John M. Edwards, a future inductee into The Napoleon Society, storms Martinique in search of his own Josephine. A huge fan of Napoleon Bonaparte, the hero of post-Revolutionary France, I left the U.K. Crown Colony of Montserrat in the days before their volcano blew up for the fatal shores of Martinique via a scary Island Air prop plane. Landing with a jarring whump, my galpal and I, along with the burdensome baggage of my Sistah Sah, then … [Read more...]
The Thai That Binds, Eine Kleine Nacht Market
An American backpacker cannot decide whether street food or budget restaurants offer the best (read: safest) fetish of freshness until he visits one of Thailand’s signature Floating Night Markets... As someone used to eating Thai food in New York City, with restaurants with babytalk names like “Yum Yum” and “Tastee Thai,” I was blown away when I tasted real Siamese fare for the first time in Bangkok’s Banglamphu district, an area filled with … [Read more...]
The Kamping Fuhrer
Inside an Impressionist painting, in the French south, on the campground, inside the trailer, we were all talking and drinking up a storm like total strangers who’ve never met before. The bearded Brit nervously cleared his throat, extended his glass, and made polite overtures to my uncorked bottle of wretched red "vin de table." The mysterious Aragorn-like Englander looked like he hadn’t had a drink in an eon and that each sentence was framed … [Read more...]
Learn the Ropes to Cruise the Waterways of France
When I first went to Paris, I was struck by the beauty of this city. I was also amazed at how many boats I saw. Before I went I read about its history and about the things to see, food to taste and museums to visit. But being one who has spent a lot of time on boats, I was really surprised that I had not seen anything written about, or photos of, all the boats. Walking along the Seine I saw numerous vessels and wondered where they all came from. … [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...]
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...]
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...]
A Guide to Booking Your First European Adventure Holiday
If you’re used to relaxing vacations sat upon peaceful white sands, making the decision to take an adventure holiday can be daunting – but it should be well worth the leap (quite literally). Read on for a guide on booking your first thrill seeking break in Europe. Choosing an activity and finding the perfect location Are you ready to embrace your wild side and discover the great outdoors? Europe is home to many brilliant adventure holiday … [Read more...]
Cuisine Minceur: Eat, Pay, More
John M. Edwards explores the popular Foodie movement of “Cuisine Minceur” (small food), invented in Les Landes, France, wherein gullible gourmands counting calories get much less food for much more money. . . . I feel sorry for the people who use the term “FOODIE.” It is a term less about the ends justifying the means and more about just being mean. Whenever I hear the euphemism, I flinch involuntarily, as when your PC (“pretend … [Read more...]
Special Jungle Curry: Thai Street Food, Close Encounters of the Third-World Kind
An American backpacker cannot decide whether budget restaurants or street food offer the best fetish of freshness until he visited one of Thailand’s best outdoor night markets, serving “SPECIAL JUNGLE CURRY.” As someone used to eating Thai food in New York City, with restaurants with babytalk names like “Yum Yum” and “Tastee Thai,” I was blown away when I tasted real Siamese fare for the first time in Bangkok’s Banglamphu district, an area … [Read more...]
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