John M. Edwards switches two similar independence holidays around, “when” left intentionally vague, while storming the Bastille crowd on the 4th of July and watching the Hudson fireworks on the 14th of Juillet. In Paris, I finally managed to go by “bateau mouche” (boat fly) to one of my favorite sights on the Seine: the original little lady, a smaller prototype of “The Statue of Liberty”—a colossal gift from France which was shipped over to … [Read more...]
Touring Napa Valley: Tasting wine where it’s made
There’s something to be said for having an affordable bottle of rosé on a Friday night – particularly one that is low in calories but still tasty – Blossom Hill is a good example. But to learn more about appreciating wine, the best thing to do is visit the country where it was made – because like olives in Greece, biltong in South Africa or surf and turf in California – it just tastes better! Blossom Hill is made in California (and a bunch of … [Read more...]
Capital of Ghosts
What was Parisian-Style Boulevards, Empty Eight-Lane Highways, and Chistendom's Highest Chuch-All Dead Ending in Jungle? I was working for a magazine in Abidjan, the principal city of Cote d’Ivoire (better known as the Ivory Coast), when some co-workers and I set off on a pilgrimage to one of the strangest ghost towns in Africa: Yamoussoukro. The official capital of the country since 1983, this modern “lost city” is the architectural … [Read more...]
A Romp in the South of France – Day 1: Bordeaux – St. Emilion
Backpack strapped on and ready to move, I marched onward and outward of the Youth Hostel, away from comfort; a comfort, to be fair, that had held me back, that had repressed my inner flame for too long. Yes I was over it, over these post-University blues, over this lack of motivation I constantly felt. I mean for God’s sake, I was travelling! And ten months had gone by. Now don’t get me wrong, I had done some awesome stuff and lived ten months of … [Read more...]
Most Popular Cities you should Visit in 2013
The world is home to many fabulous places. You can explore spectacular mountains, or you can bask on one of the stunning beaches. If you are planning to take a holiday in 2013, here are ten cities you should consider visiting. 1. Paris, France Paris, The City of Lights, is one of the most impressive cities in the world. The city possesses exciting music, exquisite art and world-famous cuisine. You can visit the majestic Eiffel Tower, or you … [Read more...]
Road trip through France & Spain in a campervan
Our adventure started in France - we were so excited. Our road trip was planned; it would be our first adventure together. It happened so quickly - at the beginning of last summer. My girlfriend and I booked a campervan equipped by Campy Camper, in Biarritz, France for one week. We both had been dreaming of travelling this way for a long time - in fact ever since we read "On the Road" by Jack Kerouac... So we took a train to Paris (where we live) … [Read more...]
Virginia is for Foodies
Even if you arrive in Virginia knowing not a soul, don’t be surprised if you leave feeling as if you’ve broken bread and shared drink with good folk who are now friends. That’s the way Virginia strikes me. I come here to eat, drink and contemplate its natural beauty, but am most deeply affected by its people. It’s a truly welcoming place, even to a Northern stranger like me. I recently road- tripped my way through the Commonwealth in search … [Read more...]
One girl’s adventures in the Valle de las Batuecas
I don't have a great track record with my attempts to visit prehistoric paintings. All my other travel plans seem to work out just fine, but not this one. My attempt to visit the Lascaux cave paintings in the Vezere Valley in France failed when I discovered that the Lascaux caves are not in fact in Lascaux, the tiny mist-shrouded village I was standing in, but are in fact over half an hour's drive away. Meaning on this particular occasion, I … [Read more...]
Enjoying the quaint towns along the Italian and Southern French Riviera
We are driving a large Land Rover that my brother's friend let him borrow indefinitely. While this car is great for off roading - I've heard Land Rovers seem especially prone to break downs. This vehicle is less then 10 years old - not that many kilometers on it and already its showing problems. The power randomly stops when you are driving down the highway - we are having problems with the brakes - the maintenance parking brake light is on ... … [Read more...]
War and Peace and Napoleon
I’ve always had a thing for Napoleon Bonaparte. After all, he was a pretty amazing guy. In addition to his military exploits, he oversaw the centralization of the French government, established the Bank of France, got the French people to accept the metric system (something I doubt even Barack Obama could do in the United States), reformed the law (the Napoleonic Code still forms the basis of legal process in a quarter of the world), and … [Read more...]
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