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
Travel: Must-See
Intoxicating Florence, Italy
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
Santorini: Oia and Akrotiri
Santorini is one of the undisputed jewels of the Greek Islands. Two of its most enchanting attractions are the village of Oia and the archeological dig Akrotiri, once a prominent ancient town. Oia and Akrotiri …
January 11, 2011
Life on the Rocks: Salvador, Brazil
“Thirty percent of Brazilians live in favelas,” says Michael David Lynch, proprietor of Albergue Pedras da Sereia in Salvador, speaking of neighborhoods like the one he moved to 25 years ago. Basically, favelas are built …
November 20, 2010
Underrated Seoul, South Korea
Seoul, South Korea, is one of the most underrated places to visit. I highly recommend you visit this vibrant, animated “city of the future.” Although I visited Seoul in November and froze the entirety of …
November 18, 2010
Timeless Athens
En route to Athens, my flight connected in London with a stopover just long enough to view the famous Elgin Marbles in the British Museum. Greece has been determined to have them returned to their …
November 3, 2010
Reykjavik, Iceland
Vibrant two-toned houses covered in corrugated aluminum siding dot the cobblestone streets of Reykjavik, brightening the ancient Viking town even during the longest of dark days. Like a cross between a 1940s Monterey and a …
October 28, 2010
Lima, Peru
With 9.2 million people, Lima is the fifth-largest city in Latin America behind Mexico City, Rio de Janiero, Sao Paolo and Buenos Aires. The municipality of Lima, Peru, has 43 separate districts, each with its …
October 23, 2010
The Land Where Giants Dwell: Sequoia National Park
Sequoia National Park is home to the largest living thing on the planet. The tree, General Sherman, is tucked away along Generals Highway, about five hour’s drive from San Diego. Although not the tallest tree …
October 14, 2010
Downtime in Montezuma, Costa Rica
I relax in the hammock, the sound of gently crashing waves reverberating in the near distance. I muster up the energy to raise my head and see a girl in her twenties relaxing on a …
October 14, 2010
Flashy Shanghai, China
Shanghai is an exciting place to visit and live – it’s essentially the New York City of China, where East meets West. It boasts not only one of the most vibrant economic centers, but also …
October 3, 2010