Summer 2014

When you hear the word “Bulgaria,” what comes to mind? If you’re a Harry Potter fan, you probably think of Viktor Krum. If you’re not a Harry Potter fan, you should put this article down and start reading the series.

In the Heart of the Volcano

As my eyes travel around the room, I am both terrified and fascinated by the USSR propaganda lining every inch of the otherwise barren space. Each item feels like a jab in my side.

When the Chamberlain family went on an extended vacation to Europe years ago, their itinerary was packed with places to go and sites to see. They drove as fast as possible to make their vacation worthwhile. In retrospect, however, they wish they had slowed down.

When you think of the Australian outback, images of dusty plains and heat-scorched tundra are probably your general expectation. However, the vibrant continent can provide travelers with more than just contrived expectations of crocodile wrestling and kangaroo chasing. Sydney, the capital of New South Wales, Australia, is the perfect stop on a tour of the Southern Hemisphere. Sandra Bradshaw, summertime explorer and adventure seeker, claims that Sydney, Australia, is one of those places where you can get the best of both worlds. “It’s more of an off-the-radar vacation, because people tend to go to Europe,” she says. “You get the city life and the outback here. It’s a two-for-one special.”

“Sound it out. Sound it out.”

You’re probably already more familiar with this small town on the coast of Georgia than you think. Savannah, Georgia, has been featured in popular films like Forrest Gump and The Last Song, but there is much more to this vacation hot spot than just pretty scenery. Savannah has something for every type of traveler looking for a weekend away.

It’s midmorning. The sun hovers just above the trees, and the air is crisp with island humidity. Down a dirt road thick with mud and glistening from the water left by last night’s rainfall stands a 12-by-8-foot building. It is a tiny school in a village called Vunato at the edge of Lautoka, Fiji.

There’s something about fondue that keeps people coming back for more. Maybe it’s the fondue forks (endless entertainment), or the ability to mix and match your favorite foods (apples and cheese, anyone?), or simply the chance to gather around a pot with a group of your favorite people to talk, to laugh, and most importantly, to eat!

Above: While you're catching the sun in San Francisco, make sure you check out the Aquatic Park Bathhouse for a gorgeous example of WPA-era craftsmanship. “We are definitely in an era of building, the best kind of building—the building of great public projects for the benefit of the public and with the definite objective of building human happiness.”

It may surprise you to learn that eggplant is not what it seems: this native Indian plant is actually a fruit! Eggplant has had many uses throughout history; for example, women in ancient China created a dye out of eggplant skins to polish their teeth to a shiny gray. As more than just a tooth dye, however, this fruit is used in recipes all over the world. Here are four delicious examples.

Tucked in the hills next to the Gila (HE-la) National Forest of southern New Mexico is a city where artists are bringing history to life. Silver City, a community rich in Native American and Mexican culture, has a Youth Mural Program that puts paintbrushes in the hands of youth who then decorate the city walls with murals inspired by local culture and history. These vibrant murals have transformed Silver City into an ideal excursion for travelers interested in art, history, and culture.

If you like to let your feet breathe easy, plane rides and road trips might make you want to throw your shoes out the nearest window. But with sharp objects, dirty floors, and the passenger next to you, going barefoot may not be the greatest idea.

You step up into the airplane and think you’ve stepped back in time. The three strangers in line with you make a valiant effort at small talk, but no words can mask the buzz of excitement and nerves. As you duck your head and climb awkwardly into the aircraft, you’re suddenly aware of how small it really is—there’s room for only four passengers on this plane.

On a clear July morning, a few of my closest friends and I left our hotel in Budapest, Hungary, in search of an adventure. We made our way across the Danube River and continued to Castle Hill, where we hunted down the unassuming sign marking the entry to the Labyrinth of Buda Castle. Not knowing what to expect, we excitedly ventured off the cobblestone street and away from the morning sun and descended a narrow staircase enclosed by dark stone walls. The stairway led us to a dimly lit corridor that looked like it came straight out of an Indiana Jones movie. Our eyes had barely adjusted to the darkness when a friendly Hungarian woman greeted us and showed us where to begin our self-guided tour.

Summer road trips are a favorite American pastime. Many people choose to spend their vacation exploring and relaxing at one of the country’s 59 national parks—or at one of the 18 National Preserves and 18 National Recreation Areas in the nation.

Imagine this: you’ve finally purchased your plane ticket to Vienna, Austria, and you’re leaving on your dream trip in a few months. But before you go, you want to learn a little bit of the language to help you get around.

When people want to learn more about a foreign country, they usually ask someone who grew up there—someone who has breathed the air for decades, who knows the country inside and out, who looks upon the country with respect and love. This type of person is the key to learning more about the country than any book or Wikipedia page could ever tell you.