Prior to our most recent trip to Finland and the Baltic States - I was expecting frigid temperatures combined with grey days and rain. Watching the weather several months before this trip we noticed brutally cold temperatures continuing week after week. Therefore we have been pleasantly surprised the past week - to have received a "weather bonus" if you will. It was 29.5 in Helsinki (33 is their all time record) and 31 in Tallinn several days … [Read more...]
Achieving Your Dream Vacations One Perk at a Time
Vacation pay and time off can only go so far in enabling you to explore that destination that's been on your mind for a while. Working out the logistics of transport and accommodations early on can help you get even more value out of your vacation. But if you haven't been taking advantage of travel perks offered by airlines, then there's still more you can do to experience your ideal vacation and all of the luxuries it entails. Partnerships … [Read more...]
Unique Martinique: A Napoleonic Retreat
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...]
Bohemian Rhapsody
John M. Edwards takes the waters in the Czech Republic’s so-called West Bohemian Spa Triangle in order to spy out the local talent and bathe in the buff. . . . “Give me a place to stand on, and I will have the earth.” --Archimedes In the “West Bohemian Spa Triangle,” consisting of the old spa towns Carlsbad, Marienbad, and Franzenbad, now all hiding behind Czech names, I thought to myself that it doesn’t get any better than this! In … [Read more...]
Chateau Montelena: An Icon In Napa Valley
Swans gracefully glide by. Ducks splash and play as they swim past the red lacquered pavilion and under the weeping willow trees. Standing on a bridge over the lake, you see vineyards in the distance scaling the side of the mountain. Above, a 100-year old stone winery, modeled after a French chateau, produces some of the finest wines in the area. The atmosphere is serene and joyful at the same time. Where are you? If you’re a wine fanatic, … [Read more...]
Time for tapas in Madrid
The landscape of Spain’s Asturios principality, set amid the Cantabrian Mountains on the country’s north coast, is both spectacular and forbidding. Winters are cold, with snow present from October and May and rain lacing the winter winds with a high chill factor. This might explain, in some way, why Nicolas Parronda is serving tapas and Asturias cider from a bagpipe-like vessel to a crowded bar of Sunday lunchtime stand-up diners in … [Read more...]
Knoxville to Host the Nation’s Largest Labor Day Weekend Fireworks Show
“Boomsday is one of the Southeast’s premier events and the largest Labor Day Weekend Fireworks Show in the nation. We are beyond thrilled to continue to present it to hometown folks and visitors from all over the country,” states Visit Knoxville president Kim Bumpas. Knoxville, Tennessee, July 1, 2014 - Visit Knoxville will light up the sky over the Tennessee River, Saturday, August 30 at Boomsday 2014. Entertainment begins at 3:00 p.m. … [Read more...]
Exploring Kangaroo Island, South Australia
Kangaroo Island was originally uninhabited until an Englishman, Matthew Flinders "discovered" the island in 1802. Today about thirty percent of the island is preserved either as a National Park or wilderness area - and only about 4000 people live here. Most of the population is on the Eastern side of the Island. This is Australia's third largest island and is located about 3 hours from Adelaide - 2 hours by road and then 45 minutes on the primary … [Read more...]
Helsinki Summertime Light, Heavy Metal Club and Market
We are enjoying the long light this time of year in the northern latitudes. And as far as capital cities, it doesn't get much more north than this; Helsinki is at 60 degrees north latitude. A few hours of semi darkness settles in around 1230pm until 3pm and then by 4am its fully light again. Wandering the streets in bright light at 10:30pm is perhaps an odd feeling for those who live in the middle latitudes. And furthermore it seems strange … [Read more...]
Ngoma Safari Lodge Botswana – July 2014
This luxury resort is located in the middle of the bush on the edge of the great Chobe National Park. The lodge is perched on the edge of a steep plateau and features eight well appointed suites - each with excellent views overlooking the Namibian plains far below. You come here for both luxury and relaxation, yet the biggest draw is Chobe National Park and its prolific wildlife. The lodge itself is small and low key yet one becomes pampered … [Read more...]
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