Marseille wasn’t on my original itinerary. After touring a chateau of the Loire Valley and exploring Bordeaux, I planned to visit Toulouse and St. Girons in the French Pyrenees, but there was a problem. Bad weather had been following me around France. I’d had one lovely sunny day in Mont Saint Michel and another one [...]
Montreal: The North American Alternative to Europe
March 27, 2013 | Posted by
If you’re looking for a unique European experience but can’t afford a flight from North America, Montreal in Canada is just up your alley. The second largest French-speaking city in the world after Paris, Montreal has a unique European influence unlike any other place in Northern America. With cathedrals, buildings dating back to the 1600s, [...]
D.C.’s Cherry Blossom Festival Carries On In Chilly Weather
March 26, 2013 | Posted by
After a harsh winter for much of the United States, you’re probably more than ready for spring. And if you’re looking for a way to welcome the season of flowers, the National Cherry Blossom Festival is a good place to start. The annual Washington festival started Wednesday, the first day of spring, and runs through [...]
‘The Marvelous City’ of Rio de Janeiro Making Big Comeback
March 21, 2013 | Posted by
It’s not by chance that Brazilians and foreigners alike call it the Marvelous City. Rio de Janeiro’s very name evokes fun, fashion, desire, danger. The names of neighborhoods like Copacabana and Ipanema are synonymous with sensuality. This is a town about breathtaking natural scenery, revealing dress habits and (need we say it?) quite the knack [...]
9 Often Overlooked, Underrated Beaches
March 16, 2013 | Posted by
Some destinations always come to mind when people think of beach getaways: Waikiki Beach in Hawaii, Miami’s South Beach, and the crowded sands in Cancun. Some spots, however, are often overlooked and it makes them that much better. Fewer people, untouched nature, you name it; underrated beach destinations are hidden gems that can be just [...]
Miami Offers Much More Than Beaches And Bars
February 24, 2013 | Posted by
Beaches and bars rule the typical Miami vacation, but it doesn’t have to be that way. If you’re one of the sun-starved travelers preparing to descend on Florida to escape winter or relax on spring break, Miami itself can be a big part of your itinerary. Tourists who take the time to explore the city [...]
‘Herod the Great’ Exhibition Opens Tomorrow at Israel Museum
February 11, 2013 | Posted by
JERUSALEM – Israel’s national museum will open what it calls the world’s first exhibition devoted to the architectural legacy of biblical King Herod, the Jewish proxy monarch who ruled Jerusalem and the Holy Land under Roman occupation two millennia ago. The display includes the reconstructed tomb and sarcophagus of one of antiquity’s most notable and [...]
Saba: Scenic Caribbean Peaks Above And Below The Sea
February 10, 2013 | Posted by
The small propeller airplane lands quickly and softly, like a butterfly, on one of the world’s shortest commercial runways on the rain forest-capped island of Saba, which rises stunningly out of the Caribbean. It won’t take long for visitors to see why the sign outside declares: “Welcome to the Unspoiled Queen.” Saba’s Mt. Scenery, at [...]
Hawaii’s Club Lanai, Abandoned in 1996, Being Resurrected
February 10, 2013 | Posted by
For the first time in four hours, my tour guide on Lanai is at a loss for words. We’re staring at what could be a set from Lost: a broad, sandy beach devoid of people, a scattering of derelict huts among palm trees and an empty pier, all about a 45-minute bumpy ride from the nearest [...]
Exploring The Remnants of The Dominican Republic’s Colonial Past
February 7, 2013 | Posted by
Much more than beach resorts, the Dominican Republic is one of the Caribbean’s most geographically diverse countries, from stunning mountain scenery to desert scrublands, not to mention evocative colonial architecture and warm welcoming people. Where do you start? Try these 10 top travel experiences: Take a walk through history in the oldest city in the New World. [...]
