Gjirokastra (also spelled Gjirokastër) is a town in southern Albania which in 2005 was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is a highly historic city and placed on slopes of the Drino River valley, with beautiful scenery and bordered by high mountains.
Known as the "City of a Thousand Stairs" Gjirokastra is characterized by cobblestone streets and Ottoman-era houses with stone roofs and wooden balconies. Gjirokastra's historic castle is located on top of a hill. The city has a troubled p
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Walking tours are wonderful especially if they have a specific topic and cover only a small area. Thus it is with “Burgh Bits and Bites” tour of Pittsburgh’s Strip District. At one time the Strip District, located along the Allegheny River, was home to many mills and factories that later became an area of wholesalers of fresh produce and meat with restaurants to serve shift workers at any hour of the day. Things change and today most of the produce industry, manufacturing plants and mills ha
Designer boutiques, chill-out lounges, vintage clothing shops, organic brunches, pop-art T-shirts – SoHo in London or New York’s East Village? Try the historic, somewhat melancholy senhora on the Tagus River. Even amidst economic crisis, Portugal’s capital Lisbon is doing its best to cast off its image of spalled buildings and little old ladies dressed in black, adding young hipsters dressed in black and reinventing itself with a wave of youthful energy.
These days, traditional and cutting-e
In 1992, I traveled to newly-independent Latvia and the neighboring Baltic republics as a tourist, as my partner and I had long been interested in those three little countries in the far northwest of the then recently defunct Soviet Union. I wanted to see and feel the joy for myself, not to mention the beautiful architecture and historic sites -- and, of course, to support their fledgling economies with our tourist dollars.
While sightseeing in Riga, a city I especially remember for its extrava
Dining Journeys (part 2 of 3)
Denmark
Pølsers in Copenhagen at Tivoli Gardens, where everyone seemed happy
This was our first trip to Europe together, we stayed across from Tivoli Gardens, the whimsical entertainment park enjoyed by young and old alike. It was Walt Disney's inspiration for Disneyland. We had pølsers (the national sausage) and beer and noted that everyone seemed happy. On the Strøget cobblestone shopping promenade, we ate smørrebrod, open-faced sandwiches. We both like Danish
On a lovely reent repeat visit to this gorgeous UNESCO World Heritage city, and the previous night, although on my various travels I’ve been hit up (and once literally stuck up) for cash, this one took the cake (the flan?).
A local friend and I were enjoying a drink at one of Old Cartagena’s landmarks, the outdoor bar/restaurant Café del Mar (below), perched up on the ramparts of the 17th-century stone city walls. Afterwards, taking a slightly roundabout stroll over to a taxi stand, at one po
The archipelago of the Kerkennah Islands is a paradise for rest and relaxation. Essentially made up of the islands of Chergui and Gharbi, and facing the coast of Sfax, they stand just three meters above sea level. With a population of just 15,000 and having been recently declared a Ramsar Wetland of International Importance, particularly as a habitat for aquatic birds, they are a perfect destination for lovers of the sea, diving and fishing.
Their unpaved streets and incredible outlines, only v
Dining Journeys (part 3 of 3)
Jamaica
A private cook for one week in our villa in Montego Bay
We went to Jamaica before the high season. Round Hill in Montego Bay was not yet open, except for villas occupied by permanent residents. General Manager Michael Kemp gave us a two-bedroom villa, with its own pool, for seven days. Because its restaurants were not yet operating, he arranged for us to have a cook who made family-style Jamaican meals. We had cocktails with a very proper British re
Our favorite travel season is upon us. The summer heat has ebbed, the kids are back in school, traffic is a bit more tolerable, and most lodgings are dropping their prices in anticipation of winter. Best of all, the leaves are putting on their autumnal extravaganza of color. This is an exceptionally rewarding time to visit New England.
We are particularly fond of everything Cape Cod in the fall. There is a certain serenity in the air as October ushers in the cool breezes off the bay.
Last fall w
Rye whiskey, an American original, came to life out of necessity during the American Revolution when rum supplies dried up. Scottish and Irish settlers in western Pennsylvania and Maryland came to the rescue using their longstanding expertise in distilling rye grain while a post-presidential George Washington popularized the endeavor distilling rye at Mount Vernon.
Today's American rye whiskey must by law be distilled from at least 51 percent rye grain. Other grains like barley and corn are oft
“You don’t choose where you are born, but you can choose where you live” wisely states the message from the town hall of Atenas, Costa Rica for its 147th birthday celebration this past August 7.
This pastoral coffee town in the mountains just west of the capital city of San José, is known for its ideal location and great weather. That, plus its location and small-town ambiance that make it a special place to live for its 15,000 residents (27,000 including outlying neighborhoods).
“Everyone is
St. Augustine is a very old city - so old, in fact that it is celebrating its 450th year in existence. Because of its age and rich history, people often come here looking for spirits, like the one at The St. Francis Inn, the oldest continuously operating inn in North America.
The Inn, owned by Joe and Margaret Finnegan, is purported to have its own real ghost. Lily, a slave girl that had an illicit affair with a military man and committed suicide when found out. Lily’s room is on the third floo
When you go on holiday, try to remember the following :
- Dress respectfully and be aware of local standards.
- Dress modestly at the religious sites.
- Before you leave home, check as much as you can about the religions, culture, traditions and local rules of the country you are visiting.
- Favour local foods. Local food is always part of the fun.
- Bargain if it's a local practice but bear in mind that a small amount to you could be very important to the seller
- Shop for local artisan
Winter, spring, summer or fall - every day is a beach day in Laguna Beach
Since, the majority of my life has revolved around San Francisco and Northern California, where the weather tends to be 10 to even 20 degrees colder than our neighbors to the south, any chance for a warm beach day has always been something that I cherished. In my early days as a surfer in Santa Cruz, I have always been drawn to the California coast. So, when the Joie de Vivre-owned Pacific Edge Hotel invited me for a fre
darkrigel
by Cristóbal Ramírez
For some, Brussels on the surface doesn’t appear to offer all that much to admire – not just politically, but as a place to visit, with a bit of a reputation for being grey, boring, bureaucratic, even soulless. Like most stereotypes, blown way out of proportion. What really defines the capital of Belgium and all of Europe, site of the continent’s parliament and various of its institutions, is its status as a crossroads. After the work days are over, people from al
For some people, history is a thing of the past, over and done with. But for others, history is something through which we can get in touch with our roots and learn something about ourselves and those who came before us. Throughout the world, there are many groups who strive to bring history to the masses, through re-enactment of specific events - such as battles - or through the depiction of certain periods. For travellers, these events are a great opportunity not only to have some fun, but als
More than a few non-Brits have at least vaguely heard of a place called Cornwall – maybe even that its duke is Prince Charles and its duchess Camilla (née Parker-Bowles), and that it's in the southwest of England. If they're really up on this 1,376-square-mile region, they know it's Celtic in heritage; boasts a dramatically craggy coast; has traditionally been big into fishing and mining (fading in favor of tourism); and is known in the U.K. for its pasties (turnovers filled with meat or other s
Many women want to travel alone, or with other women, and not a guy... a fact most men find very difficult to accept.
And while we think there are too many movies and books that give us too many images of women as helpless victims, the truth is that a majority of women say that security issues are their number one concern when traveling alone. Or even with female companions.
But it seems that the joys of travel are so strong, these women would rather travel alone than not travel.
There are
There are no bad beaches in the Yucatan Peninsula's Riviera Maya, stretching south of Cancun. All of them are paradises of white sand and crystal waters, so any destination a visitor picks will be a good choice. Even so, it is more than evident that each piece of coast is different to the rest, with small nuances which make them special and tip the balance in favor of one over another in the eyes of tourists. If we had to make a list of the five best beaches, they could very well be these:
Pun
My tween daughter Diz loves outdoor action: skiing, theme parks, water parks - anything that’s fast and furious. I figured that a rapid-battling river adventure would also give her a thrill, so I aimed to track down a company that offered high quality whitewater excursions in the nearby Pocono mountains of eastern Pennsylvania.
There were lots of choices, but Pocono Whitewater in Jim Thorpe, PA - a 38 year-old, family-owned rafting outfitter - stood out for a number of reasons:
They’re a short,
