Crazy, captivating, chaotic… Palermo is all that and more. The mix of old, new & everything in between reminded me immediately of Naples, insane street traffic recalled that of Buenos Aires, & the people I met in my few days there were incredibly friendly. I felt right at home! While I couldn’t see everything, I gave it a go. Here’s what I managed to fit in.
Read More »sicily: palermo
A recent trip to Scandinavia gave me the opportunity of a lifetime: visiting the capital city halls of Sweden, Denmark & Norway. A trifecta! Stockholm & Copenhagen built their modern city halls at about the same time, but Oslo wouldn’t start construction until a few decades later… yet they all have similar themes. Let’s take a closer look at each.
Read More »scandinavia: capital city halls
Something rare happened during this trip: I failed to unravel what makes Berlin tick. Meeting Rafa for a four-day break in the midst of a guidebook research assignment, he planned to show me why he loves the capital so much. In fact, everyone I know raves about Berlin. We saw killer museums, found interesting World War II remnants & enjoyed beautiful architecture; however, something seemed to be missing. What could it be?
Read More »germany: berlin
Deustchland? Not my typical Mediterranean home turf, for sure. I hadn’t been to Germany in at least 20 years, & all the cities above were completely new to me. With little time to brush up on some rusty, dusty German, I hoped for the best… & was pleasantly surprised. This book assignment helped me rediscover what a great destination Germany is. Let’s get going!
Read More »germany: guidebook research 2024
Everyone raves about the Palácio da Pena. Spectacular for sure, but endless crowds & high ticket prices make visiting the palace little more than an exercise in patience. Zero fun. Go to Sintra for natural beauty, but a better glimpse of royal family life can be found without the crowds on the same train line halfway between Lisboa & Sintra. Twenty years had passed since my first visit to the Palácio de Queluz, & strolling through its well-kept grounds made for a gorgeous, crowd-free morning.
Read More »queluz: what a palácio!