“This is the nicest cruise ship I’ve ever been on” said my 85 year old mother as she surveyed the promenade area of Royal Caribbean’s Navigator of the Seas. The Navigator is loaded with lots of luxurious light fixtures, bronze statues, beautiful nautical themed areas and a funky sofa that frames the person sitting in it. The main deck is kind of like walking...
CLICK HERE FOR AIRBNB LISTINGS. We’ve all rented an Airbnb that has us scratching our heads of how we ended up there. There’s few things that are as depressing as being stuck in a room with a non-working AC, bare walls, and bedspreads that look like they came from someone’s Grandma’s garage sale. I try not to book such places, but on those...
I knew two things about Samoa before my plane landed. “Talofa” means hello and one of American most iconic movie stars, Dwayne Johnson is half Samoan. Oh yeah, Samoa is an island. I knew that too. I’m not alone. There’s not a lot of information for visitors about this gem in the Pacific and what one finds is often hopelessly outdated or just...
HOUSTON’S MOST UNIQUE AIRBNB Airbnb has changed the world. There’s no doubt about that. All the things your mom told you not to do: Don’t get into a stranger’s car (Uber), don’t go to people’s houses you don’t know (AIRBNB) and don’t chew gum with your mouth open (okay, she was right about that) turned out to be wrong...
Women can be expensive, but $100 for 10 minutes is too much to spend for just about anything. Spas and lawyers don’t even charge that much. Why should a 3000 year old princess get that kind of cash? Nefertari is raking it in. I’m not talking about Nefertiti, the goddess with a similar name and the Grace Jones haircut. Nefertari was Ramses II’s favorite...
Taos is one of America’s great destinations. In many ways, it’s a poster child of the southwest: Native American culture, beautiful desert landscapes, iconic art, and great Southwest inspired food. In the winter, Taos Ski Valley attracts thousands of thrill-seekers looking for thrilling slopes and dry powdery snow. I’ve been skiing in Taos about...
I had been scouring the museum for Arrangement in grey and black no. 1, and wanted to ask someone where it was, but wasn’t really sure how to say it in French. It was 9 am in Paris and I was still exhausted from my red-eye flight from Ethiopia. My brain wasn’t working. You’ve seen photos of this painting. It’s been called the Victorian Mona Lisa and is one of the...
When I told my friends I was going to Iraq, some figured I’d joined the military or was planning to do something illegal. After all, what do most people think of when you mention this country? Tanks, blown-up buildings, bombs….. Face it, out of all the places in the world, Iraq is going to be at the bottom of most tourist bucket lists. Believe it or not, this country...
When I told my friends I was going to Iraq, some figured I’d joined the military or was planning to do something illegal. After all, what do most people think of when you mention this country? Tanks, blown-up buildings, bombs….. Face it, out of all the places in the world, Iraq is going to be at the bottom of most tourist bucket lists. Believe it or not, this...
I’ve been traveling through China for the last 2 weeks. It’s a fascinating country with amazing archaeological treasures, breathtaking scenery and pandas. Yes, pandas. Although I’ve been here half a dozen times, I find travel here to be some of the most challenging in the world. It can be extremely frustrating because of language barriers and customs that westerners...