The Rheingau Wine Festival in Wiesbaden
"Wine--enjoyed in moderation--heals and comforts with its strength and warmth."
These words from the 11th-century Benedictine nun Hildegard von Bingen ring true year-round in Germany's...
The World of Wine in Porto, Portugal
Vila Nova de Gaia, across the Douro River from Porto, Portugal, houses dozens of historic port wine lodges and warehouses. Since moving to Portugal...
Sampling Herbstmesse in Basel, Switzerland
In October, autumn leaves paint the streets of Basel, Switzerland, in hues of bright yellow and burnt orange. The colorful show is a sure...
Christmas memories for a pandemic year
Most Decembers, the impressive tree at Aliados attracts triperos (as the residents of Porto call themselves) and visitors alike to celebrate the season with...
Alpabzug or Désalpe? Swiss cows come home
Every autumn, Swiss cows in their droves leave the high pastures of summer to return to the valleys, collared with bells and with bouquets...
Celebrating Pongal in Tamil Nadu, India
“Please join us!” the woman in a gold-trimmed green sari exclaimed, waving a wooden spoon in our direction. Sweet smoke wafted from hundreds of...
In Basel, Switzerland, the antics of Vogel Gryff
A resounding boom from a raft on the Rhine, and the “only in (Klein)basel” ritual known as Vogel Gryff is underway. When Tom and...
Tamil Nadu’s kolam art tradition
One of India’s most distinctive art forms is that of rangoli, in which patterns are created on the floor or the ground using materials...
Educating girls in Solukhumbu, Nepal
The young girl appeared as if in a dream, walking uphill through dense fog. She stopped to watch as our group made its slow...
Ascona, Switzerland celebrates the chestnut
I love one-trick food festivals. They bring out my penchant for taking a single food ingredient to levels I would never envision on my...