Urbino, a former center of culture during the Renaissance, has largely been forgotten by tourists due to its location in the Marche region of Italy. But, despite having far fewer visitors than its more glamorous …
August 6, 2013
Go Abroad!
Small-town Italy: Urbino
When in Lisbon
If you’re dying to go to Europe but discouraged by the value of the euro, consider Portugal, where you can actually spend less than $50 a day. Portugal’s capital city, Lisbon, has stunning Moorish castles, …
August 1, 2013
Perception vs. reality: Peru's Amazon
My wife and I were deep in the Amazonian rainforest of northern Peru, traveling on a small river boat. Our local guide, Uciel, was born and raised in this tropical jungle, and his passion for …
July 30, 2013
Charmed in Chiang Mai
The strong smell of black coffee served in a plastic cup no bigger than a shot glass startled me from my deep slumber. As one flight attendant pushed the cart forward, tightly squeezing it along …
Small-town Italy: Civitanova Marche
If you’ve visited the major sites in Italy and yearn for something unique and different, consider Civitanova Marche, a pleasant seaside village with a distinctive local flavor. The little fishing town and seaside resort in …
July 26, 2013
Decadence in Bruges
In the Middle Ages, back when canals were the super-highways of Europe, Bruges experienced a surge of wealth and culture. Before the canals started silting, there was a direct route to the sea from the …
July 25, 2013
Bohol, Philippines: hidden paradise
Looking for an off-the-beaten-path island adventure with pristine beaches, wildlife, historical sites and plenty of activities? Consider Bohol in the Philippines. This unassuming island is full of baroque colonial architecture in the form of its …
July 25, 2013
Uganda's Batwa Trail
In Uganda, gorilla tourism is an economic engine. It benefits not only the mountain gorillas that the tourists track, but also the human communities in and around the forests in which the animals live. It's …
No worries in Potsdam
“You’re American? What are you doing here? Usually Americans just visit Berlin.” This was the response I received after a vendor asked me a question in German. Apparently, most American tourists forego 1,000-year-old Potsdam, Berlin's …
Mesmerizing Ometepe
Approaching the island of Ometepe is a bit foreboding. As the ferry moves nearer and nearer, it's too easy to invoke movie images of Jurassic Park or King Kong. The tops of the two volcanoes …
July 18, 2013
Afghanistan: among the connexes
My walk from the barracks to the connex is familiar. Begrudgingly, my boots start on the walk to work. For exactly 100 steps, large gravel rocks are the path. They are everywhere the pavement or …
July 16, 2013
Small-town Italy: Conegliano
Rome, Venice and Florence are all amazing experiences, but it’s also nice to just relax in a small Italian village with the locals and experience Italian culture in a different way. Few Americans have heard …
July 15, 2013
Los Llanos: wild Colombia
If you look at a map of Colombia in South America, you see a huge region in eastern Colombia comprising sprawling, seasonally flooded plains that have been ignored by tourists due to their location (former …
July 11, 2013
Burkina Faso: remote logic and the almighty dollar
In my long-range travels I have learned two great lessons: 1) the people most removed from the modern world not only think differently than I do but are far more logical, and 2) Western-style capitalism …
July 11, 2013
History-rich Mechelen, Belgium
In Mechelen – pronounced with a guttural "ch" – religion has played a tremendous role for over 800 years. The city's provided shelter, freedom for women, even beer...and it’s also served as a dark double-edged …
July 9, 2013