The Barossa Valley, when compared to the age of the European wine regions is rather young. However if you look deeper you realize there is a lot of "history" here. These are some of the oldest soils on the planet - the mountain ranges have been so well weathered they are now just gentle rolling hills. The Barossa is one of Australia's earliest wine regions - having been founded not by the British but by German settlers in the early 1840's. … [Read more...]
Stowe’s Simple Surprises
Sometimes luxury is in the simple things. Driving the last ten miles along Route 100 toward Stowe, Vermont, I was entering another way of life. There are no sky-scrapers, no fast-food chains, no billboards or even back-lit signs. There are independent little one- and two-storey shops, selling cheeses and maple syrups and cider doughnuts. I pulled into the parking lot at the recently renovated Topnotch Resort and Spa and quickly ducked … [Read more...]
Dispatch: The Berlin Stories Check-in at Checkpoint Charlie
Separated from his student tour group in East Berlin, a much younger John M. Edwards gets seriously lost and says, “Ich bin ein Berliner!” (I am a doughnut!), but, er, for exactly how long? It’s a race against time to find “Chuck” and bust through the border crossing before the “Iron Curtain” closes. . . . For numerology fans, both the first Mayflower landing at Plymouth Rock and the dramatic fall of the Berlin Wall fell on my birthday: … [Read more...]
5 Honolulu Highlights
After several visits to Kauai, Maui, Molokai and the Big Island of Hawaii, I finally had a chance to visit Oahu, the most populated of the Hawaiian Islands and home to the state capital of Honolulu. My travel opportunity came with an invitation to Honolulu to attend the launch of the new Hawaiian Airlines World Elite MasterCard issued by Barclaycard. Although primarily a business trip, I got a wonderful taste of what Honolulu has to offer leisure … [Read more...]
Unusual holidays – volunteering in Zimbabwe
After I decided to volunteer at Antelope Park in Gweru in Zimbabwe many people asked me if I really wanted to go there. Everyone is afraid of something; I was afraid of big dogs. That is partly why I wanted to travel there - to test myself and overcome my fears. 'Where else in the world' – like the motto of Antelope Park says, can you walk with lions? When I reached Zimbabwe for the first couple of hours I felt afraid - not about the animals I … [Read more...]
Perth on a Penny Royal a Day: Freebie New Year’s Day Downunder
John M. Edwards finds a six-month circumnavigation of Australia offers much more than empty Outback vistas of red dust and rock formations. but what better way to end you stay than plopping down at a hostel in Perth where everybody knows your name, one-legged pub crawls are the game, and where the Yanks take home the "Americas's Cup" trophy once again! Writing about New Year's Eve the day after is an annual letdown, unpublishable, an egregious … [Read more...]
Chicago’s finest attractions
Chicago, Illinois is one of America’s iconic cities and attracts just over 46 million visitors each year. This Midwest metropolis is the third largest city in the US and holds a wealth of attractions and activities whichever season you decide to visit in. Chicago dates back to the early 1800s and has built itself into one of the world’s most vibrant and beautiful cities. It’s in Chicago that you will find the world’s first skyscraper as well … [Read more...]
The New Alchemists of Prague
Prague Spring Break: Bohemian Rhapsody or Bozo Nightmare? The Unbearable Lightness of Being a Time Traveler in Prague In a possessed city Kafka called “a mother with claws,” John M. Edwards discovers the unbearable lightness of being a tourist in overcrowded Prague. Here a cost comparison of Communist and Capitalist Prague reveals a long history of alchemy and occupation, sorcery and intrigue, apparatchik chic and uneasy redemption. Welcome … [Read more...]
The Unexpected Charms of Dusseldorf
Dusseldorf was the last stop on my recent trip to Germany. After the non-stop excitement of Berlin and the Grande Dame beauty of Dresden, my expectations were low. Dusseldorf was a city I associated with trade fairs and big business, neither of which hold my interest. Instead, what I got was a city bursting at the seams with a vigorous art scene, robust cultural life and plenty of culinary mojo. It’s a convenient city to visit, thanks to … [Read more...]
Little Denmark
At a British- or Irish-style “public house” in an old colonial town, a fictional action figure named John M. Edwards sucks down suds with serendipity. I was standing at the bar at the Jolly Trolley in Westfield, New Jersey, staring at my Fuller’s London Pride, when I decided I was so drunk I would indeed have a hangover in the morning. The red label reminded me of the Protestant solidity of London and the infinite possibilities of drinking … [Read more...]
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