Compass
It was a hot summer day when a friend of mine and I pulled into the parking lot of Sombrio Beach, on the west coast of Vancouver Island in British Columbia. We planned to be there for the day and set up a shady spot on the sand to enjoy our ocean views. We were hoping to see some wildlife — a bald eagle, a sea lion, maybe even a breaching whale.
Our Creole cultural exploration takes us just outside New Orleans to the Old Mississippi River Road where we'll share the story of a Creole family and a plantation named Laura--voted "Best history tour in the USA" by Lonely Planet Travel and a top travel attraction in Louisiana.
Since 2008, when the main city George Town was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, tourists flocked to Penang to savour the food, see the sites, and indulge in ‘heritage tourism’. Every day, you can see walking tours searching for the Insta-famous street art peppered across the Heritage Zone. However, heritage tourism is a double-edged sword; what they think is cultural heritage is, in fact, a brilliant tourism campaign promoting the historic image of Penang at the cost of the locals who live it.
A block from Havana’s famous Malecon, I found myself standing on a curb, sharing a bottle of rum with my good friend and traveling companion Sandra, and three strangers. We’d all met earlier at a nearby salsa club tucked in an alleyway between the Centro and Old Havana neighborhoods, a local joint.
Do I have to sleep on the floor? Is there only one bathtub for all the guests? What's with all the different slippers? These were just some of the questions I had about staying in Japanese ryokan before a recent trip. Minshuku are similar accommodations, offering tatami mat rooms with futons, but these traditional inns are often family-run with simple amenities, like shared toilets and bathing areas. It turns out that staying in Japanese-style lodging unveiled the delightful hospitality of my hosts, introduced me to all kinds of new foods, and offered more luxury than I expected.
As the world eagerly awaits the stroke of midnight on New Year's Eve, cities across the globe gear up to bid farewell to the old year and welcome the new with awe-inspiring displays of fireworks. These dazzling shows have become synonymous with celebration, joy, and the promise of a fresh start. Join us on a captivating journey across continents as we explore the New Year's Eve fireworks displays that have captured the world's imagination. Since we will be ringing in the new year in Las Vegas, I’ll start there.
Picture this – it's the last day of the year, and everywhere you look, people are gearing up for a night of celebration. New Year's Eve has this enchanting vibe, a mix of saying goodbye to the past and embracing the unknown of the future. One thing that adds that extra sparkle to the festivities is the mesmerizing display of fireworks that paints the night sky with bursts of color.
Kwanzaa, the vibrant and culturally rich holiday that celebrates African heritage, unity, and community, is observed by millions of people worldwide. As the holiday gains widespread recognition, communities around the globe come together to commemorate the principles and traditions of Kwanzaa. While the celebrations vary in scale and style, some locations stand out as hosting the largest and most impactful Kwanzaa festivities.
Kwanzaa, a celebration deeply rooted in African heritage, offers a unique opportunity for individuals across the globe to come together in unity, reflection, and festivity. In this article, I will delve into the rich history of Kwanzaa, explore its profound meaning, examine where it is celebrated, assess its acceptance on a global scale, and understand why it is observed the week following Christmas.
Poetry is probably not the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Washington DC. Despite its storied literary history, diverse music communities, and world-renowned museum system, visitors and residents alike have trouble seeing beyond the shadow of Capitol Hill.
It turns out that Santa Claus doesn't visit the entire world. Officially, the Christmas holiday is on the 24th and 25th of December each year. However, in reality, each region and country celebrates Christmas at earlier or later dates based on their own traditions and beliefs.
The cholita indigenous women from Bolivia’s countryside, are an indomitable symbol of resilience. In a country ravaged by colonial greed, ransacked resources, and periods of crippling poverty, the Bolivian people are no stranger to adversity.
