Here are the facts when you stay in a hotel – you still are at a place where they are leaving the lights on way too much. The waste in water and food is huge. These hotels still require a massive build-out or a remodeling. And we have all experienced the disappointment of “looks great on a website, is a hole on arrival.”
I’m typing this on the way to Maastricht, a 2 ½ hour train ride south from Amsterdam. It’s been a while since I’ve been in Europe, so you forget how efficient and normal train travel is here. What’s been an added bonus is that I decided that I would take my rented bike with me.
Sorry, I stay away from top 10 lists–but I thought I’d share some tips for how you can be more eco-friendly while you are on the road. You probably already have them in your home or office!
Walking through the narrow and winding cobblestone streets of Salvador during Carnaval, one stream of brilliant colors still sticks in my mind even though weeks have passed since our trip to northeast Brazil. Those colors were blue and white, the markings of the Sons of Gandhi, or Filhos de Gandhy, a wave of several thousand men who have marched in Salvador’s Carnaval since 1949.
This is a great time to visit the San Joaquin Valley: the weather is still a little cool, the strawberries are starting its season, the Sierra Nevadas are still draped in snow, and it’s time to drive around the Blossom Trail.
The Blossom Trail circles around the roads and highways southeast of Fresno. Trees boasting blooming citrus, [...]
As much as I love visiting large cities and national capitals, having limited time abroad often denies you the opportunity to view the true soul of a country. To me, Chicago presents visitors a near-perfect American city in architecture, culture, and spirit; Lyon reveals France’s charm and cuisine; and Daejon allows you to glimpse everyday [...]
I can’t believe it has already been a week since we left Mangue Seco, Brazil. It truly was a place to get away from it all. When we think about making an escape, we fantasize about the beach, but the reality is, famous resort areas like Hawaii, Cancun, Miami, Punta del Este, the French Riviera, [...]
Mangue Seco is about 200 km northeast of Salvador da Bahia. We’ll be here for 6 days total. It’s wonderful–not much to do but enjoy the mangroves, palms, endless white beaches, fresh fruit, fresh fish, and the best ice cream ever. We do not want to leave. I cannot wait to write [...]
Rio is one of those must visit cities, so you should be sure to visit before the 2016 Summer Olympics in case its leaders decide to erase its wonderful retro sheen.
Naturally the beaches are lovely, but you must visit the Botanical Garden, at the foot of Corvocado mountain. When we visited in 2004, we happened [...]
I spent MLK weekend in Fresno visiting an old college friend. The drive to Fresno is about four hours, and takes you to a completely different world than to which we are accustomed in Southern California or the Bay Area. We tend to be dismissive of this part of the state, but there is much [...]
I’ve seen enough. Hand me the keys. I’m taking ooh-vah. – Tabatha Coffey, star of Bravo’s hit reality series, Tabatha’s Salon Takeover, to another clueless owner as she is gob-smacked, once again, by a poorly-run hair salon . . .
I know there are far more serious issues going on right now, such as the climate [...]
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