Destination: Europe

El Gastor, Spain

Children play in grass piled for Corpus Christi Day in a street in southern Spain.

See the full photo »


A Flight Attendant’s Bookish Ethical Dilemma

J.T. from Georgia posed this question to the New York Times ethicist, Randy Cohen:

I am a flight attendant. I was working a flight from Europe when I recognized Michael Connelly, my favorite author, on board. I told him I was reading his novel “Brass Verdict,” and he kindly offered to autograph it. The catch: it is a library book. Must I return the signed book to the library, or can I replace it with a new copy in a suitable jacket?

The answer is entertaining, and not just because of the line about what Cohen would do if he met “the ghost of Jane Austen on the D.C. shuttle.”


Mougas, Spain

Men catch a horse during the "Rapa Das Bestas" event in Mougas, northwestern Spain.

See the full photo »


Moscow, Russia

Municipal workers carry a reproduction of the painting "Zaporozhtsi" by Ilya Repin under heavy rain.

See the full photo »


Samurais and Maharajas: It’s an Asian Art Summer

I’m fortunate to live in a city that’s home to one of the best Asian art museums in the world—the Smithsonian’s Freer-Sackler Gallery—but I’m not averse to traveling to see a really great museum or exhibit elsewhere. In fact, on a trip to Dublin last fall, I spent an entire afternoon immersed in the wonderful Chester Beatty Library, gazing at Persian paintings and Islamic manuscripts. I know, I know—I was supposed to be out drinking Guinness, but I couldn’t help myself.

Read More »


Kiev, Ukraine

An artist performs during an annual fire festival in the Ukrainian capital Kiev.

See the full photo »


65 Years Later: Robert Capa and D-Day on Film

65 Years Later: Robert Capa and D-Day on Film Photo by luiginter via Flickr (Creative Commons)

Tomorrow marks the 65th anniversary of the Allied landings in Normandy, an assault that is widely viewed as one of the key turning points in the Second World War. President Barack Obama, French President Nicolas Sarkozy, and Canadian and British Prime Ministers Stephen Harper and Gordon Brown will be converging on the area for an official ceremony this weekend, following in the footsteps of thousands of tourists who visit the beaches each year.

The event has me thinking about the enduring appeal of the D-Day beaches—after all, Europe has no shortage of battlefields and war monuments, but few are as well-known to Americans as Omaha Beach (or, for Canadians, Juno Beach). It seems to me that their historical significance alone doesn’t explain it. The beaches, I think, have such a powerful presence in the public consciousness thanks in part to a few iconic photographs by Robert Capa.

Read More »


Martigny, Switzerland

A traveler from Vietnam poses with Saint Bernard Salsa, at the Great Saint Bernard mountain pass.

See the full photo »


Budget Dining in Barcelona: How to Do it Right

Budget Dining in Barcelona: How to Do it Right Photo by visualpanic via Flickr (Creative Commons)
Photo by visualpanic via Flickr (Creative Commons)

The first time I visited Barcelona, I was at the tail end of a 10-week backpacking trip around Europe. I had just four days left before I caught a plane back to the U.K. (where I’d been living) and then home to Canada—and, predictably, I was out of money.

My British and Canadian bank accounts were both tapped out, and while I could still charge my dorm bed—a clear necessity—to my credit card, I stubbornly refused to charge restaurant meals or withdraw cash for groceries on it. (The interest will kill you, y’know.)

Read More »


Osikovitsa, Bulgaria

The "Pasture on Water" installation piece by Bulgarian artist Pavel Koichev, is displayed on the surface of a small lake near the village of Osikovitsa, some 43 miles north-east of Sofia.

See the full photo »


The Morning After: Breakfast at Balmer’s

The Morning After: Breakfast at Balmer’s Photo by Terry Ward

Terry Ward explores a travel rite of passage in Interlaken, Switzerland

Read More »


Venice, Italy

Members of traditional Maori group "Waka Huia" perform in San Marco square, as part of the opening of the New Zealand pavilion at the Venice Biennale. The Biennale, one of the world's major art festivals, is traditionally held every two years dating back to 1895.

See the full photo »


Why Should You Follow Airlines on Twitter?

Photo of Qatar Airways plane by Rob Verger

Lately, I’ve been enjoying receiving tweets from airlines, and there are a few reasons why.

First up, airlines frequently announce fare sales and other news on Twitter. United has been offering what they call “twares,” which are very brief sales broadcast on Twitter, and Southwest recently tweeted about their new pets policy—you can bring dogs and cats on board now—while Virgin America tweeted to announce that their entire fleet had Wi-Fi.


Verona, Italy

Verona, Italy REUTERS/Alessandro Garofalo

A couple kisses after getting married at Verona's Casa di Giulietta, or "Juliet's House." The pair were the first to be married on the famous balcony.

See the full photo »


County Antrim, Northern Ireland

County Antrim, Northern Ireland REUTERS/Cathal McNaughton

A farmer checks on his crop of maize in Crumlin, County Antrim

See the full photo »