Situated on the Oslo Fjord, Norway’s largest city provides an interesting juxtaposition of past and present. Nowhere is this more evident than in its architecture. Standing guard over the city beside the harbor, the Akershus Fortress and castle date back to medieval times. Meanwhile, in the Bjørvika neighborhood of central … Read more
The serious looking Maître d′ is skilfully balancing my plate through the restaurant at Château Sainte Sabine and it appears as if he’s about to place a diamond in front of me, a real treasure. I swallow and hesitate for a split-second over my choice of entrée, then dig into … Read more
The municipality of Gruyères comprises four villages with a population of a mere 2,200. One of these is Gruyères which sits on top of a hill. Picturesque and traffic-free, it begs you to stroll its cobblestone main street and discover unusual treasures. Gruyère Cheese This region is the birthplace of … Read more
A discrete gate, number 208 on Calle Jalapa, a wide, tree-lined street in Mexico City’s charming Roma Norte neighborhood, marks the entrance to Casa Ignacia. You could blink and miss the fine example of a stately Porfirio Diaz era home constructed in 1913. But if you’re fortunate to have a … Read more
Wroclaw (pronounced “Vrot-swahv”), Poland’s jewel of a city just under four hours from Warsaw, is proud of itself. Voted European Capital of Culture in 2016 and European Best Destination 2018, it has more than a few feathers in its cap – City of 100 Bridges, City of 5 Rivers, City … Read more
One of Eastern Europe’s biggest surprises today both in terms of evolution and culture is Warsaw. Largely rebuilt from scratch after World War II, it’s a city of surprises where artists, designers, chefs and a veritable treasure trove of creative types reside. Rooted squarely in its past, it has lately … Read more
Teal waters, leaping dolphins, breaching whales, a dramatic Dothraki terrain, and all with a Spanish flavor — why, it’s Cabo San Lucas. Not exactly … in twenty, thirty years maybe! For those looking for a Mexican getaway but loathing the thought of a McMexico experience, Loreto beckons with minimum fuss, … Read more
Lucerne is often called “the City of Lights.” The name goes back to a miracle which is said to have happened here. According to a legend, an angel showed the first arriving settlers with a light where to build a chapel in honor of St. Nicholas, the patron saint of … Read more
Confession: Though I’ve visited seven continents, 60 countries and 46 of the nation’s states, it wasn’t until recently that my travels included Idaho, more specifically Boise, its capital. As the saying “it’s never too late” suggests, my visit to the largest city of the country’s 43rd state may have been … Read more
“Why would anyone give you a houseboat to sail when you can’t even steer a canoe straight?” This was the question from my 11-year-old granddaughter. She had a point. On our recent canoeing trip together, I navigated straight into the banks of the river more than once. The prospect of … Read more
“A river seems a magic thing.” — Laura Gilpin The thunderous sound of Europe’s largest waterfall tumbling over a wide expanse of cliffs impeded any attempt at conversation. With our boat wobbling in the churning water, we got as close to the falls as our experienced tour guide dared go … Read more
“Are you ready to get into your time machine?” Those words spoken some years ago by a Budapest tour guide still resonate with me today. I was taking a private tour that juxtaposed the Communist years in Hungary with the present day and it was really interesting. The city was … Read more
Known as Music City, Nashville is where the world of music meets southern comfort. This is a land where the tunes are country along with jazz, blues, and rock and where the food can be grits and gravy as well as a grilled lobster. Though it’s home to such high-profile … Read more
Calling all fashionistas, hipsters and arbiters of cool. Tokyo finally has a boutique hotel to call its own and it’s located in the fashion district of Shibuya, minutes by foot from Omotosando, one of the best shopping streets here and home to luxury brands Prada, Gucci and Louis Vuitton. The … Read more
“We want to be the best hotel restaurant in the world. That’s what we’re pushing for.” Uttering that statement as he welcomes us into HA Restaurant, Chef Carlos Gaytan sets a very high bar. He then spends the next 3 hours exceeding all expectations. After all, this isn’t your typical … Read more