Dantewada “Land of Angels” Waterfall Park, the Newest Attraction in Mae Taeng, Thailand

Waterfall near the entrance of Dantewada Waterfall Park provides a stunning backdrop for the coffee shop

There’s a new attraction north of Chiang Mai that only locals seem to know about. Fortunately, I am blessed to have wonderful Thai friends who invite me along on day trips around northern Thailand. Most recently they introduced me to Dantewada Land of Angels Waterfall Park, a man made attraction with two massive waterfalls, caves, … Read more

The Secret Erotic Art of Pompeii and Herculaneum

Italy-Naples-National-Archaeological-Museum-Secret-Cabinet-erotic-sculpture Pan copulating with a goat

On a fine afternoon in 1752, word reached King Charles III of Bourbon that his royal archeologist, Karl Weber, had discovered a treasure trove at Herculaneum. Sometime earlier, his excavation tunnels had brought to light the luxurious residence that would later be dubbed the Villa of the Papyri, however on that particular day his tunnels … Read more

PHOTO: The Many Lives of Istanbul’s Hagia Sophia

Hagia Sofia in Istanbul, Turkey

The famous Hagia Sofia in Istanbul (sometimes Anglicized to Aya Sofya) is like a cat with nine lives. It was constructed in 537 as an Eastern Greek Orthodox cathedral in Constantinople (today known as Istanbul). At the time, it was it was the largest church within the Byzantine (eastern) Roman Empire, and the structure is … Read more

The Exquisite, Surreal Design of the Sagrada Familia Basilica in Barcelona

View from the center of Sagrada Familia's Latin Cross floor plan, looking toward the apse

Like most visitors to Barcelona, Spain, the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Sagrada Familia Basilica was on my must-see list, so I was surprised when an employee of the hotel where I was staying told me not to bother going inside. “Tickets are very expensive and there’s not much to see,” he said. If I … Read more