Compass & Camera

Sintra: A Tale of Two Castles

We're standing on a mountaintop west of Portugal. We've lucked out. It's one of those perfect... Read More
Lisbon Life

Portugal sits at the western edge of Europe, with Spain along one side and the Atlantic Ocean... Read More
Azulejo and Zellige

Azulejo and zellige. I know, readers! These are tough words to get your mind and mouth around. But they're relevant terms if... Read More
Short Stories from Mumbai

Last month, spending ten days in Mumbai left such a powerful lasting impression that I haven't written... Read More
Leaving My Heart in Havana

The song accompanying this post is Besos Discretos performed by Fusión Caribe, a fantastic band on the streets of Havana. Video follows below. ... Read More
Gong Xi Fa Cai! A Love Letter to Asia

Arriving with a scaffold of expectations doesn't help if you're setting sail on an ocean of possibilities.... Read More
Magical Maldives

Like drops of glass in a cobalt blue ocean, the islands of Maldives look like they exist in their own world. We... Read More
The Allure of Sri Lanka

We arrived in Sri Lanka late on a Friday night, unable to see the country's landscape from... Read More

July 14, 2017August 10, 2017

— 34 Comments

Final Postcards From My Grandmother, 1972

This is the last post of a four-part series. To read the first three posts, go here, here and here. It was summer, 1972 -- exactly 45 years ago. As my grandmother Peg set out on a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Europe, I was almost two years old and learning to talk in the U.S., and... Read More

February 6, 2017June 21, 2017

— 36 Comments

The Kanheri Caves of Mumbai, India

Rajesh and I choke along the highway in his rickshaw, breathing in the air pollution as we zip past the slums bordering the highway. I probably should... Read More

December 31, 2016June 21, 2017

— 37 Comments

My Top 12 Travel Experiences by Month

Happy New Year everyone! Thinking about where to go in 2017? Here are my top twelve travel experiences (ever, not just this year) by month. I hope you find some ideas among these journeys. Thank... Read More

September 16, 2016December 27, 2016

— 37 Comments

History, a Photograph and the View Over Guantánamo

The song accompanying this post is Guantanamera performed by Manos Libres, a musical group we loved in La Habana Vieja. Guantanamera is one of the most well-known... Read More

September 5, 2016June 21, 2017

— 64 Comments

Postcards From Trinidad

The song accompanying this post is Hasta Siempre Comandante performed by Dúo Real, a guitar duo we listened to while dining on the outdoor deck at La Ceiba in Trinidad. After Havana and Santiago de Cuba, we venture to Trinidad on another long ride through the countryside. Acres and acres of corn and... Read More

May 10, 2016October 31, 2016

— 31 Comments

Gathering of Nations 2016

The opening moment actually takes my breath away. The first drumbeat initiates a men's dance of such color and fervor I can... Read More

November 16, 2014April 29, 2015

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Regarding Everest

After seeing Mani Rimdu and an enjoying an overnight stay near Tengboche, we trekked farther up the Khumbu Valley toward Dingboche. The terrain relaxed into high altitude farmland, where rock walls delineated... Read More

November 7, 2014October 23, 2016

— 9 Comments

Blessed by Mani Rimdu in the Himalayas

This entry is Part 6 in a series about my trip to Nepal in 2005. The sudden flutter of activity at the front door of... Read More

June 16, 2017July 27, 2017

— 34 Comments

The Bonneville Salt Flats

Helloooo! It's been a long time since my last post. In the travel blogging world, this usually means the blogger is tired, out of money and content, or traveling. And sometimes, all of the above! Lucky for me, I've been traveling. It's been a fun few months and I have lots to share with you... Read More

January 9, 2017June 21, 2017

— 42 Comments

Streets and Markets of Mumbai

Our taxi stops in the middle of traffic and we step out into the mayhem of Mumbai at rush hour. Across the pulsing artery of cars and pedestrians,... Read More

November 20, 2016December 27, 2016

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2016: A Ski Odyssey

Winter is almost here, so how about a ski story? Last March we packed the car and set out on a two-week ski odyssey... Read More

October 27, 2016

— 27 Comments

Pure Color at Butchart Gardens

An October afternoon at Butchart Gardens, in photos. Heavenly! Are words even necessary? Not really, other than mentioning that Butchart Gardens is just outside Victoria on Vancouver Island. Trails lead through 55 acres of trees,... Read More

May 26, 2015June 21, 2017

— 33 Comments

Road Trip Oman: Nizwa and Final Thoughts

We arrived in Nizwa last night after a long day exploring Jebel Shams and the aged village of Misfat Al Abriyeen. Today is our last full day in Oman. We start early, meandering the narrow streets surrounding downtown Nizwa. Crumbling stone walls and newly constructed homes co-exist amidst an unlikely landscape of palm trees. As... Read More

April 9, 2015August 25, 2016

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Road Trip Oman: Peaks and Valleys Near Jebel Shams

After two blissful nights on top of Jabal Akhdar we depart the hotel feeling completely relaxed, with the distinct scent of Frankincense wafting from our backpacks. We load into the Pajero, reluctantly wave goodbye and... Read More

March 4, 2015August 25, 2016

— 11 Comments

Road Trip Oman: Secluded Luxury at Jabal Akhdar

After two nights of wild camping and one night in the desert of Wahiba Sands, we're a little rough around the edges. The Pajero is covered in dust and so are we. I'm looking forward... Read More

February 17, 2015August 25, 2016

— 33 Comments

Road Trip Oman: Foray Into the Desert

We wake up on the beach in Ras Al Hadd, having met a large yellow fin tuna and having enjoyed a peaceful night camping next to the ocean. The Omani sun burns... Read More

August 8, 2017

— 16 Comments

World Textures

This week's photo challenge: textures, one of my photography addictions. Hope you enjoy this amuse-bouche of textures from around the world. Next post on Portugal coming this Friday! See you then! [caption... Read More

September 26, 2016

— 13 Comments

A Quest to See Killer Whales

We were very lucky on our quest to see killer whales yesterday. We spotted quite a few of them, just south of Vancouver in the Strait of Georgia, not too far from... Read More

August 26, 2016August 26, 2016

— 49 Comments

Weekly Photo Challenge: Frames of the World

I love this week's photo challenge: Frame. I'm sharing three of my favorite travel photos. Oman We woke up early after a splendidly silent night in Wahiba Sands. The sun... Read More

August 5, 2016August 5, 2016

— 28 Comments

Weekly Photo Challenge: Morning in Cuba

The patchwork masonry catches my eye. I walk closer and see her looking out from her window onto the street below. I hold up my camera to... Read More