By guest photographer Joanne Kawamura and a friend Nestled along the jagged coastline where the Atlantic whispers secrets to ancient pines, Maine beckons with its blend of rugged beauty and quirky charm. From Boothbay Harbor’s enchanted gardens to Kennebunkport’s presidential pews, this autumn drive reveals the state’s offbeat treasures. Pack your flannel and a sweet tooth—here’s a taste of Maine’s …

The Canary Island of Lanzarote is a UN recognized Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System and a UNESCO designated Biosphere Reserve. But I know it from a previous visit as a party island with barren lava and volcanic ash landscape and some gorgeous beaches. This trip I vowed to reconcile the world view with my own admittedly narrow tourist vision, to experience the history and culture I had missed before.

After the Great War and during the 1920s and ‘30s, Paris was the place to be for artists and the forward-thinking avant-garde looking to etch their mark, while novelists and writers quickly recognized that it was far easier to be acknowledged by the small innovative Parisian publishing companies than to catch an editor’s eye in the States.

Okay, is there anyone who actually made it through childhood without at least a cursory introduction to Peter Rabbit, Flopsy and Mopsy and that mean old farmer McGregor? Well, this is where they lived until Beatrix caught them and immortalized them forever in little 5" by 4"-sized books.

Centuries ago, when the Lion of St. Mark roared and the known world listened, the doges and aristocrats of La Serenissima built their sprawling warm-weather estates in the countryside  that enhanced the coffers of the money-mad merchants of Venice.

Earlier this summer on my way to visit family vacationing in France, I took a 3 day side trip to Montreux just over the border from France in Switzerland. I wanted a couple of days to recover from jetlag in a nice spot and was impressed with Montreux. It helped that the weather was perfect, giving me a great opportunity to explore the city and its beautiful waterfront. I had flown into Geneva and joy of joy, I was able to pick up a train right from the airport direct to Montreux, about 1 hour away. The train ride was smooth, efficient and perfectly on time.

Nestled on the western coast of Ireland, the Aran Islands consist of three separate islands: Inishmore, Inishmann and Inishere. Located approximately seven miles from the mainland, about 30 miles from Galway City, the islands are easily accessible by ferry from Rossaveal and the musical town of Doolin in County Clare. Today, locals no longer create their own soil and reliable electricity has finally come to the Aran, but the islanders --- the most rugged-looking people that I have ever encountered --- are a hospitable group who are proud to share their history and culture with you. Tourism is now their largest form of income, and visitors come from all over the globe to experience this unique world of primitive forts, medieval churches and dramatic scenery.

TBoy photographer, Deborah Roskamp, shares pictures along the historic Nile River -- where Kings traveled and where the Hebrew race blossomed.

My wife and I recently took a stroll through a charming town in France which, because of its many canals and bridges - we were told it has 131 overpasses - is known as the Venice of the area. While some neighborhoods of Montargis (population about 15,000) have a modern feeling, its downtown area retains an inviting Medieval allure.

The 12 of us gathered for a sumptuous four-course gourmet dinner, each dish seasoned, served and savored with elan. The artistically folded napkins were rivaled only by the several glasses at each setting aligned to designer specification. The conversation flowed as freely as the wine, laughter bubbling up and over the table like a fine bottle of champagne.