The Vagabond Library
Reach up, reach in, reach beyond, reach out.
Articles Guaranteed to Stretch Your Mind
Sit by the fireplace, have a drink and a good read
with curious people like you.
The Most Interesting Places in the World - Part One - Natural Wonders
Natural wonders arrest us. Few experiences rival standing toe-to-toe with majestic canyons, vast ice flows, or banded deserts that remind us just how remarkable this planet is. Natural wonders predate humanity and resist human efforts to tame them, leaving their mark on every generation.
The most interesting places in the world are not just pretty pictures. They are homelands, inspirations, and launchpads of adventure. We haven’t completed our circuit around the world yet (still working on it), but we’ve covered five continents and though it was worth the effort to share ten outstanding destinations that challenged us, moved us, and left lasting impressions. Seek them out. We have suggested distinct, engaging and helpful ways to experience each wonder actively and meaningfully.
Blisters, Bridges, and a Priest from Manila: Day Two on the Camino de Santiago
DISPATCH XXXIX
A short walk turned into a long story. On our second day along the Camino Portugués, we crossed ancient Roman bridges, met a globe-trotting priest from Delaware now living in Manila, and learned the hard way what blisters can do to a pilgrim’s pace. Between stretches of shaded forest and the charm of Pontevedra, the journey became less about the miles and more about the meaning.
From Cairo Streets to Alexandrian Shores: A Traveler’s Tale
Personal Tales Exploring Ancient Egypt
Built by Alexander the Great to be the capital of an empire stretching from Greece and Egypt to India, Alexandria, Egypt is a city thrumming with energy, history, and diversity. For two travelers recently arrived from Cairo, we stood out like giraffes in a phone booth — but loved every crazy minute of it.
“Walking the streets of this ancient and vibrant city is an experience you will never forget.”
The Camino de Santiago: Europe’s Most Famous Christian Pilgrimage - What to Expect on the Camino de Santiago - Part I
DISPATCH XXXVII
Once inside the church I was fear-struck. But why? It was my childhood as a catholic altar boy mixed with the dread and power of the enormous church. Hesitantly I walked to the sacristy door, certain that when I knocked a rogue nun would slap my wrist or shake me by the shoulders and waggle her finger at me for daring to invade the sacred privacy of the place. But finally I did knock on the big wooden door. Me, a heathen agnostic, fallen from the Church, wanting not salvation but a credential for some personal adventure. I had interviewed Nobel Laureates, shaken hands with Henry Kissinger and met who knew how many celebrities, but here I was beside myself.
The door opened. An elderly, kindly priest stood before me. He wore his cassock and collar. His hair was dark and thinning. He smiled at me. I stuttered out my purpose for being there in a few syllables of mangled Spanish. A two euro contribution was usually expected in exchange for the passport, but I only had one euro or €20. Did he have change? He gently waved his hand away. The money was unnecessary, and then handed me the “passport.” I felt right then that he must be the kindest man in the world, and thanked him far too many times. Outside I showed the piece of paper to Cyndy and grinned. I knew now that we were officially on "The Way."
My Moroccan Ha-Ma-Ma-Maaamm
DISPATCH XXXVI
I followed her through a narrow archway and down steep stone steps into the riad’s bowels. We were way down there. Inside I found three dark rooms, one with a tub (too small for a human), the other two with large tables — one stone and one wooden. The whole scene looked like a great place to hold the Spanish Inquisition. The rooms were pristine, but I wondered if Riad Kalaa had always been a Hammam. It was built in the 1600s. Maybe it used to serve as a medieval dungeon. Rayna chuckled and said she didn’t know, but explained that the Hammam ritual was routine for Moroccan muslims. Then she shot me a look as if to say, “Really, you’re gonna like it.” I checked for chains and manacles anyway.