Travel

An uphill climb can transport you from an Amazon-like jungle to an alpine woodland. Dry stretches of forest and pockets of verdant wetlands lie in the shadow of volcanoes.

In 1733, a Quaker named Amos Janney settled in an isolated corner of Virginia and built grist and saw mills beside a narrow creek. About a decade later, a group of German immigrants established a community in Maryland that became a resting place for pioneers driving wagon trains to the West.

Whether from the deck or the sliding glass door in my cabin, there was always something to see, from steep vineyard hills and medieval castles to industrial plants.

Mention Chincoteague Island, Virginia, and you’re likely to be asked, “Isn’t that where those ponies are?” The answer is “yes.”

I stood frozen with fear as the terrifying image drew closer, his curved sword swinging wildly. Just as he seemed about to separate my head and body, I snapped back to reality.

How can you not love a city where local rogues and scoundrels have streets and bridges named after them? A place that celebrates its oddball residents on a website.

In Chester, England, guests at a medieval inn often claim they see the ghost of a woman looking for her lover who was killed during a 17th-century battle.

My first stop was the Eiffel Tower, where I ooohed and aaahed over views from the observation deck 50 stories above ground. Next I wandered among splashing fountains and graceful statues reminiscent of ancient Rome.

In ways, Railson resembles many 17-year-old boys. He likes to fish, helps with household chores and enjoys hanging out with his friends. But there are differences.

Hearing the word “Greece” can conjure up multiple images. Whitewashed villages gleaming in the sun. Seas that range in a spectrum of color from light turquoise to dark blue.