Taking the fast train back to imperialism
Laos is now an economic vassal of China, a protectorate, or feudal satellite firmly in Beijing’s orbit
Place
Thursday
Breakfasts, massages and reinvigorating Swiss thermal waters
My father would have loved this new spa life. I’m not sure about my mother. But I did
The Karoo has seen so much, but changed so little
From the Khoisan to springbok herds to British soldiers, many have passed without leaving a mark
Monday
An escape from Venice
After a quick Bellini at Harry’s, the glory of the mountains beckons
Bimini the beautiful
No stop lights, no fast food — just Bahamian charm and turquoise waters in Hemingway’s playground
The elephants I’ll never forget
To lose these magnificent creatures would be tragic, and not only for their beauty
Friday
Pure shores: a Scottish sea safari
Island-hopping by day, glamping by night — this is the ultimate way to explore Scotland’s mythology-steeped, wildlife-rich Hebrides
In a balloon over Burgundy
Peace at 5,000 feet
Thursday
Skiing Hokkaido’s powder triangle
How I became a Japowder junkie
Tokyo drift: Japan’s once-pricey capital is now cost-effective… for Americans
I rarely prioritize spending time in big cities, and megacities have never been my thing, so my expectations were modest
Is Paris the world’s most bookish city?
Sorry, New York: you’ve got serious competition
How Eastern Europe is leaving Western Europe behind
‘West is best’ has been axiomatic for centuries, so this is the cultural equivalent of the earth’s magnetic poles flipping around
Off-season fun in Montauk
The town is famed for its incredible striped bass and largely untouched natural beauty
Thursday
A pilgrimage to St. Francis’s holy sanctuary at La Verna
There’s a fairytale quality that permeates this land
The majesty of Siena’s Palio
The city’s horse race is as mad as it is old
Monday
A far out weekend at the Vegas Sphere
Dead shows, whether Grateful or & Company, bring a bunch of disparate people together
Old texts and Bacon’s Castle: a walk through Virginia history
What Bacon’s Castle looks like inside and out has about it the undeniable strangeness of the past
There’s more to Bordeaux than fine wine
The French city is rich in history, culture and class of all kinds
Thursday
Falling in love with Montana
After ten days in Montana, New York City’s Dimes Square was an assault on the senses
The vision behind Woolsery
What happens when a Silicon Valley tycoon decides to revive a down-on-its-luck English village?