Lance Longwell

Visiting France’s Chartres Cathedral to see the veil of the Virgin Mary

The island of Mont Saint-Michel has attracted pilgrims for over a thousand years. As we planned our trip to France, there would be no doubt that we’d also make our pilgrimage to Mont Saint-Michael. What we found completely surprised and delighted us.

The D-Day landing on the beaches of Normandy was a concerted effort to save what was left of Europe. Now, nearly 70 years later, the beaches have an eerie quiet as travelers come to pay their respects.

Stalin’s Penis. That’s what locals call The Palace of Culture and Science in Warsaw – a “gift” from Joseph Stalin to Poland. Not surprisingly, locals aren’t particularly fond of the building, which is the tallest in Poland.

Visiting Warsaw may not be at the top of everyone’s travel list in Eastern Europe. The city has a reputation for being a drab, modern city that lacks charm and character. The Old Town is a post-war facsimile of Warsaw’s once grand past. Despite the negativity, there are actually a number of fun things to do in Warsaw.

San Diego is one of our favorite cities on the planet. This fun, relaxed city has amazing weather and an abundance of activities. We’re a little biased – Laura’s sister lives here and we go out frequently to visit, but we never tire of taking in the San Diego highlights!

San Gimignano, Italy is a beautiful little walled town that was declared by UNESCO to be part of the World’s Architectural Heritage. Its striking architecture is straight out of the 1200s, and is “the epitome of a Tuscan hill town.”

The Paestum ruins, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, are comprised of three major Greco-Roman temples and a number of smaller ruins. Visiting Paestum can be a highlight of a trip to Italy. We visited in the off season and had the ruins completely to ourselves.

In a city that does everything in a big way, it makes sense that the malls in Dubai are also big. But there is more to Dubai mall culture than just shopping.

Dubai has a reputation as a modern, cosmopolitan city. In Dubai, bigger is better: world’s tallest building, world’s largest mall, etc. However, in Bur Dubai and along the banks of the Dubai Creek, you hear the echoes of the old Dubai. In the heart of this area, we encountered the Dubai Gold Souk and knew we’d stumbled on some something truly special.