The outside of Casa Calma, in the heart of Argentina’s capital, left me wondering if the place was still open. Decrepit, fairly ugly, and covered in untamed vegetation, the hotel appeared to have been abandoned years ago. When I walked through the front door, however, things instantly changed and just got better and better over the next 48 hours. By the time I checked out two days later, I was most definitely calm and well. Read more >
If you find yourself in Canada during the winter and are not an avid winter sports enthusiast or polar bear seeker, you’re probably going to want to stay indoors a lot. Icy temperatures and abundant snowfall are a great excuse to check out the excellent museums from coast to coast. These are my top five museums in Canada. Read more >
Four missions along a 12-mile road in San Antonio provide an intimate, hands-on glimpse into the era of Spanish colonialism in Texas. These self-contained communities from the 1700s are historic, beautiful, and serene, and you can easily understand and appreciate their original purpose, made self-evident by their buildings and layout alone. And they’re all better than the Alamo. Read more >
With more than 1,000 restaurants to choose from in Amsterdam, ranging from Argentinean steak houses to Indonesian takeaway joints to traditional Dutch establishments, you’re never at a loss to satisfy any particular craving. Those located along the city’s famous canals, of course, boast the more charming setting. But even if you can’t get to enjoy the views at the often limited outdoor seating, you’ll still be satisfied with the fine meal you’ll be served at your indoor table. Villa Zeezicht is one of those lovely canal-side restaurants with a delicious menu that ultimately makes it irrelevant where you’re sitting. Read more >
Designated historic districts in cities throughout the United States provide a tangible glimpse into their past as well as the opportunity to experience a unique urban environment. Long before the era of modern, uninspired skyscrapers and insipid glass-and-steel boxes that increasingly make cities less distinguishable from one another, these places developed as areas not to be mistaken for any other. Thanks to historic preservation movements and landmark commissions, they survive today to entertain, educate and enchant us. These are my top five historic districts in the United States. Read more >
While visiting cousins on the Gulf Coast of Florida, I needed to stay somewhere equidistant to Palm Harbor and Dunedin. All I wanted was someplace convenient, not too expensive, and simple. During my search, I discovered Innisbrook Golf & Spa Resort, perfectly situated between my relatives’ homes and surprisingly affordable, but this resort, home to a prestigious PGA tournament, was anything but simple. Read more >
When I arrived in Montana, I was fully prepared to start consuming higher-than-normal quantities of beef. After all, this is a state where cattle outnumber people (2.6 million versus 1 million) and livestock makes up about two-thirds of the agriculture industry. No wonder that I had conjured up plentiful images of steaks and burgers. So I was a little suspicious and more than a little curious when the owners of the Gibson Mansion Bed & Breakfast where I was staying recommended a restaurant that had an international menu with dishes from countries as far-ranging as Japan, Ethiopia, and Austria. But their suggestion was spot-on, and dinner at The Silk Road proved to be a surprisingly cosmopolitan — and scrumptious — affair. Read more >
My interest in the past is always piqued whenever I travel in the Deep South, where everything seems to drip with history like Spanish moss off a Southern live oak tree. So when I chose to stay at the Baer House Inn in Vicksburg, Mississippi, I knew I would be lodged in refined and comfortable accommodations in the heart of a city brimming with all kinds of references to yore, from its rough-and-tumble era with rampant gambling and prostitution that would ultimately give birth to the term “kangaroo court” to its pivotal role in the Civil War. What I didn’t expect, however, was the utterly engrossing story of the Baer House itself and how one very spirited daughter of Jewish immigrants got her ultimate revenge on her wealthy, controlling mother. Read more >
For nearly a millennium, the center of Danish government — whether it was headed by an autocratic monarch or a multi-party Parliament — has been located in the same spot in Copenhagen, but most definitely not in the same building. Through centuries of fires, demolition, and construction, Christiansborg Slot has risen, fallen, and returned multiple times. Now in its fifth incarnation, the castle offers a comprehensive look at the way the government of Denmark operates within its lush interior, as well as how the Danes manage to keep such a tremendous place shipshape, despite the 500,000 visitors who pass through it every year. Read more >
Güira Oga, a refuge and rehabilitation center for injured animals tucked deep in the jungle off the main road to Parque Nacional Iguazú in northeastern Argentina, serves a virtuous purpose. The “guests” at this refuge have been rescued from roadside accidents, from traffickers’ inhumane shipping methods, and from owners who abandoned animals that were never intended to be pets. Before exploring the national park’s majestic waterfalls, I spent a couple of hours here, learning exactly how to re-train a wounded bird of prey to survive in the wild. Read more >
Stephen Travels 