I can’t think of a better way to put my limited Mandarin to use than to order my first meal in Taiwan. The only problem is I don’t know what to order! Chris and I followed our noses to a small hole-in-the-wall place, where someone was grilling what appeared to be tofu and rolled omelettes….
On the day of his inauguration, it’s certain that president-elect Barack Obama will be opening gifts from the leaders of other countries. France, for example, sent a 4.5-pound package of Roquefort cheese. But would red underwear be appropriate to send the new president? In China and other Asian countries, red underwear is one of the…
Well, the time has come for a trip to Taiwan. As I was preparing for the visit, I realized there were a few interesting tidbits about the country that most people probably don’t know. In fact, more than a handful of people got it confused with Thailand. “Isn’t that where they will execute you for…
Nothing gets my heart racing more than the promise of visiting an exotic far-away destination, but on a day-to-day basis, I extol the virtues of places around Lake Erie. In my regional travels, I have found some true gems, but I really hold Buffalo, New York, in high regard. And, apparently, so does The New…
Today, my confidence in airport security got a boost when I read a Budget Travel blog entry about the Airport Security Check Point from toy manufacturer Playmobil. I thought it might be a great tool for teaching children the finer points of navigating an airport. Unfortunately, according to a few Amazon customers, it demonstrates just…
When I travel, I like to upload photos to share with the folks back home. However, the computers at hotels or internet cafés don’t always have imaging software loaded on them. That’s where online image editors come in handy. There are many out there, but this year, Adobe Photoshop launched Photoshop Express, a pared down…
My dream of being published in a National Geographic publication come true! A photo of mine appears in the November/December 2008 issue of National Geographic Traveler magazine. The photo of an Argentine man grilling beef over an open flame, which originally appeared on this blog in April 2006 (click here to read the original entry),…
Face it. Most women like to shop. But shopping at handicraft markets around the world is akin to shopping for a used car. There’s a lot of haggling back and forth over the price, which has a tendency to put off some people that are accustomed to paying the advertised price. But if you don’t…
The equator lies about an hour’s drive north of Quito. But until the invention of GPS navigation, the true “line” between the north and south hemispheres was as scientific as someone building a monument and claiming it was located at the equator. Various markers have come and gone in the modern age, but only one…
“How much for that chicken?” I asked a man who was strolling through Otavalo’s animal market with a live chicken under his arm. “AHHHHH,”he responded shoving the bird in my arms. “It’s a great chicken. Look here, under the wing. It’s a beautiful yellow color. This is a national chicken. There’s nothing better.” “But how…
