The city of York is a magnet for both British tourists and travelers from around the world. It’s just about as pretty as everyone said it was; encircled by a Roman-built wall and dominated by the massive York Minster, an oversized cathedral. Guide Mark Graham told us that archeologists have […]

In the city of Leeds, there are 500,000 students. This makes the city the ultimate college town, and today we took cabs out of town a few miles to Harewood House, a family estate owned by a cousin of the Queen. This stately chateau, built 250 years ago, is filled […]

I often get impatient with picky eaters. In fact I think it’s one of my pet peeves, people who say they don’t like stuff, and refuse to even consider trying to put it down their throat.  But today I need to reflect and have sympathy; for there are millions of […]

The languid, sodden days of dripping, unrelenting and oppressive heat have slunk upon us. Did you also wake up, like I did, with covers askew, a fan blowing nonstop, and into air you could cut with a knife?  Welcome to July, if it’s ever going to be hot this year […]

Today is a sultry day, already I can tell the heat will envelope us. Tomorrow I’ll head down to Manhattan on the bus then take an hour-long subway ride through some of Brooklyn’s worst neighborhoods all the way to JFK airport. Then I’ll fly over to Manchester, England and begin […]

Last night I was at an outdoor bar, with people competing for seats like musical chairs. I ran into a friend who was with his son, he worked for National Grid. I have always been fascinated by utilities…water, sewer, electrical, internet. I am intrigued with the whole idea that there’s […]

A series of really nice little things happened to me yesterday, making me grateful to be alive in the world and able to appreciate them.  Last night I learned that Brendan Vanson, a travel blogger, had compiled a list of what he considered the top 50 Independent Travel Websites. Using […]