Before we start, let’s stop: it’s not THE Ukraine, it’s Ukraine. Obama apparently learned this last year. Admittedly I didn’t know this until recently, but I'm not the Prez. And oh yeah, the capital (Kiev) …
June 21, 2014
Travel Stories
Why Ukraine?
Sixty miles to El Capitan Reservoir and back
I recently had a nice, cool day off for a leisurely and minimally hilly bike ride that doesn't involve the super-flat Mission Bay or San Diego Bay. Where else to go but to follow the …
June 19, 2014
Southeast Asia: it's a hostel world
“What do you want to do when you come visit?” “I don’t know! You plan it.” Well, let’s just see how this goes: I'm traveling on a shoestring budget through Southeast Asia with my mom. …
June 17, 2014
Big Bend Country, Texas
Big Bend is a massive national park that most outside of Texas have heard little about. The whole West Texas area that bends into Mexico, between El Paso and San Antonio, is often called “Big …
June 12, 2014
Kafka's Prague: surreal moments in Old Europe
Prague is a strikingly beautiful baroque city and the prime gateway for Americans into Eastern Europe. The city has intrigued me ever since I became enamored with Franz Kafka’s books as a teenager. An Old …
June 8, 2014
L.A. foodie binge
Why break bread in the City of Angels? Wade into a mixology oasis, devour seared red meat and make your way through a parade of Asian delights? Eat, pray and love. Nah, I just love …
June 1, 2014
Macchu Picchu, in style
It’s a well-worn theme, that of the Inca Trail and Machu Picchu. But bear with me: this time – my fifth – we did it in luxury, an experience so alien to me as a …
May 31, 2014
Take the back roads: Vermont’s historic Route 100
In an era where places rarely or barely live up to their reputations, Vermont’s Route 100 looks and really feels like old-fashioned Christmas cards depicting the New England state. I visited in winter, when buildings …
May 28, 2014
Journal from China: Shanghai, Beijing and Nanjing
My first trip to China was unforgettable. It was a tumultuous time in my life, with the ending of a long-term relationship and studies that had kept me occupied for four years. I had no …
Papeete, Tahiti
Papeete is the capital city of Tahiti, in French Polynesia. Relatively easy to reach from the West Coast, it's an eight-hour nonstop flight from LAX. Upon arrival at Tahiti's Faaa Airport, we were greeted by …
May 20, 2014
Guadalajara: Tonalá, Tlaquepaque, tequila!
Guadalajara is Mexico's second-largest city and capital of the state of Jalisco. It is a cultural center of Mexico, considered by most to be the home of mariachi music. A center of learning, the city …
May 16, 2014