“You mean the pirate statue?” I’m in the cruise terminal in Sint Maarten. Entering was an ordeal in itself, as I’m not a cruise ship passenger, so my meeting needed to be pre-confirmed along with a copy of my passport. This is, after all, an international port. I’m here for one thing: a statue of…
“Welcome home,” John says to me with a smile. This is just my second time staying here at the hotel John Leone owns, the Seaview Beach Hotel in Philipsburg, Sint Maarten. But even after four nights on my last trip, it did feel like home, and checking in, being greeted like this, does indeed have…
Editor’s note: I first visited Yosemite as a child, and have been back close to a dozen times, including three since starting The Royal Tour. It is a place unlike anywhere I’ve ever visited, a place of dreams. (Also a place of crowds, but such is the trade off.) Here, Jackie adds her own experiences…
There is a difference between a country and a nation. A country is a political entity made up of a government and laws. A nation, on the other hand, is a people with a common identity. Sint Maarten is a relatively new country, having existed as an autonomous constituent country within the Kingdom of the…
A bottle of French wine is on the counter of my room when I check into Grand Case Beach Club. It’s a lovely touch, and a first reminder that here on the tiny divided island of St. Martin, the “French side,” as Saint-Martin is affectionately called, is fully a part of France. Yes, this -…
Editor’s note: After an amazing review of Old Delhi, here Sam Spector provides us with a tremendous glimpse at the other part of the city: New Delhi. And don’t miss his recommendation for his favored meal in India! For more of Sam’s writing, click here to visit his index page. In my last article, I…
It’s a rainy and cold day in Pisa’s Piazza del Duomo, where I stare at the Leaning Tower of Pisa. The weather is only just barely cooperating, and it probably won’t start truly pouring for a few hours. Such is life in Tuscany in January. Few tourists My last trip was in late summer. It…
Barcelona is an incredible place. For most visitors, it is highlighted by the allure of Spanish beaches, a dining scene that is diverse and affordable, and more cool architecture than any city deserves to have - especially the buildings of Antoni Gaudi. (Click here to read about Gaudi and here to specifically learn about Sagrada…
As a writer, I’m rarely lost for words. I pride myself on being able to take in an experience and distill it out onto paper (screen) easily, efficiently, and relatively well. And yet standing here inside the “forest” of columns inside the unique Basilica of the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, I can only come up…
Ten years ago, in June of 2016, I tried to take my own life. That’s still a hard statement to write. While I’ve been open about my struggles with my mental health, and even about my suicide attempt, it’s still a difficult thing to talk about so publicly. But this article isn’t about that night,…