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The Lithuanian capital of Vilnius boasts a rather unusual monument to a western rocker who never set foot in the country but nonetheless had a profound effect on it. The intellectuals behind Lithuania's successful independence movement in the early 1990's were so inspired by the music of Frank Zappa that, using a bit of creative trickery, they convinced city leaders to allow an oversized bust of the offbeat musician's head to occupy a place of honor in the old town. Since 1995, a small park near the Belgian embassy has become a tribute to Zappa, receiving hordes of travelers who come to gaze at the visage of the man who created such classics as Joe's Garage, Chunga's Revenge, and Lumpy Gravy before he died in 1993. Guests at the luxurious Le Meridien Vilnius might want to pay a visit to this unique monument to one of rock 'n' roll's weirdest and most prolific practitioners.

The thousand-year-old city of Leipzig, Germany is known for its famed university and various historic churches and monuments, but it also has a green side that's worth exploring. The Auenwald Floodplain Forest stretches in a wide band from north to south through the city, offering hiking, biking, and horseback riding opportunities through this unique natural setting. Guided tours are available that point out the unique flora and fauna, or else you can grab a map and a compass and hit the trail on your own. The green belt is crisscrossed with several water channels that feed picturesque Auensee Lake, where you can go boating or fishing. Don't forget your camera! Even Leipzig's industrial side has been getting greener in recent years. Karl Heine Canal, for example, was once choked with pollution, but a major cleanup effort in the nineties has restored it to its original beauty, and it's now a great waterway to enjoy a boat tour of the city's Plagwitz neighborhood, which features a collection of 19th century factories that are nothing short of architectural treasures. Guests at the Hotel Fuerstenhof (a member of Starwood's Luxury Collection) will enjoy the greener side of this charming German city.

Those who like to walk and observe daily life as it unfolds, while exploring picturesque streets lined with traditional shops and cafes, will certainly enjoy the intriguing neighborhoods of Athens. Areas like Monastiraki, Psyrri, Aerides, and Plaka, just to the west of Constitution Square where Hotel Grande Bretagne is situated, provide vibrant glimpses into Greek society, and offer an array of charming spots to stop into for some unique souvenirs.

Just off Ermou Street, at number 2 Aghias Theklas, Stavros Melissinos, the "Poet Sandal Maker of Athens" fashions wonderful leather sandals. Some models are named after customers from past eras, like Sophia Loren, Jackie Onassis, and Jeremy Irons. The Beatles were also frequent patrons, and even Bob Sagat has been known to stop in. Nearby, the Museum of Traditional Greek Ceramics dwells within an 18th century Turkish mosque, which overlooks Monastiraki Square. On Sundays, the area is filled with all types of vendors selling antiques and handicrafts at the open-air flea market. From here, venture a few blocks south to Adrianou Street in the Plaka. At number 120, Byzantino is the best store on the street. Expert jewelers Kostas and Giorgos create fabulous pieces with precious gemstones and 22 karat gold. Splurge on some dangly earrings dripping with intricate filigree. They'll make you feel like a Byzantine Queen.

It's hard to conceive of today, but just 20 years ago, Beijing was awash in bicycles, with people by the thousands pedaling through the streets and alleyways of this bustling city. Traffic jams were common, as masses of the single-speed, black-and-white bicycles would bottleneck at intersections and urban centers. While many of the roadways today now belong to the automobile, it is still possible to have the traditional Beijing bicycle experience, if you know where to go. First of all, unless you brought your own bicycle to Beijing, you'll need some wheels, so drop by a bike shop such as Bird of Freedom on historic Qianmen Dajie, where you'll get set up with a handsome road bike or cruiser. Ask the owner for a good route, or visit parks like Xiangshan (Fragrant Hill) or YuYuanTan (Jade Lake) Park. Alternatively, you can hook up with an outfit like Bike Beijing, which offers bike rentals and expert-led biking tours with names like the Olympic Beijing Bike Tour, the Imperial Bike Tour, and the Hutong Bike Tour, which takes riders through the city's traditional narrow streets and alleys. It's a great way to experience the Beijing of yesteryear. And if your body is sore after a long ride, just have a wander over to the Heavenly Spa within the Westin Beijing Financial Street.

The iconic streetcar is a relic of the past in most American cities, having given way to the automobile in the latter half of the 20th century. The fanciful era of the streetcar lives on, however, at the Baltimore Streetcar Museum. This unique museum, just ten minutes from the Sheraton Inner Harbor Hotel, features an impressive collection of authentic antique streetcars on display, ranging from an open-sided nine-bench car that the Brownell company created in 1896 to a 1944 Pullman Standard car, which was one of the last streetcars ordered for Baltimore until the city began introducing the kind of new light rail cars that are beginning to emerge in some of the country's more environmentally-conscious cities. While it's interesting to walk around and look at vintage streetcars, it's much more fun to ride in one, which is why the museum has a short section of track so you can take a streetcar ride like they did in old Baltimore of a century ago. Ride the rails as much as you like, and enjoy an era that might be coming back into fashion after all. All aboard!

The Windy City is full of world class museums like the Art Institute, the Field Museum and the Shedd Aquarium. But there are many others that fly under the radar of most visitors — and even some of the locals. One example is the International Museum of Surgical Science, located a short walk north of the Westin Michigan Avenue Chicago. A turn-of-the-century mansion holds a collection of exhibits detailing advances in surgical tools and methodology, as well as the unexpected treat of a quarterly show of medically themed art. Don't forget to hit the gift shop!

The more "image-conscious" check out the Museum of Contemporary Photography and Museum of Holography, in the South Loop and Fulton Market District, respectively. In the former, you'll see photos of American backyards — it's more interesting than you think. At the latter, you'll see "Transitional States," image that appear to move as you do. Or maybe you're more interested in culture — the National Museum of Mexican Art or the Dusable Museum of African American History might do the trick. They're two the best cultural heritage museums in the country.

For a living example of tropical world agriculture, pay a visit to the Fruit and Spice Park in Homestead, Florida. The only garden of its kind in the United States, the Fruit and Spice Park features more than 500 varieties of rare fruits, herbs, spices, and nuts. It's operated by the Miami-Dade County Park and Recreation department, and let me tell you, these people are serious about their fruit. There are 80 varieties of bananas alone, as well as 70 types of bamboo, 40 varieties of grapes, and 27 different kinds of mangoes. Guided tours are conducted three times a day, where an agriculture expert will point out some of the more unusual offerings (dragon fruit, anyone?), or you can wander the gardens on your own. Visitors are free to sample fruit that has already fallen from the trees, but "above ground harvesting" is prohibited, and you're not allowed to shake the trees either. That's okay, though, because the welcome center's tasting table has many of the fruits from the park, such as the sweet lychee (pictured), chopped up and ready to pop in your mouth. So indulge in some of the freshest and most exotic fruit to be found anywhere, savor the beauty of your surroundings, and appreciate what South Florida is all about. The Fruit and Spice Park is a short drive from the Sheraton Miami Mart Hotel.

If you've always wanted to see the Parthenon but can't quite make it to Greece this year and you have a day in Nashville before or after Bonnaroo, here's the next best thing. The musical city of Nashville, Tennessee happens to have an exact reproduction of the Parthenon as the centerpiece of Centennial Park, providing an element of ancient Greek majesty to this charming southern town. Originally built using inexpensive materials in 1897 for the Tennessee Centennial Exposition - and rebuilt using much sturdier concrete in the 1920's - the imposing structure became the home of the city's art museum, which now has 63 paintings by 19th and 20th century American artists. Even though the building is a reproduction, it's hard not to marvel at the beauty of this ornate structure, as well as its artistic centerpiece: a 42-foot tall replica of the Athena statue. Athena is so big that the the statue of Nike (the goddess of victory) in her right hand stands six-feet-four. And that's impressive whether it dates back to 437 B.C. like the original, or 1990, like this tribute. Starwood currently has two properties in Nashville, the Sheraton Music City Hotel and the Sheraton Nashville Downtown Hotel, and the aloft Nashville - Cool Springs is slated to open its doors on October 1, 2008.

Ethiopia is full of wildlife and ancient wonders, so it's almost appropriate that they have a park named Awash National Park. Awash is the oldest wildlife reserve in Ethiopia, with abundant flora and fauna and a beautiful landscape to take your breath away. As far as its animal population goes, you'll find everything from green monkeys and bat-eared foxes to cheetahs and kudu, and it's not uncommon to encounter a family of hippos (pictured) lounging around and staying cool in the park's many watering holes. Stay well clear of them, though, because hippos tend to get ticked off rather easily. The park's landscape is dominated by 1,800-meter Fantalle Volcano, which lures many hikers, but perhaps its most unique feature is a series of hot mineral springs known as filwoha, with clear, blue, hippo-free water that's perfect for swimming. At a constant 36 degrees Celsius, they provide a refreshing break during a long day of exploring. Awash National Park is a three-hour drive from Addis Ababa, home of the Sheraton Addis (a member of Starwood's Luxury Collection), whose concierge will be happy to connect you with an experienced guide to help you make the most of your Awash adventure.

I could say it was the ouzo I'd had that morning in Rhodes, Greece that led me to to the steaming room I found myself in, crouched stark naked on a stool while a woman threw bowls of hot water over me. But the ouzo, the stiff national Greek drink, had worn off when I consumed my big fat Greek lunch an hour earlier. So it wasn't the ouzo. How did I, then, one of the most modest people I know (even by our relatively prudish American standards) end up lying on a marble slab in a 7th-century Byzantine structure while a stranger soaped, scrubbed and rinsed me -- while my good friend perched nearby on her own naked stool?
Part of travel, I suppose, is shedding your usual ways and self, and trying out a new culture. The Turkish bath sayeth Wikipedia played an important role in cultures of the Middle East, serving as places of social gathering, ritual cleansing and as architectural structures, institutions, and (later) elements with special customs attached to them.
I knew I wanted to try this exotic custom, but having been the girl at the slumber parties who went into the bathroom to change into my pajamas, wasn't sure I could muster the guts to strip down and go for it.