The Small, Enticing Island of Saba in the Caribbean

A mere 15-minute flight from St. Maarten -- and a landing on the world’s shortest commercial running -- brings visitors to the wee isle of Saba, a diver’s and hikers paradise. The  almost 3,000-foot-high Mt. Scenery is, by far, the most popular destination for hikers. Climbing the more than 1,000 steps to the top, hikers will pass through a cloud forest that makes the last section quite slippery. But, on a good day, the views of Saba's villages and the nearby islands are phenomenal.

The island’s most noted artist is Heleen Cornet who camped on Mt. Scenery to sketch her many evocative forest works. Aside from these treasures, it took Cornet two years to paint this dramatic mural in the Sacred Heart Church in The Bottom, the capital of Saba. The scene melds religious with Caribbean themes and even includes the faces of local children as the cherubs.

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Radio Show: Adventuring in Israel

Though I've posted extensively on my trips to Israel, Pat Boyle at the Travel Show on KPAM 860 radio in Portland, Oregon recently interviewed me on that country as a venue for cool adventure travel.

And, surprisingly, even savvy travelers don't associate Israel with mountain biking, hiking, skiing and scuba diving. Listen to my take on the subject and I'm sure you'll come away with an entirely new view of this country.

You can listen to my interview on Israel by clicking on the audio player below:

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Fun Learning About Marine Creatures

Who wouldn't want to learn about all the oddly shaped, bizarrely colored and uniquely behaved creatures in the world's seas? But sitting in a classroom listening to a marine biologist drone on about facts and figures or pouring over a dense tome may not be the most fun way of going about it. I just posted a feature on the best ways to learn about sea life in the best places in the world. Sure, we all have a favorite place to snorkel, sea kayak or dive. But what if you could find the healthiest marine environs where there are such a diverse array of organisms, you wouldn't want to leave? This is the list of those 12 best places. And not only the best waters but also the best tour operators or accommodations at each site that will assist you in the fun learning experience in as eco-friendly a manner as possible. Check out where these 12 places are located and all the interesting organisms that call these waters home.

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