Photo courtesy of LikeWhere – flickr How about a road trip to one of the most livable cities in the U.S. – Portland, Oregon? A short three hour drive from Seattle, the city offers the perfect weekend escape. Apart from the quirky discoveries revealed by the popular Portlandia series, let’s not forget the basic qualities that […]
Baby Boomers and Travel
N is for Never Never Land
Girls Just Want to have Fun in Gulf Shores, Alabama In the wonderfully imaginary world of J.M. Barrie, Never Never Land (or Neverland) symbolizes a place of eternal enchantment without boundaries. Celebrating Chinese New Year in Seattle’s International District Here time slows, days become occupied with magical adventures, and residents refuse to grow up any […]
M is for Montana on My Mind
Photo courtesy of csbarnhill – flickr To my child-self growing up in New York State, Montana seemed about as exotic a destination as I could imagine. Far away, almost completely on the other side of the country, Montana loomed large – certainly larger in size (ranked 4th out of 50 states) than my home state […]
L is for London
Photo courtesy of TJ Morris – flickr “What? You’ve never been to London?” my world traveler friend Margaret exclaimed. “That’s not right. We have to change that.” I like how she thinks. Photo courtesy of Gabriel Villena – flickr So how would I do London on a future visit? Apart from planning to visit the […]
K is for Key West
On Photo Friday, I can think of 5 good reasons to add Key West to my travel bucket list: 1) Visit Hemingway’s Home. Photo courtesy of graham99 – flickr 2) Play with the six-toed cats at Hemingway’s Home and Museum. Photo courtesy of gojeffrey – flickr 3) Head for the beach. Photo courtesy of jdeeringdavis – […]
J is for Jungfraujoch
Photo courtesy of edwin.11 – flickr Though more of a summer beach kind of wandergal, I’m intrigued by one of Switzerland’s most popular sights. Billed as the “Top of Europe,” the country’s Jungfraujoch lays claim to the region’s highest railway station at 3,471 meters (11,388 feet). Whether attracted by the journey or the destination, visitors cite the […]
I is for Ireland
Photo courtesy of Ivan Walsh – flickr Ireland had never been high on my list of must-see world sites. Why make a trip to the Emerald Isle when I already live in the Emerald City? Could Ireland possibly claim a greener landscape from its year-round misty rains than the Evergreen State? But reading my mother’s initial journal […]
H is for Hot Air Ballooning in Provence
Photo courtesy of carolynconner – flickr Have you ever wanted to ride a breeze from the basket of a hot air balloon? Drifting across desert landscapes, rising above mountains or hovering over the lavender fields of Provence? Photo courtesy of Eric Lim Photography – flickr No doubt my own dream of far-flung adventures began in […]
G is for Getaway to the Galápagos Islands
The fragile, moon-like landscape of the Galápagos Islands lures more than 100,000 visitors each year despite the archipelago’s remote location 600 miles off the west coast of mainland Ecuador. Ever since Darwin‘s famed visit aboard the HMS Beagle in 1835, travelers have been enchanted by its history, exotic vegetation and wildlife. In order to protect […]
F is for Farmers Market Destinations
Hong Kong Farmer’s Market – Photo courtesy of Crossroads Foundation – flickr One of my favorite pursuits when traveling is visiting the local Farmers Markets to get an authentic, sensory feel of my destination. Here I can discover fresh local produce, sampling and tasting as I saunter along from vendor to vendor, smiling while the […]