Author Archives: Sharon King Hoge

North Dakota/Minnesota “Artfest” Art Fair Spans Two States

Posted on June 22, 2015 by Sharon King Hoge

Published in Huffington Post Just a few steps across the historic Sorlie Bridge over the boundary-line Red River separates North Dakota and Minnesota and their siamese-twin cities of Grand Forks, North Dakota and East Grand Forks, Minnesota. The recent 2015 … Continue reading →

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Visit Turpan in China’s “Death Valley” Sights to See in a Silk Road Oasis

Posted on June 18, 2015 by Sharon King Hoge

Turpan locale One of China’s most interesting tourist destinations was for centuries an important supply stop on the Northern Silk Road. A green oasis in the middle of the desert, Turpan is located in a depression over 200 feet below … Continue reading →

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‘Pioneer’ Excursion to China’s Grand Canyon — Be Among the First Westerners to Visit Enshi

Posted on June 18, 2015 by Sharon King Hoge

More ancient than the hills, yet too new to be listed in China guidebooks, the breathtaking and mammoth Enshi Grand Canyon and nearby Soaring Dragon Cave are only beginning to emerge as major international tourist destinations. American travelers can be … Continue reading →

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China’s Chengdu: 10 Reasons to Visit Sichuan’s Capital City

Posted on June 18, 2015 by Sharon King Hoge

For tourists seeking to explore China beyond the Beijing/Shanghai basics, an excellent “starter city” is Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan province in the southwest. Once a silk brocade capital, it is pleasantly situated on the banks where the Jin and … Continue reading →

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Why to Go to Wuhan: Ten Attractions in China’s Mammoth Central City

Posted on June 18, 2015 by Sharon King Hoge

A major hub on the Yangtze River, where it intersects with the Han downriver from the Three Gorges Dam, Wuhan is a “triple play” created in the 1920’s when what had been the ancient villages of Hankou, Wuchang, and Hanyang … Continue reading →

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Australia Travel Tips: How to Get the Most Out of the Smallest Continent

Posted on June 18, 2015 by Sharon King Hoge

Australia may be the smallest continent but it’s still a vast amount of space to cover — about equal in size to the continental U.S. Trying to see it all in a week or two is daunting, but here are … Continue reading →

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Ten Reasons to Visit Macedonia

Posted on June 18, 2015 by Sharon King Hoge

With picturesque villages, a wine region, modest mountains, lovely lakeside resorts, Macedonia is rich in history, gorgeous scenery, a favorable exchange rate, and welcoming people. Rejuvenated after a devastating 1963 earthquake, the capital city Skopje is a charming, cosmopolitan jumping … Continue reading →

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Pristina Picks: In the Know in Kosovo’s Capital

Posted on June 18, 2015 by Sharon King Hoge

Modern malls and promenades have replaced rubble in the 15 years since war ended in Kosovo, and gateway capital city Pristina is a center of recovery projects and reconstruction. Grateful for United States support during the war, Kosovites welcome American … Continue reading →

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How to Attend Art Basel Miami: Strategies and Logistics

Posted on June 18, 2015 by Sharon King Hoge

Since it first opened in 2002, Art Basel Miami has burgeoned into far more than a mere art fair. Besides booths of more than 200 galleries from over 31 countries in the main exhibit hall of the Convention Center, there … Continue reading →

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Machu Picchu: Planning a Trip to the Inca Ruins

Posted on June 18, 2015 by Sharon King Hoge

No wonder the Spaniard colonists never found Machu Picchu — five centuries later, getting there is still a challenge. If you don’t want to hire a travel agency or wade through the backpacking options in popular guidebooks, considerable due diligence … Continue reading →

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World’s Top Spot for Sunbathing: Unique Feature That Scores Turtle Bay a “Perfect 10”

Posted on June 18, 2015 by Sharon King Hoge

For those of us who still like to lie soaking up Vitamin D and basking in the warmth of the rays on our skin, sun bathing requires the just the right combination of features. Lying there slathered in SPF 50, … Continue reading →

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France without the Jetlag: Time Travel to Old Quebec

Posted on June 18, 2015 by Sharon King Hoge

A request for your personal measurements is hardly what you’d expect along with an invitation. But a diagram requiring the specs of my height, weight, waist, hat size was included in the message inviting me to join other journalists at … Continue reading →

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Grand Spots in Grand Forks

Posted on June 18, 2015 by Sharon King Hoge

It’s been 14 years since the spring of “come hell and high water” when the city flooded and then caught fire, and Grand Forks, North Dakota is back to normal. Unlike the western part of the state where oil fracking … Continue reading →

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Shangri-La Hotel, Haikou Review

Posted on June 16, 2015 by Sharon King Hoge

Whether you go to the capital city of China’s Hainan Island for business or pleasure, you find both at the Shangri-La Hotel, Haikou. Perched on the strait separating it from the mainland a mere 20 miles away, it’s a seaside … Continue reading →

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Dallas’ Big Boom

Posted on June 15, 2015 by Sharon King Hoge

Published in Global Traveler Dallas boosts its business-friendly environment Photo: Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center © Dallas CVB After the “Big D” and “little a” in the show tune refrain, the “double l” could stand for landlocked. Dallas is not … Continue reading →

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