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Shops fashionable and funky line Key West’s Duval Street ;  photo by Dreamstime

Key West, Florida is more than a place. It's a spirit, a funky energy that enters your soul and takes residence in your worldview as well as your inner vision. A state of mind more than a city; a way of life more than a place to live. It’s a lifestyle as much as a destination. All expressed in the absurdist poetry that is Key west, a language not spoken anywhere else in the country.

But even recognizing all this, I di

Stig Nygaard

by Marita Acosta

Locals and visitors (as of 26 June, when the last of Denmark's COVID-19 restrictions on international arrivals are due to be lifted) alike luxuriate in this small Scandivanian country's lovely summer weather, with sunny days and an average temperature of 23° Celsius (73° Fahrenheit).

And its capital Copenhagen - cited back in 2019 as one of Lonely Planet's top ten cities to visit - is full of historic sites, cultural opportunities, and for hanging out, cool neighbo

Moving abroad can be both an exciting and daunting experience. The fact that you are exploring new places and cultures makes it exhilarating, but the fact that you are leaving your friends and extended family behind to start a new life elsewhere can be terrifying. However, starting off on the right foot is the only way to ensure you enjoy a good experience as a U.S. expatriate.

Some expats forget about their home obligations, and you don't want to be one of them. Ensure you stay in touch with

Stretching 1,650 kilometers (1,030 miles) from the Tonkin Gulf to the South China Sea, Vietnam is a land of ancient culture and staggering natural beauty, of lovely beaches and exciting cities, of enticing culture and cuisine. A visitor could spend years exploring all its fascinating places and peoples, but here's a list of the top ten, according to the website Touropia:

Halong Bay

Up in the far northeast along the Tonkin Gulf, this beautiful bay - indeed, widely considered among the world's most

From Rolling Farmlands to Race Cars, Apple Orchards to Amish, this Empire State Road Trip Has it All

Mention New York and most people think the Big Apple  They picture the massive, iconic urban center of skyscrapers, Broadway shows, the Statue of Liberty, and countless other attractions.

But upstate, to New York City's north and northwest, lies a very different side of NYS which, while less well known, lies a sprawling region of countryside - rolling farmlands, dense forests, and tiny towns - i

Located in southeastern France's Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region - about an hour 15 minutes east of the closest air gateway, Geneva and a six-hour drive from Paris- this charming village of a bit over 1,200 permanent residents also happens to be one of Europe's top mountain-biking meccas. Les Gets boasts some 650 kilometers of marked tracks and 25 ski lifts also open all summer long to easily get from one place to another. Les Gets has also repeatedly hosted the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup (below)

A fair number of factors need to be taken into account when planning a vacation, from picking a destination to deciding upon your dates, putting together an itinerary, and booking transportation. And of course you also need to figure out where to stay - and this can be especially challenging if you are traveling to the destination for the first time.

Making the Most of Hotels & Resorts

If you go the hotel route, in order to keep unpacking and repacking to a minimum on a trip to one pl

boraboraphotovideo.com

As an ex-flights attendant for 25 years, Bonnie is well traveled.  Today, we both enjoy tying work and leisure working in the U.S, where I am from and Hong Kong, where we have been visiting Bonnie’s family and friends several times a year, pre-Covid.

Over the years operating here, we have met couples and people from all all over the world – As far as Siberia!  We have met client’s who were not given the best information and their trip could have been better.  For those of

The authors riding an ATV at Primland

“You want me to go where?!” my mind shouted as I barreled down a 90-degree embankment leading into a wall of mud -- and gravel-encased woods. I was driving – or more accurately surviving – an ATV excursion at the Primland luxury resort in Virginia's Blue Ridge Mountains. 

On the hourlong ride, when I was willing to unclutch the steering wheel long enough to wave at an occasional wild turkey, pheasant or deer (I was disappointed we didn’t see any of the black b

William Warby

Spain's explored third largest city is a splendid choice for student trips from primary school through university - even if it's just a long weekend - as it mixes a wonderfully preserved historic core with modern neighbourhoods (including dramatic contemporary landmarks), fabulous dining, and appealing cultural opportunities - much of it concentrated in a relatively compact centre, making it easy to take it without too much walking. Valencia is especially recommendable to visit in t

Skipper My Boat

If you want to give your holiday with family and friends an especially fun and unique dimension, then choosing a private sailboat or motorized yacht is an excellent option, both for the experience in itself and the flexibility it gives you. Many of these boat charters are based on various European coasts (especially in southern Europe), while others can be found in the Caribbean, elsewhere in the Americas, and at other locations across the world, at rates ranging from $400 to more

David Stanley

by Miguel Martínez Rabanal

The Dominican Republic is of course well known as a destination for marvelous beaches, cool adventure sports, and the historic corners of its capital Santo Domingo. Much more "under cover," if you will, is what's underground: thousands upon thousands of caves, the most of any Caribbean country. It's a subterranean world filled not just with amazing formations and even lakes, but also the artifacts of ancient civilisations.

The DR averages one cave for each

Spring is here, and summer's already around the corner!  If you’re a flower gardener - and the National Gardening Association estimates that members of over a third of U.S. households are - you already may have begun to till soil and plant seeds. And those who like to travel as well as garden (as well as those who enjoy gardens more by watching than working), now is time to plan a trip to take in some of Mother Nature’s bountiful beauty.

Gardens come in a variety of types, sizes and offerings

 
Photo: Pesto a la Mexicana © John Lamkin

Genoa is believed to be the birthplace of pesto. France has a similar sauce called pistou. Mexico is the birthplace of the avocado, one of the healthiest fruits known. Substituting the Mexican avocado for the Italian olive oil in this recipe makes healthy and tasty sense.

Recipe

2/3 cup packed coarsely chopped fresh basil leaves
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese (mix with Romano, if you wish)
1/3 cup avocado and garlic oil (I use Ahuacatlan brand)
2 or 3 t

With a population of around 10,000, Rüdesheim am Rhein is a winemaking town in the fabled Rheingau scenic and wine region, and less than an hour's drive from Frankfurt. Our river-cruise ship docked here where a land train - which Germans call by the delightful name of Bummelzug - picked us up and took us to Siegfried's Mechanical Music Cabinet. This is one of the quirkiest, amusing and entertaining museums I’ve been in for a long time. Mainly it exhibits pianolas and barrel organs, which produce

A.belloc

Invented in Hawaii in the 1940s, stand-up paddle boarding has become especially popular in the last decade, partly because unlike surfing it can be practiced by a broad range of people of all ages and fitness levels.

But while most people associate this activity with placid seas and lakes, an increasing number are using them to surf - albeit relatively mild surf, no more than one to two feet high.

Most paddle boards are made of fiberglass and are ten to 12 feet long, but there are ot

The United Arab Emirates - and in particular Dubai - attract more than more than 21 million vacationers per year (quite a few honeymooners among them) - with a rich diversity of sometimes astounding offerings - much of them modern and man-made - and a more liberal atmosphere than in much of the rest of the Middle East (though, for example, women should still take care to dress "modestly," in attire that covers their knees). 

Attractions include magnificent skyscrapers like Burj Khalifa (curr

I’m a travel writer. Words are what I do. My stories may not always sing, but I usually can put one word in front of another succinctly enough to craft a quasi-well-written article.  But when I heard about the newly opened Planet Word several blocks northeast of the White House in Washington DC, I was so excited, I had no words. But I knew I couldn’t get there fast enough to see all the magical ways in which words – the entire focus of the museum “where language comes to life” – can be employe

The last time I went to Italy, I chose the southern Adriatic Sea port of Bari - capital of Apulia (known as Puglia in Italian), the "heel" of the Italian "boot"  - along with two nearby resorts. Why Bari? Frankly, mostly because it's home to the famous Basilica di San Nicola - St. Nicholas - top left), and my name is Nicolae. There also happens to be a direct flight on the low-cost carrier Wizz from Timisoara, in my country Romania.

So in just an hour I was in Bari (pop. 327,000), and for 1.50

Alextov

by Tom Bunn


Following up on a recent post I wrote about air turbulence, let me note that pilots who conduct fear-of-flying courses are fond of saying “knowledge is power”. Most insist that if passengers understand how safe flying is, they will not be afraid. It’s not that simple, however. Intellectual understanding does not translate directly into emotional security.

Knowledge that a plane is safe in turbulence does not prevent an automatic emotional reaction. Regardless of what a pers