Chasing the Elusive Northern Lights in Iceland

northern lights appear over the ocean

All visitors to Iceland fall into two distinctive categories: those who saw the northern lights and those who did not. When Irene set her trip target on Iceland, she was determined to place herself, our daughter, and I squarely in the first category. The problem was that unlike the predictable crowds at JFK on the way to Iceland, the famous northern lights of Iceland are highly unpredictable. However, the best time to see them is from November through December.  So mid-November looked pretty good. Oh, and  it also happens to be one of the coldest months of the year.

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How to Avoid Credit Card Foreign Transaction Fees – Part Two

Inside a restaurant

In one of our earlier blog posts, we recommended a few credit cards that do not charge foreign transaction fees when you use the card outside of the US.  If you travel abroad and don’t have one of those credit cards, your “conventional” credit card might be charging in the area of 2% for foreign transaction fees every time you swipe your Visa or MasterCard at a restaurant, hotel, or car rental office.

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African Safari Tips: The Importance of Good Company

group going on African safari

Text and photos by Alex Shaland

Going on an African safari by yourself or in a small group is not advisable. Suppose, you are standing in front of a lion or a rhinoceros and trying to calculate your chances of getting out of this situation in one piece and hopefully not perforated in too many places. You are staring at the whatever it is that is going to do a very bad thing to you and all that is going through your mind is “o sh….t”. But look at the situation from the lion’s point of view. It has to charge you, yes you. Who else is there to eat? You are the protein!

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Overlooked by visitors, Catania is a masterpiece of Sicilian Baroque

Duomo cathedral, Catania

The third largest city of Sicily, a UNESCO-listed Catania lies in close proximity to the majestic mountain Etna. The city was always subject to the brooding moods of that volcano.  In the late 1600s, Mt. Etna struck twice: first drowning Catania and over 12,000 of its inhabitants in boiling lava, and then, in less than 25 years, leveling the city again by a murderous earthquake. Only 2,000 people survived. However, like phoenix out of ashes, Catania, rebuilt by architects from Rome, was reborn as one of the greatest baroque cities of the Mediterranean.

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Following the Steps of Tennessee Williams in Sicily: Taormina’s Casa Cuseni

Casa Cuseni Taormina, Sicily

I came across the name “Casa Cuseni” when I was reading about Tennessee Williams and his beloved partner, painter/poet Henry Faulkner, spending many happy months in Taormina while staying in Casa Cuseni. I knew then, without a doubt, that when we are in Sicily, we will follow the steps of Tennessee! We and our four friends arrived at Casa Cuseni on a beautiful late September afternoon. We were met by the B&B’s smiling owner, an MD and art lover, Francesco Spadaro, and we followed him up the stairs through a terraced garden. 

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Best B&B in Palermo

Piazza San Domenico in Palermo, Sicily, Italy

I selected a B&B in Palermo called BB22 not only because of its high reputation and excellent reviews, but also because I wanted to support those who restore Palermian ancient palaces.  BB22, a hidden gem in the heart of historic Palermo, is comprised of six luxurious rooms inside a 16th-century Palazzo Pantelleria located on a tiny back street in an ancient Vucciria neighborhood.

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Discovering Palermo and Sicily with Bianca Del Bello

Bianca and a group of tourists in Palermo

I met Bianca Del Bello by pure chance when searching for experts in Palermo Jewish history.  After a few email exchanges, I knew that I met not only a superbly knowledgeable historian but also a friend with a big heart.  Bianca and I designed a Palermo Immersion Experience for our small group: my husband and I, and our four friends.

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Copenhagen Boat Cruise

Last May, we visited Denmark, Sweden, and Norway.  Everything we encountered there looked beautiful; and in spite of the cold and rain, this beauty seemed almost surreal.  This short video takes you on a boat cruise through the inner harbor and canals of beautiful Copenhagen.  Denmark’s capital is one of the loveliest and greenest cities in Europe and is a great travel destination.

Sharing first impressions from Scandinavia

Boat and Building in Nyhavn Copenhagen Denmark

We returned only a week ago from our trip to Scandinavia and have not yet started on either an article or picture gallery, but here is what we wanted to share. It was cold and often rainy (we are in the North of Europe!), but we had a terrific time every minute of our trip, rain or shine (well, it never did shine). We fell in love with this under-appreciated part of Europe. Scandinavian countries – Denmark, Sweden, and Norway – constitute arguably: the most cultural and sophisticated, most educated and prosperous (with the least income disparities), most highly taxed and socialistic (oh well…), least churchgoing and most unmarried – part of the West. People are the happiest we ever encountered, reserved, but very polite and helpful and after few minutes of conversation.

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A quick look around Milan Piazza del Duomo

Take a quick look around Milan famous main square, Piazza del Duomo, with its Duomo Cathedral, Victor Emmanuel II statue, and Galleria Vittorio Emanuele. Milan is a perfect stop on a European vacation trip.

Look for our in-person and virtual lectures and events you might want to attend:  EVENTS

Read useful tips for traveling to Milan, Italy: Milan Tips

Interested in Jewish history around the world? Meet Irene Shaland and her books, lectures, and magazine articles.

Are you an adventurer? Meet Alex Shaland, the author of “Suburbanites on Safari.”