"Shriek, inte. Shriek, inte." In her panic, Lisa resorted to Swedish. I tried to stop shouting, but my fear flew out of my mouth in a high-pitched scream. The flap of large white wings threatened boat upheaval. We clung to our paddles. "Why the heck did I come to Sweden, anyhow?" I thought. "I might die here today." *** When I filled out the exchange student profile, I checked the box for 'no pets'. Smoking - heck yeah, I'll inhale … [Read more...]
Once in a Lifetime
What did I know about birds? Enough to feed spinach greens, not stale muffins, to the domestic ducks at Recreation Park in my hometown of Long Beach, CA. Enough to avoid annoying the thirty-pound swans in London's Hyde Park. Enough to understand that silence was golden while trailing knowledgeable birdwatchers in the woods near The House of the Doves at Uxmal. And once, at my grandmother's house in Los Angeles when I was ten, I learned the hard … [Read more...]
Suds and Solace
"The future is an opaque mirror. Anyone who tries to look into it sees nothing but the dim outlines of an old and worried face." --Jim Bishop The morning of September 11, 2001, as a Peace Corps trainer I'd scarcely opened an HIV/AIDS seminar in a shabby hotel two hours north of Port-au-Prince, when the Haiti health program manager pulled me aside. "The World Trade Center and the Pentagon have been attacked by planes," she whispered. "It's … [Read more...]
The 17th Super Bock Super Rock in Lisbon
Since it is never too early to find out about big music events and festival season is about to kick off, let's turn our attention to Lisbon, Portugal because from July 14th until the 16th it will host the 17th edition of the Super Bock Super Rock, one of the biggest rock festivals in Portugal. I have to be a bit more precise, as the actual place of the festival is Meco, Sesimbra which is about 40km away from Lisbon which make this an … [Read more...]
The Cyprus Tug o War
The first thing that drew me to Cyprus is that they are another of those countries that "doesn't exist". The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus is only recognized by Turkey itself. It's also known as "North(ern) Cyprus". According to the European Union (and much of the world), the whole island is one country. The reality of this is pretty clearly in dispute, as the TRNC runs its own border control at its (internationally unrecognized) … [Read more...]
Canada Experience Part 1: Entering British Columbia and Victoria
It was the summer of 2010 and we wanted to escape our city life in Austin, Texas and visit the Pacific Northwest. We had ten days off and decided to drive from Texas, to Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia (3000+ mile car trip). We had just bought a new VW and thought it would be fun to drive it across country and have an adventure along the way (and, boy did we ever)! We entered BC the "round-about" way by ferry from the NAS base on … [Read more...]
Enjoying Sea and Sand in Varadero: A Catamaran Seafari
Through the years while visiting Cuba's resort spot Varadero, I have participated in its, many land and sea activities, but I had never taken a catamaran sea tour. However, today, this was to be remedied. I was on my way to join a catamaran safari - one of Varadero's top tourist offerings. Everything in Varadero, a town of some 8,000 inhabitants is geared toward foreign visitors. A spread-out town edged by 22 km (13.5 mi) of sugary- white … [Read more...]
Kauai: What’s Blooming on the Garden Isle
LIHUE, KAUAI = (January 18, 2011) While most of the country is enduring the chilliness of winter, Kauai is hot with a one-and-only American Girl of the Year, plenty of island movie buzz, and special savings. Winter is an ideal time of year to visit the Garden Island and reinvigorate the spirit with its warm weather, exciting outdoor adventures, lush natural beauty and breathtaking beaches, and perhaps a glimpse of the island's biggest seasonal … [Read more...]
New Orleans Wine & Food Experiences sets Plans for 2011
Kindred local ingredients and chefs top the program; champagne makes a huge splash ( www.nowfe.com ) (December 9, 2010) New Orleans, Louisiana - Grab your fork and your corkscrew, the New Orleans Wine & Food Experience, which ranks in the Top 10 Food & Wine Destinations in the U.S. and fourth in the World according to the TripAdvisor Annual Travelers Choice Destination Awards, has announced plans are underway for the upcoming 2011 event. The … [Read more...]
Neil Mandt: Actor, Producer & Traveler
From multi-Emmy winners Neil and Michael Mandt comes a new series about travel, adventure and family - the thrill of irresponsibility and the agony of pursuit. "Next Stop for Charlie" spotlights Charlie (Neil Mandt), a bathroom supplies salesman whose hobby as a world traveler is tapped by a rich aunt after her son, Erik (Erik Adolphson), quits college and decides to cavort around the globe with an unlimited credit card. Charlie is hired to … [Read more...]
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