Columns

August 2018 issue | Appears on page

Playing around in Shakespeare's Stratford
By Rick Steves
The thatched roof of Anne Hathaway’s Cottage, where Shakespeare’s wife grew up, seems to drip over the 500-year-old building.

To see or not to see? Nonliterary types might find England's Stratford-upon-Avon to be much ado about nothing, but Shakespeare's hometown is blanketed with opportunities for bardolatry. It's an easy side-trip from London, but an overnight stay is best to take in a performance of the world's best Shakespeare ensemble.

Within Stratford's compact old town, you can walk easily to most sights. The River Avon, which flows right through town, has an idyllic...

CONTINUE READING »
August 2018 issue | Appears on page

Going to the dogs (and other animals) in Europe
By Rick Steves
At Leault Working Sheepdogs near Inverness, Scotland, a shepherd and his well-trained dogs show how to bring in the sheep from the pastures.

Despite a lifetime of European travel, there is a world of firsts still out there for me. And recently, I had my first falconry experience.

It was at the Ireland School of Falconry (just outside of Cong, north of Galway), where a great guide took our tour group on a "hawk walk." For about an hour, we wandered through the enchanting grounds of Ashford Castle, with our guide sporting a Harris hawk on his forearm. After learning about falconry, each person in our...

CONTINUE READING »
August 2018 issue | Appears on page

It's more than a tour -- it's an education
By Rick Steves
Taking an educational tour often means you’ll visit a struggling part of the world and engage with the locals — like these schoolchildren in El Salvador.

Honolulu or Havana? The world is full of travel opportunities that are more than enjoyable -- they can be transformational. By getting out of your comfort zone, you realize that different people find different truths to be self-evident and God-given. You gain empathy for the other 96 percent of humanity -- and in many ways you can learn a lot about your own country by viewing it from afar.

While many extremely rewarding destinations are not on the typical bucket list, they...

CONTINUE READING »
August 2018 issue | Appears on page

Bastille Day: France's party for the people
By Rick Steves
Bastille Day block parties throughout Paris (and all of France) bring locals and tourists together for music, dancing, and patriotic celebration.

For the ultimate summer party in France, visit during Bastille Day, the country's Independence Day. This July 14 holiday is celebrated with gusto, with all-night parties, picnics and fireworks. And the fun permeates the country, from tiny towns to Paris.

The day marks the symbolic start of the French Revolution that brought down the monarchy. In 1789, France was under the tyranny of its king, bishops and nobles. The corrupt monarchy spent...

CONTINUE READING »
August 2018 issue | Appears on page 2

Biometric scans introduced in US airports. Also, countries with highest homicide rates
By David Tykol
On Tonatapu island in Tonga, the Hufangalupe Archway, a land bridge over the crashing waves of the Pacific, formed when the roof of a sea cave collapsed. Photo ©donyanedomam/123rf.com

Dear Globetrotter:

Welcome to the 510th issue of your monthly foreign-travel magazine. Yes, in this day and age, an actual magazine! And we have a lot of longtime supporters, Barb Hartwell of St. Petersburg, Florida, among them.

Barb wrote, “International Travel News was responsible for propelling my husband and me toward one of the most wonderful trips we ever took and for leading me to a very special friendship.  

“The very first sample copy I received...

CONTINUE READING »
August 2018 issue | Appears on page 44

The Geografile
By Bryan Henry

Hashima, an island off the coast of Nagasaki, Japan, is shaped like a battleship and is nicknamed Battleship Island.

August 2018 issue | Appears on page 44

What’s Cooking in… Nepal
By Sandra Scott
Chef Keshab Ram Shrestha, executive chef at Hotel Shanker in Kathmandu, presenting a dish of Chicken Choyala in the dining room. Photos by Sandra Scott

Kathmandu has been on my “wanna visit” list for years. The perfect opportunity arose in March 2017 when my husband, John, and I were in Kuala Lumpur (better known as KL), Malaysia. AirAsia (airasia.com), an excellent budget airline, was flying from KL to Kathmandu, Nepal, for $169. Perfect!

For $83, we booked a room at Hotel Shanker (Lazimpat, Kathmandu 44600, Nepal; phone +977 1 4410151, www.shankerhotel.com.np) because it was a family-owned heritage hotel. The location...

CONTINUE READING »
August 2018 issue | Appears on page 45

Britain’s royal residences: where the queen cools her crown
By Rick Steves
Less than an hour from London, Windsor Castle is the weekend home of Queen Elizabeth II and was the site of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s wedding. Photo by Cameron Hewitt

Chances are you weren’t invited to the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, which took place at Windsor Castle (neither was I), but that doesn’t mean you can’t visit the place where it happened or other royal residences in Great Britain.

In addition to Windsor Castle, there are London’s Kensington, Buckingham and Hampton Court palaces and the more remote Balmoral Castle in the Scottish Highlands — great places to put yourself in royal shoes for a...

CONTINUE READING »