Tempranillo’s tale begins during the Middle Ages, a turbulent yet transformational period for Spanish viticulture. As the Moors retreated south, the Christian reconquest brought a resurgence of wine production across the Iberian Peninsula. In the wake of Islam’s retreat, people could enjoy drinking again. Historians speculate that the Tempranillo grape was cultivated by monastic orders,…
Houseboats lure thousands of families to rivers and lakes for unique, get-away-from-it-all vacations. The slow-moving vessels sleep up to a dozen passengers and are equipped with many modern amenities, such as ovens, refrigerators, toilets, hot showers, gourmet kitchens and bedrooms with linens. Some houseboats look downright luxurious, albeit somewhat compact. Lake Powell is billed as America’s Best Houseboating Destination because of the stunning scenery in southern Utah and neighboring Arizona. The lake is among the nation’s largest manmade reservoirs with 2,000 miles of shoreline, hundreds of private beaches and 96 side canyons where you can drop anchor and bask in the majestic solitude.
By Mark Orwoll “Have you ever closed Wolski’s?” That’s not an uncommon question in this city. If your answer is yes, you’re considered a true Milwaukeean. Bumper stickers bearing the slogan “I closed Wolski’s” have been spotted not just in Milwaukee, but in the most unlikely places as a badge of honor, the emblem…
Want to relax on interminable transoceanic flights? Today you have to buy a business class ticket. But come 2024 economy class passengers will be able to convert three coach seats into a sleeping coach or, for a few dollars more, rent a bunk bed in a “Skynest” that costs thousands of dollars less than business class.
You won’t find these hotels in a guidebook of great getaways. Amenities are woeful. Rooms aren’t clean or relaxing. You’ll find no vacationing families or romantic couples in the bar or restaurant. But for Olivia Ward, a Toronto Star war correspondent assigned to cover authoritarian hell holes from the Balkans to Central Asia, five-star spa resorts simply were not available. She stayed in hotels of last resort. Here is her story: Arriving for a first visit in Iraq to cover Operation Desert Fox, a four-day bombing campaign in 1998, I was determined not to stay in the notorious Al Rasheed Hotel, origin of a thousand CNN soundbites beginning “as bombs fell over Baghdad … ”
“There are other hotels, ” said my driver as we sped into the city. “Nice hotel, the Sheraton. Better than Al Rasheed.” But inexplicably, his car pulled up at the Al Rasheed. And while I was still protesting, three middle-aged bellmen had a tug-of-war with my luggage, eventually trundling it to the reception desk.
A chilly breeze blowing across the Great Lakes separating the U.S. from Canada greeted passengers as they climbed to the top deck of the cruise ship. From the far end of the boat, three figures holding aloft an enormous helium-filled weather balloon began moving toward the gathering in an awkward six-legged parade. Expedition cruises featuring adventurous activities and exotic destinations, such as the Antarctic and the Galapagos Islands, are increasingly popular with families desiring a learning experience. The Viking Octantis, a 380-passenger vessel built to be part cruise ship and part scientific research platform, includes a laboratory and its very own submarines. The goal, says a marine scientist on the Viking staff, “is to do rigorous science that will be credible in academia and allow guests to participate.”
Washington politicians love to talk about the 2021 federal infrastructure plan that includes $7.5 billion to install 500,000 fast-charging EV stations in urban and rural areas. By 2030, the ability to drive an EV coast-to-coast should improve dramatically. But the National Park Service admits that at present there are only 140 EV charging stations in/near the 424 national parks. One decade ago, only a dozen EV chargers were available in national parks nationwide. But change is coming. Where chargers will be located, what powers them, who builds them and what drivers do while their cars are juicing up could shift the fate of companies, cities and Read More
The Mediterranean seaside playground of the Cote d/Azur has long been known for its exclusive nightclubs, pricey restaurants and tanned and toned beach bodies. But 190 miles west there is another Mediterranean coastal paradise – Sète. The city often is compared to Venice because of its canals, which are lined with houses, shops and restaurants serving fresh tuna and oysters. Beyond the canals and central business district are dreamy lagoons and 12 km of protected beaches
By Nancy Wigston On a bright autumn afternoon, Rob Smith of Footprints of London waits at the agreed rendezvous point outside London’s elegant Ritz Hotel on Piccadilly Street. Looking not like a trenchcoated secret agent but the bespectacled London history teacher and city guide that he is in real life, Rob leads spy aficionados into…
Last week, two old friends stopped by for a visit. French President Emmanuel Macron dropped into Washington, where he was greeted by a fife and drum corps garbed in colonial uniforms with tri-cornered hats. Some 430 miles to the north, the Prince and Princess of Wales (aka William and Kate) were in Boston discussing climate change with the descendants of colonialists who fought the American Revolution. It was only the third time that British royalty has visited the city. Unmentioned amid the pomp of the two diplomatic visits was the name Paul Revere. His midnight ride in 1775 initiated the armed struggle against the British and inspired a second revolution 14 years later in France. Yet Revere is not regarded as one of America’s founding fathers. His image has never appeared on U.S. currency and his story seldom is mentioned in European texts.