It was a disappointingly ordinary looking bedroom, considering its rich history. Some of the most famous men in the world had slept there. I was in Virginia City, Nevada at the Mackay Mansion, built in 1860 by George Hearst, father of newspaper baron William Randolph Hearst. In the 1870s it was … [Read More...]
Durian: the World’s Most Repulsive Fruit Moves Upscale
KUALA LUMPUR - “No Durians Allowed” has long been the rule in hotels, taxis, tour buses and airplanes throughout Southeast Asia, due to the fruit’s powerful, foul smell. But now the durian is sharing retail space with such designer labels as Tiffany, Hermés, Gucci, Faberge and Cartier. In July, 2000 … [Read More...]
Yucatan, Land of the Mayan Rain God
Bats flapped overhead as I made my way deeper into the cave. A rope handrail helped me navigate steep steps. The air got … [Read More...]
Sedona – Amazing Energy in the Arizona Desert
Why is Sedona such a powerhouse of transformational energy? Drive north from Phoenix for two hours, up Interstate 17, … [Read More...]
Kenya: The Witch Doctor Is In
The witch doctor sat with human skulls at his feet. My guide said they were the bones of his father and grandfather who … [Read More...]
Understanding the Power of Sacred Places
Since the beginning of time, people have been going on pilgrimages to sacred sites for healing, inspiration and … [Read More...]
The Holiest Rock on Earth
It is the holiest rock on Earth, and I touched it. Its surroundings have changed over the past 3.000 years, but the rock … [Read More...]
Transformed by a Maya Medicine Woman in Belize
The Maya medicine woman smeared a handful of green, aromatic mud onto my forehead, binding it with a strip of cloth, as … [Read More...]
Cave Art, Architecture And Ghosts Near The Grand Canyon
We bounced along a deeply-rutted dirt road from the Indian cave with its 3,000 year old petroglyphs and pictographs. We … [Read More...]
Malaysia’s Batu Caves – Rapture in a Hindu Temple
Some of the best advice I’ve ever been given about how to benefit from visiting sacred places came from Dr. Jean Shinoda … [Read More...]
The Truth About “Survivor Island” Borneo
PULAU TIGA, Malaysia - Producers of the hit TV series Survivor worked hard to make the location of their game show seem … [Read More...]
Secret Sacred Sites
Can You Keep A Secret? It’s risky to write about little-known sacred places. I worry about bringing them to the … [Read More...]
What is a Pilgrimage?
A pilgrimage, for me, is what differentiates a tourist from a traveler. While a tourist is happy simply to get away, … [Read More...]
Sacred Canyons of Arizona
The Four Corners area of the USA (where Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Utah meet) is rich with ancient … [Read More...]