Bulgaria is in Southeastern Europe. I’m now in Bulgaria, at Balcic (also spelled Balchik), a resort town on the Black Sea. We’re staying at the Regina Maria Hotel with our balcony hardly 30 yards from water’s edge. See my blog: Bulgaria 5.0 This is the sixth time I’ve been here, and it’s high time I’ve […]
I’m in Japan for two weeks. It’s my second trip to visit my younger son, Gerard, who has lived in Koshien (outside of Osaka) for three and a half years. Here are the top ten things I love about Japanese culture. Japanese Culture: Three to Start 10. Cool paper products. Not just origami, but complicated cards […]
There is no more “off the beaten path.” In this era of global travel all paths are sufficiently beaten. About 30 years ago I heard about the pilgrimage route known as St. Jacques de Compostelle in northern Spain. It’s a route you walk and stay at hostels along the way. I thought it might be cool […]
Sounds easy: how to act like a local. The problem is: when in Rome, it’s sometimes simply not possible to do as the Romans do, because you can’t figure out what’s going on. This is the sad, humbling, delightful truth of traveling. Having said that, however, I will also say that Americans traveling abroad are […]