Go Abroad!

Portugal’s Atlantic Coast: rich history meets seaside serenity

Portugal has a long, rich history that colors everything from its language, food and architecture. It was settled by homo sapiens 35,000 years ago and retains traces of a non–Indo European language and even DNA. ...

Panama City: since I was in the area...

Where to explore if you find yourself in Panama City, Panama.

A relatively short distance from San Diego (just a few small countries south of Mexico) lies Panama, the final Central American nation before you hit South America. Yet, for a tiny country, the capital, Panama ...

Wild Peninsula Valdez, Argentina

See orcas at the beach, where they belong.

I first became aware of this enormous peninsula years ago when I heard about the burgeoning whale-watching attraction there. A thousand miles south of Buenos Aires on the south Atlantic coast, this region lies at ...

Ancient Wroclaw, Poland

Crossroads of the pre-historic Amber Road and medieval Via Regia (“King’s Road”).

I visited Wroclaw, Poland, during an interesting time in history: it was the 100th anniversary of Poland’s independence, the 100th anniversary of the Armistice and the 80th anniversary of Kristallnacht. As for Wroclaw itself, it ...

Changing Colombia

Urban exploring in the country's capital, Bogota.

Colombia: cartels and cocaine... rebel groups and terrorism... violent gangs and kidnappings. Those are some of the stereotypes, right? Well, although these problems haven't completely vanished, things have definitely improved to the point where most ...

Reykjavik: less like a tourist, more like a local

Solo traveling in Iceland done right.

Though it was not my first time in Iceland, it was my first time single and, for most of the time, without any travel companion. It turned out to be a fine thing. You can ...

Cabo Polonio, bona fide best of Uruguay

No roads or electricity? All the more reason to visit.

There may well be other places like this, a scruffy village of dwellings on a cape which seems like it’s from another time, but I haven’t seen any. Most locations remind you of some other ...

Paris and back again

A trip to remember in the City of Love.

After a couple cups of vino and an 11-hour flight, we land just outside Paris. Yael and I head out to catch the RER Train into the city center. It's about 10 euros each, and ...

Life (and the party) go on in Rio

Olympic flame snuffed, the party continues in Rio de Janeiro.

After months of continuous Olympic coverage two years ago, the questions still being asked about Rio de Janeiro likely include: "Wow! Rio looks incredible - is it really that beautiful?" And: "Wow! Is Rio really ...

Salento, cream of Colombia's coffee country

Experience small-town Colombia and some spectacular hiking on the finca.

Salento is an historic colonial town high in the mountains of the department of Quindio, situated 250 kilometers due south of Medellin. It used to be on the main route between Bogota and Popoyan even ...

Fascinating Kinmen, Taiwan

Cold War tunnels and traditional villages greet the curious visitor to this tiny island group.

A convenient weekend break from the noise and bustle of Taipei is a one-hour flight to the island of Kinmen. Although Kinmen is controlled by Taiwan, it lies only eight kilometers from the Chinese mainland ...

Escape to Minca, Colombia

Get a break from the heat of the north coast in this sleepy backpacker hub.

It’s not the kind of place that comes to mind when thinking about Colombia, but a little mountain village called Minca gets my vote for best of honors. A slow 17 kilometers up and out ...

Get lost in Marseilles, France's second city

Explore a maze of narrow streets, hip neighborhoods, graffiti art and grand museums.

Marseille has never gotten its due as a vacation destination. Most people traveling to southern France pass through Marseille’s airport and move directly on to the more pristine and tony Provencal destinations, such as Aix-en-Provence ...

Buenos Aires in 48 hours

Must-do's, see's and eats in the impressive Argentinean capital.

It's surely one of the most impressive cities in South America, and a must-see for any traveler, even folks who prefer the countryside. Having said that, Buenos Aires is a gigantic mass of humanity, and ...

Japan: a land of contrasts

By far the phrase I used most often was “Arigata gozaimasu”: I appreciate it.

I stare out at Mount Fuji: bright, clear, stately, basking in the morning sunshine. Cherry blossoms frame my view alongside the stunning Chureito Pagoda in the foreground. My timing was implausibly fortuitous. The previous day ...

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