It’s almost impossible not to fall under the spell of this dreamscape where round, domed houses known as trulli rise from gentle hillsides. Alberobello will make you feel like you’ve stepped into the pages of a fairy tale, but this small town in Italy’s southeastern Puglia region is decidedly of this world, fashioned from limestone, surrounded by centuries-old vineyards and olive groves, and home to 11,000 residents.

Last month many in Europe, and possibly others around the world, celebrated the 75th Anniversary of June 6th, 1944, when the Allies invaded Normandy in France to begin WW2’s liberation of Europe from Nazi tyranny. As a result of this 2019 Anniversary of the 1944 invasion, newspapers, television shows, magazines, and the media in general, were filled with photos of that June 6th day in 1944, along with remembrances by the few remaining WW2 military that – amazingly – are still with us.

Heels down. Toes out. Squeeze with calves, not knees. Lighten up on the reins. Sink your butt into the saddle. So began my first riding lesson at the Arizona Cowboy College in Scottsdale which was followed by instructions in grooming, shoeing, advanced riding techniques and roping. And this was just a one-day primer to what other “city slickers” channeling Billy Crystal experience in their five-day cattle drive at the College...

What can you say about Anne Frank, one of the most famous people of the last century, that hasn’t already been said? Her diary, “The Diary of Anne Frank,” contains the ruminations of a young German Jewish girl who went into hiding in Amsterdam in 1944 with her family and friends desperate to escape the Nazi slaughter of Jews.

The attractive Catalan language drifts through Barcelona, an ancient port city built atop Roman ruins with bits and pieces of 4th century architecture proudly standing tall amidst the mad crush of 21st century tourism. With its countless tree-lined streets and glorious architecture, Barcelona appears to have been blessed by a goddess from the World of Art who draped her large silk scarf over the city to ensure an artistic bent.

Los Angeles has many fascinating sights, but nothing can match the history of mystery of the La Brea Tar Pits. This area of bubbling asphalt along Wilshire Blvd has intrigued scientists and visitors since it was discovered more than 100 years ago. As of today it is the only actively excavated Ice Age fossil site found in an urban location in the world.

Enjoying a cruise today is noticeably different than those my wife and I did some 25 years ago. That reality was dramatically in evidence when we took a Princess cruise earlier this year, and the memories we experienced “back then,” still color my thoughts today. In the 1970s research shows that about 500,000 people took a cruise every year. In the cruise industry today (2019) the cruise business has grown considerably.

I hit the jackpot recently at Pala Casino Spa & Resort in San Diego County. I didn't win any money, but I did stay in an awesome hotel room, dine at a couple great restaurants, and experience the resort's stunning, new pool area.

At age 52, Tulasi Shrestha, whose parents wouldn’t let her attend school because she was a girl, is finally learning to read. Shikha Gauchan, after receiving training on a computer, has vastly increased her business to foreign trekkers by promoting her guesthouse on Facebook. Children who once couldn’t pass the entrance exams to further their education have so excelled that the community built a secondary-level school to accommodate them.

While everyone seemed to be relocating north to Seattle, I bolted from my home town for the bright lights of Los Angeles. But I would return to my ancestral home often. While visiting, I would frequently kick myself for never exploring the amazing attractions outside of the western part of the state.

In the 1840s, the population of California was only 14,000, but by 1850 more than 100,000 settlers and adventurers had arrived from all over the world – and they came for one reason: gold. James Marshall had discovered the first gold nugget at Sutter’s Mill in El Dorado County, creating the largest gold rush in history.

I never met a kid who didn’t love Legos. The toys are simple, durable and inspire creativity and imagination. So when LEGOLAND California opened in 1999 as an entire theme park dedicated to the little, plastic building blocks it was major news. And now today, as it celebrates its 20th birthday, the destination is more popular than ever and still welcoming families and exciting new attractions.

Three days were not long enough. Nevertheless, when I had an opportunity to visit Buenos Aires, Argentina, I jumped at the chance. As soon as I climbed into a cab, I was immediately awestruck by the city’s wide boulevards, grandiose monuments, rolling parks and distinctive neighborhoods of somewhat faded glory.

Nothing against the plains or oceans, but if you want to hypnotize a kid with nature, go for three-dimensional spaces with high vertical, try the Bugs – Canada’s Bugaboos – one of the continent’s premiere hiking and climbing arenas.

The Palladian Traveler goes back in time to Colonial America as he walks the brick-lined pavement of historic Annapolis, MD and savors a fresh catch-of-the-day pulled right out of the Chesapeake Bay.

On first sight, the American Duchess charmed me with her white, wedding-cake exterior adorned with gingerbread trim. The big, red paddle wheel on the back paid tribute to her steamboat lineage, a descendant of the legendary vessels that began plying the Mississippi River more than two centuries ago.

Driving through the mountains of Bosnia, it’s easy to become enchanted by the verdant beauty of this little visited Balkan country. It’s also easy to forget it’s one of Europe’s poorest countries, and that through the 1990’s, it was torn by the worst ethnic warfare Europe has seen since the Second World War.

Deep turquoise waters, ancient Andean cultures, breath-taking landscapes, and majestic 400 year old cathedrals make the region and city of Ayacucho one of Peru’s most interesting, yet least visited tourist attractions.

The Palladian Traveler meanders around the town that George Washington envisioned, stopping long enough to smell the cherry blossoms, soak in the history, marvel at the art and architecture and inhale the aromas of epicurean delights as he files his latest dispatch from the US capital.

When I read about our upcoming visit to the Embera tribe of indigenous peoples as part of our Caravan tour to Panama and the fact that the women were naked from the waist up, I promised myself I wouldn’t stare. I’m not sure whether I was disappointed or relieved to find them fully clothed – clearly dressing up for the tourists.

Ron Howard was born into a show biz family making his acting debut at the ripe old age of 18 months. He made his screen debut at when he turned four and has spent his entire life in Hollywood with his breakout role as Opie Taylor on the “The Andy Griffith Show” shining a national spotlight on this adorable little kid from Duncan, Oklahoma.

The Addiction (1995) is the most stringent product of director Abel Ferrara’s current manner — a highly original morality play about guilt and redemption.

The Palladian Traveler joins the masses around the Tidal Basin as Washington, DC rolls out the pink carpet during the National Cherry Blossom Festival.

Wales loves its artists. That’s easy to say with the likes of actors Richard Burton, Anthony Hopkins and Michael Sheehan all hailing from the South West Coast of Wales, near Swansea. No artist, however, commands a deeper place in a Walesian’s heart than poet and writer, Dylan Thomas.