THERE ARE TWO JAPANS. We can visualize them both: the neon-lit, concrete and asphalt, high-tech, ultra-modern nation; and the land of geishas, tea ceremonies, Zen gardens and minimalist interiors. How far apart are these two Japans? You could say they are separated by more than 70
TWENTY. FORTY. SIXTY. Seventy is as high as I reached when counting the blacktip sharks that gracefully glided past our small dive group as they went about their midmorning rituals. They seemed unaware of our presence in their underwater world, about 100 feet below the incredibly
THE ‘‘CITY DIFFERENT’’ CAN BE DECEIVING. With a laid-back attitude and roots grounded in art and nature, Santa Fe appears unassuming but quickly proves to be anything but. Boasting a bustling art scene, an intensely rich cultural heritage and a stunning natural landscape, the city
DON’T LET THE WEATHER FOOL YOU — Skye can be “a wee bit moist” on occasion, as 19th-century Cuillin mountaineer pioneer Charles Pilkington once said, describing Scotland’s island of adventure. The largest island of the Inner Hebrides, the Isle of Skye conjures images of King Arthur,
LOCATED ABOUT 50 MILES OUTSIDE of San Francisco, Napa and Sonoma counties are known as prime wine destinations. However, both regions offer visitors ample opportunities for business and leisure activities. There is no shortage of recreational activities in Napa and Sonoma. In Sonoma County alone, the
THE TUSCAN CAPITAL, FLORENCE, sits amid the second-largest wine-producing region in Italy, surrounded by vineyards brimming with heritage vines and world-caliber grapes. Pausing beneath the tawny evening sky — a glass of Chianti within reach — while listening to the river lap against the walls
MENDOZA LIES ABOUT 600 MILES west of Buenos Aires, and the two cities could not be more different. Buenos Aires, a major port city, bustles with dozens of diverse neighborhoods. Mendoza, at almost 3,000 feet elevation, rests in the foothills of the Andes, a popular
IN THE DAYTIME, ALENTEJO’S visitors tour a verdant countryside dotted with vineyards, cork trees and churches that look like they jumped out of a fairy tale. At night, many travelers sleep in a castle, in one of the Pousadas de Portugal where the rates don’t
WITH THE 2020 SUMMER OLYMPICS, Tokyo joins an elite group of cities that played host to the Games multiple times. The IOCC’s selection of Japan’s capital further underscores it as one of the world’s most dynamic cities. Tokyo made a big splash during the 1964 Summer
THE FORLORN, LONG-FORGOTTEN amusement park swing swayed ever so slightly in the breeze. Hauntingly, the neighboring abandoned Ferris wheel creaked quietly as the wind passed through its never-used carts. It sketched a scene from a scary movie in many ways. As I learned that day, it
ELEPHANT TOURISM IN THAILAND can be a controversial subject. While many places use the majestic animals more for entertainment, there are reputable sanctuaries where, rather than playing soccer with elephants, you can feed them, bathe them and learn more about their stories. With a little bit
IN THE YEAR 381, WHEN A GLOBAL COUNCIL of Christian bishops convened, there was only one logical place for them to meet. From all corners of the Christian world they converged on Constantinople (now İstanbul) in what could be regarded as one of the world’s
DURING MY FIRST TIME in Malaysia, I made a rookie mistake. I had a meeting scheduled across town at 5 p.m. Forty minutes would be plenty of time to get there by taxi, or so I thought. While I prepared, my hotel room was bathed
THE LAND OF WHIRLING DERVISHES, the Trojan horse, the underground cities of Cappadocia and the charismatic founding statesman Kemal Atatürk, Turkey is rich in culture and lore. While İstanbul, lively and cosmopolitan, straddles Asia and Europe, it is Ankara that embodies a sense of the
REFLECTIONS OF FLICKERING lights in the sparkling River Seine, glowing sidewalks illuminated by 19th-century street lamps, and the romantic ringing of the bells of Notre-Dame from the central Île de la Cité: It’s no wonder Paris is considered the City of Lights, especially after work
WHEN THE BUSINESS DAY ENDS in Oslo, its night spots sparkle, especially during the long winter when the sky darkens in the afternoon and lighted windows line the snowcovered streets. Norway is a new star on the world’s culinary tourism map, one reason for the
