by Julie Skurdenis, Contributing Editor, photos by Katie Skurdenis-Lalli

When my daughter, Katie, was small, she had so many stuffed animals that I’d sometimes walk into her bedroom for a final ‘Good night’ and say, “Where’s my kid?” Somewhere among the cuddly pink elephants, fat-bellied hippos and lions with immense fluffy manes lay a sleeping child.

I used to think then how wonderful it would be to share a safari with her one day — not toy animals but the real thing:...

by Jim Sajo, Polcenigo, Italy

I told the bored Customs agent that my visit to Ireland would last three days, explaining I was there for the solstice event at Newgrange (taking place a few days before and after the winter solstice). Handing back my passport, she replied blandly, “Oh, is that on again?”

About the site

About 30 minutes north of Dublin, a fertile valley lies in a meandering loop of the Bóinne River. Five thousand years ago, settlers raised livestock and...

by Emilee Hines, Hendersonville, NC

I fell in love with Brazil before we left the airport at Rio de Janeiro. It was mid-January, a bleak time in most of America, but in Rio fields were lush and green and trees were blooming along the streets.

Cariocas, as residents of Rio call themselves, strolled the mosaic sidewalks in sandals and casual summer clothing.

Seeing the sights

Since we had only three days in Rio, we did the touristy but impressive things: visited...