Olympia, Greece: It’s hard to describe the feeling as you stand at the original starting line of the stadium where the Olympics began in 776 BC. Greek myth credits the hero Hercules with creating the running races at Olympia...
Greek Coffee Frappé: Your Cold and Bold Summer Drink
Greek coffee frappé? (In Greek: φραπέ, pronounced frah-PEH.) Let’s agree that it does not sound like something Zorba would drink. I expected strong, stiff coffee when I went to Greece. So strong, that a pound of sugar is necessary to...
Rick Steves Is Wrong About Athens…Don’t Rush Away!
I’ll just say it straight out: Rick Steves is wrong about Athens. For those who rely on his distinctive teal-and-gold guidebooks for exploring Europe, you know that Rick Steves is unsurpassed in his expertise about the Continent. In fact,...
Remembering Notre Dame Cathedral
If you’ve been to Paris, you have photos of Notre Dame Cathedral. Probably a lot of them, because it’s so hard to capture its grandeur and godliness. Or it was… With the terrible news of the fire in Notre...
Poutine: Its History & The Recipe
Poutine might be the national food of Canada…but it is certainly the favorite of Québec. The combination of grease, salt, cheese, and gravy make it irresistible. Sure, it’s not high on the health food chain, but it’s worth an...
14 Fun Reasons to Walk the Camino de Santiago…Yes, You Can!
What’s that, you say? You need some reasons to walk the Camino de Santiago? True, 500 miles does seem like a long way on foot…and it does take at least a month. A long month, with 31 days. My...
Etiquette for Visiting Religious Sites…NO Exceptions!
Please don’t be THAT traveler. Please. Learn the etiquette for visiting religious sites and use it every time you enter a sacred place. There are plenty of reasons to include religious sites in your travels. They’re where you find...
Le Petit Champlain: Quebec’s Original Neighborhood
Le Petit Champlain is as old as Québec City. In fact, it’s the oldest commercial district in North America. But without some help a little over forty years ago, the quartier (neighborhood) would have been razed to make room...
Where to Go in 2019: Practical–and Dream–Destinations
“Where to go in 2019” articles started cropping up about the time we were setting the table for Thanksgiving. They’re always a mad array of destinations; every travel magazine, guide book, and newspaper puts out a list. The lists...
Harry Potter in London: Warner Brothers Studio Tour
Harry Potter in London seems natural…at least to fans like me. Where else would smart and sophisticated wizards and witches be found? And, after 12 rejections, it was a London publisher who finally agreed to take a chance on...