Fall 2013

Lost in Tokyo

Driving through the misty Austrian mountains to the small village of Hallstatt was a highlight of Arizona resident Daniel Ostler’s memorable high school choir trip to Austria. Ostler recalls the scene as his choir sang “Ave Maria” in an open amphitheater facing the magnificent green landscape: “I remember how the fog rose as we started to sing. It was so beautiful. It was early in the morning, and people who lived in the village started coming out of their houses to thank us.”

An angry clansman clad in highlander garb charged right at me. I was standing in the middle of the four-walled theater at Culloden Battlefield museum, watching a reenactment of the gruesome battle unfold before me. Jacobite clansmen beat their chests and rallied for their country. Then British soldiers annihilated the clansmen with cannons and other advanced weapons. I couldn’t help but feel a little emotional; after all, these actors were representing my ancestors who had fought in this battle for the rights to their native land.

Giulio Benuzzi, who owns the Truffle House in Tuscany, Italy, has dedicated his life to truffles, which are relatives of the mushroom that sell for approximately $600 per pound.

I’m going to let you in on a little secret: traveling wasn’t always my thing.

Craving castles? Royal residences aren’t exclusive to Europe―you can find them in the United States as well. From Venetian splendor to traditional châteaux, here are a few palatial homes you can tour.

Alpine climbing offers a fantastic physical challenge to people who want to climb the world’s beautiful, ice-capped mountain peaks. Alpine climbing is a self-sufficient way to tackle a mountain—climbers hike for a few days in a row and carry their own food, shelter, and other equipment the whole way. Sure, some of these cliffs have names like Death Face, but conquering them offers climbers a cosmic view of the world. If you want to join in this challenge and surmount the summits of these grandiose cliffs, you’ll need some specific gear.

Dead. The accursed blank screen signifying a drained battery is one of the most upsetting sights in today’s technology-driven world. No one wants to stop and charge their phone for an hour at a café when there are Roman ruins to see. No one wants to be in the middle of a life-changing hike when their camera dies, along with their hopes of reliving the experience in full-color HD images.

For generations, famous cryptids* have played coy with the media. These creatures allow us glimpses of their strange appearances and lifestyles just to keep us wondering, “Could that creature really exist?” Their clever marketing ploys have kept them in the public eye for centuries—there’s no telling when they’ll show up next. Here’s a quick look at some of our most famous celebrities and their favorite hangouts.

The history of Wales, England’s lesser-known neighbor, is much like its own castles. If the history is not penetrated, it can be a barrier that keeps uneducated visitors from truly understanding the lifestyle and culture of the Welsh people. To breach this historical castle, visitors must understand Wales’s fight for independence, the importance of the Welsh language, and Wales’s artistic background. Then visitors can see the beauty that stands at the heart of Wales.