A Visit to Palazzo Parisio in Malta
Behind the thick, limestone walls of the Palazzo Parisio in Naxxar lies a stunning visual escape from the staggering heat and dusty winds of the island of Malta.
Historical sites
Huntington Beach State Park’s Atalaya
Atalaya at Huntington Beach State Park, SC: Archer and Anna Huntington’s Castle by the Sea When I first laid eyes on Atalaya, it struck me as incongruent with everything I thought I knew about coastal South Carolina. I stood in the parking lot of Huntington Beach State Park, gaping at the unusual Moorish structure for more … Read more
Visiting an Ancient Settlement in Turkey Before it is Gone
The Glamour Granny travels to Hasankeyf, one of Turkey’s most ancient historical sites, before it is gone for good. I firmly believe in this: If you are meant to visit a place, you will. Sooner or later, and maybe in a roundabout way, you will be drawn there by invisible strings firmly rooted in your … Read more
Native American Culture In The Four Corners Area
Native American culture comes alive in the Four Corners region of the United States
Little Italy in the Bronx: Magical Realism, Historical Fiction and Food
You can have your great debates over what little Italy is the best little Italy (I’ve been to many, and they are ALL wonderful!) You can have your fist fights over New York versus New Haven pizza (I have loyalties here, so I can’t comment). Only, there’s one Little Italy that stands apart.
Visiting Charleston, SC: History, Cooking, Walks and More
What to do when your time is short (or even if it is not) for visiting Charleston, SC, one of America’s most historic cities Sometimes when visiting a new city for a brief time it feels impossible to do it all, because it is. We have to resist the desire to even try, while still being … Read more
Philadelphia: More than just the Liberty Bell for the Travel Belle
Travel Belle Jessica Orquina first visited Philadelphia as a tot, but she recently returned to view the Birthplace of America through adult eyes. I was five when I first saw the Liberty Bell. My aunt had moved to Philadelphia and my mother, my sister and I flew down from Boston to visit her. It was … Read more
Iris Origo & Tales Of 20th Century Tuscany
A woman who lived under the Tuscan sun in the early 1900s The villa and beautiful gardens at La Foce in Tuscany. An Italian nobleman for a husband. The stuff of dreams for many a Travel Belle. But Iris Origo’s life was no fairy tale. She endured war, loneliness, grief and privation during Italy’s troubled … Read more
Camino De Santiago (200 KM Of Hiking In 10 Days) Solo Women’s Travel
When long-distance hiking gets personal, but not in the way you thought it would be The Camino de Santiago, or the Way of Saint James, is an ancient pilgrimage route following the path taken by Saint James, eventually ending in the cathedral that holds his tomb in Santiago de Compostela, Spain. “F@#$.” I said, feeling … Read more
Tour Of Pompeii (Travels In Southern Italy)
At the gates of Pompeii, my views on tour guides were changed forever… I’m not sure where, but somewhere along the course of my life I’d acquired the notion that tours and guides were second-best when it came to ideal travel situations. The “true” traveler, I thought, forged their own path, not confining themselves to … Read more
