Tennessee is really a fascinating place, particularly for history buffs. There are sites exemplifying pioneer history, the founding of the United States, the Civil War, the Great Depression, WWII, and the Civil Rights Movement – all easily accessible from Knoxville (itself named after Henry Knox, Revolutionary War hero and Secretary of War under President Washington). Most interesting to me is that America as the grand experiment - a country … [Read more...]
Better Than Fiction 2 by Lonely Planet
Picking up a Lonely Planet book immediately begs the question, 'where to' based on their long history of producing in depth guidebooks to destinations across the globe. The company has branched out in recent years with other travel themed books in addition to their guidebook staple but did you know that Lonely Planet publishes a literary anthology once a year focusing on true short stories by excellent fiction writers? This is their latest … [Read more...]
Tasty Travel to Alabama, Florida Coasts
My love of the Mississippi Gulf Coast is unwavering. But every now and then I venture farther east to Alabama and Florida to enjoy their beautiful beaches. A few days with friends at Orange Beach’s Perdido Beach Resort was the perfect summer starter. New food finds took it to a near-heavenly level. Reality was left behind as we drove up the resort’s palm-tree-lined hill and entered terracotta stone walls. Ensconced in a glamorous cocoon of … [Read more...]
5 Unexpected Discoveries in Torrance
I’ll admit I was a little skeptical when I was initially invited to join the Taste of Torrance tour hosted by Discover Torrance, a non-profit organization funded by local hotels to help promote the city, but there can be no great discovery or adventure without an open mind, so off I went. I was fortunate to be staying at the Doubletree Torrance, whose General Manager had not only been there for the past 19 years, but was also the head of the … [Read more...]
Winding the Watch of Island Time
I was in such a hurry to get to the Micronesian island of Kosrae, such a hurry to see its isolated beauty, such a hurry to begin my first year of teaching—in such a hurry to be out of my old life and in this new. After arriving, I wanted to jump right in, get my new house settled, fill it with food, set up the computer, arrange my classes and office, drive the length and breadth of the landscape and snorkel my fool head off in the island’s … [Read more...]
3 Great Sierra Nevada Getaways
During a busy and fun-filled getaway weekend, my husband (“Mr. TWS”) and I visited El Dorado County, South Lake Tahoe, and Carson Valley, Nevada. These three Sierra Nevada locations, easily reached from the San Francisco Bay Area and many other places in Northern California and Nevada, can be enjoyed as individual destinations or an itinerary trio. We packed a lot into three days (and would recommend taking much more time), but we got a good feel … [Read more...]
My New Jersey Adventure
Ok, let’s be honest, besides Six Flags, the only part of New Jersey any traveler in their right mind would bother visiting is the boardwalk of Atlantic City on the New Jersey Shore. As an addict of the HBO series ‘Boardwalk Empire’, I finally got the opportunity to explore the world renowned Atlantic City Boardwalk. Built in 1870, the American landmark is lined with shops, restaurants, food stands, casinos and is ideal for people-watching. … [Read more...]
Visiting the Mississippi Gulf Coast
The Mississippi Gulf Coast is a vacation destination that is perfect for anyone looking to travel alone, with a group of adults or a family vacation. There are literally hundreds of things to do that will ensure that everyone who stops by is satisfied to the fullest. Mississippi is full of luxurious hotels, beautiful scenery, historic landmarks, world class museums and professional golf courses. The Beaches: Mississippi is home to some of … [Read more...]
Death in Africa
While scouting for the first descent of the Baro River in Ethiopia, a tributary of the White Nile, I heard about a Peace Corps volunteer, Bill Olsen, 25, a recent graduate of Cornell, who decided to take a dip in the river at Gambella, a village near the South Sudan border. The locals warned to stay away from the river, which they claimed was busy with monsters. Bill ignored the cautions, and swam to a sandbar on the far side of the muddy river, … [Read more...]
Old Florida charm in Panama City Beach
Panama City Beach in the Florida panhandle is one of those places that remind you of a combination of other places, a blend of kitschy charm found in Myrtle Beach, Atlantic City and Key West. It’s a place unto its own, though, and one where you’ll soon find, by dialect and design, a place apart from what you might usually think of as the Sunshine State. South Florida, more a mindset than geographical location, is arguably from the middle of … [Read more...]