Senior Editor Leslie Forsberg writes this month's editor's note. Here, she enjoys the views from a hilltop terrace in the charming colonial city of Morelia, in central Mexico.

Editor's Note
Serendipitous Discoveries

As I stepped over the worn stone portal of the immense Baroque cathedral in Morelia, Mexico, I blinked, my eyes adjusting to the dimness. Just inside the door, the soaring resonance of Bach’s Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring emanated from a 4,600-pipe organ high above my head, penetrating the farthest reaches of the sanctuary.

Hundreds of Michoacán residents — families dressed in their Sunday best, including local Purépechan Indians, the women swathed in shawls and pleated skirts, listened raptly.

It was one of the most moving concerts I’ve ever attended, and I had just happened upon it. Maybe it was the devotion I saw in the eyes of the families and friends gathered there that made it memorable, maybe it was the ethereal, uplifting notes of the music itself, or the sacredness of the setting. Certainly, though, it was the sheer serendipity of coming across the concert at all.

Unexpected moments such as this are among the most alluring and fulfilling parts of travel for me, and I expect for most. Travel brochures offer up carefully chosen slices of packaged experiences, yet it’s the random-chance finds that tend to linger in our minds.

In this month’s issue we offer stories of travelers to France whose unanticipated experiences in less-traveled areas add to the richness of their journeys. While traveling through the hilltop villages of Provence, Lori Hein finds that her young children’s experiences offer her a small portal into the daily lives of the residents. During a visit to the often-overlooked town of Lourdes, Karin Ling gains a new appreciation for the act of pilgrimage. And Lorraine DarConte takes a peek inside a hidden corner of Paris, visiting a historic cemetery where the rich and famous are laid to rest.

In the spirit of exploring off the beaten path, James Dorsey takes a thrilling ride on Cambodia’s makeshift bamboo train, known only to local villagers; Patrice Watson gets world-class views of the wildlife of Zimbabwe on a canoe trip down the Zambezi River; and Sheree Bykofsky and Caroline Woods visit the remote Galapagos Islands.

On your next trip, whether close to home or to a farflung destination, please remember to turn down that unmarked alley, wander to the periphery of the village, take that lesser trail, and keep your senses tuned to find your own little piece of travel bliss.

Happy journeys!

Leslie Forsberg
Senior Editor
Go World Travel Magazine