Skip the Resorts, See Historic San Jose del Cabo
When John Steinbeck wrote The Log from the Sea of Cortez, the memoir of his specimen-collecting journey with marine biologist Ed Ricketts in 1940, he wasn't concerned with Baja towns…
Up-Close Gray Whales
Detouring from the Sea of Cortez, our Un-Cruise Adventure took us across the Baja Peninsula to Magdalena Bay on the Pacific for some whale watching. I was hopeful, but keeping…
Baptistery of St. John, Siena, Italy
When it comes to early Renaissance art, Siena is more or less thought of as Florence's little brother. A lot of the same artists worked in Siena. Donatello and Ghiberti…
Portrait of a Ghost Town: Condado de Alhama, Spain
[NOTE: My visit to Condado de Alhama was in 2012, and the photos here were taken at that time. You'll see from the flurry of comments below that present-day Condado…
The Sans Souci Palace, Potsdam, Germany
The Sans Souci Palace in Potsdam, outside Berlin, was the “getaway” for King Frederick the Great of Prussia. The pressure of being a mid 18th Century ruler was evidently so…
Images of Mount Fuji, Japan
Mount Fuji, or Fujisan, sacred place and source of artistic inspiration, is how UNESCO describes Mount Fuji. It is indeed an inspiration.
Budapest: Stay and Eat
Our recommendations on where to stay and eat in Budapest. Walking the neighborhoods of Budapest open up all sorts of historic and contemporary doors.
Warming Up to Budapest
To get to know Budapest, start walking. These neighborhoods, both near and beyond the Danube riverfront, will give you a real feel for the city.
Saint Cecilia in Trastevere, Rome
The church of Saint Cecilia features an extraordinary sculpture of the saint below the altar. Well worth a visit just to see it.