6 Awesome Things To Do In The Florida Keys

The Florida Keys are undoubtedly beautiful. With their laid-back atmosphere, you’ll get a taste of island life without ever leaving the United States. When visiting The Keys, make sure you consider at least a few of these six fun things to do there!

1. The Hemingway House

This literary landmark is where Ernest Hemingway lived for ten years. During his time here, he wrote 70 percent of his life’s work. Nowadays, the Hemingway House serves as a museum dedicated to its onetime inhabitant, with guided tours on offer. Located in Key West, this lovely piece of Florida cultural history is recognized by the Library of Congress and is well known for it’s iconic architecture, lush gardens, and roaming cats! When you’re done with the tour, make sure you grab lunch on the famous Duval Street.

2. Glass Bottom Boat Tours

You don’t need to go scuba diving or snorkeling for a great view of Florida’s coral reefs. Take a tour on a glass bottom boat in Key West instead! This once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to ride on a custom built glass bottom catamaran is something you’ll never forget.

Relax above deck while a tour guide points out landmarks along the way. But once you reach the reef, you’ll head below deck and peer into the turquoise waters below. The boat was designed to allow the best viewing of the only living North American coral barrier (the third largest coral reef system in the world) while providing the least amount of stress to the reef. When you get there, you’ll see that you’re only feet above the reef!

When it’s time to head back to shore, enjoy the panoramic view from the top deck. Catch a glimpse of playful dolphin pods, or take a load off in the fully-air conditioned cabin (equipped with restrooms and a snack bar).

Quick travel tip: Thanks to the hurricanes this past year, the waters may still be a little murky, which may limit your viewing options. If the perspective is limited that day, you will be alerted before you board the tour and will have the chance to collect a total refund. If you choose to stay, you’ll still get to see the vast reefs, and the trip will take you through The Dolphins Playground too!

3. Snap A Photo At The Southernmost Point

When you visit the Keys, you’ll find yourself traveling further and further south until you’re at the continental United States’ southernmost point — just 90 miles away from Cuba. The southernmost point is located in Key West and is marked by a large metal buoy (you can’t miss it). Taking a picture with the buoy is a popular tourist activity, and also offers an enjoyable view of the vast ocean beyond. You can’t see Cuba, but it’s easy to imagine that it lies just over the horizon.

Snapping a photo with the Southernmost Point Buoy is a fairly quick affair, depending on the time of day and how many people are lined up to take a photo. That being said, you’ll want to plan something else into your day. Since you’ll be right near Duval Street, you could check out the local shops and restaurants, or tour the Hemingway House.

4. Sunset Charter

Embarking on a sunset charter cruise is a great way to end a day in the Keys. There are plenty of options to choose from when it comes to sunset ocean tours, but our choice would be one that serves hors d’oeuvres and cocktails on a historic schooner. You’ll get to enjoy the intimate setting of sailing into the sunset while sipping champagne or margaritas and snacking on cheese plates and peel and eat shrimp.

5. Butterfly And Nature Conservatory

Learn about the different species of tropical plants and butterflies at the Butterfly and Nature Conservatory. With over 50 different butterfly species, you’ll feel like you walked into a fairytale garden. Located in Key West where the weather is already warm, the Conservatory is kept at a consistent 85 degrees, and eighty percent humidity. These warm conditions are what keep the tropical butterflies alive and thriving.

Depending on the time of day you visit the Conservatory you’ll see different species of butterflies. Some butterflies are more active in the morning when they’re warming themselves in the morning sunlight, while others like the Owls become active at night.

6. Dry Tortugas National Park Catamaran Day Trip

Visiting the Dry Tortugas National Park is an all day, 10-hour affair, so you’ll want to plan accordingly. This is your chance to escape the islands on a luxurious catamaran. Enjoy breakfast during the 70-mile trip while listening to a guided tour. Dry Tortugas National Park is located inside Fort Jefferson and is famous for its legends of pirates and sunken gold. Once you’ve finished the 45-minute historic tour of the fort, you’ll get to spend the rest of the day wandering the beach collecting seashells, bird watching, snorkeling, or looking for dolphins and sea turtles.

Adventure awaits in the Florida Keys! What are you waiting for?

Must-Visit War Memorials Honoring U.S. Soldiers

On your travels around the United States, seek out the moments in history that matter to you. These lesser-known memorials are perfect for a vacation filled not just with fun but with a sense of perspective.

1. The National Memorial Arch in King of Prussia, PA

The National Arch is just as deserving of attention as the more popular memorials in Washington, D.C. The National Memorial Arch commemorates the Revolutionary War. Specifically, it’s designed to remember the desperate winter that General George Washington and his troops went through, camped out at Valley Forge.

The memorial is 60-feet high and modeled after a Roman arch that was built to commemorate the conquests of the Emporer Titus. You can find it in Valley Forge National Park, where it has stood since its dedication in June of 1917. Paul Philippe Cret designed the arch, which bears a quote from Washington regarding the dreadful winter he and his troops were forced to endure. It reads, “Naked and starving as they are, we cannot enough admire the incomparable patience and fidelity of the soldiery.”

2. The African American Civil War Memorial in Washington, D.C.

A majority of the visitors coming into D.C. throng to see the National World War II Memorial and the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall, which is understandable — they’re both moving tributes. However, a variety of memorials in the capital don’t receive nearly the attention they deserve. The African American Civil War Memorial is one of them.

The memorial features beautifully detailed statues of the black soldiers who formed the United States Colored Troops, a brigade of brave men who gave their lives in service to a country that was at best ambivalent about their existence. The troop consisted of over 200,000 black soldiers, represented by realistic figures and the retelling of their story. The title of the statue, “The Spirit of Freedom,” still rings bittersweet.

A curved wall surrounds the soldiers. It features the names of every black soldier who fought during the Civil War. Visitors can head to the associated museum to view the African American Civil War Memorial Registry. It holds the family trees of the modern descendants of those brave patriots.

The African American Civil War Memorial Washington — YouTube

3. The Korean War Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C.

The memorial honoring the members of the armed services who fought in the Korean War is another attraction that all too often flies under the radar of tourists. It’s haunting and evocative all at once. Nineteen realistic soldiers creep through the bush, cast in stainless steel and clad in ponchos. Day and night, they patrol their triangular field, so true to life that you can almost hear them muttering and shushing each other as the undergrowth crackles beneath their feet.

The 19 soldiers honor not only the 5.8 million soldiers who served during the Korean war, which lasted three years, but also the 103,284 who were wounded and the 54,246 who lost their lives in the course of their service. The field of statues is backed by a memorial wall of black granite, which features etchings of photographs from the National Gallery. Altogether, it’s easily one of the most distinctive and visceral memorials in D.C.

Korean War Memorial Washington — YouTube

4. The Women in Military Service for America Memorial in Arlington, VA

Arlington is home to the sleek Air Force Memorial and the Iwo Jima Memorial, also known as the Marine Corps Memorial. They typically garner the lion’s share of attention, but the Women in Military Service for America Memorial is one of the most beautiful tributes in the city. It honors the three million women who have stepped up to serve and defend their country since its very beginning.

The most notable aspect of the memorial is its curved, sprawling retaining wall, done up in neoclassical style. There’s also a lovely reflecting pool, along with an Education Center where visitors can learn about the over 258,000 women in the military. The roof features tablets made of glass that reveal quotes from and about these noble, courageous women. It’s a relatively new memorial, having only received its dedication in 1997.

The Women in Military Service for America Memorial Arlington — YouTube

5. The Prison Ship Martyrs Monument in Brooklyn, NY

You’ve never heard of the Prison Ships Martyrs Monument, you say? You aren’t alone. It commemorates events that occurred during the Revolutionary War. Even worse than Washington’s dark winter, however, this monument is literally dedicated to martyr soldiers who died on British ships. They were prisoners of war whose deaths did not come easily or quickly.

Located in Fort Greene, it’s a 100-foot Doric column. Both Calvert Vaux and Frederick Law Olmstead designed it. The two men are also responsible for Central Park and Prospect Park, which is in Brooklyn as well. It was crafted in such a way that it acts as a tombstone. The bodies of some of those prisoners of war are interred beneath the column.

In touring areas that are important to the nation’s history, it often pays to peer outside of the box and below the surface to find something new. This history of this country is rich, and there are so many wonderful ways to remember.

6 Popular Destinations Ruined By Tourists

While we all love to travel, the unfortunate truth is that this makes us tourists. Tourists are known to be bothersome to many locals because they increase population density, congest the streets, and have even been known to disrespect historic landmarks. While tourists can improve the economy of many places, unfortunately, some consequences come along with too much popularity.

Here are six destinations that have been damaged by tourism.

1. Venice, Italy

This idyllic renaissance city known for its beautiful architecture and canals has become so overcrowded with tourists that many historical landmarks have become inaccessible. Venice receives upwards of 80,000 tourists per year, and residents are not happy about it. About 2,000 Venice residents leave the city per year, and if they continue to move, then there is a chance tourists could entirely run the area. Part of the issue is the troubling number of cruise ships that sail in and out of the Giudecca canal four or five times a day, producing large quantities of noise and emissions that are bothersome to residents. It is also impossible for the city to house a large number of visitors alongside the native population. With more and more bed and breakfasts popping up throughout town, many locals can’t even find a place to live.

2. The Great Pyramids, Egypt

While visiting one of the seven wonders of the world is an understandable bucket list item, the sad truth is that The Great Pyramids might not be around for much longer. Due to decades of foot traffic, the pyramids and the Sphinx have suffered irreversible erosion damage. The pyramids are so ancient that any attempt to fix the destruction only seems to make the situation worse.

3. Phi Phi Islands, Thailand

The picturesque cove and beaches of the Phi Phi Islands attract as many as 5,000 people every day, arriving by shuttle boats from mainland resorts in Krabi and Phuket. The constant boat traffic threatens to destroy the coral reefs surrounding the islands. Thai authorities announced this year that they will be shutting down the Maya Bay from July to September to give the reefs a chance to heal from the damages. Twenty years ago, not many people knew about the islands, and it was truly a remote paradise. Now the Phi Phi Islands have become a selfie-taking free for all, much to the detriment of the ecosystem.

4. Machu Picchu, Peru

The ancient site of Machu Picchu has also been threatened, not only by tourists, but also by natural disasters such as landslides and fires. The trouble is that officials do not have the resources to predict when a landslide or fire will occur, putting visitors at risk. Like any other ancient side, uncontrolled tourism threatens the integrity of the ruins. According to Luis Lumbreras, an independent archeologist who has studied the ruins for more than 40 years, “Machu Picchu was never made for lots of people… If we put tourists with boots that are jumping, running, climbing the walls, et cetera, that’s the danger.”

5. Santorini, Greece

Santorini attracts more than two million visitors per year, which is more than 130 times its population of only 15,550 people. They come to take in its pristine beaches and beautiful Greek architecture. But the massive number of tourists drain the island of its natural resources such as water. Santorini lacks the infrastructure and services to keep up with the demand of tourists. The cost of living has also increased, making it harder for workers to find an affordable place to live. This is partly due to homeowners renting out their properties to Airbnb, making property rentals more lucrative and inaccessible to permanent residents. With over 70,000 people arriving per day to the island during peak tourist season, locals are finding it hard to host such an overwhelming mob of people all at once.

6. Big Major Cay Islands, Bahamas

You may have heard of “Pig Island,” officially known as Big Major Cay Island, one of the over 365 islands in Exuma, a district of the Bahamas. Big Major Cay has attracted many tourists who want to visit a unique tropical paradise where pigs roam free. Swimming and petting the friendly pigs is all great fun — until they begin to die due from tourists overfeeding them. It is said that there are only 15 pigs left on the island. The island pigs have a special diet, which does not include beer and rum. Tourists have been known to try to feed the pigs alcohol, and even attempt to ride them.

Why have these countries been so overwhelmed by tourists in recent years? It could be due to more affordable airfare, influence from social media, popular TV shows, or access to affordable accommodations through the rise of Airbnb. As tourists, it’s our responsibility to help preserve the natural wonders of the world, so others can enjoy them too. When we travel, we should make sure to understand the rules of the city we’re visiting, and make sure we’re traveling in a sustainable way that’s fair to those who live in our destination year round, and future generations.

Ebola Is Back: What Travelers Need To Know

The disease begins like many others. Fatigue. Muscle soreness. Fever. Loss of appetite. Sore throat.

You might easily think you’d come down with the flu. A hot bath, lots of fluids, and a few days of rest should be enough to set you right.

But instead of improving, your condition deteriorates. Chest pains. Labored breathing. Headache. Disorientation. Vomiting. Rash.

And, in the worst cases, bleeding. Coughing up blood. Vomiting blood. Bleeding into the eyes. Internal bleeding. It just won’t clot. Eventually, you slip into a coma and die from blood loss.

This is the terrible fate that awaits anywhere from 25-90% of those infected with the ebola virus.

The mere mention of ebola causes many of us to reflect on the horrifying outbreak that plagued the West African nations of Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone from 2013 to 2016, leading to over 26,000 cases, of which 11,310 were fatal. There were also sufferers in Nigeria, Mali, Senegal, Spain, Italy, the UK, and even the United States, where one person died.

But it would be a mistake to think about ebola in the past tense. It has returned yet again, this time in the Equateur province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Since early April of this year, there have been 30 suspected cases, with 18 reported dead.

Where does ebola come from? What can be done to stop it from spreading? What does this mean for travelers? Will there ever be a vaccine?

We’ll get to those questions. But first and foremost, it’s important to remember that ebola tends to originate among some of the most vulnerable populations on Earth. If you have a few bucks to spare, consider donating to these UN organizations that fight back against infectious disease.

Map of Democratic Republic of the Congo — The Democratic Republic of the Congo. Vardion/Wikimedia

How It Spreads

Ebola was first documented in 1976. The virus and associated disease appeared in two different places nearly simultaneously: in Nzara in what is now South Sudan, and in Yambuku in what is now the DRC. The virus was named for the Ebola River, which is proximate to the site of the first Congolese cases. (The Nzara cases were only later identified as ebola after the same disease appeared in Congo some months later.)

That initial outbreak in the DRC was one of the most deadly per capita in history. The mystery illness killed 218 of 318 victims, corresponding to a 68% death rate. (In Sudan, 151 of 284 patients died — 53%.)

Since 1976, there have been at least 26 additional outbreaks, of which the infamous 2013-16 panic was by far the most lethal. Apart from the countries mentioned, Gabon, Cote d’Ivoire, South Africa, and Uganda have also struggled with ebola.

There are five known viruses in the ebola genus, four of which cause disease in humans. The most dangerous is the strain known as Zaire ebolavirus (the DRC was formerly known as ‘Zaire’). This strain was the one responsible for that 2013-16 West African contagion.

The principal carrier seems to be the fruit bat, although other animals (monkeys, gorillas, chimpanzees, antelopes, porcupines) may also serve as vectors. It is not known precisely how the virus makes the leap from wild animals to humans, but direct contact is presumably required; mercifully, ebola is not known to be airborne.

Between humans, ebola spreads easily via bodily fluids or surfaces contaminated with infected bodily fluids. Since the symptoms of infection may take as many as 20 days to manifest, and humans remain contagious as long as the virus is in their body, it’s not hard to see how ebola can quickly work its way through a population.

It is noteworthy that ebola tends to pop up in market or border towns where many people come and go.

Fruit bat hanging upside down — A fruit bat.

Prevention and Treatment

Alas, there’s precious little to be said about preventing ebola. Mostly, it boils down to common sense: don’t have unprotected sex with strangers; avoid blood, vomit, and other bodily fluids; stay out of areas where there are ongoing outbreaks.

Of course, in reality, disease spreads because contagious individuals are not always symptomatic. And even if they are, nobody assumes that a friend with a fever may in fact have ebola. Plus it doesn’t necessarily take much contact to spread the disease; even doctors and nurses moderately exposed to infected individuals have been known to take ill.

There is no medication known to ‘cure’ ebola, though research continues. Treatment instead focuses on supporting the body as it fights off the virus. (Being a virus and not a bacterium, ebola is invulnerable to antibiotics.)

In particular, healthcare providers focus on quarantining infected or potentially infected persons, keeping them hydrated, maintaining electrolytic balance, and preventing renal failure. Since ebola typically weakens blood clotting, patients also often require red blood cells, platelets, and plasma.

An experimental vaccine called rVSV-ZEBOV has been reported to have 70-100% effectiveness in preventing the spread of ebola. It was deployed on an emergency basis in Guinea in 2016, and again in the DRC in 2017. As of this writing, it is being administered to combat the ongoing outbreak.

However, some scholars have questions the reliability of the data.

It may be true that most of those who were given the vaccine did not ultimately contract ebola, but there was no unvaccinated control group to compare them against. (Nor could there be. It would be pretty unethical to decline vaccinating part of a vulnerable population simply for the sake of an experiment.)

Vaccine rVSV-ZEBOV is not commercially available, and its efficacy remains a matter of debate. But there is at least some hope that an ebola vaccine may be on the horizon.

Ebola virus under microscope — Ebola viruses under microscope. NIAID/Flickr

How does this affect travelers?

The current outbreak has been relatively isolated and is confined to the Democratic Republic of the Congo. If it can be contained, it should pose very little risk to travelers.

Unfortunately, despite its natural wealth and beauty, the DRC is not a place most tourists would be inclined to visit. It has been wracked by resource wars, internal instability, terrorism, and kleptocracy for decades, all of which have left it as one of the poorest and most dangerous countries to visit on the continent. Even before ebola again reared its ugly head, the US State Department was encouraging Americans to reconsider traveling there.

It’s worth knowing something about the vectors, risk factors, and symptoms of ebola if you’re planning to visit or volunteer in West or Sub-Saharan Africa, since we’ve seen the virus recur time and again. Because the disease can spread rapidly, it’s best to be prepared for all contingencies.

On the other hand, the World Health Organization is working with the DRC Health Ministry to minimize the damage, and you can rest assured they’re taking this very seriously.

One final piece of advice for those visiting West or Central Africa: don’t eat so-called ‘bushmeat.’ Bushmeat is the flesh of wild animals hunted in the Sub-Saharan jungles. It’s quite common in rural areas and often treated as a delicacy in urban centers.

As much as we like to be open to other cultures’ rarities, this is one you should give a miss. Not only is it a threat to the biodiversity of the jungle, but the consumption of bushmeat may well be one of the ways ebola spreads from animals to humans. While sufficient heat will kill the ebola virus, undercooked bushmeat could easily be contaminated.

A Traveler’s Guide To Italy’s Surprising Side

My first glimpse of Italy was a shroud of darkness spread out beneath the wings of an airbus.

We were supposed to fly into Venice as the sun set, which probably would have left a more striking impression: refracted light dancing off the Alps like a million campfires, dusky shards of land set in a sapphire lagoon.

Instead, our connecting flight out of Frankfurt was spontaneously declared “unfit for takeoff” while we were rumbling toward the runway. By way of apology, the airline gave us all a minuscule helping of chocolate and a two-hour layover in the Atlanta of Europe. By the time we reached Venice — not the old city, mind you, but the mainland — it was too dark and we were too tired to draw any conclusions.

My first real impression of Italy, then, was when I opened the blinds the following morning. The room was stuffy, my dreams had been fitful, and I needed to orient myself. Where was I?

Peering out over a rather pedestrian suburb, I noticed a veil of low clouds in the distance. They were steely lavender, with roofs like daggers.

“Great,” I thought to myself. “Day one in Italy, and it’s going to rain.”

But then I realized they weren’t clouds at all. They were Alps.

Suddenly, the delayed flight didn’t matter. My piecemeal sleep didn’t matter. I was in Italy for 12 days, and I was hungry for adventure.

Here are just a few of the things I discovered along the way. Maybe they’ll help you plan your Italian excursion.

Venice

That day, we took the ferry from real Venice across the lagoon to imaginary Venice — the Venice you see in the movies, the Venice that was once the seat of an affluent maritime empire but now serves as its tomb, the Venice that is sinking.

And stinking, quite honestly. My advice? If you’re venturing into the city, try to go on a sunny, breezy day. When it’s overcast, a faint odor of spoiled tomatoes clings to the air. It’s nobody’s fault: all those villas and piazzas rest on a millennium of mud, sludge, and excrement.

But don’t let that discourage you from visiting! No matter how many pictures or videos attest to Venice’s beauty, the real thing is more dazzling. I remember thinking: “People live here. In houses that have been inhabited for 600, 700, 800 years. To me, this bridge over a narrow capillary canal is a set piece out of high Renaissance drama; to some lucky Venetian, it’s part of the morning commute.”

Bridge over Venice canal — One of the many bridges of Venice.

Visit St. Mark’s square, and the Doge’s Palace, and take a ride in a gondola. (The gondoliers are tremendous sports.) But save some time to wander and get lost in Venice too. There are glassblowing workshops where you can watch artisans craft vases the same way they’ve done for generations, and boutiques where you can buy traditional Venetian masks.

And spare a Euro or two for the street performers who line the shore near where the ships and ferries dock.

Florence

After Venice, we began working our way down the boot of Italy.

Our next major stop was Florence, the epicentre of the Renaissance and home to some of Italy’s most cherished literary figures. It was here that Dante Alighieri wrote his Divine Comedy, and the shrewd, serpentine Machiavelli founded the modern state in his infamous treatise The Prince.

One thing you notice as you criss-cross Italy is that there’s really no one Italian language. Every region has its own distinct dialect; a sentence that makes sense to a Milanese may be borderline incomprehensible to an Umbrian. This is a legacy of Italy’s medieval past, when the peninsula was divided into a gaggle of squabbling independent city-states. (The country was only unified in 1861.)

But our guide, Matteo, informed me that Florence was the easiest place for him to visit because the Florentines speak the closest thing there is to standard Italian — a legacy of Dante, whose writings are considered foundational. One of Dante’s houses still stands in Florence, given over to a museum of his life and works.

You’ll also want to check out the iconic Cathedral, the Uffizi Gallery (where many treasures of the Renaissance reside), and the Palazzo Vecchio (a 13th century palace with a high tower you can climb for a few Euros).

But if you’re looking to practice your Italian, Florence is probably the best place to do it.

Florence skyline — Just a taste of the Florentine skyline.

San Gimignano

Just southwest of Florence, in Tuscany, you’ll happen upon a fortified hill town called San Gimignano. No, it’s not one of the most famous (or pronounceable) Italian destinations, but it’s unspeakably beautiful.

San Gimignano is surrounded by walls dating to the 13th century, and guarded by numerous high towers. For my Euros, though they may not be many, this is the real Italy you need to see: the small hillside hamlet commanding a view of the rippling countryside, seemingly unchanged for centuries. It really is like stepping into another epoch.

If you’re not squeamish, there’s another little surprise waiting for you in San Gimignano: a torture museum. Though morbid, it provides an accurate look at the darker side of the history that’s so well-preserved in rural Tuscany. And you can always grab some gelato afterward to lift your spirits a bit.

San Gimignano medieval tower — San Gimignano and one of its towers.

Assisi

To the south and east, and a bit better-known, Assisi is another hillside town you mustn’t miss. Instead of fortifications or torture chambers, the draw here is the life of a Saint.

St. Francis of Assisi (1181-1226) was born into a wealthy family of silk merchants and minor French nobles. His early life was supposedly devoted to lavish spending, fine clothes, and entertainments. However, St. Francis quickly became disillusioned with his life of privilege, and took to giving everything away to the poor.

According to hagiography, Francis’ charity was not well-received by his father, who imprisoned him, beat him, and ultimately forced him to renounce his inheritance as a means of repaying the fortune he had given away in alms. Francis subsequently became a monk and founded the Franciscan movement, which required adherents to forsake all property and material gain in emulation of Christ.

Francis’ tomb can still be found in his Basilica in Assisi, a spectacular Gothic church complex that juts out the side of a hill like the bow of a great ship.

I’m not a religious person, but when I was there, in St. Francis’ crypt, I was struck by the most peculiar feeling. I don’t know how to describe it. Perhaps it was partly a sense of awe and admiration for the man, and partly a sense that I had somehow stepped into history — or myth.

Whatever it was, everyone should experience it.

St. Francis Basilica Umbrian countryside Assisi — St. Francis’ Basilica sticks out into the countryside below.

Naples and Pompeii

Driving south down the spine of Italy is an experience in itself, staring out windows at mountains and foothills, trying to get used to the somewhat hollow taste of Fanta.

As we got closer to Naples, our guide, Matteo, pointed out numerous half-finished bridges and infrastructure projects. A symptom of mafia-backed construction companies, he explained, who like to build half of something then charge the government extra to finish it.

Just outside Naples, Matteo took us to an authentic hole-in-the-wall pizza joint where the staff kept bringing us pie after pie with ever more exotic toppings. When they brought us escargot pizza, I thought they were spoiling us; when they brought us dandelion pizza, I knew they were ready for us to leave.

A few million people live around the Bay of Naples, with the terrible volcano Vesuvius lurking in the distance. But the real killer volcano lies beneath the bay itself, which is in fact a caldera.

Naples is the site of a supervolcano, a bubbling cauldron of magma collecting beneath the surface like a subcutaneous blister. When the pressure becomes too great (don’t worry — it takes millions of years) the blister erupts, blowing a massive hole in the Earth’s crust and ejecting enough poison into the atmosphere to constitute an extinction-level event.

Still, the real star of the show is Vesuvius, whose eruption in 79 AD buried the ancient Roman towns of Pompeii and Herculaneum, preserving them beneath deep layers of ash and rock, petrifying hapless citizens as they tried to flee.

Pompeii is one of the most famous destinations in the world, but there were still a few surprises.

Vesuvius Bay of Naples — Vesuvius (at right) seen across the Bay of Naples.

I was prepared to see the plaster outlines of human beings scattered in the streets, frozen where they had died nearly 2,000 years ago. You will see no such thing, although you should be able to find one or two if you’re the kind of person who enjoyed the torture museum in San Gimignano. What you will find are well-preserved villa walls, an amphitheatre, and even original Roman pottery.

You will also find — how shall I say this? — ample representations of male genitalia. The Romans considered the male reproductive organ to be a symbol of strength and good fortune, and many Pompeiian villas feature graphic carvings on their outer walls, where in modern times you might expect to find a street number.

The penis is such a symbol of Pompeii that you may even see souvenir carts selling replicas. They make an excellent gift for a friend with a bawdy sense of humor.

As ancient and well-trod as the cobbled streets and hilly lanes of Italy may be, there’s still plenty there to surprise you. And plenty to change your point of view.

5 Top Destinations For Green Travel

As we all become increasingly aware of the dangers our lifestyles pose to the environment, many of us are choosing to be eco-conscious in our travels. Here are the best destinations for those who want to explore the earth without harming it.

1. Ecuador

Ecuador is one of the most eco-friendly countries in the world, treating its environmental issues as a national priority and even formally recognizing the rights of nature within its constitution. It has been the recipient of the National Travel Awards’ title of World’s Leading Green Destination for four years in a row.

Ecuador is one of the countries listed as “megadiverse,” meaning it has one of the highest levels of biodiversity in the world. Visitors to Ecuador can encounter hundreds of native species, both on the mainland and on the famous Galapagos Islands off the coast, which inspired Charles Darwin in his development of the theory of evolution. The country is also home to a large indigenous population and is committed to the preservation of their culture and way of life.

Tourists have plenty of opportunities to engage with both Ecuador’s nature and its traditional culture through special tours, which prioritize sustainability and respect of nature above all else.

Green hills Ecuador — Beautiful, natural Ecuador. Unsplash / Claudio Testa

2. Scotland

From the vast expanse of Cairngorms National Park, where you can come face-to-face with 25% of Britain’s threatened species, to the rugged mountain views on the Isle of Skye, there are few places in the world that are truly as wild as the highlands and islands of Scotland. There are plenty of eco-conscious ways to discover the country, including some epic walking and cycling routes that take you to the heart of the action.

Regarding accommodations, Scotland is way ahead of the curve. The highlands and islands are dotted throughout with bothies, basic stone shelters designed to welcome any traveler who wishes to use them, for free. For the more adventurous, Scotland is also fully open to wild camping, meaning anyone is welcome to camp anywhere in the country’s wilderness, as long as they promise to respect the area and “leave no trace.” For the less outdoorsy, there are also plenty of eco-lodges ranging from simple two-person pods to state-of-the-art modern cabins.

3. Rwanda

The landlocked African nation of Rwanda is experiencing a tourism boom, as more and more people discover everything the “Land of a Thousand Hills” has to offer. Best known until recently for a horrific genocide in 1993-94, today the country is healing with an incredibly forward-thinking approach to environmental conservation: the last Saturday of every month is umuganda, a day where every citizen is expected to dedicate a few hours to cleaning and maintaining their community. Due to this and several other initiatives, Rwanda is one of the cleanest countries in Africa.

For eco-tourists, the main draw is undoubtedly the wildlife, particularly the endangered mountain gorillas found in Rwanda’s Volcano National Park. Visitors can trek into the mountains to spend time with the gorillas, but the tours are organized in a responsible fashion so as not to be disruptive to the animals. Eco-lodges abound around the park, and this industry has created many jobs for locals, including for former poachers who now profit more from saving the gorillas than killing them.

4. Singapore

Singapore’s commitment to nature is one of the most impressive things about an extremely impressive city/nation. It ranks as the best-performing country in Asia on the Environmental Performace Index and is 14th in the world. This is partly due to Singapore’s continuous attempts to become The City in a Garden, a high-tech blend of cosmopolitan urban living and verdant paradise.

The government has launched various initiatives such as rainwater collection points, wastewater recycling, and the installation of multiple green public spaces, such as the famous Gardens by the Bay with iconic “supertree” structures. Additionally, many of the city’s buildings and skyscrapers are being built or remodeled to reflect the latest in eco-friendly construction.

Singapore also shows that eco-tourism doesn’t have to mean staying in a hut: there are several luxury hotels and resorts across the city built on the principles of energy conservation and the importance of green spaces.

Singapore resort at night — Singapore. Pixabay / monikawl999

5. Iceland

Though all Scandinavian countries are exceptionally eco-friendly, Iceland combines this commitment to the planet with some of the world’s most striking landscapes anywhere. Its one-of-a-kind geography is due to Iceland hosting hundreds of volcanoes and thermal springs, as well as glaciers, waterfalls, fjords, and the breathtaking spectacle of the Northern Lights. Even the country’s capital, Reykjavik, is a pinnacle of eco-consciousness, with 95% of its heating and electricity coming from renewable geothermal energy.

Visitors to Iceland have a vast range of eco-friendly lodgings to choose from, including hotels, hostels, cabins, and camping sites. Wild camping is also possible but is probably best reserved for the hardiest and most experienced of campers, due to the country’s glacial temperatures.

With the continuing rise of climate change and the ongoing draining of the earth’s natural resources, it is more important than ever for travelers to respect the countries we visit. By focusing on sustainability, these eco-friendly countries are ensuring that tourism is enriching and supporting their nature, people, and culture, thus preserving them for future generations to enjoy and learn from.