Category Archives: Articles
Myanmar, the land of the golden pagodas
Myanmar is a beautiful country of 55 million people, bordered by India, China and Thailand. It had a strict military government for years but is gradually moving toward a more open and free society. Continue reading
Travel Tales for Sunday, November 27, 2011
When I left Havana with my group to visit Hemingway’s house in Cojimar, I didn’t expect to see acres upon acres of sugarcane fields with very few homes or villages until we reached the cities of Santa Clara, home to 250,000 people, then Cienfuegos with a population of 175,000 and finally Tri… Continue reading
Travel Tales for Sunday, November 20, 2011
For many years, I have wanted to visit Cuba but with the U.S. embargo, there was never a possibility until a few months ago when my Cuban guide was able to get a People to People license for my professional group. Continue reading
Portico Di Romagna: a perfect place for a restful respite
Looking for a peaceful place in Italy, far from tourism, noise and traffic? Try Portico Di Romagna; population: 400 people. Continue reading
New Zealand: no rush, no limit
Where can you celebrate a 70th birthday when you have limited time, limited budget and limited physical abilities? My husband and I chose New Zealand, a country as green as Kaua‘i with lush tropical forests and more sheep than we can count. Continue reading
Southeast Asia part I : Laos
Several months ago, I prepared a photography trip to Southeast Asia but I hesitated to include Laos as an extension of the core trip to Cambodia and Vietnam. In retrospect doing so was a great choice. Laos is a country filled with friendly, gentle people, a Buddhist culture and spectacular scenery, all still years behind other countries in Southeast Asia in terms of development. In a way, we got a taste of what it was probably like in that part of the world many years ago. Continue reading
Southeast Asia part II : Cambodia
After our time in Laos, my friends and I flew to Siem Reap, where the most famous of Cambodia’s Wats ( temples) is located: Angkor Wat. Our first impression was that it is very hot, very crowded and very dusty. But Angkor Wat makes it worth visiting. It is, above all else, a religious place where Hinduism, honoring the God Vishnu, was initially practiced until it was supplanted by Buddhism. Its highly stylized architecture is carved in sandstone and the walls are adorned with extensive bas- reliefs depicting episodes of Hindu battles. It is the most carved reliefs of any monument in the world. Continue reading
Southeast Asia Part III: South and Central Vietnam
Leaving Cambodia, my friends and I reached Vietnam by boat from Phnom Penh via a picturesque four-hour ride on the Mekong River, passing fishing boats and farms along the riverside. Continue reading
Southeast Asia Part IV: Northern Vietnam
After visiting the southern and central parts of Vietnam, my friends and I flew to Hanoi, Vietnam’s capital and second-largest city. Continue reading