Vibrant gold and amber leaves shimmered in the sunlight as I drove through the Colorado mountains on “Colorado Color Sunday.” Passing working coal mines in Bowie, Colorado, with stacks of dark black coal piled high, …
Travel Stories
Kebler Pass, Colorado
From the Moon to the Stones: Chicago's West Side
It’s around 2am, and I’ve taken the “L” train in the wrong direction. There are two “Western” stops on the blue line. I could have sworn that I knew which was which – one located …
November 9, 2010
Salzburg, Austria
My sleepy eyes drank in the Austrian countryside as the overnight train from Venice moved closer to Salzburg. The glorious green hills were a refreshing change from the equally stunning but distinct Italian scenery. I …
Knowth, County Meath, Ireland
"All of these mounds have a hole straight down into them. When you go up top, you'll see," says the guide at Knowth. County Meath, Ireland, is one of the earliest known developments – older …
November 4, 2010
Tombstone, Arizona
October 26, 1881, gunshots rang out, men lay dead and the O.K. Corral was forever known as the famous Old West shootout. Today, gunslinging characters slowly swagger down the boot-worn wooden sidewalks of Tombstone, Arizona. …
November 4, 2010
Timeless Athens
En route to Athens, my flight connected in London with a stopover just long enough to view the famous Elgin Marbles in the British Museum. Greece has been determined to have them returned to their …
November 3, 2010
Reykjavik, Iceland
Vibrant two-toned houses covered in corrugated aluminum siding dot the cobblestone streets of Reykjavik, brightening the ancient Viking town even during the longest of dark days. Like a cross between a 1940s Monterey and a …
October 28, 2010
The "Real" Shangri-La, Yunnan Province, China
Referencing the book The Lost Horizon, the P.R.C. changed this town’s name to Shangri-La (originally called Zhongdian) in order to attract tourism. We arrived after a long, long sleeper bus ride from Kunming, the capital …
Wrigley Field, Chicago
Built in 1914, just two years after Boston’s Fenway Park, Wrigley Field is America’s second-oldest ballpark. But the Wrigley family (as in the gum) didn’t own the venue until 1920, when it was known as …
October 23, 2010
Lima, Peru
With 9.2 million people, Lima is the fifth-largest city in Latin America behind Mexico City, Rio de Janiero, Sao Paolo and Buenos Aires. The municipality of Lima, Peru, has 43 separate districts, each with its …
October 23, 2010
The Land Where Giants Dwell: Sequoia National Park
Sequoia National Park is home to the largest living thing on the planet. The tree, General Sherman, is tucked away along Generals Highway, about five hour’s drive from San Diego. Although not the tallest tree …
October 14, 2010