John M. Edwards succumbs to the lures and snares of Costa Rica’s Caribbean “ecotourism,” instead of “narcissism,” in a relatively wealthy country translating literally as “Rich Coast.” I stood in a state of stupefaction, eavesdropping on a few randomundocumented locals who looked like they were engaging in a slapping fight—except with warm smiles of nonrecognition on their faces, maybe ganja buzzes. “Hey, mon, wha’appen!” “Wa’appen, … [Read more...]
I Left my Box in San Francisco
Chocolate lover John M. Edwards muses over why the travel magazine "trips" went out of business in San Francisco, apparently because of a typo, as well as some other funny ass shit. In Haight-Ashbury, once the center of the 1960s Hippy Flower Power Movement, I came upon a hawker selling unique chicken-claw pipes. I purchased one and held it up in the light as he passed me a tape of Ry Cooder, the famous slide guitarist who taught Keith … [Read more...]
Napa River Inn Getaway
As San Francisco Bay Area locals living just south of the city, we have many opportunities for great day trips and getaways. One of the well-known areas within our reach for short visits is the Napa Valley wine region. Recently, we took a ride on the Napa Valley Wine Train and had a tour of Long Meadow Ranch during a two night stay at the Napa River Inn. I'd previously heard very positive reviews of the hotel and can now understand why it gets … [Read more...]
What do Van Morrison, The Godfather of Punk, and Seamus Heaney have in Common?
There is a theory of “primitive affluence” that suggests that when a society has its primary needs met by Nature...food, shelter, clothing…then it will turn to creativity. Bali, a tropical island in Indonesia where the rich volcanic soil produces an abundance of food and materials for fabrics and building, is held as an example. The trope is that “everyone in Bali is an artist.” Yet, while it is true that most everyone spends days carving, … [Read more...]
The Abominable Sumatran
"Get your stinking paws off me, you damn dirty apes!" A shaggy American with a Yankees cap and soul patch spat out the words haltingly, photographing a rust-colored simpering simian with a winsome pout who looked vaguely human. Unfortunately, the American was me. It was a fair imitation of Charlton Heston in Planet of the Apes. Except we weren't extras in a futuristic flick where evolution goes awry. (As you'll remember, in the film, … [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...]
A Kentucky Storyteller’s 30-year LDR with NYC
NEW YORK — There are 8 million stories in the Naked City; on this night, one of them is mine. The producers of The Moth Radio Hour have invited me to come to New York from Kentucky to tell a story at one of their Mainstage events at a Manhattan club, and I am feeling pretty naked myself. The emcee is about to call my name, and then I'll be standing onstage before an audience filled with people who look as if they just came from the party scene … [Read more...]
The Dangerous First Descent of the Zambezi
It was Valentine’s Day when I first saw the river; it was love at first sight. Along with a party of tour operators, I had been shuttled between game parks and hotel lobbies for days, all leading up to this: Victoria Falls. While the other occupants of the Land Rover pressed for a glimpse of the great falls upstream, I looked the other way, out of habit. Some 350 feet below the bridge we were driving over, a mighty river coiled and cursed through … [Read more...]
Santa Barbara Film Feast, 4th Appearance
For 11 Days, Feast your way through 28 Restaurants, 16 Hotels and 7 Wine Tasting Rooms Santa Barbara, CA (January 23, 2014) Film Feast, a tasty complement to the Santa Barbara International Film Festival (SBIFF) and part of Californias Restaurant Month, will again be luring diners taste buds to one of the 35 restaurants and tasting rooms offering up innovative menus. With so many great options to choose from, festival goers can extend … [Read more...]
River Gods: Confessions of a Grand Canyon Guide
It all began, for me, at a meeting of the Canoe Cruisers Association, the Washington, D.C. chapter. In the midst of the button-down capital there is an underground of cutoffs and t-shirts that each weekend assembles by the banks of some Shenandoah or Appalachia river to rake the whitewater with paddles. A recent high school graduate searching for life’s passion, I joined up at the urging of my old Scout leader, and was immediately hooked. My … [Read more...]
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