Travel Examiner

Margaritaville Island Resort, Cancun, Mexico

Margaritaville, a Cancun resort worthy of a Jimmy Buffett song.

April 21, 2025 Destinations 0

Story and Photos by Carol Canter. Feature image: A peaceful moment at one of Margaritaville’s seaside pools with jacuzzi. As I walked past one

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Arco de Santa Catalina, Antigua, Guatemala

Easter in Guatemala

April 14, 2025 Destinations 0

Story and Photos by Libor Pospisil. In preparation for my first trip to Guatemala, I thought three days in Flores to see the Mayan

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Japan Oddysey: Part 2, Kyoto over the Inland Sea to Hiroshima

April 7, 2025 Art Review, Destinations, Hiroshima, Japan 0

Story and Photos by John Sundsmo. Feature Image:”Floating” Torii Gate, Itsukushima Shrine, Miyajima Island In Part-1, Tokyo to Kanazawa: By bus, we traversed the

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2El Castillo, Chichen Itza, Yucatan, Mexico

Vernal Equinox at Chichen Itza — the stage set for a friendship made and renewed 30 years later.

March 20, 2025March 20, 2025 Destinations, Mexico 1

Feature image: On the left of the pyramid, the plumed serpent descending El Castillo during the vernal equinox As the play of sunlight and

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Into the Deserts of Namibia, Part 3: the Canyon and the Kalahari

February 24, 2025 Destinations, Namib Desert., Namibia, Windhoek

Story and Photos by Libor Pospisil. After exploring the desert at Sossusvlei, Part 2 of the Namibia series, I continued south to reach the

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Beacon Grand Holiday cable car outside the hotel, San Francisco, California

The Beacon Grand and Starlite Shine Brightly in San Francisco

February 17, 2025 California, Destinations, San Francisco

Story and Photos by Deborah Grossman. Feature Image: Holiday cable car outside the Beacon Grand Hotel. The saying goes that all who visited the

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Mt. Fuji viewed from Ohsino Hakkai, Japan

Japan Odyssey: Part-1, Tokyo to Kanagawa.

February 11, 2025March 31, 2025 Destinations

Story and Photos by John Sundsmo. Featured Image: Mt. Fuji viewed from Ohsino Hakkai. Wandering has always been a favorite travel mode for my

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Into the Deserts of Namibia, Part 2: Sossusvlei

February 1, 2025 Big Daddy, Destinations 1

Story and Photos by Libor Pospisil. In the first part of the series, I traveled to Sandwich Harbour, the yellow desert on the coast

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Lisbon-Portugal’s Pride and Europe’s westernmost capital

January 27, 2025 Destinations, Lisbon activities 1

Story and Photos by Stephanie Levin. Feature image: Rooftop view of Castelo de São Jorge. There are moments when Portugal feels far from the

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Into the Deserts of Namibia, PART ONE: Sandwich Harbour

December 6, 2024 Destinations

Story and Photos by Libor Pospisil. In the first part of this Namibia series, I explore Windhoek and travel to the country’s coast. There

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Travel Photographer Robert Holmes: PASSAGES: FIFTY YEARS OF PHOTOGRAPHS AND MEMORIES

November 28, 2024December 5, 2024 Destinations 2

Review by Lee Daley. Photographs by Robert Holmes. Famed photographer Robert Holmes has published PASSAGES a collection of his favorite photographs from the

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Caribbean cruise, Holland America Lines Half Moon Cay island in the Bahamas, Caribbean visited from the ship ms Nieuw Amsterdam

Caribbean Cruise Vacation

November 24, 2024November 28, 2024 Bahama, Caribbean, Cruises, John 4

Story and photos by John Sundsmo. “Welcome to Half Moon Cay population 45, five miles long and 2.5 wide” our Bahamian nature guide said.

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Portrait of Baron Raul Kuffner, Art Deco Portraitist Tamara de Lempicka, exhibit at the DeYoung museum, San Francisco, California

An Art Deco Portraitist Like No Other: Tamara de Lempicka

November 18, 2024 Art Review, California, Destinations

Story by Stephanie Levin. When I rave about the first major US retrospective of Tamara de Lempicka at the DeYoung Museum in San Francisco,

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Eastern Germany Odyssey, Part Five: Eisenach, Beloved Home of Bach and Luther

October 1, 2024 Destinations 1

Story and Photos by Monique Burns. Feature image: At the annual Luther Festival in Eisenach, the one-time home of 16th-century Protestant Reformer Martin Luther,

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A Passion for Life, Art and Wine: Thomas T. Thomas is Living His Dream

September 19, 2024September 23, 2024 California, California, Destinations, WineTasting 1

Story by Judith Horstman. Feature image: Winemaker Thomas T. Thomas (Photo: The Global Food and Drink Initiative) At age 18, Thomas T. Thomas was

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View of Bologna from Asinelli Tower, Italy

Bologna: Italy’s City of Towers reveals hidden riches

September 12, 2024 Bologna, Destinations 3

Story by Carol Canter. Photo credit: Bologna Welcome (BW) or by author, as noted. Feature image: A fine view of Bologna is enjoyed from

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An Eastern German Odyssey, Part Four: Cultured Weimar

September 9, 2024September 11, 2024 Destinations, Germany 1

Story and Photos by Monique Burns. Feature Image: One of Weimar’s many UNESCO World Heritage Sites, the Belvedere Castle and Park, a pleasure-palace surrounded

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Slovenia and Hungary, Eastern Europe: Part Two.

September 4, 2024 Budapest, Destinations, Eastern Europe

Story and Photos by Ashok Khanna. In Part Two of my Eastern European tour, the story continues with our final explorations as we cross

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Istanbul, Türkiye: Beyond the Exotic

August 19, 2024 Destinations, Istanbul, Turkey, Turkiye

Story and Photos by Libor Pospisil. Feature Image: The exotic side of Istanbul, south of the Galata Bridge, favored by visitors. Preparing to visit

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Alfama street decorated for festas dos santos Antonio, Lisbon, Portugal

Following Fado- Portugal’s Seductive Longing

August 8, 2024 Destinations, Portugal 1

Story and Photos by Stephanie Levin. Feature Image: Alfama street decorated for Festas Dos Santos Antonio, Alfama District, Lisbon. Fado Português- song by Amália

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Germany's Saxon Switzerland National Park, Elbsandstone Mountains overlook the winding River Elbe, Saxony, Germany

An Eastern Germany Odyssey, Part Three: The Saxon Elblands

July 31, 2024 Destinations, Germany 1

Story and Photos by Monique Burns. Feature Image: In Germany’s Saxon Switzerland National Park, the phantasmagorically shaped peaks of the Elbsandstone Mountains overlook the

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East Europe Part One: Croatia, Montenegro and Bosnia-Herzegovina

July 25, 2024September 7, 2024 Destinations

Story and Photos by Ashok Khanna. Feature Image: Dubrovnik, from Mount Srd, 1452 feet up by cable car. Link to Part Two: Slovenia and

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At night, Dresden's baroque skyline with paddle-steamers along the River Elbe (Photo: Karol Werner, Courtesy of the German National Tourist Office)

An Eastern Germany Odyssey, Part Two: Glorious Dresden

July 15, 2024September 7, 2024 Destinations, Germany

Story by Monique Burns Feature Image: At night, Dresden’s baroque skyline with paddle steamers along the River Elbe (Photo: Karol Werner, Courtesy of the

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Magdalen Islands, Maritime Province, Canada

Les Ȋles de la Madeleine: where music, art and fine dining meet the wildness of nature in the Gulf of St. Lawrence

June 24, 2024June 24, 2024 Destinations 1

Story and photos by Carol Canter. One day, I was knee-deep in a field of wild strawberries, eating tiny, luscious, sweet berries by the

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Morocco: From Medinas to Desert and Back

June 19, 2024June 26, 2024 Destinations

Story and Photos by Ashok Khanna. On an Overseas Adventure Travel (OAT) tour of Morocco with 11 fellow travelers from all over the US,

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An Eastern Germany Odyssey, Part One: Berlin Portrait

June 13, 2024September 7, 2024 Destinations, Germany

Story and Photos by Monique Burns. Feature Image: Berlin’s iconic Brandenburg Gate, symbol of a peaceful, reunited Germany, might be touristy, but it exerts

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Highlights of a Cultural Journey in Japan, Part Two.

May 11, 2024 Destinations, Japan

Story and Photos by Ashok Khanna. This article continues from Highlights of a Cultural Journey in Japan, Part One, in which a cultural tour

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Highlights of a Cultural Journey in Japan, Part One.

May 7, 2024May 11, 2024 Destinations, Train Travel

Story and Photos by Ashok Khanna. Impressions: “Arigato goziamsu” or “thank you” are words I heard most during my 20 days in Japan, usually

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Florence in the Rain: The Genius Renaissance Artists of Lorenzo de Medici, Part-2.

April 15, 2024 Destinations 1

Feature Image: Sunset on the river Arno as viewed from the Ponte Vecchio bridge. Story and Photos by John Sundsmo. Continuing from Part 1,

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View of Florence from Boboli Garden, Florence, Italy

Florence in the Rain: The Genius Renaissance Artists of Lorenzo de Medici, Part-1.

April 9, 2024March 16, 2025 Destinations 1

Story and Photos by John Sundsmo. Feature image: View of Firenze from Boboli Garden. Historic Florence (Firenze), the seat of passionate Renaissance artistic creativity,

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Bath's Royal Crescent, once one of Regency England's most fashionable addresses, now the site of a splendid house-museum and the five-star Royal Crescent Hotel & Spa, Bath, UK

Jane Austen’s Bath

April 7, 2024April 10, 2024 Destinations, England, Train Travel

Story and Photos by Monique Burns. Feature Image: Bath’s Royal Crescent, once one of Regency England’s most fashionable addresses, is now the site of

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Riding the Rockies, Valley of the Ten Peaks, Banff, Alperta, Canada

Biking the Canadian Rockies

March 12, 2024March 13, 2024 Canada, Destinations 1

Story by Carol Canter with photos by Jack Heyman and Carol Canter. Revisiting a family trip of a lifetime 30 years later “As we

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Jane-Austens-House-at-Chawton-Hampshire-County-England-filled-with-period-furnishings-and-the-authors-memorabilia

Jane Austen’s Hampshire

March 8, 2024March 9, 2024 Destinations, England 1

Featured photo: Jane Austen’s House at Chawton, Hampshire County, England, filled with period furnishings and the author’s memorabilia. Story and Photos by Monique Burns.

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From Trieste to Pula Along the Coast of Vanished Empires

February 1, 2024February 2, 2024 Destinations, Trieste 1

Feature image: Piran, the most picturesque town of the Slovenian coast. Story and Photos by Libor Pospisil. The Adriatic is the closest sea to

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Fountain of Shame, Palermo, Sicily, Italy

Palermo, Sicily’s Cultural Gem

January 21, 2024 Destinations 1

Story and Photos by Stephanie Levin. Defined by restless splendor, a maze of street life and dynamic architecture, Palermo is a must for curious

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Traveling the Road with Jimmie Dale Gilmore

December 12, 2023 Destinations

Story and Photos by Lee Daley. I first ran into Jimmie Dale Gilmore while on a writing assignment in Cambridge, MA, when a friend

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New Mural Exhibit at Presidio Tunnel Tops

December 12, 2023 Destinations

Feature Image: Golden Gate Bridge and San Francisco Bay view from Presideo Tunnel Tops. Take the Park’s Cliff Walk for stunning views and for

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Jack London, Jack London State Park, Glen Ellen, Sonoma, California

Inspiration at Jack London State Historical Park

November 17, 2023November 19, 2023 California, Destinations, John

Story and Photos by John Sundsmo. As a child growing up in the Midwest, Santa brought me two treasured books, “Call of the Wild”

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Beach view at Dream Inn hotel, Santa Cruz Boardwalk, Santa Cruz, California

Santa Cruz Boardwalk for Twenty Four Hours of Teenage Fun

August 30, 2023September 11, 2023 California, California, Destinations

Story and Photos by Deborah Grossman. This summer our granddaughter, Lauren, visited California on her own for the first time. On her last family

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Domo, and restaurant Cefalù, Sicily, Italy

In Sicily, Dining with the Deities

August 11, 2023 Destinations, Italy

Story and Photos by Stephanie Levin. If I could sum up the Italian character in three words, I would say: emotive, social, gastronomic. Of

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Jagmandir Palace on Lake Pichola in Udaipur, the white city, Rajasthan, India

Colorful Rajasthan: India’s Scenic State in Five Days, Part Two

August 8, 2023 Destinations 1

Story and Photos by Libor Pospisil. Feature Image: Jagmandir Palace on Lake Pichola in Udaipur, the white city In Part One, I viewed tigers

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The lakeshore in Udaipur at Gangaur Ghat , Rajasthan, India

Colorful Rajasthan: India’s Scenic State in Five Days, Part One

August 1, 2023 Destinations

Story and Photos By Libor Pospisil. Feature image: The lakeshore in Udaipur at Gangaur Ghat (described in Part Two). Rajashan’s beauty comes from the

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Temple of Concord, Valle die Templi in Agrigento, Sicily, Italy

Sicily for the Magic, the Lore and the History of Three UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

July 19, 2023July 19, 2023 Destinations 1

Story and Photos by Stephanie Levin. A month is a trickle of time to tackle Sicily’s landscape, temples, and architecture. I flew into Northwestern

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Benediction statue, Villa San Giovanni, Sicily, Italy

Sicily With Unpredictable Events Connecting to Chance Encounters

June 28, 2023June 28, 2023 Destinations, Italy 2

Story and Photos by Stephanie Levin. Sicily to Rome by train was never on the map of my travel itinerary.Then nature intervened. My flight

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Mendocino Coast Adventures: Wine, Food and So Much More

May 21, 2023May 22, 2023 California, Destinations, Mendocino County, WineTasting

Story and Photos by Deborah Grossman. Mendocino is 1.4 times larger than my home state of Delaware. This may explain why I am always

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Cabrillo Point Lighthouse, Mendocino, California

On the Mendocino Coast, a Frolic on the Rocks

April 14, 2023April 14, 2023 Destinations 1

Story and Photos by John Sundsmo. In 1850, Frolic, a sailing ship bound from China to San Francisco with cargo for the Gold Rush,

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Femme piquee par un serpent (Mamadou Gueye), 2022. Photo: Ugo Carmeni/COURTESY Kehinde Wiley and FAMSF

The U.S. premiere of “Kehinde Wiley: An Archaeology of Silence” creates sacred space at San Francisco’s de Young Museum.

April 7, 2023 Art and Architecture, California, Carol, Destinations 4

Story by Carol Canter. Digging through “An Archaeology of Silence,” the powerful Kehinde Wiley exhibition at San Francisco’s de Young Museum, feels like an

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Sunset at Kaimana Beach with windsock faintly visible on the left. (Photo by Carol Canter)

An Ode to Swimming

April 3, 2023April 4, 2023 California, Carol, Destinations

A personal tribute to my fellow “swimmin’ women,” to the swim-themed room at the Joan Brown Retrospective at SFMOMA, and to the inspiring film

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California Skiing, Lake Tahoe, California

California Dreaming: A Nod to my Love Affair Skiing the Golden State

March 25, 2023March 25, 2023 Destinations 1

Story by Stephanie Levin. My love affair with skiing began in the cradle of the San Bernardino Mountains with the first snowfall. Four of

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Marin Headlands, Marin County, Northern California

Traveling the Continent’s Edge on a California North Coast Journey

March 21, 2023March 21, 2023 Destinations 2

Story by Carol Canter. (Feature Image: Marin Headlands, Rodeo Beach) Traveling north from San Francisco on Highway 1, one of the world’s most glorious

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Cartagena, Colombia: Colorful, Compelling, Festive

February 4, 2023February 14, 2023 Columbia, Destinations

Story and Photos by Libor Pospisil. The flight from the U.S. to Cartagena lasted only three hours, but those were excruciating hours for me.

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Sleigh Rides highlight a winter holiday in Rovaniemi, the capital of Finnish Lapland near the Arctic Circle.

Santa-bound for a holiday visit to Finnish Lapland

December 21, 2022 Destinations 4

Story by Carol Canter with Photos by Jack Heyman. Dashing through the snow, meeting Santa with his reindeer, and awaiting the Northern Lights; all

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Point Reyes National Seashore, Marin County, California

Tomales Point, a hike for all seasons at Point Reyes National Seashore

October 28, 2022November 1, 2022 California, Destinations, Wildflowers 3

Story by Carol Canter with photos by Lee Daley. Tule Elk grazed on the grasslands along the Tomales Point Trail, seemingly indifferent to the

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Perusing Paris at Night

August 23, 2022 Destinations, France, Paris, Stephanie

Story and Photos by Stephanie Levin. The first time I heard “My Father” lyrics by Judy Collins: “my father always promised me we would

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The Redwood Room, Clift Hotel, San Francisco, California

The Redwood Room in San Francisco

August 11, 2022August 12, 2022 Destinations

Review by Lee Daley Welcome to the Redwood Room—an unforgettable San Francisco destination just steps away from downtown Union Square. Whether at the bar,

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The Alhambra from Mirador de San Nicolás, Granada, Spain

Granada, Spain Is Now a Short Journey Away

June 9, 2022 Destinations, Train Travel, Train Travel

Story and Photos by Libor Pospisil. (Feature Image: The Alhambra from Mirador de San Nicolás) It used to be hard to get to Granada.

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Corsica Rond Point and the Stick Shift Saga

June 4, 2022 Destinations, Mediterranean, Stephanie

Story by Stephanie Levin. Let me put my domestic and international driving record into perspective: it’s perfect. My foray into driving began with the

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Ironstone Vineyards, Calaveras County, Gold Country, Sierra Nevada Mountain foothills, California

Calaveras County for Mining, Hiking, Biking, Wining, Dining, Fishing, Camping and Jumping with Mark Twain’s Frogs.

May 10, 2022April 14, 2023 California, California, Destinations, Winery News, WineTasting 2

Story and Photos by John Sundsmo. Gold country in the Sierra mountain foothills is just a two-and-a-half-hour drive from San Francisco. For my wife

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Napa Valley Wine Train, Napa County, California

All Aboard to Napa On One Train and Two Wineries

April 30, 2022May 4, 2022 Destinations

Story and Photos by Deborah Grossman. Onboard the Napa Valley Wine Train, the staff welcomed us with a refreshing “Napa Valley breakfast,” a mimosa

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View of the Golden Gate Bridge from Angel Island State Park, Marin County, San Francisco Bay, California

Angel Island escapes into nature, spectacular views and California history

April 26, 2022April 26, 2022 Destinations 2

Story and Photos by John Sundsmo. Longing for a little recreational travel experience and a brief break in the pandemic humdrum, an Angel Island

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Yosemite 2022, Yosemite National Park, California

Did you want to visit Yosemite this Summer 2024 but don’t have a Reservation?

March 21, 2022April 9, 2024 Destinations

Story and Photos (except as noted) by David A. Laws. Here are some options that might work in 2024. ***************************************************************************************** Update April 9, 2024:

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Carneros by the water at Bouchaine winery (Photo: Deborah Grossman)

Get Acquainted with Carneros Wine Country: Chill Out and Enjoy the View

March 20, 2022March 22, 2022 Destinations

Story and Photos by Deborah Grossman. “The Carneros wine region is like Switzerland,” said Jon Priest, General Manager and Winemaker at Etude winery. “Carneros

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Howelson Hill, Ski town USA©, Steamboat Springs, Colorado

Ski Town USA© nurtures Olympic medal winners in Steamboat Springs, Colorado

January 20, 2022 Colorado, Destinations

Story by Stephanie Levin with ski-jump photos by Rory Clow. Travel is always filled with surprises, especially over beer and conversation on a soft

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John Steinbeck’s Valley of the World Revisited: A Photo Essay

November 15, 2021 California, California, Destinations 1

Story and Photos by David A. Laws. A ranch in “the wilder hills” from Old Stage Road “I would like to write the story

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Travel Amtrak’s Scenic Coast Starlight from Seattle to Southern California.

November 9, 2021 California, Destinations

Story and Photos by Libor Pospisil. “The journey is too fast, it passes too quickly; what a yearning I have now for long journeys!”

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Steamboat Springs, Colorado

August 17, 2021 Destinations

Hiking, biking, soaking in Steamboat Springs pristine mountain air. Story and Photos by Stephanie Levin. Like many people in 2021, I chose domestic over

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Rainforest Symphony in the Amazon jungle, Peru

Rainforest Symphony in the Peruvian Amazon

August 11, 2021 Destinations

Story and Photos by Carol Canter. An all-women’s hike through the Amazon rainforest with two barefoot professors. “Para bailar la bamba, Para bailar la

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View from the terrace at the back of the Capitoline Hill, Hidden Rome, Italy

Hidden Rome: A New Way to Explore the City

August 3, 2021August 5, 2021 Destinations

Story and Photos by Libor Pospisil. In June 2021, Italy opened its borders to tourists from a range of countries, including the U.S., and

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The Top of the Mark, InterContinental Mark Hopkins Hotel, San Francisco, CA

A venerable San Francisco comfort zone closed but didn’t succumb

July 15, 2021March 2, 2023 Destinations 2

The Top of the Mark, an iconic landmark, is reopened. Story and Photos by John Sundsmo. Updated March 2, 2023 The Mark Hopkins Hotel

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A Safe Get Away to Hawaii’s Big Island

June 12, 2021June 12, 2021 Big Island Hawaii, Destinations, Hawaii

Story and Photos by John Sundsmo. Lyrics recorded by The Animals in 1965 have been running through my mind lately.“We gotta get outta o’

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Yosemite in Winter

February 25, 2021 California, Destinations 2

Story and Photos by Carol Canter. I whirled around the skating rink in Yosemite National Park, under a full moon illuminating Half Dome. As

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Point Sur Lightstation, Monterey County, California

Point Sur Lightstation: A Haunted Ghost Town on Prime Big Sur Real Estate

February 18, 2021 Big Sur, California, California, Destinations 1

Story and Photos by David A. Laws. Towering three-hundred feet above the crashing surf of the Pacific Ocean, one of California’s most faithfully restored

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Juniper Canyon trail to High Peaks, The Pinnacles National Park, California

Rock Star Birding in Big Sur

November 30, 2020November 30, 2020 Big Sur, California, Destinations 2

Story and photos by David A. Laws. “Birdwatchers look at birds. Birders look for them” – U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Birdwatching, feeding

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Pikes Peak viewed from Cloud Camp, The Broadmoor, Colorado Springs, Colorado

Up and Away to Colorado Springs: Exploring the Wild West at The Broadmoor

October 7, 2020October 8, 2020 Colorado, Destinations

Story and Photos by Deborah Grossman. At 9,200’ with a view of Pikes Peak, the inspiration for “America the Beautiful,” I got chills on

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Burley Market Cross, New Forest National Park, Burley, Hampshire, UK

Dragons, Ghosts and Witches: Every Night is Halloween in Burley

October 2, 2020 Destinations

Story and Photos by David A. Laws For most of us, dragons, ghosts, and witches raise goosebumps but once a year. For the citizens

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Anaeho'omalu Bay, Kohala, Big Island, Hawaii

Hawaii’s Kohala Coast-Legend and Lore

September 17, 2020September 29, 2020 Big Island Hawaii, Destinations, Hawaii, Stephanie

Story by Stephanie Levin. Update 9/29/20: Hawaiian Airlines has implemented a Keeping You Safe program and is now offering 36 hour and same-day drive-up

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Beach in Wai’anapanapa state park, Maui, Hawaii

Two Roads to Paradise on Maui

August 30, 2020September 29, 2020 Destinations 1

Story and Photos by John Sundsmo. Update 9/29/20: Hawaiian Airlines has implemented a Keeping You Safe program and is now offering 36 hour and

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Pyramid Mountain, Jasper National Park, Alberta, Canada

Summer tripping through the Canadian Rockies

August 21, 2020 Canada, Carol, Destinations, Wildflowers 1

Story and Photos by Carol Canter. Jasper: canoes, canyons and Charming Inns With daylight in the Canadian Rockies extending until almost 11 pm at

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Steinbeck, Discove Cottage, Somerset, UK

Steinbeck in Somerset: “The Time at Discove”

August 4, 2020August 4, 2020 Destinations 2

Story and Photos by David A. Laws. “Bruton is the only spot in the world I have refused to see again since John died.”

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Monferrato region route, UNESCO heritage site, Monferrato area, Piedmont, Italy

Monferrato— A unique wine landscape of Piedmont, Italy

July 27, 2020 Destinations, Food and Wine, Italy, Winery News, WineTasting 1

Story and Photos by Deborah Grossman. When friends ask me to choose my favorite region of Italy, I never hesitate. It is always Piedmont.

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Celebrate Monterey’s 250th Birthday with a Virtual Tour

June 3, 2020June 3, 2020 California, Destinations, Monterey 2

Story by David A. Laws. Monterey, California, planned a big celebration today, June 3, 2020, of the 250th anniversary of the founding of the

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The Nile Passage to Antiquity

May 4, 2020 Destinations, Egypt 1

Story and Photos by Carol Canter. The banks of the Nile looked golden in the late afternoon sun. A lone figure wearing a white

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Machine Gun Flats, Fort Ord National Monument, Monterey, California

Fort Ord National Monument: From Military Mayhem to Coastal Gem

April 27, 2020 California, California, Destinations, Fort Ord, Monterey, National Monuments, Wildflowers 2

Story and photos by David A. Laws. Beach Range, Engineer Canyon, Machine Gun Flats: These are not typical landscape features you’d expect to find

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In Germany the Carl Duisberg Japanese Garden

April 5, 2020June 4, 2020 Destinations, Europe, John 1

Story and Photos by John Sundsmo. UPDATE 6/4/20: Although nonessential travel to Germany is prohibited at present, the land of poets and thinkers intends

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Sausalito Kayak Tour, Sausalito, California, full moon magic

Full moon and comet create kayak magic

March 29, 2020May 13, 2020 California, Carol, Destinations 2

Story by Carol Canter. Photos by Lee Daley. I was standing in a circle of 16 kayakers on Schoonmaker Beach in Sausalito at 6:30pm

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Golden Gate Park, Moon Garden, San Francisco, California

Splendor in the Grass: Golden Gate Park Celebrates 150 years and you are invited to the party

March 17, 2020March 17, 2020 Destinations, San Francisco 2

Story and Photos by Stephanie Levin. San Francisco’s gorgeous gal, Golden Gate Park celebrates her 150th birthday in April. Like many in the Bay

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Chicago: A Dining and Cultural Gem

March 7, 2020March 8, 2020 Chicago, Destinations, Food and Wine, Hotel Reviews 1

Story and Photos by Deborah Grossman. My first visit to Chicago years ago was spent in crowded meeting rooms representing my company at an

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Sevanavank monastery on the shores of Lake Sevan, Armenia

Discovering the Treasures of Armenia

March 6, 2020March 11, 2020 Destinations, Europe, Mediterranean

Story and Photos by Libor Pospisil. Like any other monastery in Armenia, Sevanavank occupies a spot that is dramatic and definitely Instagram-able. The 9th-century

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Winston Churchill, RLS, & the Literary Chines of Bournemouth

Winston Churchill, RLS, and the Literary Chines of Bournemouth

February 17, 2020March 11, 2020 Destinations 2

Story by David A. Laws. Images from vintage postcards. “To plunge or not to plunge, that was the question!” – Winston Churchill. Dashing onto

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Golden Gate Bridge from Travis Marina, Fort Baker, Marin Headlands, Golden Gate National Recreation Area, San Francisco, California

Marin Headlands: Just Across the Golden Gate Bridge

February 3, 2020March 11, 2020 California, California, Destinations, John, Marin County, San Francisco 2

Story and Photos by John Sundsmo. Living in, or visiting the San Francisco Bay Area, we are blessed with the boundless beauties of nature.

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Note 1: Portion of 1982 Silicon Valley map by Maryanne Regal Hoburg. Courtesy: The David Rumsey Map Center, Stanford University Library

Exploring Silicon Valley’s High-Tech Heritage Trail

January 30, 2020March 11, 2020 Destinations

Story and Photos by David A. Laws. In an earlier article, “Silicon Valley High Tech Tourism: Selfies and Swag,” I reported a lighthearted survey

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Loire Valley: The True Heart of France

December 29, 2019June 4, 2020 Destinations, Europe, France, Loire Valley

Story and Photos by Libor Pospisil. UPDATE 6/4/20: Travelers who enter the country, with the exception of EU citizens or arrivals from the UK,

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Venice For The Weekend

December 26, 2019August 17, 2021 Destinations, Europe, Italy, John, Venice 1

Story and Photos by John Sundsmo. UPDATE 6/4/20: Travelers from the EU, along with the UK and the microstates and principalities of Andorra, Monaco,

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Point Sur Naval Facility Tour, Big Sur, Monterey County, California

Point Sur Naval Facility Tour Reveals Cold War Secrets

November 27, 2019March 11, 2020 California, Destinations 3

Story and Photos by David A. Laws. John le Carré dismissed Cold War spy heroes as “A squalid procession of vain fools” in his

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The Temple of Athena, The Acropolis, Athens, Greece

Athens For The Weekend

November 16, 2019August 17, 2021 Destinations, Greece, Mediterranean 1

Story and Photos by John Sundsmo. UPDATE 10/2/20: Greece announced and displayed spectacular new lighting for the Acropolis posting online images that are both

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Zebras at a communal pool deep in the Pilanesberg National Park, South Africa

Pilanesberg National Park, South Africa: Hunt for The Big Five

November 8, 2019March 11, 2020 Africa, Destinations, South Africa 2

Story and Photos by Libor Pospisil. Just one day left in the country – as usual. Going to the Kruger National Park, the ultimate

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A blizzard of Sanderlings on Moro Bay, California

A Blizzard of Sanderlings: Watching Wildlife on Morro Bay

October 24, 2019March 11, 2020 Destinations, Morro Bay

Story and photos by David A. Laws – except as noted. (Feature image courtesy Danna Dykstra-Coy.) Our kayak slid effortlessly over the glassy-smooth water

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New York State of Mind, aka I’ll Take Manhattan

October 10, 2019January 10, 2020 Destinations, New York 7

Story and Photos by Carol Canter. Summer has turned to fall, and a long New York sojourn has ended, but I’m still in a

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Lebanon: Temples and Trees

September 10, 2019March 11, 2020 Destinations, Lebanon, Lebanon 2

Story and Photos by Libor Pospisil. According to Elie’s plan, which I did not want to destroy, just expand, our first stop would be

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high tech tourism, Silicon Valley, San Francisco, California

Silicon Valley High Tech Tourism: Selfies and Swag

September 1, 2019March 11, 2020 California, California, Destinations, San Francisco 3

Story by David A. Laws. Personal digital devices and online social platforms are enabling a new kind of Silicon Valley tourism. Previously only of

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Metekhi Bridge and the Old Town of T'bilis, Republic of Georgia

T’bilisi, Georgia: a city of stone and glass

August 2, 2019June 4, 2020 Destinations, T'bilisi

Story and Photos by Libor Pospisil. UPDATE 6/4/20: Eager to revive its tourism sector, the country’s government says it plans to reopen to international

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Cityscape San Francisco Hilton Lounge and Bar with incredible bay and city views.Hilton San Francisco Union Square.

Hilton San Francisco Union Square Staycation

July 31, 2019March 11, 2020 Destinations, San Francisco 3

Story by Carol Canter. Photos by Carol Canter and Jack Heyman. Sipping a sunset cocktail at Cityscape, from its sleek perch on the 46th

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Margerie Glacier, Glacier National Park, Alaska

Inside Alaska’s Inside Passage

July 26, 2019March 11, 2020 Destinations 1

Story and Photos by David A. Laws. More than two million visitors a year traverse the great marine highway of Alaska’s Inside Passage in

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Hurtigruten "Midnatsol" in Geiranger fjord, Norway

Cruising Norway’s fjords aboard Hurtigruten’s ship Midnatsol

July 21, 2019March 11, 2020 Destinations, Norway 3

Story and Photos by Carol Canter. With a 50th wedding anniversary to celebrate with family and friends and a life list of dream trips

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View of Sonoma Coast AVA, Russian River, from Thomas George vineyard in Guerenville

Russian River Rendezvous

July 20, 2019March 11, 2020 California, California, Destinations, Food and Wine, John, Russian River, Winery News, WineTasting 2

Story and Photos by John Sundsmo. “Hurry up and drop your bags. We’ve been waiting for you”, urged Jersey Tom from the door of

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Cuba, Noted Travel Journalist Chris Baker, Havana, Cuba, Carriage Ride

Cuba: Updated Travel Advice from renowned Cuba author

June 29, 2019October 26, 2019 Cuba, Destinations, Lee, News 1

Story and Photos by Lee Daley Update Oct. 26, 2019 – NBC News Article “The Trump administration Tuesday introduced new travel restrictions on U.S.

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Colonial Guanajuato, Mexico

June 11, 2019June 4, 2020 Destinations, Mexico 2

Story and Photos by Stephanie Levin. UPDATE 6/4/20: Mexico is aiming to welcome visitors back within weeks. While the nation remains in lockdown, with

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A Pilgrimage to Wales: Or how I learned about the American invasions of Britain

June 6, 2019June 4, 2020 Destinations, Wales

Story by David A. Laws. UPDATE 6/4/20: While other destinations are relaxing travel restrictions and bringing in measures to lure travelers back, the UK

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Arequipa, Peru: between the desert and the volcano

May 16, 2019January 10, 2020 Destinations, Peru

Story and Photos by Libor Pospisil. As I was sitting on the second floor of an open-air café, I looked out of a stony

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Awaiting sunrise from Soda Point, Carrizo Gold - Sunrise to Super Bloom, Carrizo Plain National Monument, California's Serengeti, California

Carrizo Plain Gold – Sunrise to Super Bloom

April 29, 2019March 11, 2020 California, Destinations

Story and Photos by David A. Laws. I pulled my jacket close against the chill stirring of an early breeze. A heavy silence enveloped

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Masterpiece Mystery Tour, Midsomer County, Great Britain, England, UK

The Magical Masterpiece Mystery Tour

March 25, 2019March 11, 2020 Destinations, UK 2

Story by David A. Laws. D.S. Jones: “This village is weird, sir” D.C.I. Barnaby: “Jones, they’re all weird.” From: Midsomer Murders: The Made-to-Measure Murders

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Mexico City in Roma film times and today,The family house that was used as the shooting location for the movie Roma, Roma Colonia, Mexico City, Mexico

Mexico City during Roma film times and today

March 15, 2019March 11, 2020 Destinations, Mexico, News 3

Story and Photos by Libor Pospisil. The walk toward the now-famous house was supposed to be just my early morning stretch. I left the

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Three Gorges Cruise on the Yangtze River, Chongqing, China

Yangtze River Cruise in the Three Gorges.

March 8, 2019November 29, 2021 Barge Tours, China, Cruises, Destinations, John 2

Story and Photos by John Sundsmo. A Yangtze River cruise was never high on my list of travel options, but it should have been.

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Cruising the Galapagos Islands with Ecoventura

March 7, 2019March 11, 2020 Cruises, Destinations, Galapagos Islands 7

Story and Photos by Carol Canter. When my daughter was a young child, we learned the courtship dance of the blue-footed boobies at the

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Colchagua Valley in Chile: not only for wine-sipping

February 13, 2019March 11, 2020 Chile, Destinations, Winery News, WineTasting 6

Story and Photos by Libor Pospisil. When I stepped onto the wooden viewing platform on Cerro Chaman, I could see the deep, wide valley

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MontereyMovieTours, Monterey, California

Monterey Peninsula: A Movie Star for the Ages

January 28, 2019March 11, 2020 California, Destinations, Monterey 2

Story and Photos by David A. Laws. Location. Location. Location. The real estate promoter’s mantra applies equally to the magicians of the silver screen.

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Visit Santa Rosa, Santa Rosa, California

Santa Rosa -From the Pool to the Table

January 27, 2019March 11, 2020 California, Destinations 2

Story and Photos by Stephanie Levin. Like a beacon of good will that is anchored in the history of a bygone era, the Flamingo

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The Shanghai Bund as viewed from the Vue Bar at the top of the Hyatt Hotel, Shanghai, China

Revisiting The Bund in Shanghai with Harry and Selma.

January 15, 2019March 11, 2020 China, Destinations, John, Shanghai 5

Story and Photos by John Sundsmo. Shanghai was where my Great Uncle Harry died and my Great Aunt Selma was imprisoned during World War-II.

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Monterey Harbor from Lower Presidio Historic Park, California

Monterey’s Mosaic Mural Memorializes Missions, Marauding Mariners & More

January 9, 2019March 11, 2020 California, Destinations, Monterey 4

Story and Photos by David A. Laws. With more Mexican-era adobe buildings preserved and restored in downtown Monterey than anywhere else in the state,

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Escape to Chimney Rock at Point Reyes National Seashore,San Francisco Bay Area, Marin County, Northern California, California (Photo: John Williamson)

Point Reyes San Francisco Escape

December 27, 2018March 11, 2020 California, Destinations, Marin County, San Francisco 3

Story by Lee Daley Photos by John Williamson & Lee Daley. We are blessed in the San Francisco Bay Area with the stunningly beautiful

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In the Footsteps of a Genius Outlaw in Malta

December 9, 2018March 11, 2020 Destinations, Malta 2

Story and Photos by Libor Pospisil. Many places in the world claim to sit at some kind of crossroads. Malta, a small island in

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AmaPrima in Traben-Trarbach, Middle Moselle river, Bernkastel-Wittlich district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany

Rhine and Moselle Fairytale Cruise from Amsterdam to Basel aboard AmaPrima

December 9, 2018March 11, 2020 Cruises, Destinations 6

Story by Carol Canter Photos by Carol Canter and Jack Heyman. My first Zumba class took place on the Sundeck of the Ama Prima,

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Blueberry Memories

November 26, 2018December 30, 2019 Destinations, Food and Wine

Story by Judith Horstman. All year long the color of blueberries sleeps in the mind’s eye, elusive. A few days each year, I go

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Helpston Village sign, John Clare Country: Bucolic landscape of the most famous English poet you have never heard of

John Clare Country: the bucolic landscape for the most famous English Peasant Poet you’ve never heard of

November 26, 2018March 11, 2020 Destinations, England, UK 3

Story and Photos by David A. Laws. Byron, Keats, Wordsworth – for a few brief months in 1820, when his first book of verse

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Tongjng Hot Springs Resort, Chongqing, China

Tongjing Hot Springs Resort – a Three Gorges diversion on the Yangtze River in China

November 23, 2018March 11, 2020 Destinations 4

Story and Photos by John Sundsmo. Travelers to China often tour to Beijing (one of the oldest cities in the world; the Great Wall),

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Midnight Truffle Hunt

November 21, 2018January 10, 2020 Destinations, Food and Wine, Italy

Story and Photos by Jacqueline Harmon Butler. Somewhere in the distance a church bell chimed the midnight hour. A heavy mist made visibility along

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Yucatán immersion: culture, history, archeology and cuisine.

October 29, 2018February 23, 2024 Destinations 2

Story and Photos by John Sundsmo. Taking a page from Anthony Bourdain: “Travel is not reward for working, it’s education for living.” For me,

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John Steinbeck: “Something to do in Salinas”

October 24, 2018March 11, 2020 Destinations

Story and photos by David Laws. “There was always something to do in Salinas. For pure culture we had The World of Art, with

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Oslo to Bergen by Train, Norway by Train

Norway by train: across mountains and through time

October 19, 2018March 11, 2020 Destinations, Norway, Train Travel, Train Travel 1

Story and Photos by Libor Pospisil. Traveling through Norway by train, I boarded the coach at Oslo’s Sentralstasjon (Central Station) and made myself comfortable

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Slow and Easy for a Barge Cruise in Burgundy

October 17, 2018March 19, 2019 Barge Tours, Cruises, Destinations, France, WineTasting 1

Story and Photos by Jacqueline Harmon Butler. Taking things slow and easy was Tina Turner’s advice in her song “Proud Mary.” Well, I’m taking

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The Andes, Ollantaytambo, Peru, The Road to Machu Picchu, Cusco region, Peru

Road to Machu Picchu: Ollantaytambo to Aquas Calientes

October 6, 2018August 17, 2021 Agua Calientes, Destinations, John, Machu Picchu, Ollantaytambo, Peru, Road to Machu Picchu 2

Story and Photos by John Sundsmo. This is the third article in a series entitled “Road to Machu Picchu.” My wife and I thought

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Last Song in Mazatlán

September 27, 2018March 19, 2019 Destinations, Mexico 4

Story and Photos by Robert W. Bone. MAZATLÁN – Life moves smoothly along the shores of this Pacific coast town. Sunbathers take their cue

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An Appetite for Lisbon

September 6, 2018October 22, 2018 Destinations, Food and Wine, Lisbon

Story and Photos by Wanda Hennig. A gastronomic walking tour takes us on a devouring orgy as we taste our way through ten of

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Road to Machu Picchu: Pisac in Highlands Peru

August 20, 2018August 17, 2021 Destinations, Peru, Pisac

Story and Photos by John Sundsmo. Our journey into the Sacred Valley of the Incas, on the road to Machu Picchu, began in Cusco

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Stepping out Solo in Paris

August 13, 2018October 29, 2018 Destinations, Food and Wine, France, Stephanie 2

Story and Photos by Stephanie Levin. Traveling alone for a woman affords multiple advantages: she meets people she would never mingle with when traveling

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Croatian Islands cruise,Katerina Lines Futura, Dalmatian Island cruise, Croatia, Aegean Sea

Croatian Islands Cruise in the Adriatic Sea

August 4, 2018August 13, 2021 Croatia, Cruises, Destinations

Story and Photos by John Sundsmo. Croatian Islands Cruise: “There are more than a thousand Croatian islands in the Adriatic sea” our Katarina Line

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Bergen: Gateway to Norway’s fjords

June 22, 2018August 14, 2018 Destinations, Norway 3

Story and Photos by Carol Canter. Bergen was bathed in sunshine, turning our late afternoon arrival in Norway’s second city into a Kodak

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Croatian Wine Tasting in the Dalmatian Islands

June 11, 2018March 11, 2020 Croatia, Destinations, Food and Wine, John, Winery News, WineTasting

Story and Photos by John Sundsmo. On a recent Katarina Line cruise of Croatian discovery, we learned that wine makers in the Dalmatian Islands

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Rocky Mountaineer, riding the rails from Banff to Vancouver, BC, Canada, Canadian Trains, train travel, Maple Leaf Train, luxury train travel,

The Rocky Mountaineer from Banff to Vancouver

May 4, 2018June 15, 2018 Canada, Carol, Destinations 2

Story by Carol Canter with photos by Carol Canter and Jack Heyman. The train whistle blew, signaling the arrival of the sleek Rocky Mountaineer

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Parisian Train Stations, Gare d'Est Parisian Train Station, Paris, France

Exploring Parisian Train Stations

May 1, 2018May 28, 2018 Destinations, France, Paris, Stephanie 7

Story by Stephanie Levin. I’m often miffed that tourists prefer air to train travel once inside Europe, especially in Paris with its beautiful Parisian

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Upper Lake County, Upper Lake County, Timeless Main Street, Upper Lake, Lake County, California

Miles from Nowhere is just fine in Upper Lake County

April 16, 2018January 10, 2020 Destinations, Stephanie, Upper Lake County 1

Story and Photos by Stephanie Levin. We, who live in the Bay Area, have a tendency to boast about our place on the planet.

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Find Your Happy in Mendocino County

April 13, 2018April 14, 2023 Destinations, Food and Wine, John, Mendocino County 1

By John Sundsmo. The catchy logo of Mendocino County, “Find Your Happy,” was on display at the recent Taste of Mendocino held at San

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Sacred Valley of the Inca, Chincero, Peru

Road to Machu Picchu: Cusco to Pisac in the Sacred Valley of the Incas

March 24, 2018August 17, 2021 Cusco, Destinations, John 1

Story and Photos by John Sundsmo. Considering the once in a lifetime nature of a visit to Machu Picchu, my wife and I decided

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Hvar Island, Jewel of the Adriatic, A village trapped in time, the jewel of Croatia's Dalmatian coast

Hvar Island, Jewel of the Croatian Islands in the Adriatic Sea

March 21, 2018October 22, 2018 Croatia, Destinations, Stephanie 1

Story and Photos by Stephanie Levin. If you’re traveling to Croatia, and have only time for one island, set sail to Hvar Island. The

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Mekong River cruise, RV Amadara moored on Mekong River, Cruising the Mekong River with Ama Waterways, Vietnam and Cambodia cruise

A Mekong River cruise aboard RV AmaDara

March 11, 2018March 11, 2020 Carol, Destinations 3

Story by Carol Canter. Photos by Carol Canter and Jack Heyman. On a Mekong River cruise, we meandered along Asia’s “Mother River,” from Vietnam

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Kauai for Valentine's Day, Garden Isle, Hawaii, romance, Princeville, Poipu, Beach House, Princeville Resort Ocean Villas

Kauai for Valentine’s Day and Beyond

February 13, 2018September 29, 2020 Destinations, Kauai, Lee

Story by Lee Daley Update 9/29/20: Hawaiian Airlines has implemented a Keeping You Safe program and is now offering 36 hour and same-day drive-up

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Entrance to the Grand Canal by Canaletto, Casanova exhibit, Legion of Honor, San Francisco

Casanova, The Seduction of Europe opens at the Legion of Honor

February 9, 2018June 10, 2018 Italy, News, Reviews, San Francisco, Stephanie, Venice

Story by Stephanie Levin. An intellectual, social and artistic enlightenment swept through Europe in the 18th Century that lasted a hundred years. In an

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Renaissance Barge, Floating the Loire Canal on the Renaissance Barge, Burgundy, France

Floating the Loire River Canal on the Renaissance Barge

February 6, 2018March 19, 2019 Barge Tours, Cruises, Destinations, France, Jacqueline, Uncategorized 1

Story and Photos by Jacqueline Harmon Butler. “Madame, would you like another glass of Champagne?” “Oh yes,” I replied with a smile, holding

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Céret, Céret, France, town square and plaza, murals on walls painted by local artist, FAS.

New Faces in Céret

January 28, 2018June 10, 2018 Destinations, France 2

Story and Photos by Elaine Koerner Spotted any new (or should that be old?) faces of late while strolling the streets of Céret in

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Exploring the Cheshire Ring Canals

January 26, 2018August 31, 2021 Barge Tours, Cruises, Destinations, England, John, UK 1

Story and Photos by John Sundsmo Exploring the Cheshire Ring Canals: “Wheer yo’ fro’?” said the man in tweed as he and his spaniel

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Taste of Travel, Bay Area Travel Writers Taste of Travel Fall 2017

Bay Area Travel Writers publishes Taste of Travel Fall 2017

January 18, 2018May 28, 2018 Food and Wine, John, Lee, Reviews

By Lee Daley and John Sundsmo Taste of Travel News: Reading the Fall 2017, second publication, by the Bay Area Travel Writers Taste of

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Georgos greek wine captures the spirit of wines produced on the island of Santorini, Greece

Greek Wines from Sonoma

January 11, 2018March 11, 2020 Destinations, Europe, Food and Wine, Greece, Greece, John, Santorini, Santorini, WineTasting

Story and Photos by John Sundsmo. A memorable few years ago my wife and I visited the Greek islands of Santorini and Paros. There

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dinner at Chez Didier, Moule au fou, Eclade, a specialty of the Charente region of France,French dining with friendship on mussels, La Rochelle, France

My Dinner at Chez Didier

November 22, 2017December 4, 2018 Destinations, Food and Wine, France, La Rochelle, Stephanie 2

Photos and story by Stephanie Levin. It’s never about food. It’s about the people who share your table, who invite you into the beautiful

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European Train Travel, Why I love Train Travel in Europe. TGV train, Riding the Rails in Europe from Paris to Dijon

Why I love European Train Travel

August 30, 2017June 8, 2018 Destinations, Europe, Food and Wine, Hotel Reviews, Jacqueline 2

Story by Jacqueline Harmon Butler. On my first trip to Europe many years ago, my sister Patty and I traveled around Ireland, England, Scotland,

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A slice of Tuscany, Sunset in Pogiacolle agriturisn, Tuscany, Italy

In Italy, a Slice of Tuscany

August 7, 2017January 10, 2020 Food and Wine, Italy, Stephanie, Tuscany 2

Photos and story by Stephanie Levin. When Frances Mayes’ book, Under the Tuscan Sun, became an overnight success, traveling to Tuscany became De rigueur.

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Burgundy Canal aboard European Waterways’ La Belle Epoque

June 24, 2017March 19, 2019 Barge Tours, Carol, Europe, Food and Wine 3

Story by Carol Canter Photos by Carol Canter and Jack Heyman. La Belle Epoque, European Waterways’ six-room floating boutique barge hotel, cruises the Burgundy

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Impressions of Venice Then and Now

June 17, 2017January 10, 2020 Destinations, Stephanie, Venice 2

Story and photos by Stephanie Levin. My last memory of Venice was as a 21 year old, running to catch a train with a

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Fairy Ring Search at Haunted Waterford Castle

June 11, 2017May 28, 2018 Destinations, Europe, Hotel Reviews, Ireland, Jacqueline

Story by Jacqueline Harmon-Butler. “There’s a wee Fairy Ring out there in that meadow somewhere,” said the taxi driver as we drove up the

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Switzerland, Swiss Travel Pass, Paddlewheel Steamer La Suiss on Lake Lucerne, Switzerlande

The Best Way To Travel Through Switzerland

May 29, 2017May 28, 2018 Carol, Destinations, Switzerland 1

Story by Carol Canter with Photos by Carol Canter and Jack Heyman. We looped through Switzerland on a 15-day Swiss Travel Pass in May,

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Rancho La Puerta, Mexico, Patio off the dining room where many choose to relax during lunch at Rancho La Puerta in Tecate, Baja California, Mexico

Rancho La Puerta to Enrich, Relax and Renew

May 25, 2017March 19, 2019 Desert, Food and Wine, Hotel Reviews, Mexico, Reviews, Stephanie 3

Story and Photos by Stephanie Levin. Located at the base of mystical Mount Kuchumaa range, Rancho La Puerta defies definition. Some hail it a

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The Fire of Mount Etna, Antico Souvenir shop near the summit. This is where shop keeper, Enrico, offered samples of various olive oils.

In Italy, the Fire of Mount Etna

May 17, 2017January 10, 2020 Destinations, Italy, Jacqueline 2

Story and Photos by Jacqueline Harmon-Butler. Mount Etna, Italy. As I stood pondering the wares of the Antico Souvenir, near the summit of Mount

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Lisbon. The ubiquitous pastéis de nata, Portugal’s most famous pastry, a love affair tart, Lisbon, Portugal's very best where people stand in line.

A Lisbon Love Affair with a Famous Tart

April 26, 2017May 28, 2018 Destinations, Food and Wine, Lisbon 2

Story and Photos by Wanda Hennig. Pastéis de nata: Portugal’s sweetest and most replicated tartlets. Versions of them tempt fans in cafés, tea rooms,

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Carnevale di Venezia, Carnival of Venice, Carnival, Venice, Italy

Carnevale Di Venezia is hot but Baby It’s Cold Outside

April 24, 2017February 27, 2020 Destinations, Jacqueline, Venice 2

Story and Photos by Jacqueline Harmon Butler. Tuesday was the last day of Carnevale – and my last chance to wear one of the

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Road to Death Valley Meditation

March 26, 2017November 20, 2023 California, Desert, Destinations, John 1

Story and photos by John Sundsmo. Update November 20, 2023: In 2016, when my wife and I found meditative experiences in the tranquility of

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Scottish Highllands, Dazzling Achmelvich Beach, Scottish Highlands

Road tripping in the Scottish Highlands

March 24, 2017May 28, 2018 Destinations, Food and Wine, Scotland

Story and Photos by Monique Burns. Road tripping through the Scottish Highlands. Framed by lofty mountains and etched by trickling burns and rushing rivers,

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Willits The Heart of Mendocino County California; sign given to the city by Reno, NV

Willits Whistlestop Weekend

March 12, 2017March 11, 2020 Destinations, John, Mendocino County, Willits 3

Story and Photos by John Sundsmo. “You’re moving where? – Willits – where’s that?,” my museum guide, Dirk, told me his personal story as

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Bay Area Travel Writers 2017 publication Taste of Travel, Cover Photo by Rhonda Gutenberg.

Bay Area Travel Writers publishes Taste of Travel

February 27, 2017May 28, 2018 Food and Wine, Lee, News 1

By Lee Daley Taste of Travel News: Reading the latest publication by the Bay Area Travel Writers put me in the mood for a

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Views of Rio de Janeiro and Sugarloaf Mountain from the cable car

Rio de Janeiro Highs

February 20, 2017May 28, 2018 Brazil, Carol, Destinations

Story and Photos By Carol Canter. The annual approach of Carnival turns my thoughts to Brazil and especially to Rio de Janeiro. I fell

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A Dylan Thomas Pilgrimage in Wales

February 16, 2017January 10, 2020 Destinations, Wales

By Monique Burns. With velvety green hills and dells, craggy mountains and moon-shaped bays, sandy estuaries dappled with cockles and mussels and miles of

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Best Places to Kiss in San Francisco

February 7, 2017January 10, 2020 Destinations, San Francisco, Stephanie 1

by Stephanie Levin. “It’s in his kiss, that’s where it is.” Yes, indeed, that zingy sensation causing our hearts to turn somersaults is in

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Pozole Thursdays at El Profe, Coacoyul, Mexico

January 26, 2017March 19, 2019 Carol, Destinations, Food and Wine, Mexico 4

Story and photos by Carol Canter. El Profe puts the hamlet of Coacoyul on the map every Thursday afternoon from 2 p.m. when the

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Culinary Poland in the time of Chopin

January 20, 2017May 28, 2018 Destinations, Food and Wine, Poland 4

Story and photos by Wanda Hennig. When Fryderyk Chopin was born March of 1810, 29 miles west of Warsaw in Żelazowa Wola, in the

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Hoi An, Vietnam, port town, fishing village, UNESCO

Our Dreams of Vietnam. Part Two

January 15, 2017January 10, 2020 Destinations, Vietnam 1

By Karen Misuraca and Jessica Misuraca This article originally appeared in the curated site: www.deepculturetravel.com. Old Town of Hoi An Our Vietnam journey continues

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Lower Laurentians, Bases-Laurentides, Canada

The Lower Laurentians Canada

January 12, 2017May 28, 2018 Canada, Destinations, Stephanie

Story and photos By Stephanie Levin. Warning! This is not a quiz. But if you’re not from Canada, or your geographical antenna isn’t pointed

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maritime heritage, Old Harbor Reykjavik, Iceland, wooden fishing boat, harbor

Old Harbor Reykjavik and its Maritime Heritage

January 10, 2017August 21, 2021 Destinations, Iceland, John

Story and photos by John Sundsmo. As our plane came in for a landing at Reykjavik Keflavik International Airport on Iceland I looked out

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Adventurous Pursuits in Coastal Peru

January 8, 2017January 10, 2020 Destinations, Peru

By Monique Burns. Ernest Hemingway came to the Peru Coast in 1956—partly to hunt black marlin, partly to oversee the filming of his monumental

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South Africa’s Buddhist Retreat Center

January 2, 2017May 28, 2018 Africa, Destinations 3

Story and photos by Wanda Hennig. The Buddhist Retreat Center in rural South Africa has been ranked among the top ten on CNN’s “Best

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Vietnam floating maket, Mekong River, Vietnam

Our Dreams of Vietnam. Part One

December 30, 2016January 10, 2020 Destinations, Vietnam 1

By Karen Misuraca and Jessica Misuraca. This article originally appeared in the curated site: www.deepculturetravel.com. Mother and daughter, we embarked on a three-week tour

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Paris Progressive Supper and Moveable Feast

December 14, 2016May 28, 2018 Destinations, Food and Wine, Jacqueline, Paris 1

By Jacqueline Harmon Butler. Ernest Hemingway called Paris a “movable feast,” and I have always agreed with him. On my last night in Paris,

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Mexico’s Dia de Guadalupe Celebration

December 8, 2016March 11, 2020 Carol, Destinations, Mexico 2

Photos and Story by Carol Canter. The magic of the holiday season in Mexico begins the eve of December 12 with candlelight processions all

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Norway: Cruising, crab hunting and fine cuisine

December 7, 2016March 19, 2019 Destinations, Norway

By Monique Burns. In Norway, I signed on for Hurtigruten’s six-day coastal cruise in late summer when the Midnight Sun stays high in the

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Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way. Part Two

November 28, 2016May 28, 2018 Carol, Destinations, Ireland 1

Story and Photos by Carol Canter. Continuing our exploration of Ireland via its Wild Atlantic Way, we returned to Killarney, gateway to the magnificent

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2017 Cuisine and Culture Tours Foodies Alert

November 18, 2016May 28, 2018 Food and Wine, Reviews

By Karen Misuraca. My first food-focused vacation was with Kandra Kitchen Crete, when the queen of Greek cuisine, Rosemary Barron, held forth in her

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Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way

November 18, 2016March 11, 2020 Carol, Europe, Ireland 1

Story and Photos by Carol Canter. Part One. To experience the coastal drama of Western Ireland, we took to the road in early October

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Ghost Hunting in a Gothic Irish Castle

October 25, 2016March 11, 2020 Destinations, Europe, Hotel Reviews, Ireland, Lee

By Lee Daley. There’s a ghost in the house. At least that’s the rumor at Ireland’s Kinnitty Castle. Although the 13th century medieval castle

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Napa Valley’s Liana Estates Opens

September 28, 2016March 11, 2020 Food and Wine, Lee, Napa, News, WineTasting 1

By Lee Daley. Napa Valley’s Carneros AVA adds another winery to its map with the opening of Liana Estates. The winery fulfills a long

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Fall Foliage, New England (Photo: L. Daley)

Fall Foliage Tour of New England

September 15, 2016September 25, 2018 Carol, Destinations

By Carol Canter. We were early — maybe one to two weeks before peak fall foliage. So instead of colors that scream, we had

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San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, San Francisco,Calder mobiles, SFMOMA

San Francisco Museum of Modern Art dazzles art-loving public.

September 10, 2016January 10, 2020 Destinations, Lee, News 1

By Lee Daley. After an almost three year hiatus, the long awaited re-opening of the newly revamped San Francisco Museum of Modern Art is

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Icelandic Viking Democracy – “Althings” (AlϷings) at Ϸingvellir

September 4, 2016March 11, 2020 Destinations, Iceland, John 1

By John Sundsmo. As an American I never really investigated my Swedish/Norwegian/UK heritage. That all changed after a spur of the moment decision to

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Taste of Travel, Cruising France's Canal du Midi, Canal barge tours, Canal barge Anjodi, Canal du Midi, Toulouse, France

Cruising France’s Canal du Midi aboard European Waterways’ Barge Anjodi.

August 31, 2016March 19, 2019 Barge Tours, Carol, Destinations, Europe, Food and Wine, France 1

By Carol Canter. Floating by barge through France’s canal-laced countryside underscores the pleasures of dining on meals prepared from fresh locally-sourced ingredients. Our first

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Fiji. South Pacific Island, Golden, Gold

Fiji Brings Home the Gold

August 18, 2016March 11, 2020 Destinations, Fiji, Hotel Reviews, Lee, News 2

By Lee Daley. [Update December 21, 1919] If you happen to be in the vicinity, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) has

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Che Guevara Mural, Revolution Square, Havana, Cuba, fifties cars

Cuba Libre? Documentary on Cuba travel history

August 5, 2016May 28, 2018 Cuba, John, Lee, News 1

By John Sundsmo. Photos by Lee Daley. UPDATE 3/6/2018: “Cuba Libre?” received the “Best Documentary Feature” award from the International Film Festival in Los

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Imagine Tree, Copenhagen, Iceland, Oko Ono

Imagine Peace: Yoko Ono’s “Wish Tree:” From Copenhagen to Iceland and beyond

July 31, 2016March 11, 2020 Copenhagen, Destinations, Europe, Iceland, Lee, Yoko Ono

By Lee Daley. If you should encounter a Wish Tree, this is Yoko Ono‘s suggestion: “Make a wish. Write it down on a piece

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Burma’s Best: The Strand Hotel

July 17, 2016March 11, 2020 Burma, Destinations, Food and Wine, Hotel Reviews, Lee 1

By Lee Daley. Strand Hotel, Rangoon, Burma Rangoon, Burma’s bustling metropolis is like a living museum where traditional teahouses, pagodas and temples sit side

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Healing Mineral Baths, Budapest, Hungary

Budapest’s Healing Mineral Baths mend mind, body and spirit

July 10, 2016March 11, 2020 Destinations, Hungary, Lee

By Lee Daley. While there are many reasons to visit Hungary, including the fact that right now it is one of the best values

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Cape Town makes Forbes.com’s list of world’s most beautiful cities

July 10, 2016March 11, 2020 Africa, Destinations, Lee

Travel Newsletter. By Lee Daley. The popular Forbes.com website named Cape Town one of the world’s most beautiful cities, ranking it favorably with Paris,

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Photography, Slot Canyon, Antelope Canyon, Arizona

Photographing Antelope Canyon, Arizona, Part One

July 10, 2016March 11, 2020 Arizona, Destinations, Lee

By Lee Daley. Arizona’s slot canyons have long held a fascination for me. Especially notable for their beauty are the Antelope Canyons, both Upper

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Photographing Antelope Canyon, Arizona, Part Two

July 10, 2016March 11, 2020 Arizona, Destinations, Lee

By Lee Daley. One of the important elements in any photography travel adventure, including slot canyons like Antelope Canyon in Arizona, is the preparation

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