"For you," the merchant murmured, "three hundred Egyptian pounds." I guffawed. Three hundred pounds? For a little wooden lute? I wanted the rababah, to hang on my wall back home, but I wasn't about to …
Travel: Must-See
Bargaining in Cairo
Meteora, Greece: Monasteries in the Sky
Greece is most often characterized by its idyllic beaches and ancient ruins, which are fantastic and not to be missed. However, on my second trip to Greece we stayed with a friend who showed us …
May 19, 2010
Enchanted Ha Long Bay, Vietnam
Four days, two nights spent boating through majestic Halong Bay is like a dream. Turquoise blue water and giant, dragon-shaped cliff islands covered by jungle forests simply equals magical. There are a million different tour …
May 16, 2010
Five Memorable Day Trips in Puerto Rico
1. Old San Juan. With its well preserved Spanish colonial-style architecture, Old San Juan continues to charm locals and visitors alike. Lively nightlife can be found in and around the city, and if you like …
May 13, 2010
Bran Castle, Transylvania, Romania
Despite entertainment-media archetypes, the province of Transylvania (located in northwestern Romania) is actually an idyllic, totally not-creepy part of the world. Transylvania means “across the forest” in Latin, and the heavily forested region is dotted …
Glacier National Park: Untouched Beauty
There are few national parks that can compare to Glacier in the northwest corner of Montana. With 13 campgrounds and over 700 miles of hiking trails, there’s no shortage of natural beauty at your fingertips. …
April 18, 2010
Go Slow: Caye Caulker, Belize
Caye Caulker is a sleepy backwater island nestled between the Belize coast and Belize Barrier Reef. With warm waters, cool breezes and friendly locals, it’s a little slice of Caribbean paradise – too small to …
April 10, 2010
Rome (in a Day)
“I love it here but after a while we get a little tired of seeing all these naked statues,” a Midwest couple confided to me about their first trip to Rome. I had already decided …
March 24, 2010
Heaven on Earth: Gimmelwald, Switzerland
After traveling around Europe for three months, the one place I keep telling myself I need to return to is Gimmelwald, Switzerland. Located high in the Swiss Alps, this town of approximately 130 residents is …
March 17, 2010
Pisgah National Forest, North Carolina
The Huddle House diner is inviting and cozy on an early November morning. While it isn't that far off from the Waffle House visited the previous morning (the signs are practically identical), it’s a far …
February 15, 2010
Buenos Aires, Argentina: Che Baludo!
I’d heard about Buenos Aires in the spring, but I was apprehensive about the winter. I packed my bags like I was getting ready to go snowboarding. Jackets, thermals and beanies. It being July and …
February 15, 2010