Travel Stories, Cruise Reviews, and Cultural Adventures

London's skyline is a striking commentary on architectural evolution. This street scene illustrates the blend of history and innovation. With dozens of medieval landmarks like the Tower of London, there are beautiful modern buildings such as The Shard, with 26 stories, dozens of restaurants, residential living and a five-star hotel. STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER "The Carpe Diem Kids" "THERE"S NO PLACE like London." That a line sung by a young sailor named

STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER "The Carpe Diem Kids" Fanciful balconies of Antoni Gaudi's Casa Batllo are made of...

STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER "The Carpe Diem Kids " The Monument to the Discoveries is a magnificent tribute to Portugal's power on the seas. It juts upward to depict the country's explorers, rulers and sailors who made history in their explorations of the world. SAILING INTO Lisbon on the majestic Tagus River, two imposing architectural wonders catch our eye. We see the stunning limestone Monument to the Discoveries. Intricately carved, it pays homage

Guy Fawkes Day celebrates a plot's failure with bonfires, fireworks,

Autumn in New York with Cookie

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

Tippet Rise nature and music converge

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

Highline walkway, New York City

Koala sanctuary

Surfing Goat dairy

Bruce Keller has sailed all his life, as a native San Diegan with a love of the sea.  He taught sailing to Christene "Cookie" Meyers. She learned sailing and he learned to ballroom dance. Here they are at San Diego Maritime Museum, a world renowned museum with vessels, exhibits and much more. AHOY MATIES, SET SAIL FOR A DAY OF ADVENTURE, DISCOVERY, MAYBE A PIRATE SHIPS, HISTORY, EXHIBITS, Keller is in his element on the Star of India, one of several vessels at the museum whic

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...