I arrived in Poznan, Poland, armed with a bunch of historical facts, figures and questions: how, for example, was this area the cradle of the Polish nation, how was it that the Germans fortified the city but were, nonetheless, overrun by the Red Army in 1945, and what promted the citizens to rise up in revolt in 1956. I mean, isn't the study of history just how we contextualize ... Read Full Article
Bratislava, the New Capital of Cool
If Prague’s carousing stag parties wore you out, Vienna feels too much like a museum, and Budapest seems too sprawling, the cure is Bratislava, capital of Slovakia. It is a charming, compact city, rich in architecture and history, buzzing with energy and seriously underrated. It is also cheaper and much less crowded than the other cities on the Central European loop and well worth a ... Read Full Article
The Wonder of White Nights in Northern Europe
Come inside the Arctic Circle, where during most of the summer, the sun never sets. Northern European countries that lie inside the Arctic Circle provide some very interesting White Nights experiences. Because the sun does not set throughout the night, you can take the opportunity to change the way you travel…take a chance, do something you haven’t done before, stay up late (really late.) Start ... Read Full Article
Transylvania Incorporated: a Case Study in Globalization
Transylvania is a part of Romania that many tourists visit in search of unspoilt rural life, ancient traditions and centuries-old buildings. But if you explore it with a slightly different mindset, the region could serve as a case study in economic and cultural globalization. Keep your eyes peeled, and you’ll see pseudo-western T-shirts saying things like "Dream Princess," along ... Read Full Article
Prejmer, Romania: a Transylvanian Stronghold
Prejmer is a village in Romania’s Transylvania region that has the biggest and most spectacular example of a medieval fortified church in the country. Inhabitants of this part of Transylvania used to be so frequently plagued by marauding invaders that they built thick walls, lined with chambers, around their churches, and would live in these walls in times of danger. They would keep a ... Read Full Article
St. Petersburg, Russia – the Enchantress
“If Moscow and St Petersburg were sisters, Moscow would be serious and businesslike, compared to this relaxed, light-hearted sibling,” I say with a flourish to my husband Rick. The main street, Nevsky Prospekt, bustles with chattering people strolling arm-in-arm relishing the day. The historic area side-streets with imperial classical architecture in pastels of coral, opal, gold, and ... Read Full Article
Lake Baikal, Siberia – Russia’s Galapagos
All who leave Moscow on the Trans-Siberian Railway stop at Irkutsk, the closest city from which to visit Siberia’s jewel, Lake Baikal. This world renowned lake is located just before the dividing point where travelers by rail choose one of three routes to complete their epic journey. Alas, my husband Rick and I do not have time on this trip to visit the area via the Trans-Siberian ... Read Full Article
Goulash Soup Recipe: Eating Hungarian with The Ravenous Traveler
Hungarian cuisine merges flavorful spices, such as paprika, with hearty stews and meat dishes, and a trip to Hungary wouldn’t be complete without sampling one of the country’s national dishes, Goulash Soup. Perhaps surprisingly, a lot of controversy surrounds goulash, and the definition of goulash changes depending on which Eastern European country you’re in. To find out why so many people are ... Read Full Article
Discovering Moscow with a Phrase Book and Map – Beyond the City’s Historic Heart
The luxury of having a full week in Moscow is that after visiting the Kremlin and Red Square, there is still time to discover the pulse of the city as you explore the streets radiating from these highly visited sites. The choices are so varied they defy being put into categories while also revealing the many faces of Russian history. Along Petrovka Ulitsa (street) my husband Rick and I ... Read Full Article
Discovering Moscow with a Phrase Book and Map – The Kremlin and Red Square
An hour to go and crowds are gathering. Leaving our shady niche in the flowery Alexandrovsky Garden, my husband Rick and I stake a spot with a good view along the outside northwest Kremlin wall. Exactly on the hour all heads turn toward three soldiers “goosestep” marching; their legs with locked knees swing in unison high off the ground, their rifles balance vertically from their left ... Read Full Article