Khiva’s roots stretch back over 2,500 years, but its golden age began in the 16th century when it became the capital of the Khanate of Khiva. As a major oasis along the Silk Road, it prospered from trade — and infamously, from a large slave market that once operated within its walls. The real magic of Khiva lies inside Itchan Kala, the old walled city, where more than 50 historic …
Nestled in Uzbekistan’s remote northwest, Urgench might not be the first name that jumps out on a Silk Road itinerary — but you don’t want to miss this gateway to one of Central Asia’s most fascinating cultural crossroads. From the grand courtyard houses of Ulli Khovli to the enduring traditions of the Turkmen people, this region is full of quiet magic waiting to be explored. Founded in the 19th century …
The term “Silk Road” evokes images of camel caravans crossing deserts, laden with silk, spices, precious metals, and exotic goods, and was the intrigue for my 8,650 mile journey to Central Asia. That along with stuff of legend; the conquests of Alexander the Great, Genghis Khan and Tamerlane. For over a thousand years, the Silk Road was one of the most influential networks in world history stretching from the ancient …
It’s called El Ateneo, Spanish for “The Athenaeum”, a place associated with learning, the arts and intellectual pursuits. A hundred years ago, it was one of the most elegant theatres in all of Argentina, now it is considered the most beautiful bookstore in the world. Shelves of books replace rows of seating…celebrating a different type of artistic expression. As you enter, the feeling is still one of anticipation. Literature takes …
This is not just “another waterfall’…and believe me, I’ve seen a few and shared them with you; Iceland has Seljalandfoss and Godafoss among their trove of treasures as well as South Africa’s Victoria Falls from both ground and helicopter views. But Iguazu trumps all of these with raw majesty, sound and fury! Iguazu Falls are actually a series of large waterfalls or cataracts on the border between Argentina and Brazil. A …
My joy is to live as free as the bird in the sky; I make no nest upon this earth Jose Hernandez from his 1872 poem The Gaucho Martin Fierro Different from the American cowboy, the gaucho is no Marlboro man with a Spanish accent. South American gauchos were sons of Andalusian pioneers settling in coastal Argentina mid-18th century, who came without women and family, siring mixed blood or “mestizos” …