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Travel Stories, Cruise Reviews, and Cultural Adventures
Seattle based Candere offers delightfully different day on the waterways
Seattle's lovely bays and inlets provide picturesque harbor for hundreds of boats, photographed near sunset from Candere. IT'S...

Christene Meyers
Mar 30, 20173 min read
Birch Aquarium: San Diego treasure - imaginative homage to the sea
Delicate seahorses are one of the stars at Birch Aquarium in La Jolla, California, and a major San Diego attraction. SMALL BUT MIGHTY La...

Christene Meyers
Mar 23, 20173 min read
'Tis a bloomin' bonanza in Borrego as flower frenzy takes the town
Mother Nature makes artful bouquets by the thousands on the desert floor of Anza Borrego State Park. Here, the white blooms of the desert...

Christene Meyers
Mar 16, 20174 min read


Flagship Grey whale watch: wondrous creatures of the deep visit our 'back yard'
When the grey whale "breathes," it's through his blowhole, the equivalent of a nostril, a magnificent sound and sight. SETTING SAIL IN...

Christene Meyers
Mar 3, 20174 min read


King's Highway hike is one of Spain's finest and most challenging
When Cookie first set eyes on this bridge -- one of several on King's Walkway, not far from Malaga -- she nearly turned back..... ...but Cookie persisted and joined Bruce Keller and our amiable Viator guide Jose to scale the walkway and survive to climb again. Kings Highway hike near Malaga We recommend the fun and safety of Viator's tour of this astonishing place. RECOVERING COWARD FINDS HER METTLE TESTED HIGH ABOVE THE TREES IN SOUTHERN SPAIN STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHO

Christene Meyers
Feb 17, 20174 min read
Changes at Sea World include a natural 'encounter' for Orca lovers
SeaWorld's popular Orca show will no longer be part of the offerings at the internationally famous nature and amusement park. In its...

Christene Meyers
Jan 13, 20174 min read
Yosemite hotel celebrates a century of hosting travelers, the rich and famous
The Ahwahnee Hotel (now Majestic) in Yosemite National Park has a long, rich history hosting many famous guests. CALIFORNIA LANDMARK HAS...

Christene Meyers
Dec 2, 20163 min read
Butterflies delight at Victoria's enchanting Butterfly Garden
This pretty inhabitant is a contented resident at Victoria's Butterfly Gardens in Brentwood Bay, B.C. Favorite fruits of the...

Christene Meyers
Nov 25, 20163 min read
Bridge over calming waters at Vancouver's Capilano Bridge Park
Cookie and Keller enjoy the view from high atop the trees on "Cliffwalk," one of several adventures at Capilano Suspension Bridge Park in...

Christene Meyers
Nov 18, 20163 min read
Butchart Gardens delights, amazes, with fabulous flowers, theme plantings, artful global collections
The majesty and magic of Butchart Gardens in Victoria, B.C., have captivated millions since Jennie Butchart had an idea. GARDENS BORN OF...

Christene Meyers
Oct 13, 20163 min read


Alaska's Inside Passage - Whales astonish, amuse, delight on the whale trail from Seattle to Alaska
A juvenile orca learns how to swim next to his mother, south of Vancouver, near U.S. waters with Wild Whales Vancouver. In Alaska, Juneau...

Christene Meyers
Sep 22, 20164 min read


Puget Sound - On the trail of the whale, from north to Alaska
A juvenile orca whale -- probably less than a year old -- was the star for passengers in Puget Sound Express. Watching an orca breach was...

Christene Meyers
Sep 15, 20164 min read
Red Lodge eatery, Old Piney Dell, delivers delightful meal in decades-old tradition
Old Piney Dell grew from a mountain cabin to a world class restaurant with old world European service and offerings. WOULD RESTAURANT...

Christene Meyers
Sep 2, 20163 min read
Stillwater summer: bittersweet time as the hollyhocks fade, birds flee
End of summer blue -- not blues -- as we embrace the autumn, and cherished friends and family around the globe. Fishing time was minimal...

Christene Meyers
Aug 25, 20163 min read
Inviting, multi-cultural Brazil provides visitors with fascinating opportunities -- dancing, included
A large statue of Christ is an internationally known landmark of Rio, with Sugar Loaf Mountain opposite it. From Sugar Loaf to...

Christene Meyers
Aug 18, 20163 min read
Rootin' tootin' Virginia City delivers the goods with a step back in time, Montana style
If you're looking for authentic, old-fashioned fun, a vintage restored town and beautiful scenery, head for Virginia City, Mt. A little...

Christene Meyers
Aug 4, 20164 min read
High Country high fliers: birds delight in the northern Rockies
A lazuli bunting graces us with his presence and a lovely song each morning at High Chaparral. A wren feeds her young as we watch...

Christene Meyers
Jul 28, 20163 min read
Dog's life with Cookie and Keller is a pretty dog-gone good gig
Nick and Nora love huckelberry ice cream, a roadie treat in Julian, California which they visit twice a year. "Charley is a mind-reading...

Christene Meyers
Jul 21, 20163 min read


Flagship dinner cruise unfurls an evening for the memory book
Christene "Cookie" Meyers and Bruce Keller take to San Diego Bay and a Flagship dinner cruise, with spectacular views. TAKE YOUR PICK OF...

Christene Meyers
Jul 14, 20163 min read
A bit of country in the midst of a city: Los Penasquitos recalls long-ago California
Nubian goats are part of the fun for school kids and families. Egg-laying chickens entertain city kids and archaeological digs are...

Christene Meyers
Jul 7, 20164 min read
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