Once upon a time in Sicily, about 1700 years ago, a very rich Roman–maybe Emperor Maximian–built a very large home. He brought very skilled artists from Africa to cover all the floors in very colorful mosaics…nearly 38,000 square feet...
How to Make Your Long-Haul Flight Comfortable…Or At Least Bearable
Until time travel becomes a reality, getting around the globe is going to require a long-haul flight. I can hear the groans…and share your pain. What can you do to make a 10- or 12-hour (or longer–planes can travel...
Flags of the World Quiz: How Many Can You Identify?
Can you identify the flags of the world? We all know the Stars & Stripes, Union Jack, Maple Leaf, and Rising Sun…but the others? Here’s a quiz to see how many you know. Before we start the quiz: What’s...
How to Travel When You Don’t Speak the Language
Do you get stuck on how to travel when you don’t speak the language? For many people–especially when starting out–it can be a deal-breaker. They end up only going to places where they communicate in their native tongue. Even...
Sangria…Summer in a Glass…¡Salud!
It’s Sangria Season! Those fun-loving Spaniards know how to beat the heat. Sangria wasn’t always a party drink. A few thousand years ago, Roman soldiers marched through the Iberian peninsula–later to be called Spain–planting vineyards along the way. It...
Foreign Currency: Got Extra? Here Are Some Ideas…
What to do with extra foreign currency? If you’re like me, you hate to get rid of it. First of all, it’s much glitzier than U.S. money. Second, it’s a sweet and vivid memory of my trip. Still, what...
Hot Dog Throwdown: Sorry, Quebec City!
A hot dog throwdown? Why would this humble–and often maligned–sausage need to be compared? Especially since everyone knows the best hot dogs come from Chicago. Most of the world agrees, right? Okay, maybe not. And certainly not the good...
Volunteer Tourism: Is It for You? A Few Things to Consider…
Volunteer tourism: is it for you? Also called “voluntourism,” it’s a growing travel trend. About two million people a year–spending $2 billion–go abroad and donate their time to help a favorite cause. Given the world situation, volunteering certainly seems...
Naples Pizza: A UNESCO Cultural Treasure…and Treat
Pizza. It’s universal these days. But in Italy, where one of the world’s favorite foods was born, Naples pizza (pizza napoletana) is now officially recognized by UNESCO. Indeed, in December 2017, the pizzaiuoli–the skilled Neapolitans who spin and twirl...
Gallo Pinto: Cost Rica’s Delicious National Dish
Gallo Pinto: It’s more than rice and beans. It’s one of the best food memories of Costa Rica. Ticos–as Costa Rica citizens call themselves–have a saying: “Más tico que el gallo pinto,” which translates as “More Costa Rican than Gallo...