Stories

Beyond the landmarks and standard highlights lie the stories often left untold. This is an ever-evolving collection of cultural deep dives from around the world. In these travel narratives, I aim to capture everything from the roar of local markets to the hushed tradition of ancient rituals. To me, these are the moments that define a place.

Want to explore by location? Browse by Region, Country, or Destination.

Meeting Vejsil and Rahima: A Glimpse into Everyday Life in Lukomir, Bosnia

Meeting Vejsil and Rahima: A Glimpse into Everyday Life in Lukomir, Bosnia

It’s easy to photograph the stone houses and dramatic canyon views of Lukomir, but as usual, my most lasting memories of Bosnia’s most remote traditional…

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A Night in Lukomir: Bosnia’s Last Traditional Mountain Village  

A Night in Lukomir: Bosnia’s Last Traditional Mountain Village  

Most visitors to the village of Lukomir do a day trip from Sarajevo combined with a lengthy (and by all accounts, beautiful) hike. I did…

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Santorini Alone: Finding the Island Beyond the Postcard

Santorini Alone: Finding the Island Beyond the Postcard

As I watched the sun sink into the Aegean, the sky turning shades of orange against Santorini’s iconic cliffs, I stood there completely alone. It…

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Inside Abu Dhabi’s Maritime Heritage Festival: Remembering the Emirati Coastal Past 

Inside Abu Dhabi’s Maritime Heritage Festival: Remembering the Emirati Coastal Past 

It takes a lot to make the skyscrapers of Abu Dhabi blur into the background, but that ultimately happened on my one single day in…

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Ohrid, North Macedonia: Where Heritage Is Handcrafted

Ohrid, North Macedonia: Where Heritage Is Handcrafted

I sat on the edge of a long wooden pier in Ohrid, North Macedonia. My sandals sat beside me, my feet dangling just above the…

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Beyond Angkor Wat: A Morning on the Water Lily Fields of Siem Reap

Beyond Angkor Wat: A Morning on the Water Lily Fields of Siem Reap

The lake stretched out ahead of us, a dark mirror patterned with green lily pads, completely undisturbed by the rest of the world. It was…

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The Living Street: Capturing the Colors and Community of Oaxaca

The Living Street: Capturing the Colors and Community of Oaxaca

When you have limited time in a place, especially one as culturally rich as Oaxaca, you have to accept that you’re going to barely scratch…

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Shkodër: The Albanian City with a Venetian Secret

Shkodër: The Albanian City with a Venetian Secret

I didn’t expect to find a piece of Venice in Northern Albania. But I should have known to expect the unexpected, because travel always finds…

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Fire and Poetry: The Man Behind a Marrakech Hammam

Fire and Poetry: The Man Behind a Marrakech Hammam

It was a late November morning and the Marrakech alleyways were still wet from the night before. The shops’ doors remained closed and the sun…

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Sunrise at Doi Suthep: Morning Alms and Monk Life

Sunrise at Doi Suthep: Morning Alms and Monk Life

After two and a half weeks of traveling around Thailand, doing my usual go-go-go, I was glad to have a peaceful day planned. It started…

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