Category Archives: Tourism

Happy Halloween

A few years ago, I spent a very happy Halloween in Taupo, New Zealand. The charming lakeside town is sadly overlooked by many foreign visitors to the country. Along with stunning natural beauty, the community is surprisingly welcoming to tourists. … Continue reading

Posted in Art, Europe, Tourism, USA | Tagged , | 1 Comment

The true home of Halloween ?

Did you know that Halloween began on the island of Ireland? 🎃 The spooky season began as an ancient Celtic festival called Samhain (pronounced “sow-in”), celebrated over 2,000 years ago. Marking the end of the harvest season and the beginning of … Continue reading

Posted in Europe, Film, History, Tourism | Tagged , | 1 Comment

“The tourist is the other fellow.”

                                               “The tourist is the other fellow.”                       … Continue reading

Posted in Air Travel, Books, Bookstore Tourism, Europe, Libraries, Tourism, Travel Writing, USA, Writing | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

“Renaissance Baedeker”

I first learned about the 15th century incunabula Mirabilia Romae while I was researching a magazine article on the history of the travel guidebook. One of the earliest European printed guidebooks, the Mirabilia Urbis Romaea is a geographically arranged inventory of … Continue reading

Posted in Architecture, Art, Books, Europe, History, Museums, Tourism, Travel Writing | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Airport Affairs

As international airports go, New Zealand’s Dunedin International is a very small affair. I felt quite foolish showing up two hours ahead of time for my flight from Dunedin to Auckland since there was just one other flight that morning … Continue reading

Posted in Air Travel, Public Transport, Tourism | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Trans-Global Express

If you love train travel as much as I do, I’m certain that you will enjoy this charming, award-winning film about international train travel. Alan Dransfield had an inspiration for “Trans-Global Express” and here is his story: “A tapestry of … Continue reading

Posted in Asia, Europe, Film, Public Transport, Tourism | Tagged | 1 Comment

Geography Is Destiny

I am an open Geography nerd and have been since childhood. One of my most treasured possessions as a kid was my globe. And, my favorite game was actually called “Geography”. So, it will come as no surprise that I … Continue reading

Posted in Africa, Asia, Canada, Europe, Maps, Middle East, South America, Tourism, USA | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Obvious travel advice and more

Obvious travel advice, including “Mindset matters more than where you go”, and “Don’t confuse scarcity with value. A really good afternoon in the park (a really good one) is maybe about as good as it gets.” I recently purchased what may be … Continue reading

Posted in Books, Europe, Museums, Tourism, Travel Writing, USA | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

How not to blend in

With the return of mass U.S. tourism in Europe, there has been renewed chatter on social media about how American tourists stand out. After more than four decades of travel in Europe, I’ve accepted that I will never completely blend … Continue reading

Posted in Europe, Restaurants, Tourism | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Mapping Meaningful Travel

 Tourism Cares, a leading non-profit dedicated to advancing sustainability within the tourism industry, announce the launch of its “Get on the Map” campaign, a month-long initiative running from October 1 through October  31, 2024. The campaign is designed to inspire … Continue reading

Posted in Asia, Europe, Maps, South America, Tourism, Travel Writing, USA | Tagged , , | Leave a comment