When Spain made claim to a small corner of North Africa and christened it Río de Oro – River of Gold – the country’s colonial ambitions for what amounted to a patch of sand in the western extreme of the Sahara Desert were clear. With the third glass of mint tea broiling my insides as I looked across the same area of sand, I considered that perhaps my own intentions in Africa were equally unrealistic. I was a week into seeking as much cold lager – … [Read more...]
Gibraltar: the end and the beginning
My original plan for the end of my Encircle Africa expedition was to return to Gibraltar’s southernmost point, Europa Point, where I began. I liked the idea of looking back at Africa with renewed eyes. But all my reserves of energy were spent, and it was consolation enough to know that all that separated me from Africa was nine miles of often still water, after having travelled a distance equivalent to circumnavigating the earth at the … [Read more...]
A Nicaraguan Pirate Story
Chapter I: The Introduction He filled the doorway and peered down at me with eyes the color of the deep blue sea. “You must be Louise” he said, “Come in”. The familiarity startled me a little. It had been one of those weeks where the city water was on for just a few hours a day. Bathing was barely an option. Doing laundry was not. Nothing was clean. Black board shorts and a matching tank top would have to do. The two bus, one van, and one … [Read more...]
Time for tapas in Madrid
The landscape of Spain’s Asturios principality, set amid the Cantabrian Mountains on the country’s north coast, is both spectacular and forbidding. Winters are cold, with snow present from October and May and rain lacing the winter winds with a high chill factor. This might explain, in some way, why Nicolas Parronda is serving tapas and Asturias cider from a bagpipe-like vessel to a crowded bar of Sunday lunchtime stand-up diners in … [Read more...]
The Old House in Silay
For many generations the same families have owned and preserved ancestral houses in the Philippines as part of their culture. Several houses of prominent families have become points of interest or museums in their communities because of their historical, cultural or architectural worth. Some of these houses, too, have become endangered because of negligent businesses that have no interests in preserving them. I find “preservation” of these homes … [Read more...]
Five Selfish Reasons to Add Volunteering to your Travels
Let’s face it; volunteering our time and effort to a worthy cause is a nice, feel-good thing to do. For many of us, however, the idea of doing work when we could otherwise be relaxing on a beach or exploring the jungle just sounds … crazy. We’re traveling to enjoy life, not to waste our precious time milking cows or digging ditches. Well, I’d like to help you see the light: not only can volunteering let you to contribute directly to a cause … [Read more...]
The Thai That Binds, Eine Kleine Nacht Market
An American backpacker cannot decide whether street food or budget restaurants offer the best (read: safest) fetish of freshness until he visits one of Thailand’s signature Floating Night Markets... As someone used to eating Thai food in New York City, with restaurants with babytalk names like “Yum Yum” and “Tastee Thai,” I was blown away when I tasted real Siamese fare for the first time in Bangkok’s Banglamphu district, an area filled with … [Read more...]
A St. Augustine Culinary Adventure
With the term “culinary destination” so overused, it’s refreshing to visit a town that is a bona fide foodie hotspot. As America’s oldest city, I was not surprised to discover that St. Augustine is loaded with perfectly preserved forts, historic sites and European flair. St. Augustine is in Florida, so the glorious beaches and pristine waterways that surround the city were appreciated, but expected. What grabbed my attention are the big things … [Read more...]
Honeymoon in Vienna
Sigmund Freud, apfelstrudel and Gustav Klimt’s The Kiss clinched my decision to honeymoon in Vienna. When you think about it, psychology, food and art are not the worst foundation for a good marriage. Oh, and Before Sunrise, the movie where Julie Delpy and Ethan Hawke spend a day in this romantic Austrian city falling in love. Famous for being the center of the Habsburg dynasty in the 15th century, Vienna used its newfound power for good, at … [Read more...]
In San Sebastian, The Surf and the Fun Are All that Matter
I never anticipate travel delays. But lately, I’ve taken to relishing where they will take me. What adventures lie ahead if you’re willing to take the risk, and just go with what happens? I went to get my reservation for my train trip to Coimbra, Portugal and when I finally made it to the SNCF office they told me the train was sold out. The European soccer championships were being played in Lisbon, I was told. “You can ask the conductor, but … [Read more...]
- « Previous Page
- 1
- …
- 21
- 22
- 23
- 24
- 25
- …
- 48
- Next Page »