What was Parisian-Style Boulevards, Empty Eight-Lane Highways, and Chistendom's Highest Chuch-All Dead Ending in Jungle? I was working for a magazine in Abidjan, the principal city of Cote d’Ivoire (better known as the Ivory Coast), when some co-workers and I set off on a pilgrimage to one of the strangest ghost towns in Africa: Yamoussoukro. The official capital of the country since 1983, this modern “lost city” is the architectural … [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...]
How to Avoid Getting Bad Bowl Cuts Abroad
An American backpacker braves a bowl cut (almost) from a proverbial Third World barber. . . . The man in front of me, shivering in the swiveling chair, was almost completely bald with two bushy fluffs upon either side of his noggin, resembling a sad circus clown with no friends. Or, Bozo. Or, Krusty. Or, Larry from "The Three Stooges." Then The Man with the Haircut eyed himself with envy, congratulating himself on now almost … [Read more...]
Jurassic Poop
With the success of Steven Spielberg’s box-office juggernauts (“Jurassic Park” and “The Lost World”)—as well as the notable sale by Sothebys of “Sue” (the world’s most complete T-Rex) for $8.3 million--dino fever right now is downright epidemic. No surprise then that, even after the unfortunate flop of the “Land of the Lost” remake, business is booming for Boonman Poonyathiro, a Thai entrepreneur capitalizing on the prehistoric craze, but … [Read more...]
A Journey of the Senses
Ears There is a moment of silence just before an announcement. It is that quick pause when the airline ground staff takes a breath—the gap between the crackling of the PA system and the sweet voice with calculated intonation, calling on a passenger: “Paging (insert name). You are needed at gate (insert number).” I am standing inside a store, surrounded by aisles and aisles of eco-friendly school products when I heard a page. I look up … [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...]
Big Bear is Now the Highest-Altitude Vineyard in the Northern Hemisphere
Big Bear Lake, Calif. June 26, 2013 – Stone Summit Vineyard in Big Bear Lake is now the highest-altitude commercial vineyard and winery in the northern hemisphere at 6,750’ above sea level. This honor had previously gone to Terror Creek Vineyard in Colorado at 6,417’. Snow Summit Vineyard began planting grape vines in May 2012 and has since planted more than 2,000 vines. The growing process is expected to take two or more years before the grapes … [Read more...]
Catalina Express, Facebook Giveaway
To celebrate the Centennial of Catalina Island’s Avalon, Catalina Express, in Los Angeles California, the leading boat transportation to and from Catalina Island with up to 30 daily departures, has launched a Facebook giveawayon anniversary day, Wednesday, June 26. Entries will be accepted through July 10. On July 12, 2013, one lucky Catalina Express Facebook fan will win 100 Days of Travel to Catalina in which he or she can travel to Catalina as … [Read more...]
The Kenya Not Many See
When I was in Kenya this May, I didn't go on a tourist's safari. I didn’t ride in a Jeep with a group of other people, traveling across wide open plains, snapping pictures of dozens of wild African animals. I experienced that seven years ago, and though I would love to do it again sometime, this year there was neither time nor money in the budget. You may be asking yourself, “So why did you go to Kenya? Doesn’t everyone go for the … [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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