We are who we are, like it or not. And we have every right to be that way, like it or not. And if some people have a problem with that, get used to it. Gay people are still having problems simply being themselves, even though being themselves has been part of the…
For many, this article will be a refresher. But, if you've not been to Thailand (or even if you have) there is always something new to explore. With astonishingly great food, a tropical climate, fascinating culture, majestic mountains and great beaches, Thailand is a magnet for travellers around the world, and quite rightly…
Vancouver, Canada, is not a particularly old city. You might see some buildings from the late 1800's, but mostly it's 1970's family homes and high-rise apartments. We were driving down the street the other day in Vancouver, and passed this hotel / motel that we hadn't seen before, the 2400 Motel. We…
We're sure that more than a few of our readers are avid scuba divers, and we'll bet that even more would like to be. Read on, as we have some great options Pioneered by Jacques Cousteau in the 1940s, scuba can be meditative and zen or thrilling and dynamic. Moving weightlessly in three…
Here's an unusual, but at the end of the day explainable question. Why, if they're part of the EU (European Union) the Czechs don't use the Euro? It's the official currency of 19 of the 27 member states of the European Union and and over 340 million Europeans. The rest of the EU…
We imagine that some of you are real adventurers. You've seen the Eiffel Tower more times than you'd care to count (as spectacular as it is.) But, your quest for travel and new experiences always keeps you thirsty for a place that, perhaps, not many people have heard of. And, with that,…
Big dreams can have big repercussions. Even when you're smart. To make a long story short, Henry Ford was a hard charger with big plans. In the march to better processes and bigger profits, Ford wanted both. But, in the late 1920's, Ford realised that one rather large problem was delaying…
Why we love airbusMostly, it's because the headquarters are in Toulouse, which is a gorgeous historic city in France. And, of course, France also means impeccable food. It’s known as La Ville Rose (‘The Pink City’) due to the terra-cotta bricks used in many of its buildings. Its 17th-century Canal du Midi links…
Roll out the barrel, and we'll have a barrel of fun says polka master Frankie Yankovic. But in this case, we're talking about real drinking (tequila) in a real barrel (where you will sleep.) You may even do both in the same place. Can you think of anything more perfect? The Matices…
There is never a bad time to celebrate The Beatles. Can you think of many bands who connected so completely and creatively as The Fab Four? And this legend was only reinforced with Peter Jackson's Get Back series on Disney (which made your Admin burst into tears (of joy) several times.) Having…
As if life isn't mind-boggling enough, but now there are places you can go to get completely discombobulated. Almost like a bad psychedelic movie from the 1970's, you will step into this most wonderous of places and will then be "full of confusement" as Mike Tyson once said (supposedly.) What is this most miraculous…
Even in these "enlightened" (we won't use the word "woke") times, where everything is visible and almost instantaneous, there are still some elements of being human that are inhuman. We all need something every so often and sometimes we need to look in alternative place. We're talking about the need for "love" in it's most…
We always get thrilled when we hear of another groundbreaking (literally and figuratively) archaeological excavation. Due to technology, they're happening ever more frequently with sometimes stunning quality. Situated in southeastern Turkey, the subterranean city of Matiate has recently been unearthed and is truly gasp-inducing in its size and quality. To give you an…
Much of the west coast of the USA likes to fashion itself as different, edgy, hip, wild, unpredictable and not the norm. And, living in Vancouver as we do, we can certainly attest to that ethos. As ever, why be normal? Normal is boring and life should be full of surprises -…
Mother Earth is still fighting the good fight, despite so many of us giving her a hard time. She keeps warning us, but many of us are still not listening. And if things keep going the way that they are, there won't be any rooms where she will send us when we've misbehaved:…
By Patricia Filipovic, Senior writer So, you're going on an international vacation! You've figured out your budget and picked a place that should fall within said budget. Planned the itinerary and set a date. What else needs doing? What can you do beforehand to prepare?My travel mantra: Prepare for the unexpected. But mitigate wherever…
Sometimes, you just need to fight. But, sometimes you need to know when to quit. Here's an example. Dublin Airport received over 12,200 noise complaints from a single person in 2021, which totals nine out of ten of all complaints received by the airport: that's over 90% of all complaints. The…
This post is aimed at those who don't take things too seriously. And, we mean that. But hopefully your sense of humour is intact. And, at the end of you reading this, if you find yourself in that part of the world, the activity is real and it is a place where…
The Sixties were a wild time. Free love. The Beatles. International travel and intrigue. Modern art. Groovy personalities. Two of which we feature here: Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton. Arguably among the top ten stars during that spectacular decade, they made the world their oyster. One of their best…
If you're the shy type, then you might want to look away now. This article is about naturism. Naturism is a lifestyle of practising non-sexual social nudity in private and in public; the word also refers to the cultural movement which advocates and defends that lifestyle. Both may alternatively be called nudism. Though the two terms are broadly interchangeable, nudism emphasizes…