24 March, 2025 Paris beckons. Some cities remain timeless, majestic, and full of charm. They offer a tapestry of culture, history, food and drink. Paris holds that promise and more. I have visited Paris numerous Read more…
23 March 2025 There are cities in the world that deserve repeated visits. Being the greatest on any list is an honorable position. Paris fits that description. I rejoice in visiting the City of Light Read more…
22 March 2025 “I was looking into Carnac, France” my niece messaged me, “because they are famous for their 10,000 standing rocks. It’s about 1.5 hrs from Rennes and might be a little far to Read more…
19-21 March 2025 In fall of 2019, I visited this city and thought “a perfect stop. I wish I had more time.” Well, the time has come as Gabrielle and I lodge here for the Read more…
20 March 2025 Departing Saint-Malo, we drive west through farm land, lush forests, and small villages to the headlands of Cap Fréhel. Occasionally, we spy peeks of bays and a rugged Brittany coast. Stone buildings Read more…
19 March 2025 Caught up on blessed sleep. Weather is sunny and cool. With rain predicted for later in the week, we adjust plans accordingly. After a coffee and biscuit, my niece Gabrielle and I Read more…
18 March 2025 Sometimes the most challenging part of visiting a foreign country is pronouncing your city of destination. One wrong inflection, and I would find myself hundreds of kilometers from my room for the Read more…
17/18 March 2025 In the midst of movement and chaos, keep stillness inside you. – Deepak Chopra Chaos is chaos no matter how you experience it. You either adapt or die. – Pat Bunyard Always Read more…
3 January 2025 Nancy and I ushered 2025 into the world in Santa Fe, New Mexico. The land is grand, the food good, the culture exciting. But, it is always good to head home with Read more…
2 January 2025 Another slow morning, waking to a chilly room and a hot cup of coffee. The Inn is quiet as we walk across to breakfast. Kitchen will cook to order. Times like this, Read more…
1 January 2025 Nancy and I enjoy a leisurely morning waiting for the sun and temperatures to rise above 40°. Our previous excursion found us in the north of Finland seeking the Northern Lights. I suggest, Read more…
31 December 2024 We awake to a clear, crisp morning in Santa Fe. Skies are blue and cloudless. Northwest winds bring the feel of snow in the air although snow has not fallen since November. Read more…
From Geologic Features to Cultural Diversity 30 December 2024 El Malpais National Monument features an informative Visitor Center and several routes or trails open for exploration. It is an easy visit on I-40 in Grants.
From Deep Craters to Painted Rocks 29 December 2024 We awake to cold. Frosty has visited overnight. We continue east through desert. We have a full tank of gas, practically a steal at 2.79 a Read more…
Get your kicks on Route 66 28 December 2024 Heartfelt appreciation for hot coffee this morning. We may be in high dessert, but it is cold out there. We pack up the “Prius mule team” Read more…
Central Valley minus Grandma Joad 27 December 2024 A road trip is an anonymous freedom on four wheels! Radial tires humming along open roads with endless horizons stretching out before me. Every mile brings a Read more…
27-29 September 2024 There exists far more to Rio than sandy beaches, Carnival, and volcanic plugs. The city is a jumble of wide chaotic streets, a fusion of colonial and modern, and a population of Read more…
25-26 September 2024 Rio is sort of like Cher. It only needs one name to be recognized.
24 September 2024 Life is good. I sit in the hotel bar in Rio de Janeiro, enjoying a cold Antarctica Original Cerveja, catching up on writing, watching YouTube, checking out news, hearing English around me even Read more…
23-24 Sept 2024 No rush this am, yet the birds don’t know – or care. I am awakened at the first light of dawn by the raucous Curicacas. Their antics act as my avian alarm Read more…
22 Sept 2024 I awake to an opera of birds. One cannot describe it as a symphony as it is too discordant, too raucous. The Curicaca’s endless squabbling as they chase about the grounds and Read more…
21 Sept 2024 The native Tupí-Guaraní word for jaguar is yaguará or “he who kills with one leap.” When it comes to jaguars, this is an excellent description. To watch a jaguar stalk and pounce Read more…
20 Sept 2024 The Pantanal alarm clocks awake everyone around 5:30 am. The raucous and slightly crazy Curicaca scurries about the grounds and trees screaming and screeching to start a new day. Some consider their Read more…
19 Sept 2024 I met a wonderful Danish couple, Ingrid and Gunner, while cruising the Rio Negro. Second day here in Pantanal, I did a double take as they were sitting at the table next Read more…
18 Sept 2024 A red sun appears above the horizon. Birds chirp and sing. The air feels cool. It’s 5:30 am. I climb aboard my wagon and Guia Tim motors around the immense grounds and Read more…
16-17 Sept 2024 I arrange Uber pickup for the short ride from my hotel to the airport. The morning is cool but hazy. My bag is crammed and I am thinking: how can I lighten Read more…
16 Sept 2024 Say hallelujah! I get to sleep in. Exhausted, I sleep for 9 hours. The temperatures range in the low 60s with intermittent sprinkles of rain. I am informed this is unusually cool Read more…
14-15 Sept 2024 My amazing cruise ends at an ungodly hour for breakfast and departure. If there exists any criticism of my time on the M/Y Tucano, it would be no opportunity to sleep in. Read more…
12-13 Sept 2024 My 6th day on the river begins with a dawn excursion hunting for sleepy wildlife, and a large breakfast followed by a hike to a private sandbar. I stay on the boat Read more…
10-11 Sept 2024 Day 4 – Sunrise over the Rio Jaueperi I awake to a beautiful sunrise over Rio Jaueperi, the beginning of a new day. This is as far northwest as we venture, about Read more…
7-9 Sept 2024 Clouds, heat, humidity 90%, slight breeze occasionally I am ecstatic to be departing Manaus, convinced being on the water, temperatures cannot possibly be worse. The Amazon represents a wilderness about the size Read more…
6 Sept 2024, Friday High 94° low 79° after brief thunderstorm then 90° again Despite heat, there exists things to see. I am early out the door with plans to escape the oppresive heat before 1pm. Read more…
5 Sept 2024, Thursday High 97°, low 81°, humidity 68% Manaus serves as the capital of Brasil’s Amazonas state. This busy city is not only rich in history but acts as the gateway to the Read more…
4 Sept 2024 So far, the rewards may be worth the effort in getting there. The jury is still out on that decision.
29 March 2024 One does not tour India and leave unaffected. In 2005, I wrote: “I know I will never forget India, nor will I ever be able to adequately describe her. A country where Read more…
23-25 March 2024 Today, a short 31-mile drive takes me to Paro, perhaps the best-known small town in Bhutan. Here, I find Bhutan’s tallest building at a staggering 72’, its only international airport, mystical Tiger’s Nest, Read more…
23-25 March 2024 Bhutan hosts several annual cultural festivals. One of the most popular and significant is the Paro Tshechu. Tshechus are religious festivals celebrated in various districts across Bhutan. However, the Paro Tshechu remains particularly enjoyable Read more…
24 March 2024 Bhutan is a country of mountains and monasteries. However, possibly the pièce de résistance of Bhutan’s plethora of monasteries is Tiger’s Nest. If one sees travel photos of a monastery in Bhutan, Read more…
22 March 2024 Altitude 7590 We wake to a magical morning. Thin fluffy clouds float over the valley and around the Trongsa Dzong and Taa Dzong Watch Tower. A dusting of snow lays on the Read more…
21 March 2024 Altitude 7200′ Bumthang has its own domestic airport, one of four airports in Bhutan. It opened in 2011 only to be closed due to damage to an instability of the runway. After repairs, Read more…
20 March 2024 Altitude 8600 Bumthang Valley, renowned for its temples, and more temples. It is a region of numerous sacred stupas, fortresses and monasteries. Today, we visit four temples in quick succession. There is Read more…
19 March 2024 Altitude 8600 Yesterday, following the Lateral Road from the west, we entered Wangdue. It is one of three roads one drives here. (Actually, there is only PNH One, the other 2 lead to Read more…
18 March 2024 Altitude 4420 Today is a drive over the 10,200 ft Dochula Pass, and weaving along the narrow two-lane Thimphu-Punakha Highway. Possibly I will suffer fewer than 1001 curves. The mountains and endless Read more…
17 March 2024 Elevation 7590 Be still my heart! There are pedestrian crossings and Bhutan’s drivers stop for me! I hear no honking. No cows stroll the streets. A dog passes, held firmly on a Read more…
16 March 2024 Altitude 7590′ This day will be long, sweetened by the drive through the spectacular Bhutanese countryside. Destination is Thimphu, the nation’s capital. The distance is about 110 miles but will take from 5 Read more…
15 March 2024 We reboard our van for another road trip. Today is a “box lunch” day. It’s also a day for multiple ginger pills to calm my stomach. Highway 12 is two-lane and twisty, twisty, Read more…
14 March 2024 Altitude 3970′ North is Mt. Kangchenjunga and Tibet. Northeast is Bhutan. The lofty Himalayas surround us, which have been continuously blotted out by haze. Unable to pass thru the mountains , we Read more…
12-13 March 2024 Our exit from the hotel is dramatic as our van rips down the already low hanging wires. Electricity has been spotty at the Elgin. I believe we just made matters worse. The Read more…
9-11 March 2024 Today, we fly from Kolkata to the Bagdogra International Airport in West Bengal, some 350 miles north. A 55-minute flight replaces a 13-hour drive. Our “adventure begins with a scenic drive to Read more…
7-8 March 2024 We fly from a pleasantly mild Delhi via Air India into a warmer Kolkata, capital of West Bengal. I need my t-shirts for a couple more days. Neither my niece nor I Read more…
5 March 2024 It is a very early morning as we begin our drive southeast to Jaipur. Our driver, Suraj, drives on the left side, a holdover from the British colonial period. We depart Delhi, Read more…
3-6 March, 2024 Still feeling fit in spite of an evening eating street food, my niece and I set out to explore the city. Delhi is large and while New Delhi and the Path afford Read more…
3 March 2024 The constant honking of horns and jostling for space by bicycles, rickshaws, cars and motorcycles leaves no room for error. Crossing the streets can be a deadly trial of nerves. In spite Read more…
3 March 2024 I feel “Been there done that” as I depart for the arduous flight to Delhi, India. Then it all comes back: I have. It is easy to forget after 18 years filled Read more…
2 March 2024 The best-laid plans of women travelers can always awry. Or, as one lady described it: shit happens. I appreciated having a Leap Year in 2024. It gave me an extra day in Read more…
10-13 November 2023 In 1990-91, I had the pleasure of hosting a young exchange student from Switzerland. She lived in my home for 10 months. In that time, not only did I gain a daughter, Read more…
9 Nov 2023 As both a college history major and serious genealogist, Brenner Pass is known to me. The pass over the Alps between Italy and Austria was a strategic goal for American soldiers in Read more…
Nein, das ist Italien 8 November 2023 Snow continues to accumulate upon the surrounding peaks, its icy chill is in the morning air. I am thankful the white stuff is up there, not down here Read more…
6-7 November 2023 Trento to Bolzano is a direct, 50-minute train passage through spectacular scenery. This is the gateway to the Dolomites, the Tyrol. Tall escarpments and snow-capped peaks tower overhead while vineyards cover the Read more…
Exploring Trentino-Alto Adige 4-5 November 2023 Castle fortress Beseno Travel in Italy is very different, but so much easier, than my first visit in 1972. Today, I purchase my rail ticket online where I also Read more…
2-3 November 2023 I travel my chosen route mainly for the views. I’ve not explored the northern region of Trentino-Alto Adige. This is the area located north of Venice and bordering Switzerland and Austria. However, Read more…
1 October 2023 It is near impossible to adequately summarize a country. All I can fairly do is highlight my impressions – some good and some bad. Having a professional archaeologist as my guide, I Read more…
Peaceful Boats and Crazy Bazaars 30 September 2023 Emperor Constantine’s most lasting accomplishment was the establishment of Constantinople. This act shifted Roman power eastward making the city a center of Greek culture and Christianity. On Read more…
29 September 2023 It is a short, rather pleasant drive 140 miles north to Safranbolu located not far south of the Black Sea. The temperatures have cooled to below 90° and dark clouds are overhead. Read more…
28 September 2023 I rejoice that I visited Ankara last year. Ankara possesses good museums, a 9th century citadel, old neighborhoods, Roman ruins, peaceful parks, and is home to the Anitkabir, the mausoleum of Mustafa Read more…
Birthplace of Abraham 27 September 2023 Aurora, goddess of Dawn appears over My Nemrut. Zeus and the other heads witness a new day. After my Mediterranean breakfast and Turkish coffee, I am wired. I board Read more…
Sunset with the Talking Heads 26 September 2023 The windy road to the royal sanctuary atop Mt Nemrut can be a scary experience. The van steers through stunning views of mountains, valleys, rocky gorges and Read more…
Into Earthquake Country 25 September 2023 Another long drive with views improved by the towering Taurus Mountains. Turkey is a mountainous country and the Taurus Mountains curve 350 miles through southern Turkey separating the Mediterranean Read more…
Fairy Chimneys or Penises? 23-24 September 2023 The whole of Asia Minor is built on ancient, fascinating rocks. Those of the Cappadocia region of Turkey are especially so. After a very long day on good Read more…
22 September 2023 Today is “a long scenic drive”. In tour terms, this means prepare for over 300 miles in a van. There can be varying degrees of discomfort. Usually there are stops ever 2 Read more…
20-21 September 2023 Antalya is a charming city sitting above a gorgeous blue bay. It loses some of its charm because of its size and bustle, but once I pass through Hadrian’s Gate into the Read more…
20 September 2023 Aurora was shy this morning, not peeking above the mountains until almost 8. Apollo, as is his want, continues to blast down upon us from a cloudless sky.
18-19 September 2023 Ancient City of Kaunos A relaxing morning finds us sailing south along the Anatolian coast to a strip of beach at Iztuzu. Caretta sea turtles come here to lay their eggs, thus Read more…
My Blue Cruise along the Turkish Rivera 17-19 SEPTEMBER 2023 “Now voyager sail forth to seek and find.” Walt Whitman Did Agamemnon or Achilles pass this way and enjoy such views? I think not. Their Read more…
17 September 2023 Türkiye has a very effective “chamber of commerce” assisting the tourism board. In 2022, I visited an exhibition at the Istanbul International Airport. While having the greedy nerve to charge 10€, it Read more…
16 September 2023 Today, my visit is to a second world-renowned historical site in Turkey – Ephesus. As a novice traveler, I visited this site in 1981. Docking our ship Atlas in Kusadasi, our bus Read more…
At Least What Remains On-site 15 September 2023 As I look over the Aegean and navigate the coastal region of Anatolia, I contemplate: Did my early ancestors pass this way? Did they take note of Read more…
14 September 2023 I spend my day looking at stones. If there is one thing the Turks have a lot of it is stones. These stones reflect their many great architectural and archaeological accomplishments over Read more…
13 September 2023 We ferry from Aceabat across the narrow Dardanelles Strait to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of ancient Troy. In Hollywood, the Trojan War starred Brad Pitt as Achilles, Greece’s great warrior and Read more…
13 September 2023 The reading of Homer’s great epics is a huge genealogical challenge. Characters are Greek gods and demi-gods, immortals and mortals. Often, they are called “son of” rather than by their given names, Read more…
13 September 2023 For this traveler, two important sites are on my itinerary. One is forever linked with Winston Churchill and the other to Brad Pitt. Both are sites of great historic significance.
CONSTANTINOPLE ON STEROIDS 9-12 September 2023 I visited Istanbul in 1981, the population was 2.7 million, about half of whom were carpet salesmen. Tanks and armed military, machine guns with bayonets fixed, occupied the streets. Read more…
18 July 2023 Mongolia is known for its large, untouched landscapes, including the expansive Gobi Desert, Altai Mountains, and stunning grassy steppes. Jokes about getting lost in its vastness or trying to find a needle Read more…
Part Two 11-18 July 2023 Ulaanbaatar is host to excellent museums They are a mix of modern and out-dated. Entrance is reasonable but taking photos requires substantial fees sometimes as high as 30-50,000 Tugrik. Choices Read more…
Authentic or Glamping? Part Two – 16 July 2023 My travels in Mongolia have enabled me to sample a variety of gers and accommodations. For my final experiences, I travel to Gobi Desert. Once again Read more…
11-12 July 2023 I visit during July when Mongolia hosts the biggest celebration of the year – Naadam or “three manly games.” Likened to Mongolia’s version of the Olympics, the festival takes place every summer Read more…
30 June-10 July 2023 “May the Mongol nation exist by its own right.” This idea is expressed in the Mongolian national symbol of the Soyombo. It is attributed to Zanabazar, the 17th century leader of Read more…
Authentic or Glamping? Part One – 10 July 2023 Sleeping in gers draws many travelers to Mongolia. We hear a lot about this form of camping but just how authentic, or what level of glamping, Read more…
3 July 2023 I know next to nothing about Mongolia. So I visit. Mongolian history dates to the Stone Age, its first recorded empire dating 3rd century BCE. The rise of Chinggis Khan in the Read more…
1 July 2023 When one is in pain, one needs distraction. That was the case while visiting the Third Tunnel of Aggression in the DMZ north of Seoul. Walking down the 11 degree ramp, noting Read more…
26-29 June 2023 I knew little about South Korea. What first came to mind was Psy’s catchy 2012 K-pop song “Wop Wop Gangnam Style.” My second thought was South Korea survives and thrives under the Read more…
23 Feb – 8 March It feels good revisiting London. Historic sights, museums, art galleries, and monuments are never tiresome. While much remains the same since I visited over 30 years ago, there are new Read more…
23 Feb – 8 March 2023 Several years ago, I tested a male sibling for Y-DNA. When one does such things, one needs to prepare for the unexpected. The Unexpected was my sibling didn’t match our male Read more…
December 2022 I recently boarded The Canadian to accomplish a travel goal – to ride the transcontinental scenic route between Toronto and Vancouver. Travel was to be simple: I board the correct train and chug Read more…
December 2022 I think of gophers. They maneuver just below the surface within an elaborate tunnel system. Their tunnels represent a series of underground areas leading to various broad openings such as a main living Read more…
Since my 10-week solo “Grand Tour” of Europe in 1972, traveling has become a passion. To awaken in a new city in some new part of the world, to wander its streets and absorb a Read more…
October 2022 I fly through Frankfurt at least a couple times a year. I like it less and less. Landing Turkish Airways from Istanbul, we deplaned from the rear. Not good when I am seated Read more…
12 October 2022 No Call to Prayer this morning, just my iPhone telling me to get up. My flight boards at 5:30 am. This is pure wonderful. I leave the YOTEL at 5:10. My walk Read more…
11 October 2022 Call to Prayer, Fajr, blasted to the heavens at 5:27 this morning. I briefly contemplate prayer time. And with everything else, there’s an App for that. I check out the times for Read more…