On Thursday, April 26th, 2018, I spoke at one of my favorite places, talking about one of my favorite things, in my favorite thing. It was truly amazing - I cannot say that enough. I thank the good amount of sugar in my bloodstream that day for helping me get through it, thank you Canada dry ginger ale. 

For the ancient Mayans, chocolate acted as currency. As a food for the gods. As a drink reserved for royalty and rituals.

Thanks to the Mayans, the rest of the world came to know the power – and appeal – of chocolate. It's a story that's told from start to chocolatey finish at the Ecoparque Museo del Chocolate (Eco Chocolate Museum) in Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula.

Music is one of the world's great ways to connect, to reach across barriers, to get to know people and place. In a time when division seems to be the order of the day in many aspects of life, music can offer ways to think about connecting. Perhaps going to hear a concert will lift your spirits and give you a break from thinking about such divisions. Then again, perhaps a bit of wisdom, an insight, an image you receive by way of a song or a tune will inspire you to carry on with ways to heal, to respect, to connect.

The summertime may bring opportunities to travel for business or pleasure, but hitting the road may also bring on aches and pains if you live with rheumatoid arthritis, or RA. So how do you cope with common travel conditions that may lead to an increase in pain from RA?Here now to talk about ways to help managange travel triggers, are rheumatologist Dr. Grace Wright and Maria, a woman living with RA.

My love of history has inspired countless trips to museums around the world. It’s a wonderful treat when I only have to drive a half an hour to visit a spectacular event. While traveling exhibits include only a small portion of a museum’s collection, they allow a wider audience to become exposed to an important topic. 

Wandering the Artist Alley at Grand Rapids Comic Con, we were stunned with the talent everywhere we glanced. Like everyone in the hall, we looked and marveled, and then the next booth came, and we did the same, ad infinitem. When we discovered artist Melissa Cordes, though, we actually stopped (never an easy feat at a busy comic con) and talked. So impressed with her talent, beautiful art, wide variety of styles, and joy in creating, we knew we had to share her art with our wandering educators. 

As travelers, we go to many different lands. We cross bridges, we break bread with strangers, we learn languages, and get bombarded by cultural change right and left. There are deliberate choices, those we have no control over. and everything in between. We visit particular places for certain reasons and others because…why not? But, throughout the entire process, there are times that we yearn for home. What is it that ‘home’ really means? When traveling, how do we find home?

Maybe you have offered a hand to steady someone -- friend or stranger -- on an icy sidewalk.

Perhaps you've been the person who accepted that assistance.

There are surely times when you've confided in a friend, secure in the knowledge that what you talked of would be kept between the two of you. Could be you are the friend who has respected that confidence.

These and many other large and small acts are acts of trust. 

Like other travelers, I selected Tucson for its geographical location. I wanted to embrace a dude ranch experience, and also sip margaritas while munching on southwestern guacamole as the sky became a canvas at sunset. I was looking for a laid back vacation that weaved together the accoutrements of a desert environment while simultaneously enjoying Mother Nature’s handiwork. If you don’t enjoy riding horseback through the arid desert, then skip the dude ranch and settle instead for one of Tucson’s full service resorts or city hotels.

Whether you’re making a special dinner for St Patrick’s Day, or you’d just like to infuse the goodness of Ireland into your meals, chances are that you’re probably looking for some excellent Irish recipes. Never fear, dear reader! I’ve collated the best of Irish recipes, from travel writers in the know (you’ll recognize many of them from our Best of Ireland: An A-Z Guide), and a few B&Bs in Ireland.