It’s a tale as old as time, one seemingly repeated everywhere I go. Jews settle in a place, and all is well for a while. Then we become scapegoats, used by the political powers as outsiders, as people to blame for whatever is going on. This escalates into forced conversions, ghettos, expulsions, and attempted exterminations.…
Rome has more than 900 churches. Yes, more than 900! This is the most of any city in the world, and it isn’t especially close. It is an overwhelming number, and given how many of them are considered beautiful or important - or both - seeing churches can become an all-consuming part of a trip…
From inside the complex, it’s hard to remember that I’m less than a half hour from downtown Los Angeles. The Ming Dynasty style pagodas and shrines of the Hsi Lai Temple gleam in the sun. The gardens, ornate and calming, stand in contrast to the literally dozens of statues lining almost every passageway. Brown clothed…
Yes, I am Jewish. While I am no longer overtly active in a religious sense, it is a huge part of my identity. So one of the things I made sure to make a part of my trip to Buenos Aires was to explore a bit of the Jewish community here. After all, Argentina has…
Editor’s note: outside of Israel, I’ve explored little of the Middle East. I’m so grateful to Sam Spector for filling in some of these gaps for all of you here at The Royal Tour! For more of his adventures, click here to visit his index page. I have written about the glitz and glam of…
Editor’s note: Like Sam, I also visited Savannah and Charleston in a single trip. However, my opinions are a bit skewed since I had a beautiful day in Savannah and nothing but rain in Charleston. Regardless, both are great, and it is wonderful to have these articles back to back from Sam Spector. For more…
Editor’s note: this article first appeared on JLiving Media. As always, I am so grateful to have Rabbi Sam Spector as a writer, both for his thoughtful approach to his adventures and for his unique perspective as a rabbi traveling the globe. For more of Sam’s writing, click here to visit his index page. I…
Editor’s note: Siem Reap, Cambodia is indeed a world-class destination. In three days there, I experienced temple overload, with so many amazing sites blending together. You can read my views of the place by clicking here, then read Sam’s experiences! For more of Sam’s awesome adventures, click here to visit his index page. In 2006,…
Being a writer has changed my life, and not only for the way it has allowed me to travel instead of “work.” It has inspired me to stop and look around more. Today is a good example. I have driven past this place more times than I can count, as far back as my regular…
This is my favorite way to travel. I love to find a long-term (at least a few weeks) home base to explore, and to use it as a hub to see some of the region. This trip has been too much of a whirlwind - with too many location changes - to do much of…