At age 35, I've moved beyond the days when travel, in and of itself, was a good enough reason to spend months abroad. There are other responsibilities I feel now, responsibilities which prod me to seek more concrete ways to contribute to our world.
This is a building I passed while walking through the USC campus. Named after the scholar Francis Lieber, a German who helped establish a national reputation for the university.
At 1483 feet tall, these were the world's tallest buildings until 2003, when Taiwan surpassed them by completing the Taipei 101 Tower.
From the top floor of the KLCC shopping mall, in the Malaysia city of Kuala Lumpur, one can look through the glass roof at the adjacent 1483-foot Petronas Towers. It's an impressive view, made all the more interesting by the glass cleaners.
Air pollution is a problem in Metro Manilla. Still, there are worse things...
Taken in Quezon City, Metro Manilla, the Philippines.
Apart from the fresh pastries made daily, Zalatimo produce hand made chocolates and sugared almonds. Sugared almonds are an ancient tradition that dates back to the Roman Empire.
The shops are an attraction themselves. Large trays of neatly arranged pastries are placed on gleaming stands making the displays even more attractive.
Faisaleh pastries are made with a thin, thread like pastry which is shaped into triangles and filled with bright green pistachios. After baking they are dipped into syrup in the traditional middle eastern way.
Moldavian Hotel Drushba. Drushba means 'friendship' in Russian.
Despite the impression one may get from watching the news, there are places in the Palestinian Territories both beautiful and friendly, even now. One of the finest hikes in the region is in Wadi Kelt, a canyon on the outskirts of the West Bank town of Jericho.