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We travel for the sights and the monuments; what we remember are the people. Heading toward our hotel in downtown Tokushima, a mid-size city in eastern Shikoku, I motion to my friend to pull over at a nearby parking lot. “This is the place, according to HappyCow (a search app for vegetarian dining). “The building […]

I hope you’re enjoying my”micro” travel blog: “365 Wow Places”. My quest is to write 365 blogs in 365 days… about cool places I’ve been to and what they’ve taught me (and can teach you). I What interests me is how can we bring our best travel selves back into our home and work worlds. […]

“Excuse me, where do we get off the bus for the Phutthamonthon? “There.” “You mean, at the next stop?” “There.” “It seems like you’re signaling that we missed the Phutthamonthon stop, that we should get off here, cross the street, and head in the opposite direction. Is that right?” “There.” One of the challenges of […]

When I was a kid, my friends and I would sometimes sneak into the local golf course at night. The challenge was to penetrate the course as far as we could, with the ultimate goal being to put our hands on the clubhouse wall without being caught by the guards or the gardeners! We travelers […]

If you’re a foodie like me, you’re in the habit of seeking out big, bold flavors. On the other hand, there’s a case to be made for the pleasures of a more subtle flavor profile. The same is true for travel. Unlike countries like India or Thailand, with their knock-your-socks-off sights, Scotland is a nation […]

Okay, I’ll admit it. I like chasing movie sets. I get a perverse thrill from visiting places I’ve seen in TV and movies. In fact, I’m still kicking myself for missing out on the Lord of the Rings tour while visiting New Zealand. (What was I thinking?!!) Let’s see. The Sound of Music tour in […]

Some of us travel to transform the places we visit, while others travel to be transformed. In the north part of the island of Kauai, Hawaii, a drive down Highway 560 west from Ha’ena will lead you to a short trail on the left side of the road (past Ha’ena Beach Park). Following this trail […]

Apart from the Great Wall of China and the Pyramids in Giza, there probably isn’t a site in the world more iconic than the Taj Mahal. Everyone knows what it looks like: its white onion dome, its four thin towers, its great, rectangular, reflecting pool I’ve been there twice and can confirm; the Taj Mahal […]

As you’ve no doubt gathered from my blogs, I have a special connection to Japan. I’ve been there many, many times, I speak a bit of the language. I even lived there for a few years back in the 80s. If I had to sum up my feelings about the country, I’d say I go […]

There’s a great scene in Spielberg’s latest film, the Fabelman’s (2022), where young Sammy is granted an audience with the legendary filmmaker, John Ford (played by David Lynch). It goes like this: “John Ford: Now, remember this. When the horizon’s at the bottom, it’s interesting. When the horizon’s at the top, it’s interesting. When the […]