Austria

  By Matt Johanson Years of cross country skiing should prepare a reasonably fit person for a half-day on downhill terrain. So I thought, anyway. Actually, the steep slopes of Austria’s Hintertux Glacier daunted me and my prior alpine experience seemed a distant and unhelpful memory. And to be honest,

By Mark Orwoll The bedside monkey lamps at Vienna’s new Hotel Leo Grand will either amuse you or unnerve you enough to make you sleep in the bathtub. That is, assuming you can even find your guest quarters in the first place. Room 1, for instance, is on the top

By William C. Triplett Even for the impatient, some things are worth waiting for. I had a group ski trip to Austria scheduled for late March in 2020. Just weeks before I was to go, some weird virus goes on a global rampage, making more than a few countries close

By Mark Orwoll Elisabeth Gürtler moves effortlessly, gracefully, through the woody, clublike corridors of the Alpin Resort Sacher, the recently rebranded Hotel Astoria, in Seefeld, Austria. The mountain views are magnificent from every window. The deeply upholstered lounge furniture calls out for cuddling. And the life-size toy sheep seemingly bleat to

By Brian E. Clark In 1192, on his return from the Third Crusade in the Holy Land, Richard the Lionheart (of Robin Hood fame) was captured by an Austrian rival and imprisoned in Durnstein Castle above the Danube River in northern Austria. The English monarch was detained in a dungeon

  By Jules Older Photos by Effin Older On February 20th, 2022, the Hundertwasser Art Centre opened in Whangārei, New Zealand. It opened smack in the middle of the country’s omicron outbreak. From start to that challenging opening day took 30 long years. Was it worth it? And why was

Story and Photos by Neil Wolkodoff On the big Blue Danube, the longest and widest river ship to cruise the famous waterway is the AmaMagna. Before your actual river journey, it is best to explore the embarkation and departing cities, given the distance traveled. AmaWaterways provides fully guided tour packages

  By Everett Potter Cross country skiing really took off last winter. First-timers eager for exercise and fresh air during the pandemic headed for local cross country centers. Those who had left their skis in a dustry corner of the garage rediscovered the sport, making tracks in the White Mountains,

By Everett Potter For Americans who’ve been waiting to go back to Europe to ski, the winter of 2022 is shaping up to be the perfect time. The month of January has long been the sweet spot for such a vacation. The holidays and holiday crowds are gone, and it’s