Travel Stories, Cruise Reviews, and Cultural Adventures

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

The Dali Theatre-Museum is a magnificent, over-the-top creation designed by Salvador Dali himself.  He supervised construction upon the...

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

Enjoying their Segways: Bruce Keller and Christene "Cookie" Meyers are Segway devotees, thanks to a terrific guide and a beautiful...

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...

The Bay of Gibraltar is home to fancy yachts, pleasure and fishing boats and a variety of sea life, along with the famed monkeys. This...

Enjoying a tuk tuk ride in Lisbon, from left, Bruce Keller, Jane Milder, driver Tomas Neves, Christene "Cookie" Meyers, Rick Cosgriffe. ...

TRAVELING WITH A FAVORITE LOVED ONE  ENHANCES A TRIP THROUGH HIGHLIGHTS OF SOUTHERN EUROPE'S FAMOUS CITIES STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER SEEING FAVORITE places with people you love makes the journey special, enhancing each museum, meal and hike. As Labor Day approaches to signal the end of summer, we recommend considering a trip to Europe with someone you've wanted to travel with. Prices drop along with the temperature, children are back in school and crowd

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

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

FABULOUS CONCERT, GREAT TOUR WITH 'GET YOUR GUIDE' -- A SPLENDID DAY Elvin Dhimitri turns a page on a score, backed by one of two second...

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

The views from the top floor of "Hop on and Hop Off" buses are usually splendid. Here, the bus passes under a beautiful ceiling of trees...

High atop Sydney's famous Harbour Bridge, with the iconic Sydney Opera House at the far right, Christene "Cookie" Meyers and Bruce...

Luiz, our fine Brazilian born guide in Porto, Portugal, took us around the city to its hidden corners as well as exploring its famous...

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

In Amsterdam, your canal tour boat will slow down so that you can actually see seven bridges lined up.  Bruce Keller took this photo at...

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 "Cookie" Meyers, Bruce Keller, and new friends from Paris, at the top of Arrabida Bridge. BRIDGE CLIMBERS ADD ANOTHER FEATHER...

Our lively "Taste Porto" food tour guide, Ines, walks us through a colorful market, pointing out a bounty of fruits grown near the city,...