Seeing the World One Step at a Time
In the eager pool of morning light there rises The Rock. It is perhaps the most iconic symbol of the implacable indifferences of inhospitable landscapes, its dimensions timeless, unsummarized. And I want to climb it. There is something in the Western mindset that arouses a near irresistible urge to climb a peak. We look up, we admire, and if possible, we act. It may be related to a primal impulse to conquer a headland, to be king of the … [Read more...]
As we all know, not everyone who ventures beyond their home city or country has the same approach to travel. Some are tourists and some are travelers. And it’s pretty easy to tell the difference…well, that’s not entirely accurate. It’s pretty easy to spot a tourist, but the traveler tends to blend in, so you may not even notice he’s there at all. Tourists, you might say, stick to the beaten path and seek the stereotypical. When they … [Read more...]
Named best boutique hotel in the Hudson Valley for two years in a row, the Diamond Mills Hotel has become THE place to stay for discerning travelers and visitors. Diamond Mills also has a 7000 square foot event space, and has become a popular destination wedding location. Another reason you'll want to book ahead. Cradled between the Catskill Mountains and the Hudson River, Diamond Mills Hotel is ideally situated in the historic center of … [Read more...]
Ski season is already under way tempting passionate skiers worldwide to the snowy slopes of the most popular resorts in the Alps. Those of you who have already spent a few seasons skiing in award-winning ski tourist hotspots know that a weekend’s holiday may be financially draining. To those who are planning their first ski trip, the grand total in most ski resorts across Europe may seem daunting and worth giving up on the whole idea. However, … [Read more...]
One of my favorite activities is hiking, yet I’m afraid of heights. I love trying different modes of transportation in my explorations, but I’ve been seasick on whale watching trips and catamaran booze cruises. While I’m a huge fan of beautiful views, driving in elevation, particularly if the roads wind and twist, tends to make me carsick. I generally feel colder than everyone else around me. To function at an optimal level, I need to eat more, … [Read more...]
Explore BC's Beautiful Gulf Islands Be sure to visit at least one of the beautiful Gulf Islands if you and your family are thinking about a vacation to British Columbia, Canada. A magnificent string of around one hundred small, large and mostly inhabited islands situated between the mainland of British Columbia and beautiful Vancouver Island. Located in the Strait of Georgia, the islands are easy to gain access to from either the mainland … [Read more...]
Arashan is a trek that gets under your skin; it is a four to five hour hike up a rutted and rough dirt road alongside a raging river. From Karokal you can take mini bus number 350 - it is about 30 minutes to the drop off point. Or you can take a taxi for about 350 som. You can certainly hike this yourself in the summer - allow 4-5 hours along a very rocky rough dirt road that follows a quickly flowing river for much of the way until the road … [Read more...]
Jerusalem is a vibrant modern city full of cultural events, restaurants, and a rich nightlife. But it is first and foremost a spiritual center of the Jewish people. Jews from all over the world come to Jerusalem. They take part in pilgrimages to holy sites, such as the Western Wall and Temple Mount. Often, they also celebrate bar and bat mitzvahs (coming of age ceremonies), weddings, and Jewish holidays in their ancestral homeland. Because … [Read more...]
We shall not cease from exploration And the end of all our exploring Will be to arrive where we started And know the place for the first time. -- T.S. Eliot The press trip to Hocking Hills, Ohio, that I was invited to sounded like just my kind of quirky fun – visits to a washboard factory and the world’s only pencil sharpener museum, candle and pottery-making classes, off-road Segway and zipline rides, and hikes - including a haunted one … [Read more...]
I knew our drive out from Doha was going to be interesting as soon as we started our journey to the sand dunes from my hotel. Our driver, a large Omani soon crossed to the other lane of traffic and stunned an opposing driver by doing so. He had one hand on the wheel, one hand on his mobile and his eyes were looking somewhere else. Once he got off the phone he became quite liberal with the use of the horn and headlights - using both many times … [Read more...]