Travel and Leisure

Alcobaça: The Heart of the Portuguese Culture

Alcobaça, a small city that’s been around for ages, sits in a valley along the central coast of Portugal. Known for its massive gothic cathedrals and quiet beachside villages, Alcobaça represents the heart of the Portuguese culture. With majority of the city’s structures se Read More

Portugal’s Beauty in Ruins: A Revelation in Photography

Is it possible to find beauty in ruins? Can one see artistic glimmers within a place that is in a state of decay and neglect? The answer undoubtedly is yes, and Portugal is a testament to that answer. When I first moved to Portugal, almost two years ago, I was fascinated by what I saw as Read More

The Big Trees of Yosemite

Between the heavy pine and silver fir zones towers the Big Tree (Sequoia gigantea), the king of all the conifers in the world, "the noblest of the noble race." The groves nearest Yosemite Valley are about twenty miles to the westward and southward and are called the Tuolumne, Merced and Ma Read More

Moscow Points of Interest and the Beginning of My Story

Where do the stories of one’s life usually begin? From one’s native town or the place where you were born? For some people, those are the same places, while for others they are two different places, two completely diverse stories. While I am originally Armenian and spent most of my li Read More

Hong Kong, China: Facts, Travel, and Points of Interest

Hong Kong is a colorful, dynamic, and self-governing metropolis located on the southern coast of China. The name Hong Kong means “Fragrant Harbor” due to its deep-water harbor which is enclosed by mountainous terrain, the South China Sea, and Pearl River Delta. It is this harbo Read More

Apache Trail: Natural Beauty, Rich History, and Hiking Passion

Located in Arizona, just outside of Phoenix, is the engaging and deceptively prolific beauty of the Apache Trail Scenic Drive. It’s complex natural sights, rich history, and hiking friendliness make for a wonderfully diverse travel experience. The Apache Trail's Natural Beauty Th Read More