Casablanca is a very large, international city on the Atlantic coast of Morocco. It is about one hour Southwest of Rabat, the capital, but it’s much more cosmopolitan. It’s the country’s main port and the largest financial center in Africa. It also has Morocco’s largest international airport.
The city was made famous by the beloved 1942 eponymous film, Casablanca, and its star-studded cast featuring Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Berman, and Claude Rains. That film has been the source of several memorable quotes still part of our vernacular, such as “here’s looking at you, kid,” “round up the usual suspects,” and “I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.” But I digress!
Cosmopolitan Casablanca. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
During our last visit to Casablanca For lunch, we walked to Dar Dada in the heart of the city’s medina, It’s around the corner from Rick’s Café, a restaurant named for the film. I wouldn’t have minded trying the food at Rick’s, but we have been told by people we know that it’s a “pure tourist trap.”
Dar Dada restaurant in Casablanca. Photo by Manos Angelakis.
Dar Dada is in a riad building built in classic Spanish Andaluz style with a covered central atrium that now serves as the restaurant’s main space.
Pastilla au poulet at Dar Dada. Photo by Manos Angelakis.
The food is classic Moroccan, and the menu is in French with some exceptional appetizers, i.e. entrées, such as selection de salades fines marocaines, pastilla au poulet (known as bastillas in the US (closed phyllo dough pies sprinkled with confectioner’s sugar and cinnamon), and salade de saumon.
The mains are divided into fish and seafood, such as croustillant feuilleté de poisson légère crème safranée, filet de Saint-Pierre juste saisi escalivada de legumes et pomme écrasée, and tajine d’espadon tout en saveurs de chermoula citronnée.
A Moroccan tagine. Photo by Manos Angelakis.
Also meats, such asepaule d’agneau cuite lentement & dorée accompagnée de légumes (2 personnes), tajine de jarret de boeuf aux coings caramelizes, a couple of couscous de jarret de boeuf mijoté aux legumes, and other classic tajines. Amongst these tajines was the garlic and lemon chicken tajine I had for lunch.
Of course, there are also desserts and fruit plates, as well as a selection of French wines and champagnes, nice local beers and an exceptional collection of single malt whiskeys. These include Moroccan wines, both whites and reds. But they seem to be very acidic, so they work best with fatty beef dishes rather than delicate poultry tajines.
Garlic and lemon tagine at Dar Dada. Photo by Manos Angelakis.
But I asked for the recipe of the garlic and lemon chicken tajine I had, and I’m happy to share it with you below.
Garlic and Lemon Chicken Tajine
Ingredients:
5 or 6 skinless but bone-in chicken thighs (about 2 ½ lbs.) 1 preserved lemon, halved 1 tablespoon baharat spice blend 3 tablespoons olive oil 2 medium red onions, quartered 2 heads garlic, peeled (about 20 pieces) ¼ cup chicken broth 2 tablespoons honey 2 cups squash, diced ¼ cup dry figs or apricots, cubed and rehydrated ½ cup pitted green and black olives, mixed Flat leaf parsley or cilantro Pickled pimento strip
Method:
Rub the chicken thighs with ½ of preserved lemon. Sprinkle baharat evenly over the chicken, and rub it into the chicken pieces to create a coating. Cover the chicken tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate it overnight to marinate. In the morning, remove the chicken from the refrigerator, and let it return to room temperature. Slice the quartered onions and garlic into thin pieces, and set aside.
Heat olive oil over medium heat at the bottom of a flameproof tajine (tajine must be labeled “flameproof” to be usable on a stove top, whether gas or electric). Place chicken pieces in the tajine to brown. Cook them for 5-6 minutes until the chicken is browned on all sides. Cover the chicken with the reserved onion and garlic slices. Add 2 cups of diced squash and parsley or cilantro. Add ¼ cup of reconstructed figs and ½ cup of pitted green and black olives. Add the juice, the preserved lemon pieces, and cubed rind and lemon flesh. Stir in the broth and honey. Cover with the tajine lid, reduce heat to low, and let everything cook for at least 25 minutes. When the chicken is fully cooked, the juices will run clear. Top with slice of pickled pimiento.
The chicken tajine can be started on the stovetop for browning the chicken and then moved to the oven to cook at 350 F⁰ for at least 50 minutes.
Editor’s Note:
If you can’t find baharat, you can substitute with Indian garam masala. This will make the flavors even more complex.
Tajine dishes with fish or chicken frequently feature preserved lemons. The lemons are preserved by keeping them in a mixture of sea salt and lemon juice. You can buy them in jars on Amazon, or you can make your own:
1 large mouth jar with lid, sterilized 11 to 13 thin skinned lemons
Classic Method:
Squeeze juice from 4 lemons and reserve juice, discarding the rinds.
Remove and discard the top and bottom of the remaining lemons.
Set a lemon on one end, and make a slit from top to ¾ down, making sure the lemon is NOT halved. Turn the lemon with the other end on top, and slit it again about ¾ down at a 90-degree angle to the first cut.
Working over the jar, fill the slits with as much salt as they will hold, and place them in the jar. Repeat until you have used the rest of the lemons, pushing them down with a spoon to minimize the empty space as much as possible.
Pour the reserved juice over the lemons until they are fully submerged, secure the lid, and set the jar in a refrigerator for 6 weeks, occasionally shaking the jar. The lemons will keep for as long as 6 months after the lid is opened and the first lemon is removed for use.
To use the lemons, slice the rind in thin strips, or cube them into small pieces, and add to a tajine.
For an interesting tasting variation, especially if you’re using dry and rehydrated fruit like prunes, apricots, or figs, dissolve 1 teaspoon of sugar into the lemon juice to sweeten the dish.
Leaving Las Vegas behind, I accelerated onto the straight desert highway. The two-hour drive to St. George flew by, framed by an endless vista of solitary cacti and sagebrush that felt plucked straight from a classic Western film.
Today, this desert urban oasis is booming as one of the fastest growing cities in the United States. Yet, beneath its growing presence of four-star hotels, fine restaurants, and modern ranch-style homes, the city feels like it belongs there.
Stepping into the comfortable dry heat and cloudless skies of St. George, I met my guide, Tyler Webb, who welcomed me with a preview of our destination – striking photos of the iron-rich red cliffs that put Zion National Park on the map.
Hikers often whisper that Zion eclipses the Grand Canyon, a claim I initially took with a grain of salt. But as we passed through the park gates, any scepticism vanished. The landscape instantly reared up into a monumental corridor of sheer verticality. Towering monoliths of Navajo sandstone erupted thousands of feet straight out of the canyon floor, their colossal scale shrinking me to an absolute speck against the rock.
The Narrows at Zion National Park. Photo by Sebastian Price.
The next morning, we set out at first light to beat the crowds to The Narrows. This legendary slot canyon is a masterpiece of geological time, where the Virgin River has sliced a sheer gorge through two thousand feet of Navajo sandstone. At its tightest bottlenecks, the massive rock walls squeeze to a mere 20 feet wide.
Bypassing the well-trodden dirt path, I stepped directly into the throat of the canyon. The shock was immediate. The rushing water was shockingly icy, fed by the fresh spring snowmelt surging down from the high plateaus.
Later, standing on the precipice of the high overlook, the sheer scale of the canyon walls hit me all over again. Every muscle ache from the steep ascent vanished against the vastness of the horizon. My guide set up his tripod just as the sky caught fire. The sunset didn’t just fade; it ignited the canyon, casting long, dramatic shadows that played across the red and white rock faces.
Watching the colors morph in the twilight, I realized I wasn’t just looking at a landscape. I was watching the earth change dramatically.
Bryce Canyon National Park
The hoodoos of Bryce Canyon National Park. Photo by Sebastian Price.
Leaving the vertical red walls of Zion behind the next morning, we traded one geological wonder for another as we headed toward Bryce Canyon National Park – a landscape famous for its surreal stone spires or hoodoos. The two-hour drive transitioned into an entirely different world of rolling green hills, expansive ranches, and scattered longhorn cattle.
Halfway there, the hum of the highway gave way to an unexpected spectacle. I pulled the car over to watch local cowboys breaking in horses. The animals bucked with a raw, explosive energy that turned a random roadside pasture into an impromptu rodeo.
When we finally reached Bryce Canyon, the scene took my breath away. The eroded hoodoos stood packed closely together like the towers and spires of an ancient, stone-carved metropolis. As the afternoon progressed, the shifting sun ignited a kaleidoscope of changing colors across the rock faces.
Our return trip to St. George took an unexpected turn when we detoured onto State Route 14, the Markagunt High Plateau Scenic Byway. The climbing road quickly ascended into remote, alpine heights where patches of winter snow still shimmered in the crisp mountain sunshine. Winding through dense, silent forests overlooking deep, narrow valleys, we found ourselves in total solitude without a single car, truck, or sign of human life in sight.
Descending from the lonely mountain heights back to St. George, I spent my final day exploring a hidden sanctuary just outside the city limits – the Red Hills Desert Garden. This five-acre botanical preserve serves as a brilliant desert oasis, home to more than 5,000 species of water-wise plants.
Red cactus flowers. Photo by Sebastian Price.
Meandering footpaths led me past a 1,150-foot natural stream teeming with native fish, through a winding replica slot canyon, and right up to authentic, prehistoric dinosaur tracks embedded in the stone. Amidst the rocky landscape, vivid red cactus flowers bloomed in brilliant bursts, weaving a rich tapestry of contrasting colors against the red earth.
Snow Canyon State Park
Before finally hitting the interstate for the drive back to Las Vegas and my flight home, I made one last detour to Snow Canyon State Park. Located just 11 miles northwest of St. George, this 7,400-acre basin offered a spectacular final contrast: ancient, jagged remnants of black basalt lava flows that are frozen in time against a backdrop of towering red and white sandstone cliffs.
Frozen basalt lava at Snow Canyon State Park. Photo by Sebastian Price.
As I wandered into this volcanic landscape, a slow-moving shape caught my eye. A solitary desert tortoise was lumbering across the sand, completely oblivious to my intruding presence as it patiently excavated a cosy underground den near the park entrance. Nearby, tiny hummingbirds darted through the desert air, their blurred wings adding a frantic heartbeat to an otherwise timeless morning.
Watching the hummingbirds scatter into the brush, I realized that this corner of southern Utah had quietly stolen a piece of my heart. From the vertical stone corridors of Zion to the alien spires of Bryce and the frozen volcanic waves of Snow Canyon, the region boasts an impossibly varied terrain. It’s a landscape that doesn’t just invite observation; it demands a deeper connection, leaving an indelible mark on anyone who wanders through its ancient, sun-drenched canyons.
The author was invited as a press guest to be guided by Tyler Webb, but as always, we provide honest and unbiased opinions of our experiences.
The audience is hushed – all focus is on the stage. Then into the silent darkness, a brilliant scarlet back wall is illuminated with female figures appearing like shadow puppets hanging loose before the puppeteer animates them. The wailing music begins, and the lights go up, revealing dancers in electric-colored and stylized Indian costumes with exposed midriff, bare feet, and lots of arm movements.
More dancers, each in a different electric-colored dress, pour onto the stage, gyrating and moving in well-formed patterns to the music. This is how RISE begins – depicting the stages of womanhood in the circle of life.
The all-female Sa Dance Company was founded in 2008 by visionary dancer, Payal Kadakia Pujji. Although born and raised in America, Payal’s passion is to build awareness of Indian dance and culture, more specifically the role of Indian women in society. They performed in New York City this month at New York Live Arts on West 19th Street.
Payal calls on all styles of Indian and Western dance, accompanied by musical forms that blend Indian folk tunes with music as diverse as Lady Gaga, Adele, Mohammed Asiam, and many others into one seamless whole organized by Music Composer Niraj Chag.
Sa Dance Company. Photo by Christopher Duggan.
The company’s name “Sa” springs from Indian classical music, in which Sa is both the first and last note of the octave. So too, RISE showcases the trials, tribulations, and joys of a woman’s life from the beginning through the end.
Payal has choreographed much more than a dance company. Her storytelling unfolds with poetic voiceovers, sharing personal stories of joy, grief, and survival, along with computer animation that illustrates the stories and supplements her dynamic dance formations and layered choreography.
It’s notable that all of the 10 dancers have been trained in Western dance, including ballet, contemporary, and jazz, as well as all forms of Indian dance, including Kathak, Bharatnatyam, Odissi, Kuchipudi, Bhangra, and Garba. Frankly, I don’t know the difference between them, but what I’m familiar with are the specific movements normally associated with Indian dance, such as body snaking, head shaking, foot clapping, and finger positioning, along with exuberant energy and joy.
RISE is presented as a journey in four movements. Although envisioned as a tale of the Indian woman’s journey, it’s in fact a journey that all women share. After the effervescent opening numbers of color, light, and youthful high energy, a voice spoke off-stage the words of Indian-Canadian poet Rupi Kaur regarding feminine responsibility.
Sa Dance Company. Photo by Christopher Duggan.
Dancers returned to the stage in costumes more subtle and darker, indicating the growing responsibility of the child. The background colors changed to reflect the feelings that were conveyed. One of the dancers took front stage, acting out her anguish at having been born with a disability and how it initially damaged but ultimately shaped her life. It was a story many in the audience could relate to, including this author.
We heard Deepa Narayan speak in one of her TED Talk series of how Indian women are taught to behave and fit into society for the good of the family. They’re taught not to have dreams, not to aspire, and not to reach for their personal heights. This was acted out in dance patterns with swirling skirts and mesmerizing hand movements.
We also heard from Usha Patel, Payal’s first dance teacher and guiding light from the age of three years old. She was sitting in the audience just in front of me, and I could only imagine her happiness at seeing what her student has created. When I asked her about it, her face lit up.
Sa Dance Company. Photo by Christopher Duggan.
I also had the pleasure of sitting next to a lovely young woman named Melanie Chandra, a previous Sa Company dancer. She was there with her own two young beautiful daughters, introducing them to their cultural birthright.
I must tell you about the costumes, which were created by Payal in collaboration with Shilpa Patel, Jillian Lewis, and AmbiKa “B” Sanjana. The lighting by Christopher Chambers, along with the costumes, enhanced the drama of each of the dances.
But the costumes were more than just accessories. They told their own story. The skirts were engineered to move so that when the dancers twirled, their skirts became airborne to expose thigh tights, color coordinated with each outfit. When asked about this in the after-performance talk, Payal revealed that each skirt consists of 32 triangles to give it the lift required.
Sa Dance Company. Photo by Christopher Duggan.
The costumes that took my breath away were the blue outfits worn to illustrate the third dance presented: Tu Jhoom-The Stories of Us. The back wall was a soft sky blue, and one lone dancer was kneeling front stage, dressed in the de rigueur two-piece traditional Indian style in the same blue as the wall. Above her exposed midriff, the fitted top had long sleeves with one shoulder exposed and a design in shimmering silver that looked like a bird in flight.
Sa Dance Company. Photo by Christopher Duggan.
The skirt was long with layered sheets of diaphanous fabric over loose-fitting trousers, which made for a stunning effect. The other dancers soon appeared dressed in the same diaphanous skirt, but the tops were variations on a theme with each slightly different but beautiful. The ensemble dancing was precise with studied head, hand, and feet movements in perfect synchronization in the best tradition of Indian dance.
Sa Dance Company. Photo by Christopher Duggan.
RISE is deeply emotional – a full-length dance that must be experienced for its relevance in the life of every woman. While the names might be a bit difficult for the American audience, the performers deserve to be mentioned.
The company features Roshni Badlani, Rashi Birla, Radhika Mehta Kirpalani, Nitya Srikishen Lakhi, Bhavika Kapadia Patel, Dhruti Patel, Juhi Patel, Kesar Patel, Neha Pathmanaban, Payal Kadakia Pujji, Sharanya Mukhopadhyay Sekhri, Manisha Nair Sokka.
RISE is a captivating, mesmerizing work that embraces acting, storytelling, dancing, graphics, and deep emotional insight.
Still celebrating its 100th Anniversary, The Vinoy Resort & Golf Club, now a member of Marriott’s Autograph Collection, has not only survived but has thrived and is quite possibly one of the heartthrobs of St. Petersburg, Florida.
The facade of The Vinoy. Photo by Maria Lisella.
One guest shared an anecdote about tying the knot in 2018 in a Junior Suite at The Vinoy. When she mentioned her plans to a staffer, he communicated that to the powers that be and moved the couple to the Presidential Suite for the remainder of their stay. And, yes, that couple celebrates their anniversaries at The Vinoy ever since. Wouldn’t you?
Brand loyalty is based on more than financial investment, and that’s the sense new arrivals get once they step into the vast and glorious lobby replete with fine woodwork, original tiles (made in Detroit), and cypress beams made from local trees. The current chocolatier creates pillow sweets based on molds made from the tiny decorative tiles scattered beneath your feet.
The Salvador Dali Museum in St. Petersburg. Photo by Maria Lisella.
The Vinoy’s many lives have ranged from high-toned to decrepit and back to glorious: from its promising origins in 1925 to World War II when it was used as a training ground for cooks and bakers before they were shipped to the European and Asian arenas during the war. It also won some developer’s heart long enough to be renovated, remade, and rebuilt in many iterations.
Post World War II, the property was revamped for the public once again, but it faced more challenges. By the 1970s, due to negligence, greed, and a lack of know-how, it plummeted into a $7 per night kind of place. It barely missed the wrecking ball.
What visitors experience today is the result of a $110 million renovation in 2023 that preserved its signature pink façade and Mediterranean Revival style. The resort recently emerged from a thoughtful rebrand as The Vinoy and joined the Autograph Collection Hotels, part of Marriott Bonvoy’s portfolio of distinctive independent properties.
To really appreciate the present iteration, tour the second floor gallery lined with photos from The Vinoy’s deep past, not all of it pretty. This will only raise your regard for this stately, yet never stuffy property.
Chef Joshua Carter at The Vinoy. Photo by Maria Lisella.
Culinary Excellence
One of The Vinoy’s major draws is its culinary variety. Each buffet carries with it a multicultural flavor, reflecting the staff, chef, and St. Petersburg area, which is so incredibly diverse. Cocktail hours may contain spicy raw tuna, a slice of fried avocado on a taco chip, Vietnamese sandwiches, or a slab of bacon with potatoes and tomatoes at brunch.
Executive Chef Joshua Carter hailed from Arkansas and a long line of ancestors who were great home cooks. He blends Florida-based coastal fare by shopping at farmers’ markets using seasonal local products from beehives to flowers, vegetables, and fresh fish.
Inside the historic lobby, the Lottie is a French-inspired bakery designed to feel like a neighborhood café. Paul’s Landing offers waterfront dining inspired by Gulf Coast flavors. The Parasol moves to a Latin American-inspired beat, and the Veranda is an understated and desirable venue for sunset cocktails overlooking the marina.
The Elliott Aster at The Vinoy. Photo by Maria Lisella.
Telltale mythology of griffins and hand-painted frescoes circle the newest addition to this stunning property: the Elliott Aster, which is a grand brasserie from Michelin-starred Chef Lee Wolen.
Do ask about the peekytoe crab tartine, beef cheek hash, and house-made pastries, but beware: it can get busy on the weekends. So plan ahead.
Downtime at The Vinoy?
Make no mistake – while there are high and low seasons when prices fluctuate – this is a high-end product that delivers high-end services from the golf course, to the spa, to the gym, to the options for pools, to the verandahs, and to the elegant yet plushy 354 rooms. Many of these rooms face Tampa Bay, which is perfect for cool morning walks along the promenade, and nearing twilight, spectacular sunsets..
This elegant property boasts more than 70,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor event space, making it an ideal venue for meetings, conferences, and, of course, weddings. Off-site spaces can be booked at the golf course. Do step into the main ballroom for a close-up look at the spectacular chandelier by glass artist Dale Chihuly.
From the nearby Chihuly Collection. Photo by Maria Lisella.
Active areas include a lush poolscape lined with private cabanas, an on-site marina, along with an 18-hole championship golf course, tennis complex with ten Har-Tru courts, holistic spa, and wellness center.
Inspired by the therapeutic qualities of the ocean, The Vinoy Spa embraces a holistic approach to wellness with coastal-inspired and plant-based treatments. Designed by the Rockwell Group, the space combines a refined marble check-in area with natural wood and soft, nature-inspired tones to create a calming environment.
Food on the golf course at The Vinoy. Photo by Maria Lisella.
Additionally, The Vinoy Golf Club was redesigned in 1992 by architect Ron Garl and is now included on the Florida Historic Golf Trail. The 18-hole, par-71 course features sweeping waterfront views, championship-style greens, modern practice facilities, and PGA instruction.
The nearby marina accommodates The Vinoy’s boat-owner guests as the hotel’s slips are leasable. For those who prefer a Sunset Cruise, Kokomo Charters offers a choice of on-board menus that start at $25 per person for a swing around the bay and the chance to get a look at a few playful porpoises.
The author received a complimentary stay at The Vinoy as part of a press trip, but as always, we’re dedicated to providing accurate accounts of our experiences. Our allegiance is always to our readers.
The Hantavirus outbreak. By now, you’ve probably heard about this. On the Dutch expedition cruise ship, MV Hondius, that left Ushuaia, Argentina on April 1st, three people died from Hantavirus, and a few others became ill. A Royal KLM Dutch Airlines flight attendant was hospitalized on May 7th, but has tested negative for Hantavirus. WHO continues to monitor the people who have disembarked from the cruise ship. The disease is generally passed from rodents to humans, and the World Health Organization (WHO) isn’t concerned that it will become a pandemic like Covid.
Airline vulnerabilities. Now that Spirit Airlines is over and done, are other airlines also vulnerable to bankruptcy? Christopher Elliott believes the answer is yes. JetBlue is at the greatest risk, having reported big losses. Other carriers he considers endangered include Avelo, Frontier, Allegiant, and Sun Country. None of the large airlines in the U.S. are at risk. He advises to use a credit card with trip protections and buy travel insurance that specifically includes coverage for financial default. You must buy that insurance within 14 days of the first deposit made on your trip, and it must be in place 14 days before the carrier files bankruptcy. A credit card chargeback might also be an option, but keep all of your paperwork!
Yellowstone National Park. Stock photo.
Yellowstone bear attacks. Two hikers in Yellowstone National Park were attacked by a female grizzly bear with cubs on May 4th and in critical condition according to the latest reports. They were on a trail near Old Faithful, which had been previously closed due to bear activity. But park officials reopened it when there had been no recent traces of bears in the area.
Advisory at some national parks! Speaking of Yellowstone, it’s one of the national parks that has been found to have a deadly brain-eating amoeba in its waters. Other parks that tested positive for this amoeba are Grand Teton and Lake Mead. The amoeba can’t infect you if you swallow water while swimming or doing other water sports, but if the water goes up your nose and infects you, it’s nearly always fatal. The CDC has advised people to wear a nose clip, but I’d just stay out of the water at these parks if I were you.
American Airlines new battery policy. We’re now limited to two portable chargers on planes, and they can’t be placed in overhead bins anymore. They have to be visible and next to us, and we can’t use them to charge anything on the flight. So it’s important to fully charge your devices before boarding. This is because the batteries have caused so many in-cabin fires, and I expect this will soon be the norm with all airlines.
New Beatles exhibit in London. The building in Mayfair where The Beatles recorded their final album and gave their last concert on the roof will now be the site of a museum called “The Beatles at 3 Savile Row.” It will house seven floors of archival material, much of which has never been seen. The basement studio where they recorded the album, “Let It Be,” from 1970 will be recreated on the site.
The Beatles. Photo by Elena Ferns.
TSA confiscates Oscar. Pavel Talankin’s Oscar statue, which he won for the documentary, Mr. Nobody Against Putin, was confiscated by TSA at JFK Airport and purportedly placed in the luggage compartment of his Lufthansa plane, claiming it could be used as a weapon. It wasn’t with the plane when he arrived in Frankfurt, Germany, however. Luckily, the statue was eventually found and returned to him.
United Airlines and Lyft. Lyft car service has a new partnership with United Airlines if you link your accounts. Once you do, you can earn United miles for Lyft rides or use United miles to pay for Lyft rides.
Transponders at New York airports. Following the recent Air Canada jet collision with a fire truck at LaGuardia Airport, transponders will soon be placed on fire trucks and other rescue vehicles at LGA, JFK, and Newark Airports to help air traffic controllers pinpoint their location.
Database of bad passengers. Jet2, a low-cost British airline, is calling for a national database that would name unruly passengers. I can’t say I’m against this.
The Louvre. Photo by Wanderer97.
“Living Bodies” exhibit at the Louvre. In Paris, the Louvre has a new exhibit through July 20th that includes more than 200 works by Michelangelo and Auguste Rodin. It explores the links between the two artists in terms of their approaches to depicting the human body. Rodin is known to have been heavily influenced by Michelangelo’s work.
Delta Airlines change. On short-haul trips, Delta has ceased providing drinks and snacks. Grrr…
Class action lawsuit against Delta. Speaking of Delta, a new lawsuit has been filed against the airline, claiming it has used deception to try to prevent passengers from getting refunds on fully refundable tickets. The lawsuit says Delta has tried to get customers to accept electronic credits instead, which it says is a violation of Department of Transportation rules.
Mexico City club overcharging Americans. The Mexico City nightclub, Japan, has been accused of charging Americans almost $300 as a cover charge, while locals and citizens from any other country pay just $14-$20. The club owner says it’s because of the deteriorating relationship between Mexico and Trump.
Asuncion, Paraguay. Stock photo.
Want to live in Paraguay? Travelers who invest in real estate or tourism projects via the new “Paraguay Investor Pass” can permanently reside in the South American nation.
Hotels report few bookings for the World Cup. The hotels in the World Cup’s host cities are saying it’s reading as a “non-event” based on the number of bookings. They would expect an upsurge, but that isn’t happening at all.
Iran War effects. A friend reports that two months ago, people in Mumbai, India had to stand in lines for 6-8 hours to get liquefied natural gas in order to cook, while an airline had to cut down on daily trips due to fuel, necessitating a rescheduled return flight. Have you experienced any effects from the war and its fuel shortage during your travels? If so, please comment below.
The luxury travel industry grows much faster than the rest of the sector, and more than 70% of tourists prefer resort vacations.
With an upcoming season 4 of The White Lotus rumored to continue the wellness retreat theme on the French Riviera, a March 2026 report on the best luxury destinations named Mallorca, Spain, as the perfect choice for those who want to experience this luxury lifestyle.
Travel experts from Maui Elite Property analyzed how these places compare by safety, scenic views, prices, and their firsthand experiences.
Mallorca, Spain, is the closest to the resort experience of The White Lotus, with 9 in 10 of all luxury accommodations having a great ocean view and spa options.
The travelers who want to be sure about their security during vacation will appreciate the Seychelles, with the highest safety score on the list.
Zanzibar is the most affordable destination among these luxury resorts, with one night’s stay at a 5-star hotel costing only $275.
The experts collected the list of all luxury accommodations in each destination and compared them by all key factors that affect resort vacations.
Santorini, Greece. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
The report focused on safety, the ocean, and scenic views, as well as spa and wellness center availability and outdoor pool availability, which were counted as percentages, reflecting how many resorts have them. The report also provides average 5-star prices for comparison.
Here’s a quick look at the 10 best destinations for a luxury resort stay:
Destina-tion
Safety Score
Ocean-View Share (%)
Spa & Wellness Share (%)
Pool / Outdoor Feature Share (%)
Average Scenic View Share (%)
Average One Night Stay Price (5 star)
White Lotus Experience Score (%)
Mallorca
64.30
98.00%
93.57%
95.00%
95.00%
$800.00
95.39%
Maui
48.82
87.14%
88.89%
100.00%
100.00%
$1,150.00
94.01%
Punta Cana
53.65
92.22%
90.36%
98.80%
88.89%
$300.00
92.57%
Zanzibar
47.26
90.00%
82.54%
98.41%
94.44%
$275.00
91.35%
Mauritius
48.47
91.33%
89.74%
89.74%
89.47%
$425.00
90.07%
Seychelles
86.03
81.82%
90.91%
95.45%
91.11%
$943.00
89.82%
Cancun
45.20
89.47%
77.78%
94.44%
94.12%
$290.00
88.95%
Corfu
78.60
77.78%
94.44%
100.00%
82.35%
$368.00
88.64%
Ibiza
53.84
73.13%
93.75%
96.88%
88.89%
$550.00
88.16%
Santorini
78.06
91.84%
65.52%
93.10%
98.91%
$525.00
87.34%
You can find the full report findings by following this link.
Cathedral of Palma in Mallorca. Stock photo.
1. Mallorca, Spain
Expert Experience Score: 9.54/10
Evan Harlow, a real estate agent, shares:
“Mallorca leads the list, with great services and accommodations. 98 out of 100 tourists will be guaranteed a beautiful ocean view behind the window, and that’s something that no other place can offer. Almost all destinations on the list have spas and pools. They’re the features that any hotel can build with proper investments, but you cannot buy the view. And over 130 luxurious hotels with spas and outdoor pools will only strengthen this perfect resort fantasy.”
2. Maui, the US
Expert Experience Score: 9.4/10
“Maui is the only destination where every luxury hotel has a scenic view and outdoor spas and pools. No other place in the study matched the 100% for wellness retreats and sceneries, meaning there are no misses when choosing a place to stay here. Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea is literally where The White Lotus was filmed, and it consistently gets high reviews: a 4.9 for service quality and 4.8 for villas and personal cabanas. Everything here is top quality.”
Punta Cana is another great place for leisure in sunny tropical weather. There are over 80 5-star resorts and 500 luxury properties for renting, and all top hotels have award-winning restaurants and private beaches. These comforts are also affordable for travelers on a tighter budget, with $300 a night in the best hotels.
“A lot of people avoid the Caribbean Islands, thinking it’s not as protected as other destinations, but safety ratings and personal experience say otherwise. It’s even safer than Mauritius and Cancun, and it’s a shame that many skip this town for no reason,” adds Evan Harlow.
The beautiful tropical Island of Zanzibar aerial view. sea in Zanzibar beach, Tanzania. Stock photo.
4. Zanzibar, Tanzania
Expert Experience Score: 9.14/10
“Zanzibar hotels are an oasis surrounded by beautiful tropical gardens. They offer bungalows, suites, and villas, and in 9 out of 10 resorts, a private outdoor pool or spa is included, just for $275 a night. It is a perfect match for the White Lotus atmosphere, offering high-quality services, wellness retreat options, and restaurants serving a fusion of European, African, Arabic, and Indian cuisine. There are 450 luxury accommodations to choose from, so it’s never all booked.”
Le Morne Island, Mauritius. Stock photo.
5. Mauritius
Expert Experience Score: 9.01/10
“Every tourist will see why Mauritius resorts get some of the highest ratings. The view of the Indian Ocean is a must-have feature for almost all resorts here, as award-winning spas offer massages and temperature-controlled swimming pools, and hiking trails are a great addition for active tourists. Most resorts here have fitness centers, too, along with kids’ activities and golf courses.”
The single-serve packets slip easily into a carry-on and mix into water in seconds, delivering prebiotic fiber, probiotics, and green superfoods to support digestion, steady energy, and gut balance during busy travel days.
I didn’t try them while traveling, but I felt they did give me a pick-me-up. Plus, they’re tasty in three flavors: Apple Cinnamon, Citrus Medley, and Mixed Berry. The box came with four packets of each flavor.
Each packet contains:
Prebiotics, which are like the fertilizer for your microbiome.
Probiotics to replenish and nourish the naturally occurring good bacteria in your gut, for enhanced digestive function and overall health.
Energy nutrients from leafy greens—the kinds of nutrients your system needs to help you sail through even the busiest days without energy crashes.
ActivatedYou’s Nighttime Complete. Photo courtesy of ActivatedYou.
ActivatedYou also makes a lot of other nutritional products that are for travel or everyday, such as Nighttime Complete, another powdered product that’s designed to help your body while you sleep. It also contains prebiotics and probiotics, as well as Ashwagandha Root Extract and vitamin C.
ActivatedYou’s Essential Skin Food. Photo courtesy of ActivatedYou.
The company’s Essential Skin Food is in capsule form to promote firmer skin and a smoother complexion with ingredients that support collagen: vitamin C, L-Lysine HCI, L-Arginine, L-Proline, pomegranate fruit, asparagus shoot, okra pod, coffee fruit, acerola fruit, camu camu fruit, quercetin, mangosteen fruit, acai fruit, and pine bark extract.
ActivatedYou Morning Lift coffee. Photo courtesy of ActivatedYou.
Then, there’s Morning Lift, which is mushroom infused coffee blended with 100% arabica coffee beans. ActivatedYou says it can increase energy and focus as it boosts immunity and gut health. It contains six functional mushrooms – turkey tail, shitake, lion’s mane, cordyceps, chaga, and reishi.
Of course, always talk to your doctor before taking supplements or nutritional products!
According to the 2026 Overtourism Index, Santorini, Greece, is the world’s most overcrowded city. As protests against mass tourism are spreading from Barcelona to Bali, a new report by the digital entertainment platform JB.com shows where international travelers actually create the biggest problems.
Over 3 million tourists visit Santorini every year, flooding a tiny island with just 15,500 permanent residents.
Venice handles 94K+ tourists every single day, with visitors outnumbering locals by 133-to-1.
Kyoto, Japan, hosts more than 150K travelers daily, nearly 40 times the number of people actually living there.
The index examined visitor numbers across 30 popular travel destinations to find where tourists outnumber locals by the widest margin. Based on population data and annual tourist arrivals, the study calculated how many visitors each city receives for every resident living there.
La Bella Venezia (Venice). Photo by Manos Angelakis.
The CEO of JB.com commented on the study: “Mass tourism wasn’t a problem until budget airlines made international travel affordable for everyone. In the 1980s, visiting Venice or Santorini meant you had money for expensive flights and hotels. Now you can book a round trip to Greece for less than a tank of gas. This democratized travel, which is great, but it also means destinations that were built for 50,000 annual visitors are now getting 3 million. The infrastructure can’t keep up, and locals end up leaving because they can’t afford rent when landlords realize tourists will pay triple.”
This visitor-to-resident ratio shows where overtourism creates the biggest problems. The report also looked at tourist density per square kilometer and the daily number of tourists each destination handles throughout the year.
Here’s a look at the top 10 cities where tourists outnumber locals the most:
Destination
Tourist Density per km2
Tourist-to-Resident Ratio
Daily Number of Tourists
Santorini, Greece
46,575
21935.48%
9,315
Venice, Italy
83,133
13312.75%
94,521
Dubrovnik, Croatia
105,799
7815.43%
6,087
Kyoto, Japan
67,633
3836.56%
153,425
Phuket, Thailand
1,091,667
2808.18%
35,890
Chicago, USA
90,759
2030.00%
150,685
Amsterdam, Netherlands
104,566
1914.51%
62,740
Brussels, Belgium
150,617
1134.71%
66,849
Vienna, Austria
48,337
992.91%
54,959
Los Angeles, USA
26,498
891.50%
94,521
You can access the complete research findings here.
1. Santorini, Greece
Visitors per year: 3.4 million
Population: 15.5K
Tourist-to-resident ratio: 219.4
Daily tourists: 9,315
Tourist density: 46.5K per km2
Santorini is the most overcrowded tourist destination in the world. With only 15K+ permanent residents, the island receives 3.4 million tourists each year. This translates to over 9,000 daily visitors, flooding narrow streets and beaches that were built for a small fishing community. For every single person living here, 219 tourists pass through annually, outnumbering residents more than 200-to-1.
2. Venice, Italy
Venice comes second with tourists outnumbering residents 133-to-1. The Italian city houses just under 260K permanent residents, but receives 34.5 million visitors annually. On a typical day, there are roughly 95K travelers entering Venice.
The overtourism problem becomes even clearer when you account for the city’s small size. Spread across just 415 square kilometers, Venice sees over 83K tourists per square kilometer, meaning some locals may even find it hard to walk through their own neighborhoods during peak season.
Dubrovnik, Croatia. Stock photo.
3. Dubrovnik, Croatia
Dubrovnik ranks third, drawing 2.2 million visitors annually to a city of just 28K people. The destination is much smaller than Venice, with its old town squeezed into only 21 square kilometers.
This means more than 100K tourists are crammed into every km2 here, making the city one of the most overcrowded places in the world. And with 6,000 new visitors passing through each day, it’s no wonder that UNESCO has warned that overtourism might threaten the city’s heritage status.
People in traditional dress in Kyoto, Japan. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
4. Kyoto, Japan
Kyoto takes fourth place in the overtourism index. Japan’s cultural capital receives 56 million visitors annually, and that’s nearly 40 times its population of 1.46 million people. This means the town sees over 153K tourists arriving every single day, more people than many cities count in total.
Kyoto does cover 828 square kilometers, though, so it can handle tourist traffic better than Venice or Dubrovnik, but the big crowds at temples and traditional neighborhoods still overwhelm the city.
Phuket, Thailand. Stock photo.
5. Phuket, Thailand
Phuket rounds out the top five cities with the biggest overtourism problem. Thailand’s largest island receives 13.1 million tourists every year, which is the same as nearly 36K daily visitors. For every resident here, there are 28 tourists arriving, and that proved tough for the city.
The hotels and restaurants started to occupy nearly every meter of coastline, while locals have been priced out by short-term rentals. Squeezed into just 12 square kilometers of developed beach areas, the island now sees over 1 million visitors in every km2, the highest tourist density in the world.
While New Orleans is Louisiana’s premiere travel destination, you have to make your way southwest to get an experience of true Creole and Cajun cultures. The two traditions have blended a bit over the years, especially in terms of food and music, but I’ll leave you to discover the true differences when you visit the state. Nobody can explain it better to “y’all” than the locals. All you need to know before you go is that southern Louisiana is unique.
My room at the L’Auberge Casino Resort. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
My visit began at the L’Auberge Casino Resort in Lake Charles, a small city not far from the Texas border. And the resort is practically a city in and of itself. I got lost a few times trying to find my way around the place. Besides the casino, it has a spa, pool, golf club, plenty of stores, six restaurants, a dessert shop, and meeting facilities on site. The accommodations are upscale, but the property caters to gamblers and families alike.
Costumes at the Mardi Gras museum. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
In addition to the Mardi Gras Museum and the Dequincy Railroad Museum, Lake Charles boasts the Creole Nature Trail, beautiful wetlands that they call “Louisiana’s outback.” There are beaches and wildlife (yes, including alligators), and you can go boating, fishing, and bird watching in the area.
The Creole Nature Trail. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
To see other parts of southern Louisiana, I recommend renting a car and taking day trips. There aren’t many luxury hotels outside of Lake Charles or Lafayette, so if top-notch accommodations are important to your party, you might want to make your way back to Lake Charles in the evenings or drive through Lafayette toward Charenton, where you can stay at the Cypress Bayou Casino & Hotel.
The property is run by the Sovereign Nation of the Chitimacha Indian tribe, famous for their baskets and the preservation of their language. While you’re there, check out their museum on the reservation for some interesting history.
A plane at the Wedell-Williams Aviation Collection. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
Then, drive for about a half hour to Patterson for the Wedell-Williams Aviation Collection and the cypress sawmill museum. The aviation museum was one of my favorite stops in the state. While the collection consists primarily of replicas of early airplanes, they are stunning, and the history of Louisiana aviation pioneers in the 1920s (including women) is truly inspiring. The neighboring sawmill museum fills you in on the importance of cypress in the history of Louisiana.
Oaklawn Manor. Photo by Melanie Votaw.A Civil War dog tag at Oaklawn Manor. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
Just 20 minutes away is Franklin, where you’ll find Oaklawn Manor, a 200-year-old estate that was once owned by former Louisiana Governor Mike Foster. The grounds include grand oak trees wearing tendrils of Spanish moss. Also in Franklin is the antebellum Grevemberg House, a historic building with stunning antique furnishings. The guide has worked there for decades and knows just about everything about the home.
Grevenberg House. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
As you drive farther east, you will eventually land in Houma, about an hour southeast of Franklin and an hour southwest of New Orleans. Houma is true Cajun country, where you can hear down-home music and find just about everything under the sun battered and fried.
The dining room at Grevenberg House. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
Yes, you can eat alligator, fried pickles, shrimp, crab, crawfish, gumbo, and boudin – a type of sausage. Try Boudreau and Thibodeau’s Cajun Cookin’. This is far from elegant dining, but it’s an authentic experience where classic Boudreau and Thibodeau jokes fill the walls.
Boudreau and Thibodeau’s Cajun restaurant. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
Twenty minutes north of Houma is the Ardoyne Plantation in Schriever, which is still owned by descendants of the original owners. Unfortunately, it’s closed for now because of damage from a hurricane. But you can check depending on when you plan your visit to the area.
Ardoyne Plantation. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
The plantation’s website says, “This plantation is one of the first post-Civil War operations and is an example of how the South transitioned from slavery to the Industrial Revolution. Members of the Shaffer family are still involved with the sugarcane industry today.” Word is that when they tried to relocate a pair of boots from their original spot, they heard ghostly footsteps. The footsteps only stopped when the boots were returned to their rightful place.
The Chauvin Sculpture Garden. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
Less than a half hour south of Houma is Chauvin, the location of the Kenny Hill folk art Chauvin Sculpture Garden. What’s fascinating about this is that no one knows what happened to Kenny Hill, who abandoned his more than 100 concrete sculptures in 2000. Filled with intense religious imagery, it’s a mysterious place.
A view of my swamp tour. Photo by Melanie Votaw.An alligator leaps out of the water to take meat from the captain on our swamp tour. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
Of course, while you’re in bayou country, you have to take a cypress swamp tour. They often call the alligators and feed them as they leap up to grab meat from a pole. They’ll also tell you about the flora, fauna, and industries of the cypress swamp.
So many people visit Louisiana and think the French Quarter is all there is. While I love the Quarter as much as the next person, there is much more to enjoy in the state, and there’s nowhere else like it on earth.
I recently went to a party at the Lehman Center for the Performing Arts in Bronx, New York, and its name is Step Afrika! Founded in 1994 by C. Brian Williams, Step Afrika! has developed into a world class company and the leading authority on the art of stepping.
I quote from their own story: “Stepping originated in the early 1900s as African American students began attending colleges and universities in greater numbers. On campus, they formed Greek-letter organizations, fraternities and sororities that fostered scholarship, service, and community. Within these organizations, stepping emerged as a way to express pride, unity, and honor tradition. Over time, stepping evolved into a highly stylized performance practice, with each organization developing its own distinctive sound, movements, and traditions.”
Step Afrika! Photo by Phelan Marc.
That paragraph explains the genesis of the art but not what it’s like to experience it. Stepping combines storytelling and humor with polyrhythmic rapid movement: clapping, stomping, yelling, finger snapping, and total exuberant energy synchronized en masse. You could expect a spontaneous outpouring of high energy from one performer, but this company duplicates it throughout the entire company in perfect unison and harmony.
Initially, the sound was overwhelming, but then it took on a life of its own, engaging the audience and elevating the entire auditorium. With humor and mime, the moderator encouraged interaction with the audience, causing a loop of mounting energy that kept building into one swelling, gyrating entity.
The staging consisted of laser lighting with an abundant use of hot colors and alternating fractal images. Costumes were simple but stylish and contemporary. The music was comprised by an on-stage DJ spinning records to accompany the dancers’ movements during the stepping segments, and on-stage African drums were used in the traditional dance segments.
Step Afrika! Photo by Jati Lindsay.
The choreography was unique and innovative, pushing the dancers to greater feats of athletic agility which swept the audience into the enthusiasm. Then, suddenly, the stage went dramatically silent and dark. The hectic activity was replaced with a black/white film of the company’s trip to Africa in quick cuts without sound or explanation.
The film ended in color with the Step Afrika! members teaching their movements to traditional African dancers who, in turn, taught their high stepping to the Step Afrika! performers.
At that point, the big African drums were pushed on stage, accompanied by the dancers in stylized traditional African dress. The drums became a chief player in the action as the dancers exploded onto the stage with soaring split leaps and high kicks.
Step Afrika! Photo by Jati Lindsay.
One of the dances featured metal bracelets on both the male and female dancers which were used in syncopation with the drums to hold the beat for the dance.
I especially loved this part of the program, I loved the power of the drums to transport me to another realm and the freedom of the dancing, even though I knew it was choreographed and practiced until it still seemed organic, authentic, and filled with explosive joy.
And Step Afrika! is not just another pretty face. They use their platform as an educational tool, reaching out to colleges and institutions for young people so that they can teach the next generation. Their prime directive is “using stepping as a tool to inspire, educate and unite – building community one step at a time”
Step Afrika! is the proud recipient of multiple art awards and even headlined at President Barack Obama’s Black History Month Reception. They also performed at the first Juneteenth Celebration at the White House. Step Afrika! is more than just a unique performing dance company. It’s a national treasure!
