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Rituals and Traditions

An olive tree in Italy

Italy: Where the Olive Oil is the Most Flavorful

An organic farming network gave my niece the opportunity. Then she gave me the nectar of the gods

Pitcairn Island provided the mutineers of the Bounty a haven from the world in the 18th century. Today, it offers much the same—along with a general store, a cafe and 50 permanent residents.

Seven Islands to Visit in 2012

Pitcairn Island is populated by 50 people, has a handful of hostels, a general store and a café and, frankly, could really use a few visitors

Lamps at the Chiang Mai market

Christmas Shopping Around the World

There are valuable discoveries, but at a German Christmas market all I could find was Third World junk that only looks good if you drink a lot of gluhwein

Mistletoes evolved the ability to grow not on the roots of trees, but instead on their branches.

Mistletoe: The Evolution of a Christmas Tradition

Why does this parasitic plant remind us of romance?

Don’t be caught drinking until this Georgian man is done toasting.

Faux Pas: Mortifying Missteps of the Innocent Abroad

It was only weeks later that I learned what a klutz I’d been. It’s a miracle I wasn’t thrown to the bears

In Nepal, the Lambrecht family of Sebastopol, California is loving life and local transport.

Have Kids, Will Travel

“We were travelers. It was in our blood, and the idea that we would ever stop traveling just because we had kids never sat well with us”

Lutefisk is both a delicacy and a tradition among Scandinavian-Americans.

Scandinavians’ Strange Holiday Lutefisk Tradition

People in the Old Country won’t touch the stuff, but immigrants to the American Midwest have celebrated it for generations

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The Most Pungent Prize: Hunting the Truffle

“As a journalist working on a story about truffles, it felt like risky business. There’s a lot of cash flowing around, there’s a black market”

Facing the Void: Ellee Thalheimer stands before a high pass near Sampeyre, Italy after an ascent of several thousand feet.

Women and the Way of the Pedal-empowered

Susan B. Anthony said bicycling “emancipates women than anything else in the world. I stand and rejoice every time I see a woman ride by on a wheel”

Production shot of "Chinglish"

“Chinglish” Dramatizes China-U.S. Muddles

In the new Broadway play by David Henry Hwang, an American in Beijing misinterpreting the signs

The author runs on empty as he pushes his bike over rough terrain in the Murat Mountains.

Rose Hips and Hard Times

Sultan packs me a goody bag with tomatoes, cheese and peppers so hot I can’t even touch them. I suggest paying and she tilts her head back—”not a chance.”

Sunlight bursts through a ceiling of rainclouds above the lonely west shore of Lake Burdur.

Gandhi’s Wisdom Falls Short

Then, from behind me, came a staccato war cry—“Aaaack!”—as my host sent a boot into the dog’s rib cage

A potential buyer must carefully inspect the rugs at the Navajo rug auction.

Where to Get a Great Rug, and a Helping of Navajo Culture

Connoisseurs of Native American textiles know to go to the Crownpoint, New Mexico, Navajo Rug Auction

Friends are easily made - and tea quickly served - while tasting cheese at the town bazaar.

What to Eat and Drink in Turkey

My favorite place in any large town is the fruit bazaar, where all this goodness is crammed together into a circus of fragrant, colorful mayhem

Downtown Los Angeles

Downtown L.A. Edges Toward Livability

In downtown L.A. the vibe remains edgy, but that’s the point

The floating fishing villages in Vietnam's Halong Bay

The World Monuments Fund 2012 Watch List

The latest Watch List from the World Monuments Fund cites 67 invaluable places in need of attention, in some cases protection from tourists

No doubt about it, bears had been in this area.

The Bear and the Bullet

The truck came by slowly and a spotlight swept the river bottom. “My God—they’re hunting me!”

Turkish tea

Tea and Bear Talk in Turkey

“It’s too dangerous,” said a villager. “There are bears.” His boys growled and clawed the air

People who eat too many croissants for breakfast or visit during August.

Swimming in Paris

Lap-swimming in Paris takes cultural openness and skimpy bathing attire

Fishermen pass the hours along the Bosporus Strait. They occasionally catch sardines.

Istanbul: The Maddest City in Europe

“That’s the fattest stray dog I’ve ever seen.” A lot has changed here since Mark Twain wrote about the city, but there’s still plenty of mayhem

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