Exploring Beijing and its many attractions
Beijing’s ultra-modern cityscape, including the angular headquarters for China Central Television at the back left of the photo, contrasts with the more than 900 traditional, pagoda-like buildings of the Forbidden City, which dates back to the 14th century. Beijing, with a population of more than 21 million, is China’s second-largest city.Photo by ESB ProfessionalIf you’ve ... READ MORE
Chicago helped give us national anthem
Before every baseball game the crowd is asked to stand and “gentlemen” are reminded to remove their caps for the playing of “The Star-Spangled Banner.” Fans who can recite the words as easily as the alphabet will sing or listen to the story of a flag that continued to wave throughout one of the most famous battles in American history.What they may not know is that... READ MORE
Parking your car near an airport for less
If you have someone to drive you to the airport and pick you up, or if you live close enough to take a taxi or shuttle to the airport for your summer flight, you can forget about long-term airport parking.But if you don’t have a driver and aren’t close to your departure airport, driving and parking your car at the airport while you’re away can be cheaper than taking... READ MORE
Yosemite’s wonders of nature and light
Visitors can view (and sometimes even walk through) ancient giant sequoia trees in three groves at Yosemite National Park. Some trees are more than 2,500 years old and more than 40 feet in diameter.Photo by Yongyut KumsriThe sunlight creeps across Half Dome’s mammoth granite face, easing from steel gray to grayish-white to dull yellow-orange to a luminescent blaze orange. Sunrises,... READ MORE
Queens is king of Big Apple’s diversity
Not hungry enough for a sit-down breakfast, I munched on Tibetan dumplings purchased from a snack truck decorated with a sign that touted “Himalayan Fresh Food.” Lunch was a hurried affair at a five-table eatery where the menu special is yak meat washed down by salty yak milk tea.For dinner, I chose a small restaurant that gives new meaning to the word “eclectic.”... READ MORE
Fashionista Iris Apfel hosts Queen Mary 2
The Queen Mary 2 ship is offering a fashion-themed trans-Atlantic crossing with a celebrity guest who’s practically fashion royalty herself: 95-year-old Iris Apfel. The inimitable Apfel is known for her irreverent style mixing haute couture with oversized costume jewelry and her trademark large round glasses. She’s been the subject of museum exhibits and a documentary film, ... READ MORE
Visiting Guatemala’s grit and grandeur
My childhood home is gone and so is the Chinese restaurant next to it. But my street in the urban center of Guatemala City remains its bustling old self.Buses growl and spit exhaust. Cars race down the narrow one-way street. Stores sell everything from wedding gowns to candy. But the paint is worn away from some of the buildings, a sign that the years have taken a toll.I left this street... READ MORE
Sublime wine, scenery in central Virginia
The masseuse’s golf balls gently rolling across my back in the dimly-lit spa put me into a Zen-like trance. So did the thick clumps of interrupted ferns carpeting the forest floor as I hiked, while the haunting, flute-like call of the wood thrush wafted through the trees. And a little while later, in a cider taproom, the sparkling hard cider gave me a slight buzz. This is Nelson... READ MORE
The last call for long-distance train trips?
Trump’s budget proposes to cut all funding for Amtrak long-distance trains. The administration isn’t happy with Amtrak’s ongoing losses, and long-distance trains face an uncertain future.So if you’re interested in a long rail trip, you don’t have to worry for this year, but the future will be much cloudier.Most scenic tripsFor most people, the main reason to... READ MORE
Cuba combines opposites in a time warp
Classic American cars abound in Cuba, where importing American-made goods was banned when Fidel Castro took power in 1959. Today, the meticulously maintained (though seat belt-free) Cadillacs, Fords and Buicks can be seen on streets in Havana and throughout the country. American tourists seem to enjoy taking a ride. Photo by JHVE Photo When Columbus landed in Cuba in 1492,... READ MORE
