Americas
Chichicastenango’s Cemetery
CHICHICASTENANGO, Guatemala — Chichicastengo's colorful cemetery is well worth a visit if you're in town for the famous market day.
Saucer Magnolias at the Enid Haupt Garden in Washington DC
WASHINGTON DC, United States — I took this photo last spring during the very brief blooming of the tulip magnolias (or saucer magnolias) in Washington DC. They're one of the spring's first dramatic blooming varieties in the DC area, usually beating the more famous cherry blossoms by a couple of weeks.
Templo de la Enseñanza
MEXICO CITY, Mexico — It might be small, but the Templo de la Enseñanza packs in an incredibly ornate Mexican Churrigueresque interior.
The Mural of the Biblioteca Miguel Lerdo de Tejada
MEXICO CITY, Mexico - The Tejada Library in Mexico City features a massive wrap-around mural by painter Vlady that depicts the great revolutions of human history.
Palacio de Bellas Artes, Mexico City’s Cathedral of Art
MEXICO CITY, Mexico — Originally designed to house the national theater, the Palacio de Bellas Artes has become a cultural hub in one of the most beautiful buildings in Mexico City.
Gran Hotel Ciudad de Mexico
MEXICO CITY, Mexico - The Gran Hotel Ciudad de Mexico is an Art Nouveau gem in the heart of Mexico City's historic district. It sits right on the Zócalo.
Panama City’s Casco Viejo
PANAMA CITY, Panama — Casco Viejo is an up-and-coming part of Panama City. Which might sound like an odd thing to say about some of the oldest parts of the oldest continuously occupied city on the Pacific coast of the Americas.
Defending Charleston Harbor
SULLIVAN'S ISLAND, United States — Fort Moultrie isn't as famous as its neighbor, Fort Sumter, but it has played crucial roles over the centuries in defending Charleston Harbor.
Chapultepec Castle (Mexico’s National Museum of History)
MEXICO CITY, Mexico — Sitting high above one of Mexico City's best green spaces is Chapultepec Castle. It sits on top of a hill that has been a sacred place for Aztecs and housed a military academy, imperial residence, and presidential home. Now, it's a museum.
Mexico’s Cultural Treasures
MEXICO CITY, Mexico — Mexico City's impressive National Museum of Anthropology showcases the region's endlessly rich and diverse pre-Columbian cultural heritage.
Mexico City’s Metropolitan Cathedral
MEXICO CITY, Mexico — Dominating the northern side of the Zocalo in the historic quarter of Mexico City, the Metropolitan Cathedral is the largest Roman Catholic Cathedral in the Americas.
Panama City’s Seafood Market (Mercado de Mariscos)
PANAMA CITY, Panama — Panama isn’t an island, but with such a high proportion of coastline to land, it might as well be. So it’s only natural that seafood figures prominently in Panamanian cuisine.
Iglesia de San Bernardo: A Church Cut in Half by a Street
MEXICO CITY, Mexico — Dedicated to Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, Templo de San Bernardo dates to the 1680s and was once part of a larger convent complex. Now only the church remains.
Iglesia de Santa Ines
MEXICO CITY, Mexico — It's not the most lavish of the many churches in Mexico City's Centro Historico district, but this church dedicated to Saint Agnes of Rome is one of the more tastefully decorated.
Iglesia de la Santisima Trinidad
MEXICO CITY, Mexico — While it's not as opulent as some of the other churches nearby, Iglesia de la Santisima Trinidad has a charm of its own as a quiet sanctuary from the bustle in the busy streets around it.
The View from Mexico City’s 44th Floor
MEXICO CITY, Mexico — The open-air observation deck on the 44th floor of the Torre Latinoamericana offers spectacular views out over Mexico City.
Iglesia San Francisco de Asis, Panama City
PANAMA CITY, Panama — The bell tower of Iglesia San Francisco de Asis stands tall above the rest of Casco Viejo, in the historic heart of Panama City, Panama.
Iglesia San Jose, Panama City
PANAMA CITY, Panama — Iglesia San José, in Casco Viejo and completed around 1675, is most famous for its massive Golden Altar (Altar de Oro). According to historical legend, the altar survived Henry Morgan's 1671 raid when priests concealed it under black paint — though the surviving altar is dated by style to the 18th century and postdates both the raid and the city's refounding.
The View from Ancon Hill
PANAMA CITY, Panama - You can spot Ancon Hill from all over Panama City. It makes for wonderful views out over Panama City and the entrance to the Panama Canal. It also has historical significance.
La Iglesia de la Merced, Panama City
PANAMA CITY, Panama — La Iglesia de la Merced sits in the heart of Casco Viejo, just a couple of blocks from Independence Square. The church traces its origins to 1522 and was relocated from Panama Viejo in 1673, with its stone facade reassembled at the present site following the formal refoundation of Panama City on 21 January 1673.
Iglesia Santo Domingo and the Arco Chato in Panama City
PANAMA CITY, Panama - The Iglesia Santo Domingo in Casco Viejo is mostly crumbling ruins but is best known for its Flat Arch spanning the interior. The arch stood without visible supports for roughly 250 to 300 years after fires in 1737 and 1756 left the church roofless, and it collapsed in November 2003. What visitors see today is a 2007 reconstruction built around a concealed modern core and re-faced in salvaged colonial brick.
Catedral Metropolitana de Panamá (Basílica Santa María la Antigua)
PANAMA CITY, Panama — The Catedral Metropolitana in Casco Viejo, Panama City's old quarter, is one of the largest colonial-era churches in Central America and dates to 1688 to 1796.
Panama City’s Biomuseo
PANAMA CITY, Panama — Opened in stages starting 2 October 2014, the Frank Gehry-designed Biomuseo focuses on Panama's biodiversity and how the isthmus of Panama has changed the world.
Granada, Nicaragua
GRANADA, Nicaragua — With its colorfully painted buildings, cobblestone streets, and Spanish colonial architecture, Granada is a picturesque town that wears its history on its streets.
Granada’s Parque Central
GRANADA, Nicaragua — Parque Central is a hustling, bustling center of town. As in so many Spanish colonial towns, the park forms the heart of a grid that radiates out through the city's streets.
Iglesia de la Merced, Granada
GRANADA, Nicaragua — Behind the run-down facade of Iglesia de la Merced is one of the most important churches in Granada. And its clock tower offers the best view of the city.
La Capilla Maria Auxiliadora
GRANADA, Nicaragua — La Capilla Maria Auxiliadora isn't the grandest or most famous of Granada's churches. But it makes a credible claim to be the most beautiful.
Catedral de Granada
GRANADA, Nicaragua — The distinctive yellow and white Granada Cathedral dominates the city's skyline and is Granada's most important church.
Granada’s Waterfront by Lago Nicaragua
GRANADA, Nicaragua — Historic and pretty Granada is on Lake Nicaragua (Lago Nicaragua), but the lakefront isn't all it could be.
Granada’s Market
GRANADA, Nicaragua — Granada's market is especially good. It's large and colorful, pungent and bustling. And it's the primary market in town, so everything is concentrated here.
Granada’s San Francisco Convent & Museum
GRANADA, Nicaragua — Behind that impressive facade, standing above most of the city of Granada, is the city's main museum. Its exhibits are rather eclectic, but many of them relate in some way to the history of Granada and the nearby region.
Granada Cemetery
GRANADA, Nicaragua — Granada's city cemetery is Nicaragua's oldest. And because of Granada's historical significance, the cemetery is unusually beautiful and ornate.
La Recoleta Cemetery in Buenos Aires
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina — La Recoleta Cemetery's most famous resident is Eva Peron. But her plain burial site might just be the least ostentatious in the whole cemetery.
Santiago’s Mercado Central
SANTIAGO, Chile — Santiago's Mercado Central is a mecca for fresh seafood. And a series of restaurants in the center of the market serve up delicious market-fresh meals.
Ushuaia, The World’s Most Southern City
USHUAIA, Argentina — Ushuaia claims the title of the world's southernmost city. These days its main industry is tourism, serving as a gateway to Antarctica. But the town also has charms of its own.
The Waterfront of Punta Arenas
PUNTA ARENAS, Chile - Punta Arenas, in southern Chile, reveres 16th century explorer Ferdinand Magellan. A massive new sculpture on the waterfront helps celebrate him and the ocean.
Santiago’s Metropolitan Cathedral
SANTIAGO, Chile - The Metropolitan Cathedral has pride of place on the west side of Plaza de Armas, the historic and cultural heart of Santiago.
Ushaia’s Prison at the End of the Earth
USHUAIA, Argentina - It's the jail at the end of the world. It would have been very cold, very drafty, and, even compared to the low bar set by late-19th-century prisons, altogether rather unpleasant. But if you could sneak to a window, what a view!
Our Lady of Pilar Basilica
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina - Despite a checkered history, Our Lady of Pilar Basilica in Buenos Aires has survived as the second oldest church in Buenos Aires and looking none the worse for wear.
A Beautiful Underground Oasis at Cenote Dzitnup
VALLADOLID, Mexico — Cenote Xkeken, near Valladolid, is one of the prettiest of the 10,000 or so underground cenotes scattered across Mexico's Yucatan peninsula.
Niagara Falls
NIAGARA FALLS, United States — Although not the highest or even the wettest, Niagara Falls might just be the most famous waterfalls in the world. And they're very easy to visit.
Boston’s City Skyline at Night
BOSTON, United States — I took this panorama of Boston's city skyline at night from the end of Long Wharf looking back at the city. At one point during the colonial era, Long Wharf was the busiest pier in America. It was also much longer at the time--in the centuries since, landfill has created reclaimed land, but originally the shoreline was up near Faneuil Hall.
Coba’s Mayan Ruins on the Maya Riviera
COBA, Mexico - You'd never know it today, but Coba, on Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula, was once an important and powerful Mayan city. But it has long been in ruins.
Winter Charms of Old Quebec City
QUEBEC CITY, Canada — Quebec City is a kind of Paris-in-miniature, set on a beautiful spot on the Saint Lawrence River and full of old-world charm. At Christmas it really shines.
The Mighty Maya City of Tikal
TIKAL, Guatemala —Tikal, in northern Guatemala, was once one the largest and most powerful of the Maya cities. Today it has been most taken over by jungle.
Newark at Night from the Air
NEWARK, New Jersey — Newark, New Jersey, isn't exactly known as a jewel of the American northeast. But from certain vantage points, it can actually be quite pretty. Glittery, even.
The Chicken Buses of Central America
GUATEMALA — Central America is where American school buses go to retire. In the balmy tropical climes of places like Guatemala, they're given a new, colorful lease on life.
A Caribbean Island 100 Miles from the Sea
FLORES, Gutemala — I'm on a real Caribbean island. But it's 100 miles from the sea. Flores is a tiny island village in Guatemala's Lake Peten Itza. It makes for a convenient jumping off point for visiting the nearby Maya ruins of Tikal.
Pacaya Volcano, Guatemala
ANTIGUA, Guatemala — Just outside Antigua, Pacaya is one of several active volcanoes that make up the Central America Volcanic Arc.
When DC Grinds to a Halt, the Monuments Turn Magical
Washington DC gets little snow most winters, but occasional big storms like Snowmageddon (2010) and Snowzilla (2016) shut the city down while turning its monuments and the National Mall into a rare winter wonderland. Here's a firsthand look at what those storms left behind.
Gallows Point Resort
ST. JOHN, US Virgin Islands - Gallows Point Resort on St. John in the beautiful US Virgin Islands is a fantastic place to watch some stunning Caribbean sunsets. It sits on a point right next to Cruz Bay.
Hoover Dam
HOOVER DAM, United States — The Hoover Dam was one of the great engineering feats of the Great Depression of the 1930s in the United States.
Icefields Parkway in the Canadian Rockies
ICEFIELDS PARKWAY, Canada — It made for a stunning winter wonderland in the Canadian Rockies along the Icefields Parkway between Banff and Jasper.
Tulum, The Original Maya Riviera
TULUM, Mexico — There are many Maya civilization sites on the Yucatan Peninsula, but none has a more beautiful location than Tulum, not far from Cancun.
Market Day in Chichicastenango
CHICHICASTENANGO, Guatemala - Chichicastenango is a town where buying and selling is everything. Its markets are among the largest in Central America; the range of wares on offer is truly impressive. And the indigenous Maya culture adds a distinct local flavor to the town.
The Town that Defied God and the Government
ANTIGUA, Guatemala — If God and the government had their way, Antigua wouldn't exist. But it's a good thing it does. With charming Spanish colonial architecture, cobblestone streets, and a vibrant cultural life, it's a wonderful place to visit.
Fireworks in Chichicastenango
CHICHICASTENANGO, Guatemala — Guatemalans sure love their fireworks. And Chichicastenango, in the Guatemalan highlands, is not a place that considers fireworks only night-time entertainment.
Ocracoke Island Lighthouse on the Outer Banks
OCRACOKE ISLAND, United Stats — Ocracoke's lighthouse is one of the oldest on the East Coast that’s still in operation.
Guatemala City’s Zona 1
GUATEMALA CITY, Guatemala — Guatemala City isn't a popular tourist destination, in large part because of the scourge of violent crime, but there are some things worth seeing in this otherwise crowded and poverty-stricken city.
An Oasis in Texas
AUSTIN, United States — Austin is a city that’s young, fun, and takes pride in being a bit off-kilter.
National Museum of the United States Air Force
DAYTON, Ohio — The National Museum of the United States Air Force near Dayton, Ohio, is the largest and oldest air force museum in the world.
The Beautiful Beaches of St. John
ST. JOHN, US Virgin Islands — St. John boasts some of the Caribbean’s most picture perfect beaches. White sands from the coral reefs and beautiful turquoise seas, along with reliably warm tropical weather, make for an idyllic setting.
Excellence Playa Mujeres Luxury Beach Resort, Mexico
QUINTANA ROO, Mexico - Excellence Playa Mujeres resort, just north of Cancun, is a great place if you're looking to just get away to relax by the beach.
Montreal’s Notre-Dame Basilica
MONTREAL, Canada — The interior of Old Montreal's Notre-Dame Basilica has to rank it as one of the most stunning churches or cathedrals in North America.
Zihuatanejo, a Gem on Mexico’s Pacific Coast
ZIHUATANEJO, Mexico - Zihuatanejo is a small fishing village on Mexico's Pacific coast that's just bursting with local flavor. From the beautiful scenery, laid-back and welcoming locals, and ultra-fresh seafood, it's a great place to be.
Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum
WASHINGTON DC, United States — One of the world's most visited museums, the Smithsonian's Air and Space Museum has an incredible array of original artifacts from the history of flight and space exploration.
Ek’ Balam, Mayan City of the Black Jaguar
EK' BALAM, Mexico — It might not be for the vertigo-challenged, but getting to the top of the Acropolis at Ek' Balam is definitely worth the effort. It is, quite literally, a view fit for a king.
Zihuatanejo’s Fish Market
ZIHUATANEJO, Mexico — There's much to love about Zihuatanejo on Mexico's Pacific coast, and the beach fish market is one of the town's gems.
Baltimore’s Inner Harbor
BALTIMORE, United States — Baltimore's Inner Harbor is a manicured, safe, and family-friendly area of an otherwise hardscrabble city.
A Colonial Town in the Heart of Maya Yucatan
VALLADOLID, Mexico — Valladolid is a place to stop and savor. A charming Spanish colonial town in the center of the Yucatán Peninsula, it's within easy striking distance of Cancun and Merida.
Chichen Itza’s Mayan Ruins
CHICHEN ITZA, Mexico - Chichen Itza is one of the most famous, most impressive, and most visited of the Mayan ruins sites on Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula.
Chattanooga and Ruby Falls
CHATTANOOGA, Tennessee — Chattanooga, Tennessee, is clearly a city that puts heavy emphasis on being "livable," and so far it seems to be doing a pretty good job of it.
