John M. Edwards, the only smoker ever allowed onto the premises of snooty “Sooke Harbour House,” visits Vancouver Island in the Pacific Northwest on his own terms. As a paying contributor to “The United Negroe College Fund,” for sage reasons of philanthropy as well as tax evasion, I was a little surprised to find in the maritime city of Vancouver, British Columbia, absolutely no black people—only Commonwealthy Europeans and Asians, plus a few … [Read more...]
Dispatch: Elysian Fields Forever
In Search of the Elusive Rare Blue Morpho Butterfly, Monte Verde Cloudforest - Costa Rica John M. Edwards compares Costa Rican ecotourism vs. narcissism I awake from a Magic Realism dream, evaporating. I am once again surrounded by evil anacondas in the charmed atmosphere of Costa Rica’s “Monteverde Cloud Forest,” breathing the bracing air of golden pre-Colombian pagan gods talking in exceedingly loud voices. I astounded myself by the … [Read more...]
Discovering Nova Scotia Food and Wine
From the land and the sea, Nova Scotia is a treasure chest of epicurean bounty. For me, that bounty included several first-time experiences and a few surprises. I didn't know very much about Nova Scotia food and wine prior to my visit which made the prospect of my culinary road trip all the more exciting. I was eager to broaden my horizons with new seafood experiences and discover the province’s quickly-growing wine industry. Since Nova … [Read more...]
22 “Slash” Bus or “Take the White Bus” or “Infopoint” –Bari to Dubrovnik!!
Bari, Italy is a sleepy, small seaside town, which seems only relevant to get ferry passengers to Greece, Croatia, or Albania. But that’s how it seems on paper and the Roma Termini train station. Really, it’s slightly more complicated than that. I suppose the wonder of travel and the fun of it begins when your expectations don’t quite meet the reality. And navigating through that actuality & confusion is the delight, even though it may not … [Read more...]
5 Top European Adventures You’ve (Probably) Never Heard Of
There are certainly the go to and much loved destinations in Europe. Cities such as London, Paris and Rome quickly come to mind. However, the focus of this list is to highlight some lesser known European locations and adventures. Have you experienced any of these or been to these locations? Suggest some of your favorites: leave comments below. For experiences similar to the ones mentioned below, Contiki Tours (age 18-35) offers a number of … [Read more...]
The Florida Keys: Funky, Fantastic, and Fun (as in, “Lots of”)
Remember when you were a kid and the carnival would come to town, and there would be one great ride after another, gooey kid foods, a happy crowd and a sense of being somewhere special? The Florida Keys are like that—but with better rides (things to see and do) and definitely better food. I recently spent five days in the Keys, and packed in a whirlwind of sightseeing goodness (and packed in sumptuous plates full of fabulous food). Top to … [Read more...]
Where is Amelia Earhart’s Plane? Colin Cobb Knows…
“Never interrupt someone doing something you said couldn’t be done.” -Amelia Earhart Check out the video at the end to solve the mystery." A couple years ago while visiting Belfast I took a Titanic walking tour, run by a charismatic chap, Colin Cobb. He took me to the edge of the 880 foot-long Thompson Graving Dock, where RMS Titanic was hauled to check and clean its hull and fit the propellers. It was the last place she sat on … [Read more...]
Fiji: Still the Cannibal Isles
My strange fascination with cannibalism began while I was studying history in graduate school. In a book whose title I have since forgotten (which might indicate why I quit grad school altogether), I read that Nelson Rockefeller's son Michael Rockefeller disappeared when he was 23 years old and that he was possibly cannibalized in Melanesia. At the time, I didn't know which came as a bigger surprise: that the young Rockefeller was most likely … [Read more...]
The TV Farm Kings and Their Freedom Farms are What Reality TV should Really Be
We drove through a green rolling countryside as we made our way to Freedom Farms for the final meal of the day to end our tour of Butler County - an hour's drive north of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. I was looking forward to our last meal of the tour in the rural part of the state with its wholesome and hearty home-cooked farm food. The Freedom Farms family is led by their outstanding mother, Lisa, a divorced mother of ten. She is the … [Read more...]
‘Someday’ – When Europe called
It was sometime in early 2011. I was having a chat with a couple of friends centered on a quote from the Tom Cruise starrer ‘Knight and Day’. Not exactly the kind of movie to throw up quotes worthy of discussion or much thought. But surprisingly, it did have one particularly special quote– moving, thought-provoking, enigmatic and slightly frightening if I may say so. “Someday. That's a dangerous word. It's really just a code for 'never'. … [Read more...]
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