I’m preparing to leave the lovely country of Sri Lanka after three weeks spent here. Located off the coast of India, with a population of some 21 million, the country is a tourist’s delight. Since the signing of the peace treaty with the terrorist Tamil Tigers two years ago, the country is now focused on developing its infrastructure, which is badly in need of repair (after driving its roads, my back is howling). Sri Lanka, formerly known as Ceylon, means “Pearl of the Indian Ocean” and, believe me, it lives …

Where else but in Finland would you find this at an airport cafe?
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As a travel writer and photographer, I’m often asked about tipping. Do you tip? How much in France? How much in Africa? For what services? Professionally, I divide tipping into two categories; photography and everything else.
Photography
Let’s start with photography. At my photo workshops I often instruct people not to tip to allow you to take a person’s photograph. I’m not saying this like I have the moral high ground. I know this is a difficult issue and why short-change a few shekels to someone who is making $25 a month, …

Once photographers find out that I travel to the Yukon and Arctic Circle, I’m invariably asked about photographing the Northern Lights, technically known as the Aurora borealis.
There are tons of articles and technical publications related to photographing these miraculous lights that magically appear in the far north at certain times of the year. They are caused by solar winds brushing by the earth’s magnetosphere. The most common color for the lights is green, but under certain conditions the lights can be orange, teal, purple or a combination of these.
Rather than …

I recently traveled to Costa Rica, that anomaly of a country where 25% of the land is held in national parks and where eco-consciousness is a way of life, not political posturing.
Two hotels in the capital city of San Jose that I stayed in serve as metaphors for the old versus new way of thinking. The Gran Hotel de Costa Rica is a magnificent structure, built in the heyday of the capital city. It is huge, ornate and, sadly, run down. The marble and wood entryway are impressive, as is …

The Inns of Boulder and Colorado Springs
by Lester Picker
[Please note: This article originally appeared in a consumer magazine. Information in this article may be dated. Always check before making reservations or traveling.]
Boulder
The Alps Boulder Canyon Inn
From the quaint painted porch of The Alps Boulder Canyon Inn, comfortably nestled in the midst of majestic Boulder Canyon in Colorado’s scenic Front Range mountains, one can be excused for smiling at Chief Niwot’s ‘curse.’ Sipping fresh-squeezed lemonade, prepared each quiet summer’s afternoon by innkeepers Jeanine and John Vanderhart, while resting peacefully on cushioned …

[This article originally appeared as a travel feature in The Baltimore Sun.]
The Outer Banks
By Lester Picker
With more than 300 miles of coastline, the Outer Banks has stretches of sand that are consistently rated among the top beaches in the world. Whether you crave an active water vacation or a spiritually recharging barefoot walk along empty beaches, the Outer Banks has it all.
The Outer Banks is just a 6- or 7-hour drive from Baltimore. The sense of place can change markedly from one milepost to another. For a family with school-age …