What did I know about birds? Enough to feed spinach greens, not stale muffins, to the domestic ducks at Recreation Park in my hometown of Long Beach, CA. Enough to avoid annoying the thirty-pound swans in London's Hyde Park. Enough to understand that silence was golden while trailing knowledgeable birdwatchers in the woods near The House of the Doves at Uxmal. And once, at my grandmother's house in Los Angeles when I was ten, I learned the hard … [Read more...]
Suds and Solace
"The future is an opaque mirror. Anyone who tries to look into it sees nothing but the dim outlines of an old and worried face." --Jim Bishop The morning of September 11, 2001, as a Peace Corps trainer I'd scarcely opened an HIV/AIDS seminar in a shabby hotel two hours north of Port-au-Prince, when the Haiti health program manager pulled me aside. "The World Trade Center and the Pentagon have been attacked by planes," she whispered. "It's … [Read more...]
Romancing the Past
Mid-afternoon in the Apollo Room, Alexander Purdie stands before its brownish brick, marble-mantled fireplace and laments the loss of happier days. Mr. Purdie and the fireplace are flanked by two doors of the same teal-green as the rectangular room's wainscoting and window frames; they stand out against the cream-colored upper walls. The golden slats of the wooden floor give slightly underfoot. I love this room. Restored in the 1930s, the … [Read more...]
To Hellholes & Back
To Hellholes & Back by Chuck Thompson This is one of the most humorous travel reads that has come across our desk in a long time. Chuck Thompson decides to visit what he perceives to be four scary "hellholes": Congo, India, Mexico City and as he says, "perhaps most terrifying of all", Disney World in Florida. The book is chock full of memorable witty quotes that will leave you hunched over laughing especially the chapters on India and even more … [Read more...]
Long Weekend in Puerto Rico
Spend a Long Weekend in Puerto Rico. Puerto Rico is an ideal Caribbean Island for a number of reasons; history - with buildings that date back to the 1520's there is no older "western culture" in the Western Hemisphere. Christopher Columbus claimed Puerto Rico for Spain in 1493. Food - Puerto Rican cuisine is Spanish & Caribbean influenced, outdoor activities, water sports, great beaches and ease of travel. Its a "fly and drive" destination. … [Read more...]
The Hungry Cyclist
The Hungry Cyclist by Tom Kevill-Davies We first heard about the Hungry Cyclist when he stopped over in the Napa valley several years back. Imagine our delight to one day hear that Tom had written a book about his epic journeys on the bike in the America's. Tom quit his job, left his girlfriend and the comfortable life in England to hop on the back of a British touring bicycle and peddle all the way from New York City to Rio de Janeiro in Brazil … [Read more...]
Grayton Beach Affair
Grayton Beach Affair by James Harvey A World War II story. A fleeting romance. A secret mission. Thrown together by the circumstances of war, main character Christian Wolfe finds himself sent to America from Germany on a mission to rescue a German POW. For the two day "affair" he is on American soil in Grayton Beach Florida and finds himself caught up with a beautiful girl. Harvey weaves a tale of suspense and unfinished romance set against … [Read more...]
Breezing through the Windy City
This last weekend in lieu of the Easter Holidays and my Uncle's 50th birthday I flew down to Chicago to spend the weekend with my family and go on a little adventure. Chicago is a huge city and a fairly popular one in North America; although last year alone I transited through the city 14 times I have never actually set foot outside of the airport, so needless to say I was quite curious and excited to grab a camera and have my cousin host me … [Read more...]
California Trips
California Trips by Lonely Planet is one of 6 books in Lonely Planets new "Trips" Series covering select locations in the United States. These books are ideal for those looking to make a domestic road trip or even for International visitors trying to figure out some of America's top road trips. This particular book highlights 68 unique trips ranging from 2 to 7 days; each trip includes family and pet friendly attractions, easy to use maps and … [Read more...]
ASTA Conference, 2011 Puerto Rico
The ASTA (American Society of Travel Agents) 2011 Conference, held in Puerto Rico, was attended by more than 700 travel agents from around the world. The honorable Governor of Puerto Rico, Luis G. Fortuno, gave the opening remarks. This four day conference focused on the Caribbean region and included a number of tourism talks relating to specific countries as well as additional tools for selling niche trips. Recently we had the opportunity to … [Read more...]
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