Barbara Weibel

After 36 miserable years in corporate life, I walked away from my successful career to pursue my true passions of travel, writing, and photography

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Tibet
PHOTO: Climbing to the Top of the Potala Palace in Lhasa, Tibet – What Doesn’t Kill Us Makes Us Stronger
holeinthedonut.com - Barbara Weibel
I’d seen it in pictures, of course. The magnificent Potala Palace, rising vertically from its perch atop Red Mountain in the Tibetan capital city of …
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Breb, Maramures – A Romanian Town Where Time Stands Still
holeinthedonut.com
From the lush green floor of the valley I gazed toward the encircling dusky blue mountains. Puffy white clouds drifted lazily across the sky, …
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Nepal
VIDEO: Nepalis Celebrate New Year in Pokhara, Nepal
holeinthedonut.com - Barbara Weibel
I celebrated Nepali New Year in Nepal, this past April. My second home of Pokhara sponsored three solid days of performances in the park, including …
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My Love-Hate Relationship with Kathmandu, Nepal – Year One
holeinthedonut.com
This entry is part 1 of 3 in the series Seven UNESCO World Heritage Sites of the Kathmandu Valley Each time I arrive in Kathmandu, Nepal, I am awed by …
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Kathmandu
Learning to Play Tibetan Singing Bowls in Kathmandu, Nepal
holeinthedonut.com - Barbara Weibel
Each time I return to Kathmandu, Nepal, I find a new craze. This year it was Tibetan singing bowls. Not only were they for sale in shops all over the …
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The Gardens at Versailles Palace, Minus its Famous Flowing Fountains, Equals Disappointment
holeinthedonut.com
Versailles Palace, located in the western suburbs of Paris, is one of the most popular tourist destinations in France. Normally, I’m not a fan of …
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Measuring Wealth in the Himalayas
holeinthedonut.com
I stood on the stairway leading to the Buddhist Monastery in the Himalayan town of Marpha, holding onto the railing for dear life as as gale force …
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St. Petersburg
Kommunalka Living in St. Petersburg, Russia – Throwback to an Earlier Era
holeinthedonut.com - Barbara Weibel
On any other day, I would have passed by the spartan, crumbling building without a glance. On this day, however, Viking River Cruises had invited me …
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Homage to Evelyn Hannon, Publisher of – You Will be Missed
holeinthedonut.com - Barbara Weibel
When I started this blog, just about 12.5 years ago, it was one of the first travel blogs in the world. Those were the days when no one knew what a …
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Magical, Mystical Bernal de la Pena, Mexico
holeinthedonut.com - Barbara Weibel
I sat at the foot of La Pena, the world’s third tallest monolithic rock, and concentrated on what I felt. Residents in the tiny town of Bernal de la …
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Sweat, Stench, and Pigeon Droppings Produce Leather at the Tanning Pits of Fez, Morocco
holeinthedonut.com - Barbara Weibel
An employee handed us each a sprig of mint as we filed into the door of the Chouara Tannery. “Oh, they’re going to make tea for us, how nice,” I …
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Thailand
PHOTO: Thailand’s Traditional King Ka-La Dance
holeinthedonut.com - Barbara Weibel
Decked out in spectacular fan-shaped costumes, a troupe of Thai dancers at the Bo Sang Umbrella Festival performed the traditional King Ka-La folk …
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Kosovo – Ignore the Rumors of Danger and Just Go
holeinthedonut.com - Barbara Weibel
Kosovo hadn’t been on my list of possible destinations when I decided to tour the ex-Yugoslavian countries this summer. I’d been repeatedly advised …
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Bo Sang Umbrella Festival in Northern Thailand
holeinthedonut.com - Barbara Weibel
Across Thailand, thousands of small craft villages dot the landscape. Each one specializes in the manufacture of a particular handicraft. Especially …
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Travel
Taking Your Dog on a Plane Just Got Harder
The New York Times - By LISA GAY
When Alexander Lim was promoted to a new job that required a move from Beijing to Washington D.C., he was thrilled. The 40-year-old international bank employee started plans to move his entire family,
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Prague – A Case of Too Much Success
holeinthedonut.com - Barbara Weibel
More than 15 years ago, one of my co-workers vacationed in Prague. The Czech Republic was only a few years out of communism at the time, and she …
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Brunei – To Visit or Not, Given the New Sharia Law
holeinthedonut.com - Barbara Weibel
On April 3, 2019, the Sultan of Brunei imposed Islamic sharia law on all residents of the country, including the 30% of the population who are not …
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The Story Behind the Colorful Houses on the Curacao Waterfront
holeinthedonut.com - Barbara Weibel
The vividly painted architecture lining the Curacao waterfront in Willemstad may be the most famous feature of Curaçao, but the kaleidoscopic hues …
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Kota Kinabalu City Mosque in Sabah, Malaysia - The Floating Mosque
holeinthedonut.com - Barbara Weibel
Kota Kinabalu City Mosque was the highlight of my half-day tour of Kota Kinabalu (KK), capital of the Malaysian State of Sabah on the island of …
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The Real Story Behind Three Sisters Trekking Pokhara Nepal
holeinthedonut.com - Barbara Weibel
This entry is part 3 of 3 in the series Paying to Volunteer - Scam or Legitimate Social Program? Sarita was only 13 years old when her parents sold …
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PHOTO: Solo Orangutan at Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre Surveys His Domain
holeinthedonut.com - Barbara Weibel
It had been a day of firsts for me at Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre. I’d attended two live feedings in the jungle, where dozens of macaque …
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How to Get From Tirana to Montenegro
holeinthedonut.com - Barbara Weibel
Figuring out how to get from Tirana to Montenegro should have been easy, but it was unbelievably difficult. I had spent a few days in Albania’s …
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VIDEO: Wild Borneo
holeinthedonut.com - Barbara Weibel
Not only is Borneo one of the few places in the world to see orangutans in the wild, it’s also fantastic for seeing endangered Sun Bears, proboscis …
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New Zealand Just Added New Entry Requirements for Travelers
Travel + Leisure - Stacey Leasca
Here's what you need to know. Traveling to New Zealand now comes with additional steps travelers need to be aware of. In early March, the New Zealand government announced a new tourism entry approval known
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Wonderful and Weird Things to Do in Vienna, Austria
holeinthedonut.com - Barbara Weibel
My first visit to Vienna was indecently short. During my Grand European Tour with Viking River Cruises last year, I spent a day getting to know the …
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PHOTO: Leaves of the Borneo Giant Upright Elephant Ear
holeinthedonut.com - Barbara Weibel
The island of Borneo, located just south of the tip of mainland Malaysia, is a natural wonderland. Most visitors come to dive or see the island’s …
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Caribbean Sea Crashes Over Rocks on Tulum Beach on the Maya Riviera, Mexico
holeinthedonut.com - Barbara Weibel
Click on above photo to view it in large format Check prices for accommodations in Riviera Maya at Booking.com, Hotels.com, or HotelsCombined.com. …
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10 lesser-known train trips
National Geographic - Kelly Barrett
The journey matters as much as the destination on these rail adventures our readers recommend. As travelers, we know there are a lot of ways to get from point A to point B. But if you’re looking for a
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The Proboscis Monkey of Borneo – Proof that Size Matters After All
holeinthedonut.com - Barbara Weibel
“Take you to see proboscis monkey?” suggested the taxi drivers lined up at the entrance to the Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre. Frankly, I …
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Medical Conditions
Life-Saving iPhone Tip Everyone Should Know — Takes Just 2 Minutes to Do
theepochtimes.com - Ruby Mey
If you were asked if you could last a day without a mobile phone, the answer is likely to be: No. According to a study, one in five people couldn’t …