History is a "funny" old thing. Like tunics tumbling in a dryer, around and around the dynasties come and go. And, of course, sometimes they just melt into one another and no-one really remembers what it once was like.
At one of the most important places on earth sits Istanbul, Turkey. It still has a sharp…
Outdoors
Those of us who live up here in the Pacific Northwest of North America are very lucky, in many ways. The weather, the diversity (especially of our residents) and the history that is constantly being discovered and enjoyed. As with many other countries, Canada has a population that can be considered as First Nation. In…
Cape Town is South Africa's crown jewel and the most European city you'll find on the continent. Founded by the Dutch East India Company in 1652, it was South Africa's first attempt at a modern metropolis, earning it the nickname "The Mother City." Cape Town is worth visiting year-round. That said, it looks different each…
What could possibly go wrong? Actually, at this point in time, you're probably OK to camp at Yellowstone National Park. The park is a nearly 3,500-sq.-mile wilderness recreation area atop a volcanic hot spot, so choose a cool spot. Mostly in Wyoming, USA, the park spreads into parts of Montana and Idaho too. Yellowstone features…
As if the relationship between Canada and the USA isn't convoluted enough, did you know that 50% of all Canadian citizens live south of essentially the 45th Parallel. Canada is one of the largest countries by land in the world, but its population of only 38 million is about ten times less than the United…
If you're lucky, you live near trees. And if you're even more lucky, those trees will be plentiful. But, if you're really lucky, you might be able to find a rare habitat, one that would make Frodo feel at home - a tree tunnel: high or low canopies of the trees that create a nature-made…
Every so often, a human mass movement comes along that subtly alters the zeitgeist of we humans. It could have been the art enlightenment in the 1920's. Or perhaps it was the peace and love Hippies in the 1960's. But one of these movements has persisted - the Chautauqua Institute. Chautauqua was an adult education…
Deep in the Caucasus mountains of Georgia is a town called Bochorna. The highest continuously inhabited settlement in Europe, it has an altitude of 7,694 feet—or six Empire State buildings stacked on top of each other—and a population of one. But to get there, to that man, and to that town, you need to ford…
Whether you want to get out of the USA or into Canada, or the other way around, your time has come. After nearly four years of conceptualizing and construction, the nation’s (USA) longest multi-use state trail is open to the public, reaching from the southern most tip of Manhattan right up to the Canadian border.…
Europe is many things, but one thing that is consistent across almost all of the European countries is the general approach to tolerance. Good, mature behaviour is recognised, and rewarded with few limitations or rules. The Europeans intrinsically get this.
And one area where this all blends together for Europeans is camping. This article talks about…
If you're a music fan, then you certainly must know of the Buena Vista Social Club, 1999 documentary film directed by Wim Wenders. The film follows renowned guitarist Ry Cooder and his son, Joachim, as they travel to Cuba and assemble a group of the country's finest musicians to record an album. But, even if you…
It's always good to think ahead, when you can. And while you're enjoying the summer sun, there are probably a dozen or more items on your list that you're ignoring / forgetting. Well, let us give you a little prod to recommend that you start looking into your winter holidays now. Chances are good that…
Do you fully recognise that "they are among us?" Do you fashion yourself as an extraterrestrial hunter? Do you have the knowledge, desire and hardware to search for them? The US Pentagon says there’s no explanation for “unidentified aerial phenomenon” detected by pilots over the years. But scientists use tools such as the SETI Allen…
Ireland is one of the more hip, inclusive, free and charming places in Europe. When you meet an Irish human, you will inevitably strike up a natural and amiable conversation, no matter the situation. The Irish - the same as the Australians - are simply like that. Everyone tends to gravitate to Dublin and Belfast…
AirBnB, constant bad press notwithstanding, has created a wonderful new model on how to travel. Almost everyone wins. VRBO, an Expedia company (and one of our valued affiliate friends,) have taken the model and successfully given AirBnB a run for their money: in some recent months, they have marched past AirBnB in bookings. But, this…
"If looks could thrill it would have been us instead of him" All the children sing. These looks will thrill - at Reserva Alecrim EcoSuite & Glamping in Portugal. The properties, the views, the surroundings, the location - wow! And the bungalows look more like dwellings on the moon. Set by a lake in the Alentejo…
We're not sure if Sylvia Plath ever stayed at Sylvia's Restaurant and Lounge in Vancouver, but we're sure she would have felt at home. The Sylvia Hotel is a designated heritage building - there aren't too many of those in Vancouver - ideally located on English Bay, beside Stanley Park and just 5 minutes from…
Whether we want to admit it or not, almost all of us feel a little tingle when we think of Disney parks. The company knows how to push our buttons, and even lead us to new places. But, one of those places - Epcot - in Florida is a bit of an enigma to many. …
We suspect that there are some football fans in our audience: in this instance we are talking about the football played around the world - you know, the round ball, black and white. Some football fans are beyond passionate: they get tattoos of their team, name their children after star players, relocate to cities where…
India is a wonderful place full of wonderful people and lots of surprises. Here's one. Jatayu Earth Center, also known as Jatayu Nature Park or Jatayu Rock, is a park and tourism centre at Chadayamangalam in Kollam district of Kerala. It stands at an altitude of 350m above the mean sea level. Jatayu Nature Park…