Why do the Germans have to be such brilliant engineers? They refuse to let me see the rest of Europe! A monorail train hangs suspended from a suspension bridge over a street in Wuppertal, Germany. Damn those Germans! Every time I think I’m done with...

Is racism China’s other Great Wall? The presence of Barack Obama as America’s first president of African descent is prompting a more open discussion about race and prejudice, and not just in the United States. Check out this piece in the Washington...

When you’re in Italy’s Tuscan capital, it’s hard to tell if you’re in a city…or in a painting. The best way to prepare for a visit to Tuscany may not be by reading guidebooks or watching travel shows, but by visiting a museum that specializes in...

Second in an occasional series Water show, Bellagio hotel-casino, Las Vegas We’ve already talked about the need to be alert and aware to stave off pickpockets. Here are some other things you can and should do: * To minimize your exposure to...

First in an occasional series Ponte Vecchio, Florence, Italy. How many potential pickpocket victims can you see? Pickpockets. You can find them (or they can find you) anywhere, but especially in Europe. For years, Rome was the world capital of...