Why this sunny port city of Andalusia is the new capital of cool.   At the time when the favored Andalusian sisters Granada, Sevilla and Córdoba were far too busy beguiling audiences across the globe while absorbed in their own spirited rhythmical trance, Málaga is the sister on the coastal south that...

The French Wine Country is a fairytale landscape of chateaus and idyllic vineyards. Bordeaux invites everyone to enjoy a tipple and dream altogether.   In many ways a story can always be written and, at times be told. If I have to start mine, I would like to begin in the...

From the Pyrenees to the jagged coastal coves of Costa Brava, Spain's Catalonia stirs inspiration and saccharine summer dreams.   IT was hard to say when summer arrived in the Alt Empordà, the upper part of Catalonia, tucked away in the northeast corner of Spain. The fresh-milled scent of olives that clung...

Kuala Lumpur has long been a home to leafy canopies of tropical trees. These days, as skyscrapers dominate its skyline, the drive to reconnect Malaysia’s capital to its green origin is making a comeback.   Kuala Lumpur is going through an identity crisis. For visitors, it is a place that embraces...

If old dogs can learn new tricks, what are the chances of an aging Asian auntie learning to speak a foreign language?   By the time I reached the part where a woman starts to lie about her age, I decided to return to school.  I have moved to Spain with one...

There are many ways to discover Italy's powerhouse. In Milan, you take a spade and dig; the odds of uncovering ancient relics are high. You could also take a good pair of shoes, and the odds of discovering the city are as good as the way you strut.   "I would...

In travel, there is foreignness and familiarity. It's like flipping a coin, you get one or the other. The most fascinating part? The sense of wonder and surprise.   Every so often, when the occasion arises, I would find myself traveling to one of my favorite European cities. I never get...

Seville is a city of story and souls—from its flamencos, architecture, and multi-layered faiths. Dazzling and bewitching come night or day.   He could have been a converso. But he is definitely a gitano. He has the song that echoes of his father's. A primitive cry. A spiritual chant. Yet somewhere along...

Barcelona's appeal begins with its iconic buildings, and the best way to appreciate them is to know the artist behind the city's most impressive landmarks.   My first glimpse of La Sagrada Familia, a fanciful-looking cathedral and the most imposing landmark in the city of Barcelona, is of curious tourists gazing toward...

Mallorca, an enchanting Spanish island in the Mediterranean, has lured generations of artists, writers, poets, celebrities, and musicians, inspiring their works and legacies.   W hen William Graves opened the door of his father’s old casa in the undulating hillside of Deià on the island of Majorca, his eyes twinkled. Elena, whom...