A scenic train ride landed us in Gdańsk, at the edge of the Baltic Sea. Our apartment is 60M2. It's basically a two-bedroom apartment with a large living room that includes a third-floor balcony. I …
Europe
Perusing Poland
Mesmerizing Mycenae
About 1.5 hours outside Athens, Mycenae is one of the essential stops for any visitor to Greece with an interest in ancient history. Arriving here, you're awed not just by the site and the ruins, …
April 2, 2013
Jaunt up to Northern Ireland
Ever since the peace accords of 1997, Northern Ireland has enjoyed a bit of a renaissance. Freed from 25 years of conflict, referred to locally as “The Troubles,” Northern Ireland has rebuilt its economy – …
Krakow: The “Real” Europe
Krakow is special. Paris is fantastic, but so over-the-top and tourist-oriented that emotional connection is limited. When we arrived in Krakóv, and walked out on the Old Town square (above), my eyes teared up. I …
March 26, 2013
A Discovery: Prague's Josefov
“Josefov.” The center of Jewish influence in Prague. A few other temples are scattered around the oldest part of the city, but Josefov is the vortex of Prague’s Jewish past. It was this name of …
March 21, 2013
Trip to Basel, Birthplace of LSD
Behind Basel, Switzerland’s bourgeois persona is a mind-blowing history currently experiencing its 70th anniversary. Inside the walled-off compound where multinational pharmaceutical giant Novartis (formed when Ciba-Geigy and Sandoz merged) is headquartered is a futuristic glassy-steel …
March 21, 2013
Istanbul Spice Market
Making my way through thick crowds of people slowly walking, talking on cell phones and holding shopping bags, I found the mounds of spices in the marketplace in Istanbul, Turkey. I'd arrived to buy various …
March 19, 2013
Celebrate Amsterdam
Though it can be fairly said that Amsterdam is always ready for a party, this year the city is really celebrating. 2013 is the 400th anniversary of its famous canal ring, now a UNESCO World …
March 7, 2013
What's Wrong with Switzerland?
The problem with travel writing in Switzerland is that there are no problems. Every writer knows there has to be a little sand in his shoe, some gritty irritation to kick off a story either …
February 22, 2013
Here Be Dragons: Ascending Switzerland's Mt. Pilatus
High above the bustling lake town of Lucerne, Switzerland, lies the rugged cliffs and steep mountain terrain of Mount Pilatus. It’s here where the legendary dragons of yore resided – in particular, a winged dragon …
February 4, 2013
Escape to Amsterdamse Bos
Bicycles more than double that of the number of cars in Amsterdam, coming in at over half a million. In the city center, the number is probably closer to 5 to 1, as thousands of …
January 29, 2013
Testaccio – The Rome You've Never Been To
When you’re in Rome and need a break from frescos and friezes, hop onto Metro Line B and get off at the Piramide stop to visit one of its most authentic neighborhoods – where butchers …
January 22, 2013
Shoestring Travel: Madrid
After leaving Barcelona and falling in love with the city, we hopped on the high-speed train to Madrid. Three hours later we arrived at our flat (that we found on AirBnb) overlooking Plaza De Santa …
January 13, 2013
Zürich: Switzerland’s Secret to Success
The Economist ranks Switzerland the best country “to be born in 2013.” Zürich, the largest Swiss metropolis with 380,000 residents, has been voted the planet’s best city by Mercer Human Resource Consulting, Monocle and others. …
January 10, 2013
Malmö: Gateway to Sweden
Malmö is at the very southern tip of Sweden. This lively, modern-thinking international city has been around since the Middle Ages and used to be part of Denmark. In fact, to visit Malmö, you fly …
January 7, 2013