Like blind tourists, my friends and I stumbled upon a small travel agency one morning in Panajachel, Guatemala. Little did we know, this happenstance would lead to one of the most exhilarating experiences of my life and the most delectable tamale I've ever tasted. I can clearly remember biting into that tamale - warm, delectable cornmeal surrounding a layer of seasoned chicken - after our return from an adventurous weekend in Semuc Champey. It … [Read more...]
Wheels in the Baja
My friends call me "Wheels." My story begins in 1950, after polio left me 'confined" to a wheelchair but certainly not "by it." Inspired by the book Into A Desert Place by Graham Macintosh, my story unfolds into a road trip through Baja, California with my friend Jack. A quick adventure over 7 days and 2000 miles provides a lifetime of memories of a frontier land south of the border that in 1972 presented challenges to all travelers, especially … [Read more...]
Rambling Through Quebec’s Eastern Townships
I was glad the bus was air conditioned as our group of eight drove on that hot July day, through Quebec's Eastern Townships - a part of Quebec famous for its tourist appeal. I was happy and content. Inside it was cool and comfortable and outside it was a scenic world. The countryside was covered with flowers, greenery as well as cultivated fields. At times we drove through rolling hills; at other times through flat and fertile landscape. As … [Read more...]
Exploring the Diversity of Hawaii’s Big Island
We boarded the plane leaving for Kona behind a clean cut well-dressed businessman toting a RollAboard with a book tucked in tightly in the back. Only one word of the title showed, "sex" and this apparently caught the eye of a number of travelers as we heard hints of conversation and chuckles from behind us. But no one had the guts to actually ask this traveler for more details, juicy or otherwise. For those who know me, know the serious … [Read more...]
Fundacion En Via of Oaxaca: Exchanging Culture While Fighting Poverty
I've been supporting women's microfinancing organizations since I first read about them about a decade ago and had to look up the term before I ran to get my checkbook. It seemed like such a common-sense way to make a difference in a world where you often think you can't. But the whole concept didn't became concrete to me until I went on an En Via microfinancing tour last November, after coming to Oaxaca on a whim to spend three weeks around Day … [Read more...]
Magical Maui
Magical Maui. While Maui is a fairly small island (two peninsulas separated by a flat section) there is a rich diversity of attractions and activities to easily fill up a week. Maui is touristy yet Maui is not touristy - the contrasts between the different parts of the island are great. For those who enjoy the manufactured life on vacation including resorts, condos and or beach life with all the amenities and development should look immediately … [Read more...]
Introduction to Northern Napa Valley
The Napa Valley is anchored by Mt. St. Helena in the north and the city of Napa in the south. In between you find the towns of Calistoga, St. Helena, Rutherford, Oakville, and Yountville. These towns are spread out throughout the valley along Highway 29 (which is the main road through Napa Valley on the west side of the valley). The distance from the city of Napa in the south to Calistoga in the north is about 26 miles. The valley is narrow as it … [Read more...]
Pittsburgh Weekend Getaway
The steel industry vacated Pittsburgh starting in the mid 1980's and by the mid 90's had almost entirely disappeared. With a hold on the industry of Pittsburgh for such a long time the loss of the steel mills happened rather quickly. However the legacy of the period of steel in Pittsburgh lives on; names like Carnegie, Mellon and Frick dot the city. As a testament to the resourcefulness of Pittsburgh, neighborhoods have since been revitalized, … [Read more...]
Off the Beaten Path to Paradise
It was a just a girl's getaway. We chose Amelia Island at the northernmost corner of Florida because we heard it was a lovely retreat without the usual tourist trappings of clogged roads, traffic jams and busy shopping malls with the same stores we had back home. The island is located 32 miles northeast of Jacksonville. The ride from the airport was about 40 minutes. The area which includes Fernandina Beach is well known to its closest … [Read more...]
Old Quebec: A Tourist Destination par Excellence
Quebec City's magnificent castle-like Le Chateau Frontenac with its medieval stone towers, gables and copper turrets, we surveyed the St. Lawrence River. For a long time, we stood enjoying the enchanting view. From our vantage point, in this symbol of the city, it was easy to dream of the past - the time when Samuel de Champlain, in 1608, established the city, which was to become the cradle of French civilization in the Americas. For … [Read more...]
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