I just got a call that my wedding dress has arrived and is ready for my fitting! Ahhh!
Not only is this thrilling, but it is also highly relevant to this article about royal palaces around the world. Why? Because my dress is white-ish, and so are most royal and governmental buildings in Europe and America! This is in sharp contrast to the bursting rainbow colors of Asian royal buildings and wedding [...Read More!]
Hello From Madrid, Spain, where I am on a wonderful, whirlwind Free Teacher Training Tour run by EF Tours!
On this 5-day trip, I am in training with a group of teachers who have flown in from around the United States to prepare as much as possible to lead a group of our students abroad. In my case, I will be leading 42 Boston students to Beijing, China in just 1.5 months!
So far, this [...Read More!]
One of the most dramatic tourist attractions in New England is totally free: the 3.5-mile Cliff Walk in historic Newport, Rhode Island!
Just make sure, as this sign pictured to the left politely points out, not to hurtle off the “cliff” aspect of the whole “Cliff Walk” thing.
Here’s what makes the Cliff Walk so amazing: it’s a marriage of nature’s glory with the most opulent human-made mansions imaginable.
On one side, you have [...Read More!]
In the previous article, we discussed the most shocking bathroom situation of my world travels.
But what is the most luxurious toilet of China?
Easy. Just go to Shanghai and travel about 1,000 feet… straight UP!
The Cloud 9 Bar and Grill is on the 87th floor of the Grand Hyatt Hotel of Shanghai, and is one of the highest-up and most beautiful bars on Earth.
It also has one of the best bathrooms in [...Read More!]
Since my thrilling recent marriage proposal in the Boston Public Garden, I’ve been alert to other romantic spots around Boston. Aaaaand… the winner for #1 most romantic architectural area in Boston is easy: the Christian Science Plaza by the Symphony stop on the Green Line!
Whatever your views may be on Christian Science as a belief system, the Christian Science Plaza will make you happy. Its 14-acre spread of seven diverse and wonderful [...Read More!]
“Be careful at zee Forbidden City,” our French hostel roommate warned. “Eet eez so big and so beautiful, that after a while you say: too much!”
“But look at that tiny rectangle on the Beijing map,” I protested, pointing to the box labeled “Forbidden City.” “I could walk that in like five minutes.”
The French lass guffawed heartily, said, “Well, just arrive as early as possible in zee day!” and headed off on [...Read More!]
We had been in China for less than 24 hours, the moment we found ourselves high atop the Great Wall of China, giddy with happiness.
At somewhere between 3,800 and 5,500 miles in total, depending how you measure its parts, the Great Wall of China stretches longer than the entire border between the United States and Canada.
This fact not only boggles the mind, but it also makes it tough for a tourist [...Read More!]
When foreign folks ask which cities in the United States I most recommend to visit (cities, not unmissable national parks like the Grand Canyon), I always say: New York City, Boston (I’m biased on that one), Washington DC, San Francisco, and… South Beach, Miami!
Because it’s so far “down there,” a lot of people skip Miami and focus upward, but Americans and visitors, alike, if you haven’t yet been to Miami, put [...Read More!]
My dear friend Meg and I were sitting in an open-air Spanish restaurant in Washington DC earlier this month when we noticed it.
“Women here in DC dress well,” declared Meg as she chomped into a garlic shrimp and gazed onto the street. My friend was feeling particularly fashion-conscious that week, as an article had just come out declaring her native San Francisco one of the sloppiest-dressed cities in the U.S.
“I mean, [...Read More!]
One of the few songs I had on my small, cheap computer to travel around the world for 9 months was “Rains Down in Africa” by Toto, so you can imagine how many times I listened to it.
There are some songs that, while cheese-tastic, evoke a magical glitter in the air, and for me, Toto’s “Africa” is sure one of them.
So last Thursday, standing under the soaring dome and 100-foot arches [...Read More!]
My name is Lillie and I thank you for reading and taking part in this journey.
I am the Boston coordinator of a national series of events on extended travel called "Meet Plan Go." Join the MPG community by clicking here, and jump-start your travel dreams!
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