Kuala Lumpur is, above all, a city of contrasts. The capital of Malaysia is an interesting mix of the historic, traditional Asia and the modern, hip Asia. Its ethnically diverse population of Malays, Chinese and …
November 22, 2011
Go Abroad!
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: A Study in Contrasts
Xunantunich Ruins, Belize
Over the river and through the trees lie the Mayan ruins of Xunantunich. First unearthed in British Honduras at the turn of the last century, this ancient archeological site is one of the finest in …
November 16, 2011
Culinary Discovery in Terme di Castrocaro, Italy
When in France, my husband and I decided to squander beaucoup d' euros on a Michelin one-star restaurant. The experience was so satisfactory that, on a subsequent trip to Italy, we decided to make a …
November 13, 2011
Bangkok is Drowning
About four months ago, in the hot, laboring days of summer, I decided I needed something to work for – something to get me through the weeks. A trip. I set my sights on Southeast …
November 4, 2011
Two Weeks in the Cook Islands
Those travelers looking for an authentic South Pacific experience without the exorbitant price tag should look no further than the Cook Islands. A nine-hour flight from LAX (one weekly nonstop) made the main island of …
November 1, 2011
Living Local in Paris
My husband, six-year-old and I spent a month in Paris. The best part was learning to live what the French call a "quotidien" life (just the day-to-day goodies) in the City of Lights. Since there …
A Week in Madrid, Spain
I was at the end of adjuncting three college courses, and hadn’t traveled internationally since 2006 when my husband and I went to Taipei to visit family. I had some money and time to go …
October 26, 2011
San Diegans talk of revolution in Middle East
‘When I heard that Qaddafi was killed,” says Abdul, who’s from Lebanon and doesn’t want his real name used, “I had to laugh because not too long ago he was calling his people cowards, rats. …
October 26, 2011
Dreaming with Freud in Vienna, Austria
Vienna, Austria, is a dreamlike city filled with two imperial palaces, one hundred art museums and countless Viennese cafes. So where do you begin for only a few days’ visit? If, like me, you’re married …
Kappa
“What is that, a duck?” David followed my gaze to the green-painted humanoid statue. “Looks more like a turtle,” he said. “Turtles don’t have beaks. And look at its head – maybe it’s some kind …
October 25, 2011
Hanoi, Vietnam: Looking Toward the Future
Hanoi, Vietnam’s capital and second-largest city, is one of the most beautiful capitals in Asia. Most well known to Americans for its role in the Vietnam War, Hanoi celebrated its 1,000th birthday in 2010. As …
The Galápagos: Wildlife Aplenty
Six hundred miles west of continental Ecuador in the Pacific Ocean, the Galápagos Islands contain birds, fish, reptiles and mammals not found anywhere else in the world. One in four animal species is endemic – …
October 12, 2011
Delphi, Greece: In Search of Sibyls
I have a confession: I’m crazed about the ancient fortune-telling sibyls. So crazed that I’ve raced through the Vatican to see Michelangelo’s depiction of the sibyls on the Sistine Chapel and I’ve even flown to …
October 4, 2011
Khao Sok National Park, Thailand: World’s Oldest Evergreen Rainforest
Many travelers to Thailand head from Bangkok to one or more of the beautiful beaches and islands in the southern part of the country. Just a few kilometers inland from these beaches is Khao Sok …
October 3, 2011
Basilica of Sacre Coeur, Paris
After a few days in Paris, I was ready to explore something out of the ordinary with my family. We'd done the Eiffel Tower (so over it). Stared at the stern statues on the Notre …