2021 is Scotland’s “Year of Coasts and Waters,” and when it comes to spectacular beaches, visitors to Scotland are spoilt for choice. Mainland Scotland has over 6,000 miles of coastline. When you include the islands, this increases to well over 11,000, so the diversity of beaches should come as no surprise. Everyone will have their own particular favourites, and I’m happy to share mine. Controversial? Perhaps. Come visit and decide for yourself!

San Sebastian’s beach certainly has something special about it: it has driven to its shore royals, dictators, Hollywood stars, writers, and even me, a person who prefers the freshness of the mountains over the hot, sticky sand.

Croatia has some of the most spectacular coastline anywhere on the planet. One interesting part of that spectacle? All the Europeans who come there to get naked at the beach. In this post I’ll talk about the history of the nudist scene in Croatia, and some of the practicalities of checking it out, if that’s your thing.

From the moment we are born, we race to collect that which we believe are the most precious things we need, not least of which is money. However, at what we call the end of our existence, time becomes our most important possession. Of course, only our known time expires: the universe keeps going.

Italy is moving on with the rest of the world at a fast pace. I remember when I arrived in Italy 16 years ago, and no one knew what sushi or WiFi was. It may have been frustrating at the time, but in retrospect, it was refreshing to jump back into the past. My nostalgic personality yearns for an Italy that preserves its traditions, which is almost frozen in time.

A nation or a “Wonder World” that dazzles with color and chaos, India takes visitors on a journey of soul-stirring encounters. This country boasts a matrix of innumerable co-existing beliefs, a 5000-years old civilization, a home to some of the most colorful and vivid folklore from several ethnic groups, five seasons a year; a festival every day, a smile every second. It’s easy to realize that India is a magical paradox with modern connotations.

I hope everyone is nurturing some travel dreams for the not too distant future, and in this post I’ll give my top recommendations for where to travel in Eastern and Central Europe over the next year. As much damage as the pandemic has done to the travel industry, for people who are ready to hit the road again soon, you’ll find some incredible opportunities and bargains.

Welcome! My name is Roberto and today I will be your guide. I hope your teleportation here was comfortable. Today we will visit an archaeological site that many centuries ago was called "Italy." The inhabitants of this place, once a peninsula, were part of a larger population called "Europeans."

Gothic cathedrals such as this were built with the purpose of trying to reach God and to let the light of God embody your soul. This temple achieves this beautifully. Inside, you will find a very elegant and slender cathedral illuminated by the sunlight coming through stained-glass windows. It is almost mystical.

The joy of exploring new places in good company is my idea of a good time: winding country roads where you come to a crossroads and take in the lay of the land before deciding which way to go, sometimes on a whim and sometimes with intent. The region of Piemonte in the northwest corner of Italy is the perfect place for a wanderer, and one of my favourite pastimes over the past few years is finding Big Benches. 

My mom and dad emigrated from The Philippines to the United States in the late 1960s to work as as chemists/researchers at the University of California, San Diego. A few years later, I was born in La Jolla, California. I’ve been fortunate to travel to my parents’ native land with them three times, and on our last visit, we were treated to a cultural experience that had a deep impact on me. Re-watching a video of the event recently has brought up some strong memories and feelings about my ethnic patrimony.

To begin, thank you.
Giving back to share your heart and voice.
This space has comforted us while we redefine who we are,
Where we belong, 
and find our North again.
Now we can listen to our other inner voices.

Iona is a small island lying off the west coast of Scotland. Measuring just four miles in length and one mile at its widest point, this is a special place. A spiritual place. A liminal place where the veil between the spiritual and the material world is thin—a threshold.

In general, we all belong to more than one community. Yes, families are the starting point, but then, as we expand our personalities and interests, we join different ones that share common passions such as sports, hobbies, or a deep affection for one another. Undoubtedly, what creates the strongest and longest-lasting link is friendship.

By the time pilgrims arrived in France, four different routes were clearly marked as the official ones. Those four routes merged into three and then into two before crossing the Pyrenees. They meet at the entrance of the village of Puente la Reina in Navarre, a small village that became the center of the world…or at least the center of the Christian world.

Although the loss of income has been difficult, it is that connection with tour members—that sense of community—that I miss most. I miss not only building relationships with my tour members but  also helping them connect with each other and with locals. 

Many other communities and movements around the world have helped people to connect, to share common ideas, and to not feel alone. Think about how all achievements, technology, science, medicine, literature, religion, politics, and other important things would not be possible if it was not for that simple ability to communicate, think, and work together. One is nothing without the community, and the community is nothing without the one.

Naples is a city that can easily fall into stereotypes, but these can never begin to capture the social and cultural complexity of this ancient metropolis.

The Camino de Santiago is above all, a personal experience. No matter if you walk with your friends or with your partner, the rhythms of walking are different and there will be many miles where you bounce along with your thoughts. The Camino will change you for life. Do it for whatever reason inspires you, religious, spiritual, tourist, sports…regardless of how and why you start it, you will end it as a different person.