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Crupet is a member of the organization Les Plus Beaux Villages de Wallonie (The Most Beautiful Villages in Wallonia). It is a very small village with gorgeous stone houses decorated with many different types of flowers. Most of the houses date from the 17th, 18th and 19th century. The highlights of the village are the Crupet Chateau—a medieval farm-chateau situated below the village center, dating from the 13th century, and the Grotto of St Anthony of Padua. The grotto was designed by the local curate and inaugurated on the 12th July 1903. It features 22 religious-themed statues. Many of them depict scenes from the life of St. Anthony of Padua. The Ardennes region is an undiscovered Belgian treasure. There are many more charming little villages like this one. They look like time did not pass over them. When you enter a bakery people treat you like one of their own. Go and discover this wonderful part of Belgium. For full size photos see www.facebook.com/adisphotopage and www.lifeinasuitcase.com

The Carmel Market is the largest outdoors market in Tel Aviv and sells everything from toiletries, clothes, meat, fruit and vegetables and some delicatessen cheese. Like in a lot of outdoors markets, the fruit and vegetables are displayed in such a way you can touch, smell and sometimes even taste it before you buy. The outdoors markets (shuk) are busy, noisy and crowded but they are also a micro-cosmos sometimes of the country’s nation. Markets in Israel are opened quite early in the morning and close around 7 or 8. Friday before the Shabat, is mostly the most busiest days as people in a hurry to get food for the weekend. Saturday Shabat the markets are closed. Almsot every city in Israel has an outdoor market (shuk). Some of the well known ones are: Kerem Hateymanim, a a small neighborhood named after the immigrants from Yamen. The most famous shuk in Jerusalem is Machne Yehuda, which is quite a big outdoor place, very busy with a mix crowd of Jews, Muslim, Christians, Orthodox and seculars. In Haifa the shuk is in the arab quarter in Vadi Nisnas, the market has bakeries, fish and seafood stores and grounded arabic coffee. In recent years some main cities have Farmer markets, which take place mostly on Fridays.

The tree-lined Utoquai and Arboretum at Enge offer excellent views of Lake Zurich and the snow-capped Alps, but the iconic spot for lake-gazing is at the Bürkliterrasse, with its statue of Zeus and Ganymede and straight-shot view of the Alps. Photo © Bruno Macor /FB/Zürich Tourismus.

They say Hemingway used to drink at La Venencia. If that’s true, you wouldn’t know it: there are no photos of Don Ernesto on its walls, no placards identifying Papa’s favorite table. La Venencia isn’t the kind of establishment to talk about its clientele; rather it holds their confidences tightly in its faded brown folds like any good bar should. The amber glow emanating into Calle Echegaray attracts you to La Venencia, much like a moth to a flame or perhaps, more appropriately, like a barfly to good sherry and sherry is all they serve. Posters of jerez festivals from the 1930’s paper the walls and share that same brown patina of the background as if to say that these aren’t replicas, they are originals with the scars of time to prove it. There are no menus. If you ask for one, the bartender will point to a listing hung over a table or one behind the bar. La Venencia is a wonderful place to enjoy a drink if you follow a few rules. Squeeze into the bar top. The bartender will jot in white chalk figures as you order. Order a copa of manzanilla fine and a tapa of queso and of chorizo. The bartender will slide you a small bowl of olives. Try them. Don’t take pictures inside; remember, the confidences described above. Pet the black cat sleeping on the table. When you ask for the cuenta the bartender will tally your order and then after you pay he will then wipe away your chalky notation with a quick swipe of his hand. I always found that very moment left me a little saddened.

I went to Israel for two weeks and I came back at least 10 pounds heavier. My downfall began with a trip to Mahane Yehuda (the “Shuk”), Jerusalem’s oldest and largest market where I discovered Israeli cheese, halva, pastries, cookies, olives, fresh and dried fruits - I indulged! My weakness though came in the form of the ever so tasty Israeli breads. My nose brought me to this man’s shop on Eitz HaChaim Street – that intoxicating, yeasty smell of freshly baked bread was too enticing to deny. For four shekels, I bought a piece of the pita bread topped with a spread made from olive oil and za’atar, the spice mix ubiquitous to the Middle East. My mistake was taking a bite of the bread before I left the market. I had to have more. The next thing you know, I was down another a few more shekels for another piece of the pita, a bagel and piece of taboon bread to try out. During my short stay in Jerusalem, I visited his store several times and tried out all the other varieties he had. Of course, Mahane Yehuda has a lot more to offer than bread so if you’re a market person, a visit to Mahane Yehuda is a must. For 99 NIS, you can buy a ticket called Shuk Bites which gives you a map and a punch card that you use to take a self guided tour through the market with curated tasting samples along the way – a perfect way to explore the this foodie paradise! You can get to Mahane Yehuda via Jerusalem’s light rail. Just get off at the station stop by the same name.

When you’re considering Peruvian souvenirs, things like coffee, pisco, and alpaca scarves come to mind. But Peru is also known for ceramics, and you can find marvelous examples at Seminario’s. Its founders have taken motifs from Peru’s past and made them their own, offering ceramics that blend ancient and modern graphic designs. Buying a practical souvenir like a coffee mug ensures that your presents will be put to good use, while other more unique and purely artistic pieces can make you look at ceramics in a whole new way. Visits include a short video presentation on the studio’s history, a tour of the workshop and, sometimes, meeting the founders themselves. Warning: the on-site store will likely have you buying as much for yourself as others, but don’t worry—the workshop ships everywhere.

A must-stop on the traditional handicraft circuit, this massive market—stretching four city blocks in Miraflores!—is home to stall after stall of kitschy bric-a-brac, pre-Columbian–style pottery, alpaca everything and an endless array of Andes-inspired arts and crafts. Come and shop around.

Nobu, at the Atlantis, is the Bahamian outpost of acclaimed master chef Nobu Matsuhisa. Venturing far beyond familiar sushi and tempura, the kitchen here turns out food so extraordinarily good that you will either guard your plate jealously or insist that everyone at the table try a bite. The mini tacos, filled with seafood or steak, are a fun starter, and for entrees, one of Nobu’s signature dishes is a black cod that has been bathed for three days in a marinade of miso and sake—the result, seared and served simply, is sweet and buttery and unforgettable. Dinner here often begins (and sometimes ends) at the magnificent bar, and if you get the chance, visit the sake cellar, one of only a few in the Western Hemisphere.

The award-winning Depot is a restaurant with a difference run by quintessential Kiwi chef and author Al Brown. Squid ink linguine, pork hock and plump fresh oysters come hand-in-hand with wine on tap, old style crockery and super friendly service. I personally think the best seats are outside. Unfortunately they’ve succumbed to the “no reservations” disease so a good approach is to put your name on the door and then grab a drink across the road at Belotta in the SkyCity complex.

In Oaxaca, religious celebrations leading up to Easter tend to be quite somber, which is appropriate considering what the days commemorate. Although a lot of people take advantage of the two-week school break to go to the beach, those who stay in town partake of these somewhat mournful observances. Silent religious processions and passion plays are commonly held on Good Friday. Easter Sunday is generally a quiet day, but there are some festive celebrations that take place. In front of the church in Etla people carry religious images draped with flowers. Bands play music, and the people carrying the images dance around as they balance the weight on their shoulders.

Run by the talented Chef Pilar Cabrera, who also offers cooking classes through Casa de los Sabores, La Olla is an unpretentious restaurant offering Oaxacan specialties. Head to the upper-level dining room, which is more spacious than the ground floor, with artwork by local artists. The moles are delicious, but to start, order the squash blossom soup. A beautifully arranged bowl with squash blossoms and seeds with some queso fresco and cream is placed in front of you, then the waiter pours the soup over it. It tastes as good as it looks. Open 8 am to 10 pm Monday through Saturday. Closed Sundays. La Olla offers a set meal between 1:30 and 4 pm - check the website for the daily menu.

It takes patience and good fortune to create a unique image in a place considered Canada’s second-most-photographed landscape. The Through the Lens Cruise on Maligne Lake gives amateur and professional shutterbugs such an opportunity. While in the boat, the onboard instructor talks technique and composition with aspiring photographers and challenges seasoned veterans to try new perspectives. Once the group arrives at Spirit Island, everyone spends an hour framing the perfect shot. The cruise experience hasn’t changed much since Jasper National Park pioneers Curly Philips and Fred Brewster set up shop at Maligne Lake in the 1920s.

Strip clubs and burlesque shows abound in Las Vegas, so if you’re looking simply for flesh, the options are everywhere. Fantasy, one of these burlesque shows, rises to the top of the list of good entertainment far beyond the lure of skin. Performers in this show are professional dancers and singers and not in the gig just to take their tops off. In fact, several times throughout the show, skin is revealed, but it’s not what grabs your attention; it really is the entertainment value and talent on stage that make this show worthwhile. The theatre in which Fantasy is held is an intimate one, so don’t be alarmed if you’re sitting mere feet away from the performers.

The village of Roslindale is filled with unlikely gems. Joanne Rossman Design is at the top of that list. Billed as a Purveyor of the Unnecessary & the Irresistible, it’s a destination filled with treasures you never knew you couldn’t live without. Charming artwork, wonderful cookbooks, scented natural soaps, divine fragrances and a collection of vintage accents for your home, each deserving of their own special place. Make sure not to miss the designers own handmade slippers, scarves and throws. Each is one of a kind, and created from the extensive selection of antique trims, fabrics and buttons that Joanne has culled over the years from all corners of the globe. The neighborhood has a slew of good restaurants, so it’s easy to spend an afternoon perusing the area.

Founded in 1879, Confitería Torres is Santiago‘s oldest restaurant still functioning, and a popular lunch destination. Housed in the Palacio Íñiguez on the stately Alameda avenue, the restaurant was saved from closing nearly a decade ago and completely restored to its former glory, with green-and-white hand-painted tile floors, lace curtains, and elegant waiters. It’s located near the government palace, and frequented by many politicians and presidents; former president Barros Lucos always ordered a steak and cheese sandwich here (the sandwich was christened with his name). The menu sticks to traditional Chilean cuisine and the bartender whips up some delicious pisco sours. Crowded at lunch time so reservations a good idea. Alameda 1570, Santiago Centro Phone: 56 (2) 2688 0751