Ex-expat John M. Edwards is invited as a “standby” to a sumptuous Parisian dinner party near Passy, where perforce playing the devil’s advocate comes with no pricetag at all. . . . “Hello John, how would you like to come to a dinner party tonight,” queried fair friend and picnic partner Julie, a fellow Servas member. A world peace organization affiliated with the United Nations, “Servas,” we joked with devil-may-care abandon, should … [Read more...]
Waltzing through the Kaffehaus Kultura Vienna
“The [Café] Central is a place for people who have to kill time, so as not to be killed by it. . . .” --Alfred Polgar “I AM SIGMUND SPIELBERG!!!” The obviously unemployable flaneur with umlaut eyes landed at my marble-topped table without a proper invite, brusquely pushing aside a Thonet wooden chair. Brandishing a copy of Der Spiegel on a wooden rolling pin in his left hand, and reeking from an unfortunate cologne resembling turning … [Read more...]
Investigating Legendary Party Thrower Jim Haynes
It was through my fellow American expat friend, “The Famous Zack,” a black Christian science-fiction writer originally from Ohio, with a short story coming up back then in the now-defunct “AMAZING STORIES,” that I first heard about the wild parties thrown by the legendary Jim Haynes, whom some sour-grape artists deemed an apocryphal “traitor.” So well known was Haynes as a manic socialite host that he even felt propelled to write a … [Read more...]
Tips for Being in Kuala Lumpur During Ramadan
Malaysia is a predominately Muslim country. During the month of Ramadan (usually in August), devout Muslims fast during the day, say several prayers and then break their fast with a special evening meal. This important time of year is regarded as one of the Five Pillars of Islam and it begins with the crescent moon phase. Fasting is obligatory for Muslims, with the exception of pregnant women, the ill, children or diabetics. From sunrise to … [Read more...]
The Good and The Bali
There is something so curiously captivating about the island of Bali, Indonesia. When I flew from Sydney to the Denpasar airport in Bali, I expected to step off of the plane and into the raw, lush paradise that everyone had described to me. As I was quick to find out, that wasn't the case at all. As part of a developing nation, Bali's undertone of old-world life is peppered with the new-world wealth of a booming tourist industry. I had just … [Read more...]
Spaniards in London
I've just come back from a short trip to London and I've been able to see the ravages of the crisis. And not precisely reflected in London city itself, but in the great amount of Spaniards that have left their apartments in Madrid, Barcelona or Cuenca and settled in the British capital, as in Spain the general outlook for youngsters is not very encouraging. Seriously, this made me reflect about whether one should leave their country to look … [Read more...]
Madrid, Once Upon a Time
Maybe it was a bad omen that I'd memorized Cinderella before I could read. By winter 2004, I had to accept that my life was turning to ashes. Single, living alone in Manhattan, I found myself without steady income, and few, if any employment options. My seemingly endless supply of crazy ideas to otherwise help keep me clothed and sheltered had long gone up in smoke. Factor in frequent, lengthy illnesses and my lifelong propensity for being … [Read more...]
Meet, Plan, Go!
A Nationwide Event to Help People Realize Their Travel Dreams On September 14, 2010, Briefcase to Backpack and Three Month Visa will be hosting Meet, Plan, Go! a free, nationwide event to inspire people to fulfill their career break and long-term travel dreams. The event will offer participants the opportunity to MEET inspirational speakers and like-minded travelers; get motivation, contacts and resources necessary to PLAN the trip of a … [Read more...]
Blundering in the Balkans
The sweat dripped down my face as I gyrated to the throbbing techno trying to keep up with a six-foot Serbian bombshell that had taken a keen interest in me, or at least my obvious American appearance. We walked out to the deck of the club, docked on the banks of the river Danube in downtown Belgrade to escape the heat of the nightclub and catch a breath of fresh air. As I took a sip of Jelen Pivo, the standard Serbian beer, my mind was fighting … [Read more...]
Smoke the Revolution
Havana, Cuba March 25, 2003 Dear Friends, Greetings from Cuba!! Just a couple of weeks before my departure to Havana, I could not have imagined soaking up the warm and humid trade winds here on this beautiful Caribbean Island. Instead I was entertaining thoughts of attending a Spanish course in Guatemala, when my old pal Jimmy Bentley called out of the blue to tell me he was looking for a nutcase to join him in defying the US embargo of … [Read more...]