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“Well, I’m planning on flying up to Portland, Maine next week,” I told my friend. Dead silence. Clear disapproval. I understood that. It’s early July still in the midst of our much misunderstood pandemic and I was doing something crazy. Getting on an airplane.

But how else was I going to get to the summer cabin in the small town of Rangeley in western Maine, where my husband and I have spent the last 25 years? He was driving up earlier with a packed car – and I tend to commute back and forth fro

unmillondeelefantes

It’s that time of year again. In Spain, practically every day is the “feast day” of at least one Catholic saint. But the most famous of all is today, the Feast of Santiago (St. James the Greater), a disciple of Jesus Christ whose relics after his martyrdom tradition says were transported to Galicia (today, northwest Spain). Entombed and forgotten, they were rediscovered in the early 9th century and a cathedral was built around them, around which grew the city of Santiago de

Cyntia Motta



If you’re planning on choosing a holiday with a whole new sense of adventure, there seems to be a huge number of places still available to surprise - even shock and stun - the most jaded traveler. Yet while the temples of southeast Asia, vast canyons of North America, and unmistakable coastlines of Europe are all fantastic places to lose yourself for a week or two, one continent stands out from all the rest as a partygoer’s dream: Central and South America.

We’ve all heard of the bl

StoriesofKabeera

In the heart of Rajasthan state's Thar Desert, the historic city of Jaisalmer (pop. 78,000) is known as India's "Golden City" because the yellow sandstone of which its old quarter was built (mostly in the 12th century) imbuing it with a tawny lion color during the day, fading to honey-gold as the sun sets. And it's notable for its beautiful temples of the Jain religion, one of the world's oldest. But Jaisalmer's main claim to fame is Jaisalmer Fort, also known as the Sonar Quil

Deerfield Rretreat

Admittedly, I'd never heard of Lo-Wei, a unique exercise class that combines yoga, strength training and flexibility that stretched my body in ways my mind never thought possible. But it is only one of almost three dozen fitness classes, all part of the dawn-to-dusk workout, weight loss, and education focus of the one-of-a-kind, all-inclusive Deerfield Health Retreat and Spa in East Stroudsburg, in the Poconos Mountains of Pennsylvania, where my friend Kathy and I spent three

Chris 73



Last month I posted on this blog about Africa's six tallest peaks, so I thought I'd follow up with more about the highest and most famous of those: Tanzania's Mount Kilimanjaro (dubbed "Kili," for short). And reaching a maximum 5,895 meters (19.341 feet) in height, not only is it Africa's tallest but also one of the tallest freestanding mountains (i.e. not part of a larger range) in the world.

Chris 73

The Snows of Kilimanjaro


Located 320 kilometers south of the Equator, in

David Paul Appell



by Inka Piegsa-Quischotte

 

Across the world, throughout the spring of 2020 we've all been living through a global public-health emergency unprecedented in our lifetimes. But now, after the extraordinary measures due to the coronavirus and COVID-19 which closed borders and shut down tourism in most countries of the world, Spain is among those which have flattened the pandemic curve enough to return to "normal" as of 1 July, welcoming back foreign visitors - from most other c

You’re enjoying an adventure for the senses as you journey through the soaring Alps Mountains in Switzerland.  You immediately understand why the magnificent view that surrounds you in Colorado inspired the words of “America the Beautiful.”   You channel Harry Potter during a ride over the towering viaduct that the Hogwarts Express crossed in the popular film series.

These and other equally dramatic, experiences can be yours while you travel no farther than the chair in front of your computer. 

Daniel Schwen

Back before, during, and after the American Revolution (1776-1983) and the years leading up to it, New York City was as now the largest and one of the most important cities of the nascent United States of America – and in fact even served as the independent country’s very first capital, from 1789 to 1790. So it goes without saying that the Big Apple is home to a number of military and political landmarks that were absolutely key to the beginning of the USA’s national history. So

viennetta

Virtually every country distills its own brand (or various brands) of high-proof aguardiente (firewater, often a type of brandy) from various crops. But in South America, few have established a mystique as potent as pisco, the artesinal grape brandy of Peru. And though it's widely exported these days, there's nothing like experiencing this smooth spirit on its home turf - distilled here since the 17th century - including a swing through the areas where it's produced, several hours sou

Fujisan Mishima Tokyu Hotel restaurant

The Mount Fuji Mishima Tokyu Hotel is about to open at the south exit of Mishima Station on the Tokaido Shinkansen - Hikari and Kodama lines. About 45 minutes south of Tokyo and just under  than two hours north of Kyoto, it's an easy stop between these two other bucket-list destinations in Japan.

The hotel offers a great location, with spectacular views of Mt. Fuji and a 20-minute drive from Mishima Skywalk - the longest pedestrian suspension bridge in Ja

GNTO

With much of Europe about to open up their borders in July to visitors from various other countries, the message is clear. Yes, it may take some spunk to leave the safety and comfort of your home, but during these past three-plus months of stay-at-home life, much of the world has adapted to a “new normal” and the principles of how to stay healthy even during an an ongoing  pandemic - including traveling in as safe a manner as possible.

Those eligible should consult the new European Union

Tijon.com

There I was in my white lab coat, examining 40 vials and trying to determine which combinations to mix to get the best outcome. Admittedly, I wasn’t performing some important scientific discovery or creating a medical breakthrough, but it felt almost that significant. What if I screwed up, made ridiculous choices as to the most effective ingredients and came away with an awful smelling product. Yup, I was making perfume at the Tijon Parfumerie & Boutique on the French side of the Car

Nabin K. Sabkota

At a height of around 1,400 meters (4,600 feet) up in the Himalaya Mountains, the capital of Nepal (pop. 2.5 million) remains an exotic magnet for travelers from all over the world looking to quench their wanderlust, whether they visit independently or with Kathmandu tour packages. And for very good reason this is dubbed "the city of temples" - most of them of the 80-percent-majority Hindu religion but also sites very important to Buddhism, especially as this region is hel

While we do continue to dream of international travel, with the flair of the exotic and unknown, we often crave easier trips that blend the immense beauty of the American outdoors with wonderful culinary explorations. To that end, ever since I moved to Atlanta a few years ago, with Bourbon Country in Kentucky within an easy half-day drive’s reach, I had been craving a hop in the car for a spin around the Bourbon Trail. For us, winters are all about either red wine or whiskey – and how can we

Since we were about to embark on a Canadian rail journey, a visit to the Drake Street Roundhouse, in Yaletown, Vancouver, was almost inevitable. Yaletown used to be a huge railway complex, and was where the trains to Vancouver used to terminate. But all that remains nowadays is the Roundhouse. This is a really ingenious arrangement, consisting of a railway turntable, with tracks radiating from it like spokes on a wheel.

The locomotive could be turned on the turntable to a selected track, then

bowie15

In these trying times, we can all use a laugh. And when it comes to travel, the general public can usually be relied upon for prime material. I just recently again came across a clipping that came out several years ago, in which a survey by the Association of British Travel Agents revealed 20 of the most ridiculous complaints by holidaymakers. So check out the following - some are merely ill informed, while others are silly, and still others downright jawdroppingly stupid. To whit:

1. “I

The capital of Austria boasts an extraordinarily rich history and plenty of attractions, thanks mostly to its legacy as the centre of the Austro-Hungarian Empire of the late 19th and early 20th century, but of course going back much further. So whether you're a Mozart maven or cutting-edge architecture aficionado, Wien has enough to keep you occupied for days on end. But if you happen to be here for only a day or two

For day trips outside town, you'll want to rent a car. But worry not, as there

We first glimpsed the atolls from five miles high: Turquoise patches stitched onto a green sheet, and the even darker green of the rain forest and mangrove swamps.

Cairns is a thriving city with a population of about 145 000, spread out without congestion across a strip of plain between dense tropical forest and the Pacific Coast of Australia's Queensland state. It boasts an international airport, and so is ideal as the first or last port-of-call for the visitor to Australia. And though it does

Lee Howard

by Lee Howard


The foothills of the world’s highest coastal mountain range, the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, meet the Caribbean at Tayrona National Natural Park, Colombia’s second most visited national reserve. The promise of dramatic scenery where the jungle slopes down to the sea lures a mix of visitors (especially from Barranquilla, just over two hours’ drive west or Cartagena, some four hours away) fanning out along sandy coves enjoying a break from the city.

Beach life is the