Were it not for the floor to ceiling windows looking out to the famous Victoria Harbor skyline with sweeping views of towering skyscrapers in the distance, you’d be forgiven for thinking you’d stepped back in time to neoclassical Paris. Set on the 56th floor of Island Shangri-la Hong Kong in … Read more
Big news for smart and savvy travelers always on the go. DK Guides is re-launching their series of guide books this fall in celebration of their 20th anniversary. The new guides will be featuring some changes from previous editions in an effort to make exploring popular travel destinations easier. New … Read more
In July 1863, over 170,000 soldiers converged on the small town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania in a battle that changed both the course of the Civil War and ultimately the nation. Every kid in America studied the Battle of Gettysburg in history class and memorized at least a part of President … Read more
The world is full of amazing destinations but one of the sweetest is right here in the good ole’ USA. In Hershey, Pennsylvania the smell of chocolate permeates the air. Avenues have names like Cocoa and Chocolate and street lamps shaped like Hershey’s Kisses light up the town. This is … Read more
Every year, beer lovers from around the globe descend upon the town of Munich in Germany’s Bavaria for Oktoberfest, an annual celebration of the great German love of suds – with 2013 marking its 180th anniversary. Of course this gigantic festival (the world’s largest fair) serves up more than just … Read more
The largest repository of Americana in the country makes its home in Shelburne, Vermont on a forty-five acre campus complete with historic buildings, a lighthouse and a 220 foot-long steamboat. Wait. What? Welcome to the Shelburne Museum, the result of one woman’s passion for all things American occupying a verdant … Read more
Have you ever dreamed of treating yourself to a luxurious stay on a private island? Imagine this – an overwater bungalow, coconut groves, warm translucent waters filled with corals and tropical fish and no noise except for the singing of birds and the mixing of your Mai Tai. While it … 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
A Memorial Weekend spent in Oslo, Norway, couldn’t have taken me further away from the shores of the U. S. of A. where backyard barbecues and baseball games are typically the norm. The unpredictable May weather was an ongoing topic of conversation with everyone, even at immigration, and as the … Read more
“Hey Thom,” I said, “We’ve been hiking for two hours already and we haven’t reached the glacier yet. How much longer do you think?” We’d started out from the little village of Briksdalsbre early in the morning and thought we were doing a half-day hike, but since our guide Ruben … Read more
It was like a magic carpet ride. Except that I was riding a rolling blue tapestry of three mighty waterways in Norway – the North Sea, the Norwegian Sea and the Barents Sea. Heading south along the coast from Kirkenes near the Russian border to the old Hanseatic city of … Read more
As I walk the streets of Trondheim, Norway’s third largest city, it doesn’t seem so “large.” Like many places in Norway, there’s an intimacy to the city with pockets of small town charm. And of course, there are those omnipresent tales of Vikings and kings, of battles and bold heroics … Read more
Good news for all you film fans. The annual Bergen International Film Festival (BIFF for short) held in Bergen, Norway is getting ready for its close-up. Showcasing international films, the event gets off the ground at the end of October (23rd) and runs just a little over a week until … Read more
Pure and simple. That’s the essence of Norway from its fjords, as clear and clean as they look, to its people, whose frank gaze and forthright attitude are equally refreshing. Freshness also distinguishes Norwegian food. Blessed with more than 15,000 miles of fjord-indented coastline, bathed by four bodies of … Read more
A black messenger bike parked outside THE THIEF emblazoned with the hotel’s name is a subtle hint. “Toto, I have a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore.” On a dark, dreary and very wet spring morning in Oslo’s Tjuvholmen neighborhood, which is surrounded by water, the wind is gusting outside … Read more