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I took a few semesters of art history in college. I like art museums; I really do. But surely there’s a more interesting way to display art than simply hanging it on a wall, indoors, behind a plane of clear plexiglass. Wasn’t art made for interaction? Funny you should ask. On an obscure island in […]

“What’s up with that sculpture in the middle of the intersection, Donica?” “I don’t know, Dave, but it seems to be coming alive!” To travel is to be constantly surprised, especially when you’re lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time. My girlfriend (and one-day wife) and I have flown up […]

Travelers are selfish people. When we discover a site that really feels special, we tend to keep it a secret, thinking, “How can we keep this place out of the guidebooks? How can we keep it entirely to ourselves! Private! Unspoiled! Untouched! Ours!” It’s true that the arrival of tourists isn’t always the best thing […]

In Wow Place #47 (Udaipur, India), I shared with you my passion for visiting places featured in my favorite TV shows and movies. Another such place is Laggan, Scotland, the location where they filmed the great BBC TV show, Monarch of the Glen. Not familiar with it? Monarch of the Glen, which ran for 7 […]

Hey all,I was lucky enough last week to spend some time with travel blogger Jonny Blair, author of the wildly popular "Don't Stop Living." Here's the transcript of our interview: Who are you? --I am Jonny Blair, a backpacking, whackpacking tourist who has travelled extensively around the world since leaving my homecity in 2003. I'm [...]

You always remember your first kiss, as the saying goes. I would add to that statement, “You always remember your first Egyptian Temple.” With all respect to the majestic temples in Luxor, my favorite temple along the Nile in Egypt is the unassuming Philae Temple in Aswan. It’s got an interesting back story, too. Currently […]

I feel about Kyoto, Japan the same way I feel about Florence, Italy: it’s just too touristy! Almost everywhere you go in Kyoto, the sheer volume of foreign visitors overwhelms the attractions, turning them into mini Disneylands. Okay sure, no visitor to Kyoto wants to miss its world-class site: the Golden Pavilion, the Silver Pavilion, […]

“I think we’re going the wrong way, Dave.” “Can’t you hear the waterfalls, Donica? They must be nearby.” “Yeah, well, this ‘trail’ of ours is turning into a deer path. We need to turn back.” “But we’re SO close!” I’m a stubborn guy when it comes to directions. Most of the time I do get […]

“Mom, we’re the car driving up the hill. I think we’re the one which has to back up.” “But we were here first; why can’t THEY back up? My mom, Shirley, and I are heading toward the Neist Point Light House on the Isle of Skye, which we are assured (by our B&B proprietor, Morag) […]

“How are we going to get across the street, Jen? There are no stop signs or traffic lights!” “Have you ever played Frogger?” “Very funny.” Hanoi is a fascinating city. There’s a beautiful lake in the middle of town, with a pagoda on an island seemingly floating in the center. There are numerous specialized neighborhoods […]