ArcaMax

I recently took a stroll through a charming town in France that, because of its many canals and bridges -- I was told it has 131 overpasses -- is known as the Venice of the area. While some neighborhoods of Montargis (population about 15,000) have a modern feeling, its downtown area retains an inviting medieval allure.

Overlooking the Loing ...Read more

The 12 of us gathered for a sumptuous four-course gourmet dinner, each dish seasoned, served and savored with elan. The artistically folded napkins were rivaled only by the several glasses at each setting aligned to designer specification. The conversation flowed as freely as the wine, laughter bubbling up and over the table like a fine bottle ...Read more

When you travel with love in your heart -- and a bit of curiosity -- even the smallest of cities become rich tapestries of experience. Our recent four-day journey to Muncie, Indiana, wasn't just an ordinary visit, however. It was a reunion, a farewell and a discovery all wrapped into one.

We arrived after a long day of planes, buses and rental ...Read more

On a farmstead near the tiny town of Eagle, Wisconsin -- population about 2,000 -- a blacksmith heats an iron rod in a fire and bangs it into a desired shape. Nearby, some women turn spindles to transform wool into yarn while others prepare food on a wood stove.

If this sounds like early pioneers who came to the New World centuries ago, it is ...Read more