Like devout muslims performing the haj–or pilgrimage–to mecca, golf enthusiasts come to St. Andrews, Scotland, to visit the birthplace of golf. Even though it was raining heavily on this Sunday afternoon, diehard fans of the sport, and us, were wandering the links of the Old Course behind the the Royal and Ancient Clubhouse on theRead more

I don’t know how many times I’ve tried to start writing this entry. I think I’m having a bout of writer’s block. That isn’t good since I’m sitting in the Elephant House, where J.K. Rowling scribbled the “birth” of Harry Potter on a napkin. Shouldn’t I be inspired to write something? Is it possible thatRead more

It’s perfect timing for a trip to the United Kingdom. The flights have never been safer! Chris and I will be heading to Great Britain on Thursday night for 10 days in celebration of our 10th Anniversary. We had been considering Newfoundland and the French colonies of St. Pierre and Miquelon for the last yearRead more

Uberlandia, Brazil, is not much of a tourist destination. I found that out when I was looking for some information on where I would be going after Argentina. I pulled out the Lonely Planet guidebook and scanned the index for Uberlandia, but there absolutely nothing written about the city. I don’t understand how a cityRead more

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As the sun makes its steady descent behind the mountain peak on which the tiny Andean village of Iruya clings, preparations for that evening’s festival have not begun. “I don’t know if there’s going to be a festival tonight,” says Gloria Federico, owner of Hostal del Café.” The orchestra hasn’t arrived yet.” The townsfolk don’tRead more

San Antonio de Areco is a small town on La Pampa, the plains of Argentina. Along the narrow sidewalks, regional workshops sell silverware, rope and leather crafted using traditional methods originally used by the gauchos. Gauchos are cowboys who roam the plains herding cattle. Gauchos were romanticized in Argentine literature as symbols of freedom. SanRead more

La Boca is a colorful neighborhood. Partly because of the brighly painted buildings, but also because it’s not a very safe area to wander around by yourself. Most visitors remain within a four block radius of El Caminito, the most famous street in the neighborhood. A carnival-like atmosphere permeates La Boca during the weekend fair.Read more

In the 16th century, Tigre was small port at the mouth of the Parana River delta. Later, it became a summer getaway place for elite Portenos. As Buenos Aires grew, eventually Tigre was swallowed by urban sprawl. As a result, it lies just 20 miles from the center of Buenos Aires and can be reachedRead more

Yerba Mate is a kind of tea served traditionally in a hollowed out gourd called a mate (see photo) and sipped through a straw-like device called a bombilla. Introduced to the world by the Guarani Indians of South America, it is now common to see people in Buenos Aires carry their mate and a thermosRead more