Columns

January 2015 issue | Appears on page 62

Japan: Osaka
By Randy Keck

(Second of two parts)

The second part of my late-July 2014 journey to Japan’s Kansai region began with a morning stroll around Kinosaki, one of Japan’s famed hot springs resorts, where we had enjoyed the baths the previous night. Our small group of three journalists was on a week-long exploration of Kansai as guests of the Kansai International Tourism Promotion Center.

Izushi soba

Departing Kinosaki, we traveled by minivan through clean, green countryside...

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December 2014 issue | Appears on page 0

Having fun with travel cliches
By Rick Steves

In my work throughout Europe, I struggle almost daily with this issue: When is a tourist experience actually a unique slice of a culture, and when is it a tired cliche kept alive by the travel industry? Amped-up Spanish flamenco bars, dirndl skirts in Germany, ape tours of the Rock of Gibraltar -- when does something slip from being authentic to cheesy?

When you've traveled for several decades as I have, you witness genuine customs giving way to rising commercialization...

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December 2014 issue | Appears on page 0

There's no place like Rome for the holidays
By Rick Steves

I find the holiday season in Rome a joy: crisp air; stylish big-city Italians cupping hot cappuccino in corner cafes; and hurried shoppers bundled up with panache, thoughtfully pausing at grand manger scenes. The season here stretches for over a month -- not to maximize shopping days, but to fit in the season's many holy days.

As home to Vatican City, the headquarters of the Roman Catholic Church, Rome is rich with Christmas' most sacred...

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December 2014 issue | Appears on page 0

10 tips for a very Parisian Christmas
By Rick Steves

Paris celebrates Christmas with its typical urban flair: extravagant lighting, yummy window displays, and ice skating in the heart of the city. If you go, here are 10 ways to have a "Joyeux Noel" in the City of Light ... without breaking the bank.

FIND A CHRISTMAS CAROUSEL. These seasonal merry-go-rounds (called "Maneges de Noel") pop up in every neighborhood in Paris. The biggies are at Hotel de Ville, Place Joffre near the Eiffel Tower and at the base...

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December 2014 issue | Appears on page 0

Pondering German history in Nurnberg
By Rick Steves

From a traveler's perspective, Nurnberg -- Bavaria's second city -- has it all: excellent museums, thought-provoking history, glorious red-sandstone Gothic architecture, and a charming Old Town encircled by a nearly intact medieval wall. It also boasts Germany's largest (and most famous) Christmas market, along with the country's tiniest (and most beloved) sausage.

Nurnberg was one of Europe's leading cities around 1500. Its large ...

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December 2014 issue | Appears on page 2

Customs clearance by automated kiosk. Also, driving in New Zealand or Mexico?
By David Tykol

Dear Globetrotter:

Welcome to the 466th issue of your monthly foreign-travel magazine. Within the last month, I’ve heard several subscribers describe this magazine as “real,” by which, they explain, they mean it’s full of candid accounts from travelers who write for the benefit of other international travelers.

You’ll see that as you flip through the pages. For now, I have the following to report.

 

The US Department of Homeland...

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December 2014 issue | Appears on page 55

Import duties
By Philip Wagenaar

(First of three parts)

Intrigued by the round marble table with its intricate designs, my wife, Flory, and I sat on the marble stools surrounding it and twirled the attached lazy Susan. We decided to buy the table and stools and have them shipped from China to Seattle. It was November, in the year 2000.

A few weeks later, we received a notice from US Customs that the table could be picked up. We didn’t have to pay duty. My son, Paul, and a friend volunteered to move the table...

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December 2014 issue | Appears on page 60

The National Botanic Garden of Namibia

Namibia’s National Botanic Garden was right there, according to my map, close by Windhoek’s impressive Parliament Building and a hop, skip and a jump from the city’s landmark Christ Church. But where was it? 

As I trudged along streets and roads that invariably didn’t take me to the garden, there was no need to remind me that Windhoek is the capital city of the driest country south of the Sahara. My water bottle had long ago gone empty.

“Can...

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