Visiting Guatemala’s grit and grandeur
My childhood home is gone and so is the Chinese restaurant next to it. But my street in the urban center of Guatemala City remains its bustling old self.Buses growl and spit exhaust. Cars race down the narrow one-way street. Stores sell everything from wedding gowns to candy. But the paint is worn away from some of the buildings, a sign that the years have taken a toll.I left this street... READ MORE
Sublime wine, scenery in central Virginia
The masseuse’s golf balls gently rolling across my back in the dimly-lit spa put me into a Zen-like trance. So did the thick clumps of interrupted ferns carpeting the forest floor as I hiked, while the haunting, flute-like call of the wood thrush wafted through the trees. And a little while later, in a cider taproom, the sparkling hard cider gave me a slight buzz. This is Nelson... READ MORE
The last call for long-distance train trips?
Trump’s budget proposes to cut all funding for Amtrak long-distance trains. The administration isn’t happy with Amtrak’s ongoing losses, and long-distance trains face an uncertain future.So if you’re interested in a long rail trip, you don’t have to worry for this year, but the future will be much cloudier.• The Coast Starlight between Los Angeles and... READ MORE
Cuba combines opposites in a time warp
Classic American cars abound in Cuba, where importing American-made goods was banned when Fidel Castro took power in 1959. Today, the meticulously maintained (though seat belt-free) Cadillacs, Fords and Buicks can be seen on streets in Havana and throughout the country. American tourists seem to enjoy taking a ride. Photo by JHVE Photo When Columbus landed in Cuba in 1492,... READ MORE
Not a hotel lover? Try a vacation rental
“Eew, this isn’t anything like what I expected!” Although vacation rentals don’t generate a lot of complaints, I’m pretty sure the number one complaint is disappointment on arrival at a previously unseen rental.The big online vacation rental “marketplaces” such as FlipKey and VRBO do as much as they can to assure... READ MORE
Be flexible to snag true bargain airfares
Kiplinger’s interviewed Scott Keyes, who writes an email newsletter called Scott’s Cheap Flights. Through it, he sends out international airfare deals to 350,000 subscribers.Here are excerpts from the interview.Q.: What’s your number-one rule for finding cheap airfare? A.: Flexibility. Once you have an origin airport, a destination... READ MORE
Exploring Umbria’s picturesque villages
Assisi is one of the best known of the hill towns that dot Umbria, in the countryside of central Italy. St. Francis was born here in 1182. Medieval castles and churches dominate the town’s skyline. UNESCO designated the Franciscan structures of Assisi as a World Heritage Site in 2000.Photo by Henryk SaduraIn 1996, a book titled Under the Tuscan Sun recounted how author Frances Mayes... READ MORE
Getting lost in Venice, for the fun of it
Venice is an old city. The water-logged foundations date back to the 11th century. The newer building facades are as recent as the 15th.So many buildings were stripped of paint and plaster on both sides of a small alleyway that I expected them to crumble before my eyes — until I reminded myself they have looked pretty much the same for over 500 years.This other-worldly city is filled ... READ MORE
A visit to Pittsburgh: food, art and Fences
If you’re planning a trip to Pittsburgh, you’ll need to learn a few things first. Yinz is local for y’all. Carnegie is pronounced Car-NAY-gie (as in Andrew Carnegie, who made a fortune in Pittsburgh’s steel industry, and whose name adorns libraries, museums and more). And you don’t get French fries with your sandwich at Primanti’s. You get fries on your... READ MORE
Inexpensive, rising Rust Belt destinations
Here’s why tourists should take the Rust Belt about as seriously as they take politicians these days: Because the food, art and sightseeing in “flyover country” is well worth your precious vacation days — not to mention cheaper than in trendier destinations.In the last two years, I’ve visited Michigan, Indiana, Ohio and Wisconsin — sampling art museums,... READ MORE
