Casablanca is a brief 7 hours from JFK, then an hour and a half to Rabat but for the moment, close your eyes and breathe in the pungent spices of North Africa, intersection of vibrant trade routes from all over the world. An agreeable climate, expansive coasts, red deserts and imposing Atlas mountains. African, Arab, Jewish, Persian and French (so love this) cultural confluence with Berber culinary skills. And every …
It was an afterthought, a stop on the way from Madrid by way of Segovia and Avila to Salamanca. Easy to miss if you weren’t looking for the signpost at the end of a long driveway, mid-vineyard, bathed in a golden Spanish sunset. Had I known more about this little gem, I would have booked a week-long stay to enjoy all that the Hacienda Zorita Wine Hotel, Spa and Organic …
Most travel “bucket lists” lead with an African Safari. Or at least rank as a top three destination experience. The movie, “Out of Africa” and the works of Isak Dinesen were all I needed. Meryl Streep’s rhapsodic soliloquy in the film’s opening scenes, “I had a farm in Africa at the foot of the Ngong Hills,” inspired my Kenyan odyssey, a trip I completely under-estimated for sheer wonder. I enjoyed …
There are more famous residents of Malaga, Spain. Picasso for example. For art lovers, put the Picasso Museum Málaga on your must-see list. Several of his works are on display and there are art history and ceramic workshops. The great man is dutifully honored in the city park and you can take the requisite pics sitting on the bench. But for my money, a tapas lunch at El Pimpi offers …
Clos de Chillon The Castle has its own vineyard spread along the shores of Lake Geneva, just 10 minutes walk from the castle. Each year, its grapes produce a Grand Cru known as the Clos de Chillon. The white wine is made using the chasselas variety, and the red from a blend of the gamaret, garanoir and merlot varieties. I have no idea what that means but our guide mentioned …
With travel to Russia prohibited for the foreseeable future, I’ve been reflecting on my own experiences in this most culturally diverse, complex, fascinating and unique collection of countries. Russia is just that: a collection of regions, towns and cities. Each with its own language, foods, traditions and sadly united under another despot. With singular devotion to the arts: performance, architectural, sculptural, pictorial. In metallurgy and mosaics, in marble, frescoed and …
