White Sands National Monument, New Mexico, USA Back in the late 80’s, I visited White Sands National Monument for the first time. I was 9 and this was possibly the coolest place a nine-year-old could be taken. In the late 60’s, my Dad was training at Fort Bliss in nearby El Paso, TX. He knew […]
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History of the Acoma Pueblo “No note taking.” Our tour guides tells me after I jotted down a couple thoughts as he began explaining the history of the Acoma Pueblo. We are up high on a 367-foot sandstone bluff in a valley studded with sacred, towering monoliths in the desert of western New Mexico. This
Acoma Pueblo Sky City: Oldest Continuously Inhabited Community in North America Read More »
Visiting the Great Sand Dunes in Colorado, USA Despite all of the other quirky and interesting things in the San Luis Valley, we were coming for the Great Sand Dunes. Even though it was my second time visiting, it was just as incredible an experience. The first time I called it “the best National Park
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Photo Essay of Cheyenne, Wyoming I’m still trying to digest my afternoon in Cheyenne. I’m trying to be positive about my few hours in the capital of America’s least populous state, but I’m not sure there’s anything to bring me back for another visit. There were very few people out and about downtown, and those I
Cheyenne, Wyoming in Photos Read More »
12 Facts You Didn’t Know about Spokane, Washington Spokane, Washington is the forgotten city of the Pacific Northwest. Sometimes it’s the unsung hero towns that give you the best memories. Spokane is an excellent gateway to the northwest Rockies, Glacier National Park, the Colombia Valley Wine Region, and even the Canadian Rockies. It’s got a
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Chinese Cooking Lessons in Dali, China Taking a cooking class is a great way to enhance your short holiday or long-term travels. Almost every place that I travel to, I see cooking classes available—be it in Thailand or Italy, Argentina or Vietnam, Mexico or Morocco. I had been lingering in the laid back town of
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I didn’t give Saigon the time it deserved. I had planned a few days there, but soon after I took the photos from this walking tour of the center city, I got sick and had to lie low for the remainder of my time. The first thing anyone will notice is that people rarely refer
Photo of the Week: Center Saigon Read More »
By Stephen Bugno Spend any amount of time in China and you’ll start noticing ridiculous signs like these. Usually it’s the English translations that make that it so odd or even unintelligible. I’m not sure why we’re protecting CircumStance or why that should begin with me. Chinese people are so obsessed with playing cards, that signs need
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About 45 minutes down the road southwest from Jianchuan, along the busy Lijiang-Dali road is a town where most travelers fail to stop. No one pays too much attention to Shaxi these days. Its heyday is long gone. Once it stood on the busy Tea Horse Road—a less famous trading route than the Silk Road,
Old Town Shaxi of the Tea Horse Road Read More »
Malacca, Malaysia in Photos Traveling to some of the touristy towns of China (like Lijiang) and in Vietnam (Hoi An) now one year later, I think back to what a special place Malacca, Malaysia is. Don’t get me wrong, Melacca is a super-touristy town, but why it’s special is that the old district has yet
Malacca, Malaysia in Photos Read More »
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