Helsinki, Finland, is considered by many to be the “gateway to the East,” dividing Scandinavia from Eastern Europe. Indeed, it spent time as both as part of the Kingdom of Sweden and as part of …
March 2, 2014
Travel Stories
Helsinki, Finland
Go green in Encinitas
When most people think of Encinitas, the beach is probably the first thing to come to mind. Moonlight and Swami’s are two of the best in the county. But the seaside community is also home …
February 27, 2014
Faith at Lima's witches market
Sometimes the power of belief is the most important part of a medical treatment. At the witches' market in Lima, Peru, the curanderos gather in early morning, setting up their stalls and hanging their banners. …
February 24, 2014
Wine and dine in Baja's Guadalupe Valley
Recently I went back to northern Baja's Guadalupe Valley. I hadn’t been there since the late 1980s. Back then, it was just emerging as a serious wine-growing region, with two giant producers (Cetto and Pedro …
February 20, 2014
Pago Pago, American Samoa
A thick drizzle soaked me one Saturday afternoon in Pago Pago, American Samoa. (Pronounced something like “Pango Pango.) But the drizzle was a welcome relief from the Deluge of Heaven that had just raced across …
February 18, 2014
Münich's surfers
Sitting near the base of the Alps in southern Germany, Münich's nearest coastline would be where Venice slowly sinks into the Adriatic some 300 miles away. But while one might make the case a gondolier …
February 16, 2014
Winter skiing's finally on in the Eastern Sierras
Just when SoCal skiers and snowboarders thought winter would never come, the Pineapple Express has opened up and is dumping tons of snow on Mammoth and June Mountain. The weather phenomenon picks up moisture-laden air …
February 14, 2014
Tournament time in Indian Wells
Each March I make my pilgrimage to the desert to pay homage to the world’s greatest tennis players. Framed by the snow-summitted Mt. San Jacinto, the BNP Paribas Open is hosted at the Indian Wells …
February 11, 2014
Hidden Bruges: Bonifacius Bridge
Bruges can easily be called one of Belgium's greatest tourist traps. Loads of expensive restaurants, hundreds of surely overpriced hotels and many, many tourists. Thanks to a great guide, though, I experienced an idyllic moment …
February 9, 2014
O’ahu on a plate
A culinary expedition: journalist resolves to achieve edible incapacitation in the Aloha state. Let us resolve to gain weight this new year! Known as the melting pot of the Pacific, Hawaii is home to hundreds …
February 5, 2014
Local travel: the Bayshore Bikeway
As a family of four with two preadolescent children, we’re often looking for fun, active ways to explore our own beautiful city without spending too much money. San Diego’s sunny, laid-back disposition creates an ideal …
February 3, 2014
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River surfer on the Eisbach.
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Just a typical night on Nola's Frenchmen Street.