For most American travelers, sights associated with early Christianity are fairly common, and much is known. But for non-Muslims, sights associated with early Islam are a bit less part of the beaten path of tourism. Some of this is practical; the major cities associated with the prophet Muhammad, founder of Islam, in Saudi Arabia aren’t…
Editor’s note: it seems that these days, Hungary is in the news more for the dictatorial antics of its leader, Vicktor Orban, than for its truly stunning capital city, Budapest. If you can stomach the politics, the city is - as Sam Spector relates in this article - a true European gem. For more of…
Before this, my second trip to Guatemala, I didn’t even know that there were highland Mayan kingdoms. I had believed that to see remnants of the Mayan people, one had to journey to the jungles in Guatemala’s north, to the lowland cities of Tikal, Yaxha, and the other classical Mayan city-states in the region. But…
Editor’s note: what a unique experience to be a tourist in a community like this. And even more, what an incredible job of writing about it through that lens. As you know, we do not shy away from politics and religion here at The Royal Tour, and Sam Spector presents his experience visiting these communities…
Editor’s note: I was in Bangkok for a day as part of a Southeast Asia cruise. While I found the sights to be incredible, the heat, humidity, and crowds got to me. It is a place I’d love to return to, but at a more leisurely pace so as to mitigate some of that. Sam’s…
Editor’s note: like Sam, visiting Nara was one of my favorite parts of both of my Japan trips. Also like Sam, both of my visits focused on Nara Park. You can read about my experience here. And for more of Sam’s adventures, click here to visit his index page. It is springtime, and when thinking…
Editor’s note: like many visitors to Portugal, my time there has been focused on Lisbon and Porto. The part in between is a blank spot. But today, Sam helps us all fill that in with this awesome look at some stunning monasteries. For more of Sam’s writing, click here to visit his index page. While…
Editor’s note: this is the second part of Jackie’s trip to Spain and Portugal. You can click here to read about her experience in Madrid. As for these cities, Seville is my personal favorite in Spain, and one of my favorites in Europe. Granada is stunning due to the Alhambra, and Cordoba is at the…
Editor’s note: while Sam’s visit to Cairo was more than a decade ago, other more recent travelers have said similar things about the city. Crowded and chaotic, but full of incredible history and culture, Cairo is a place that fascinates. And the newly opened new home of the Egyptian Museum beckons; as well. For more…
Editor’s note: like so many American travelers, my only experience with South Korea was in Seoul. After reading this look at Busan from our resident traveling rabbi Sam, I know for sure I’ve missed out. For more of Sam’s amazing adventures, be sure to click here to visit his index page! In my journeys around…