Quito, the proud capital of Ecuador, stands majestically beneath wandering clouds that drape the city with long shadows that shift dramatically as the clouds are blown about by fickle weather patterns. At an incredible 9,350 feet above sea level, the city is the second highest official capital city in the world after La Paz, Bolivia.

Some stories seem too bizarre to believe but this did happen to me. It was 1999. We were working as missionaries in the Philippines. We developed a livelihood program which helped impoverished churches support their pastors in extremely depressed communities. One of the products we trained the people to make was handmade paper from banana plant fibers.

Even if, like me, you’re NOT a tennis buff, a tour around this internationally famous series of buildings and grass tennis courts, is intriguing. Just take the grass, as an example. I mean c’mon on now, how boring is thinking about Wimbledon’s grass! And yet it is a critical part of how balls bounce, where they go, and how they are “played” by tennis super stars.

The Magical Mystery Tour of Liverpool is the ultimate Beatle experience for the ultimate Beatle fanatic, and if you fit that description, it is well worth the journey. The tour introduces you to over thirty places directly associated with the Beatles and those people who were close to them.

‘MOZ LIVE’ is the title of a new compact disc from the Chris Fast Band. As the name suggests, the project was captured ‘in the moment’ at the Mozambique Steakhouse in Laguna Beach. The end result; Fast has produced ten tracks that exemplify a night out with his band along with a couple hundred of his new best friends.

Just as the early morning sun had penetrated the Adriatic Sea’s marine layer, my driver arrived to take me to the Venice airport for my flight home to the U.S.   PortoPiccolo proved to be the ideal location to end my journey of Friuli Venezia Giulia. Located minutes from Trieste, devoid of Roman roads and medieval streets, the upscale seaside resort was the perfect venue to simply relax and reflect about my exploration of Italy’s Friuli Venezia Giulia Region.

Enjoying our first dinner during a group tour of Sicily, I turned to our guide and told him that the meal was excellent. This being Sicily, the reply was not all that surprising. “You can steal my money but don’t touch my food,” Alessio remarked. He followed that remark by claiming: “If lunch or dinner doesn’t have at least five courses, it’s just a snack.”

During, my recent stay at Iberostar Grand Paraiso in Riviera Maya, Mexico, I realized that I had the use of five resorts, and all their amenities, for the price of one. What an incredible bargain that turned out to be! The whole complex was like a village, with five “neighborhood” resorts clustered along the beach. Besides their own amenities, together they shared a shopping center featuring a huge spa, a 2-story professional gym building, 18 hole golf course, theater, convention center, tennis courts, and, most importantly, the economy of size.

In 1830, President Andrew Jackson pushed a new piece of legislation through Congress called the "Indian Removal Act." American-Indian tribes* were to give up their lands east of the Mississippi in exchange for lands to the west in Oklahoma. Jackson said that this was for the various tribes’ protection, but there was an ulterior motive...

We have all heard older folks tell what life was like back then, you know, the “good ole days.” I am at the age now that our grandchildren ask if I had ketchup when I was a kid. What we know about foods and medicines and treatments has certainly changed with each generation. I can think of two things today that I am especially thankful for. The first is that I now eat sautéed onions and garlic instead of wearing them around my neck.

Standing on the ship’s deck felt like being on the stage of an ancient amphitheater, rugged stone walls ringing hillsides rising steeply around me. But these walls didn’t hold seating for toga-clad spectators awaiting some amusement. They lined row after row of grape vines, terraces tumbling down the banks of the Douro River flowing across northern Portugal.

London, Paris, Berlin and Udine. Yes, Udine. And let’s not forget about Grado, Salice and Trieste, most definitely Trieste. This is Friuli Venezia Gulia region of Italy, spread across the far northeastern corner of the nation. I first read about this stunning region of diverse landscapes, languages and cultures over 15 years ago and swore that someday I would see it for myself. This June I finally did.

Traveling with kids can keep a Mom super busy and the right travel bag can make your life substantially easier. The more organized you are the better. But, everyone has different needs, so I tried out all these bags and found them to be excellent choices for a variety of reasons. Many address different needs from helping you be organized, fashionable, carry food, swimsuits and more.

The distinguished city of Bordeaux in southwest France with its astounding urban historical center noted as a World Heritage Site boasts a glorious buffet of sidewalk cafes and restaurants with legendary cuisine honoring French culture and their indisputably sophisticated approach to gastronomy. Dining here offers a lifetime of pleasure for the Bordealais as well as an enduring love affair with some of the world’s finest wines produced by hundreds of nearby wine chateaus.

If I asked you what was the most memorable trip or the most difficult journey you have taken, what would you say? Maybe you had a lengthy delay, canceled flights or some other challenging issue. Sometimes a dream vacation can become a nightmare. We can’t control every factor. In the dozens of countries I have traveled in I would list my “escape” from Liberia during the civil war as among the most stressful.

Few words inspire adventure and travel like Jeep. From its inception in the early 1940s, this first-of-its-kind off-road vehicle took soldiers to battle and civilians to thrilling, hard-to-reach destinations. In the process it became a legend.

Traveling is fabulous, but it can be a tiring experience with young kids. I've set foot on 6 continents and been to nearly 50 countries so I know everything you pack needs to be practical, multi-purpose and as lightweight as possible, especially when traveling with a little one. Here are some amazing travel items for you to check out.

Ah, the lure of exotic locations. We all have that curiosity, don’t we? Over 20 years ago I took a trip to one of those faraway places. But this trip turned out very differently from anything I could have imagined.