My nephew and I were swimming in the water a short distance away from our boat when a woman snorkeling not too far away from us suddenly surfaced and shrieked in terror. A whale shark was headed straight towards her, its faint outline gliding under the waves. I smiled knowing that whale sharks pose no threat to humans and feed almost exclusively on plankton. But when I dropped slightly underwater to snorkel and view the spectacle, I realized just how massive this animal is. No wonder that lady was frightened to death.

At first glance, the Timanfaya National Park in the interior of Lanzarote, the Eastern-most of Spain’s Canary Islands, seems little more than a desolate landscape of lava fields with volcanos rising over them. It is only once you look closer that you can see the austere beauty of the many lava tubes, calderas, and craggy peaks, the lava sea, all wind-worn over the centuries. The arid, rocky plains and the smooth, naturally wind-swept fields of volcanic ash hold an austere beauty all their own. Euphorbia plants and lichens, as well as lizards and insects, call this untouched, protected area home.

This tiny landlocked country in the heart of East Africa has a great deal to offer for the adventurous traveler!  Located near the equator, the country has a remarkably pleasant tropical highland climate, with average temperatures of just 70 degrees. 

The Latest T-Boy Film, Travel & Music poll is devoted to a positive cultural experience when visiting a new destination. Below you’ll find orignial content not found anywhere else on the globe by Richard Carroll, Audrey Hart, Ringo Boitano, Deb Roskamp and even two by yours truly. I hope you enjoy the entries as much as I enjoyed its compilation. – Ed

James 'Yank' Rachell isn't a name commonly mentioned or referred to in the blues community but he really should be. It might have been his instrument of choice; it wasn't a guitar but rather, the mandolin. Born Northeast of Memphis near Brownsville, Tennessee, on March 16th 1910, Rachell grew up as a farm laborer working alongside his family. The story goes he traded a pig for his first mandolin when just a child and lucky for us, he never put it down. Yank became an accomplished musician and also played guitar, banjo and the fiddle, but he always came back to his first love, the mandolin.

Milano, one of Europe’s celebrated destinations with fashion, architecture, and fine dining at the forefront, and conceivably one of the world’s distinguished twofold travel destinations with Lake Como a short 40-mile jaunt, is blessed with 13 NH hotels, one in the town of Lecco in Lake Como, and all positioned in unsurpassed settings. Spanish owned, small to mid-sized boutique properties, tabbed as four-star, we booked three Milano NH hotels for convenience of locality while on a fashion assignment in Milano, and in a way in which to become acquainted and connect with Milano neighborhoods on foot and possibly enjoy some jazz and dancing.

I'm thinking about plastic surgery. Let's just say that after drinking the water at the celebrated Ponce de Leon Fountain of Youth Archaeological Park, I didn't achieve the "as-advertised" (OK, truth be told, the "as-hoped-for") miraculous transformation to blushing, youthful skin. But, let me quickly add, that this Fountain of Youth is, without a doubt, the only thing that disappoints in picturesque, moss-draped St. Augustine. (And on the plus side, Ponce de Leon's park offers other activities—and also is home to a harem of sartorial peacocks, who entertain, as they strut and prance freely.)

Underscoring its commitment to create unforgettable memories for every member of the family, Give Kids The World Village (GKTW) has announced the opening of Olivia’s Oasis – a relaxation spa dedicated exclusively to wish parents, adult family members and caregivers. The venue marks another milestone in the storied history of the Village, an 89-acre, whimsical nonprofit resort in Central Florida that provides critically ill children and their families from around the world with life-changing week-long wish vacations at no cost. A grand opening celebration open to media, wish families and donors took place this past April 12th, offering a first glimpse at the spa.

There’s been much media commentary related to the 20th anniversary of the invasion of Iraq, widely regarded as one of the greatest foreign policy blunders in history.  g to go into the wayback machine for my take on it, below, a piece written in 2007 for the late Gatsby Magazine, one of the international magazines I wrote Letters from Washington columns for. It’s a stab at divining the self-righteous mentality that popped open Pandora’s Box with the March 20th, 2003 invasion of Iraq under the false pretenses of Saddam Hussein harboring weapons of mass destruction and being in league with Al-Qaeda. This was amplified by journalists and politicians who should have known better, some of whom likely did.

There was plenty of cheering, meowing, chirping, and woofing in Orlando, Florida this past March 23rd. The American Pet Products Association (APPA) and Pet Industry Distributors Association (PIDA) announced the winners of the 13th annual New Products Showcase Awards.

Walking along the Ft. Myers Yacht Basin in the center of the city, you would never know that three months ago, it was littered with boats and destruction, havoc wreaked by Hurricane Ian. The feeling of calm felt almost eerie as I remembered the horrific TV images of months past.

I have just returned from Surreal360: A Salvador Dalí Experience, which is now open in Miami. Opening night guests embarked a journey into the mind of Salvador Dalí, the Spanish surrealist artist world-renowned for his technical skill and precise draftsmanship. In addition to over 170 original artworks by Dalí, there is an immersion aspect similar to popular Van Gogh exhibits.

Cigarette smoking is considered a health risk not only for the smoker but for everyone else around them as well. Because of this, many countries today have implemented smoking bans or laws to reduce smoking. Most recently, Mexico made changes to its tobacco control law that includes no-smoking rules for any workplace and outdoor locations where people gather. These locations range from public squares and parks to beaches and sports stadiums. The new provisions aim to ensure better protection of general public health.

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.

The name rolls off the tongue in a poetic and memorable ring, the resonance tantalizing the ear like a beloved song. Dusseldorf, a little over an hour train ride from Frankfurt is world removed, and refreshingly faithful to art and fashion. Overlooking the vast Lower Rhine River in the heart of Germany, the city is brimming with energy and vitality with an elevated living standard and a five-star lifestyle, eminent among the best cities in Europe.

The Gateway Arch towers over the mighty Mississippi. Built in 1963, it is today the symbol of St. Louis. Blues music fills the night, and St. Louisans sit at sidewalk cafes in the historic Soulard neighborhood in front of tables of toasted ravioli, paper-thin square-cut pizza, and frosted mugs of Bud, the beer here that is still king.

Here’s my list of 76 - 101 Greatest Film Directors. I encourage you to assault, disagree or perhaps even agree, and send in your own list in our readers’ section at admin@travelingboy.com. What is most important is to keep a dialogue going about cinema as a visual medium for artistic expression where it takes its place among other art forms.

So yes, of course, the highlights of our Blue Danube River Cruise with Grand Circle Tour Company were the four European capitals we were visiting: Prague, Czech Republic, Vienna, Austria, Bratislava, Slovakia and Budapest, Hungary. But it was the many surprises surrounding the experiences on the ship that truly enhanced the trip.

If you think about it, Joanne Shaw Taylor really had no choice in her career path. She was born in the West Midlands region of the UK near Birmingham. Musically, that's hallowed ground. It's the same area of the country that gave us Ozzy, Stevie Winwood, Christine McVie, Joan Armatrading and Robert Plant. "I'm not quite on that level." Joanne laughs while I make a mental note about her two previous chart-topping projects, then she adds, "But I'm definitely from a very historic musical place."

This March marks the seven-year anniversary of T-Boy Society of Film & Music's writers' poll. The ten below are among our favorites, but there will be more to come. No doubt you'll notice that virtually every introduction states, this allows us to see a different side of our esteemed writers who've been regularly delivering original content; a content that readers can only find on T-Boy. Redundant, yes; but an important reason why. - Ed

It's not every day you can sing someone's praises about singing someone's praises, yet here we are. The Blind Boys of Alabama along with friend and fellow musician, Charlie Musselwhite commanded the stage at the California Center for the Arts in Escondido recently and converted about 500 people in the process.