John M. Edwards pulls up his proverbial time machine into communist Slovakia (1989), where appearances are illusory and life is lived on a virtual movie set. . . . “I AM THE BEST ARTIST IN SLOVAKIA!” The Best Artist in Slovakia bruited. With a cavalier wave of his hand, curved like a grinning alligator shadow puppet, he added in slow mo, “I paint you a picture you would not believe!” “Oh, really?” I said with a terse forced smile. “I really … [Read more...]
Mallorca 2013
After delays in New York and Dusseldorf, we arrive in Palma, Mallorca at 2:30 p.m. Wonderfully, my husband Damon and I are invited every year to stay in nearby Bendinat. Our host Hal is alone at his seaside house. His daughter, my good friend Kate, and her 13-year-old son Carlos will arrive next week. Despite his years, Hal is remarkably unchanged, his distinctive phraseology continues unabated, examples being the classic “Clock!” and … [Read more...]
VenturaCountyWest: Laid-Back Fun
It may be hard to believe, but not far from Los Angeles (about an hour’s drive depending on traffic) are thousands of acres of avocado and lemon groves, fields of strawberries, raspberries, celery, tomatoes, peppers and cut flowers--not to mention a palm tree farm or two. Where is this place? It’s Ventura County, in particular, the three cities of Camarillo, Oxnard and Ventura known as VenturaCountyWest. Because of its agricultural roots … [Read more...]
Sexy Vermont: 50 Shades of Green
Who would have guessed? But, as laid bare before me, Vermont is the sexiest state. Beyond its partially-trussed shoulders, and sensually curved back, beyond its juicy, succulent berries, Vermont is a place that emanates a pheromone that smells more pine than Axe. And yet it somehow manages to excite in ways unexpected. The favored car is not a Porsche, but rather a Subaru. The state color not hot pink, but forest green. It is more Von … [Read more...]
World’s Best Beaches
Beaches provide a beautiful escape from the daily grind of life. Laying back on a relaxing beach towel and soaking up the sun is a luxury that everyone should have the pleasure of experiencing. However, as there are thousands upon thousands of beaches to explore on this beautiful planet of ours, it may be difficult to distinguish which sandy destination is truly paradise and which is merely a mirage. Rest easy friends because we have put together … [Read more...]
Kidnapped In Africa – Part 2
Before I begin, I want to thank those of you who have come back to finish the story of: ”Steve And The Unsuspecting Backpackers” Just a quick summation of where we are in the story: 1. We met a guy called ‘Steve’ 2. Steve seemed nice 3. We got a lift with Steve to a club that was, apparently, 10 minutes away 4. The car had blacked out windows and only one back door worked 5. After driving for nearly 1 hour a 'Titan' of a man got in the … [Read more...]
Kidnapped In Africa – Part One
For me, Tanzania is a tainted country. If you can believe it, we were kidnapped and robbed within 24 hours of arriving into the country. So... let’s begin the tale. The night before the ‘incident’ took place, one of my best mates and I touched down into Dar es Salaam (the biggest city in Tanzania). As soon as we arrived we did what any proper backpacker would. We rushed from the airport to our hotel, check in as fast as humanly … [Read more...]
The Worst Food in the World: Ñachi
On the way to the headwaters of the Bio-Bio River in Chile, where we hoped to make the first descent, we stopped at a Mapuche Indian farm house and asked if we might camp in an untilled field. Yes, Yaco, the owner, replied, but only if we joined for dinner. Of course! We would be delighted. As we sat at a long wooden table, Yaco served up Mudai, maize chicha, made by cooking ground corn in water, adding masticated maize meal, and … [Read more...]
Cesky Krumlov: The Real Bohemia
John M. Edwards checks out the new Czech Republic’s “Cesky Krumlov,” where real “Bohemians” come from. . . . On my first visit to communist Czechoslovakia in 1989 (right before the Velvet Revolution), I drove down in my rented and probably bugged Skoda car to the legendary Bohemian locus of magnetic Cesky Krumlov, the most stylish picturesque village in the country. I realized to be truly “Bohemian,” you had to actually be from the … [Read more...]
Going Gluten-Free Travelling On A Budget
As a country we spend the majority of our time earning money and even though most of us work hard to keep our heads above water, paying bills, rent or mortgages we need something to look forward to – a holiday! Just some time to get away from the daily grind of hard work and relax, but even then, not many of us can afford to go five star luxury in the Caribbean and need to holiday on a budget. There are many ways that traveling on a budget … [Read more...]
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