Travel Stories, Cruise Reviews, and Cultural Adventures

STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER "The Carpe Diem Kids" An old-fashioned carriage ride around New York's Central Park is a wonderful treat in any season. An autumn visit is the best time, though, with the start of fall colors, fewer crowds and more calm. WE VISIT New York each autumn, and are excited to be able to continue this tradition as fall colors blanket a favorite city. This favorite city is always busy, fun and noisy, so don't expect an autumn visit t

Lovely Vancouver is best seen by Big Bus if you're there only briefly. It's a great option for an entertaining overview and if you have a bit more leisure time, it's a great way to get a taste and overview of a city. Editor's Note:  Today, we debut our new website. It makes it easier for you, our cherished readers, to find information on cities, tours, activities, cruises, trains, performance, special events in your area, parks, nature preserves and the lively mix of stories

STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER THE CARPE DIEM KIDS Members of the acclaimed string quartet, Brooklyn Rider, performed in a formal concert to end the official Tippet Rise season, then encored for a casual concert of Beethoven in an informal setting at the venue's library. HIKERS, FRENCH HORNISTS,  bikers, bassoonists, backpacks, and million-dollar artwork converge in one of the world's most unique performing arts venues. Tippet Rise Art Center near Fishtail,

This scenic turn-out in Glacier National Park made an ideal picnic spot when we visited, just before colors began to change. Bring layers...

The High Line in New York is a wonderful place, born of a grassroots effort to save a derelict elevated train track. It is now a much...

Owner Jay Garnett of Surfing Goat Dairy in Maui has his hands full.  After decades in the corporate world in his native Canada, he took...

Bruce Keller poses by one of the UK's many efficient and comfortable trains. By using a BritRail pass, we were able to visit several cities during a brief trip, making the most of our time. TRY A TRAIN ON BRITRAIL FOR YOUR NEXT UK VISIT  STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER IF A VISIT to the United Kingdom is on your bucket list, you might be overwhelmed by the variety of historic places vying for attention. Bruce Keller and Christene Meyers in Edinburgh's Waverle

A men's bathroom in Singapore offers greenery along with sparkling clean urinals. Not all bathrooms abroad are as clean or nicely...

Flagship Cruises introduced whale watching to the world.  Here, naturalist Sophie, helps passengers look for two whales she and the...

Seeing a whale's fluke, as we've done off the coast of San Diego, is a thrill to remember. EPIC WHALE WATCHING SEASON CONTINUES IN...

THIS WEEK'S FEATURE: Whale watch!  PLUS UPDATE as Los Angeles area fires are virtually out! Please find Jan 30 fire news below this...

Take the A Train -- or any train! If you've wanted to take a special trip, if you've had a cruise or tour in mind, we remind you of...

We boarded Celebrity's Eclipse for an exciting 15-day cruise from Buenos Aires to the Antarctic. Here, we joined fellow cruisers to board our bus for a shore excursion and spectacular wildlife.  CELEBRITY'S FLEET SPANS THE WORLD, WITH CLASSY STATE OF THE ART VESSELS Celebrity ships are easily recognized by the trademark "X," here on the line's Edge. STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER Celebrity's shore excursions include a wide range of activity, including biking

Autumn is a perfect time to visit Mount Rushmore National Memorial in South Dakota's Black Hills.  Fine fall weather is predicted for the...

Venice charms: sights and sounds to savor abound.  Venice has imposed tourist taxes and banned large ships from its precarious canals --...

TRAVELING WITH A FAVORITE LOVED ONE  ENHANCES A TRIP THROUGH HIGHLIGHTS OF SOUTHERN EUROPE'S FAMOUS CITIES STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS...

The view from our room at the lovely Ostello del Castello, where we spent a few peaceful nights before boarding Bernina Express for a...

In late spring and into summer,   temperatures in the Alps can dip to 15 °C (59 F), and there can still be snow on the mountain tops, as Bruce Keller and Christene "Cookie" Meyers discovered recently during a ride on the famed Bernina Express. HISTORIC RAIL TRIP OFFERS SPLENDID VIEWS ON BERNINA EXPRESS The viaduct  outside Tirano offers spectacular Alps viewing. STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER IT'S BEEN OUR dream for 17 years  to take a train trip through the

This group of students came to our aid when they saw us looking at our city map. This friendliness is typical of Uruguayan people, we...

Veteran cruisers, Christene "Cookie" Meyers and Bruce Keller have made travel and cruising the world a priority.  They offer enthusiastic...