Why is Munich's famous Oktoberfest called Oktoberfest if it's mostly in September?

The first Oktoberfest was held in 1810 to honor the Bavarian Crown Prince Ludwig's marriage to Princess Therese von Sachsen-Hildburghausen. The festivities began on October 12, 1810 and ended after five days with a horse race. During the years, the celebrations were repeated and, later, the festival was extended and moved…

Waking up at 5 am on a Saturday morning is not my idea of a fun way to begin my weekend. However, being in Bar Harbor, Maine, gateway to Acadia National Park and home to Cadillac Mountain, Told by more than one local, "You just have to get out of bed at 4 a.m. and hike up to Mount Cadillac to see America's First Sunrise," so how could I refuse America's First…

Recently I came across a slightly dated item about master chef Paul Bocuse; seems this past spring, the Culinary Institute of America declared the Lion of Lyon "Chef of the Century" as part of its annual Augie Awards. No argument from me -- and it got me to reminiscing…

Vuelvo a escribir de Britto y no es que nos hayamos hecho amigos luego de que conociera al famoso artista Pop brasileño en Finlandia, en el 2010. En esa ocasión el nombre ni siquiera me era familiar, y que me perdonen los millones de fans que tiene alrededor del mundo.…

Wolves aren’t native to New Jersey, USA but if you know where to look, you are guaranteed a glimpse into their behaviour.

Best seen in the winter, when their coats are thick and full, the…

This will be a short post because we briefly passed through Danang on our way to Hoi An. Hoi An will be a very long post, because we spent 4 days there enjoying a marvelous little tourist trap.

We were driven from Hue to Hoi An over some mountainous roads,but mostly along the beaches. Danang  just happens to be along the way.…

I got behind on posting about some great places I've been, and one that my friend Cara Bertoia went to. I asked her to write about it on my blog back in July. So now, I'm going to post about those three wonderful spots here. One is a an Italian joint in NYC, another is a great seafood restaurant in Houston, and Cara's is about the town of San Pedro in California. Enjoy! (Or go to SearchingForSincerity.com)

Napoli…

There are so many wonderful experiences in Vietnam as a tourist these days that one could spend weeks there and never visit a war site. But I am a bit of a history buff so among many others, I was determined to visit the Citadel.

In January of 1966, President Johnson met with General Westmoreland, commander of American forces in Vietnam. Johnson asked “Wastemoreland” what the North Vietnamese would do if the wanted to truly win in South Vietnam. Westmoreland said quickly and simply…

Traffic Alert: President Obama will visit San Diego as part of his swing through Southern California. In fact, he'll  be having lunch in La Jolla on September 26. That'sbound to cause a few delays - maybe even a road closure or…

TURKEY BURGERS TOPPED THE LIST

Give the best ingredients to Yassir Raouli, founder of the Bistro Truck, and he’ll create a masterpiece . . . or, as was the case early in August, five of them.

Raouli left its usual spot in the city one summer afternoon for an uptown corner in New York City to serve his creations to foodies, who thrive on street fare.  “This is…

I am one lucky Wine Chix.  I received an invitation from the Czech Tourism Department to explore the wine, food and activities of the trending Czech Republic via Prague and South Moravia.  It was a short trip – just 5 days, but oh what a great 5 days it was.  I had the opportunity of a lifetime not just to explore, but to discover the soul of this sensual country. 

No…

 "Flight Search" is a new feature of Google's search engine.

It's slick.

This new feature built into Google's powerful search engine makes booking a flight a breeze. 

If you don't see it in your Google menu bar, just visit the link:

www.google.com/flights/

When fully implemented you will be able to type "flights from Chicago to Denver" directly into Google's search…

I am old enough to have sworn I would become a Toronto Blue Jays fan before I ever went to Vietnam.

Time tends to heal most wounds, Vietnam is an example of that. The country is now a Socialist Republic with a strong capitalist strain running through it like veins of gold in crystal. Before I go any further, I must tell you that not once did anyone show me any disrespect let alone hatred for being an American. I did get asked if I were a vet more than once, but politely. Many American…

Whether you're traveling on business or pleasure, you can spend your luxury holidays at the top luxury boutique hotels in the world. The following are some of the top luxury boutique hotels.



Canyon Ranch Hotel & Spa, Miami



This is an award-winning hotel and spa located in the beautiful Miami, Florida.  This modern-chic hotel has an…

Bistro de Leon

Tucked away on Cathedral Place across from the Plaza in St. Augustine's historic district, Jean Stephane Poinard…

On the lovely morning of September 11, 2001, I was working as usual in my 7th Avenue Manhattan office as executive editor of Arthur Frommer's Budget Travel, when thanks to somebody over on the publishing side with a dinky in-office TV came word that a plane had hit the north tower of the World Trade Center. As we sat there increasingly nervous yet numbed, trying to…