Columns

South of Mérida in Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula lies an area of limestone hills and valleys. It’s called the Puuc region, taking its name, appropriately, from the Maya word for “hill.”

European bathrooms can be quirky. Just keep an open mind, and remember that nothing beats a good bathroom story when you get home.

First, don’t expect big spaces. Over the years, hotel owners have carved chunks out of elegant bedrooms to shoehorn in prefab private bathrooms, and they can be very tight. Be careful bending over in the shower to pick up a dropped bar of soap; you might hit your head on the sink or toilet.

In the 1700s, Haiti was the glory of the French colonies and one of the richest colonies in the world. In 1804, Haiti, then known as Saint-Domingue, became an independent republic. Over the years, poor leadership and other issues caused economic troubles from which Haiti has never fully recovered, and the earthquake in 2010 only exacerbated the problems. 

Dear Globetrotter:

Welcome to the 461st issue of your monthly foreign-travel magazine, the one that depends on its subscribers — frequent travelers like you — to provide articles and letters describing their adventures outside of the US, including destination discoveries, travel tips and reviews of tours, hotels, cruises, etc.

It’s easy for committed world travelers like us to become a bit complacent about our international travel experiences. With many of us, friends and relatives show little interest in the details of our globetrotting adventures, even while acknowledging how important they know these are to us.

I was in the Tuscan town of Orvieto doing my best to stay in my hotel room and finish some writing, but there was a Pentecost festival going on outside. I could hear it out my window. I couldn’t resist, so I joined the multitude that had gathered on the square in front of the cathedral, just as the citizens of Orvieto have done for generations.

Dear Globetrotter:

Welcome to the 460th issue of your monthly foreign-travel magazine, the one largely written by its subscribers.