The Traveling Pancy

Until we’d visited Crater Lake, I hadn’t appreciated what a geological hot spot Oregon was and still is. Granted, I knew that Crater Lake was formed by a massive volcanic explosion, but that was almost 8000 years ago. What I didn’t realize was the earth here was still shifting, settling, venting gases, and occassionally erupting…

I understood the meaning of ineffable when I first saw Crater Lake. The blue was so brilliant it took my breath away. Even now I stuggle to describe the beauty of this lake captured within the caldera of a long extinct volcano. My husband and I were visiting our daughter and future son-in-law in Portland,…

Estonia … a new country for me; one that I knew little about but proved to be an enchanting place to visit. I was in Helsinki for a conference so decided to stay the weekend for some exploring. I love Helsinki, particularly in June with the pleasant weather and eleven o’clock sunsets, but had visited…

Glamorous, glitzy Dubai. A city that boast hundreds of world records for the biggest, tallest, greatest … dancing fountain, building, shopping mall, flower garden, man-made islands, suspended aquarium, ferris wheel … and the list goes on. A fun city to spend a few days in but like Vegas can quickly overwhelm. The city had grown…

Rub Al Khali, the Empty Quarter, is the largest sand sea in the world stretching across parts of Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Oman and the United Arab Emirates. Our destination in the Empty Quarter was a desert resort, Qasr Al Sarab, a secluded oasis two and a half hours south of Abu Dhabi and twenty miles…

Mention the United Arab Emirates and everyone immediately thinks of Dubai. Yet its more conservative, albeit less flashy neighbor, Abu Dhabi is a modern, cosmopolitan city worth a more extensive visit than a day trip from Dubai. Following three days of a conference and work meetings in Dubai, I met my husband and son for…

The many places we visited on this Ancient Crossroads itinerary highlighted the importance of human interaction and exchange. When diverse people come together, whether because of trade, evangelization or adventure, ideas flow. Sometimes the intention may be hostile – greed, power, subversion, but the intermixing of diverse cultures always produces something – an idea, a…

We arrived in Muscat midafternoon. Deplaning, we appeared to be entering a palace, not an airport. The sun was intense and the white sandstone facade shimmered with reflected light. No, not a mirage but our first introduction to the grandeur of Muscat, Oman’s capital city. We quickly cleared customs and boarded a shuttle for a…

Oman, or more precisely the Sultanate of Oman is our final ancient crossroads destination.  We will visit its modern capital city, Muscat.  Today, the country has invested its immense oil wealth in palatial infrastructure that is the envy of the world.  Muscat has been blessed throughout the ages by its seaside location and proximity to…

The approach to Paro was every bit as white knuckled the second time around as the first. It’s rumored that there are only fourteen pilots in the world qualified to navigate the rapid descent amongst the Himalayan peaks and follow the precise glide path through the valley to land at Paro airport. Looking out the…