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Travel Stories, Cruise Reviews, and Cultural Adventures


Barcelona beckons with its architectural charm
STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER "The Carpe Diem Kids" Fanciful balconies of Antoni Gaudi's Casa Batllo are made of stone and shell-shaped, reflecting the architect's marine inspiration. Tours are available. We recommend the Barcelona tourism card. MANY CITIES in the world boast of an architectural theme, a cohesive style. A distinct design plan inevitably catches the eye and satisfies the viewer. For us, the list includes Rome, New York, Jerusalem, Chicago
Keller Keller
Nov 20, 20252 min read


LITTLE BIG HORN SEMINAR DRAWS SCHOLARS, EXTRAS AND HISTORY BUFFS TO PONDER CLASSIC FILM
More than a half century after its release, the Montana-made movie, "Little Big Man,"is still entertaining, stimulating conversation and encouraging consideration of the plight of indigenous people and the white man's role in that. Editor's note: Christene Meyers covered the making of "Little Big Man" as a young reporter and was among panel participants discussing the Montana made movie. STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER and courtesy Cinema Center Films Chie
Keller Keller
Nov 16, 20255 min read


Autumn in New York: colors, sunshine, fewer crowds -- time to relish the city's fall splendor
Autumn in New York Central Park with Cookie
Keller Keller
Oct 23, 20252 min read


Pride, patriotism, awe as Mount Rushmore is cloaked in fall splendor
Autumn is a perfect time to visit Mount Rushmore National Memorial in South Dakota's Black Hills. Fine fall weather is predicted for the...

Christene Meyers
Oct 9, 20245 min read


Falklands lure Yanks to discover "Islas Malvinas," learn about the war
Port Stanley, Falkland Islands, or "Las Malvinas" to Argentine people, is a peaceful town of less than 3,000 people. It is one of the...

Christene Meyers
Oct 2, 20244 min read


Bernina Express takes adventurers to the sun; trains take travelers to the top of the world
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

Christene Meyers
Aug 8, 20243 min read


Charleston, the belle of South Carolina, offers history, color, gentility
Charleston's marina is a busy but peaceful place with shops, restaurants, 17,000 linear feet of dock space for both motorized boats and...

Christene Meyers
Feb 15, 20245 min read


Take a train if you're a world traveler: efficient, clean, punctual and fun.
London's King's Cross Train Station is usually abuzz with people. Bruce Keller removed the crowd from this spectacular photo, to show...

Christene Meyers
Nov 16, 20234 min read


Florida zoo wins kudos for education, exhibits and its exotic critters
Birds are plentiful at Brevard Zoo, where guests can feed lorikeets and cockatiels. Heron and other birds native to Florida and other...

Christene Meyers
Nov 1, 20234 min read


Montana Shakespeare in the Parks: AMBITIOUS TOURING COMPANY BRINGS THE BARD TO THE MASSES
Lights, action, enjoyment. Montana Shakespeare in the Parks brings a pair of works to enthusiastic audiences from Bozeman to Cody, Wyo., Helena to Superior, and parts of Idaho with a stop in Washington state. The award-winning endeavor is presented free and sustained by grants and donations. "Love's Labors Lost" was on tour in an earlier production. Notice the elaborate costumes, and a stage that is collapsed, packed up and transported via truck dozens of times per season. ST

Christene Meyers
Aug 2, 20233 min read


Kualoa Ranch operation offers many ways to learn, have fun in nature
Bruce Keller and Christene "Cookie" Meyers take a pause for a selfie, framed by the skeleton of a dinosaur on the beautiful "Jurassic Park" backdrop at Kualoa Ranch, on Oahu. FROM MOVIES TO ZIP LINE, BIKES, HORSEBACK RIDES, TREE PLANTING, KUALOA RANCH OFFERS TOURISTIC FUN STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER Keller, Cookie and their fabulous guide on Kualoa Ranch. PUT YOURSELF on set. You're right there in Jurassic Park, escaping growling dinosaurs, running for y

Christene Meyers
Jun 14, 20234 min read


Oahu Circle Island Tour delivers splendors, views, food, sacred sights
Bruce Keller and Christene "Cookie" Meyers enjoy one of many splendid views on a day-long circle tour of Oahu, which takes tourists around the island with many interesting stops. OAHU CIRCLE ISLAND TOUR FEATURES BEST OF A BEAUTIFUL ISLAND, FROM SCENIC STOPS TO CULTURE, ART, FOOD, SHOPPING, FUN Oahu's much visited Byodo-In Temple is part of the tour and one of its most popular stops. Take time to ring the gong. STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER IF YOU'VE been to

Christene Meyers
Jun 7, 20234 min read


New Zealand's Te Papa is free and wondrous, a top world museum
The Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa is an architectural, cultural and artistic wonder. Wellington's delightful complex...

Christene Meyers
May 17, 20235 min read
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