Travel

During a drive around Newport, Rhode Island's famed Cliff Walk one encounters not just those fabulous cottages of the Gilded Age but also the armed fortress of the Patriaca clan. It is not a tourist attraction and drive by fast if you know what's good for you. With its craggy coast of nooks and crannies from early on it has been a smuggler's paradise and now a haven for mavens, Best known for fabulous jazz on a summer's day and lots of other cool stuff. We have a complete cheat sheet with contact info. Clip and save for a glorious getaway from the steamy city. The Vanderbilts traveled by yacht but you can get there with a car.

Michael Bedford and Sarah Sutro have recently settled in the Eclipse Mill in North Adams after many years of living and working in Asia. This is the second in a series of essays by Bedford about those experiences.

Mount Greylock, is the highest point in Massachusetts at 3,489 feet (1,063 m). During the depression years the CCC built Bascom Lodge. Three years ago the artist, Peter Dudek, his brother John, a chef, and his partner Brad Parsons won a competition, a twenty five year lease, to manage the Lodge. The contract entails a half million in renovations over ten years. On May 14 they open for the third season which runs through November.

Sri Lanka at its most scenic is the Hill Country with verdant mountains, colonial mansions and views of colorful Tamil tea pickers in the vast plantations. Nuwara Eliya is the city on the hill, known as "Little England."

Dambulla and Kandy are major centers within Sri Lanka's Cultural Triangle, which encapsulates extraordinary Buddhist art and architecture. Just to see Sigiriya and the Dambulla Rock Cave Temples alone are worth the trip to Sri Lanka. However, the region offers much more both in natural beauty and Sinhalese culture.

The range of contrasting landscapes and cultures packed into this small island, the size of Ireland, makes it a fascinating destination. Colombo, the eclectic capital, rewards with its mix of cultures and sights despite its seeming chaos and crowds.

A treasure house of natural beauty and culture, Bali captivates with its untamed shores, casual lifestyle, graceful people, and colorful celebrations.

The renowned art critic, David Bonetti, has recently returned to Boston, Brookline actually. We visited him while he was in the process of packing and moving from St. Louis. He had resigned from the St. Louis Post Dispatch. David proved to be a fabulous guide as we zipped about viewing the many art treasures of the vibrant city. We have an extensive slide show of that experience.

Bangkok - City of Angels - is Thailand's largest city with its population of eight million. The sprawling capital is an intriguing mix of the familiar and the exotic, of old and new. Its magnificent temples and Buddhist local color against a modern skyline define its unique character.