If you're in need of a crash course in American history, don't crack open your old text book. Just head to Philadelphia where around two hours of intense sightseeing can give you a greater understanding of how our country began as well as a large dose of patriotic pride. Even more good news? Most of […]
Deciding whether or not to do a day trip out of the city when you're only in Rome for a limited amount of time can be tough. But a good friend who also happens to be a superb traveler recommended that we see Ostia Antica, a well-preserved ancient Roman port town that's not too far […]
When I went to Cappodocia, the central region of Turkey whose landscape resembles the American Southwest, I stayed in the town of Goreme, which is famous for the “painted churches” at the Goreme Open-Air Museum. From behind my hotel, Sultan Cave Suites, I could easily see Uchisar Castle (pictured above), which is in the next […]
(The Castle at Sidon; all photos by Heather Cowper of Heather on her travels on Flickr) Guest blogger Heather Cowper spent a week in June driving around Lebanon with a friend to see the sights. Heather has her own wonderful travel blog, Heatheronhertravels.com, but the Bristol, England, native was kind enough to share her thoughts […]
If you want to see the Roman ruins and really get a feel of how the city must have looked when the buildings were fully intact during ancient times, then don’t go after dark. Because they definitely were not lit up at night like this. At least not according to the history books.
(Temples of Bagan; photos by Jeremy Willinger) Guest blogger Jeremy Willinger just got back from a solo trip through Southeast Asia, where he visited Burma (aka Myanmar), Thailand, Laos and Cambodia. He was especially struck by Burma which, he warns, requires careful planning for even the most adventuresome of travelers. Here, he shares his experiences […]
It’s a commonly held conviction that Venice becomes magical at nighttime. Now, this Italian engineering marvel is quite lovely during the daytime too — you know, thanks to those canals and colorful architecture and all that. So what makes it even more special in the dark? First of all, it’s not as hot at night […]
From the outside, the Basilica Cistern (pictured above) doesn’t look very exciting — especially compared to other dramatic historical sites in the Sultanahmet district of Istanbul — but it’s pretty neat on the inside. You enter the modest building, buy your ticket (10 TL) and immediately descend down a steep flight of stairs to see […]
When we decided that we wanted to visit Cappadocia, Turkey, we knew that we wanted to stay in the town of Goreme for easy access to the Goreme Open-Air Museum. A one-mile walk from the center of town, this UNESCO World Heritage Site is a must-see if you’re in the region and is a great […]
Last night, I took a short flight from Istanbul to Kayseri, a conservative city in the middle of the country that's the gateway to Cappodocia. Because it was dark when I arrived, it wasn't until this morning that I got to observe my surreal surroundings. The topography here is actually similar to that of Southern […]
