Where the Wild Bears Are

Asia, Central & South America, Europe, North America, Travel

For wildlife enthusiasts and travelers keen to explore the globe, there are incredible bear-viewing destinations on every continent except Australia — sorry, koalas are marsupials, not bears–– and Africa, where Atlas bears were hunted to extinction by the late 18th century. Whether it’s watching sloth bears snuffle through termite mounds in India or spotting the rare spectacled bear in the Andes, the world offers no shortage of unforgettable bear encounters. Alaska may be the gold standard for seeing bears in the wild. Thanks to its sprawling wilderness and salmon-choked rivers, the state has a population of more than 130,000 brown and black bears.

Alaska Salmon Have Five Names, And They All Taste Great

America, Business, North America

On a beautiful late summer day, Alaskan Dee Buchanon has just hauled an eight-pound salmon from a side channel on the Susitna River. The majestic fish is a perfect example of everything salmon represents in Alaska culture. It is an Expressionist masterpiece: vermilion flanks, ivory belly, platinum fins and cheeks. Close to a billion wild salmon roam the North Pacific waters bordering Alaska. Hundreds of millions of them return to the state’s rivers, streams and lakes each summer and fall to spawn. Sustaining fisheries is part of the Alaska Constitution, and the state does a good job.

Catalina Winter

It’s Cool, Damp and Cloudy on Santa Catalina. That means no crowds, friendlier locals and hotel discounts

America, California, North America, Travel

Why visit Santa Catalina Island at the onset of winter when it’s too cold to swim and clouds often blanket the resort town of Avalon? Because in the off season Southern California’s favorite weekend escape offers gourmet restaurants without crowds, colorful bars where it’s actually possible to meet locals and hotels glad to provide deep discounts since only 30% of the town’s 1,051 hotel rooms and vacation rentals are occupied.

Poimiroo - CMT - San Luis Obispo

Cycling California’s Royal Road – Part II

California, History, North America, Travel

Cycling California’s El Camino Real is an 800-mile (1,287 km) epic adventure. The appeal of visiting picturesque missions established by Spanish friars between 1769 and 1823 is enhanced by traveling a route that still looks much like it did 200 years ago. Says writer John Poimiroo: “This is not like the Camino de Santiago in Spain where every community and business along the route expects pilgrims. The El Camino Real runs through open country with few directional signs and services. Along some stretches you must make your way much as the padres did.”

Doorways decorated for Dia de Muertos. Picture by Ramaa Reddy

Spain’s Colonial Heart Beats Seductively in Mexico’s San Miguel de Allende

Culture, History, North America, Travel

San Miguel de Allende lies in the Eastern part of Mexico’s State of Guanajuato, about a three-hour journey from Mexico City. It’s a cobblestoned colonial town with pastel-colored buildings that has changed a lot over the past century yet remained remarkably the same. The city’s main square, or Jardin Principal, is canopied by trees. It’s a popular local hangout where Mariachi bands roam about awaiting paying customers. On the Northern corner stands the majestic Catholic church, Parroquia de San Miguel Arcángel.