Michael J. Solender lives in and writes from his adopted hometown of Charlotte, N.C. His favorite destinations include Iran’s Persepolis, the magic kingdom of Bhutan, Irkutsk, aka the “Paris” of Siberia, and anywhere in Japan. His work appears at The New York Times, Smithsonian Magazine, the Miami Herald, Charlotte Observer, Sacramento Bee, Metropolis Magazine, Carolinas Golf, Salvation South, Southern Living, and others. He is an active member of the Society of American Travel Writers. http://michaeljwrites.com/.