himalayan India,’ the polar opposite to the scorching plains and ‘India on steroids’ of well documented Rajasthan and Delhi. Having flown in directly from Delhi, I had no idea what to expect of Kashmir. A region infamous for political tension and violence, I half expected to be hearing machine gun fire in the distance. Yet, surprisingly, Kashmir is the epitome of calm and tranquillity. At its heart is the city of Srinagar, its ‘summer capital.’ Flanked by the pine-forest clad foothills of the Himalayas, Srinagar is a small British colonial city built on the famous ‘Dal Lake.’ The ‘thing’ to do here is to stay on a…

Tuesday, 01 January 2013

Nepal: Getting High in the Himalayas

Written by Will Hatton

It was cold...Far too cold, and today was the day. I was snuggled down into my sleeping bag willing the night to last forever. Trying to sleep at an elevation of 4390m,I knew I was not prepared for what would occur; in a couple of hours my group of trekkers and I would be ascending a further 1026m. Yesterday the rescue helicopters had flown in three times to take other trekkers suffering from acute mountain sickness (AMS) off the mountain. Thus far, thankfully, my group and I were doing reasonably well. My good friend Ben was, however, suffering with blisters; Andy, our foul mouthed Irishman. who had a porter to carry his pack was OK; and Marie, our resident Yankee, was as annoyingly enthusiastic as ever. I was the most experienced trekker on the trip, but had felt AMS before when I scaled Kilimanjaro. This trip, however, I was struggling…

Monday, 29 October 2012

Cycling the Coast of Maine

Written by Dale Fehringer

Our tour leader, Brian, was off his bicycle on the trail in front of us and he held up his hand for us to stop. His head was cocked upwards and he was listening to something in the trees. “It’s two woodpeckers,” he told us when we pulled up beside him, “they’re calling to each other.” We could hear them above us; their calls sounded like a series of sharp clicks, almost like two stones hitting together, followed by a high-pitched rattle -- from one tree and then the other. It was enchanting. Maine had been all we had hoped for – gorgeous coastlines, beautiful national parks, friendly people, and scrumptious lobster. Hearing woodpeckers in the woods was icing on the cake. Meeting the GroupWe met our biking group at the Claremont Hotel, a historic bed-and-breakfast in the quiet Maine coastal village of Southwest Harbor. Our tour leaders, Tom and Brian,…

Wednesday, 29 August 2012

The Jungles of Myanmar

Written by Will Hatton

With only a month to spend in Myanmar we quickly decide to leave the glitz of Yangon and head to the rural heart of the country. Kayin state is located in the south of Myanmar and is home to the Karen National Union (KNU) who has the dubious honor of forming the world’s longest running resistance. For many years the area was completely closed to foreigners and the few journalists who braved the war zone emerged with horror stories of massacres and mass rapes. Today parts of Kayin are finally beginning to open and although there is still a significant military presence, the violence appears to have abated. With this in mind we pile into the back of a pick-up truck and left the bright lights behind us. As we get further from the capital city, local men wearing checkered green lungis zip past us on battered motorbikes whilst their wives…

Sunday, 01 July 2012

Traveling with a Baby

Written by Jonathan Hiltz

My wife and I have had the good fortune of being part time travel journalists for over seven years now. Last year we had a baby girl named Violet and until this recent trip to Venice Beach California, we have never traveled with a baby.It’s been said by many an expert that traveling is good for a child at any age. It broadens their experiences and shows them the world through various different cultures and ways of life. Having said that – traveling with a baby can significantly change the experience for the parents depending on how young your child is.Violet was six months old when we recently left Toronto on a flight to Los Angeles. We were prepared, but delays with the plane caused our 9 hour flight to become a 17 hour journey. Violet was fine for most of the day, but after the lay over in San…

Monday, 23 April 2012

Potholes and a River Crossing in Colombia

Written by Matt Milloway

It felt like a rodeo. The car bounced and my head met the top of the car. Another pothole—rather, a small crater, came into view as I cursed at my too-tall-for-foreign-cars frame.Leading into the interior of Colombia, the road was battered from years of neglect and heavy rainfall. I left the coastal city of Cartagena hours earlier in a shared taxi heading to Santa Cruz de Mompox, or simply Mompos, a lazy river town best known as the staging ground for Simon Bolivar’s revolution in 1812. Victor, a quiet local visiting family in Mompos, occupied the passenger seat and knew our driver, a veteran of the road named Freddy. Narrow and unmarked, the road’s uneven surface tossed my body like a ragdoll in a rusted Isuzu SUV in dire need of new shocks.We soon stopped for a motionless car anchored to the terrain, its driver fruitlessly stomping on the accelerator…

Friday, 03 February 2012

Mad For Mackintosh

Written by John Thomson

It was the angular, high-backed chair that first drew my eye to the works of Charles Rennie Mackintosh, an early twentieth century architect and designer from Glasgow, Scotland. I was a first year arts student and my professor thought Mack, as he called him, was God’s gift to art and design. A bit of a jokester, too, I reckoned. Why else would someone design a chair that looked so stiff and uncomfortable as I pictured the bony slats cutting into my back. Thirty years later and I’m in Glasgow visiting relatives. I’m not an architecture or design buff. All I know about buildings is what I‘ve seen on TV thanks to the History Channel and those home renovation shows. On the other hand I like to get a feel for the cities I visit and nothing tells you more about a city than the face it presents to the…

Sunday, 01 January 2012

Hood River to Mosier, Oregon: A Walk along the Historic Columbia River Highway

Written by Erin Hutton

“You want to hike to a coffee shop when there’s one 10 minutes from your house,” Ryan asked. “Seriously?”I’ll do almost anything for a good macchiato, a shot of espresso marked with milk. After living for almost two months in Hood River, Oregon, I’d found the best coffee and ambiance for writing at 10-Speed Coffee, just a few blocks from the room I was renting. My addiction to 10-Speed Coffee was a strong one – it was the first coffee shop I’d ever been to where the coffee is roasted on site, each cup of coffee is brewed to order, sustainability is key, and there’s local beer on tap.All summer, my barista friend, Jakob, urged me to go to 10-Speed’s other location, 10-Speed East, in Mosier, a town just under ten miles away. Car-less in a land where public transportation is nearly non-existent, I had given up on the idea…

Tuesday, 01 November 2011

Finding Compassion in Cambodia

Written by Kaylia Payne

When we got off of the bus that had taken us from Vietnam to Cambodia, we were only looking for a good time. We were there as tourists; to see the sights and meet the people, but only in a superficial way that did not hinder our enjoyment of the trip. Our Vietnamese guide had followed these wishes, and we hoped that our new guide would do the same.We had only met our Cambodian guide a few hours previously. He was a tall, wiry man with a dandelion-like afro who had named himself ‘Fila’, a nickname based on the sports brand. He was covered head to toe in faux Fila products which filled him with immense pride. I remember asking a few times, but he never did tell me his real name. The second we stepped off of the bus, we were swept away by a throng of starving people…

Thursday, 25 August 2011

Sampling Roscoff

Written by Ben Lawson

As one the first ports of call in French territory across the English Channel. Just how much does Roscoff speak for the aesthetic richness of France? I take a seasickness-enduring daytrip to find out.I dash un-preparedly from the ferry terminal late at night, through a torrential downpour - a recurring theme of my travels. What’s left of my ticket is hurriedly scanned at the base of the ramp leading up to the MV Amorique; my destination – Roscoff, France.Operated by Brittany Ferries, the MV Amorique serves the Plymouth-to-Roscoff route up to twice a day, along with its much grander sister ship, the Pont Aven. Taking advantage of a late online offer, I had booked one of the premium ‘club plus’ cabins the night before. Boarding the ferry, it seems adequately equipped as I collect the cabin key – with various bars, restaurants and seating areas – although with my acutely…

Friday, 01 July 2011

Into the Wind – Engine-Free Flying in Southern California

Written by Lesley Boutilier

The entire southern coast offers numerous ways to fly into the wind. Amelia Earhart once said, “Adventure is worthwhile in its self.” This belief, along with our shared attitudes about altitude, encouraged me to try the engine-free flight options in southern California. Whether you crave the thrill of bungee jumping, prefer the extreme, heart-racing pleasure of sky-diving or a serene paragliding flight, southern California is home to a variety of air sports set above the state’s beautiful, yet rugged terrain. Come along with me on my engine-free journey and see which activity brings you to new heights. See you in the skies. The Bridge to Nowhere, http://www.bungeeamerica.com/, in Angeles National Forest provided a 120-foot platform, or what appears to be a toothpick as I stepped over the ledge to what could possibly be my final moments, for an unforgettable bungee jumping experience. Deep in the San Gabriel Canyon, guests gathered…

Monday, 25 April 2011

Louisville: Kentucky’s Heavyweight City

Written by Mark McKirdy

Louisville is the sporting equivalent of Alcatraz; it’s impossible to escape the fact that Muhammad Ali and the Kentucky Derby will forever be associated with any sentence written about the city. Rightly so, because Louisville’s fame is largely predicated upon these two unique phenomena. Located on North Sixth Street, the Muhammad Ali Center is a compelling tribute to one of sport’s immortals. The center is not a monument to hubris housed in rooms designed to inspire worship at the nimble feet of St Ali, nor is it a gallery that simply paints a portrait. Multimedia presentations, interactive exhibitions and educational programs give the visitor a panoramic view of the man, his deeds, his words and his values, and although it occupies just two stories, it is an inspiring experience on many levels. Churchill Downs, the home of the Kentucky Derby, is the other name synonymous with Louisville. Every year, on…

Thursday, 24 February 2011

Hiking in Eastern Tibet

Written by Evan Ulbricht

We got on the frail old Chinese bus headed for the town of Litang — hailed as one of the highest towns in the world at 4,014 meters. The driver assured us that the bus was mechanically sound and that we should arrive in only eight hours. Steering around blind corners on the wrong side of the road, and around hairpin bends covered with thick ice was not the sort of adventure traveling my wife and I had in mind. At this rate we might be there in less than eight hours or maybe even not at all. Just as I was about to fall asleep, the bus driver slammed on the brakes and squealed with great delight. He hurried off the bus and eagerly picked up his newfound treasure from the road. He was one of the happiest drivers I’d seen in a long time and with a grin…

Thursday, 30 December 2010

Monemvasia – The Gibraltar of Greece

Written by Sally Dixon

Somewhere along the stretch between Sparta and Monemvasia, we come to a sudden halt as a Greek shepherd guides his sheep across the road. The scrawny creatures follow their master with an outstretched crook and a whistle to safety. My friends – Fiona, Rosalinde and Liz - and I sit in the car, and patiently wait for the sheep to cross. It will take approximately four hours to drive from Athens Airport to Monemvasia, we had read on a travel website. When we contacted Toula Georgakopoulou, the owner of Gialos Beach Apartments, we were told “Three and a half.”, It’s a six hour drive to reach our destination. Along the spectacular 333 kilometer (207 mile) drive through winding roads to reach the south-eastern Peloponnese region of Greece we conclude that some people must drive really fast in Greece.. Mountains climb and dip into valleys covered with orange trees and grape…

Friday, 30 July 2010

Skydiving in New Zealand

Written by Peter McKeown

The smell of New Zealand’s own Monteith’s Golden Lager filled the Skywagon propeller airplane as it sat docile on the dirt runway of ‘Skydive New Zealand.’ Poised for takeoff in the shadow of the South Island’s most breathtaking landscape, I couldn’t help but ask myself, how the hell did I get here?

Sunday, 24 October 2010

Cycling (and not) in La Rioja, Northern Spain

Written by Dale Fehringer

Seeing a new part of the world on a bicycle is one of my favorite experiences. But it’s even better if you are fully prepared. This is what I recently discovered when I fell off my bike in the middle of a week-long cycling tour of northern Spain. Following the Ebro River We chose this particular cycling tour (La Rioja – The Descent of the Ebro River) because it offered an opportunity to visit a part of Spain few tourists get to see. It was organized by Iberocycle (www.iberocycle.com), a small family-owned tour company headquartered in Santander, Spain. Simon Proffitt, the owner, and Ignacio Silva, our guide, planned it for us and all we had to do was cycle, follow instructions, and enjoy this amazing part of the world. To get there we flew to Madrid and then took a bus to Bilbao where we spent a couple of days…

Monday, 03 May 2010

Venice Beach and LA

Written by Jonathan Hiltz

It’s the second largest city in the United States and home to nearly twenty million people. Being in the forefront of the world’s gossip and famous for stars, trends, and the entertainment industry, Los Angeles is where pop culture begins and ends in an endless parade of cultural oddities and travel adventures.

Monday, 22 March 2010

A Sierra Leone Adventure

Written by David Utekin

There is an instinct inside many of us, a raw natural urge that draws us to the Road. It is a longing for the excitement of the unknown, the freedom a traveler feels when waking up in a place unfamiliar to him, not knowing where he will find himself tomorrow. It is the sense of liberty that comes with putting yourself in the hands of fate and waiting to see what life throws your way. A land of coups and diamond smugglers, Sierra Leone had always caught my imagination, and now that peace and stability has returned once again it is accessible to visitors. It seemed like the perfect antidote to the tedium and monotony of university life. On one dreary summer afternoon I found myself in Heathrow airport boarding a plane to Freetown with my girlfriend, Tash, and two close friends, Fred and Anwen.

Friday, 22 January 2010

Gaspe Peninsula: A Sense of Infinity

Written by Sylvie Malaborsa

Unprepared trips sometimes bring about wonderful surprises. For a summer escape, I had vaguely planned a short escapade to Quebec City. Then, one of my friends persuaded me to accompany her to the Gaspé Peninsula, a destination she had briefly toured which had completely enticed her. At first, I had been reluctant to visit this remote Quebec region because I am not a very outdoorsy person. Yet, despite a little anticipation, I accepted her invitation mostly on account of my desire to explore new places.

Sunday, 27 December 2009

Riding From Saigon to Angkor

Written by Jeff Fitzgibbon

Cambodia’s roads are hot, flat and straight as a rail, but for all that, cycling on them is an exhilarating multi-dimensional experience Just for a moment, the piglets stopped their squealing. Wouldn’t you, if a panting, sweating, red-Lycra-shirted cyclist loomed into spitting distance of your personal space?

Tuesday, 01 September 2009

Vilnius: The City of Dark Humor

Written by Belinda Hogan

After a difficult overnight journey across the Baltic Sea, my traveling companion and I finally arrived in Lithuania. The ferry we took got us to our destination in one piece, but it was far from comfortable. Sleeping on the floor of the boat in a room full of drunken men was not the most luxurious experience, but it did serve its purpose. We docked in Klaipeda, a town in north-west Lithuania in one piece with a few marriage proposals to boot. From Klaipeda we caught a bus to Kaunas, Lithuania’s second largest city and, after a few days of rest, made our way down to Lithuania’s capital, Vilnius.

Friday, 03 July 2009

New Year's Eve in Burma

Written by Janis Mitchell

It is the last day of the year and Pam, Judy and I are in Bagan, Myanmar. Until about ten years ago, it was impossible to enter the country, formerly Burma, for more than a week. This ensured a minimal influence from the outside world. The near absence of transportation guaranteed outsiders could not venture far beyond Yangon, the capital. But with an eye on the tourist dollar, the outrageously repressive military government extended its visas for up to one month. This extension played a large role in ending Myanmar’s preparation for the advent of tourism.

Sunday, 31 May 2009

Poetry on Stones: Hampi, the Forgotten Empire

Written by Navneet Sidhu

Hampi, the former capital of the Vijayanagar Empire (1336-1565 AD) in India, is a city set in the bygone era of medieval history. Positioned on the banks of the Tungabhadra River, the village of Hampi is as captivating as it is old. Each boulder of the ruins has a story to tell. Some represent the beauty of the architectural creations. Others show the brutality of destruction at the hands of the Deccan Kings. My trip to this ancient city would soon open my eyes to both sides of this historical landmark.

Monday, 23 March 2009

To Seville and Back

Written by Chad Jarrah

A week ago, I was just as frustrated as any other chump annoyed by the weight of responsibility. Finishing one job just to rush to the next; paying one bill and another was already on its way. The monotony was beginning to take its toll. Food didn’t taste as good and Seinfeld wasn’t making me laugh as hard. It was definitely time for a vacation. So as a travel hippie at heart, it didn’t take more than a little opportunity and some extra cash to transform my trip from elaborate daydream to comforting reality.

Friday, 06 February 2009

Inauguration: Freezing with a Chance of Change

Written by Kaitlin Kirwin

Barack Obama’s ideals and visions for this country were not new. The history of the United States of America has always been underscored by the concept of hope and a steadfast belief in change. Every history or social studies lesson from elementary school through college that I can recall was chock full of examples of both. However, it wasn’t until January 20th, 2009 that I fully understood and witnessed the realization of it all.

Thursday, 06 November 2008

Key West: Sophisticated Pleasures from Cabaret to Literary Parties

Written by Lucy Komisar

On a sultry evening in Key West, my friend and I strolled down Duval Street, towards the Gulf of Mexico. Nearing the water’s edge, we followed the garden pathways of the Pier House, the island’s first luxury resort, to watch Key West’s favorite cabaret act, Carmen Rodriguez. Her smooth voice gave joyous, soulful expression to the jazzy piano bar tunes. Carmen is a regular here, and listening to her at the Pier House is one of the sophisticated pleasures of the island.

Sunday, 28 September 2008

Cycling the Dalmatian Islands with Ana

Written by Dale Fehringer

Ana just might be the hardest-working tour guide in Europe. During the week she led our cycling tour around Croatia’s Dalmatian Islands she rode with us, entertained us, educated us, and watched over us – from breakfast until we were safely tucked in bed at night. Because of her efforts, we were transformed from a group of strangers into a cohesive group of friends … and in some respects into her temporary family.

Saturday, 05 July 2008

Plitvice Lakes National Park, Croatia

Written by Neha Puntambekar

The Plitvice Lakes National Park is Croatia’s best kept secret. It’s a string of sixteen blue-green lakes, with an accompaniment of forests, meadows, caves and waterfalls, across the Mala Kapela and Pljesevica Mountain ranges. For its colours alone, the park deserves its UNESCO World Heritage status.

Monday, 05 May 2008

Sport in Paris

Written by Matt Genner

Watching rugby at the Stade Jean Bouin is like no other sporting experience. Only in Paris, a city which embraces individuality, can ten thousand people arrive to watch a rugby match dressed in pink replica shirts, waving pink flags and holding heart-shaped pink balloons.

Tuesday, 04 March 2008

Ancient Rome Comes Alive in Jerash: Jordan's Roman City

Written by Habeeb Salloum

No sooner had we sat down than a large body of Roman legionaries appeared and the rattling of shields, swords and armour clamoured amidst the blaring of trumpets and martial music. Roman soldiers drilling, gladiators fighting each other and chariot races all followed, depicting the days of Roman splendour.

Wednesday, 13 February 2008

Danshui: Taipei's Coney Island

Written by Erin Kuschner

In the lively fishing village of Danshui (more commonly known as Tamsui to the locals) a lengthy boardwalk summons its strolling visitors to slow down a notch; to look left at Taiwan’s Danshui River, and right at the flashing arcade games lined up in blinking rows. For the residents of Taipei a mere 40 minute ride on the metro can provide an escape from a city of over 2.5 million. A bike path serves as a more scenic route, and was in fact the mode of transportation I chose to make my way from Taiwan’s capital to Danshui.

Friday, 28 December 2007

Traveling Washington State

Written by Teresa Nordheim

Washington State is a perfect vacation spot for the entire family. There is fun, adventure, and challenge for all ages. The recreational opportunities are endless, from sport fishing and whale watching to whitewater rafting and mountain climbing. The difference between the west and east is like night and day – divided by the Cascade Mountain Range. The diverse climate and environment offer a wide array of options for adventure and experiences.

Thursday, 11 October 2007

To the Edge of Nowhere: Tichit, Mauritania

Written by Max Hunter

There is nothing better than disappearing to some insane, off the beaten path place that nobody in their right mind would go to, and Tichit delivered on all accounts.

Saturday, 01 September 2007

Kayaking Blackstone Bay's Glaciers, Alaska

Written by Daylle Deanna Schwartz

Traveling Solo to Alaska, I was hesitant to try one of the more popular yet daring water excursions. After seeing the colorful teeny Kayaks bobbing in the water, I wondered how it would feel to be in one, they looked so unstable. Yet paddling alongside glaciers sounded like a must-try Alaskan activity.

Friday, 29 June 2007

Divan Intervention: Seeing the world one couch at a time

Written by Brett Walton

I’m in Istanbul and I can’t get chicken soup out of my mind. No, not the brothy kind – I’m not hungry. I’m talking about the cliché, the balm for your weary soul. I’ve found my chicken soup. Except in Istanbul the chicken soup is a couch. And despite the declamations of Ecclesiastes, there is something new under the traveler’s sun.

Thursday, 12 April 2007

Walking in Circles: Losing Yourself in Amsterdam

Written by Denny F. Kinlaw

With such a fluid atmosphere of open-air cafes and meandering canals spotted with lazy mallards, the city of Amsterdam offers the backpacker a rare slice of history, and the chance to submerge into a culture where anything, and often everything goes. The Dutch push the aesthetic appeal of art and style into a realm of unabashed individualism, yet between each skirted beauty and scarf-wrapped gent there glides a constant and implacable social bond.

Monday, 05 February 2007

Strange Hoofprints in Utah

Written by Cat George

They remind me of cats: some aloof, some prancing, some sprawled in the dust. One of the llamas leaps into the air, heels almost clicking together, then rushes over to the paddock fence to snuffle at my fingers. A white one, blessed with a lustrous coat and limpid eyes, turns his back to me with a snort. A grey appaloosa arches his back and tosses his head, then flings a glance at me to see if I’ve noticed his display.

Monday, 04 December 2006

Payunia: The Earth's Origins Offer a New Look at Mendoza

Written by Christian Denes

The province of Mendoza is rapidly becoming one of the hottest travel spots in Argentina. And with good reason: It produces 70 percent of the country’s wine and boasts labels rated among the best in the world. It is also home to the acclaimed dry powders of Las Leñas ski resort, the white waters of the Mendoza River, and the volcanic summit of Aconcagua: a climber’s dream with numerous glaciers and the highest peak outside of Asia.

Thursday, 19 October 2006

Mostar, Bosnia

Written by Bradley Fink

When a place lends itself to the leisure of other people it generally becomes a haven for the lewd and the superficial. I am now in the fifteenth month of a backpacking journey that has taken me to some of the less contemporary parts of the world. In speaking with people and seeing their ways, I have found that culture is what makes a country endearing, and that a culture exploited is something lamentable. A place that panders to tourism is simply a place without a soul.

Thursday, 31 August 2006

Hedgerows

Written by Katherine Breen

Hiking toward the summit of Pen Y Fan, third tallest peak in Wales, the burden of keeping up with long-legged leaders forced my head down as I gasped for air. It wasn’t until I got to the summit that I finally looked around. That’s when it happened – I became captivated by the net-like pattern across the valley slopes. Also likened to spider webs or embroidery work sewn into the hills, the pattern is formed by hedgerows – the patchwork quilt of ancient people of the Bronze Age that has survived Norman occupation and the more recent accommodation of modern farm equipment.

Saturday, 01 July 2006

Tangier: The White City - A City Full of Color

Written by Michelle Won Belanger

I should be picturing scenes from Casablanca as I sit in the catamaran, which ferries from Tarifa, Spain to Tangier: the so-called White City of Morocco. Instead, I’m imagining Raiders of the Lost Ark with turban-wearing, swash-buckling fighters carrying fez-wearing monkeys on their shoulders running down a dusty dirt road, which is strange, since Raiders of the Lost Ark

Monday, 01 May 2006

The Travel Bug

Written by Nick Bruce

The travel bug is not simply a contagious virus that sends us packing our bags for one destination, infecting us, and sending us on a whirlwind tour of places unseen and cultures unheard. The bug carries with it benign side effects, none better than the chance to let the mind wonder while it wanders.

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