Rostov-on-Don, Russia – Set along its storied namesake river, Rostov-on-Don is a geographic crossroads, standing at the historical border between Asian and European cultures and acting as a modern gateway between the Northern Caucasus and the Black Sea coast. It’s…
Mariehamn, Finland – The capital of Åland, Mariehamn is a seafarer’s paradise. The waterside Mariehamn Maritime Quarter has long been a center of boat building. Nowadays, the atmospheric quay has ship-building workshops alongside art galleries, cafes and local boutiques. You…
Kotka, Finland – Some of the few artifacts excavated from the Vrouw Maria shipwreck (subject of our next book!). These are on display at Vellamo Maritime Center. This is our second visit to the Maritime Museum of Finland — and…
Boston, Mass – We’re not going to Florida this year, so I was happy to receive an invitation from Experience Kissimmee for an event in Boston. In addition to drinks and swag we got to: Ride an air boat in the Boston Harbor thanks…
Grand Cayman – The Wreck Bar at Rum Point posts a lists of Questions Not to Ask, ie, dumb questions frequently asked by tourists. (Example: “Do you live here?” Answer: “No, we jetski in from Miami daily.”) Or this one: Is…
Aruba – How sad that I did not take the twins to Aruba (sort of). But I didn’t stop thinking about them the entire time I was away – and especially about how much fun they would have on the Happy Island.…
Boston, Mass – We have lots of extended family in town this weekend–grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins galore. We have a full docket of activities lined up, starting with a whale-watching cruise with the New England Aquarium. This was a perfect…
Costa Rica – Most kids do not need much to keep them happy. I know the twins could spend all week in the swimming pool and they would call it a good vacation. But this is Costa Rica. This is Adventure…
Caño Negro, Costa Rica – Daddio and I made our way to Costa Rica’s remote northern reaches to unleash our inner bird nerds, and the twins came along for the ride. (Bird nerds in training.) Caño Negro is a 10,000-hectare…
Boston, Mass – Let’s go outside and play! Everybody knows that Boston puts on a good art show and gives an excellent history lesson. But this compact city is also blessed with beaches and bike trails, islands and ice rinks, rivers…