A view of the Village of Calheta on Sao Jorge Island with a tall church steeple in the center of town © Jo Clark My First Visit to São Jorge Azores Island The spectacular scenery of the oblong island that is São Jorge begins from the air. A long mountain range developed by a volcanic ridge forms the backbone of São Jorge. The island’s nickname is the sleeping dragon—how cool is that? Meanwhile,...
15 Reasons to Explore the Amazing Azores Islands The Azores Islands consist of nine large islands that float lazily in the Atlantic Ocean, midway between Portugal and the United States. Are you thinking, “pit stop”? Hold that thought—it’s a good place to make a quick stop while traveling on long international flights! Azores Airlines (formerly known as SATA) has direct flights to the Azores from...
Valentine’s Day is right around the corner, not to mention my birthday, so wine and chocolate are on my mind! Same day! *smile* Why not impress the object of your affection (or me!) with your chocolatier skills, or at least your pairing skills extraordinaire! And, honestly, a significant other is not required to enjoy chocolates and wine. It can be shared with roommates, friends, fur...
Author taking photo of Golden Gate Bridge as Discovery Princess sails underneath Full disclosure: I only had half a day to explore Half Moon Bay. But it was a fantastic excursion during my Discovery Princess cruise down the Pacific Northwest coastline. We sailed into town, narrowly missing the bridge’s underside, and docked early. Soon, everyone scattered to explore this...
The Discovery Princess 360 Experience is so rare and remarkable that I invited seven other seasoned travel writers to join me and tell you the story of the extraordinary affair! In fact, 360: An Extraordinary Experience is offered exclusively on the Discovery Princess and Enchanted Princess. It was first available last year as a complimentary event by invitation to suite guests. Suite holders...
I set out to explore the Yadkin Valley Wine AVA (American Viticultural Area.) The Yadkin Valley AVA consists of seven counties in western North Carolina, with the Yadkin River as its Southern border. Nearby towns are Elkin, Dobson, Mount Airy, Pilot Mountain, and State Road (yes, that is the town's name!) Believe me, visiting the Yadkin Valley is a real treat! Plus, it is a short drive from...