Manaus, Brasil

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…

India – 2005 and 2024

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…

Paro, Bhutan

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…

Paro Tshechu Festival

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…

Into Thimphu Valley

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…

Retracing Our Drive to Trongsa

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…

Exploring Bumthang Valley, Bhutan

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…

Bumthang, Bhutan

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…

Wangdue, Phodrang Valley, Bhutan

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…

Exploring Thimphu, Bhutan

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…

En route to Thimphu, Bhutan

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…

Phuntsholing, Bhutan

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…

Kalimpong, West Bengal, India

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…

Gangtok, Sikkim, India

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…

Darjeeling, West Bengal, India

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…

Jaipur, India

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…

Delhi, India

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…

Delhi, India

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…

Bolzano or Bozen?

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…

Trento, Italy

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…

Brescia, Italy

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…

Türkiye 2023

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…

ISTANBUL

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…

Safranbolu, Turkey

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…

ANKARA

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…

URFA

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…

MT NEMRUT

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…

Gaziantep

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…

Cappadocia or Kapadokya?

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…

A Change in Geology

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…

Antalya, Turkey

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…

Xanthos – Capital of the Lycians

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.

Sailing the Aegean Coast

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…

The Aegean Coast in a Gulet

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…

Aphrodisias

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…

Pergamon

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…

Ancient Rocks and Olive Oil

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…

Ancient Troy

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…

Historic Battles – Gallipoli

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.

ISTANBUL

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…

Beautiful Mongolia

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…

Mongolia – My Ger Guide

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…

Beautiful Mongolia

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…

Mongolia – My Ger Guide

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…

Grandpa Ramping It Down

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…

Seoul, South Korea

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…

Four Great Finds in Toronto

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…

Cappadocia, Turkey

6 October 2022 The Call to Prayer woke me at 5:28; the unmistakable roar of burners blasting a flame into balloons got me out of my room before 6:15. Walking outside, I was met with Read more…

Waiting for Butter in the Stans

3-4 October 2022 The next two days will be a mix of flight and fantasy. Some final beautiful views of Khiva’s gates and fortifications as we drive to the airport; experiencing Uzbekistan security and airplanes; Read more…

Touring Tashkent, Uzbekistan

26-27 September 2022 Tashkent is a city of very modern buildings interspersed with some ugly Soviet relics, green manicured parks, fountains, and a very organized traffic system. Except for closing down the streets and having Read more…

And More From Tajikistan

25 September 2022 It’s hot as Hell and I’m not going to take it anymore! We’re on the road again. Today, we drive 50 miles southwest through the foothills to the ancient city of Istarafshan, Read more…

REPUBLIC OF TAJIKISTAN

24 September 2022 After breakfast in Kokand, we face the short drive and possibly grueling border crossings from Uzbekistan into the fourth of the Stans: Tajikistan.

Osh, Kyrgyzstan

22 September 2022 This morning I am flown out of Bishkek’s Manas International Airport for Osh, the second largest city in Kyrgyzstan. With a population a little over 208,000, Osh is located in the Fergana Read more…

BISHKEK, KYRGYZSTAN

20-21 September 2022 This morning we depart lovely Lake Issyk Kul and retrace some of our route west before turning north to Bishkek. There are not a lot of roads here, basically up and down Read more…

THE KYRGYZ REPUBLIC

17 September 2022 The day begins with a large, delicious breakfast including flaky pastries, potato pancakes filled with cheese, honey and raspberry spreads, bread, quiche and more – homemade and from their gardens. I’m not Read more…

ALMATY, KAZAKHSTAN

15 September 2022 Last night, we joined ElderTrek. Having previously cancelled this trip twice as per Covid, the third time is the charm and for this trip I invited my adventurous niece along (guess all Read more…

REPUBLIC OF KAZAKHSTAN

14 September 2022 I have arrived into the ninth largest country in the world. One would think I might know something about its culture and history. I know little. Its geography situates it in a Read more…

Hermes and 2022 Travel

14 September 2022 In Greek mythology, Hermes was the god of trade, wealth, luck, fertility, animal husbandry, sleep, language, thieves, and travel. What an interesting mix of blessings. This messenger god, also known under the Read more…

Sestri Levante: così così

13-14 May 2022 Squeezed between the villages of Cinque Terre and jet-set Portofino, Sestri Levante is like a poor cousin one visits in the suburbs. A stroll takes me among the shabby and Art Nouveau Read more…