Leah Larkin 
The Portes du Soleil ski region with slopes in both France and Switzerland is what European skiing is all about. It claims to be the largest ski area in the world with 194 lifts on 13 different resorts in the two countries. Ski from mountain village to mountain village, resort … Read more
The Czech Republic is rich in remnants of a flourishing Jewish community, at one time the largest and most vibrant in the world. While Prague is the epicenter of Czech Jewish memorabilia, tracking down Jewish heritage in other parts of the country can be a fascinating voyage of discovery, starting … Read more
The marks recording the young boy’s height etched on the walls of the medieval chateau stopped at 1 meter 52 (4 feet 9 inches). The famous post-impressionist painter, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, had spent summers in the chateau as a child and at age 14, after two falls resulting in broken … Read more
The Paon Bali Cooking Class is much more than chopping, dicing and stir frying. Along with these basic cooking tasks and learning about tasty Balinese cuisine, it’s an enriching introduction to Balinese life and customs. Ni Luh Made Puspawati, who asks to be called Puspa, and her husband, Wayan Subawa, … Read more
Cheese and chocolate – as much a part of Switzerland as banks and watches. But, those are not edible and tasting local favorites is one of the highlights of traveling. A great destination in Switzerland for savoring the best of both cheese and chocolate is the Fribourg region in the … Read more
Known as “La France profond,” (profound France), the Auvergne in central France, the country’s least populated region, may not rank high on the typical tourist’s itinerary. But for anyone who wants to discover the “real” France with tiny, picturesque villages, magnificent Romanesque churches, interesting towns, more than 300 kinds of … Read more
For many years my husband and I lived in the Stuttgart area of Germany – less than two hours from the French border and Alsace. Whenever we had the chance, we’d hop in the car and head in that direction—for a day, a weekend, or even longer. We loved the … Read more
Marseille? Who would want to visit this city? Crime, drugs, violence, the Mafia – the city’s reputation has been shrouded by for years. The 1970’s movie, The French Connection, focusing on the city’s thriving drug trade, didn’t help. But, much of the drug trade has moved on to Eastern Europe. … Read more