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Travel Stories, Cruise Reviews, and Cultural Adventures


Paramount Pictures: Get ready for your close up at Hollywood studio
The famous gate to Paramount Pictures has been used in many films, including "Sunset Boulevard" which tells the story of a fading star...

Christene Meyers
Feb 9, 20233 min read


Valenca offers charms of Portuguese village near Spanish border
Valenca, in the far north of Portugal, offers a relaxing, artistic place to visit for a few days. Sturdy, stunning buildings date back to...

Christene Meyers
Feb 2, 20233 min read


Hollywood Bus Tours - Seeing L.A. a new way: fun small bus tour offers sights, delights
Cruise through the glitz of Hollywood on a hop-on hop-off bus tour, where iconic sights like the Walk of Fame and Beverly Hills unfold at your own pace. With open-top views, multiple routes, and 40+ stops, it’s an easy, flexible way to explore LA’s highlights in one unforgettable ride.

Cookie & Keller
Jan 26, 20234 min read


Vegas food tasting tours offer a royal flush of fun, history, yummy bites
A Taste Buzz Food Tour of the Arts District in Las Vegas offered a fun outing for Bruce Keller and Christene "Cookie" Meyers. Consider...

Christene Meyers
Jan 19, 20234 min read


Hop on, hop off bus tours show off a new city to fine advantage
The Barcelona hop-on hop-off (HOHO) bus tour is an efficient way to navigate the city's vast layout, especially for first-time visitors or families who want to skip the logistics of the metro. With two main routes covering everything from the mountains of Montjuïc to the shores of Barceloneta, it serves as both a primary transport method and a guided sightseeing experience

Christene Meyers
Jan 12, 20235 min read


Sydney's Harbour Bridge Happy New Year! Resolve to travel, make new friends, learn, grow
High atop Sydney's famous Harbour Bridge, with the iconic Sydney Opera House at the far right, Christene "Cookie" Meyers and Bruce...

Christene Meyers
Jan 5, 20234 min read


Road Trip and Holiday delights: try fun and new foods whether home or on the road
Enjoy each day and celebrate holidays with a trip to the beach -- or a favorite restaurant. Here, Bruce Keller and Christene "Cookie" Meyers kick holidays up a notch in Vietnam. FOOD, FUN, FINDING A NEW PLACE HIGHLIGHT HOLIDAYS ON THE ROAD and our recipe for holiday jambalaya This Vietnamese meal was prepared for a special holiday gathering at our hotel in then Saigon. STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER Shopping and schmoozing in the Caribbean, Cookie made a n

Christene Meyers
Dec 29, 20226 min read


Spiritus: splendid psychedelic immersion in famous Portuguese chapel
Clerigos Church and its magnificent cathedral host a light-filled wondrous show, "Spiritus." Gorgeous lights highlight windows and offer...

Christene Meyers
Dec 22, 20225 min read


Free walking tours offer value and a terrific way to know a city quickly
Luiz, our fine Brazilian born guide in Porto, Portugal, took us around the city to its hidden corners as well as exploring its famous...

Christene Meyers
Dec 15, 20226 min read


Gaudi's genius is on showy display in masterful Barcelona architecture
Architect's imagination and reverence for nature highlight his 'La Pedrera,' in Barcelona STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER Bruce Keller and Christene "Cookie" Meyers enjoy a moment of reflection outside Gaudi's Casa Mila, or "La Pedrera." The curved "attic" of Casa Mila is a museum on its own, with drawings, exhibits and models showing the profound influence nature had on Gaudi's life's work. WHEN THE brilliant architect Antoni Gaudi was struck by a tram on a

Christene Meyers
Dec 8, 20225 min read


Las Vegas theater highlights - Sin City's array of shows welcomes the holidays
LAS VEGAS is always lit up and ready for action -- especially during the holidays.Then the nation's showiest city rolls out more shows and lights than ever.

Cookie & Keller
Dec 1, 20224 min read


Thanksgiving pledge: Let us give thanks for health, happiness, travel, family, food, nature
Thanksgiving pledge: Let us give thanks for health, happiness, travel, family, food, nature

Christene Meyers
Nov 24, 20224 min read


Amsterdam's canals offer relaxing time with beauty, relaxation, intriguing history
The Dam Square is still the city's heart. But today this former barrier between the River Amstel and the “Southern Sea” is one of the few places in the center of town that you cannot sail a boat to. The last part of the river leading to the dam fell victim to land-traffic in 1922. The street that replaced it is called "Damrak," meaning “Last section of the river, leading to the Dam.” Today, a subway line is being built in the old riverbed.

Cookie & Keller
Nov 10, 20225 min read


Emotional flamenco, fado speak to the soul in Spain and Portugal
Flamenco -- that showy, colorful dance of southern Spain -- is performed with rhythmic clapping and instruments. Swirling scarves and lacy skirts and ruffles are part of this Barcelona performance. Southern Spain, Portugal present emotional flamenco, fado, with flair, feeling, for deeply stirring shows STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER Fado in Porto is a revered tradition, here at the Ideal Club de Fado, which is a formal setting, more concert hall. than bar.

Christene Meyers
Nov 3, 20225 min read


Spectacular Porto bridge climb yields uphill climb, stunning views
Take your Porto visit to new heights with the Porto Bridge Climb, an unforgettable adventure over the Douro River. Scale the iconic Arrábida Bridge for breathtaking panoramic views of the city, coastline, and vineyards. It’s a thrilling yet accessible experience that offers a unique perspective on one of Portugal’s most scenic destinations.

Cookie & Keller
Oct 27, 20224 min read
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