Lying on a beanbag chair in the afternoon sun, I am a happy guy. Batch Winery, the highest in elevation of Waiheke Island’s more than two dozen vineyards, has a number of them set up on a grassy hill beneath a tree, and the sun lights up the bay and the Auckland skyline beyond. It…
Editor’s note: this is Morgan’s fourth (!!!) island of the Azores she is sharing with us. Links to the others can be found throughout this piece. Don’t miss out on the rest of it if you enjoy cool volcanic island scenery! For more of Morgan’s writing, click here to visit her index page. When taking…
Editor’s note: another Azorean island look from Morgan, our resident geology buff. Sao Jorge does indeed seem beautiful, remote, and a great way to get off the beaten path, if you’re into that sort of thing. For more of Morgan’s writing, be sure to click here to visit her index page. When Azoreans heard me…
Editor’s note: today is November 7, 2024. The U.S. presidential election was two days ago, and I am still both sad and angry. And both of those emotions make articles like this one about a Greek island, written back in August, seem meaningless and out of place in the context of my current existence. But…
Editor’s note: if you’ve been a regular follower of The Royal Tour, you’d recognize this as the second in Morgan’s series on the Azores. Her first, on Sao Miguel, can be found here. One thing is immediately apparent: these islands are all distinct and differ greatly from each other! For more of Morgan’s writing, click…
Editor’s note: I’ve barely scratched the surface of Oceania, and the Cook Islands aren’t even on my radar. Until now. I mean, just read Hedy’s descriptions of the beauty and culture, and you’ll want to go, too. For more of Hedy’s writing, click here to visit her index page. Until a year ago, I didn’t…
Editor’s note: Thank you to Sam for another amazing story from his Utah home. For more tales of Sam’s travels, near and far, click here to visit his index page. The Great Salt Lake is the largest lake in the United States outside of the Great Lakes and it is from this lake that Utah’s…
Editor's note: What a magical story by Sam Spector, the wandering rabbi. For more of his writing, click here to visit his index. And if you enjoy it, please help support The Royal Tour via our Patreon page. In case you are not aware, September and October are the months when rabbis reconsider all their…
Editor's note: it's been more than four months since I have left Southern California, and I am so excited to live vicariously through our amazing Sam Spector on this trip! Don't miss all his writing by clicking here. Also, as circumstances are constantly changing in this time of global pandemic, please check current conditions and…
The isolation here is palpable. Walking on a narrow path, I hear only the birds, insects, Lake Superior's minor waves, and my own footsteps. Plants block my path occasionally - this is, after all, designated wilderness and I am intruding on their space. I gaze around, amazed at just how many shades of green can…