I stood in Tiananmen Square (above) on a windswept, sunny morning, and gazed at the locals and tourists milling about under the watchful visage of Chairman Mao’s portrait. Having just arrived in China the previous …
June 5, 2015
History
Beijing: first impressions
Whiskey in the White House
"George Washington slept here!" And he did, too. Truth be told, he slept there as well. And there. What can I say? The man got around. With four family homes, you’d expect as much. He …
May 19, 2015
Early San Diegans couldn’t celebrate without lots of noise
1.) This photograph, taken in the late 1880s, was rare for its time. No male cradles a wide-brimmed hat in his arm. No one stares up, or dreamily off, as if posing as the person …
May 14, 2015
Savannah's got flavor
Savannah was established as Georgia’s first city – a working port – in 1733. It’s been welcoming people and trade for over 280 years, adding a global, cosmopolitan flavor to its Deep South traditions. Really, …
February 5, 2015
Matera: no longer the "shame of Italy"
In what is the instep of Italy’s boot, the first forays into Italy from North Africa came to settle in Matera 10,000 years ago. Living quarters were fashioned in both the limestone caves and built …
January 20, 2015
A day with the Gipper: Reagan Presidential Library
Air Force One is a lot cozier than I imagined. The comfortable leather chairs, soft blue carpeting and large jars of jelly beans remind me of my aunt’s living room. From the inside it’s almost …
November 28, 2014
Ringing of the bells: St. Petersburg, Russia
Cemeteries have always fascinated me, and I have visited them all over the world. On a recent trip to Saint Petersburg, Russia, I visited the Alexander Nevsky Monastery. Founded in 1710, it contains some of …
Huế down yonder in Vietnam
Stretching before me is an archaeological site straight out of Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. But this is no studio set; Y Khiêm Viện and Trì Khiêm Viện are the real McCoy. The …
The magic of Salem, MA
My first recollection with mystical powers was when I was 10 and my sister was attempting to cast a spell on our unsuspecting cat. The candles, chanting, and “brew” she was mixing had me intrigued. …
November 2, 2014
Campeche: not Cancún
For those seeking an off-the-beaten-path alternative to Cancún and Mérida, Campeche is a captivating, underrated baroque colonial town on the west coast of the Yucatan peninsula. Capital of the state with the same name, it's …
July 2, 2014
Fredericksburg, VA: America's most historic city
The Interstate 95 (aka I-95) is the main highway on the East Coast, running parallel to the Atlantic Ocean seaboard on a north-south trajectory and serving as the principal artery for cities from Florida to …
June 28, 2014