All Blog Posts (3,758)

•        As of May 3, 2013, bus & tram fares are 1,50 € (instead of 1€) for a one-way ticket; however, buying a group of 10 tickets still costs 1€ each (buy at tram stops or at Lignes d’Azur shop)

•        The…

Catalina Island  by golf cart.…

By MIKE NORTON

The sun is shining, the Bay is a beautiful blue, and the flowers are…

The East End of Long Island is less than two hours from New York City and suprisingly rural, so parents often ask me what there is to do out there with kids. Unfortunately, everything I know about the Hamptons I’ve learned from watching Sex and the City and Revenge, which tend focus on adult pursuits like drinking, back-stabbing and adultery.

To find some better answers, 5-year-old Tiny Traveler and I headed out to the Riverhead and the South Fork over spring break.…

See full blog post here

(due to problems uploading videos)

“There aren’t going to be any sharks, are there?”

I was about to be dropped off a boat for some snorkling, a slightly scary distance off the coast of Santa Cruz Island in the Galapagos archipelago. As I have been somewhat traumatized by the film Jaws since the tender age of four I am not very…

This year’s Fête du Travail (Labor Day) was extra special for two reasons:

• the local Cercle des Amis was celebrating their 140 year birthday, known for playing “boules carrés”   (video link)
• the main village square’s six-month long renovation had just been completed & in the nick of time!

Flowers were proudly displayed…

Writers’ Expedition Southern Peru (Aug 2-15)

Adventures for Travelers Who Like to Write and Writers Who Like to Travel

This August you can journey through Peru with two established and engaging travel authors and your local travel experts, who will immerse you in the real Peru and pamper you with hospitality and idyllic hotels.

You’ll dance centre bullring with a matador in a remote village, take a…

Every year we Up-Northers wait for that One Day: the day when we know spring has finally and irrevocably arrived, when we can finally open the windows and let the warm, moist air…

First class airline tickets are usually not a choice whether you are a regular business class traveler or just someone who like to go on trips. The cost can easily equal to two or more major travel expense. Those who want to experience it can look for discounted first class tickets offered by many airlines and travel agencies. By increasing the number of travelers moving regularly from one city or…

Anyone that has been to Nice knows that the Cours Saleya is the heart of Old Nice and is host to the daily food and flower market, except for Monday’s antique market. Being a highly touristic area, the restaurants, situated along each side of this corridor, compete for customers, as they try to verbally lure you into theirs.

I hadn’t eaten seafood in a while, so decided to try “Chez Freddy,”…

The following is in followup to my previous post about French language laws, in order to prevent the increasing intrusion of English-isms.

There was an article in the Le Figaro (online version) concerning text messaging (sending and receiving SMS)…

Almost Two years ago my wife and I had the "baby" talk and ended up with a puppy. Now we have our baby so what do we do with her? The first idea is to take her but it will take about 10 minutes of research to learn that if you have money to spend and trust just any veterinarian to care for your pet then sure you can take your pet anywhere. In the event you don't have either a fat savings account or a steady stream of income then this is not an option. We opted to send our little baby to…

Winemakers Cristin Hosner and Charlie Edson explain what goes on at Bel Lago Vineyards.

By MIKE NORTON

Over the past couple of days, spring seems to have made its definitive…

I visit the Château de Versailles every time I travel to Paris – both destinations are close to my heart, and as a long-standing member of Les Amis de Versailles, I also “own” a tree in the Trianon Gardens.  The newly decorated RER train (photos here) provides a beautiful first…

This is my first posting on TBEX so I wanted to make it like a short intro of what to expect from me. I am an American married to a Mexican and we plan on exploring the world starting with Italy. I am also taking a shot at becoming a digital nomad or at the very least a travel blogger so my wife and I have sold everything we owned and are getting everything in order to make our move. We are starting in Italy as English teachers in for a summer camp, it's a job we found on the wonderful…

Seize the Day Evening!  And that’s exactly what I did — at a newly discovered, charming restaurant in the Old Town of Nice, called “Carpe Diem.”  What a find!

The food was delicious; service was professional, courteous, and friendly; decoration warm and charming – it was all positive!  There were 24 seats in the section where I was seated,  with an adjoining room with more seating that can also accommodate events and weddings.

The restaurant…

The Antibes Yacht Show, starting April 18th,  is the only brokerage and charter show, held at the beginning of the season, in the Mediterranean open to the public.

In 2012, the show welcomed 13,380 visitors from all around the world, with the top 10 nationalities being France, United Kingdom, Italy, U.S.A, Monaco, Spain, Germany, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and Belgium.…

Hiking at Sleeping Bear Point

By MIKE NORTON

TRAVERSE CITY, MI – Suppose you want to take a hike in the woods, but you’ve only got an hour of free time and you’re traveling with your elderly mom. Or maybe you’re looking for a beach where you can take your dog, but you don’t want to drive too far to get there.

If you’re visiting Traverse City, help is just a click away. Thanks to a free smart phone app called “Experience…

Is the open-air and covered market disappearing  in France?

One would think so, from the large prominent  supermarkets like Auchan, Carrefour, and Leclerc, but not to worry! There’s the open market in Cours Saleya and at Malaussena in Nice.   Cagnes-sur-Mer, just outside of Nice, has rebuilt and opened a new covered market, with all the relevant fanfare -  Bon marché!

See photos…