Anyone with the good fortune to visit Iran must include Yazd on the itinerary. Located in southeast Iran between the Kavir and Lut deserts, the city was a major stop on the caravan routes (Marco Polo called it “a good and noble city”). Yazd’s location and aridity spared it from the Mongol invasion preserved its traditional architecture. This photo gives a little perspective of the enormity of … Continue reading Yay for Yazd | Iran
What’s not to like about a place that offers paletas (see above) right off the bat? That sweet offering was only the first of many gustatory and visual treats savored during a wonderful weekend in Puerto Rico.
Ancient sea creatures remains made for elegant pathways around the hotel. I found the patterns mesmerizing (or maybe it was the heat?).
Some of the manmade patterns were lovely to behold, as well. I wish I had a drop-tilt lens but had to make do with this angle.
The streets of Old San Juan are full of beautiful homes, many in need of some TLC. In fact, this part of the city is undergoing a renaissance, as many are choosing to move in and renovate the colonial buildings.
We were guests in one of these fabulous homes. Not a few of us were ready to take up residence as well! Continue reading “Puerto Rico Me Encanta”
Iran is full of “must see” places: in almost two weeks, I averaged three sites a day and only scratched the surface. At the top of my list for southeastern Iran: the shrine to a 15th century mystic and poet who lived for 101 years.
Shah Nematollah Vali was a Sufi Master and poet born in 1330 in Aleppo. He traced his own descent from the seventh Imam and is considered the founder of the Sufi order Nimatullahi. Continue reading “Three Must Sees in Great(er) Kerman, Iran”
Smiles are a universal language that help break down barriers in so many places. However, in advance of my recent trip to Iran, I decided to add a little Farsi to my repertoire. It was one of the best decisions I made. While Iranians are among the friendliest people I have encountered in my travels, they lit up when I tried to communicate in their … Continue reading Iran |A Little Farsi Goes a Long Way
Italy’s high speed trains make almost anywhere an easy trip from Rome. While it is certainly possible to spend endless amounts of time in Rome, getting away for a day has numerous advantages. Just over an hour away, Naples is an excellent choice for ancient history buffs, pizza lovers and those who love all things Christmas. We arrived in Naples and it was a short … Continue reading When in Rome | Go to Naples
“Boston, Boston, Boston, Oh What a Town to Get Lost In” – lyrics that referred to the difficulty of navigating former cow paths now masquerading as thoroughfares. GPS and Siri have gone a long way towards remedying the situation and it’s a good thing because there are so many places to visit. Earlier this week, I had the opportunity to spend a little more than a … Continue reading 24 Hours |Boston, Massachusetts
We took the long way home via the Snowy Range Scenic Byway which was well worth the 200 mile detour. The 29 miles of twisting roads devoid of cars through the Medicine Bow National Forest provided stunning vistas with plenty of geological and historical information along the way. The quartzite ridge atop the range gives rise to the Snowy Range’s moniker, although the it is covered with snow … Continue reading Homeward Bound | Snowy Range to Jackson Hole Wyoming
As Joni Mitchell observed in her classic Big Yellow Taxi, “Don’t it always seem to go, that you don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone.” The vast wilderness encountered in the United States west even through the early 20th century has been eroded by development. Fortunately, the National Parks and National Forests along with many state and local agencies have preserved enough open spaces … Continue reading Fall Foliage and the Colorado’s Fabulous Flat Tops Wilderness
We interrupt our regularly scheduled blog post to share our most recent adventure: a road trip from to Trappers Lake and the Flat Top Wilderness Area in Colorado. We left Jackson Hole first thing last Friday after three solid days of rain; the early morning departure rewarded us with stunning views of the Tetons and its mantle of fresh snow. Intermittent fog blanketed the valley as we headed … Continue reading Rocky Mountain Road Trip | Jackson, Wyoming to Meeker, Colorado
Wading through two weeks’ worth of mouthwatering images from sublime meals in Japan, I decided to let the pictures do the talking for this post! More to come next week, with a feature on Naoshima. In the meantime, I may rent Jiro Dreams of Sushi and order takeout from my local Japanese restaurant to sate the cravings this post created. For more on Japan, see Tokyo … Continue reading Foodie Friday | Japan
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