Travel Stories, Cruise Reviews, and Cultural Adventures

Big Bus a great way for 3 generations to explore and bond together

The season carries many meanings whether we celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Diwali, or simply the turning of the year.

Discover North America’s top cities with Big Bus Tours. Hop-on hop-off buses make sightseeing easy while visiting famous landmarks and neighborhoods with a popular hop-on, hop-off format that operates open-top double-decker bus tours in many of the world’s top travel destinations. The flexible routes stop at major landmarks and attractions, allowing visitors to explore cities at their own pace while listening to guided commentary about the history, culture and highlights

Christmas morning on Hawaii, "the Big Island," presents a double rainbow to passengers aboard a Body Glove trip down the Kona coast....

WE LOVE LISBON! It's a favorite European city. So we wanted to show off "our town" to my brother Rick and his partner Jane during our two weeks together in southern Europe. We did it in style, by tuk-tuk, that time honored transportation mode invented in 1879 and offering close-up views along with a few fun bumps.

Rick Cosgriffe's decades long fascination with Oriental brush stroke painting shows in his graceful and detailed work. These jars are inspired by the wildflowers of his native Montana. Sumi brush painting influenced Montana born artist's unique pottery style PORCELAIN COLLECTION GOES FOR SALE AS ARTIST MARKETS COLLECTION OF VINTAGE SHOW PIECES STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER Artist Cosgriffe's fine porcelain pottery caught the eye of New York Times art critic

Two favorite ways to see Europe: take family along and use city cards or tourist cards wherever possible. Here, Christene "Cookie" Meyers, Bruce Keller, Rick Cosgriffe and Jane Milder take a boat ride with a city card pass. TRAVELING WITH A FAVORITE LOVED ONE  AND BUYING CITY CARDS ENHANCE A TRIP THROUGH 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,

Yorkshire farmer and world traveler, John Speight, and his wife, Sue, enjoy a laugh with friends Bruce  Keller, left, and Christene...

TRAVELING TO HEALTH WITH GRATITUDE, HAPPY HEARTS  AND A BORROWED LIVER STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER SEVEN YEARS  ago...

Gratitude comes in family size for Christene "Cookie" Meyers, in center, surrounded by her clan of siblings, cousins, nieces, nephews, adopted family and the next generation. GATHER TOGETHER, ROLL MERRILY ALONG, COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS, BE GRATEFUL FOR FRIENDS AND FAMILY Editor's Note: Our annual Thanksgiving essay is dedicated to our American friends and family and extended clan and pals abroad who celebrate their thanks on other days. Cookie and Grandpa Gus on Thanksgiving Day

The clan gathered for a birthday party for Christene "Cookie" Meyers, but she didn't know it was also a wedding.  Her longtime partner, photographer Bruce Keller, had arranged the ceremony with the couple's niece and nephew, Amarylla and Steve Ganner. "Father Steve" officiated.   "Father Steve," a San Francisco lay minister, has  officiated at other weddings. He and his wife, Cookie's niece Amarylla, secretly arranged with Keller to add a wedding to the birthday bash. GROOM P

The museum offers a deep scientific perspective on the Pacific, revealing the unique ecosystems of Hawaii, including native birds, marine life, and volcanic geology that make the islands unlike anywhere else on Earth. Interactive displays explain how the Hawaiian archipelago formed in the middle of the Pacific Ocean and how isolation created unique biodiversity. The museum’s science center and planetarium add dimension. It's great for families and curious travelers.

A fine collection of seafaring artifacts combines with beautifully curated changing exhibits to show off Santa Barbara's proud maritime...

The famous gate to Paramount Pictures has been used in many films, including "Sunset Boulevard" which tells the story of a fading star...

Bruce Keller and Christene "Cookie" Meyers relax on a Thanksgiving Day in southern Spain.   TREASURE EACH DAY, APPRECIATE YOUR ...

The approach to the Tetons can once again be enjoyed from the southern part of Yellowstone National Park.  Three of the five entrances...

Nick is surrounded by flowers on his 16th birthday. Even though he was virtually blind and had painful spinal and rear leg issues, he was...

Enchanted families have the rare experience of being up close and personal with dolphins in Hilton Waikoloa Village's acclaimed Dolphin...

Before the restaurant opened  to the public, our small tasting group was invited in to El Siboney, a small, family-run eatery part of an enjoyable food tasting tour in Key West, Florida.   Conch fritters are on the menu at Mangoes, a lively fish eatery in Key West. The walking tour features five fun restaurants and lots of local history. Pork, beans and rice are a staple of the Cuban diet here served casually at El Siboney.  CUBAN FOOD, VINTAGE CARS, MUSIC, COFFEE SCENERY SUG

Bruce Keller displays the cookies he begged for and which the non-baker Cookie provided. He pronounced them "incredible - far beyond...