John M. Edwards rides around into infinity with an amazingly industrious trishaw driver skilled in perpetual motion for a mere pittance (a pocketful of rupiahs) at the Sultan’s Kraton in Yogyakarta, Java, Indonesia. At the Sultan’s Kraton in Yogyakarta, Java, Indonesia, I stood face to face with “The Great Man”--the Sultan himself! Since I was a known American “oil baron,” not a gas station attendant but part owner of a privately held oil and … [Read more...]
In Search of Dracula and Gothic Legends
At the foot of the mountain pass, tips of Gothic turrets and towers loom into sight above the stretch of dense evergreen which nestle between the Bucegi and Piatra Craiului Mountains. Having driven, (and survived!) through the Romanian winding roads since early dawn, the clouds now reveal a dramatic backdrop of ancient forests and mountain peaks. When the castle finally comes into view, distant memories of late-night films fill the impending … [Read more...]
London Announces Record Numbers of International Visitors as it Prepares for Blockbuster 2014 Cultural Season
LONDON (May 12, 2014) -- London announced today that it has welcomed over 16 million international visitors in one year for the first time in history, making the city one of the most popular vacation destinations in the world. Following the hugely successful London 2012 Olympic Games and Diamond Jubilee, the city has experienced a massive boom in visitors as 16.8 million people arrived in 2013, up 9 per cent compared to 2012, according to … [Read more...]
Exploring near Khao Yai National Park, Thailand
Our winemaker friend was in town, visiting from the Napa Valley in California. Immediately we thought of taking him to the Khao Yai Wine Trail - which features a number of wineries located near this National Park. Our destination was Granmonte Vineyards an established winery in Asoke Valley - about 3 hours from where we live. Along with the winery, they also run the Vincotto Restaurant (delicious Mediterranean cuisine) and a guesthouse. The … [Read more...]
Café Hopping in the Hot Spots of Indonesia
I went out to get a cup of java in Java and ended up on an infernal coffee odyssey through the Indonesian archipelago. Stretching out like a Komodo Dragon some 6,400 kilometers across the Ring of Fire, from the coffee plantations and wild orangutans of Sumatra to the primary rainforests and decorative penis gourds of Irian Jaya, Indonesia is the ideal launching pad to crash land into some of the most dramatic sights in Southeast Asia. … [Read more...]
BASQUE CASE: Separation Anxiety in the Pyrenees
“Before God was God and boulders were boulders, Basques were already Basques.” --Basque proverb A merry little trip to the Basque Country, an autonomous utopia containing a bit of both France and Spain is like trying to find the original site of the Garden of Eden, which Basques claim might be hidden in their unrecognized “country”: Euskadi! Inching along in your rented Renault time machine on the high mountain passes through the … [Read more...]
An Exceptional Tour with Nicholas, owner of Daintree Safaris Queensland
A day in the Daintree Rainforest with Nicholas Fox, proprietor of Daintree Safaris is an educational experience you will not soon forget. He has been guiding in this part of Northern Queensland for well over 20 years. Originally from the United Kingdom, but born in Madrid and schooled at a early age in Kenya he arrived in Queensland in his 20's during a trip around the world. He never left! Part character, part dry humorist and certainly a … [Read more...]
How to Brave the Budapest Baths
Spa guy John M. Edwards feels frigging fantastic! If you're in Magyarorstag (Hungary), do as the Daubians do: Say goodbye to "bliss" and splash around au Naturale in the "eau de vie" of a real thermal spa, with a Red Bull in Hand... When you first arrive in Budapest for both (clandestine) “business and pleasure”-- feeling like a dumb foreign doppelganger soaking with sweat and stinking of brimstone--say no to the Four Seasons Hotel showers and … [Read more...]
Experience Midsummer Like a Local in Five Baltic Sea Cities
In Helsinki, St. Petersburg, Riga, Warsaw and Hamburg alike, Residents Enjoy Their Summers to the Fullest, Inviting Visitors to Join Celebrations and Laid-back Summer Activities. Los Angeles, April 29, 2014 – Connected by the Baltic Sea, shared history and cultural traditions, St. Petersburg, Helsinki, Riga, Warsaw and Hamburg have, above all, one thing in common: Locals worship their summer with warm winds and short nights when the sun barely … [Read more...]
Pebble Beach Food & Wine Weekend
The Pebble Beach Food and Wine Weekend is only in its seventh year yet remarkably it seems like it should be much older than that. In such a short time it has become the West Coast's premier food and wine event. It is an intriguing pairing - matching some of the world's best wine with top chefs in a location that is visually stunning. The inspirational rugged coastline and natural beauty is the backdrop for a long weekend of decadence and at … [Read more...]
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