Alexander the Great on his horse & commerce A walk about central Skopje delivers it all. The Great, of course, is Alexander of Macedon, who conquered the western world nearly 2500 years ago and is…
In brief: The Silla Kingdom of south-central Korea endured for nearly 900 years until 935. Today its legacy comes alive in its former capital, Gyeongju. It's thrilling to discover a history completely unknown to us.…
In brief: For South (and likely North) Koreans, memories of war, of division are still strongly emotional and whose hopes for reunion, for peace still endure. We seized the opportunity to visit the DMZ (the…
In brief: The ancient hillside city of Ohrid is an historical and natural splendor, but it still knows how to put on a party, especially a wedding . Ohrid hillside The UNESCO World Heritage city…
In brief: Over millennia, the valley has nurtured life, empires, art and religion - and seen its share of death and destruction as well. Ulaan Tsutgalan waterfall, Orkhon River The Orkhon River Valley is the…
In brief: The surprise of discovery often stirs us in our travels. Uncovering remnants of Thracian culture along the Black Sea was a perfect example. Votive marble frieze The Thracians occupied more a spot on…
Glacial flow, Rila Mts We drove a leisurely loop around much of Bulgaria, which is roughly 500 km by 350 km (320 by 220 mi), and found so much enjoyable both in town and countryside.…
Grand boulevards, leafy parks of all sizes, pedestrian streets lined with bars and restaurants, majestic turn-of-the-century buildings, cafes and narrow streets...Sofia, like all sizable European cities, offers these impressive and delightful resources - for its…
In brief: Mongolia’s people, homes and even its landscape are naturally on the move. They say that the morin khuur, a traditional ladle-shaped Mongolian stringed instrument topped by a carved horse’s head, sounds like a…
In brief: The layers of history that emerge in Plovdiv provide a multi-faceted charm we couldn't resist. Bulgaria's second city Plovdiv - set on seven hills, 150 kilometers east of Sofia - has been called…