Egypt was supposed to be part of a tour of the Maasai Mara Reserve in Kenya and a cruise to the Seychelles Islands in 1997. Sadly, there was a terrorist attack in Luxor killing 62 people, mostly tourists. We were advised to stay on the plane at both the Luxor…
Exploring Carcassonne is like being in a medieval fantasy novel. We booked a tour which started outside the Narbonnaise Gate. This was a great way to get an understanding of the history and features of this formidable fortified complex. The castle is very crowded during the day with visitors from…
The press is full of stories about overtourism today. We all hear reports about huge crowds in the world’s beautiful cities. Paris tourism has been on a big upswing since 2024 when millions watched the Paris Olympics. The question is…”Is Paris too crowded and should…
There are often surprising powers which propel us toward special directions in our life. It is like an unknown force gives us a nudge. The Island of Bali is such a serendipitous destination. In 1995 after over a year of brutal treatments for cancer (multiple surgeries, an experimental stemcell transfer…
After our superb AHI “Essence of Southeast Asia” tour ended in Siem Reap, Cambodia Marla, daughter Lisa and husband Ray, and I flew to Bali for the last leg of our trip. We’ve stayed at many Bali hotels over the years and wanted something new this time. We chose…
It was great seeing Gary again! He came over from the Hilo side to spend a little time with us. Gary began making Garlic bread with a super sour dough. I bought raviolis from Genova Delicatessen in Walnut Creek, then froze and packed them before leaving for Hawaii. This has…
Many years ago Marla and I visited an amazing village while touring in East Bali. The village is called Tenganan. The villagers are known as the “Bali Aga people” and are the original aboriginal inhabitants of Bali. They were living in Bali long before the ancestors…
Watching “The New Look” on Disney+ was very entertaining, with superb direction and great actors! The fascinating story sent me down a rabbit hole wanting to learn more about the history of the characters and the times. France during the Nazi occupation, the fashion industry, and decorative textiles…
I have fallen in love with Spain’s Andalusia region. The history and diversity of the area is breathtaking! I’ll take you on a visual tour of the “white villages”, amazing Sentil de las Bodegas, fabulous Ronda, and finish with beautiful Marbella. On a future…
“Travel is about the gorgeous feeling of teetering in the unknown.” The writings of Anthony Bourdain have stayed with me over the years. I’ve included some of my favorites with images from my archives. I know the feeling of his quote above very well and have…