On my recent visit to Salamanca, Spain in the Castile Y León region, I was fortunate enough to have lunch at the famed restaurant, Zorita’s Kitchen. It is located on the property of the Hacienda Zorita Hotel, a small luxury hotel. This was a perfect stop after touring the University of Salamanca, which dates back to 1218 AD, including …
Europe
Gliding down the Rhone River, I couldn’t wait for my first stop in Southern France. A quick jaunt across the bridge and I had entered an ancient walled-city that at one time had been surrounded by a moat. The ‘Old Town’ area is filled with cobble-stoned streets, architectural treasures from the 13th century and the …
Take Journey through Champagne France I found that in only a quick jaunt from Paris, in the Champagne France region that borders Burgundy, there lies a tiny slice of heaven known as Essoyes. According to Jean Renoir, “There is no other place like it in the whole wide world. There I spent the best …
Are you a fan of walled cities? If you are, then you should head to Avila, Spain in the Castilla y Leon (Castles and Lions) province of Spain. Located just about an hour and a half drive from the Madrid Bajaras airport, it’s a city waiting to be discovered. This walled city is also known as the “City …
Best Day Trips From Barcelona Colonia Güell and Gaudi’s Crypt My Grandfather, John Clark, was born in a tiny hospital in a small town in Texas back in 1898. At that same time, halfway around the world, there was an artist named Gaudi. He had been asked by his friend to build a place …
If there is one thing I love about my travels, it is the architecture that I get to see in different countries. I love to see the shape and form of places and how families live within them. I am fascinated by texture and old world looks, with peeling paint, fauxed walls (whether intentional or …
Cogevi-Collet Champagne House I spotted him as he came through the stone-white door carrying a giant, sparkling tuba (really a sousaphone) high upon his back. He was with his friends: the saxophone and the tenor sax. They were casually walking down the street as I entered the museum of Cogevi-Collet Champagne House in the champagne …
Carnival in the Black Forest of Germany (Part 1 link) Snap, Whip, Crack! The parade has begun with over 4000 “fools” who have gathered at the entrance to the old Black Gate and make their way down the parade route. The characters of the Black Forest begin to come alive as they perform a slow, …
Uncorked Champagne, France I am so excited to share with you that I will be attending the 7th annual International Wine Tourism Conference (iWINEtc). It takes place in the Champagne-Ardenne region of France in the city of Reims. For two days, I will hear over 30 talks, panel discussions, and presentations about wine tourism along …
Norway’s Northern Lights He sat softly in the cold white snow as the mysterious hovering orbs of light surrounded him and he stared in awe at the sight that has been happening in this country for more than a century. Particularly puzzling to him is the wide variety of different lights that seem to appear, …
There was a quiet stillness unlike anything I had experienced before. I knew that Maakalla Island of Western Finland was remote, but the eeriness I felt upon stepping off the boat gave me a bit of a shiver. It was mid-August and so the weather was picture-perfect for today, as soon, no one will …
Deep in the caverns of a palatial kitchen, we sang and laughed, as we tasted the flavorful homemade food, high in the hills of Mercatello sul Metauro, Italy. I heard the sounds of many languages, laughter, and songs, as I popped fava beans the size of sausages into my mouth, after salting them on …