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I would like to tell you about the place where you can the authentic real stuff that ordinary persons are selling on the street. An open air market called Feira da Ladra (Flee Market). It takes place around the Church of São Vicente de Fora on Tuesdays and Saturdays from 6h00 till 13h00. Here you can find everything that is characteristic about the Portuguese culture in objects, which belonged once to someone, who made it a part of their life for a number of years and now they are almost giving it away. I remember on one of my first trips I managed to grab a beautiful vintage 1940’s white linen hand braided table cloth that was custom made for the Henrique Family’s new dining room table. I got it from a middle aged woman, who went by the name of Maria Henrique who was selling a few pieces that had belonged to her grandmother. The hand sown H for the initial of the family’s last name approved for the authenticity of the item and I had no problem dishing out the incredible amount of…5 Euros.

At the Big White Ski Resort there is more to do than ski and snowboard which is especially useful to know when you’re not a skiing Canadian like myself. Instead of hitting the slopes there are snowshoe excursions, ice wall climbing, sledding with inflatable tubes, ice skating, sleigh rides, dog sledding, and, even more importantly, delicious restaurants and bars full of beer and locally produced wine.

Rumi was born in Afghanistan, spent time in Persia (Iran), then settled in Konya, Turkey when his father was invited there to be a scholar. Rumi became an Islamic scholar himself teaching peace, love, and tolerance. He built quite a following of the educated – who saw him as a wise philosopher – and uneducated – who saw him as a prophet. Rumi’s life changed when he created an intense friendship with an older, wandering mystic -- Shams of Tabriz. Shams was a brilliant outcast and Rumi was deeply drawn to a learning relationship with this man who was ultimately supposedly killed by some of Rumi’s fans due to the influence he was having on the younger Rumi. From this tragedy, Rumi found a deep well inside himself filled with an ability to channel poetry. It was about this time that he also introduced the experience of divine harmony that comes from whirling. Thus, a new form of religious ecstasy was created and the Whirling Dervishes (also known as the Mevlevi order) have been doing this annual ceremony marking Rumi’s death for almost 750 years. This is the start of the Sema (ceremony) with each Semazen (dancer) bowing upon arriving on stage and the Basi (the leader) at the “head of the class.” The mesmerizing ceremony represents man’s journey to the oneness of perfect truth – amidst separation and longing - through the power of divine love. In 2005, UNESCO proclaimed the “Mevlevi Sema Ceremony” as amongst the Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity.

Located close to Santa Fe, the Winsor Trail is a 10-mile (point-to-point) stretch, which appeals to hikers, runners, and mountain bikers. Should you start from the top, there’s several dramatic elevation shifts as the trail weaves through aspen and pine forests and meadows, and then you enter dry, rocky terrain. Downhill riders will relish the easy cruise, and those who want to practice endurance should consider the rigorous upward climb.

Featured in the 1997 Jodie Foster film, Contact (based on the Carl Sagan book), the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (VLA) is an impressive, stunning radio astronomy observatory located on the Plains of San Agustin. The massive dishes are arranged in rotating patterns and form the largest radio telescope in the world looking for complex solar system life. Visitors are allowed to walk among the array on a self-guided tour.

Near Lake Wanaka in the South Island is the remote and sparsely settled Lake Hawea. Surrounded by steep mountains untouched by man that drop swiftly down to turquoise blue waters, it couldn’t be more picturesque. This is the perfect place to stop on a road trip on the South Island between Wanaka and Franz Josef Glacier to the north. There are a few beaches fit for swimming and plenty of pull-offs to take a photo or two.

Portugal produces at least half of the world’s cork, harvested from its many cork oak forests. A design shop in the Bairro Alto neighborhood sells umbrellas, handbags, and kitchenware made from the recyclable material. Rua das Salgadeiras 10, 351/21-609-0231.

Blueberry Boy Bait may sound like a B-side song from an alternative band, but it’s actually just an ice cream flavor offered by Humphry Slocombe, a small shop in the Mission District. Owner and former pastry chef Jake Godby has made the name Humphry Slocombe synonymous with flavors and ingredients not often found in ice cream or sorbet. Case in point: best-seller Secret Breakfast, the flavor that launched a thousand Humphry Slocombe fans, a combo of homemade cornflakes and bourbon. Traditionalists will be happy to find “normal” flavors, too, but it’s Godby’s “march to your own drum” ethos that brings out his best work and keeps people lining up for creative scoops. Pick up a copy of The Humphry Slocombe Ice Cream Book, with 40 recipes you can re-create at home.

Along with stylish boutiques and design shops, the narrow lanes of the upscale Khan Market are lined with all manner of eateries, from cafés and cocktail bars to food stalls and fusions restaurants. As of late 2018, the roster also includes Sly Granny, which arrived on a wave of buzz generated from its original Bengaluru location. Through this often-packed bi-level outpost is smaller than the sprawling first location, the concept here is the same: a space “inherited” from a mythical globetrotting grandmother and inspired by her favorite recipes and eclectic style. Here, that translates to a décor of plush velvet sofas, old cookbooks, and crystal bric-a-brac, statement tableware, and bold, quirky artwork in the snug dining room, plus a cozy upstairs bar that converts to a cocktail lounge come dark. Drinks there range from the creative (crafted with ingredients like elderflower, yogurt, or honey-ginger syrup) to the classic (twists on G&Ts and Pimm’s cups), not unlike the style of the food menu below, which starts with pastas, steaks, and burgers, then veers towards tacos, schnitzel, chicken liver pâté, and Kerala-style fish moilee. You won’t need a granny’s encouragement to eat up dishes like bacon-gruyere mac-and-cheese balls, house-cured salmon, chocolate lava cake, and a twist on grilled cheese with ricotta, onion jam, tomato chutney, and two kinds of chilies.

Haleakala, a huge and dormant shield volcano, forms more than 75 percent of Maui’s landmass. As such, it pretty much demands you ascend its slopes and peer into its crater—the island’s very soul. Legend claims the demigod Maui snared the sun here, freeing it only after it swore to inch more slowly across the sky.

The 38-mile, two-and-a-half-hour drive up Haleakala climbs from sea level to 10,023 feet through several different ecological zones. One of the most popular ways to experience the volcano remains cycling down from the summit at sunrise. Do it yourself if you’re confident, or join a guided tour (Skyline Eco-Adventures offers one that includes a zip-line ride). Once you’ve mastered the motion—and the 21 switchbacks along the road—effortless downhill freewheeling rewards you with unsurpassed views of the island. If you’d rather savor the vistas from a lofty perch, drive to the top for the sunset or book an overnight at one of the park’s wilderness cabins, accessible only by hiking trail.

No island getaway is complete without seeing gorgeous scenery you’d never, ever see at home—and Willemstad’s floating bridge delivers! Built in 1888, “Our Swinging Old Lady” is supported by 16 pontoon boats and two motors. When you hear the siren, look to see the entrance gates slam shut and moments later, the bridge sways to accommodate passing ships. (If you don’t feel like waiting for Queen Emma to reopen, you can take a ferry between Willemstad’s Punda and Otrobanda districts instead.) At night, the bridge’s lights cast a shimmering rainbow on the water.

Why we love it: A 900-year-old fortress-cum-prison reimagined as a luxurious getaway

The Highlights:
- Historical details like artifacts, original ironwork, and a stone arch bearing the seal of Abdul Hamid II
- A fourth-floor infinity pool with uninterrupted views of the Mediterranean Sea
- A full-service spa with a Turkish hammam

The Review:
Located right on the main square in the old city of Jaffa, The Setai Tel Aviv is steeped in history. Built by the Crusaders as a fortress in the 12th century, the property later served as a kishle (jailhouse) under the Ottoman Empire, then a British command post during Israel’s War of Independence. When it became a hotel, the original building, with its stone corridors and inner courtyards, underwent a meticulous restoration that included archaeological digs to uncover several artifacts, which guests can now see in the lobby. Those eager to learn more about the hotel’s history can also walk through the large entry arch, crowned by the seal of Abdul Hamid II, or check out the stone-and-iron prison cells behind the grotto-like lobby bar.

Spread over three newly created floors, the 120 rooms and suites feature an Ottoman-inspired design, complete with richly colored Turkish rugs, laser-cut pendant lamps, dark wood furniture, and sleek, textured headboards. Spacious bathrooms further the luxurious vibe with granite sinks, large bathtubs, and separate rain showers. Elsewhere on property is Jaya, where guests can indulge in an ample breakfast buffet and new-Mediterranean kosher food for lunch and dinner; former prison yards that serve as the hotel’s stunning front and rear courtyards, with comfy seating among verdant lemon trees; and a basement spa, which boasts a traditional Turkish hammam. Still, the hotel’s principal amenity has to be the fabulous infinity pool with panoramic views of the Mediterranean and downtown Tel Aviv—sunsets here are nothing short of spectacular.

Located in Denver’s trendy River North district, the Source is a collection of 25 vendors sharing space in the hip industrial interior of a former 1880s iron foundry, where artisans and retailers include a bakery, a butcher shop, florist, coffee roaster, barber, and even a food photography studio. Restaurants include Acorn, a locally acclaimed eatery serving wood-fired specialties (a meaty oak-roasted monkfish comes rubbed with a Moroccan blend of chermoula and saffron ; Comida, a Mexican taquería known for authentic and slow-cooked pork carnitas and fantastic margaritas; as well as a couple of breweries and a cocktail bar. The space also hosts pop-up events for other food vendors, as well as jewelry, home goods, clothing, accessories, and cosmetics, and a 100-room hotel that opened in summer 2018.

A fairy-tale town deserves a magical funfair. Tivoli Gardens is one of the country’s most popular attractions, drawing more than four million visitors a year (in a country with a population of around 5.5 million). Youngsters will enjoy the rides, while their parents will appreciate the nostalgic charm and the wide range of dining options, from hot dogs and churros to “New Nordic” gastronomy.

Each year, six million–acre Denali National Park and Preserve gets roughly 400,000 visitors, who come in hopes of spotting the park’s own version of the Big Five (grizzly bears, moose, caribou, wolves, and flocks of Dall sheep) and to take in majestic views of the highest mountain peak in the country. Only a fraction of that number, however, escape the crowds and tour buses to make their way to the tail end of the 92-mile-long Park Road, which winds deep into the heart of Denali’s rugged backcountry to the old gold town of Kantishna. Those who do are rewarded at this all-inclusive vacation resort with 42 rustic cedar cabins, some of which have private decks facing secluded Moose Creek. (All come equipped with private indoor bathrooms and heaters, welcome treats in these parts). Activities range from morning yoga classes and gold panning to guided hikes and mountain biking excursions. After an invigorating day outdoors, guests can pamper themselves in the new spa, which offers treatments like Swedish massage with hot stone therapy.