The air in the waiting room at the Bilbao International Airport pressed against us, dank and heavy. A greasy stench rose from a counter loaded with plastic containers of Spanish omelets. “Where are they?” My voice sounded edgy. “I thought Brad told us he would be right under that Celular sign.” We scanned the room. In the far corner, a group of young men, all wearing identical yellow and black T-shirts displaying an image of a large soccer … [Read more...]
Adventure Travel in Quebec
“Blessed are the curious, for they shall have adventure.” I admit I only know a little about Quebec, that francophone region located right in the heart of North America. I am aware that it is Canada’s second largest (and second-most populous) province. And that 90% of its population lives within just a couple of hours of the border with the United States. But what about the other 10%? Where and how do they live? What’s there to do beyond … [Read more...]
4 Best Holiday Vacation Destinations
The holidays are coming and it's time to book your hotel! It's always fun to get away for the holidays, whether to relax or see family and friends. If you don't know where to go this year, check out these four best holiday vacation destinations. Each has something unique to offer to put you in the holiday spirit. Portland, Oregon (Image via Flickr by Mike Rohrig) If you're staying in Oregon for the holidays, several annual events take place … [Read more...]
Pea Island National Refuge is for the Birds! Humans can visit. [OBX, NC]
Many have been to Pea Island National Refuge when they drive down Hwy 12 in North Carolina’s Outer Banks (OBX) on the way to somewhere else. But, they may not know it. It’s a lonely stretch of road, often driven in silence as you take in what could be the country’s largest sandcastle held together by a strip of asphalt and a delicate truce with Mother Nature. Usually, vacationers are eager to get to their destination. They see this stretch of … [Read more...]
Philadelphia State of Mind
For an L.A. girl, Philadelphia beckons with the charms of time – stratums of culture, history, beauty – that result in a city pulsating with energy. Sure, sunshine, palm trees and sandy beaches sparkle on the surface, but the City of Brotherly Love, enriched by centuries, fascinates in a way newer American cities cannot compete with. With the Democratic National Convention coming in July, this 17th century town is about to explode. With 18 … [Read more...]
A Trip Through Bigfoot’s Back Yard
Every kid knows about the legend of Bigfoot. Cartoons have been filling children's minds with hairy-man-beasts for decades! Growing up in the northeast I always thought that bigfoot was a myth that nobody took seriously; a mystery wrapped in a joke, if you will, much like the Jackalope. Harry and the Hendersons was one of my favorite childhood films, but I never questioned whether it could possibly be based on science. It wasn’t until I moved to … [Read more...]
Outback Beyond: 6 Months in Australia
PART I: QUEENSLAND I landed with a thump on a Quantus long-haul flight, back when smoking was allowed and drinking encouraged, like a character out of a Bruce Chatwin novel. I was ineffably in error while reading my Lonely Planet guidebook on the plane--thinking that “Cairns” was pronounced with an “r” in it, when to local “Aussie” cobbers (not “Ozzies,” a common mistake both of Septic Tank Yanks [Americans] and Bloody Pomes [Britishs]), it … [Read more...]
Palau Celebrates the Globe’s Ten Best Places to Swim
(Palau, Micronesia --- July 8, 2014) There are many idyllic swimming destinations in the world, but Palau’s Jellyfish Lake ranks high as one of the most unusual. According to social media manager Jessie Cahill, “Because of the overwhelming intrigue in Jellyfish Lake and the many positive comments we receive from visitors, we decided to post a survey on the Visit Palau Facebook page to formulate a list of what our fans believe to be the Top … [Read more...]
Dispatch: Atom Ant Japanese Houseguest
John M. Edwards receives a strange visitor from the Nipponese “Land of the Rising Sun,” who is, of course, despite a strong yen, ultimately a freeloader. In Westfield, New Jersey, United States, North American Continent, at my apt upstairs from the now-long-gone Tullio’s Hair Salon (which daily pumped up the odoriferous air of Free Heat, Aqua Velva, and Brill Cream), I received a visitor from not another planet exactly but instead from a way … [Read more...]
In Step With The Wind
It’s calm here. The breeze is strong as it passes from Pacific Ocean waters, onto the shore, across the land, and without end back to where the wind did not begin. I am standing on the sandy beach somewhere along the northern coast of Oregon. I feel encased within a vacuum where on my left, the mysterious depths of the ocean, on my right, the business of western civilization. Yet I am caught in a place that seems both in between these two worlds … [Read more...]