Travel
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Boston’s The Verb Hotel
Displays Bieber Collection of Rock Memorabelia
By: - Sep 10th, 2016After graduation from the BU School of Journalism David Bieber found that the only way to research and promote rock music was to collect the material. Soon his apartment was cluttered with thousands of albums and related detritus. It is the foremost archive of a formative era when Boston emerged as a major matrix for contemporary music. Now highlights of the Bieber Collection have been installed at Boston's The Verb Hotel.
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China's Yunnan Province: Part Two
Dali and Lijiang
By: - Sep 11th, 2016Dali is an autonomous Bai prefecture on the shores of Lake Erhai, which sits in a high-altitude valley of 6500 feet. Mild climate, beautiful mountain scenery, and unique minority populations make the region an attractive destination. Lijian, nestled in the high mountain plains at 7500 feet, is home to Naxi people, who have a unique culture and religion based on nature worship. Their living quarters is a well-preserved Old Town well worth a visit.
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Mongolia Part One
Ulaanbaatar and Gorkhi-Terelj National Park
By: - Oct 01st, 2016An independent country since 1990, Mongolia is a vast land situated between China and Russia. It has retained its centuries old nomadic life style and culture, despite 80 years under socialism. Ulaanbaatar , the capital city, is a vibrant metropolis with temples and museums, and is quickly establishing itself in the world community. Gorkhi-Terelj National Park boasts a landscape of forests, granite hills, rivers and meadows. It is home to 550 nomadic families and a favorite vacation spot for city dwellers.
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Winemaking at Chateau De La Dauphine
Great Wines At Reasonable Prices
By: - Nov 18th, 2016Chateau de La Dauphine in Bordeaux offers wine tourism possibilities for all visitors, year round. Marion Merker heads the operation of this beautiful estate.
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Mongolia Part Two
Khovsgol Lake and Gobi Desert
By: - Dec 01st, 2016The vast Khovsgol Lake region in northern Mongolia is home to numerous nomadic herders. As their grazing horses, yaks, and reindeer grace the shores, picturesque gers for locals and visitors add to the pastoral charm. Gobi Desert in the south fascinates with its valleys, sand dunes, ochre-colored cliffs, and the unique two-humped Bactrian camels.
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Southern Siberia
Along Lake Baikal on the Trans-Siberian Railway
By: - Jan 03rd, 2017Lake Baikal is the largest and oldest body of fresh water on earth. Traveling along its southern shore by vintage steam train is a unique journey on a coastal precipice with lush mountains on one side and the lake on the other. Listvyanka, an old port town on the lake, is also close to a network of hiking paths. Irkutsk, the capital of Eastern Siberia, reflects a rich and varied cultural heritage as home to 120 nationalities, well worth the distance to get there.
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Letters from Taipei
A Spotless Crime Free City
By: - Jan 09th, 2017Currently Mark St. Germain is finishing a screenplay of his widely produced "Freud's Last Sessions." Recenty, he spent the holidays with his daughter Kate. This is the first of three letters from Taipei that he sent to friends. For those who know Mark and have enjoyed his plays at Barrington Stage and other theatres you will enjoy and recognize his familiar wit and insight.
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Betel Nuts and Jade Cabbage
letters from Taipei
By: - Jan 11th, 2017During the holiday playwright Mark St. Germain visited his daughter Kate in Taipei. This is the second of three letters he sent to friends.They encounbtered a cab driver who "When he laughed revealed a black hole where his tongue and teeth would have been. All day he chews betel nuts."
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Lonshan Temple and Snake Alley
Letters from Taipei
By: - Jan 12th, 2017First a New Year visit to Lonshan Temple for prayer and offerings to the manmy Gods. From there it was on to Snake Alley to choose one's favorite kind of reptile for fine dining. For the adventurous there are side dishes of turtle testicles and deer penis wine.
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Northern Greece: Part One
From the Aegean to the Ionian Sea
By: - Feb 07th, 2017Traveling through Northern Greece is a wondrous journey across ancient Macedonia. The scenic land between the modern coastal cities of Thessaloniki on the east and Parga and Preveza on the west, is a treasure trove of antiquities from the time of King Philip II and his son Alexander the Great, along with those from Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman Empires. Biblical treasures along the route enhance the journey.
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Northern Greece: Part Two
From the Ionian to the Aegean Sea
By: - Feb 08th, 2017The highlights of this itinerary range from rock formations with monasteries perched atop the cliffs at Meteora to ancient Macedonian cities of Philippi and Amphipolis, the former distinguished as the first place Apostle Paul visited in Europe. The modern cities of Kavala and Thessaloniki enhance the experience with museums, monuments, and antiquities in addition to a vibrant urban life.
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Iowa's Field of Dreams
If Your Build It They Will Come
By: - Mar 06th, 2017The Ghost Players who emerge from the cornfield in the movie are re-enacted at the movie site by local residents in period White Sox uniforms.
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New Zealand: North Island
Bay of Islands
By: - Apr 12th, 2017A subtropical archipelago, the Bay of Islands is a unique ecosystem of nearly 150 islands. Pristine natural environment with emerald hills and clear turquoise waters set the stage for picturesque historic towns, which mark the crossroads of English and Maori cultures, giving birth to the nation of New Zealand.
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New Zealand: North Island
Auckland, Rotorua and Waimangu Volcanic Valley
By: - Apr 25th, 2017As New Zealand's largest city, Auckland offers a distinctive urban landscape with two harbors, modern high-rises, beautiful gardens, and impressive museums. Rotorua stands out with its geothermal activity and predominant Maori culture. Waimangu Volcanic Valley is a wonderland of crater lakes, hot springs, boiling mud pots, and an exuberant nature that has regenerated following the devastation of an eruption.
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New Zealand: South Island
A Wonderland of Natural Beauty
By: - Jun 04th, 2017Milford Sound with scenic fjords, national parks with spectacular mountain views and cascading waterfalls, and Dart River with thrilling jet-boat rides are the rewards of South Island. Traveling west across the Southern Alps, the rewards continue with the snow-capped Mount Cook region, Fox and San Josef Glaciers, a craggy coastline with "Pancake Rocks", and the artists' haven town of Hokitika.
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New Zealand's Urban Wonders
Christ Church and Wellington
By: - Jun 26th, 2017Christ Church is a vibrant coastal city rebuilding itself following a major earthquake devastation of six years ago. Contemporary architecture is on the rise, while historic treasures are being restored. Wellington, the capital city, is an urban wonderland with a thriving movie industry, world-class museums, outdoor cafes, an attractive waterfront, and beautiful botanical gardens.
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The Roads of North America – Part 5
Sketch: Cruising the Golden Gate Bridge
By: - Jul 19th, 2017Picking up this series after some time, we are continuing with reports about our travels in North America. We flew to San Francisco to attend a theater conference and to discover the city once again, followed by visits to Muir Woods and California’s wine country. There will be other sketches drawn from different locations and events. Here my personal photo-perspective of the Golden Gate Bridge, arguably the most famous bridge in the USA.
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A Shot in the Armagnac
Getting to Know Gascony's Treasure
By: - Jul 20th, 2017Armagnac has finally been recognized as the up and coming brandy. Its only taken 700 years to be recognized in the 21st century. At one time it was Louis XIV's favorite.
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Iceland: Part One
Westman Islands
By: - Aug 13th, 2017Heimaey is the only inhabited one of the fifteen volcanic Westman Islands on the southeast coast of Iceland. Rising from the cold sea, the island has a rugged appearance which belies its natural beauty and friendly people. Visiting Heimaey is a moving experience to learn about volcanic devastation and people's resilience to rebuild and to preserve the island's nature-made beauty.
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Iceland: Part Two
Reykjavik and Western Iceland
By: - Aug 27th, 2017Iceland is a destination for both the culture and nature enthusiast. Although Reykjavik is a small capital city, its cultural offerings are as varied as those of any major European capital. Snaefellsnes Peninsula in western Iceland is dotted with charming coastal villages and a feast of natural wonders. Snaefelsjokull, a glacier capped 700,000-year-old volcano, looms large over the western end of the peninsula.
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Iceland: Part Three
Wonders of the North and South Coasts
By: - Sep 05th, 2017Traveling from the northern fjords near the Arctic Circle by way of Lake Myvatn to the south coast, Iceland offers breathtaking displays of geological wonders. Craters, hot springs, lava fields, roaring waterfalls, geysers glacial rivers and black sand beaches are all within easy reach. Landscapes of beautiful farmlands and cliffs with seabirds are the added bonus.
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Greenland
A journey South of the Polar Circle
By: - Sep 13th, 2017Greenland, the world's largest island, offers majestic mountains, green valleys and picturesque fjords dotted with icebergs along its eastern coast. Towns of Tasiilaq and Kusuluk are home to Inuits, who have a unique way of life mediated by their environment.
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The Roads of North America - Part 6
San Francisco Bay and Sausalito Houseboats
By: - Sep 14th, 2017This is our second article from the San Francisco area and continuation of The Roads of North America. More than 50 photographs accompany this report. The views along the Bay and other discoveries are well worth seeing - no doubt!
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Exploring Annapoilis Maryland
Three Hundred Years of History
By: - Oct 21st, 2017The state of Maryland was named after Henrietta Maria of France, the queen consort of England, Scotland, and Ireland as the wife of King Charles I. Maryland is the only state in the United States whose judges wear red robes.
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TAP Wine Tour of Portugal
Day One in Lisbon
By: - Nov 22nd, 2017In mid November there was glorious, summer-like weather during the TAP Wine Tour. We were among 70 journalists from the States, Europe and Brazil. Over three days of bus and airplane hops we visited the major regions and quintas or estates in Portugal. Even for experienced food/ wine/ travel writers this was a rare opportunity. There were four daily vineyards or tasting rooms with several wines at each stop as well as five paired with gourmet meals for lunch and dinner. This is a report on day one, a Monday, which previewed the launch of the three day tour that ended with a TAP Gala in Porto.
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