In South America, religious icons are as common as sunrise, and shrines are ubiquitous. But a shrine studded with cigarette packs, bottles of beer and decks of playing cards? Welcome to El Chaltén, Argentina – …
December 6, 2013
Go Abroad!
Chillin' in El Chaltén
Love in the Kingdom of Jordan
It doesn’t seem possible, but my Jordanian friend insists that he is now married. I look carefully into Awad’s dark eyes, magnified by the thick lenses of his black framed glasses, to see if he’s …
December 3, 2013
Small-town Italy: a Tuscan welcome, Greve in Chianti
While visiting Florence, I took the opportunity to spend a few nights in a little town about 30 kilometers to the south called Greve in Chianti. The Chianti region, well known for its Chianti Classico …
December 2, 2013
Slumming in Budapest's ruin pubs
Hungary is unlike any other country in Europe, and the enchanting city of Budapest is a center of language, culture and history. Backpackers head to Budapest to party and to party on the cheap; most …
November 21, 2013
Cuc Phuong, Vietnam: a typhoon experience
It was October 27th, 2012, and the sun was shining down on North Vietnam. My friends and I had planned a motorbike trip to the national park of Cuc Phuong, some 120 kilometers south. Due …
November 17, 2013
Small-town Italy: Orvieto and Civita
For hundreds of years, Orvieto was a major stopping point along the road from Florence to Rome. It was so highly regarded through the centuries that it is only one of two cities outside of …
November 12, 2013
Cambodia: one mine at a time
Stepping into a mine field gives one a whole new appreciation for the word "concentration." Akira tells me to follow him closely, and I am practically in his back pocket. The sun is a swirling …
November 7, 2013
Video: Amen the printmaker, Tanzania
I spent this past June traveling Tanzania. While in Dar es Salaam, I met a Tanzanian artist named Amen Ntangu. He is self-employed as a batik printmaker. I had the opportunity to interview him and …
November 5, 2013
Drinking kava in Fiji
The Fiji Islands are known for their friendly natives, good-natured spirit and outgoingness of their people. Set in the South Pacific, Fiji is made up of over 300 islands, although most visitors touch base on …
October 30, 2013
Apocalypse Now, Tico-style
“Never get out of the boat. Unless you were going all the way. Kurtz got off the boat.” ~ Captain Benjamin L. Willard, Apocalypse Now So there we were staring at the glossy brochure deciding …
October 26, 2013
Caño Cristales, Colombia
The army sharpshooter looks us up and down, his anti-guerrilla livery emblazoned on a tightly wound bandana. He establishes quickly that we represent no threat, shows us his rifle and smiles, revealing braces. Incongruous, I …
October 20, 2013
Small-town Italy: Vernazza
Life seems mellow and tranquil in the tiny, idyllic seaside town of Vernazza in Italy’s Cinque Terre. But the community suffered a traumatic experience in October 2011 when torrential rains led to a flash flood …
October 9, 2013
Budget-friendly Sofia, Bulgaria
Most travelers are unaware that Bulgaria is one of the best travel values in Europe and its capital, Sofia, is one of the cheapest cities to visit. The country has more green space than most …
October 7, 2013