The photos don’t do it justice. The immense size of Victoria Falls and the tremendous amount of water flowing is hard to describe — or capture with a camera. You really must experience it; hear the roar, feel the vibration, taste the mist, witness the majesty. Victoria Falls straddles the countries of Zambia and Zimbabwe […]
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The Three Shining Jewels of Myanmar (Burma)
Myanmar. A country with over 3,500 years of history, much of it war-torn and bloody, sits cradled in the elbow between India, China, Thailand and the Andaman Sea. Closed to the outside world for much of the past century following a century of devastating British colonial rule, Myanmar is a captivating destination for travelers interested […]
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The Waterfront Village of Manchester
Located just a 10-minute drive from downtown Port Orchard on Puget Sound is Manchester, an unincorporated community in southeast Kitsap County. Established in the 1860s, the town was named after Manchester city in England. More than 7,000 people currently live in Manchester, which has excellent views of Seattle, Mount Rainier and Blake Island. At one […]
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Cruising on China’s Yangtze River — The Ancient and The New
It’s mind-boggling. China’s population is more than 1.4 billion. Yes, billion with a B. Eclipsing the United States with the 2019 population count at 330 million (India fast gaining on China with 1.3 billion). Billions of people. Where to put them all? How to manage them? This is China’s challenge. There are small but noticeable […]
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The Last of the Famous Mosquito Fleet
The Carlisle II is the last remnant of the once-famous Mosquito Fleet and is the oldest continually operating ferry boat in the Pacific Northwest. The wonderful old ferry is currently in dry dock but will resume its hourly service between downtown Bremerton and downtown Port Orchard some time in 2020. John Clauson, the executive director […]
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Central America’s Diamond in the Rough — Discovering Guatemala
Colorful and shy Mayan women go about their day, much the same way they have for centuries in Guatemala. Within the country, there are 21 indigenous groups, many existing in traditional style. But look around and you find a more modern Mayan/Spanish ethnic group known as mestizos, as well as the Garinagu of African descent. […]
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Best Bet for Visiting Italy? The Off-Season
Ah, Italy! Ancient ruins, century-old churches and basilicas, wonderful restaurants and markets, picture-book scenery, canals, rolling hills, vineyards as far as the eye can see, boutique wineries and friendly people. What’s not to like? Well, it all depends on when you go. If you choose the high season — roughly April through October — you’re […]
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A Visit to the Amazon Rainforest
Visiting the Amazon Rainforest is akin to being a teeny insect in the greatest biodiverse area on the planet. It’s humongous and you will never see it all — 2.1 million square miles. One-fifth of the freshwater flowing into the Earth’s oceans comes from the Amazon River. The Amazon has more than 40,000 different kinds […]
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Belize as a Group Kayak Adventure
Close your eyes and imagine water as blue as turquoise. Sand shimmering like diamonds. Sunsets glowing like amber. Jungles glistening like emeralds. No, it’s not a fantasy land of rare gemstones in a mystical story. This is Belize. Beautiful, colorful, friendly Belize on the Caribbean Coast. You can come to Belize for relaxing beaches and […]