I recently returned home from Saigon, Vietnam, and am excited by the changes I witnessed since my first visit in 2012. The city’s skyline has so many glitzy new additions as to be almost unrecognizable. The massive coils of electrical wires that once snaked overhead have been neatly buried, while pedestrian crosswalks (with lights!) have […]
Destinations
My Top 10 Riga Day Trip Ideas
Given Riga’s considerable charms, visitors may be reluctant to leave the Latvian capital for even a short time. But a day trip to a nearby town or national park can provide an even richer picture of life in this Baltic nation. Thanks to Latvia’s compact size, most places within its borders can be seen in a […]
Celebrating Christmas in Taipei, Taiwan
I have a little secret to share: While I continue to report on locales across Latvia and Europe, for the past few months those dispatches have been sent from the tropical island of Taiwan. Technology is amazing, no? Although I missed Riga terribly at first, Taipei has charmed me with its fascinating mix of cultures […]
Tips for Spending Christmas in Lisbon, Portugal
When looking for the best Christmas markets in Europe, Lisbon probably doesn’t register. Most people head further northeast to France, Germany, and Austria to have their Christmas market needs met. But what if you want to avoid the crowds and the cold? The Lisbon Christmas Market is a fun alternative! Elegant strings of lights showoff […]
Trakai Castle: A Medieval Fairytale in Lithuania
Regular readers of this blog will know that I love a good castle. This fact traces to my childhood, when my favorite movie was Disney’s Robin Hood. I delighted in watching the cartoon animals sing and frolic around ye olde countryside and dreamed of being Maid Marion in a castle of my own. (Dramatic scenes were often […]