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 […]
Tashkent: A Vibrant Clash of Exotic Culture and Commerce! Read More »
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
Visit the Most Beautiful Bookstore in the World Read More »
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
Enormously Powerful. Relentlessly Beautiful. See Thunderous Iguazu Falls! Read More »
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
A Visit with Gauchos of the Argentine Pampas Read More »
At first, it is all kitschy street drama. Tango couples inviting tourists in for the photo op with tipped hat and mimed kisses. There is much more to the story of La Boca. This colorful neighborhood located in southern Buenos Aires brims with street tango performances, soccer fans and art museums. Named after its location
The Brilliant Colors of La Boca Tell Buenos Aires’ Stormy History Read More »
Visually impressive, sure! I was startled and fascinated by their constant, changing soundtrack, so unexpected from this vast frozen panorama of limitless shades of blue ice formations. Shifting, moving, sometimes calving in great, majestic glacial chunks. Our first views were of the Perito Moreno Glacier in El Calafate Argentina’s Los Glaciales National Park with an
Ice Music! Patagonia’s Astonishing Symphony of Glaciers Read More »
Magallanes and Chilean Antarctica, Chile became a favorite within minutes of arriving. A park with everything hikers like me dream about. Narrow but stunning valleys that separate hypnotic geological features, glaciers, and lakes of impossible shades of blue. In fact, Paine means “blue” in the native Tehuelche (Aonikenk) language.and is pronounced PIE-neh. Torres del Paine National Park, located in
The Tip of Chilean Patagonia: Formidable, Spectacular Torres del Paine Read More »
Essential oils are part of our culture…used in aromatherapy sessions, relaxation techniques, in massage therapy, for holistic medicinal purposes, in yoga studios and an expansive range of cosmetics, perfumes and skincare. And as a lifelong scent devotee…I found Egypt a mecca for magnificent essential oils which, as I write this, scent my home with rich
From Aphrodisiac to Mummification: Explore Egypt’s Rarest Essential Oils Read More »
At first my jet-lagged brain could not process more than their looming yet beautiful presence, and proximity to the nearby town. I had imagined them constructed in the middle of some vast, remote, practically inaccessible stretch of desert wasteland…as is over 90 percent of the remaining country. But they were here in all their significant
Truly Astonishing Facts About Egypt’s Incomparable Pyramids and the Great Sphinx of Giza Read More »
Before landing in Tokyo I was perfectly content with a plastic tray of wannabe sushi from the supermarket. Not any more. The preparation, presentation and consumption of this oh-so-subtle symphony of flavors, textures, aromas and colors and its accompanying description raised my culinary bar to previously unscaled heights. A caress of freshly “grated over sharkskin”
Enjoy This Sushi Symphony: Japanese Food as Performance Art Read More »