San Telmo, Buenos Aires

It’s a Sunday morning, so naturally I am on my way to Buenos Aires’ San Telmo neighborhood. I am joined by thousands of others, tourists and locals alike. San Telmo is a beautiful neighborhood on any day, but on Sundays, the area comes to life via the famous Féria de San Telmo, or San Telmo…

A Visit to Charleston, SC

Editor’s Note: I had a single day in Charleston before I started The Royal Tour, a day that was so rainy and foggy that I couldn’t even see the water from a waterfront walkway. Even soaking wet and cold, Charleston was beautiful, and this longer look into this historic city from Sam Spector is making…

The Griffith Observatory

In 1955, James Dean made this place famous, as one of the most iconic scenes of Rebel Without a Cause was filmed right here at the Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles’ Griffith Park. Since then, it has become a symbol of Los Angeles, being used to represent the city in dozens of films and nearly…

The Library of Congress

In a world full of beautiful libraries, this one holds its own. The Library of Congress is America’s public library. Containing one of the largest collections anywhere, it is not only a spectacular building worth visiting, but also an institution fascinating in its history. The Library of Congress was founded in 1800 when Washington, DC…

Two Layovers in Beijing

Editor’s note: like Sam, I tried to squeeze as much of Beijing as possible into just a couple days for the sake of the visa-free entry (which requires you to spend the whole time in a single city). You can read about my two days here. While I wouldn’t go to China now, part of…

Santo Domingo’s Colonial Zone

In 1492, Christopher Columbus used the remains of his flagship Santa Maria to build a small fort where the Ozama River emptied into the bright blue waters of the Caribbean Sea. Four years later, in 1496, on a return visit, Columbus established a colony on the spot. Today, Santo Domingo remains the oldest European-built city…

Tbilisi, Georgia

Editor’s note: back before I was a writer, I worked in the Jewish community doing major gifts fundraising. One organization I worked for hosted a community trip to Tbilisi - about two months before I started there. So I missed out. Sam’s article about the city - and all the things he saw in a…

Munich’s Historic Center

Munich is, comparatively speaking, a modern city. While some cities trace back to Roman times, Munich itself is only mentioned as a city with a bridge over the river Isar from the year 1158. However, over the centuries, it went from a tiny settlement of Benedictine monks to the capital of a Germanic kingdom. Any…