I had the happy occasion to be in Thailand in spring 2011, staying first in downtown Bangkok, then up in Chiang Mai, luxuriating in two hotels that were two of the most glorious and well appointed I'd ever enjoyed. In the thick of downtown Bangkok is Lebua at State Tower, a five-star, all-suite luxury hotel that towers over the rest and offers stunning views of the city and Praya River below. It is a massive place of glass and stone, and … [Read more...]
Sweet Tooth in Budapest
Budapest has been a place of inspiration for many writers and composers. For this reason the city was known for its coffee house culture which served as a meeting point for creative minds. In Budapest you can find historical coffee houses that are traditionally owned by one family and passed on generation to generation, but also there are many trendy hip cafes to enjoy a good cup of coffee. The coffee houses are often very elegant and still … [Read more...]
May’s Sizzlin’ News From Hawai’i, The Big Island
Hawai'i Island (May 3, 2011) - Spring has sprung on Hawai'i Island, where the yellow, red and salmon-colored blossoms of native 'ōhi'a lehua trees greet visitors in special abundance this time of year. Plan your spring fling now, and be inspired by Hawai'i Island's natural beauty all year long. ADVENTURES, ACTIVITIES & EVENTS Why Hilo? Fly Hilo! Hilo will welcome two new direct flights from California in June. United Airlines (operated by … [Read more...]
The Wizard of Christchurch
EVERYONE knows J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings trilogy was filmed entirely on location downunder by Kiwi director Peter Jackson. But did you know that a real sorcerer, a magi of magic realism straight out of the Oscar-winning series, only rather recently left New Zealand after the nasty Christchurch Earthquake of 2011. Born Ian Brackenbury Channell in London (4 December 1932), "The Wizard of Christchurch" is an inspired soap-box … [Read more...]
Curse of the Sea Gypsy
Looking for Love on Lovina, Bali Well, er, the problem was, I thought I saw a real live mermaid. Get that? Loping on Bali's Lovina beach one day, I came across a troglodytic Indonesian man crouching over a campfire, cooking a stunted animal on a skewer. Was he eating a cat?! "Very nice bitch," the local sarong hawker spat in the sand. Lo and behold! I saw a bikinied blond, like the statuesque prow of a Viking vessel, … [Read more...]
A Climb of Mount Kilimanjaro
As per Wikipedia: Altitude sickness: Symptoms that may indicate life-threatening altitude sickness include: - Pulmonary edema (fluid in the lungs): - Symptoms similar to bronchitis - Persistent dry cough - Fever - Shortness of breath even when resting - Cerebral edema (swelling of the brain): - Headache that does not respond to analgesics - Unsteady gait - Gradual loss of consciousness - Increased nausea - Retinal … [Read more...]
A Trip To Samar
A soft breezy sunrise rouses me as my ship nears the coast and moors at the docks of Maguino-o, off the city of Calbayog Western Samar in the Central Philippines. Sheer weather of the early morning meets the island's pristine seawaters. And I feel like a sixteenth-century explorer reincarnated. "There you are," I whisper upon sighting the shores of Samar. Believing I could reach the location only through history books. One of the very … [Read more...]
Cotton Tree: Year-Round Sketch Classes Draw Cultural Travelers
Experience the Art of Travel at Authentic Caribbean Outpost Grand Cayman - Experienced and beginning sketch artists will find artistic inspiration and the perfect way to relax at Cotton Tree, the Cayman Islands' first boutique cottage hotel, where on-site classes led by a local artist provide a picturesque instructional brush-up amid the beauty of Cotton Tree's lush gardens on the Caribbean Sea. Sketch classes at Cotton Tree include all … [Read more...]
The Europe Book
The Europe Book by Laetitia Clapton The tagline for this book is "a journey through every country on the continent" and this is certainly an appropriate description. Lonely Planet, long known for their detailed country guide books has put together a wonderful coffee table sized book organized by specific geographical locations within Europe. Each country is then highlighted with individual reviews and accompanying photos. This is part of their … [Read more...]
Undiscovered Brunei
Brunei Darussalam (meaning an Abode of Peace) is a country that one often cannot even locate on the world map. When I told friends I was coming to Brunei one said "oh, why don't you also visit India since its so close." Others told me they had to look the country up on Google Maps. A geographical lesson is obviously in order. Brunei is located on the large island of Borneo and is surrounded by the Malaysian states of Sabah and Sarawak. The rest … [Read more...]
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