Volume #3, Issue #6

By Heather RathThe smell of fresh blood mingled with red dust wafts up my nose. As if to ward off the unwelcome stench, I close my eyes and begin to slow down my breathing. This is my first ever bullfight in Mérida, Mexico and I am not sure I want to be here. As we wind our way into the stands at plaza de toros, pushing through polite but determined animal activists who … [Read more...] about There’s Blood in the Dirt in Merida, Mexico

By Claudia RileyIt’s not only the peaceful surroundings that make Standley Chasm an ideal place for a family walk. It’s the fact that kids can climb, jump, chase, hide, seek, investigate, discover and appreciate the attraction of its wild beauty while parents do much the same thing, but at a more, well … ‘parental’ pace. Wearing sturdy … [Read more...] about Standley Chasm: Where Kids and Parents Scramble and Play

By Cathleen McKayShocking, but true… there are indeed waterfalls other than the man-made wonders on the Strip. This must be Las Vegas’ best kept secret. I found myself lounging on a rock at stream’s edge, munching on cheese and veggies, and surrounded by the unmistakable whoosh of a cascading waterfall. Three horseback riders arrived, tethering their steeds … [Read more...] about Skip the Strip: Secret (and Free!) Nature in Las Vegas

By Cris MagninoWhen most people mention Colorado, they conjure up images of vast ski resorts, snow-covered peaks, crystal clear streams, remnants of a Gold Rush past, and the lush alpine meadows of the Rocky Mountains. However, hidden away in the southern part of the state is the desert oasis of the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve. Seeming totally out of place at … [Read more...] about Colorado’s Great Sand Dunes

By Gail CarterWe glided through the sharp blue water of Lake Titicaca on a small motorboat. Our guide Julio announced that the Uros Islands lay just ahead. My mind pictured a stereotypical sandy beach, but this island looked more like a flattened pile of brown straw. I stepped off the boat. The first thing I noticed was that the ground felt weird to walk on -- it was soft, a … [Read more...] about Reeds Rule on the Uros Islands of Lake Titicaca