Living peoples, not dying languages: Inside the fight to preserve and revitalize Quechua and other Indigenous languages in the Andes
By Heather Physioc In a rustic adobe building in the Andean mountainside, cool light filters in through small windows that look out over a misty valley below. The hut is constructed from bricks of mud mixed with straw and highland grasses. The roof is corrugated sheet steel and thatch. The clay walls are brushed white...
My top 24 photographs of 2024.
Being outdoors and capturing wildlife is my happiest place with a camera in hand. The worst weather conditions and most painful injuries can fade into the background when I’m locked in on an animal with my zoom lens. Shooting in the Chihuahua desert Then I return home with the camera, and go through the sometimes...
Portorož, Piran & Lipica: Experiencing the Istrian Peninsula & Karst Region of Slovenia
Strolling along the boardwalk from the elegant Grand Hotel Bernardin in Portorož, the Adriatic coast seemed calm with clear water and gently lapping waves. Minutes later, turning a corner at the charming marina town of Piran, the wind instead felt gusty, and the choppy Gulf of Trieste whipped and smashed over the breakwater. Shopkeepers hurried...
Spring Scenes & Hidden Gems in Lower Town Zagreb, Croatia
The air smells rich with the aromas of homemade cheeses, fresh pastas and pastries. Red-striped umbrellas shelter row upon row of wooden stalls and tables stocked with fruits, vegetables, and cut flowers. The open-air Dolac Market is lively and colorful in the heart of the city of Zagreb in Croatia, sitting in the shadows of...
Experience Wonders of Wildlife and the Ancient Maya in Yucatán, Mexico
Home » Stories » Witnessing Chichén Itzá, Wonder of the World The iconic El Castillo, also known as the Temple of Kukulcan, at Chichén Itzá, one of the New Seven Wonders of the World in Yucatan, Mexico. The massive step pyramid towers before a cloudy sky, illuminating the grandeur and texture ancient Mayan architecture. A series of ancient...
Spring Comes to the Netherlands: Exploring Scenic Landscapes Outside Amsterdam
My trip to the Netherlands began and ended in its busy capital, Amsterdam. I spent days walking the assortment of brick, cobblestone and asphalt along the canals and bridges. I devoured lunch at Gartine, witnessed the Anne Frank House experience for the first time, and spoke at a Dutch search conference. But having visited the famous city before, this...
Barbados: A Tale of Two Coasts
A fan pushes warm, humid air around the room. The first hint of hazy morning light seeps through slatted wooden blinds, the bright blue curtains puffing in and out in the morning breeze. I hear palms rustling and waves crashing and rolling onto a beach. I get out of bed and shuffle to the window....
Working for Democracy and Peace in Tegucigalpa, Honduras
This Thanksgiving I served as an international election observer in Tegucigalpa, Honduras. I entered the Central American country hoping to support democracy and see Honduras first-hand. I left the country humbled to my core because the experience changed my worldview. I struggled to write about my brief experience in a way that would do justice...
Vacation in Santorini, Greece
After a few short days in Athens, Greece, we took the five-hour express ferry to Santorini to join our friends who generously invited us to join them on their annual vacation to this location. When you are invited to travel to a bucket place that looks like this, you say yes. Is this real life?...
Two Days in Brighton, UK
I got called up to speak at the BrightonSEO conference in April, so we tacked on a day to explore the small British beach town a bit. Brighton is just an hour’s ride on the Thameslink train from London. The conference put us up at the economy hotel Ibis Brighton City Centre, which although it...
How to Spend 2 Days in Cirencester, Gloucestershire (Cotswolds, UK)
After a busy week racing around London and Brighton for work and fun, we knew we would be wiped out and be grateful for a few days respite in a quieter, scenic part of the country. That led us to the Cotswolds, or more specifically, the little town of Cirencester. Cirencester (pronounced “see-rehn-sester”), with its...
11 Great Places to Eat in London
I have eaten at some of the best restaurants I could have hoped for with wonderful dining experiences while in London twice in the last two months. These great dining experiences are largely thanks to going wherever friends and colleagues recommended without question. I may never travel any other way! Personal recommendations are everything. Here...
What to Do With A Week in Bogotá, Colombia
I got to visit the wonderful capital city and largest city of Colombia, Bogotá, twice in one year! Once was for a school trip, upon which I got to meet my amazing VML colleagues in that city. Then, there was a follow-up visit that summer to help my colleagues in that office launch a practice....