Travel and Leisure

Istanbul's Hagia Sophia: A History of Two Cultures and an Architectural Marvel

Istanbul, one of the most popular cities in Europe for weekend trips, annually hosts over 8 million tourists. This number places it among the ten most-visited metropolises in the world. Located in the area between two continents, Europe and Asia, is this thriving industrial and cultural center. You Read More

Whale Watching in Mirissa, Sri Lanka

One of the many popular activities to do on the seas off Sri Lanka is Whale Watching. Many of the boats that go out are fully booked even occasionally on off-season days. Sri Lanka has a few cities popular for Whale Watching and the closest to Colombo (Sri Lanka’s capital) is the city of Miris Read More

Yosemite: Winter Storms and Spring Floods

The Bridal Veil and the Upper Yosemite Falls, on account of their height and exposure, are greatly influenced by winds. The common summer winds that come up the river cañon from the plains are seldom very strong; but the north winds do some very wild work, worrying the falls and the forests, Read More

St. Stephen's Cathedral: The Resplendent Baroque Church of Passau

A majestic House of God sits atop a hill in the Altstadt, “Old City”, of Passau. It overlooks the glistening Danube River and the junction of Ilz, a tributary of the Danube running through the Bavarian Forest. Inside is said to sit the largest organ in Europe, a powerful instrument which Read More

Uncovering the German Soul of Chinese Qingdao

Is there any chance to find a piece of Europe in China?  Is there such hope to find a truly organized city routine? Some might be quite skeptical about this, as this is China, one of the most densely-populated countries on Earth: chaotic in soul and noisy by heart. When I was planni Read More

Yellowstone's Old Faithful Geyser

The most famous of all geysers is Old Faithful. It is everything you would expect to see in a geyser. Located in Yellowstone National Park, Old Faithful has the showman’s touch. With a rumbling fanfare and roll of drums beneath the thin shell of the earth, Old Faithful goes into action. Then a Read More