My husband, Jerry, and I took a 7-week trip to Mexico and Guatemala, April 23-June 8, 2013, that focused on the Mayan world and also took in nine Spanish-colonial cities.

Starting in the Yucatán Peninsula in MEXICO, we decided to spend five days first on the Mayan Riviera at Esencia. This fabulous resort is a bit out of our usual price range, but we were glad that we splurged. It is a small resort, with personalized service and extremely comfortable beach cabanas on a quiet beach. I...

While in Naples, Italy, in September ’13, my husband, Peter, and I had the privilege of having Dr. Piña Esposito (phone +39 366 6228217 or +39 338 7634224 or email annamariaesposito1@virgilio.it) as our guide. We got her name from Rick Steves’ Italy guide and contacted her two weeks before our trip.

Dr. Esposito, who has degrees in Archaeology and Art History, can be hired for a period of two, three or five hours. We decided on five hours, paying €270 (near $365).

Half of our...

When planning to travel through Bhutan, Nepal and Tibet for the whole month of January 2012, I knew we’d be going to some very remote villages. I wanted to take something different to the people who have to walk, for example, six hours just to get to a main road.

At the same time, I decided to clean out my sewing and needle-craft stash, which even had items from my mother. There were lengths of lace, ricrac, appliqués, packets of needles, spools of thread, fancy buttons,...