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Dubai’s perpetually glittering Gold Souk has been one of this Emirate’s major attractions for many years—you’ll find dozens and dozens of shops selling gold, silver, platinum, and diamonds, plus plenty of touts hawking “geniune fake” Rolex watches, iPhones, textiles, laptops, and more. The government exercises strict controls over the quality of gold and other precious metals, so you can rest assured that what you’re buying is the real deal—though the same cannot be said for the wristful of watches you’re likely to be talked into purchasing down a back alley. The Gold Souk is a fantastic place to watch Dubai whiz by; pack your camera and plenty of memory cards for a wander through the back alleys, where you’ll encounter friendly folk eager to pose with you for a photo or two.

Jama Masjid, India’s largest mosque, was commissioned by Shah Jahan, the same emperor who built the iconic Taj Mahal for his beloved wife, Mumtaz Mahal. Completed in 1656, the courtyard of Jama Masjid can accommodate 25,000 devotees. Visitors must comply with a dress code; traditional robes can be rented at the northern gate. The mosque is located in Old Delhi near other notable sites, including the Red Fort and Chandni Chowk market, so schedule extra time to explore the area. Note: No visitors are allowed during prayer hours.

When most people look at a piece of turquoise, they see a pretty blue stone. The people of New Mexico see water, sky, bountiful harvests, and a source of health and protection. Turquoise has been a valuable stone—in jewelry, for ceremonial purposes, and as an object of trade—for more than a thousand years. Many works of art incorporating turquoise are on permanent display in New Mexico, at institutions like the Museum of Indian Arts & Culture in Santa Fe. You can also, however, see (and touch) them at street festivals and markets along with weaving, pottery, silverwork, Kachina dolls, and more. You may even decide to take a bit of New Mexico home with you.

In a tucked away corner of Lisboa, in the no-man’s land between the core of Lisboa and Belem, is the bustling new design and arts district, the cornerstone of which is the LX Factory. Set on movie-set looking ground of an old manufacturing district, the LX Factory is a great place to get away from the more tourist parts and hang out amid the design firms, production studios, restaurants and shops — all having a design-centered focus. Very cool retail and restaurants, even a hotel, all tucked under the constant roar of the off/on ramps to the Big Bridge. It’s a destination place, so don’t do what I did and try to walk there from Barrio Alto on a 98 degree day! The cool thing is they didn’t gloss it up, but kept the place to its core history, with wonderful decay and industrial bones still in place. Two great places to be sure to check out: the 1300 Taberna restaurant, set in beautiful space with factory skylights and extremely nice people and, the Ler Devagar bookstore — which is the store that attracted me to this special place and often cited as one of the most beautiful bookstores in the world. It is set amidst an old printing plant, which like the rest of the area, they left all the old parts in place, so the whole bookstore is built around the old two story printing press, with seats, racks and even a cafe nestled amidst the old printing units, catwalks and folders. So cool. Worth the trip. A lot happenin’ here.

Strolling down Marnixstraat you wouldn’t suspect it’s there, unless you notice a small sign near a stairwell adjacent to the Q-Park. From Nassaukade, there’s no access, but you can see the buzzing venue across Singlegracht canal: Waterkant, a tropical-themed bar and restaurant serving casual fare on the waterfront behind the twin towers of the parking garage. The brainchild of the catering team that brought popular Bukowski Bar, Café Kuijper and Maxwell to Amsterdam, Waterkant debuted to instant success in August 2014. Seemingly overnight, the trio transformed the dilapidated night shelter behind the Q-Park into a canal-side bar and restaurant perfect for a romantic date or evening out with friends. At colorful tables on an expansive terrace, you can watch boats passing by and the Nassaukade street scene over beer, snacks, lunch or dinner. Looking to Amsterdam’s colonial past, the new hotspot features a Suriname-inspired menu with specialties like peanut soup, curried duck spring rolls, fried dumplings and roti roll. If you’re starving, order the Jamaican Jerk ribs—a whopping 16 barbecued bones served with coleslaw and fries. Or blow the budget on a whole Canadian lobster for €25. Wash it all down with traditional Parbo beer or a local craft brew.

Each time I see the Barra or Aveiro Light on the Barra Beach, I marvel at its beauty and strength. The lighthouse is located on a barrier beach on its Atlantic side where Atlantic storms are frequent and powerful. The light is an active light and the lighthouse is a round tower with red and white paint decorating its 203 feet making it the tallest lighthouse in Portugal. The majestic Farol da Barra was built from 1885 - 1893. It was commissioned in 1893. In 1958 an elevator was installed. (There are also 291 steps on the spiral stairway). In 1990, the light was automated. This historic light is something you want to see while in the Aveiro area. It is open to the public so you can visit and climb the light and enjoy the views. There are some nice restaurants on the promenade. The beach is great... a vacation spot that feels like a party in the Summer ( late Spring,and Fall are great , too). There are hotels and condo rentals available. This is another super historic lighthouse. A great attraction for you to experience.

It may not look like much and there’s certainly no need to dress up. But despite its humble appearance on the posh Brouwersgracht, Swieti Sranang serves up some of the best—and most affordable—Indonesian and Surinamese food in town. Owned by Henk van de Weerd and Juliet Chang, the tiny hole-in-the-wall reflects Amsterdam‘s immigrant influences with Indonesian and Surinamese-inspired sandwiches, snacks, rice, roti and bami/nasi specialties. Swieti Sranang is the perfect source for casual lunch or dinner fixings. Pick up a few Indonesian sandwiches, a bag of banana or cassava chips, a few loempia and kip sate sticks, and you have the perfect ingredients for a canal-side picnic. All dishes are lovingly prepared by Chef Juliet, who was born in Indonesia and raised in Suriname. Most sandwiches and snacks are priced under €3, while main meals are €9 or less, making it easy for two to fill up for about €20. You can sample a few selections from the menu on the new Jordaan Food Tour, (http://www.eatingamsterdamtours.com/jordaan-food-tour/), offered Tuesday through Saturday, beginning at 11am.

One of the best strolls through Venice begins in the neighborhood of Arsenale and finishes on the Island of Sant’Elena. Walk along the main drag of Via Giuseppe Garibaldi, a street full of shops and colourful local life until it dead ends. Make a right on to Viale Giuseppe Garibaldi where a monument to the streets namesake stands. From here the streets become very quiet. Follow Viale Giuseppe Garibaldi to the end and turn left onto the Fondamenta San Giuseppe. This is a mostly residential area where you see laundry hanging from pastel painted houses and hear small fishing boats tapping against the sides of the canal. Make the first right off the Fondamenta and get lost in the twist of back streets here until you come upon the Via XXIV Maggio. From here, look for signs pointing to the Church of Sant’Elena, a beautiful 12th-century monastery on the island.

Good breakfast spots are on the rise in San Pedro, but one of the most beloved places to grab a bite will always be Estel’s Dine by the Sea. Aside from its perfect beachfront location where you can eat with your toes in the sand, the food is pretty darn good as well. At Estel’s, you won’t find menus on the table; you must walk inside to check out the board. Don’t be surprised to find a crowd on the weekends, especially Sunday mornings. Just follow the smell of Charles Jr.’s famous BBQ specialties cooking on the grill, and you’ll understand why people are ordering plates of ribs first thing on Sunday! Aside from some impressive barbecue, Estel’s has a number of dishes that might leave you feeling the need to return once or twice more for breakfast. Personal recommendations include the Mayan Eggs, which is scrambled eggs with tomatoes, onions, bell peppers, and sausage, served with a side of refried beans and fry jacks, or try the breakfast burrito. Don’t forget the Marie Sharps hot sauce on top! Breakfast is served all day. Closed Tuesdays.

Built between 1914 and 1916 on an octagonal base, this stone, double-lens lighthouse is Aruba’s marquee landmark. Standing tall at 98 feet, it’s the highest structure on the island and offers the best views in its respective area. It gets its name from the SS California, a British steamship that sank in nearby waters in 1891 and now functions as a fantastic dive site. Adjacent to the lighthouse, visitors will find a beloved Italian restaurant and the California White Sand Dunes, a hot spot for dune surfing.

A lowly warehouse in Antwerp may not seem like a life-changing sort of place. However, this was the start of a completely new life for over 2 million emigrants and a lifesaver for many of them. The brand new Red Star Line Museum in Antwerp tells the story of these emigrants, who bravely travelled from Eastern Europe to North America, leaving everything they knew behind. Although the Red Star Line Museum primarily focuses on the immigrants who travelled on board RSL ships, there is also a modern side to the story. On the ground floor, the exhibit ‘Always on the Move’ deals with the current state of migration around the world. Coupled with temporary photography exhibits, this modern section of the museum reminds us that, even today, emigration isn’t always a choice for the migrants. The Red Star Line Museum tells a powerful and important story in a beautiful and moving way. It should be on the ‘must visit’ list for all expats and descendants of immigrants, so we never forget the struggle our ancestors made on our behalf. More Information: http://cheeseweb.eu/2013/10/red-star-line-immigration-museum-antwerp-belgium/

Gamers, rejoice! Card Kingdom has everything a board or card game enthusiast could ask for — including an attached gaming cafe, where you can take a game for a spin before buying. The large, nicely lit store has rooms dedicated to role-playing games, classic and independent board games, Magic: The Gathering cards, dice and accessories, children’s games, puzzles, and miniatures. Smaller rooms off to the side are for tournament play and can be reserved by larger groups, or you can just grab one of the tables in the open central area to play. At the front counter, they have dozens of tester games that they’ll let you sign out and play with in-store, and if you ask nicely, they’ll open a new game if they don’t already have a tester. Cafe Mox serves a simple menu of sandwiches and salads, plus shareable snacks (the pineapple rumaki are strangely addictive), and beer and wine; larger groups can also reserve one of the cafe’s private rooms. Shop for a new favorite game or gather with friends and play an old favorite together.

The medieval round Galata Tower built in 1348 has played many roles for Istanbul over the years: A watchtower for Bosphorus trade, an observation deck for spotting fires, the setting of a legendary flight across the Bosphorus, and now a tourist attraction offering 360 degree views of Istanbul. Hands down, it’s the best way to see how the city spreads across its European and Asian sides. Go for sunset, but arrive early to beat the queue.

Pristine, untouched and unforgettable: There’s no other way to describe this natural park just off the northeast coast of St. Croix. Walking trails crisscross the expanse through frangipani and tamarind trees and cacti to beautiful beaches. Turtle Bay, on the western side, wows with its magnificent snorkeling; the protected waters and massive coral reef are home to more than 250 kinds of fish. Admission numbers are limited each day; advance booking is required.

If you are visiting the southwestern part of Hokkaido, be sure to visit Lake Hill Farm to taste the wonderful home made ice cream. They have a wide variety of flavors. We tried the Milk (they also have Double Cream or Cream and Milk), Green Tea, Milk Tea, Chocolate, Strawberry. Hard to describe but it’s creamy yet light and refreshing. If the place wasn’t closing when we arrived, we would have probably ordered more, haha! Funny looking scoop too, for a moment there I thought it was a piece of cake on a cone :-) At the back of the ice cream shop, there is an open area where you can sit and enjoy wonderful views of Ezo Mt. Fuji (Mt. Yotei). Too bad it was already dark when we arrived. There is also a cafe on the other side of the building that sells hot coffee, and other food like curry etc. We went to get a cup of hot Hokkaido fresh milk, fresh from the farm itself. During the summer, the local guide told me that you can also pet the animals, do some other activities like ice cream making, butter making, etc. I must return :-)