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Yet another calendar year has gone and come, and don’t we all say, "how time flies?" Thinking of this made me think about the origin of calendars. What if there were no calendars - how or where would the world be? Definitely, different. Calendars in one form or another have been there for a long time. Even without the sophisticated gadgets that we have today, the calendar cycle had been determined centuries back and that too in multiple civilizations.

Some civilizations were using natural cycles

Who would have thought when I moved from Portland, Oregon, (home of amazing Pinot Noirs) to Southern California, I would be sitting in the backyard of a Cape Cod next to a pool at a long, umbrella-covered table in the quaint Floral Park neighborhood of Orange County's Santa Ana at the beginning of December sampling Oregon Pinot Noirs. Life couldn’t get much better.

A group of writers with IFWTWA (International Food, Wine & Travel Writers Association) were guests at the Southern California home

"By their markets ye shall know them."  OK, no one actually ever said that, but on my travels I have often found it to be true. After all, what lovelier way to learn the nuances of a foreign culture than rubbing shoulders with the locals, tasting the flavors of their land? Well yes, there is literature and art and music, but we certainly can't appreciate those on an empty stomach; and so, before heading to the Prado or the pyramids or a voodoo ceremony, you may just find me visiting the local

The city of Berkane is located in the Moulouya valley, at the foot of the Beni Hassan Mountains. Far removed from mass tourism, it is the center of the agricultural region of Trifa and is a dynamic zone which focuses on greenhouse cultivation. Its beaches, the longest in the country, are tranquil stretches of sand on which to disconnect from the bustling rhythm of life in the cities and let yourself be rocked by the waters of the Mediterranean.

Among them, Saïdia beach, one of the longest in M

Lucknow is the capital city of Uttar Pradesh and is known for its culture, literature, history, architecture, nawabs and kebabs. The best time to visit this royal Sheher is November and December because at this time Lucknow Mahoutsav is in its full fervor. Lucknow is famous not only for its delicious food, but for its magnificent buildings and chikankari embroidery, as well. Lucknow people give emphasis on the sophisticated lifestyle and demonstrate utmost manners, etiquette and known to be ver

Downtown New Rochelle's Radisson Hotel has been a go-to lodging destination in lower Westchester County since the 1970s. After receiving a well deserved $2 million upgrade in 2011, the property's vibe was transformed from cookie-cutter chain to Manhattan-chic, with boutique-style rooms complemented by NoMa (North of Manhattan) Social, a brand new onsite lounge and restaurant that's quickly built a strong following with happening nightlife, craft cocktails, and creative Mediterranean-Spanish sm

In the coolest travel destination for 2016, you can plan a cool vacation knowing these top things to do in Monteverde, Costa Rica.

Monteverde is famous for its cloud forests, nature and wildlife, adrenaline-inducing zip lines and suspension bridges, and its fabulous local coffee, ice cream and cheeses. So, pack your bags and get ready for an amazing adventure in the cloud forest on vacation in Monteverde.

10 Top things to do in Monteverde, Costa Rica

Canopy Zipline Tours

Monteverde boasts some

The multiple recent terrorist attacks in diverse places such as London, Istanbul, San Bernardino, Sharm El-Sheikh, and Tel Aviv, along with the major tourism threats in others like Ankara, Brussels, Munich, and New York City, ought to serve as a warning to the tourism industry that it is entering into a new and dangerous age.  

In the past, most tourism centers assumed that either they would not be targets of a terrorism attack or that the attack would be against a highly specific and well-k

We began this adventure by purchasing a Porsche Macan S and picking the car up at the Porsche factory in Zuffenhausen, Germany... this was our “official” road trip.

This segment of the series is dedicated to our adventures touring Bolzano in northern Italy.

The Drive from Innsbruck to Bolzano, Italy

We left Innsbruck, Austria before noon for the less-than-two-hour drive to one of our favorite wine regions in Italy, Alto Adige and the city of Bolzano.  The primary road system connecting Innsbruck

With Greek restaurants and tavernas, maybe cats should be awarded instead of “stars”, rosettes, or crossed knife-and-fork symbols when judging their excellence, or otherwise.

At any Greek eatery, at some stage, a cat is sure to join you, although I’m not sure whether the presence of many cats is a good sign or a bad one. Do cats go to where the food’s good, or do they maybe congregate where it’s not so good, because there’ll be more leftovers for them?

In Greece, much cooking is done on a barbecue

Every place in the world can be romantic if you want to make it so. You just need a beloved person and a little bit of imagination. And when it comes to Sydney, you do not really need to put in a lot of effort into searching for romantic spots and ideas; there are in abundance in this wonderful city! Here are some of the most interesting things that a couple can do or places that they can visit while in Australia's largest city.

The View from the Sydney Tower

You will feel like you are among the c

by Cristóbal Ramírez

The colouration of its buildings contrasts strikingly with the green hills surrounding them, and whichever direction your feet take you in the historic centre of Ecuador‘s high Andean capitalQuito, you’re surrounded by history. In fact, it’s all enough to leave you slack-jawed at the richness of architecture to which the locals barely spare a second glance. It’s no wonder this was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and early on, back in 1978. 

This, the largest historic

Auld acquaintance, indeed — when it comes to public NYE bashes, there’s pretty much no acquaintance aulder than that of the Scots. With some traditions dating back to the Vikings, Hogmanay (the word's reckoned to come down from, variously, Anglo Saxon, French, Flemish, and the old Scandinavian) reaches its biggest and bashiest in Scotland’s capital, Edinburgh. Here the partying starts on December 29 with a carnival, torchlight procession from Royal Mile to Carlton Hill, fireworks, and the burn

Sometimes the most impressive destinations require a trip to someplace more off the beaten path. Taking a side trip from Napa Valley is a great example.

Iconic in its own right for wineries, stellar culinary scene, and vibrant arts, after spending a week on tastings and soaking in Napa's ambiance, you just might be ready to head north up Route 128 for 2½ hours over hairpin mountain curves into Anderson Valley which eventually leads to the Mendocino Coast.

Surrounded by steep, forested slopes

The Riviera Nayarit is a tourist corridor of a little more than 160 kilometers in length which has become one of the top recreational destinations for travelers seeking new experiences and activities which are out of their reach in their homelands. With a tourist offer to suit all budgets, thanks to its incredible landscapes, the destination offers fairytale beaches and picturesque towns, in addition to perfect facilities for the complete enjoyment of visitors and a world of possibilities that w

The north Pacific coast of Guanacaste, Costa Rica is known for its unforgettable beautiful beaches of white, gold, gray, black and even pink sand. Guanacaste beaches are preferred vacation destinations, having the sunniest climate in all of Costa Rica.

The area is always surprising and interesting. You can find bustling beach towns with thriving commerce like Flamingo and Tamarindo, contrasted with exotic deserted beaches where you can get lost in wild nature, like Pan de Azucar, Prieta and Calzó

Life is a variety of experiences – depth, quality, lived in the details. In a previous post I talked about how I want to be defined by actions, not interests. Here, I want to talk about how those actions are defined not by what they are, but how they are done.

Not long ago I was in Asia for nearly two months, with one very striking detail: none of the countries I went to during this trip are ones I haven't been to before. To many this is incredible – there is so much of the world to see! Why not

Spain's mix of the modern and the traditional is second to none, in my opinion, but around the holidays, tradition naturally comes to the fore – and nowhere more in the case of Christmas than in the nativity scenes that pop up all over the country, in public and private.

Montar el belén, literally “setting up the Bethlehem,” as crèches are known, is, like decorating the Christmas tree for others around the world, still a Yuletide ritual for many Spaniards, and public examples also abound throug

Christmas in the UK, where I grew up, thrives on tradition. Although conventionally considered a Christian celebration, a British Christmas has roots in ancient pagan festivals, subsequently layered with influences from around the world. In today's cosmopolitan (and largely secular) Britain, December 25th concerns itself as much with the Eastenders Omnibus as it does the birth of Christ.

I wanted to know more about Christmas traditions in the rest of the world, so I asked a very well-travelle