Travel Stories, Cruise Reviews, and Cultural Adventures

Point Arena wildlife park provides venue for saving endangered African species Giraffes enjoy lunch at the B Bryan Preserve, a haven for...

PERFECT SETTING, CALM CALIFORNIA WATERS HELP GIRL GET BACK IN THE BOAT Pelicans at Moss Landing were part of the lure to get Cookie back...

PURPLE MARTIN'S MAJESTY: POINT ARENA ENTERPRISE GROWS FINE ORGANIC FARE James Walker Hayes washes freshly picked produce at the organic...

PORTRAITS YIELD JEWELS, CHAR ACTERS  ON GOLDEN STATE ROAD TRIP  Penelope Margaret Ganner, our great niece, pauses in her Redwood City...

TRAVELER'S BALANCING ACT: HAVING A GOOD TIME MEANS ENJOYING THE MOMENT, BUT BEING READY TO BE SPONTANEOUS, SMELL THE ROSES  One of the...

RUINS IN A PICTURESQUE SETTING TAKE VISITORS CENTURIES BACK IN TIME  Ephesus and its wondrous buildings and ruins attract a  worldwide...

Orchids throw out their fronds on a gorgeous tree in full bloom on the grounds of Pura Vida Gardens, Costa Rica. HIGHLY MOTIVATED COUNTRY...

Contented cows, here near Jacksonville, are a must for good cheese! Blue cheese and red wine -- say ahhh! WHAT A FRIEND WE HAVE IN...

Cookie and Keller take time for a quick cocktail during their guided tour of The Royal Suite on Serenade of the Seas. Would Queen Elizabeth and President Obama join Cookie? WHAT DO THE SIMPLE FOLK DO? LET'S BOOKA ROYAL SUITE TODAY Top penthouses offer luxury.  Cookie covets the "Royal" suites. STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS,  PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER and archives WHY CAN'T  I stay in the presidential suite every time I cruise? (Or at least in the palatial owner's suite or the spaci

WESTERN HEMISPHERE"S OLDEST FULL-SCALE ELIZABETHAN STAGE HAS HIDDEN LIFE The Allen Elizabethan Theatre opens for summer shows, this year...

SAMPLE TOP ACTING AT OREGON SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL, LIVELY CABARET, THEATER, FINE RESTAURANTS, CLASSIC HOTEL, CHEESE AND CHOCOLATE!...

Jacksonville, Oregon, may be a small town known but it's known for its large atmosphere and broad appeal. STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS...

COOKIE, KELLER GIVE THANKS TO NEW FRIENDS AND A DIVERSE, LIVELY SAN DIEGO COMMUNITY Boxes galore came from Arizona to southern California...

GRANDMOTHER JIGGED AND COOKED CORNED BEEF, MUM DYED THE RICE GREEN AND WEPT AS SHE SAW IRELAND Cookie and her mother, Ellen, wearing the...

A VISIT AND OVERHEARD CONVERSATION BRING REVELATION OF THE PLACE'S HISTORIC IMPORTANCE With the grandeur of Tara in "Gone with the Wind,"...

This happy reveler resides in Harrah's, a popular New Orleans casino, completely decorated in Mardi Gras motif. Cookie and keller take...

Trio of venues about relationships offers home run for buffs of the boards   San Diego's gorgeous location between sea and mountains is fertile ground for cutting edge theater. STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER SAN DIEGO THEATER's March offerings are as fresh, varied and welcome as our recent weather. Translate coastal sun, imposing skyline and rejuvenating breezes to the stage. You have a hint of the pleasures awaiting theater buffs. Our theaters deliver -- f

VISIONARY PHILANTHROPIST AND HIS ARTIST PARTNER CREATE DESERT ART Bighorn sheep, who roam on the desert, are perched playfully for a...

From the moment  you arrive in a new airport, you'll experience myriad adjustment challenges, including getting acquainted with new...

Keller prepares to take the wheel of a rental car  on an autumn trip to Olbia, Sardinia. STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER...