Barcelona and its Stunning Architecture

My thin jacket was no match for the light falling rain as I watched the Pullmantur Sovereign dock at the Port of Barcelona.  I stood…

Palatine Hill: The Birthplace of Rome

The story of Rome begins like this, with two little baby boys, Romulus and Remus.  Left in the woods to be raised by the lupa…

St. Peter’s Square and the Facade of the Basilica

The Vatican is the smallest country in the world, located in what was once the largest, most powerful city in Italy, Rome.  Today, this spiritual…

St. Peter’s Basilica: A Cathedral of Art

A group of school children, dressed in navy uniforms, skipped ahead of us along the walkway which connects the Vatican Museum to St. Peter’s Basilica. …

Torrey Pines Natural Reserve, California

Having lived on the coast of California, I was determined to watch the sunset each night in San Clemente.  I would walk down  to the…

La Jolla, California, the Jewel of the West Coast

After a long day of hiking in Poway, my friends and I decided to spend the rest of the afternoon in La Jolla, an exclusive,…

Point Reyes National Seashore: The Lighthouse

During a previous stay in San Francisco, I tried to reach the Point Reyes National Seashore to watch the sunset, but I had failed.  Not…

Finding Solitude at Joshua Tree National Park, California

My last visit to Joshua Tree National Park was last November, a perfect time of the year for a hike.  The weather had begun to…

Bodrum: Relaxation and Retail Therapy

We slept in late after a long day of travel and enjoying the pier for a swim and some sunbathing.  It was looking as though…

Restaurants and Raki

Wearing ourselves out in the sun and saltwater, we were excited to enjoy another day of lunch on the property.  We couldn’t pass up an…