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If you’ve arrived in the Land of Oz by way of Kansas, you might be asked to follow the yellow-brick road; however, if you find yourself touching down in Boston, chances are good you’ll want to walk along a red-brick road instead.

The red-brick path is a walking trail known as the Freedom Trail, a place to learn about the American Revolution in a way you’ll find in no other city. The Freedom Trail leads visitors along 2.5 miles of red brick to sixteen historic sites, which were preserved by Boston’s citizens 52 years ago in 1958. The trail consists of churches and museums, cemeteries and meeting houses, parks, historic markers, and even a ship, all revealing what happened during the American Revolution in the 1700s.

Once you’ve checked into one of the great rooms available in Boston , you can take a stroll on the Freedom Trail and see the places where history shaped and formed the United States. Begin with The Boston Common, which is the oldest park in America, and originated in 1634, only four years after the city itself was established.

Move on to the State House, one of the oldest buildings on Beacon Hill. Then go by the Park Street Church, one of the spots where slavery was first protested, and the Granary Burying Ground, a cemetery that contains the remains both of John Hancock and Paul Revere, among many other notable people of the Revolution.

As you continue along the path, you’ll find the King’s Chapel and the King’s Chapel Burying Ground, a statue of Benjamin Franklin and the Boston Latin School, the Old Corner Book Store, the Old South Meeting House, and the Site of the Boston Massacre. You’ll find Faneuil Hall, where Americans first protested the Sugar Act and the Stamp Act, the first place where the idea of no taxation without representation arose. You’ll also find on this trail Paul Revere’s House, the Old North Church, Copp’s Hill Burying Ground and the Bunker Hill Monument. Finally, you’ll discover the USS Constitution, which is the oldest warship (that was commissioned) that’s still floating in the world.

While there are only 2.5 miles of the Freedom trail, it’s a path that may take you a few days to properly explore as you investigate America in the 18th Century.

If you don’t know how to surf or sail boat or even water ski or scuba dive when you arrive in Miami, Florida, that doesn’t mean you can’t do all of those things and in fact be pretty good at them by the time you live. It is frequently a nice surprise and sometimes even a relief when the guests in some of Miami’s finest hotels find out the number of excellent water sports and marine recreational training programs and educational facilities exist in the city. Of course there are also those who go specifically to Miami to learn one or more of the above-mentioned sports because the city is known for its great training programs.

There are plenty of great surfing schools and pro gear shops in Miami and SOBE Surf is one of them. They provide quality training and practice opportunities for children and adults and have classes and instruction for all skill levels. Whether you’re comfortable with the paddle surf or want stand up on the board, there is a class for you and a patient and supportive instructor to help you get where you want to be. The company reports to having the most qualified teachers and this makes all the difference in trying to learn to surf as well as some of the other water sports.

Miami Scuba Ventures is the leading South Florida provider of private and semi-private instruction for scuba certification. One people learn to scuba dive an entirely new world is opened up to them and this frequently changes their outlook on many aspects of life and their world. There is an amazing amount of beauty and life found under the water and exploring it becomes an obsession for many people. This is one of the reasons why quality training and certification is so important because it is essential to know what your doing under there and be able to deal with various situations as they rise. Solid skills also contribute to sense of confidence, which enhances a diver’s underwater experience.

It may seem like nothing existed in the Las Vegas Valley before Las Vegas became the Entertainment Capital of the World and one of the most popular destinations for adults, but the valley has been inhabited for hundreds of years, with the Paiute Native American population, then with Spanish explorers, who utilized the area’s water as they headed from Texas to the West Coast along the Old Spanish Trail.

In May of 1855, Bringham Young asked William Bringhurst and thirty missionaries from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints to head into the area in order to convert the native population. While the Mormons left Las Vegas in 1857, they left behind an adobe fort known as the Old Fort, which may be seen today in the Old Las Vegas Mormon State Historic Park .

Often people find their way to any number of hotel suites. Las Vegas , though, offers more in its historic landmarks, such as this interesting park. The Old Fort was built along the Las Vegas Creek in 1855, and the Mormons settled and farmed the land using water from the creek. Remnants of the fort still remain and now acts as a Visitor Center with various displays regarding the site’s history, including various artifacts from that time period. In fact, there is now a full-sized replica of the original fort (including the last standing wall from the original fort), as well as a Pioneer Garden. The entire aim of the park is to investigate the history of the area. Visitors will find the park open from Monday to Saturday, from eight in the morning to four thirty in the afternoon.

If you like the idea of coming to Las Vegas and exploring a little bit of its history and natural world, in addition to the Vegas Strip and casinos, then you might also be interested in taking a look at Mt. Charleston, which offers miles of trails for biking and hiking, located just thirty miles outside of town. Pine forests here provide excellent spots for picnicking, and you can ski in the winter and ride on horseback in the summer months.

When spending time in the city of Miami Florida it is all about the water. There is something special about walking along a sandy boardwalk in some cool shorts or a bikini watching all the people enjoying themselves in the sun. It is such a freeing feeling to leave the suit and tie on the hotel floor and let the sun and wind breeze over ones skin. It makes most people want to toss the crazy stressful job and move onto the beach and rent wind surf boards. Ok, so that may take it a bit far but I am sure many have dreamed about it. Just getting to vacation in such a fun environment may have to be enough. So make it great.  

How about renting something. How about renting a boat and taking the family out for some waterskiing. Or maybe a Hobie Cat would be the rental for a day of sailing. Rent a wave runner and take on your buddy in a water race. There is also the option of chartering an adventure. This is fun because you get the local guide to share the history of the area and show you the hot spots for seeing things like dolphin swimming. They can take visitors out for some deep sea fishing or into the near by Biscayne Bay and Florida Key for some fly fishing.  

Getting into the water is also fun with some snorkeling right off the beach. A more intense version of this is scuba diving. There are some great dives with 10 man made reefs near the city beaches. Check out South Beach Divers as a possible scuba connection. One can also check with their miami hotel suites concierge for more information on were to go for the water sport fun. There are plenty more ways to enjoy the beach and the ocean so have a great trip.

Being in the city is as exciting as being part of a song, and there’s so much to Atlantic City that is worthy of music. It’s a spectacular place, where there are splendid attractions and adventures waiting for you at every turn, and there’s always a sense that more is on the way. There’s always excellent hotels to make the stay perfectly stylish, and have you humming along to your own heartbeat, which is faster here.

It’s an exciting place, and it has an exciting present that is matched by its history. There are plenty of ways to explore, but taking a historical tour is probably one of the more interesting, as far as history lovers might be concerned.

Most of the visitors here are from all ages, meaning that there are lots of diverse tastes and opinions, and all of them have something to offer here. There are probably a large number, however, out of the young as well as the old, who have been aware of its history as a place where people come to have adventures.

It’s also been a place of adventure for a long time, where the first official resident here, Jeremiah Leeds , has family in the U.S. since 1696, but the Native peoples had been here for a couple hundred generations prior to that.

It’s possible to learn more about the history of Leeds in the Galloway Township close by, where he and many members of his family are buried. These are interesting treasures that fill in some of the gaps between now and then, and there are plenty of others to be filled. You’ll find your own rhythm here, and discover ways to make your own history as you did into the present in Atlantic City.

One of the biggest mistakes a prospective visitor to Missouri can make is to believe, site unseen, that Branson (in the southwestern part of the state) appeals to a limited segment of the population. The Branson area , 175 miles south of the Missouri state capital in Jefferson City, has something for virtually everyone! What’s your pleasure –live entertainment, fine dining, shopping, or great options in rooms ? Or, would you prefer the outdoorsy stuff like camping, hiking, horseback riding, biking, boating and water sports? Golf anyone? It’s here. For those with a penchant for history, you may choose a visit to Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield , a major Civil War site that is virtually unchanged since the terrible conflict in August 1861.

The area is replete with national forest units, wilderness areas, state parks, and miles of placid lakes and waterways, large and small. There are endless vistas and tranquil places that offer either interactive fun with family and friends or moments of solitude to recharge your appreciation of nature. But, for activity in the world of performance entertainment, there is nothing like the variety of venues in Branson. Take your choice of stage shows that are land-based or partake in a dinner cruise. And, if you like a little “processed grape” with your meal, or want to see it from vine to wine, you can tour the local vineyards.

The stage shows are perhaps the best-known feature of Branson. With around 50 theatres and more than 100 shows, this is a mecca for those who want an alternative to a trip to New York, Vegas or LA and still keep options open to enjoy fresh air in the great outdoors. From country to rock ‘n roll, the music just keeps on coming. Great names from stage and screen, recording, television, grace these stages year round. There is so much to see and do that you need not only to plan ahead, but also plan to stay awhile!

Visiting Singapore is always an adventure in embracing an idea of the world that is so much larger than previously imagined.  It even seems that, with subsequent visits, there must be one time in the near future when it will be possible to determine what the next trends might be, or what the next development in the art scene will look like.  But the truth about the future, when human beings, especially artists, are concerned, is about as predictable as love or money.  Every good fortune teller knows that they have to talk about these things, but they also know that they are more elusive than the phantasmal forms that sometimes help us to find them.

It has happened, and it keeps happening, being one of the premiers places for new and experimental art in the region.  These were very difficult shoes to fill, because being the artistic director means to be able to hold up in reputation to its founder, but also to be daring and innovative enough to take the reigns and move it in a way that the art community could admire.  It’s a tough task.  It certainly is a relief, then, to see Noor Effendy Ibrahim taking up the post.  This new director, a performance and visual artist of Indian background, seems to have not only the chops, but the drive, and certainly a sense of humor, and that might be the most important thing of all.

Being on assignment here, in this crazy labyrinth called Singapore, where strange angels are haunting every doorway, reminding you of that delicate balance between the living and the dead, there’s always some questions.  Why would they choose me to write about this particular festival, and how do I find out the best Chinese restaurant in town without becoming larger than some of the statues of the Buddha?  The answer to both of these questions live somewhere in an ether that I’ve certainly never tried, and perhaps never will.  I understand that there are certain Nirvanas that are not accessible to just anyone, and my own record will stand as it is.

They wouldn’t let me in to most, I would imagine, although here, at the Hungry Ghost Festival, it’s looking like this might be a possibility.  This is the festival that happens every year, during the seventh lunar month, when all the ghosts that haven’t been remembered properly come to the surface of the earth.  It’s origins are Chinese, but just as important right here, where Chinese culture is a large part of the city-states’s identity.  The people have been here for a long time, and the ghosts, it seems, for much longer than that.  This is becoming my favorite holiday very quickly.

I understand why I’m drawn.  I’ve always liked the idea of feeding the dead, because it speaks to a metaphorical idea I have about history.  Here, however, there’s no metaphor at work.  The thing that you see happening is exactly what it is.  They place plates of food on the ground so that the ghosts can eat.  Good luck to you if you happen to walk on one of these plates accidentally, because although not everyone can see ghosts, they can certainly see us.  I would imagine that after a few more visits here, and a few more ghost festivals, I might even be able to start making out these forms in the air, because there are times that I certainly see something.

Albany isn’t the first place most people would want to visit, except maybe for being the state’s Capital, but other than that, there really isn’t much happening here from what I can tell, but maybe that’s because it’s in the middle of winter. On my way here, after finding a place to stay by booking a hotel room online, this guy in the Penn Station bar in Manhattan, who started talking to me, said he was so glad to escape Albany and really resents having to go back to visit with family.

My friend Windy, the reason I’m here, tells me otherwise, she really loves it in Albany and told me that it’s one of the fastest growing cities in the US. When she was telling this, she didn’t seem so convincing to me, but for me it’s never the place, but the people you are with, which makes any trip worthwhile. I spend two days with her and met her new friends at dinner. We caught up on years of being away from each other and boy did we eat and drink! I’d forgotten just how fun Windy can be, she’s a total blast. The last time we were together was our trip together to London and all I can remember is how many jokes she made at the English’s expense. Toothy if you get my drift.

My Ipod decided to quit working, so Windy took me to the local Apple store and viola’! Apple replaced it, but I did lose about 60 Gigabytes worth of music. I wasn’t really stressing that I’d be soundless for my trip back to Manhattan, but Windy’s new boyfriend came to my rescue and uploaded his collection, for which I am eternally grateful, except I never heard of the music, like Phish, String Cheese Incident and Assembly of Dust, but now, they are all my favorites! Thanks Albany, Windy and Windy’s new boyfriend!

Coming into Boston, I’m realizing that I’m not remembering things correctly.  It’s all just a little bit off today.  That’s probably part of a larger agenda, on my part, because memory sometimes works in my favor to make things look better in different kinds of light.  The last time I was here, however, it wasn’t the usual kind of east coast trip, where I land and check into a lovely hotel and begin an assortment of obligations and pleasures, leading to a business lunch with someone who will try to tell me no a few times before we discover that we do meet eye to eye.

This time, I am here to meet with a publisher, and I’m convinced that it should certainly go well, but it will not.  This is not a good time to be making deals, and at the same time, I did a divination on myself before I left and discovered that this is not supposed to go well, in order to make room for what happens next, which is unknowable.  I’m used to these signs by now, so I don’t mind having to put in time on the ground even though I will not get what I want.  It’s not supposed to happen that way, and I already know it, so I can relax and enjoy the time here.  I might go to one of the districts where there are a number of old bookstores, because last time I remember coming across one that was particularly well-stocked with Masonic texts, and it might be interesting to see who turns up there.

The last time I was here, it was to meet a new contact in what many considered to be a sure deal.  All we had to do was meet at one of those rock and roll museum restaurants, where I would tell him about our plans to do a series of books on dragons by region, and it would go over well enough we were all sure and agreed.  At that particular meeting, however, halfway through a Ruben, he started to play with his glass in a way that I recognized, and he asked me to try to understand things a little more carefully and with more heart, until he disappeared, and all I was left with was an empty table and his reflection in the ice cubes.