The Real Stuff: Paprika from Extremadura, Spain

Until I visited Extremadura, my poor paprika sat like red dust in my kitchen spice drawer.

Sure, I would bring the can out once in a while to sprinkle some red powder over deviled eggs or potato salad. But I used it purely as a color accent. To me, paprika didn’t seem to have much taste. Then I encountered true smoky Spanish paprika and, oh, my, the difference.

Australia: Magnetic Island is Queensland's Chill-Out Place

Picturesque bays with sparkling blue waters, golden sandy beaches, and shady tropical trees surround the perimeter of the island. Excellent picnic and barbecue facilities can also be found in most of these individual bays.

Montelago Celtic Festival: Flaming Bagpipes and Tossing the Stone

An iconic Celtic festival of these parts, its cult-like Popolo di Montelago (Montelago Community) heaves in druidic ecstasy every first weekend of August, and has done so ever since its rousing inauguration in 2003.

West Balkans by Train, Bus and Ship
The West Balkans, for this is how the former Yugoslavia is now known, offer travelers an endless variety of opportunities and reasons to visit; from the picturesque villages on the Adriatic coast to the spectacular mountains of Montenegro, to the region’s vibrant, if quirky, cities.

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