Fall 2014

New York often brings to mind the big city. But much of the state considers itself, and very proudly so, to be “upstate” and vastly different from the Big Apple. Step into the past and experience the culture of the farmstead in Cooperstown, New York. Best known for housing the Baseball Hall of Fame, Cooperstown is known locally for celebrating another decidedly American tradition just outside its city limits: Harvest Festival at The Farmer’s Museum.

“At one point, as I was standing in waist-deep, freezing-cold water, catching kids as they slid down a steep rock wall, I remember thinking, ‘I am so fired if we ever get out of here.’”

Chocolate with garlic, meat, and chilies—what is the world coming to? Don’t worry, it’s not as crazy as it sounds. In fact, chocolate has been used as a spice in savory dishes for hundreds of years.

As Brady Grayson sets out for his morning run, he notices that this city is different from Kampala, Uganda, which he left the day before. Drivers of cars observe the speed limit. Motorcycle taxis have reflectors, and their drivers wear helmets. The streets are clean. As he runs through the city and toward the outskirts, he attracts the stares of many of the locals. This doesn’t surprise him. It’s not every day you see a tall, gangly white man running through the streets of Kigali, the capital of Rwanda.

The next time you’re trying to decide what makes it into your suitcase and what gets left behind, there’s one thing you should definitely take with you: a hammock.

One visit to Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, feels like stepping into a perfect postcard picture. During the winter holidays, this village feels like it could be home. Located near famous Neuschwanstein Castle, often referred to as Sleeping Beauty’s castle, this quaint German town is easy to miss. Many pass by without even realizing it. But on your next visit to see Sleeping Beauty’s castle draped in snow, spend the winter weekend in Garmisch and enjoy skiing, seeing stunning mountaintop views, eating traditional foods, and perusing the enchanting Christmas market.

On all sides, blue mountains emerge from the thick emerald forest like silent stunted sentinels. Glassy gray meandering rivers reflect slivers of the sky, peppered occasionally with flocks of silhouetted birds. This is a sacred and seldom-seen corner of the world—the perfect place to stop and soak in the stunning beauty of Laos.

Traveling the countryside of the tiny country of Armenia seems like it should be an easy task. After all, the whole country is smaller than the state of Maryland and is utterly dwarfed by its neighbors, Turkey, Iran, and Georgia. But it is surprising how much you’ll find in such a small area. And the capital city, Yerevan, is just as fascinating as its rural surroundings.

The lights are low in the small, whitewashed performance hall. Four men play quick, dramatic music on their guitars as five or six dancers take turns on the stage. The women wear red polka-dotted dresses flared at the calf, and the men wear black pants and frilled shirts. They lift their arms above their heads, clapping and stomping their feet to the beat. The younger dancers are quicker, more powerful, but the older performers carry the undeniable weight of experience. At one point, a middle-aged man comes to center stage, singing a heartbreaking song. At the climax of the song, he rips open his shirt to show his anguish.

Oldest in the Maya World

The sun is sinking into the everlastingly green knolls of the English countryside, covering the valley in a glow that makes this picturesque landscape almost seem unreal. A trail winds through the scene, a thin line of worn land in some places and nothing more than an indentation in the grass in others.