Sharing Travel Tales from Around the World

By: Susan Gerle
I grew up as a polite conservative Canadian in Vancouver, Canada. Whenever I bumped into someone on the sidewalk I would say, “excuse me.” The person usually acknowledged my apology. As the demographic mix changed and the sidewalks got more crowded, fewer people took the time to say anything. I was frustrated by the lack of manners until I had the opportunity to visit some of the largest cities on earth.

By: Eric Alexander Hamilton
It is one of America’s best-kept secrets: few travel books mention it, yet it has some of the United States’ most incredible scenery. Imagine a jagged coastline formed by the violent meeting of land and sea; an area where mountains have suddenly erupted from the ocean, creating miles of secluded beaches, caves, towering cliffs, and deep canyons. That area is Big Sur, California, set in the midst of one of the world’s most spectacular coastlines.

By: Adrianne Duthie

Obviously in a city as large and as vibrant as Los Angeles there is no shortage of things for visitors to this bustling city to do. Much like New York or Las Vegas, Los Angeles has plenty of sight-seeing opportunities, nightlife, spectacular shows and concerts and sporting events to attend. However, all of these cost money – usually a lot of money – and for those traveling on a shoestring budget these activities can often be out of reach.
However, just because your wallet or purse may be a little flatter than some of your fellow travelers that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy your Los Angeles vacation. There are a number of fun free things to do in Los Angeles for …

By: Paula Wallis
Sitting in Vesuvio Bar, off Jack Kerouac Alley, sipping on a pint of Anchor Steam, one could almost believe they’ve traveled back in time and are sitting in the San Francisco of yesteryear. You expect to turn to the barstool next to you and see the man himself, Jack Kerouac, drinking off last night’s hangover, as some famous beat poet or another rails against humanity from the dimly lit corner of the room. To me, this bar truly felt like the San Francisco I had long imagined.

By: Eric Alexander Hamilton
Would you pay to go to prison? Believe it or not, many people do when they visit San Francisco, California. Their destination is Alcatraz, America’s most infamous prison. With its isolated setting and violent history, Alcatraz has become San Francisco’s number one tourist attraction—over one million people visit it every year. You may even recognize the place from some of the movies filmed here, such as The Rock (Nicolas Cage) and Escape from Alcatraz (Clint Eastwood).