Into the Wild Wild East of “Europe Minor” John M. Edwards becomes a “stringer” and steeps himself in suspense-novel intrigue in the Estonian capital, where a post-communist parable of “The Baltic Dream” seems pegged less to illusory pyrite and more to ubiquitous amber... Of course in Estonia everyone is a spy! Ah yes, so true, and that includes the suspicious-looking mustached man over there, with the Coke-bottle specs and tan Burberry … [Read more...]
Greek Isles and Turkey
The Greek Isles and Turkey is a voyage that is best experienced on a sailing ship. I had visited the Greek Islands and Turkey before, but never on a yacht with sails. This was also my first experience on Wind Star, a 148 passenger, four deck vessel with six self-furling, bridge-operated sails. It seemed as if the sea and the ports were custom made for this smaller ship allowing passengers to fully experience the areas just as they were centuries … [Read more...]
Exploring Local Agritourism in Southern Sweden
The region of Skåne is Sweden's "breadbasket", a landscape filled with agriculture, both rolling hills and flatlands and is surrounded by the Baltic Sea on three sides. Entry to this region is easy - Malmö, Sweden's third largest city behind Stockholm and Gothenburg is merely 20-30 minutes by train or car from Copenhagen's International Airport. Driving is straight forward in Sweden - roads are well signed and the rural country roads are … [Read more...]
An afternoon with Åsa Orrmell at Wallåkra Stoneware Factory
Wallåkra Stenkärlsfabrik, a stoneware factory, restaurant and garden is located about 30 minutes outside of Helsingborg in Southern Sweden. The property is located within the small village of Vallåkra. Turn off the E4/E6 at the exit Landskrona North (27) and take the road to Vallåkra - look for signs once you are in Vallåkra. This was originally a site where pottery was made with local clay taken from the surrounding land. The original … [Read more...]
Lara Beach – Turtle Sanctuary
The town of Paphos, located on the south coast of Cyprus, has many attractions. It is a recognised UNESCO site for its many historical and archaeological sites, including Paphos Castle, a medieval fort built to defend the harbour; the ruined castle of Saranta Kolenes; the Tombs of the Kings, a network of underground vaults dating from the 4th century BC; the remains of city walls; and Roman buildings. A little inland you can find pine forested … [Read more...]
Gastronomical wonder at my fingertips
“Chicas! ¡venido a la cena!!!” Quima’s voice travelled through the corridor and my eyes sprung open! Thank goodness - dinner was served. I looked at my watch: 9:23 pm. We’re making progress, at least from the usual 10 o’clock. Sometimes I wondered how my gastric juices could hold out for so long, but maybe I was starting to get accustomed to Spanish standard time. Breakfast at eight AM, a snack at eleven, heavy lunch at two, Tapas or merienda … [Read more...]
A Paranormal Papparazzo Stalks the Ghost of Copernicus
Time Traveling to Copernicus’s “Crib” in Torun (Poland) John M. Edwards stalks the heretical ghost of Polish astronomer Nicholaus Copernicus back to his hometown: Torun, Poland. Here is a question nobody, not even Steven Hawking (A Brief History of Time) nor Erich von Daniken (Chariots of the Gods), can answer: How large is the universe? How can it be infinite if it is at the same time also “expanding”? I decided the only scientist worth … [Read more...]
A Bittersweet Roman Holiday
Rome: probably my favorite city on Earth, if I had to choose only one. Our time here was emotional and bittersweet, but Rome's beauty did what it could to try and ease the pain. We planned the last month of our round-the-world trip to be mostly a family affair. We saved Italy and Austria for last, because we thought it would be comforting to see some of my relatives after being on the road all year, and because it would be a smooth … [Read more...]
The Swans of Galway City Canals
Galway City, Ireland is one of my favorite places to visit on the planet. Most people associate Galway with vibrant night life, the Cliffs of Moher or the Aran Islands but if you take time to examine the little things you will find Galway has a lot more to offer. The swans of Galway City are one of the highlights when I recall my times exploring the city. There is a large population of these swans in Galway; they can be fairly friendly, that is … [Read more...]
Sacred Guides
The eighty degree weather we’d had at breakfast in a California border town transitioned sharply into the fifties by lunchtime at the Grand Canyon. I exchanged my flip flops for socks and hiking shoes, threw a jean jacket over my summer dress, and donned a beanie, the only warmer things I had easy access to. My dress whipped around my legs in the chilly wind. The weather was unexpectedly far from ideal for sightseeing, but we couldn’t drive past … [Read more...]
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