By David DeVoss When California architect Robert Steinberg opened an office in Shanghai twelve years ago, he felt as if he had arrived at the leading edge of the Chinese Century. Unlike America, where architects were being laid off and signature buildings scaled back, the biggest city in the world’s most populous country was developing…
Tibetan prayer flags flying in wind in Shangri-La. By Scott Busby It was a crisp Spring day when my wife and I embarked on a remarkable journey in China’s Yunnan Province that would trace part of the Ancient Tea Horse Road – a 1,000-year old network of caravan trails and paths that zigzag through the…
Across the broad Rio de la Plata from Argentina is the 17th century village of Colonia del Sacramento, a relaxed city of pastel buildings, cobblestone streets and seven excellent museums. “You’re going to Uruguay?!” The excitement sang in my daughter’s e-mail. My spontaneous decision to visit the tiny country sandwiched between the larger nations of…
By Karin Leperi Most travelers coming to Peru head immediately to Machu Picchu, a 15th-century scenic Incan mountain retreat. It’s the most visited destination in the country. Trouble is that afterwards they incorrectly think they have seen and experienced Peru, and then head home. This is unfortunate since Peru is geographically diverse with three different…
By Kirsten Hahn This is not the summer for elaborate, extended vacations. Expensive family outings to Washington D.C. or Mt. Rushmore don’t make sense in the middle of a global pandemic. You can’t drive to St. Louis or Chicago to see the Cardinals and the Cubs when their ballparks are closed. So why not go…
By: Susan McKee Yerevan is disconcerting. At first glance, Armenia’s largest city looks like any European capital – bustling streets, tall buildings, lots of shopping and an atmosphere of purposeful hustle. When I first arrived, I walked outside my hotel and looked around at Republic Square. Beside me was a chic sidewalk café filled with…
By: David DeVoss “In the Arctic half-light of the canyon all existence fades to a being with my soul and memories and sounds of the Big Blackfoot River, a four-count rhythm and the hope that a fish will rise. Eventually, all things merge into one, and a river runs through it.” The moment I read…
Not your average Mardi Gras. Malta’s pre-Lenten Carnival emphasizes history and culture over skin and pulchritude. But revelers dressed as Queen Victoria and her court have a grand time nonetheless. By Liz Campbell The music is upbeat; the busy streets are overflowing with garishly costumed revelers. Nearby, a giant Sean Connery is playing the bagpipes,…
Silk vendor at D. Popli & Sons in Mumbai displays high-quality yet reasonably priced silk. Photo by Jacqueline Swartz By Jacqueline Swartz Mumbai, the city formerly known as Bombay, is the marketplace of India — its jewelry, textiles, handicrafts, furniture and leather goods come from all over India and around the world. This is India’s…
For the Burmese, the Irrawaddy River is a laundry, bath, source of food, and major transportation route. Like the Salween and the Chindwin rivers, it starts high in the mountains, meandering south through teak and mahogany forests, and around mines producing jade, sapphires and world famous ‘pigeon’s blood’ rubies. In terms of per capita income, Myanmar is the poorest country in Southeast Asia, but its population supports – and daily feeds – more than half a million Buddhist monks as well as nearly 100,000 nuns. The majority of males in the country spend some time in a Buddhist monastery, often starting as young as age six.