After two and a half weeks in Rome, Venice, Florence, and Naples, we were a little burned out. It is possible to see too much exquisite art; cities can wear you out. And you can only look at so m...
https://planetbell.me/2013/12/02/pompeii-the-antidote-for-art-city-and-penis-fatigue/
We went to Pamukkale for the surreal landscapes and the Roman ruins. Although very beautiful and interesting, we found the tourists to be more entertaining. Pamukkale, meaning “cotton castle,�...
https://planetbell.me/2013/11/06/pamukkale-a-land-of-surreal-landscapes-and-strange-tourists/
Is Symi, Greece, the most beautiful small town in the world? I’ve always regarded Antigua, Guatemala, as the most beautiful town I’ve seen. Situated at the base of three volcanoes and encircl...
https://planetbell.me/2013/10/21/is-symi-the-most-beautiful-small-town-in-the-world/
I was on the rooftop lounge of our guesthouse, looking out over a rain-soaked Istanbul, when I put the final touches on a post called On Not Falling in Love With Istanbul. Shortly thereafter, the...
In order to fall in love, the timing must be right. Conditions must be perfect. Love is a fickle, volatile thing. I came to Istanbul expecting to fall in love with this city. Alas, it didn’t wo...
https://planetbell.me/2013/10/06/on-not-falling-in-love-with-istanbul/
Due to the protests in Turkey, I am going to Turkey this fall. Kristi and I had been kicking around many possibilities for travels. We went so far as to buy guidebooks for Burma and the Philippin...
https://planetbell.me/2013/07/01/due-to-the-unrest-in-turkey-i-am-going-to-turkey/
When I travel to “scary” third-world countries, my parents worry. They envision me kidnapped by Jihadists, murdered by drug lords or held captive by a rogue government and forced to pay a ran...
1. The time I was pick-pocketed in the Roman metro I was packed into a crowded carriage on the Roman metro during rush hour, and as the train pulled into a stop, a young gypsy girl – maybe 16-y...
Tucked away deep in the heart of southeast Africa on the cerulean Lake Malawi, exists a utopian island that few people have heard of, and even fewer visit. Rugged, mountainous Likoma Island satis...
https://planetbell.me/2013/01/29/my-favorite-island-in-the-world-malawis-likoma-island/
Allow me to set the scene for you: “Petra by Night” is a thrice-weekly event with performances by Bedouin musicians and storytellers held at the iconic Treasury in southern Jordan. Brown pa...
https://planetbell.me/2013/01/21/the-f-bomb-heard-around-the-world-heritage-site-2/