Holland America’s Mediterranean
Our Western Mediterranean cruise began in Rome, center of the empire that once controlled the entire area, and sailed westward to Lisbon, capital of Portugal, whose 15th and 16th century navigators helped build an overseas empire.
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Historic York County, Pennsylvania: Factory Tour Capital of the World
York has come a long way since the days when William Penn sent surveyor Thomas Cookson here to lay out a new town in what was then the frontier. Cookson, an Englishman from Yorkshire, named one of the main streets after his king, George, and the town after the Duchy of York. Yorktown, as it was called in the from the mid-18th to early 19th centuries, became known as The White Rose City for the symbol of the House of York.
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Hamburg, Germany
Hamburg was established and ruled not by royalty but by the wealthy merchants of the medieval trade monopoly known as the Hanseatic League. The Hanseatic merchant guilds began their alliance in the 12th century to protect members on their trading voyages.
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Ryugujo Spa Hotel Mikazuki
Japan is known for its communal bathing in its hot springs. This destination spa just outside Tokyo is a popular one for good reason.
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Naritasan Shinshoji Temple and Omotesando Road, Chiba, Japan
Chiba is a microcosm of traditional Japan that is easily accessed from Tokyo or the airport. From traditional shops in centuries-old buildings to ancient temples, it’s a place of serenity, excitement, and cultural immersion just outside the bustling city.
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Tokyo: tradition meets the future
Tokyo, its capital since 1868, is on the island of Honshu in the Japan archipelago, bordered by Chiba and Saitama prefectures and Tokyo Bay.
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A week in Virginia’s Blue Ridge
The 469 mile drive along the Blue Ridge Parkway is one of America’s most scenic road trips. This mountaintop roadway provides scenic trails and vistas from Virginia’s Shenandoah National Park to Smoky Mountain National Park in North Carolina and Tennessee. It also runs through a region of cities and towns rich in historical, cultural, and culinary experiences.
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Galveston, Texas: A treasure of an island
We were on an island with gentle breezes and shimmering water, the lyrics of the 1969 Glen Campbell hit dancing in our heads. We heard the “sea winds blowing” and watched the “sea waves crashing”, and “sea birds flying in the sun” — in Galveston.
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Morocco: Rabat, Casablanca, and Agadir
We docked in Casablanca, Morocco’s largest city, and the busiest seaport in North Africa. We would soon discover that this leading commercial and industrial center of Morocco is strikingly different from the city in the movie of the same name. But first we headed for the capital city, Rabat…
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