The Ashmolean In 1990, I made my first trip abroad: a few days in Amsterdam, a few in London, with a side-trip to Oxford to see the Ashmolean Museum. That side-trip became the highlight of my time in Europe. The Museum itself, like so many others, is a beautiful and imposing building: an Ionic-columned entrance … Continued
Available: A Life in the Philippines by B.J. Stolbov Mortgage, insurance, car, gas, electricity, water . . . drowning in bills, bills, and more bills . . . money going out and out . . . oh, what to do. . . . What to do? Three years ago, I joined the Peace Corps. I … Continued
No lying At the Water Palace restaurant we sit cross-legged on cushions on a raised platform. A sign at my side says, Please, for the comfort of others, no lying. And I’m not lying when I say I haven’t felt so relaxed in years. At home I swim, walk and do yoga to stay sane … Continued
Four days. A mere four days my American friends had to spend in the New York Times’ #1-rated city to visit in 2014, and it was my privilege to be their host and resident tour guide. After living in Cape Town for a decade, my love for the diverse metropolis runs hot through my veins. … Continued
Wish Boats and Lighthouses I am not a good traveler. I get car sick on mountainous roads, I don’t sleep well in unfamiliar places, and I am grouchy if I don’t eat on time. So when my college-aged daughter told me she wanted to spend her summer internship at a camp in Casco, Maine, my … Continued
Time stands still when you are stuck. We had been stuck before, delayed by a day or two a couple of times but this was different. The road through Zaire to Uganda was a red dirt corridor in the jungle with frequent dodgy bridges and mud holes. A mud hole big enough to suck an … Continued
When I was in college I always said I would travel when I found time. Textbooks have now been exchanged from Dr. Seuss. Grabbing a latte has been replaced with grabbing sippy cups for my toddlers. The time to travel became a distant memory of a young idealistic mind. My adult mind was unable to … Continued
While visiting Italy twelve years ago, I learned that using my time wisely in a new place didn’t necessarily mean getting a lot accomplished each day. There was much to see and do in each city my husband and I visited, however, it was not the amount of popular sights we trekked to that made … Continued
An Outing in Sri Lanka Dawn in a rural corner of Galle and the light is soft and milky, the air cool. Across the road, Langur monkeys scrabble through trees. On the lane a solitary cow grazes on the verge. A man wanders into view pulling an empty cart and disappears again. A cyclist wobbles … Continued
Set amidst the lofty Aravalli Range of Rajasthan, the beautiful city of Udaipur is an abode of picturesque lakes, lush-green gardens, majestic forts and palaces, awe-inspiring museums, and revered temples. Receiving thousands of footfalls the year round from all over the world, Udaipur is certainly one of the most sought-after destinations. While on one hand, … Continued