In Guanajuato, I discovered something I never wished to stumble upon in Mexico and I never did anywhere else in this beautiful land: the dreaded Chinese tourist, the scourge of the Seven Seas, bane of all decency, destroyer of innocence. This is not racism; it is fact. Pose the question to anyone with experience dealing with this species of tourist, as I have to numerous Thailand tour operators: mirror, mirror, on the wall, who are the worst … [Read more...]
Exploring the Midwest of the United States of America
I stopped in Chicago, one of my favorite food and wine towns in the entire country. I enjoyed some exceptional wine and food at the Greek Restaurant Avli on the Park on top of a tall building just up from the waterfront. I headed south that evening, arriving in South Chicago. It was very dark. I arrived on a street filled with people running around, yelling, drinking and cars double parked. I felt out of my element. My desired space for the night … [Read more...]
Lake of the Ozarks sets its Sights on Breaking the World Record for the Largest Boat Parade
LAKE OF THE OZARKS, MO - It was announced during a press conference that the Lake of the Ozarks will make a second attempt at breaking the current record for the largest official boat parade in the world on Saturday, June 11, 2022. The current record, according to Guinness World Records, stands at 1,180 vessels and was set in Terengganu, Malaysia in September 2014. Over the years, there have been many attempts to break the record by different … [Read more...]
Princess Cruises: New and Noteworthy Food and Wine Options
In the debate of nature versus nurture, I’m pretty certain I was a food lover from the get-go. Born into a family of serious eaters, my food-obsessed parents honed my innate proclivities from a very young age. My New York City childhood was a culinary horn of plenty. While other babies were slurping rice cereal and applesauce, I nibbled spicy Indian samosas and Jamaican beef patties. I was blessed with restaurant-loving parents who exposed me … [Read more...]
Ha Ha Tonka State Park Named Most Beautiful Place in Missouri
Lake of the Ozarks, MO - In a recent article published by Condé Nast Traveler, the Lake of the Ozarks' Ha Ha Tonka State Park, located at 1491 State Highway D near Camdenton, was named the most beautiful place in Missouri. The article, which listed the most beautiful and compelling place in each of the 50 states, urges readers to consider the list as a "starting point to the most epic cross-country trip ever." According to Condé Nast: … [Read more...]
Added Flights, Expanded Train Service Offer Easy Travel Options to Colorado Ski Resorts
DENVER – New direct flights to and from Colorado’s eight regional airports and expanded service on the Winter Park Express will provide skiers and riders from across the country easy and convenient travel options to their favorite Colorado ski resorts by train, plane or car this winter. The Amtrak Winter Park Express, coming off a highly successful inaugural season, will offer expanded service for the 2017-18 ski season. The Winter Park … [Read more...]
A Remington and a Volvo
At 9, I thought it was crazy. My dad was going to squeeze Mom and all six of us kids into a boxy, top heavy, narrow Volvo station wagon, and we were going to drive for three months from our home in Paraguay to Kansas where my father grew up. This trip had been his dream since coming to Paraguay in 1951 to found and manage a Mennonite leprosy mission. “Is there really a road that goes all the way from Paraguay to the States?” I asked. Dad … [Read more...]
The Imaginary Kingdom of Belarus
John M. Edwards researches a future trip to a country he suspects doesn’t really exist. . . . I’ve never been there, and neither have you. The imaginary kingdom of Belarus, way off the beaten track, so far away in fact that no one ever seems to find it, belongs more to the world of fictionalized Tintin comics than the grip of postcardy Paid Advertisements. Even asking former communist expats from the various SSRs how to get there usually … [Read more...]
Biscuits, Booze, and Bodies – 36 Hours in the Florida Keys
Normally, I'm not big on cocktails before 10am. But when we blearily wandered in at 8am to the Blue Heaven, one of Key West’s signature restaurants, that’s what our server suggested. Sitting in the crazy-quilt courtyard, with its rustic artwork and scurrying chickens, looking up at the former bordello on the second-floor, and knocking back some booze seemed in keeping with all things Keys. I opted for the pancakes, which I found just as … [Read more...]
Pilots, Amelia Rose Earhart & Patrick Carter
When we were initially made aware that Amelia Earhart was going to recreate "her" flight around the world in 2014, we thought we had scored the interview of the century. However, we quickly realized the modern day Amelia Earhart is named after the famous aviatrix. But the similarities do not end with a name - Amelia is also an accomplished pilot and is going to recreate and symbolically complete her namesake’s 1937 flight around the world. … [Read more...]