Remember Dorothy, the intrepid traveler from the classic Wizard of Oz? She said it best: “If I ever go looking for my heart’s desire again, I won’t look any further than my own back yard.”
Bali … it’s one of those take-your-breath-away destinations. You ask yourself, Where has this place been all of my life?
Sunday morning is the perfect time to explore any new city. The tranquility makes it easy to see the bones of the place without the people, traffic, and workaday commotion – and there’s no better way to do it than on foot.
Other than sex, there seems to be no stronger temptation in this world than chocolate. That luscious, dark confection can bring strong men to their knees and make smart women swoon.
There’s no denying that Petra is a place that inspires superlatives. It’s one of the world’s über-famous archaeological sites, and like most first-time visitors, we were astounded. With vibrant red, white and pink sandstone cliffs carved into beautiful, ornate temples and tombs, the city is absolutely awe-inspiring.
Like many young couples, as soon as we could afford it, we went to Europe. These were the days of Arthur Frommer’s Europe On $25 A Day, Rick Steves’ Europe Through The Back Door, and Eurail Passes were the way to get around.
Bangkok is an assault on the senses. Mad Max tuk-tuks careen wildly through traffic while the Skytrain glides effortlessly above. Sleep-deprived backpackers rub elbows with cellphone-toting monks and neighborhood masseuses.
If you’re looking for an all-purpose goddess, look no further than Athena. Her wide-ranging purview included the arts, wisdom, courage, inspiration, civilization, law, justice, mathematics, strength, strategy, crafts, skill, … and, justifiable (hmmm?) warfare. She was the patron goddess of Athens, beloved by all, and one of Greece’s most famous temples, the Parthenon, was built … Continue reading
Honestly, you never know what those wacky Mayanist scholars are going to say next. In their book The Maya, authors Michael Coe and Stephen Houston describe a stone relief as “God L, the patron of warriors and traders, smoking a cigar,” The minute I read this, I knew that I had to see it. I … Continue reading
Travelers are thrilled when world-class attractions are easy to visit and not overrun with tourists. We were certainly surprised by the ancient city of Uxmal because it’s just this type of rare gem. Continue reading
To the delight of modern tourists, Maya kings sought to outdo each other with more and more impressive temples, and the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Uxmal (pronounced oosh-mal) is an outstanding example. Continue reading
Every traveler must certainly remember their first trip abroad, and for me, that was Belize in Central America. The trip’s downside was catching my first case of dengue fever, but the upside was a visit to the ruins of the Maya city of Altun Ha. Continue reading
The tag line for our blog is Travel Tales with a Twist, and two weeks ago while traveling in Puebla, Mexico, we experienced a truly unexpected twist … an earthquake. This surprise shake was our first, and even though the 7.2 magnitude quake’s epicenter was 175 miles away in coastal Oaxaca, there was enough shaking … Continue reading
Happy Valentine’s Day everyone! Easter has its bunny, Santa Claus is Mr. Christmas, but today is all about hearts. And you’ll be hard-pressed to walk five steps without seeing one. Continue reading
