I watched in fascination as the two men carved away slivers of wood from the pole. Stylized figures of animals and humans were beginning to emerge from the yellow cedar log, and their style was clearly Haida. The distinctive aboriginal art imagery from Haida Gwaii (formerly the Queen Charlotte … [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 attention of people who don’t respect Mother Earth. Hordes of careless tourists have nearly loved Stonehenge to death, and I’d hate to see that happen to other sites. Already, the … [Read More...]
10 Must-See Sacred Spaces in Peru that are Not Machu Picchu
The old saying about the journey being more important than the destination was never more appropriate than when I went … [Read More...]
Kosrae, Pacific Island of Mystery
"The Mysterious Paradise Island" said the sign above the airport terminal door. I had just landed on Kosrae, one of the … [Read More...]
Hidden Treasure in Australian Rainforests
When the first European explorers came to Australia in 1788, they viewed the aboriginal residents as so uncivilized that … [Read More...]
Hunting Tigers in India
The man with the sickle was passing sheaves of long grass to the thatcher on the roof, but the dozen tourists on 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...]
Shamanic Experience at Machu Picchu
Night was falling as we got into the bus to go up to Machu Picchu. Our group of ten, usually talkative and laughing, … [Read More...]
Tampa Bay Wildlife Safari
The giraffe's enormous tongue gently plucked a green leaf from my outstretched hand. "Prehensile," our guide … [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...]
Earth’s Three Most Powerful Places
When people find out I’m a travel writer who focuses on pilgrimages to places of power, they frequently ask me, “What … [Read More...]
Ancient Stone Sculptures in Mamallapuram, India
The stone seemed alive with elephants, snakes, gods, goddesses, cats, mice and hundreds more fascinating creatures from … [Read More...]
Barkerville Celebrates its Chinese Heritage
The glow from hundreds of candle-lit paper lanterns provided the only light as we paraded up the dirt street into … [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...]