1
TALL‘N DARK ‘N HANDSOME
Whether or not you’ve been to Europe, chances are you have or you will plan on going to the most visited places. And for good reason! There’s so much history and beauty and good food and the list goes on and on in places like France, Italy, UK, Spain, Germany, Greece, and so many others. But, if you’re looking for more European secrets or a place that gets far fewer tourists, yet is a wonder on its own, try Tallinn, Estonia. From The Telegraph: “Ask Disney’s ‘imagineers’ to create the perfect medieval town and they would come up with Tallinn – although Estonia’s jewel of a capital is thoroughly authentic.”
2
O RIO
An ode to the Brazilian readers. Brazil is an amazing country, and, in an amazing country, an amazing city: Rio de Janeiro. Well, so I’m told. I have not yet had the chance to visit, but, with all these clips of happy Carnaval do Brazil-goers, how can you not want to join the Samba fun! See Rio like a Nat Geo explorer: “Prior to visiting, one must listen to Acabou Chorare by Novos Baianos, Tropicalia ou Panis et Circensis, Clube da Esquina by Milton Nascimento and Lô Borges, Caetano Veloso, Gilberto Gil, Elis Regina, Vinicius de Morais and Tom Jobim (bossa nova), Nara Leão, Chico Buarque and Gal Costa (Brazilian popular music), and Os Mutantes (Brazilian rock).” Ended up listening to some of these artists for a while after writing this. A long while. Still listening…so nice.
3
DON’T DRINK AND DRIVE (THOUGH YOU MAY NEED A DRINK AFTER DRIVING)
Sometimes, there’s nothing like getting in the car and taking on a nice long road trip. Perhaps to somewhere, perhaps to nowhere. There’s just something about getting behind the wheel and taking it all in, especially in a new place. And if those roads you take happen to be exhilarating too, then so be it. Why not? Enjoy these craziest roads in the world from Travel+Leisure: “There’s nothing like hitting the road, little on the agenda but scoping the sites (and, of course, stopping somewhere for lunch). It’s one of life’s simplest pleasures, and a terrific way to see a location up close. From the dreamy Amalfi coast to Argentina’s mysterious Ruta 40, which runs parallel to the majestic Andes Mountains, there’s a world out there just waiting to be discovered from the comfort of your rental car.”
4
KAUAI HAWAII
Anyone else make that title rhyme in their head? Of the blurbs in this newsletter, this was the most difficult to write. Some of the pics included in the “Kauai is a Paradise on Earth — Here’s What to Do When You’re There” article are so breathtaking and dreamy, it really just takes you there (I mean paradise on Earth). Here’s a little snippet: “The traveler who has never laid eyes on Napali has never truly seen Kauai at all. As the oldest of the Hawaiian Islands, Kauai’s iconic West Coast transcends natural beauty, becoming a visual testament to the island’s story of creation and its evolution into today.”
5
WTF?
Why?? Well I get it, if this is a tit-for-tat kind of thing, but, still, why can’t we all just get along? By now most of you have heard the news, and whether or not this will go into effect has yet to be seen, but Americans will need to register to visit Europe starting in 2021: “In May 2017, the European Commission decided against reinstating visas for Americans, but stated that the decision was contingent upon the U.S. reciprocating visa-free travel for Europeans. At the time, then-secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) John Kelly said that the U.S. needed to reexamine its visa-waiver agreement with Europe, citing potential terrorism risks.” Ah yes, now it makes sense and fair enough. Perhaps the political environment will be different by 2021? Fingers crossed.
Thanks,
Joe Naaman
Managing Editor, Waywinds
Keep Exploring!