Spain is a country that needs no introduction to the world on why visit—north to south the country has long attracted visitors keen to hike in the Pyrenees and explore Asturia, experience the cosmopolitan charm of Barcelona and the otherworldly landscapes in the Canary Islands. And through it all—travelers and locals enjoy world-class tapas, seafood, …
I stay in a lot of different hotels. A LOT of hotels. They range from 5-start luxury hotels to youth hostels. Some I pay for myself (aka the cheap ones) and others are provided by tourist boards (aka the nice ones). The majority of the places I stay at all sort of blur into one …
As you have probably noticed, I have a fetish for visiting UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Having visited 400 of them, I often am asked if I plan on visiting all of them. The answer is “no” and I’m not even sure it is possible. As of 2020, there are 1,120 UNESCO World Heritage sites and …
I didn’t plan on visiting Petersburg at all on my trip, so when my ferry docked in port an hour early on its way to Wrangell I had no expectations. I just knew I was hungry and I might as well find something to eat on solid ground. Speaking of eating, it was interesting to …
The biggest ball of twine in Minnesota is in Darwin, about an hour and a half west of Minneapolis. Really. The ball is inside a plexiglass pagoda to protect it from the weather and the visitors. I have always wondered what it smelled like. I hate to think I may never know. The allure of …
For generations the buffalo were the Plains Indians’ source of food, clothing, tools and dwellings. These animals were gifts from their Gods, and each piece of the animal had a purpose. Even the buffalo chips were used as fuel. They were plentiful on the plains before the middle of the 1800’s, like pigeons in New …
I’ve always had a fascination with the Cold War. I wasn’t alive for the majority of it, but when I was a kid Russia (or the USSR as it was called then, children) still had a lot of mystique. I remember vividly sleeping in the Soviet Space exhibit at the Fort Worth Museum of Science …
A lot of Montreal’s charm lies in the outdoors. It is a green city, and perfect for outdoor adventure if you are visiting in the summer. But if you visit in the winter, or there is rain in the forecast, it is smart to have an inclement weather plan. The Biodome is perfect for this. …
I’ll admit it. I’m a city girl. That’s not something most Texans admit. There’s a lot of country pride in my state. But I grew up in a big city suburb and I’ve never lived in anything even remotely close to a town. I don’t know anything about farms. My husband is a farm boy. …