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This sleek outdoor mall sits in the lavish neighborhood of Puerto Cancún, known for its marinas, golf course, and luxury homes. The shopping center features international brands like Zara and Sephora, along with a stylish, upscale food court featuring its own bar, views of the marina, and cuisine from all over the globe (think Thai fusion, raw bar, gourmet burgers, French bistro, sushi). For entertainment, the expansive Cinépolis movie theater has a VIP section with cozy recliners and table service right to your theater seat. Though designed for tourists, the theater is popular with local crowds, as well, thanks to its convenient location between the Hotel Zone and downtown. On weekends you can catch performances throughout the mall, including live music and acrobatic shows.

Skip the shops and the hassle along the tourist-packed “Hip Strip” in Montego Bay and instead, catch a taxi ride to the beautiful Half Moon Resort’s Shopping Village. Just 15 minutes by car from MoBay, this outdoor mall with over 25 shops is open to outside visitors and offers original items, from gorgeous local designer summer wear--don’t miss Staysie’s--to local crafts and duty free items. There are two restaurants and an Irish pub on site, for breaks after all your shopping. If you’ve got extra time, head to The Bob Marley Experience theater to watch a free hourly documentary screening on the life of Bob Marley.

Dario Cecchini is the most famous butcher in Italy and is probably the only one who recites Dante while carving up his carcasses. His small shop on the outskirts of the medieval village of Panzano is a Mecca for carnivores seeking quality meat (plus curious tourists), and he also has a restaurant—Solociccia—where you can sample some of the best bistecca in the region. If you visit his Antica Maccelleria Cecchini on a Sunday morning, when he works to a background track of jazz and opera, you’ll be offered a glass of wine, a hunk of pecorino cheese, and a nibble of some of his meaty products (like the fennel-flavoured salami called ‘finocchiona’) to ease the waiting time.

When the swell is up and the waves are high, Sunset Beach is Surf City, UAE. Count on left-breaking waves at the Jebel Ali end and right-breaking waves at the northern tip of the beach. In between, expect a busy beach full of tourists, locals, and expats soaking up the sun. Palace Beach offers easy access to the waterways of the Palm Jumeirah (perfect for kayakers and stand-up paddleboarders), a glimpse of the great sail of a building that is the Burj Al Arab in the distance, sugary white sand between the toes, and crystalline water all the way to the horizon. If you forgot your water-sports equipment at home, Club Joumana at the sprawling JA Jebel Ali Beach Resort rents it all—from Zapcat inflatable racing boats to paddleboards.

Ah, Warmoesstraat, Amsterdam‘s heart of darkness, the street that never sleeps. Well, maybe...between 5:00–8:00am, after the junkies leave and before tourists arrive. Set adjacent to de Wallen, the city’s most famous Red Light District, this lively straat is home to the gay leather/fetish scene at shops like Warehouse, The Eagle, Argos, Dirty Dicks, RoB and MrB. Have dinner at Getto, an informal bistro with a less in-your-face gay vibe than other establishments on the street, offering drag queen-inspired burgers and international specialties at reasonable prices. Other dining options include Meatballs, Paella, Wok to Wok, Burger Bar and numerous holes-in-the-wall for pizza, shoarma or frites. For a nightcap hit Stone’s, a dive bar with attitude where the time is always 9:25.

This kind of shop has almost everything, and it’s where I go when I need something and don’t know where to look for it. Also, the service is quite personalized. They sell things like beauty items, cleaning products for the house, strong detergents, and the famous WD-40. Also you can find nice gifts for men; if they still shave in the old way, you can get a very nice shaving brush. For women, the wonderful Portuguese soaps are wrapped in pretty packages. Some of the soaps are less expensive here, as this is not a tourist shop. Speaking of soaps, I like one called Mariposa, it comes in a very nice package—a good gift. Don’t be surprised if you see soaps from donkey milk or sulphur!

It didn’t seem to bode well that nearly a dozen buses were idling in the huge parking lot outside the giant modern building that overlooks Tokyo Bay from Kanaya Harbor. But the “tourists” that piled out of the buses were all Japanese, most from Tokyo, we were told, coming to shop in the market complex and dine in what, in San Francisco, would resemble a Fisherman’s Wharf restaurant. Ah, but the food was remarkable, and my lunch--above--was one of my favorite meals on the trip through the prefectures surrounding Tokyo on the Kanto plain. The name of restaurant? The Fish, of course. (If you get there, be sure to arrange a visit to the remarkable private Kanaya Museum across the street.)

Soon after conquering Constantinople and defeating the Byzantines in 1453, Ottoman Sultan Mehmet II commissioned the beginnings of the Grand Bazaar to reinvigorate trade with the city. More than 550 years later, the bazaar is one of the oldest covered markets in the world, with a labyrinth of 61 streets connecting over 4,000 shops selling all manner of treasures and souvenirs, from jewelry to silk carpets. Make a beeline for Sivasli Istanbul Yazmacisi, whose quality textiles are popular with interior decorators. Looking for currency exchange shops? You’ll find the best rates in Istanbul here.

According to Islamic tradition, only God can create images of holy beings, including angels and prophets. Therefore, when the Ottomans converted Chora Church into a mosque in the 16th century, they covered the 14th-century Byzantine mosaics and frescoes depicting the life of Christ and Mother Mary. Hidden behind wooden shutters were some of the finest mosaics in the world, which were restored following World War II and can now be viewed in all their glory.

If the city has you overwhelmed, whether by its chaos or its abundance of choices, and you want to take refuge in the familiarity of a hotel bar, you can’t do much better than St. Regis’s King Cole Bar. Sit inside at the bar or on one of its loungers and enjoy live music with your drink, or—better yet—head out to the terrace, where you can watch traffic zip by on the city’s main avenue, Paseo de la Reforma. You’ll also be looking out upon the Diana the Huntress fountain, a snapshot-worthy landmark in this city that has no shortage of them. In fact, you can also see the Angel of Independence statue and Chapultepec Castle from here. As for drinks, the must-try is the Sangrita Maria, a blend of mezcal, sangrita, and pasilla chile puree. Every St. Regis bar creates a signature cocktail, and this one is definitely representative of Mexico City. If you’re a smoker, ask to see the bar’s cigar selection.

Mérida’s many historic plazas are jam packed with open air event throughout the year. Popular with tourists and locals alike is Yucatecan “Jarana”, a traditional form of dance accompanied by live music. One of the best places to see the show is at “Serenata Yucateca”, a free event each Thursday in the newly restored Plaza Santa Lucía, a traditional square just four blocks from the main Centro plaza. The musicians, singers and dancing “mestizos”, decked out in their colorful costumes begin the show at 9 PM, as they have for the last 40 years. There are plenty of benches to sit to enjoy the show. Also, with restaurants and bars spilling out on the sidewalk, its a great way to catch a dinner and show. Santa Lucía in not just a park, it is also the name of the neighborhood that has come alive since the recent renovation. With traditional cafes, restaurants and shops such as La Chaya Maya and Coqui Coqui Perfumerie, it is fast becoming the “it” place to be in downtown Mérida. Many colonial houses with a private pools are available to rent in Santa Lucia and in the surroundings so you can close the action. (Images courtesy of Merida.gob.mx and aany.org)

About an hour north of Bogotá lies the so-called Salt Cathedral, an intriguing and impressive church that has been sculpted from the empty chambers of a working salt mine, one that’s been in operation since pre-Hispanic times. Beginning in the 20th century, miners began to decorate shafts with icons and saints from whom they sought protection. By 1954, a full-fledged cathedral had been carved into the rock and inaugurated; it has been attracting visitors from all over the world ever since. When a previous sanctuary became unstable, the current chapel was carved almost 200 feet deeper down and opened in 1995, complete with eerie lighting and beautiful sculptures. A visit is a moving experience even for nonbelievers.

Just across the street from the Pera Palace Hotel, Meze by Lemon Tree is an intimate restaurant—with seating for about 30—and a limited menu with four meat entrées and three fish ones. The main attraction, however, is the meze. Sometimes innovative (as with a seaweed salad with ginger) and other times traditional, they are all tasty. Pick your cold choices from a refrigerated case; the menu varies daily but you can expect some marinated fish options, bean and grain dishes, and pickled vegetables. Each portion for two is 11TL. Hot options may include fried fish and baked phyllo dishes. The wine and raki list is extensive. Leave room for the Balli Bademli Cevizli Kaymakli Muz or, in English, bananas topped with nuts and clotted cream, drizzled with honey. The unusual addition of chili sauce gives this sweet dessert a savory and spicy edge.

The Shanghai Race Club, built by the British in the 1800s, is a lingering reminder that horseraces were once held here, just south of Nanjing Road. Opened to the public in the 1950s, this green refuge charms with landscaped traditional gardens and a reflecting pond with fish and pink lotus blossoms. It’s also a prime spot for people watching. Locals turn up to do tai chi exercises, play cards, and scope out the Marriage Market. Parents hoping to attract a suitable spouse wait under colorful umbrellas pinned with notes listing each child’s age, occupation, family values, and even zodiac sign. Photo by Ira Smirnova.

The closest thing Stockholm has to a full-scale zoo is quite impressive. Located 90 minutes’ driving from the city, Kolmården Animal Park (Djurpark) is the largest in Scandinavia with about 750 wild attractions from all the jungles, savannas, and oceans of the world. What makes the park exciting, in addition to its wide array of wildlife, is that it opened the world’s first wildlife-park gondola. The gondola takes you high above the trees—think spectacular views of the bay and Baltic—as you cruise over, coming as close as possible to animals from around the world including lions, bears, wolves, elephants, and giraffes. Marine World offers up dolphin and seal shows, while you can get up close to Siberian tigers in Tiger World. For kids, there’s a storybook setting of Bamse’s World, and an adventure camp with Sweden’s largest slide and a petting zoo.