DISCOVERING PARIS MARKETS
We’ve visited street markets around the world but none can compare to the ones in Paris. There are well over a dozen markets in the city, but the most famous is at Porte de Clignancourt, officially called Les Puces de Saint-Ouen, but known to everyone as Les Puces...
Cooking Up Classic Pastel da Nata in Lisbon
By Ron and Mary James. Another way to experience the culture and flavors of a destination is through cooking classes. As you learn how to make regional specialties, you learn the lore - how the dish is part of history and culture. It’s one thing to savor Portugal’s...
Back to the Barossa
Yesterday, Mary and I escaped the good life shipboard for a wine country adventure in the beautiful, bucolic Barossa Valley, north of Adelaide. It’s been nearly 25 years since we first tasted wine here and at that time, many wineries and tasting rooms were rustic and...
Our Australia Asia Adventure Begins
It's time to get back to work. Tomorrow we fly out of LAX to Sydney, Australia, for the beginning of a seven-week adventure of Asia and Australia. It will include three cruises with stops in Tasmania, Bali, Vietnam, Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, and Japan (fingers...
A Feast in Quito
Quito visitors can straddle the Equator, inspect pre-Columbian artifacts and fine art at museums, find whopping bargains at artisan markets, ride a cable car into the clouds, offer prayers at some of the most magnificent cathedrals in the Americas – and savor sublime...
Surf’s Up In Morocco
I grew up hearing stories about Morocco from my father, a World War II Army veteran whose unit helped push German General Erwin Rommel - the “Desert Fox” - and his soldiers out of North Africa. Several maps of the country - showing U.S. troop positions - decorated my...
JEFF BORMES: THE COOLINARY ARTIST
By Ron James So far, I've gushed about all of the great dining Spanish and Portuguese establishments reviewed in this feature. And no wonder – these are the best of the best we experienced in the land of delicious and innovative dining. This brings me to Le Moi and...
THE ILLUSION OF WELL BEING IN ALICANTE
It’s a kickback morning in Alicante Spain. It’s jet lag day three, but the worst is likely behind us. The sun is shining making for a pleasant way to get reacquainted with one of our favorite Spanish seaside cities. This will be our fourth and longest visit in our...
BULLET TRAIN TO ALICANTE
It’s 9:45 am and we’re at Madrid Atocha Station waiting for our bullet train to Alicante. Our Uber ride from our hotel across the city was a whopping 5.85 EU. This will be our worst day of jet lag. I managed four hours of sleep, waking up at 2:30 am. I checked the...
FIRST DAY IN MADRID
We slept until 2:30 in the afternoon. (5:30 am San Diego time) Got up and made our way to Plaza Mayor where we found our favorite calamari sandwich joint. It was a delicious bargain for 3.50 EU. We love the positive energy of urban Spain and our cafe happy hour that...
