EUROQUEST SideTracks

When it comes to European Travel Destinations, Bulgaria still ranks among the more exotic destinations. In part due to its geopolitical location and post-communist legacy, this Balkan gem has had an ambiguous relationship to modern-day tourism, which in part helps to explain its outsider status. Once in the country, however, differences abound between heavily developed tourist resorts and untouched authentic infrastructure (or lack thereof). Although Bulgaria was able to join the European Union in 2007, the country is still a far cry away from Western European economic development and thus lacks a modern transportation network and other Western ammenities. It is precisely its lack of cohesive development and the contrast between modern "private investment" on the one hand and public neglect on the other, that makes for Bulgaria's greatest charm and attraction. Among all the destinations in Bulgaria, Varna ranks high on the list of most visitors. Dubbed by many as Bulgar

Hiking and the great outdoors are still exceptional ways to experience treasures off the beaten track, to seek solitude and explore unique destinations. The area around Yosemite National Park in California lends itself to such exploration, yet within the confines and limitations of the park area. Just a few miles further East of Yosemite, however, there are numerous smaller pockets of unchartered territory with greater flexibility and potential, as they fall outside the boundaries of the National Park. Among them, the area around Mono Lake and Mammoth Lakes stands out for its scenic beauty and variety of outdoor activities. Using Las Vegas, Nevada as a base, Mammoth Lakes thus lends itself perfectly as a long weekend getaway destination. The drive North to Mammoth is already an adventure in itself - passing through the moonscape of Death Valley National Park with a possible stop at Scotty's Castle, we eventually join Hwy 395 North-bound passing through some of the most deserted a

The Mojave Desert in the Soutwest has always been among our favorite treasures-off-the-beaten-track destinations. From the fields of Joshua Trees in the East Mojave Preserve to the thermal delights of Tecopa Hot Springs, the desert is alive and full of hidden surprises. We have in previous articles already covered several such destinations but would like to turn to two desert gems that very few visitors ever get to see during their Mojave explorations. Both can be covered within an exciting day trip from Las Vegas, and can be combined with several other highlights of the Desert Southwest. They are the fragile wetlands of the Salt Creek Reserve and the paranormal site of the Christ of the Andes. We embark on our journey on Interstate 15 towards Primm, NV, stop there for refreshments and shopping, then cross over into California and continue to the small town of Baker about 60 miles further. Here we leave I-15 and head north on SR 127 in the direction of Shoshone, CA and Death Valley N

Visitors to Central Europe usually focus on the "Grand Three" Imperial Cities Vienna, Budapest and Prague and hardly visit places outside of the capital cities. In the case of Hungary, tourists may go on a day trip to Szentendre, Visegrad and Esztergom along the Danube Bend, but few tend to venture further afield. Yet Hungary has many more highlights to offer, including the European City of Culture for 2010, PECS, in the Southwest or the many resorts and thermal spas around Lake Balaton. Further East and Southeast of Budapest, the Hungarian Puszta beckons with stereotypical images of horsemen, dusty farms and tasty Hungarian goulash. The town of Eger, about 1.5 hours East of Budapest, may not quite as easily be grasped by cultural stereotypes, yet offers one of the most scenic pedestrianized inner cities in Central Europe. Eger also marks as the gateway to both the Eger Winemaking Region and the scenically appealing Bükk and Mátra Mountains. For that reason, this quaint town

The interior of Alicante Province offers a plethora of activities away from the crowds - and especially numerous spectacular hiking routes to discover. Following our recent scenic hike along the Xorret de Catí, we decided to seek even more solitude and head yet further inland, about 1 hour north of Alicante Capital. Here, just outside the northern Alicantino town of Alcoy, a true hiking paradise beckons - and entirely devoid of crowds. The Sierra de Mariola, this high range of Mountains in the North of the Province is known as, offers a huge variety of hiking trails ranging in length from 1.5 to 6 hours. We opted for a medium-range circular hike of about 3 hours using the small community of AGRES as our base. Even a 3-hour hiking route means leaving Alicante Capital rather early to take advantage of the morning hours. In summer time, it is also recommended to opt for a cooler overcast day, as otherwise the hike would become too strenous due to the heat. We initially travel north on t