Nestled in the foothills of the Andes mountains, the Baha'i Temple of South America is one of the most unusual-looking buildings I've ever laid eyes on. It's at once organic and otherworldly; it reminds me of the papery exterior of a physalis, or an intergalactic ship from a 60s TV show that crash-lands on earth…
Another week here in California with mandatory stay at home policies in place. Last week, A and I started a new tradition for our quarantine: weekly travel themed date nights. Having enjoyed some of the wonders of France from home, this week it was on to my newly adopted country, Germany. (Yes I know it…
Spain is awesome. Let's start with that. Pretty much anywhere you go will be amazing, based on my experience. But for most Americans, a trip to Spain is to Barcelona or Madrid. Both cities are wonderful - check out my Madrid guide here and tune in later for some rad Barcelona content - but they…
Life in the time of coronavirus is a bit challenging, especially for those of us who love to travel. (Never mind the travel writers; my daily page views are about 10% of what they were only two weeks ago.) And while most of our attention is - naturally - on the news, a few of…
One of the things I was excited for on my recent trip to Seville, a stunningly beautiful city in Andalusia in the south of Spain, was exploring its Jewish heritage. The city had a Jewish population dating from at least the sixth century, and walking tours of the old Jewish quarter are widely available. In…
First off, don't worry. I don't have the coronavirus - COVID-19 - at least not yet. I am writing this from Barcelona, a week into my stay in this stunning city. By the time you read it, I will be back home in Los Angeles. So what changed? I was supposed to be here another…
Like so many other things in this beautiful southern Spanish city, it appears disjointed at first, three distinct parts, none seeming to match the others, but all coming together in an imperfect perfection that just makes sense. It is an experience that matches the spirit of Seville just as jazz does for New Orleans, capturing…
"Not so long ago, three things were forbidden at Chilean dinner tables: politics, religion and football. Now, there is so much talk of politics that even if we wanted to talk religion or football, we wouldn't have time." My buddy Gert and I are chatting over a terremoto (also known as an earthquake, it's a…
Portugal's capital has beckoned me for years. Called by the sea, the hills, the food, and the sounds of the language, it has been at or near the top of my travel wish list for as long as I've had one. Now, after spending a month living and exploring Lisbon, I am able to share…
I had never been to Portugal before spending a month there earlier this year. First, wow, what an amazing country! However, there are some things I wish I'd known before coming that would have helped me better navigate as a tourist, better plan my trip, and better understand the people. Here is a list, in…