Varanasi, also called Benares and Kashi, is a pilgrimage destination in India. According to ancient texts, the city was founded by the Hindu deity Shiva, making it one of the most important pilgrimage sites in the country. Varanasi is also considered one of the oldest inhabited cities in the world and is the home of many prominent Indian writers, musicians, artists and poets.
As a cultural and religious center of North India, Varanasi welcomes over …
After years of reading about the island of St Lucia, her emerald twin mountains jutting from the sea and the delicious mineral waterfalls throughout the island, I was excited to finally have the opportunity to jump in and partake in its wonder. My friend had discovered a magical spot and was anxious to take me there, near the village of Soufriere.
We started our journey near the southern tip of this avocado-shaped island. The old …
Thirty miles south of London, and halfway to England’s South coast, lies the Weald — an area of outstanding natural beauty dating back to the Saxons of 900 AD. Visiting the Seven Wonders of the Weald, I started my journey in the gorgeous Kentish village of Penshurst, where one of England’s most outstanding stately homes can be found — Penshurst Place.
Built in the 1300s, Penshurst has been home to Kings and Noblemen for 650 …
As Ireland’s national holiday approaches, visions of all things green will sweep over the island, as well as fill the minds of Irish descendents spread across the globe, many of whom make pilgrimages back to their motherland on the ever-popular St. Patrick’s Day. Green everything in all shades is usually the order of the day, especially for those visitors looking to make their visit to the Emerald Isle, well, extremely emerald. Green beer, green clothing …
While driving across the Italian border at night, I was completely captivated by the contrast between the infinite blackness of Lake Como and the sparkling lights of the surrounding towns. This was the beginning of my love affair with the Italian lakes, and it has led me to favor this setting above all of mainland Italy’s other attractions. The Italian peninsula has so much to offer; over the years I have been mesmerized by its …
Located about 50 miles off the coast of Venezuela Bonaire is the “B” of the Dutch Caribbean “ABC Islands” (Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao) and has long been known among scuba enthusiasts as a diver’s paradise. (In fact, that slogan is emblazoned on their licence plates!) Due to the island’s forward thinking preservationists, all of its surrounding waters have been strictly environmentally protected which makes for resplendently healthy reefs and thriving marine life. Bonaire’s diving is …
“What do you think of Colombia?” my husband asked. Colombia? We were searching for a way to get to South America from the States, and round-trip flights to the most popular destinations — Argentina, Peru, Chile — were surprisingly expensive. Colombia, on the other hand, was half the cost of those routes, and schedules typically involve a stop in Miami before heading to Bogota, an easy three-and-a-half-hour flight. “Sure!” I quickly agreed.
We spent one …
In northwest Italy, Piedmont (Piemonte in Italian) is home to some of the country’s best wines. And truffles. And food. Some might say this area bordered on three sides by the Alps is a little slice of heaven. It’s hard to disagree.
Encompassing more than 25,000 square kilometers and featuring fantastic foodie towns like Alba (home of the Slow Food Movement) and Turin, Piemonte is everything people come to Italy for. Lush, rolling hillsides are …
If you’re tired of being clobbered by hotel bills, find traveling alone has lost its allure, or you long to see a city through the eyes of a local, it’s time to go CouchSurfing.
That’s the amazing international initiative where people open up their homes to travelers and show them around the local sights. Although a free bed is certainly a huge attraction, it’s not just a scheme for cheapskates. It’s also the best way …
The fact that I missed my early morning Eurostar from London to Paris may be down to the fact that, through use of the plagued Eastern European, African and South American railways, I’ve conditioned myself to expect train travel to be functionally disorganized. But it also may be down to the fact that I have poor time management, a lacking sense of urgency and a faulty alarm clock. Whatever the case, this is exactly what …
Vast deserts, subway trains, ice caves, mountainous lakes, gleaming apartment blocks, camels, highways, rivers, skyscrapers and magnet trains: welcome to China.
China has 44 metropolises with a population of more than 1 million, which is astonishing, considering that most of us would be hard pressed to name many cities in the Middle Kingdom beyond Shanghai and Beijing. But many of China’s true treasures lie well beyond the throngs climbing the Great Wall and ascending the …
Adventurers have found many ways of conquering the legendary Cape to Cairo route – by pedal bike, motorbike, battered Land Rover or fragile aircraft. But if you really want to travel this fabled journey in style, climb aboard the Rovos Rail.
This South African train bills itself as the most luxurious in the world, and for once it isn’t over-the-top hyperbole. The exquisitely restored carriages cocoon you in a world far removed from reality, in …
Virginia has long been a reliable source of natural beauty. Preservationists have taken on the painstaking responsibility of conserving their national forest and parks, while making them available to campers and other nature lovers. So far their success has been phenomenal.
There are many campgrounds available on Virginia’s pristine beaches.
Located by the Chesapeake Bay, First Landing State Park also hosts a camp store, bath houses, and a …
Tracing your cultural heritage and family genealogy is a fascinating undertaking. Family origins have an interest that goes beyond mere intellectual curiosity. We feel bound by our connections to the past, by an archetypal respect for all that has come before us. The mystery of your family’s origins is waiting to be uncovered, no matter what your race or country of origin. With a bit of planning and skillful research, it is possible to reveal …
