I had another epic few days in Los Angeles. As like nearly all my visits to town, this one was a whirlwind event filled few days. I was invited by LA City Councilman Tom LaBonge on a hike of Mt. Hollywood to honor the London summer olympics as well as the closing of summer. This is a great hike - 1.5 miles to the summit nearly all up hill. The day was hot, the day was clear - I sweated as I climbed with fellow travelers @michelleyam and … [Read more...]
Greetings from Sofia, Bulgaria
The image blazed in my mind of my several stays in the Bulgarian capital from the past few weeks comes from several sightings of a wheelchair bound heavily bearded homeless man. I first came across him several weeks ago - he was perched on the sidewalk surrounded by metal garbage containers and piles of trash all around him. The stench was tremendous. His wheelchair contained a large tray and on it was quite a spread of people's half eaten … [Read more...]
A day in Skopje, Macedonia
Skopje is a very interesting city - I was here a few weeks ago but this time I actually had a little bit of time to kill and explore the city. 16 years is a long time but that is when I first met my 3rd online friend back in the mid 1990's - using a program called ICQ (precursor to a number of the instant message programs or built in SMS programs all over the internet these days). She is from Bitola Macedonia, now living in Skopje and we … [Read more...]
Gatlinburg, Tennessee
Located in beautiful East Tennessee, Gatlinburg is a friendly mountain resort town known for its charming wedding chapels, cozy mountain cabins, family-friendly attractions, local moonshine, fall foliage, and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park – the most visited national park in the U.S. With so much to do and see, it’s a top pick for honeymoons and romantic trips, reunions, church retreats, family vacations, girls’ weekends, father-son … [Read more...]
Paradise, Ohrid – Macedonia
I've discovered Paradise - Ohrid on the shores of Lake Ohrid in Macedonia. This is the ideal spot for anyone to spend a few weeks or months or more. But especially for travel writers - where one can easily be inspired to write by the natural beauty of this area. September is a good time to visit - many of the tourists have already left, leaving still warm weather and empty beaches for one to enjoy. Bring a lot of good books, browse the shops … [Read more...]
Reflections of Ohrid – Macedonia
Let us set the scene for your visit - Lake Ohrid, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is one of Macedonia's true natural gems. Here are the basics: the old town of Ohrid is the place to stay with its ancient architecture, site of Europe's first University, site of where the Cyrillic alphabet was invented, steep cobblestone streets, small cafes and bars that are only accessible by foot or by boat and rocky secluded beaches perched at the base of steep … [Read more...]
Visiting London for first timers with an eye on Scotland
This post is about London, one of the world's major International cities. With two major airports (Heathrow and Gatwick) and two smaller ones (Luton and Stansted), there is no shortage of flights to and from here from all over the globe. Once in the city, the famous red double decker buses will take you anywhere you need to go within the city limits - and some of these run all night. The also famous "tube" looks like a birds nest when you see it … [Read more...]
Staying in Struga, Macedonia
I'm now staying in Struga, a small town on the shores of beautiful Lake Ohrid in Southern Macedonia. I've rented the top loft in an apartment building only blocks from the shoreline. This room has character - the ceiling is slanted so I can't stand up properly but the skylight opens onto the roof for fresh breezes blowing in the from the lake. If I pop up onto the roof I have views overlooking all the red roofs of the town with Ohrid in the … [Read more...]
Tribute to the Olive
Since I am writing this from next to the beach in Vlore, Albania - truly the home to the olive - I thought it would be fitting to write about this historic tree. With some estimated 280,000 olive trees in Vlore, this city is really surrounded by the trees. The olive is native to the coastal regions of the Mediterranean such as this area - we are only some 70 odd kilometers as the seagull flies from the Italian shoreline - a country also home to … [Read more...]
What’s new this fall à la Montréal
Bota-Bota, spa-sur-l’eau A floating oasis of tranquility on the shores of the city, this contemporary spa is cleverly housed in a former ferry boat anchored at the Quays of the Old Port. Go for the luxurious treatments, of course, but also go to enjoy the unique atmosphere enhanced by a sublime view of the Saint-Lawrence River and urban panorama that affords a wonderful opportunity to sit back and relax on deck, sip a glass of your favourite … [Read more...]
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