Travel

In prehistoric times, the Zambezi River flowed southward in the area of what is now Victoria Falls, but a nearby volcano’s eruption changed all of that. The river now flows eastward, as it cascades around a pad of lava laid down by the volcano, cutting a chasm enjoyed by thousands every year.

Our pilot announced, “Passengers on the right side can see smoke on the horizon …. ”

It was actually the mist rising from Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, and we were about 50 miles away.

When traveling in China, there is not a more interesting activity than to ride a pedi-cab (rickshaw in the old days), through the hutongs (old neighborhoods) in Beijing.

A visit to Turkey would not be complete without a visit to Pamukkale and a dip in the famous hot thermal waters of the travertines, enjoyable and relaxing.

Likewise, a trip to Morocco is not complete without a visit to a hammam, which is a bath house where the locals go for a cleansing of their bodies. The hammam has been an important part of Moroccan culture since Roman times.

The Adriatic Sea, long and narrow, stretches along the entire east coast of Italy across from Croatia and Albania. The Adriatic, anchored by Venice on the northern end, was well represented by explorers dating back two millennia, searching for new territory and shipping routes, and doing what early sailors did — sailing to unknown and uncharted waters.

GREAT SALT LAKE — The first words uttered by Brigham Young, the Mormon pioneer, when he crested the Wasatch Mountains of Utah and laid eyes on the valley below, were, “This is the place,” but I surmise that he meant the entirety of the beautiful bowl-shaped valley, surrounded by low-lying mountain ranges, rather than any specific feature.