A few years ago, the only thing I knew about Coeur D’Alene, Idaho, was that it was the hometown of my favorite author, Marilynne Robinson. I couldn’t have told you what it looked like or why it would be an appealing place to visit. Idaho, for me, conjured up images of potato fields and heaps…
Two Worlds on One Island: Cyprus and the Green Line
Once, the Green Line was something a no-go zone, never to be traversed. Stretching clear across the island, it divides Cyprus, and demarcates two different worlds. Reinforced by walls, fences, barbed wire, and guard towers, this demilitarized zone completely sealed off north from south for some three decades, until 2003. The Last Divided Capital And…
Oregon Wine Tour: Vineyards, Small Towns and Adventure
It wasn’t what I expected to see in Oregon, but covering the hills were rows and rows of olive trees. Tiny green fruit dotted the branches as we walked along the grove at Durant at Red Ridge Farms. When my husband Benjamin and I planned our Oregon road trip, we knew we’d be stopping at…
Finding Hidden Bangkok
Arriving in Bangkok can be an intimidating experience. Riding in the back of a little taxi through heavy traffic making its languorous way along the elevated freeway that winds from the airport toward Sukhumvit, the skyline looms. So many skyscrapers, stretching as far as the horizon. At their feet, a dense and endless web of…
Fisherman Catches Ultra-Rare Sponge Crab That ‘Looks Like a Pastry’ off the Coast of England
A fisherman was stunned to find an ultra-rare “sponge-coated” crab off the coast of Cornwall—that looks just like a Cornish pastry. Ian Jepson, who has been a sustainable lobster and crab pot fisherman for 35 years, discovered the usual crustacean while out at sea. He said they seemingly carve out a piece of sponge that…
Australian Photographer Captures Video of Elusive Pink Robin in Rainforest Down Under
One Australian photographer’s quest for an elusive bird Down Under has born fruit after months of searching. Having moved to Melbourne in 2006, registered nurse Deepak Kumar started Googling Australian birds, hoping to set up a photography trip near his home. He stumbled on a bird online which looks like something almost out of this…
UK Government Warns 80 PCR Travel Test Firms on ‘Cowboy’ Pricing
One fifth of the UK’s officially-sanctioned travel testing firms have been issued with a two-strike warning over pricing, as the government said it was clamping down “cowboy behaviour.” A health department review of providers of PCR tests—which are now a legally-required, private expense for travellers—found that 82 of the firms charged customers more than was…
2 Rare White Orcas Swimming Side by Side Surprise Whale Watchers off the Coast of Japan
In what might be considered a very rare sighting, whale watchers off the coast of Japan spotted two white orcas swimming side by side, with one of them even being unknown to the crew, amid a pod of 10 orcas. On July 24, three crew members, the boat’s captain, and about 40 guests were exploring a…
Napa Valley’s Charm Lives On
The sins of progress have barely touched one of the world’s most prestigious wine regions. Once a sleepy, laid-back hideaway where the residents of Napa, Yountville, St. Helena, and Calistoga smugly enjoyed the fragrant air, tended their vines, and quietly celebrated one of the planet’s most attractive settings, the valley today remains the home of…
Exploring Wine Along Lake Erie
Discerning wine drinkers looking for new areas to explore should head to the southern shore of Lake Erie. Lake Erie, one of the five Great Lakes, has long been the backyard of U.S. grape juice production. The wine produced around the quintessential Rust Belt city of Erie, Pennsylvania, in what is called Lake Erie Wine…
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