After staying in Michigan for the summer, just moving one hour every other week or so, my family was ready to move on... until we heard that our very good friends, the Keiters, were heading our direction.

With winter coming on, our thoughts naturally turn to sunshine, warm beaches, a Caribbean breeze flowing across our (pale winter) skin. Of course, we’d like to hit all of the islands, but what to see first? Here are some highlights of a tour of the Caribbean, to help you decide.

Ready for a travel experience like no other? I’m always reminding my students to use the 5 senses in their travel writing, because it packs such a punch in relating a place to the reader.

In The Best of Visiting Belfast: Part One, we covered Belfast attractions such as the Titanic Quarter, the Cathedral Quarter, Queen’s University area, some hot clubs and some lovely wee pubs. Now let’s hit some of the theatres and shops, and the historical murals Belfast is famous for.

A visit to Yosemite after the Rim Fire shows extreme devastation - and hope,

I walked along the worn stone path, taking in the sights of Machu Picchu - one of the Seven Wonders of the World, where the Incas once lived. Machu Picchu, meaning “Old Peak” in Quechua, was built around 1450. Many people believe Machu Picchu may have been an estate for the Incan ruler Pachacuti, but nobody really knows for sure.

There is an expression my family uses: you can’t swing a dead cat without hitting……(Insert noun). In Marietta, Georgia, you can’t swing a dead cat without hitting history. History is everywhere. On every block, there is a historic house. There is a surprising amount of museums in this small town. History and modern culture blend together in harmony.