In Paris, everything is perfect. The broad avenues intersect in star plazas with huge statuary and fountains. Your walk is always close to trees and little public flower gardens. The buildings are all decorated as finely frosted cakes. Everything is just a little nicer than it needs to be, but also spookily uniform. The city [...]

Amsterdam is outrageously small and cute. Built around concentric canals, the houses are wedged along the water mingled in with cafes and shops. The narrow cobblestone spoke streets gradually give way to avenues outside the medieval center, but the first thing you notice is the bicycles. Everyone seems to be on one of these black [...]

In late September we left Boston, flew into Keflek airport, rented a subcompact mini car and drove to Reykjavik as the sun rose. Watching long fingers of misty clouds retreat back over the mountains we realized what the big deal was about Iceland. The vulcan rock of the island is sharp, raw and fresh. Everything [...]