I've been fortunate to have visited this city twice in the past 2 years. The first time was in May 2020 and like the other major U.S. cities I visited in the early to mid part of 2020, it was a 'ghost town'. Returning this year, it was nice to see some life back in the downtown area. There is no other city like this in the U.S. - its heyday was decades ago, being built as a result of being the site of the early manufacturing of one of the most … [Read more...]
One of my Favorite Cities, Los Angeles
Due to my extensive travels, people often ask me about favorite places around the planet. I love the outdoors so I always rattle off inspiration nature highlights including the Amazon River, various mountains including the Himalayas and the Andes and various deserts. But I also enjoy the activities that big cities bring - and invariably I Los Angeles always comes up in conversation as one of my favorite cities. I always start with LAX, one of … [Read more...]
Following a Prominent Boxer, Sports Travel
I had never followed any boxers or the sport before until many years ago when a friend told me about an up an coming young boxer named Andre Ward - who had taken a gold medal in the 1996 Olympics. My friend had already been following his fledgling career for several years and casually mentioned to me one day if I would like to attend a fight. We drove up to San Jose for one of Andre's early professional bouts - the crowd was small but … [Read more...]
Cachaça Trip, Day One, Part One—Brasilia, Porto Alegre, Ivoti
I awoke as the orange rays of the sun bled through my bedroom window. Nerves always eat at me before I travel, and so it wasn’t surprising for me to rise early. Day one of my cachaça trip. There were so many unknowns. I shuffled around my apartment, ensuring my belongings were together, made my coffee, and ate a bit of breakfast. By the time that was done, my wife and kids were up. Besides being a travel day, it also happened to be my kids’ … [Read more...]
John Muir Slept Here
The best place to walk in the footsteps of John Muir is Yosemite National Park, where the famed naturalist and conservationist hiked and climbed granite domes, lovingly surveyed plants and animals, studied with rapt eyes “cloud mountains” in the sky, and developed his passion for wild spaces. Another place that evokes feelings for one of the visionary creators of our national park system is his old home in Martinez, California, about an hour … [Read more...]
A Wild Ride in West Africa
Even the driver seemed surprised! Bad sign, these guys have seen it all. In the center of the brightly painted wheel, where the hub should have attached to the axle, was a jagged gaping hole. We’d already used our spare wheel and our jack wasn’t working anyway, so we did what anyone in West Africa would do in this situation: we settled in to wait for help. The merciless sun bullied most passengers into the shade of a nearby tree. They sat … [Read more...]
CicLAvia – When LA Ditches the Car
Pity Angelinos, the unhappy residents of the City of Angels Automobiles. Few cities in the world are as car-centric as theirs. From the world’s first freeway (Pasadena Freeway) to the world’s busiest interchange (I-105 and I-110), Los Angeles was developed in the early decades of the 20th century as a marvel of modern transportation, the ultimate exemplar of mobility in a spectacular new era. Street cars, subways and light rails of east coast … [Read more...]
Three California Roads Less Traveled
It's easy to argue that California is the land freeways and automobiles. And with its massive scale and incredible geographic diversity, there are plenty of scenic routes to explore. We've all heard of the world-famous drives, like the section of the Pacific Coast Highway through Big Sur or Mulholland Drive through the Hollywood Hills. While I have plenty of favorites, I'd like to share three lesser-known routes. There are, of course, many more … [Read more...]
How to Throw a Good Bachelor Weekend
Every bachelor weekend needs to be an ‘all out’ affair. You only get one chance of this before you get married so make sure you remember it for all the right reasons. Let’s look at some of the things you need to throw a great bachelor weekend, wherever you are in the world. A Great Location It all starts with the location. Not every bachelor weekend has to involve staying at home or going to Vegas (although the latter is highly … [Read more...]
Je Me Souviens Quebec / I Remember Quebec
“Quebec is the most beautiful city in North America I’ve seen.” – Sebastian Bach Leaving aside that Sebastian has quite clearly never been to Puebla, Mexico, I am inclined to agree with him. Quebec, indeed, is a most fanciful city, romantically trapped in an era long gone and full of Old World charm. I first visited it on a day trip from Montreal with my dad fifteen years ago. Dare I steal Quebec’s honored motto of “Je me souviens” (I … [Read more...]
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