Arts and Entertainment

Paraguay is a landlocked country between Argentina, Brazil, and Bolivia in the heart of the South American continent. The little-visited, little-known country is too often passed over by travelers who wrongly assume that a lack of mega-attractions means there’s nothing to see. However, it’s ideal for those keen to get off the gringo trail for a truly authentic South American experience.

The Lorelei (there are several variations of the spelling) is a famous German myth. It was popularized by Heinrich Heine in his poem, “Legend of the Loreley;” a story about a lovesick maiden who lured unwary sailors to dangerous currents and reefs with her bewitching song sung from high atop the cliff. The stretch spelled disaster for many a sailor who piloted this treacherous stretch of the river.

The Catalonia region is known for the lively beach resorts of Costa Brava as well as the Pyrenees Mountains. Before my recent trip to Barcelona, the regional capital, people warned me about the protests. Catalonia would like independence, their language is slightly different, and they feel Madrid, the capital of Spain, is spending too much of Catalonia’s tax money on other parts of the country.

Basel is a city on the Rhine River in northwest Switzerland, close to the country’s borders with France and Germany. The Dreiländereck is a monument in Basel, Switzerland, that marks where the three countries meet. I loved Basel. It was so calm and quiet…no noisy motor bikes or other annoying vehicles.

The word gulyás, commonly written goulash, means “cowboy” in Hungarian. The dish originated with ninth century shepherds who stewed their meat until all liquid disappeared, dried it in the sun and whenever they wanted food, they took out a piece of the dried meat, added some water and reheated it.