The Hidden Laneways of Melbourne Meandering down a dark graffiti-painted laneway, I fall behind the others in our group. Drawn to these ugly but somehow beautiful works that cover entire walls, I pause to grudgingly admire the back end of buildings daubed with artwork. Stumbling a little on the … Read more
Samurai Central On the Sea of Japan, northwest of Tokyo, lies the serene, mountainous region known as Ishikawa. With its pristine coast and remote villages, Ishikawa offers a respite from life’s stressors. Ishikawa is easily reached by plane or car, but the most romantic way to get there is on … Read more
After a morning of wandering the hilly, cobbled streets of San Miguel, I was quite tired and on the lookout for a nice spot for lunch. I ended up in the Jardin, the central square that is the heart and soul of this Spanish colonial town in central Mexico. I … Read more
Walking on The Moon – the Atacama Desert Mars? The moon? The end of the earth? Those were the first three things that popped into my head the moment I touched down in Calama, Chile. It didn’t matter how much planning and researching I‘d done, nothing prepared me for the … Read more
While planning my first trip to Ireland I was told to expect to eat a lot of Irish stew because that’s what we’d find. While that may have been true years back, it’s a different stomping ground today. Wake up travelers and behold a new culinary hub. Having just returned … Read more
Sweet Intoxication in Central California When we stepped out of the “Wine Wrangler” tour bus, Coy Barnes (the company owner and wrangler himself) assured us we were in for a rare experience at the Steinbeck Vineyards & Winery in Paso Robles, California. While shedding layers of clothing in the blazing … Read more
PROVIDENCE – less is more! A Round-Up of the City’s Best Your mom always said that first impressions count. When I hailed a taxi at Amtrak’s Providence, R.I. station the striking neoclassical dome of the State House beckoned in the night sky. Would the smallest state’s “creative capital” (as … Read more
Surrounded by vast, empty deserts of twisted cacti and chains of dusty mountains, the industrial cities of Monterrey and Chihuahua might seem odd choices for a vacation. Hammered mercilessly by the summer sun, the two urban giants are usually bypassed by foreign travelers desperate to see the exotic jungles, beaches … Read more
The capital of beer-brewing Bavaria, Munich is best known for its Hofbräuhaus beer hall and its annual Oktoberfest, the world’s largest beer bash. But Germany’s third-largest city is much more: a sophisticated yet laid back metropolis of more than a million people, where cutting-edge high technology and old Bavarian traditions … Read more
Maine is such an idyllic spot that visitors seem to get nostalgic for it even if they haven’t visited it yet. Indeed, as you cross the Piscataqua River marking the border between New Hampshire and Maine, you’ll pass a sign alongside the highway that reads “Welcome to Maine: The Way … Read more
Lima, “The City of Kings”, is the fifth largest city in Latin America and was once the capital of South America. Straddling the coast of the Pacific Ocean, it’s known for its’ Incan ruins surrounding modern urban enclaves built during Spanish colonialism. Striking baroque architecture from that period abounds … Read more
San José, Costa Rica Do you Know the Way to San José? San José is not always on the receiving end of favorable mentions in travel reviews, and maybe this is due to the fact that, with so much to see, when reviewers really start gushing about their recent … Read more
A Place for All Seasons “Montana,” so the popular slogan says, “is the last best place.” Call me biased, but if that’s true, then Montana’s Gallatin and Park Counties are truly the last last best places. Small slivers in the shape of states, the counties huddle against one another in … Read more
TO SEE OR NOT TO SEE – Celebrities on Broadway The famous towers of Midtown Manhattan. Photo: Ben Dwork I recently saw Dr. Frasier Crane on Broadway. Well, actually Kelsey Grammer is on Broadway, but it’s hard to tell him apart from the zany psychiatrist he made famous during 20 … Read more
If you watched the 2010 Winter Olympics, you have an idea of Vancouver’s magnificent beauty. TV footage frequently showed sweeping vistas of mountain peaks, icy glaciers, a sparkling ocean, and dazzling skyscrapers set in the middle of it. Perhaps you wondered, “Who’s the lucky dude that gets to go … Read more