- On Progress With Henry VIII And Author Alison Weir Henry VIII has always fascinated the American public and never more so than following the Showtime miniseries, The Tudors, starring Jonathan Rhys Meyers. Filled with lots of drama, quasi-historical accuracy, six wives, great costumes and, yes, soft-porn, this miniseries reignited interest in all things Tudor. While it was airing, I attended a book signing with […]
- Egyptian Tourism After The Embassy Riots After a two hour meeting with President Morsi on September 9 at the Presidential Palace, I was optimistic about Egypt’s relationship with the West. Then I flew out of Cairo two days later, landed in Paris and saw newscasts of the riots in Benghazi and Cairo. Egyptian tourism suddenly looked dead in the water. Is […]
- Is It Time To Return To Egypt? During my visit, I will be moderating a panel on Tourism with the new Minister of Tourism, His Excellency Hisham Zaazou. Let me know if you have questions for him. I am returning to Egypt with the U.S. Business Mission to Egypt this fall, a visit sponsored by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and including […]
- Is It Time To Return To Egypt? During my visit, I will be moderating a panel on Tourism with the new Minister of Tourism, His Excellency Hisham Zaazou. Let me know if you have questions for him. I am returning to Egypt with the U.S. Business Mission to Egypt this fall, a visit sponsored by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and including […]
- A Palestinian Style Destination In Jordan On my last trip to Jordan, I was fortunate to view an extraordinary collection in a private home in Amman that documented a Palestine that many never knew. Travel to Jordan is always magnificent. It is a traveler’s paradise of a warm and welcoming people, history, natural history and the best food in the world. […]
- Hockney And Twombly In The Vermont Woods Maybe I am jaded, too much travel to too many wonderful places, but rarely do resorts live up to over the top hype. So I flew up to Vermont with trepidation to visit the much touted Twin Farms. Additionally, I am not really a “nature girl” so promises of fly fishing lessons and campfires did […]
- Around the World by Private Jet In just 23 days, you can circumnavigate the world on a privately chartered jet. Check off most of your bucket list in one fell swoop. Why all the buzz about these tours and why are they selling so well in a murky economic environment? In 1999, T.C. Swartz and his sister Charlene Brannon had the […]
- What About Travel To Jordan? Looking for somewhere to travel and experience world class sites of antiquity this fall? Since Arab Spring — agreed, a misnomer as it now continues into the second year — much of northern Africa and the Middle East continue to experience unrest and uncertainties that are unsettling for potential tourists. I would still travel to […]
- Seven Trips To Expand Your Comfort Zone Having spent 17 years circling the globe for my job at the Smithsonian Institution, I am often asked, “Where is your favorite destination and where should I go next?” Seems like an easy question, but it isn’t. My own list of favorites has shifted dramatically as my personal travel comfort zone expanded. For your consideration, […]
