It was through my fellow American expat friend, “The Famous Zack,” a black Christian science-fiction writer originally from Ohio, with a short story coming up back then in the now-defunct “AMAZING STORIES,” that I first heard about the wild parties thrown by the legendary Jim Haynes, whom some sour-grape artists deemed an apocryphal “traitor.” So well known was Haynes as a manic socialite host that he even felt propelled to write a … [Read more...]
Santa Barbara: Make Mine Mediterranean
Oh the dizzying thoughts of a Mediterranean vacation: maybe a waterside villa in Lake Como, touring Turkey’s Turquoise Coast, or perhaps olive picking in Mykonos? Dizzying indeed—particularly the price. But there’s a stateside Mediterranean that’s no dowdy stepsister, and it’s only a few hour’s drive and many dollars less: Santa Barbara. Wrapped between the mountains and the sea, with picturesque palm trees for its ribbons, Santa Barbara … [Read more...]
Mallorca 2013
After delays in New York and Dusseldorf, we arrive in Palma, Mallorca at 2:30 p.m. Wonderfully, my husband Damon and I are invited every year to stay in nearby Bendinat. Our host Hal is alone at his seaside house. His daughter, my good friend Kate, and her 13-year-old son Carlos will arrive next week. Despite his years, Hal is remarkably unchanged, his distinctive phraseology continues unabated, examples being the classic “Clock!” and … [Read more...]
VenturaCountyWest: Laid-Back Fun
It may be hard to believe, but not far from Los Angeles (about an hour’s drive depending on traffic) are thousands of acres of avocado and lemon groves, fields of strawberries, raspberries, celery, tomatoes, peppers and cut flowers--not to mention a palm tree farm or two. Where is this place? It’s Ventura County, in particular, the three cities of Camarillo, Oxnard and Ventura known as VenturaCountyWest. Because of its agricultural roots … [Read more...]
West Sweden & Skane: Volvo’s Car plus Vacation – Day 7-8 of 14
DAY 7 Drive to Helsingborg - explore this city Leave early from Villa Sjotorp and drive to Helsingborg Driving time: approximately 2 hours and 45 minutes. Check in at the Clarion Grand Hotel - this historic hotel is centrally located - minutes walking from the waterfront and nearby a number of Helsingborg's central attractions. There is a pay for parking garage as well as a select number of parking spots in front of the hotel … [Read more...]
West Sweden & Skane: Volvo’s Car plus Vacation – Day 9-10 of 14
DAY 9 Explore Ystad & Ystad Studios Today is minimal driving day spent exploring beautiful Ystad and or enjoying the pampering amenities of the Ystad Satsjobad Hotel. Ystad is only about 10 minutes from the hotel. For a small town (only 17,000 live in the city limits) Ystad packs a pretty powerful punch when it comes to tourism. This picturesque town is a photographers dream, especially during late spring and summer. If the town was … [Read more...]
West Sweden & Skane: Volvo’s Car plus Vacation – Day 11-12 of 14
DAY 11 Agri Tourism, car museum After a late morning breakfast at Kiviks Strand - it is time to head out. Driving time: about 30 minutes Gunnarshog Specialty Oils Farm Gunnarshog in Hammenhog is a large agricultural farm specializing in a number of natural oils including rapeseed, flaxseed and linseed oil. If you visit during late Spring and Summer you may see fields ablaze in yellow – these are most likely rapeseed flowers. … [Read more...]
Exploring Local Agritourism in Southern Sweden
The region of Skåne is Sweden's "breadbasket", a landscape filled with agriculture, both rolling hills and flatlands and is surrounded by the Baltic Sea on three sides. Entry to this region is easy - Malmö, Sweden's third largest city behind Stockholm and Gothenburg is merely 20-30 minutes by train or car from Copenhagen's International Airport. Driving is straight forward in Sweden - roads are well signed and the rural country roads are … [Read more...]
Lara Beach – Turtle Sanctuary
The town of Paphos, located on the south coast of Cyprus, has many attractions. It is a recognised UNESCO site for its many historical and archaeological sites, including Paphos Castle, a medieval fort built to defend the harbour; the ruined castle of Saranta Kolenes; the Tombs of the Kings, a network of underground vaults dating from the 4th century BC; the remains of city walls; and Roman buildings. A little inland you can find pine forested … [Read more...]
Pencils In The Land Of Flowers
After hopping off our motorbikes we made our way down the dirt road leading up to the ocean. With the mid-afternoon sun blazing, the smell of yesterday's drying fish was stout. As we passed by the makeshift shops and shacks, we captured the local women's attentiond. They were all seated upon dusty edges raised above the junky, polluted streets (every other one with a newborn plugged into one of her breasts) and quietly began whispering. Stopping … [Read more...]
- « Previous Page
- 1
- …
- 15
- 16
- 17
- 18
- 19
- …
- 28
- Next Page »