Travel Stories, Cruise Reviews, and Cultural Adventures

Lovely hotels are part of the allure of Palm Springs, here the pool area of the Hilton Palm Springs in the heart of downtown. MORE LAID...

Cookie cuddles not quite year-old Nick and Nora, after a bath in Davis, California. They were born there, September, 2005  WHAT A DOG,...

England-born Sue Speight and American Christene "Cookie" Meyers in York Minster, go back to back in an ancient part of the...

During a period of challenge, loss and tragedy, a fine production of "A Chorus Line" at Welk Theatre, buoys the spirits. This week's...

Nick, left, and Nora, dry off after a swim in their "Auntie Robbie's" pool, in spring of 2006. They were born in fall, 2005. Nora, left,...

New Year's Eve lights are spectacular in Bangkok, from the beautiful hotels and a dinner cruise on the Chao Phraya River. Times Square in...

BROTHER'S DONATION SAVES HIS SISTER'S LIFE AS WE CELEBRATE 30 MONTHS FROM OUR SCRIPPS TRANSPLANT Emotions run high as a donor is wheeled Tuesday to surgery, to cheers balloons, whistles and applause from Scripps staffers. (patient's face is blurred to respect his privacy. )    STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER and CM Checking the donate box on your driver's license could make a difference to someone. WE THANK  the gods every day that we are on the planet. This

All aboard! North Yorkshire Moors Railway pulls out of the station with a full complement of passengers.  York's National Railway Museum has won national awards for its expansive telling of the country's rail history. MERRY OLDE ENGLAND NURTURES A DEEP AFFECTION FOR RAIL TRAVEL STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER TRAINS ARE  as much a part of English life today as ships were centuries ago. The National Railway Museum in York is the largest and most expansive in t

"Cambodian  Rock Band" is like no other musical. The writers of this column saw it recently at Oregon Shakespeare Festival. The fine...

Remembering the days of yore, Christene "Cookie" Meyers checks out the John and Yoko suite at Amsterdam Hilton.  BEATLES FANS VISIT...

Autumn arrives in the northern hemisphere. Here, Norway's  gentle slopes and hills resemble parts of Montana. FIND BEAUTY IN THE...

The home of architect Wayne Gustafson and his artist wife Pamela is an oasis of calm and inspiration. INSPIRATIONAL HOME OF ARCHITECT AND...

The lavender flowers of the lilac are associated with refinement, grace, elegance and grief. Walt Whitman's poem, "When Lilacs Last in...

San Diego in spring is a sight to behold -- with blue skies, feathery clouds and a dinner or lunch cruise aboard Hornblower. "To what...

Hershey Felder channels Beethoven via a father and son who knew him in Vienna in a glorious production at San Diego Repertory Theatre's...

The magnificent Torrey Pine stands bent and endangered, but still glorious in Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve.   Torrey Pines Reserve...

Saturday's USS Midway aircraft carrier will host one of the state's largest Jazzercise gatherings, benefiting cancer research. THOUSANDS...

The Dukes of Dixieland have been around New Orleans for decades. They specialize in traditional New Orleans jazz. THE BIG EASY SURVIVES...

JESUS SORIANO IS THE REAL DEAL, OFFERING SPANISH CLASSICAL GUITAR AT ITS FINEST Jesus Soriano performs regularly at a popular tapas...

From left, Teagan Rose, J. Todd Adams and Joanna Strapp in "Blithe Spirit." SOMETHING FOR EVERY THEATER LOVER WITH BUMPER CROP OF SHOWS...