Malmö is at the very southern tip of Sweden. This lively, modern-thinking international city has been around since the Middle Ages and used to be part of Denmark. In fact, to visit Malmö, you fly …
January 7, 2013
Go Abroad!
Malmö: Gateway to Sweden
Must-see Colombia
Most of the Caribbean has long since lost its authenticity, being overrun by cruise ships, high-pressure touts and one too many Jimmy Buffet wannabes. But there are still a few places where you can find …
Belize's Baboon Sanctuary
Sometimes the beauty of Central America is its simplicity. A small sign on the west side of the road announces that you’ve arrived at the Belize Community Baboon Sanctuary. (A misnomer, Belize’s "baboons" are in …
January 2, 2013
A Visit to Assisi
St. Francis and I are kindred spirits. I was traveling through Europe with my dog Maya, her kennel, and an old-fashioned trunk. Visiting Assisi was a must. It was a chilly November evening. A lone …
December 29, 2012
Humorous Humanitarian Dispatches from a Ukrainian Border Town
In the thick of night, you can almost always hear the tree branches rattling in a rhythmic chorus of nighttime symphonies. A tap starts at your window; a breath of air shakes a group of …
December 20, 2012
Cambodia's Creepy Crawly Market
While on a recent visit to Siem Reap, Cambodia, to see friends, I got to know my tuk-tuk (taxi) driver rather well and relied on him to take me places most tourists don’t get to …
December 18, 2012
Swank in Switzerland
Built in 1913, Switzerland’s Gstaad Palace is an icon of Old World charm. By the ‘50s the posh hotel was attracting an international jet set, playing host to singers like Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald. …
December 18, 2012
Swim with the Sharks in Bora Bora
Part of Tahiti and French Polynesia, Bora Bora is widely regarded as one of the most beautiful islands in the world. Although it's just an eight-hour flight from LAX, visiting Bora Bora is like stepping …
December 17, 2012
Helsingborg, Sweden
The city of Helsingborg, Sweden, is a lot more charming and laid back than you would imagine Sweden’s busiest fruit port, the place where Nicorette was invented and still made, and the headquarters for Ikea. …
December 17, 2012
Bulgaria in Translation
“Wind of Change” by the Scorpions was on Bulgarian radio again. I listened while staring out the window at Sofia’s graffiti-speckled buildings on the taxi ride back to my downtown apartment. The next song sounded …
December 14, 2012
Volcano Boarding in Nicaragua
Ever been volcano boarding? Consider adding it to your bucket list – especially if you're in Nicaragua. Volcan Cerro Negro is 25 kilometers from the colonial city of León, Nicaragua. The country is populated with …
December 13, 2012
Prague: A Vampire, a Sunset and an Electrocution
It was our second night in Prague, and the Old City shops were closing early and making me angry. Mark, my husband, and I were delayed by my dives into shops whose proprietors had not …
December 11, 2012
Tanzania: Meeting the King
On safari in Tanzania, a close encounter with the king of beasts moved from a wonderful experience, to an ordeal, then finally a funny story. Spotting a pride of lions, our guide parked us within …
December 10, 2012
Balaklava, Ukraine's Golden Beach
The coast was stark and abandoned. We'd discovered a natural wonder with no foot traffic – a landscape of vibrant colors and fluid sunsets that belonged in a watercolor. Before my eyes, the Black Sea …
December 7, 2012
Stalled in Gan, Norway
I visited Norway for the first time this summer with my girlfriend Kat. The story starts in Gardermoen, Norway, with a man named Werner Hålien. We’d met Werner in San Diego through the hospitality exchange …
December 6, 2012