By Colleen Cowles ITWPA Member “Slap it, baby, slap it!” The captain turns the ship around to optimize views and turns off the motor. Two whales create breach-and-dive theater for 28 minutes, with squeals from passengers almost as loud as the barking sea lions witnessed yesterday. There’s no need to take separate excursions. This entire nine-day cruise serves as a wildlife … [Read more...] about The Island Spirit – Small Group Cruise in Big Alaska
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Glendalough: Walking in a Special Place
By John P. Fleming As you approach the cliff ledge, the whole valley comes into view through a break in the trees. Below, the dark waters of the two lakes are surrounded by a blanket of forest. The top of an ancient monastic settlement pokes above the canopy. There is nobody stirring in the valley. In the early morning chill, the only sounds are the birds going about their … [Read more...] about Glendalough: Walking in a Special Place
Lugo, Spain’s City of Witches and Saints
Submission & Photos by Elizabeth Varadan Every year, from October 4th through 12th, the San Froilán Fiesta lights up Lugo, the capital city of Lugo province in Galicia, the northwest region of Spain. Famous bands perform onstage. Puppeteers and street musicians rim plazas or spill along side streets. Artisans sell handcrafts on blankets. A silver cowboy statue … [Read more...] about Lugo, Spain’s City of Witches and Saints
Lost Palace of the Byzantine Emperors
Seraglio Point in Istanbul is dominated by the magnificent, sprawling structures of two of the world’s architectural masterpieces. These are Haghia Sophia, the Byzantine Church of the Holy Wisdom, and the Ottoman Blue Mosque or Sultanahmet Camii. They’re like prize fighters sizing one another up across the park that separates them, champions of two great civilizations and the … [Read more...] about Lost Palace of the Byzantine Emperors
American Dream Vacation in Palau, Micronesia
Submission by Bina Joseph A vacation truly made up of the stuff of dreams must happen in faraway corners of the world with musical, exotic-sounding names. Immediately, Polynesia, Melanesia, and Micronesia spring to mind. The Micronesian archipelago of Palau has been spotlighted by the popular “Survivor” TV series. Among the youngest nations in the world, Palau gained … [Read more...] about American Dream Vacation in Palau, Micronesia