Embraced Mother Nature, With Her Wildest, Purest and Most Beautiful Best, Vancouver Island

Just a ferry hop from the city of Vancouver in Canada’s southwest corner lies Vancouver Island. This evergreen archipelago lures visitors with its miles of untouched wilderness, wild colonial history and modern farm to table ethos.

Continue reading “Embraced Mother Nature, With Her Wildest, Purest and Most Beautiful Best, Vancouver Island”

Adore Your Life in Pink, in France’s Pink City, Toulouse

Halfway between the sun-lit shores of the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea, and just a stone’s throw from the snow-capped Pyrenees, is the Southern French city of Toulouse.

While most major French cities are proudly hewn from stone, Toulouse is built from bricks, These humble bricks, once considered a sign of poverty, are now a source of pride. Throughout the day their colors change, from red to orange, to pink, earning Toulouse the name “La Ville Rose”, the pink city.

Continue reading “Adore Your Life in Pink, in France’s Pink City, Toulouse”

Visit the Place That Reminds Us of the Way Life to Be Lived, Cape Cod

Cape Cod is a four-hour drive from New York City, and just over an hour drive from Boston. Reaching 65 miles into the North Atlantic like a proud seafarer’s arm, life here is lived by the tides.

One of the world’s largest barrier islands, Cape Cod has long shielded the Massachusetts mainland from the Atlantic’s grinding swells. For centuries this 400 square-mile peninsula of beaches, forests, and ponds has been a sanctuary for its Native Peoples, for Pilgrims, mariners, artists, and vacationers.

While many come for the beaches, this is far more than just another seaside summer escape. Once you’ve inhaled the salty spirit of this place, you’ll understand why locals say, “once a Cape Codder, always a Cape Codder.” And you don’t need to travel far to catch that spirit.

Continue reading “Visit the Place That Reminds Us of the Way Life to Be Lived, Cape Cod”

Explore, Dream, and Discover With Your Sail to Baton Rouge

Baton Rouge lies along the banks of the legendary Mississippi in southeast Louisiana. It is the state’s capital, famous for its sports-mad universities, its cultural fusion and of course, its laid-back southern charm.

Larger-than-life legends of politics, music, and sport weave their way through the pages of Baton Rouge’s storied past. From the days when a red stick (or Baton Rouge) marked the boundary between native tribes, to its subsequent administration by France, Britain, and Spain, the transformation has been built into the DNA of this city.

In 1846, a stroke of the pen made it the Louisiana State Capital – providing a moral alternative to what was then considered “sinful” New Orleans.

Continue reading “Explore, Dream, and Discover With Your Sail to Baton Rouge”

Reach and Touch Your Own Story With the Story of Jordan

The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan is just a three-hour flight from Dubai, and a two-hundred-thousand-year journey through the history of humankind. More than a country, Jordan is one of the world’s epic stories.

Our Palaeolithic ancestors wandered north from Africa and made their homes in the cool canyons and caves of this sun-baked land. The smoke of Bedouin campfires has drifted into the Arabian nights for over nine millennia.

Prophets wandered these mountains and deserts, receiving visions that shaped three of the world’s great faiths. Greek, Roman, Crusader and Arab armies have thundered across these sandy plains, leaving their mark at thousands of archaeological sites, and in every fiber of Jordan’s cultural DNA. Today, Jordan is the calm heart of a sometimes-restless region. Continue reading “Reach and Touch Your Own Story With the Story of Jordan”

Welcome to the Land of the Midnight Sun, Anchorage Alaska

Bordered by Canada and the icy waters of the North Pacific and Arctic Oceans is the U.S. state of Alaska. The city of Anchorage lies in the mountainous south and is home to around 40 percent of all Alaskans. Alaska, …The Great Land, …The Last Frontier; …apt names for one of the most extreme places on the planet. This is a land of endless beauty, immense riches, and epic horizons.

Purchased from Russia in 1867 for around two cents an acre, Alaska is the largest state in the U.S.A., and one of history’s greatest bargains.

At the height of summer, the city of Anchorage basks in an incredible 22 hours of sunlight, with the sun’s face barely dipping below the horizon. Alaska’s first peoples tell of a great raven who scattered the stars, moon, and sun into the sky, so even when the long winter comes, the sky is never completely dark.

A gateway to the surrounding wilderness, Anchorage is a warm and inviting base where you can rest and resupply between outdoor adventures. And you don’t have to go far, the city is nestled snuggly against the immense Chugach State Park.

Continue reading “Welcome to the Land of the Midnight Sun, Anchorage Alaska”

Tour the City Which Ties Together Elements From All Walks of Life, Glasgow

Just over an hour west of Scotland’s capital, Edinburgh, is the city of Glasgow. Once a small fishing village, Glasgow grew into one of the great seaports during the industrial revolution, its influence rippling to every corner of the globe.

A city forged upon the wealth of seafaring trade, it is graced with architectural masterpieces, green estates, and imposing modern-day marvels. However, the people of Glasgow remain fiercely proud of their working-class roots and celebrate their industrial heritage alongside the elegance and extravagance that followed. Continue reading “Tour the City Which Ties Together Elements From All Walks of Life, Glasgow”

Explore the City Connecting the Past and Future Into a Very Special Now, Busan

The city of Busan sits on the Korean Peninsula’s south-eastern coastline, just a short flight from Asian capitals like Beijing and Tokyo, and a two-and-a-half hour bullet train ride from Seoul.

South Korea’s largest port and the second-largest city spread out along the jagged coastline of the Yeongnam Region and rises into a sea of mountains beyond. From the shellfish which drew Paleolithic gatherers to its rugged shores, to the never-ending offerings of Jagalchi Fish Market, …from the Joseon ships of old, to the dockyards which helped drive South Korea’s economic miracle, Busan has forever been linked to the ocean.

As the world races further into the 21st century, Busan continues to evolve, into a haven where hard-working Koreans can let their hair down, reflect on the past, and peer into the future. Continue reading “Explore the City Connecting the Past and Future Into a Very Special Now, Busan”

Embrace the Cultural Kingdom That Steadies the Spirit, and Inspires Your Soul, Yogyakarta

The Indonesian city of Yogyakarta rests on central Java, between the cool breezes of the Indian Ocean and the steamy breath of volcanoes. It’s a scenic train ride from Jakarta or a short flight from Bali or Singapore.

The home of sultans, artists and the devout since the 8th century, Yogyakarta is the gentle epicenter of classical Javanese culture and education.

Continue reading “Embrace the Cultural Kingdom That Steadies the Spirit, and Inspires Your Soul, Yogyakarta”

Devote Yourself to Peaceful Seclusion, and Spellbinding Scenery at Palm Springs

The desert oasis of Palm Springs lies at the western edge of the Coachella Valley in California. Just under two hours from Los Angeles, Hollywood A-listers have flocked here since the 1920s to escape the dizzying pace of showbiz.

With many golf courses, hotels, and spa retreats, it’s no wonder the rich and famous are drawn to this place. Actors, musicians, and politicians continue to be glorified, and their names are embedded into the city’s very own walk of stars. Of course, where there are celebrities, there’s bound to be gossip. The city is rumored to have been the secret rendezvous point for many alleged affairs, including Marilyn Monroe and John F. Kennedy.

Unfortunately, Hollywood’s greats often steal the limelight of a story which is less often told, the area’s fantastic natural wonder. Few are aware that Palm Springs is a haven for abundant life surrounded by miles of scorching plains and rocky mountain wilderness… A place which welcomed Native Americans into its bountiful arms a thousand years ago. Continue reading “Devote Yourself to Peaceful Seclusion, and Spellbinding Scenery at Palm Springs”