County Clare, Ireland, is otherworldly: hilly, lush green paddocks (pastures) separated by centuries-old stone fences and dotted with small herds of cows, horses and donkeys. And sheep – glorious in shagginess and shades of white, …
May 26, 2011
Europe
County Clare: Green, Ancient Ireland
Fascinating Romania
I boarded Lufthansa Airlines from LAX with a certain giddiness and anticipation. I was ready for a long flight over the U.S., Canada, Iceland, the Northern Sea and Germany – my final destination being Bucharest …
May 24, 2011
Walking the Walls of Dubrovnik, Croatia
You’ll never forget walking the walls of Dubrovnik. Put this on your bucket list now! Climb the ancient stairs of this walled city and take your first look at centuries of history. The tile roofs …
May 15, 2011
An English D-Day Remnant: Devon, England
An unlikely memorial to the D-Day invasion lies half-hidden in a narrow wind-ravaged valley among the sand dunes of Braunton Burrows on the north coast of Devon, England. While the remembrance sites in France have …
May 12, 2011
Majestic Prague, Czech Republic
This is an amazing town. It’s an open-air museum best explored on foot; every turn offers an architectural feast for the eyes. I spent a week in Prague and it remains one of the highlights …
April 23, 2011
Historic Toledo, Spain
Escape the busy streets of Madrid for the quiet walkways of Toledo. Forty-five miles away from Madrid, Toledo makes a great day trip for just about any traveler. Transportation is easy, with high-speed trains that …
Bergen, Norway: Gateway to the Fjords
Bergen is located on Norway’s western coast. The journey there from Oslo takes you through a wonderfully scenic part of the country, including some of the longest and most spectacular fjords in Norway. You can …
April 8, 2011
Beer-lin, Germany
It is truly easier on the streets of Berlin to buy a bottle of beer than one of water. And no matter what time of day it is, you'll observe someone sipping a cold one, …
April 7, 2011
Cambridge, England – Brilliant
I’ve always loved university towns: the spirit, the energy, the combination of youthful, bustling enthusiasm and quiet intellectual reflection they exude refreshes me. Most university towns have a keen sense of place and radiate a …
February 24, 2011
Budapest, Hungary: An Old World City
Arriving on the tarmac at the Budapest airport, I walk down the steps of the airplane to an awaiting bus. It’s a grey, wintry day, and people are wearing heavy long coats and big fur …
February 22, 2011
What Not to Do in Grenoble, France
Grenoble, France, 1968: a sporting and outdoor destination unparalleled around the world. Host city of the Winter Olympics, hub for skiing, alpinism and focal point of a growing scientific industrial center. Fast-forward in time to …
Doing Europe: Heading South, Monopoli, Italy
I spent most of my days in Rome just walking around the beautiful, timeless city in awe. However, believe it or not, I was getting “bored” with my surroundings. I needed to get out of …
February 6, 2011
Intoxicating Florence, Italy
I arrived in Florence early morning on the train after leisurely working my way up via Rome, Capri, Pompeii, Siena, Assisi, Umbria and Tuscany. On my first visit to Europe, I’d now traveled through several …
January 24, 2011
Vienna, Austria, for Parsimonious Persons
Being a San Diego native can give one a shortsighted perspective of history. Besides the Portuguese tuna fisherman, Children’s Pool and Point Loma Lighthouse, San Diego is limited for the most part to the sights …
January 20, 2011
Doing Europe: Ios, Greece
Leaving Sorrento, Italy was bittersweet. Sorrento was the perfect place for us to get our minds wrapped around the idea of the sea. We’d been landlocked in Prague for months, so we wanted more oceans. …
January 13, 2011