I found a cheap room in Palmar Norte and shambled into a soda (cheap Costa Rican eatery) across the street. I had just bicycled about forty miles and could have salted three pounds of pork …
Travel off the Beaten Path
Pura Vida in Palmar Norte, Costa Rica
Hsi Lai Temple, Hacienda Heights, California
Visiting the Hsi Lai Temple, nestled in the hills of Hacienda Heights, I felt as though I was transported back in time and to another world. Spread out over 15 acres, the temple grounds are …
March 3, 2010
A Visit to Macedonia
Macedonia, a small southeastern European country of roughly two million inhabitants and formerly part of Yugoslavia, is a fairly exotic destination sure to impress art, nature and history lovers. Located on the beautiful Sar Mountain …
March 1, 2010
Morro Bay, California
“The sun was shining on the sea, Shining with all his might... ‘O, Oysters, come and walk with us!’ The Walrus did beseech. ‘A Pleasant walk, a pleasant talk, Along the briny beach...’” – from …
February 23, 2010
Gems of Pala, California
Walking up the dirt-and-gravel path from the parking area, you’re greeted by a Buddha and two rusted truck corpses. Wooden bins of large rocks stand next to the stairs leading up to the store’s entrance. …
February 17, 2010
Fun and Games in Coba, Mexico
The site of pre-Colombian ruins on the Yucatan peninsula, Coba, reachable on a day trip from Cancun, was at one point inhabited by over 50,000. Coba’s Nohoch Mul is the highest pyramid in the Yucatan …
January 27, 2010
Rainforest in Ecuador: Misahuallí and Jatun Sacha
While visiting Ecuador, if you lack the time and/or money for a multi-day tour into the Amazon with a stay at a jungle lodge, you can still get a taste of the rainforest just five …
January 19, 2010
Undiscovered Piran, Slovenia
Majestic blue waters of the Adriatic Sea splash into the unassuming, picturesque coastal town of Piran, Slovenia. This aged European town on Slovenia’s small stretch of coastline has its own seaside, Mediterranean-like character – quiet …
January 6, 2010
Black Gold: Oil City, Pennsylvania
Nestled in the Allegheny Mountains, Oil City might just be the most relevant small town in the world today. Here lie the remnants of the world's first commercially successful oil wells, dating from the 1860s. …
December 30, 2009
Avila Beach, California
We recently returned to a Central California beach town that’s changed significantly since our first visit about 20 years ago. Avila Beach is located in San Luis Obispo County between the county seat and Pismo …
December 27, 2009
Living Like a Local in Venice
My infatuation with the city of Venice could be considered the longest love affair of my life. It began when I was just a teenager; I arrived by train during my high school student exchange …
December 23, 2009