TRAVEL THE WORLD - SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO

Isla Verde Beach in San Juan, photographed in 1993, is the best ever! One evening at sunset, I walked along here for what seemed like miles, listening to music on my Sony Walkman. It was a memorable experience. Swimming here was great - warm water, big waves with no undertow, excellent sand. On our last day in Puerto Rico, we swam here all afternoon.

TRAVEL THE WORLD - NEW YORK CITY

I can still remember vividly seeing the New York Stock Exchange on Wall Street for the first time in 1998. This is the heart of the financial district and the facade of the building seemed a perfect symbol of its power. Unfortunately, as I post this blog in 2009 in the middle of a very serious recession, it must be acknowledged that Wall Street's image has suffered due to the recent antics of its major players and the near collapse of America's financial system.

TRAVEL THE WORLD - PARIS

The photo, taken in 1997, is of the Grand Palais, a glass exhibition hall built for the Paris Exposition of 1900. It is impossible to select one photo to represent the beauty of Paris. No matter where you walk in the central city, you are presented with a feast for your eyes. Great attention to detail - and the importance given to the context in the design of buildings - are in evidence everywhere. Like many North American town planners and architects, we admire Paris as a fine example of an urban place that looks good, works well, and does not require the use of high-rise densities.

TRAVEL THE WORLD - AMSTERDAM

With its canals and polders - land reclaimed from the sea - Amsterdam is unique. It is a city built on a human scale, and that makes it safe, accessible and interesting to explore on foot. We thoroughly enjoyed our visit there in 1997 and hope to have an opportunity to return.

TRAVEL THE WORLD - NAXOS

We had a lovely time on the Greek island of Naxos in 1998. The lady from our hotel met our boat and led us through narrow streets and white-washed houses. At dinner that evening, we met interesting fellow guests: one was a reporter for a Toronto newspaper, and the others were a young man and woman who worked as freelance film-makers in Los Angeles. This made for fascinating dinner conversation.

The island of Naxos itself is beautiful and quite large. We had a harrowing time on a bus trip around the island. Although the views were spectacular, every time the bus sped around a sharp corner, we were afraid we would be hurled over the edge into the valley far below.

TRAVEL THE WORLD - LONDON

Having been to the Parthenon and tried to imagine how it would look with its original sculptures in place, it was wonderful in 1998 to be able to see them at last. It was especially memorable to be able to appreciate their beauty at such close range.

TRAVEL THE WORLD - ATHENS

For more than 20 years, my husband, Paul, and I have traveled the world. We've visited Europe, Asia, Africa and North America.

Why do we travel? Mainly it's because of our interest in people - their history, culture, architecture, art, their achievements and their challenges. Starting today, I will begin to post the highlights of these vacations.

The first photo - I think very appropriately - is of the Parthenon in Athens taken in 1998. I first saw the Parthenon in 1984 and was filled with anticipation on the climb up to see it. It is perhaps the most significant site in all the world, not only for its pure beauty but also because it symbolizes all that we admire in the ancient Greeks - their mathematics and science, their respect for the individual, their practice of democracy, their attempts to understand the human condition, and the classical beauty of their architecture, vase painting and sculpture.