Autumn in Germany

Hamburg, Germany has more bridges than any other city in the world. Its 2,500 bridges are staggeringly more than Venice, Amsterdam and London combined! Packed with chic restaurants, trendy cafes, museums, bars and clubs, Hamburg is an ideal destination for culture vultures, foodies and partygoers alike. Early Autumn is a pleasant time to visit Hamburg, […]

Autumn in Italy’s Dolomites: A Hiker’s Heaven

Skiers have flocked to Italy’s Dolomites for decades but in recent years hikers have discovered this region with its dramatic, jagged peaks, Alpine meadows, crystalline lakes, pine forests, and rocky plateaus. Summer crowds keep lifts and trails very busy, but autumn, with mostly sunny skies and comfortable temperatures, is the perfect time to explore the […]

A Mediterranean Journey Aboard the Ship — Star Clippers

On the aft deck of the four-masted luxury clipper ship Star Clippers, a dozen or so passengers stood in the moonlight and howled at the night sky above the waters near southern France. Our intimate little sailing ship had just left the historic medieval port of Calvi in Corsica, France, and the alchemy of the […]

Verre Pickl’: FrenchMex Fusion Restaurant in Quebec City, Canada

Chef Jérôme Gilpin of Verre Pickl’—Quebec City’s recent addition to its culinary landscape—places a wonderfully fragrant dish in front of me. “It’s scallops in aguachile, a traditional Mexican broth made with Serrano peppers, lime juice, cilantro, and tomatillo,” he tells me. As I take a sip, the spicy broth sears my lips, but the irresistible tenderness […]

10 Places You Should Visit this Fall in Calgary, Canada

From brilliant hues of aspen, golden shades of larch, year-round sunshine, crisp cool nights, warm days, jaw-dropping views of the Rocky Mountains, and historical museums, Calgary, Alberta, Canada, is a delightful city to visit. Calgary, a city of 1.6 million,  is located in Southern Alberta. It is Alberta’s largest city and the third-largest city in […]

St. John, New Brunswick: Canada’s First Incorporated City

I have a question for you. Could you pinpoint the location of Saint John, New Brunswick, on a map? I’ll be frank – up until several months ago, I was unable to either. I am so glad I learned! Saint John is the largest city on the breathtaking Bay of Fundy in what is known […]

Traveling to Cuba, Using the ‘Support for Cuban People’ License

We were face-to-face as Marcelina clasped my cheeks and looked me in the eyes. “Two words: Moo-ee Boo-ā-no. Say it with me.” After several attempts, she smiled and repeated it as she shaped my mouth. “Muy bueno.” I thought I had been complimenting her on the tocino y huevos that she fried for me and […]

Braving a Night at the Lizzie Borden Bed and Breakfast

Lizzie — Lizzie Borden was a 32-year old unmarried woman still living at home when her father and stepmother were brutally murdered in their home at Fall River, Massachusetts on a brutally hot morning of August, 1892. Lizzie was tried but acquitted for the murders. Here’s how obsessed I am with Lizzie Borden: I’ve got […]

Surprising Kansas: The Badlands and Beyond

On my quest to visit all 50 states, I always expected Kansas to be sort of an afterthought or a straggler state I’d have to check off when I was getting close to 50. As it turns out, Kansas was state number 39, and it wasn’t the uninspiring expanse of prairie and Wizard of Oz […]