The Hotel with a Heart Turns 55!
By Ariel Johns Since opening its doors on May 25, 1964, the Hilton San Francisco Union Square has welcomed convention goers, families, professionals, tourists and such celebrities as Lucille Ball, John Wayne and the king himself, Elvis Presley. Located in the center of three popular neighborhoods, Union Square, SOMA and the Tenderloin, this landmark hotel […]
Exploring Little Rock and More in Arkansas
By Roger Allnutt For many people their only knowledge of Arkansas is that Bill Clinton was Governor of the state before he became the President of the United States in 1992. Sandwiched between more “trendy” states of Tennessee and Texas, it has a surprising amount to offer albeit at a more relaxed pace. Interstate 30 […]
Exploring the Mediterranean Island of Corsica
By Roger Allnutt The large Mediterranean island of Corsica has had a turbulent history over the centuries, even up to the 1970s with its fiercely patriotic inhabitants calling for independence from France. Corsica has a strong connection with Napoleon Bonaparte who was born and raised in Ajaccio, the major city on the island. Bonaparte spent […]
Discover the Magic of Macau
By Roger Allnutt In the past decade or so Macau, the former Portuguese enclave on the south coast of China near Hong Kong, has undergone a dramatic transformation. On the one hand the slower paced and historic elements of the territory (it reverted to China in 1999) together with a definite European and Chinese feel […]
Stay at the Dream Inn For Sand, Sunsets and the Santa Cruz Surf Scene
By Joanne Thomas In a town like Santa Cruz, where tourism revolves around the beach, the surf and the Boardwalk, it’s remarkable that there’s only a single hotel – the Dream Inn – claiming a beachfront setting. Since it first opened in the 1970s, the only beachfront hotel in Santa Cruz has promised its guests […]
Discovering Spanish Heritage in the Northern Philippines
By Roger Allnutt Most tourists heading to the Philippines fly into the capital Manila and after a couple of days fly out to one of the popular island destinations such as Cebu, Boracay or Palawan. However, the region north of Manila at the northern part of Luzon island is not be missed. An hour’s flight […]
Visiting Botswana’s Chobe National Park and Okavango Delta
By Roger Allnutt The elephants are in mourning and very agitated. Amongst the stark foliage of the trees lining the Chobe River in northern Botswana a small family of elephants fret and stamp, emitting mournful noises. A few days earlier one of the herd was shot by poachers across the river in neighboring Namibia and […]
Whodunit? The Culprit is Hiding Among You…
By Ariel Johns What is it about murder mysteries that have us so intrigued? Is it solving the crime? Do we love meeting an eccentric group of characters? Or, do we secretly hope the killer gets away with it? For me, I love to follow the clues along with the detectives and attempt to solve […]
A First-Time Visitor’s Guide to Quebec City
By Roger Allnutt Perched high on the edge of the escarpment overlooking the St Lawrence River in Quebec City, the historic Fairmont Le Chateau Frontenac hotel must be one of the best known and most recognizable icons in Canada if not North America. Opened in 1893, it was one of the castle-like hotels built by […]
The Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay Named One of the World’s Most Luxurious Hotels by Forbes Travel Guide
HALF MOON BAY — Forbes Travel Guide has released its first annual Verified Lists, naming The Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay as one of the World’s Most Luxurious Hotels. The Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay will be showcased with all of the other winners on ForbesTravelGuide.com. Set atop a rugged bluff overlooking 50 miles of pristine Northern California […]
Visit Jura, a Delightful Department of France
By Roger Allnutt France is a large and amazingly diverse country full of magnificent scenery (just watch the Tour de France on TV for a sample), with a fascinating history, wonderful buildings and some of the best food and wine in the world. Each region of France has much to offer the discerning traveler. One […]
Discovering China’s Shanxi Province
By Roger Allnutt Many travellers to China include Xi’an, the capital of Shaanxi province and famous for the Terracotta Warrior s as a key part of their itinerary. However there is another province with a similar name Shanxi which lies between Beijing and Xi’an that has many and varied attractions, a number of which are […]