EUROPE
Burgundy by bike, boat or car
Paris may be crawling with tourists scurrying to monuments and museums, but in Burgundy, a mere 90 minutes south on the TGV train, sightseeing is never an object. The pace is slow, the countryside bucolic and the pleasures of gastronomy rule supreme. The chandeliers in the Michelin-starred restaurants are eternally glittering and the puffy […]
Southern Italy where they’ve perfected the art of slowing down
When our cook, Fausta Solfa, mentioned that dinner would be at 7:30 pm, someone in our group asked: “Is that 7:30 pm regular time or Italia time?” The rest of us started laughing. Four days into our week-long sojourn in southern Italy and we were finally getting used to the pace: be ready by 8:30 […]
Ski or hike in Zermatt, Switzerland.
Head to Zermatt, Switzerland for spectacular powder runs, stunning trails and the romantic charm of an idyllic Alpine village. Matterhorn Magic Walt Disney was inspired by the majestic sharp mountain in southern Switzerland and copied it for the famous Disneyland ride. It’s easy to fall in love with the Swiss winter, especially in the shadow of […]
Millennials travel tips
Safety Tips for millennials going abroad from college students to professionals traveling for business. Bar Tips – Buddy System Go with a buddy. It’s better to have two sets of eyes to watch for bad situations. Don’t leave without your buddy. Get smart about Rophynol, “the date rape drug”, which is odorless, tasteless, and colorless. If […]
Ireland by Bike: Pedaling Through the Emerald Isle
If life seems richer, greener, and more melodic in Ireland, that’s because there is simply more clear air, clean water, verdant countryside, and heart-lifting music in everyday life. Join me as I explore Ireland by bike. For ten entrancing days, I cycled the quiet back roads of the Ring of Kerry and the Dingle Peninsula […]
Normandy as painted by the Impressionists
Normandy is like a beret perched askew on a Frenchman’s head, the 360-mile Normand coast curls along the north and northwest of France. After visiting Rouen, I headed for the coast to soak in the beaches and soft-green landscapes bathed in shifting light. Claude Monet’s Etretat “I count on doing a large canvas of the […]
Managing Airport Stress
No one escapes stress. All people can do is to manage it. There are a multitude of causes, but airports rank among the worst of them. A neuropsychologist remarked while passing through London Heathrow, the sixth busiest airport in the world, that it was a similar experience to being in a riot, according to the Telegraph newspaper […]
Gourmet Barging in Burgundy, France
The mere name Burgundy evokes splendid wines, fine cellars, history and epicurean feasts. The secret is out among wine and food connoisseurs — the best way to sample it all is aboard a luxury barge cruising along the Burgundy canals. Barging is not a river […]
France. Impressionist Painters in Normandy.
What exactly is a Francophile? Someone who appreciates French history, culture, fashion, art and cuisine, and that describes me. Ever since I lived in Paris, for four years when I was in my 20’s, I jump at every opportunity to go to France. Last month I jumped at a chance to go to Normandy to follow […]
Walking Tours in England
Tours in England often overlook the fabulous footpaths in the Cotswolds. The ancient network of footpaths were created over the centuries as villagers found the quickest way to their place of work, local market or church.