This Valentine’s day, skip the flowers and chocolates and why don’t you travel to hear and see a great story about love in Saxony Germany. When I came across this story in Annaberg-Buchholz Germany last fall I was so uplifted by it; it was practically a Disney fairytale. And it made me believe in the […]
What It’s Like to Live in the Russian Far East
I zipped my jacket trying to stave off the chill in the air blowing off the Bering Sea. It was a dismal gray day. I sat on a plastic chair on the beach next to rusty scrap metal, yet in front of me was a plate of food placed carefully on the impeccable white lace […]
Time Travel to Anadyr Russia
We gathered around Richard listening intently to his instructions about the Anadyr Russia immigration process, “Russians don’t smile much, so you shouldn’t either. When you go through immigration, just try to be solemn and not too loud and fit into their culture the best you can.” I thought about my past travels to Russia and […]
How Germany Stolle Christmas
No, Germany didn’t sneak into Whoville and actually steel Christmas, but if the Grinch had wandered into Annaberg Germany to steal Christmas his bag of contraband would have most certainly been weighted down with German Stollen Cake. I’m not sure that he would have made it back to his perch on the mountaintop. Butter Stollen […]
How German Christmas Ornaments Went Viral
You put them on your tree every year, but have you ever wondered – why? Why do we hang glass balls on a tree – it’s really kind of strange if you think about it. Yet we do it all around the world, year after year, after year. I’m often fascinated with how things became […]
What to do in Cartagena Colombia
Surprisingly this was my first trip to Colombia. I was eager to leave the cold December in NYC behind to land in hot, steamy Cartagena. The best part – it was so simple – no super long flight, and no jetlag. Poof! A quick flight from Miami and I was transported to a new culture. […]
Travel By Sense at the Bazurto Market Cartagena
This is the stuff that is normally kept far away from most American’s eyesight; the carnage that happens before that lovely piece of prime rib or fish fillet ends up behind the glass in the grocery market case. The Bazurto market in Cartegena was a serious market, the kind where you get a glimpse into […]
Salsa Cartagena: These Hips Don’t Lie
As I walked around the Old City, I watched a waitress move her hips to the beat and pump her arms up in the air for a moment as if everything else around her has disappeared. Cartagena Colombia is a symphony of sound more than any place I’ve ever been. The constant drumbeat you experience […]
Halawa Valley Molokai Hike and Cultural Experience
I press my forehead against his forehead and I feel his hands reach around and grab the sides of my arm as if to steady himself and me. We are nose to nose, I close my eyes with this stranger, and we take a deep breath at the same time; essentially sharing our intake of […]
Molokai Leper Colony Tour: Adventure, History, and a Mule Ride
Even though the story is tragic, a Molokai leper colony tour is one of the best things to do on the island. Embark on this deeply moving journey through history is a little tricky. So, here are all my tips for exactly how to do it. I listened in shock to our guide, Pat, as […]