Travel
Hiking the Phelps Lake Loop, Grand Teton National Park
Of the many impressive hikes to explore in the picturesque Grand Teton National Park, in Wyoming, one not to be missed is the pleasant seven-mile loop around Phelps Lake. The stunning hike begins from the Laurance S. Rockefeller Presereve’s parking area. Parking spots go quickly, so be sure to arrive early in the morning. As…
Read MoreStrolling La rambla in Barcelona
If you’re visiting Barcelona, chances are you’ll be strolling down La rambla at least once during your stay. This busy, tree-lined, central thoroughway leading to the sea is filled with all day and late into the night. The name comes from the Arabic word ramla, meaning the dried-up river bed. In the 13th century, a…
Read MoreExploring HafenCity and the Hamburg Dungeon
Last week I wrote about getting a sense of what life was like for a turn of the 20th century sailor by visiting Hamburg’s Rickmer Rickmers. If you’re exploring the northern German city of Hamburg, it makes sense to also explore the ‘new’ district nearby – HafenCity. Construction on this so-called ‘city within a city’…
Read MoreAdmire Hamburg’s Harbor from aboard the Rickmer Rickmers
On a visit to the northern German city of Hamburg, a great way to admire the Hamburg port – one of the world’s largest – is to climb aboard the 19th century sailing ship, the Rickmer Rickmers. The Rickmer Rickmers was built in Bremen, in 1896. The three-masted sailing ship is 97 meters (318 feet)…
Read MoreAdmiring Skopje’s Ottoman bridge
I love Ottoman architecture in general, but I especially enjoy admiring Ottoman bridges. Maybe I’m even somewhat of an Ottoman Bridge groupie. I’ve already written about the Ottoman bridge, Stari most, in Mostar, Bosnia-Herzegovina and even wrote a short story where it plays a small role. I’ve written about the Ottoman Goat Bridge and the Princip Bridge,…
Read More2019 European Culture capitals – Matera and Plovdiv
Two European cities or towns are selected by the European Commission each year to serve as European culture capitals. Two cities I’ve visited and enjoyed have just been named as 2019’s culture capitals. The first is the beautiful Bulgarian city of Plovdiv, the first ever European culture capital in Bulgaria. I already posted about this…
Read MoreHiking and relaxation at Taiwan’s Silk Place Taroko Hotel
I already wrote about the great vacation I had last year in Taiwan. My earlier posts talked about highlights in Taipei, Taipei’s Palace Museum, and visiting Taiwan’s highest skyscraper, Taipei 101. But we also loved our time on Taiwan’s eastern coast, hiking in the beautful Taroko Gorge. And part of the fun of our time…
Read MoreReason #5377 to love Rome: Rome wasn’t (re)built in a day…
I’ve lived in Rome for the past (gulp!) fifteen years. Not surprisingly, as soon as I landed here, I insisted on living near the Colosseum. We Americans are always fascinated by European history. We grew up going on tours where we’re told something is ‘really old’ if it was built 100 years ago, so imagine…
Read MoreSkopje’s old town – Čaršija
Skopje, the capital of Macedonia, is an interesting city to explore. One of the first things you’re bound to notice in this Balkan city is the building spree going on in the New Town. I could be forgiven for having thought I’d been transported to Ancient Rome, pummeled by towering monuments, statues and fountains at…
Read MoreCool down in Central Park’s Lasker pool
For those of you have visited New York in the summer, you’ll know that summer in the city can get awfully hot. The (illegal) way kids used to cool down was to tamper with the fire hydrants. Luckily, that practice is long gone, and children’s playgrounds now offer water park areas. My kids are always…
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