The visit to the Pablo Picasso Museum was a mind-ruminating experience. I can't say I comprehended everything I saw, nor can I say I was able to appreciate everything I saw - what was up with that "blue period" and why did shading every drawing/painting in blue inherently give it special significance? Nevertheless, I enjoyed the tour and was reflecting on what I saw when I plopped myself down on a bench in a park across the street from the … [Read more...]
Pollo Campero
We cannot do everything and there is a sense of liberation in realizing that. This enables us to do something, and to do it well. It may be incomplete, but it is a beginning, a step along the way, an opportunity for God's grace to enter and do the rest. ~ Oscar Romero Pollo Campero Jackie, Trout, Molly, and I were on our way back from spending the week in Honduras and were physically and emotionally exhausted from our trip. We had … [Read more...]
Matanzas
So here's the idea: We had been trying to get out of the hotel for weeks, and finally, an opportunity presented itself. We were going to Matanzas, a town in the countryside of Cuba. It was the center of the slave trade in the time of its existence and in keeping with the trend of that trade, it created some of the most intriguing musical and cultural styles of the area. It is also completely untouched by tourism and it came highly recommended … [Read more...]
Eight Great Small Escapes
Save time and airfare by driving or taking the train to a getaway near you ... Like most people, you're likely watching your wallet more carefully these days and a big trip may not be on your list for this year. But getting away doesn't need to be a big affair to an exotic locale. Sometimes the best trips are close to home, especially when they maximize your time off and minimize your impact on the environment; by choosing a leisurely car or … [Read more...]
On Location with Iconic Californian Movies
Head to the Golden State and stand on the corner with Douglas, have a drink with Crowe and go to jail with Spacey. One of the great motivators of sightseeing in America is finding a little street downtown or a log cabin upstate where a great movie was once filmed. Having your picture taken at a setting that once lent itself to an iconic movie scene is something that you can keep forever! Here's a look at some of the locations from popular … [Read more...]
Almost alone in the Peruvian High Andes
I've been asked by several people why I'm spending all my time in the Andes and not seeing the rest of this diverse country. In my email below I provide my answer. I warn you that it's long, so if you are too busy or not interested, please delete now! I just returned from an incredible adventure in the mountains, and I'm at a loss for words... Whenever I visit spectacular scenery I always fail to find words to express the fullness of what I … [Read more...]
Napa Valley – November 2008
Napa Valley is a narrow long valley located about an hour north and slightly east of San Francisco. This is California and the USA's premiere Internationally recognized wine region. Cabernet is the "king" of the varietals produced in this region and most wineries produce at least one vintage of this wine. There are approximately 1,000 wineries/producers in the valley making wine commercially and of these a fair number are open to the public. … [Read more...]
La vida Argentina: Passion. Protests. Mate. Puppy Eyed Stares.
Greetings from Buenos Aires! Salutaciones de Nuestra Senora de Santa Maria del Buen Aire! Its a cold but bright sunshine filled day in Buenos Aires. Just finished sipping a cappucino at a classic cafe in La Recoleta where the elderly men still dress in suits and older women wear fur coats for their afternoon java jolt. Prior to coffee we were communing with the dead in the Recoleta cemetery. Our taxi driver had difficulty … [Read more...]
Mutiny to Tahiti and French Polynesia
Since the age of explorers Wallis, Bougainville, and Cook, legendary Tahiti has tickled imaginations worldwide. More recently, Tahiti became the most famous Polynesian island of all when Clark Gable (1935), Marlon Brando (1962), and Mel Gibson (1984) played the role of Fletcher Christian in three blockbuster Mutiny on the Bounty films. Even the horrendous French nuclear testing program from 1966-1996 did little to dampen this image. For the … [Read more...]
Mendoza, Argentina – Wineries
Bienvenidos al tierra del Malbec - or in English, Welcome to the land of Malbec! Numerous wineries within the region make this wine and it is commonly served in local restaurants. Lesser common, is Bonarda, also a red grape and Torrontés, a white grape. With that said, Mendoza is known for Malbec but the region certainly produces wines from numerous other varietals. Within an hour's drive of the city of Mendoza are several hundred wineries. … [Read more...]
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