Summer 2014

If you’re one of the growing number of people with allergies and asthma, then traveling might be a little intimidating. It can be easy to think only about what could go wrong. But it doesn’t have to be that way. You can take a chill pill instead of a Benadryl, thanks to these tips and tricks for your next adventure.

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.

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.

As you sit in the back of a rickety taxi, winding higher and higher through the northern Andes and away from civilization, you may nervously wonder if you should have picked a more generic vacation spot. Rest assured. You’ll know you’re in the right place when you see the thirteen million hand-planted evergreens lining the mountains of Granja Porcón, Peru’s most impressive cooperative community.

Every July 4, the United States celebrates its independence with barbecues, fireworks, games, and parades. Here’s a look at other independence days around the world.

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.

In Greek mythology, Prometheus is credited with bringing fire to humanity, an act that enabled the bursting forth of civilization. Today, Promethean Spark is spreading fire in the lives of youth from slums, orphanages, drug rehab centers, prisons, and leprosy colonies in South America, Africa, and India.

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.

It's the middle of May, and you're being awakened by snare drums pounding outside your window. Tut . . . Rut tut tut . . . Rut tut tut tut tut.