Raul
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Of Zombies, Fantasy, and Fun: The DragonCon Parade in Atlanta
More Details: Of Zombies, Fantasy, and Fun: The DragonCon Parade in AtlantaThe world’s largest conference (over 50,000 attendees) of fantasy and science fiction, DragonCon, made its yearly arrival in Atlanta this weekend and downtown of all sudden acquired a totally different personality. The conference business is what keeps downtown Atlanta afloat since us residents do not generally go there for much, except for pro sports events,…
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A Border Town in Moldova: Soroca
More Details: A Border Town in Moldova: SorocaWhen planning my trip to Moldova last year, I really did not have a good idea of what there was to see or do. I went with the recommendations proposed by a person I hired to show me around. I wrote about the very unique wineries I explored, about the churches and monasteries I visited,…
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Photo of the Week – Château of Azay-le-Rideau, Loire Valley
More Details: Photo of the Week – Château of Azay-le-Rideau, Loire ValleyA few years ago, right before spending two weeks in Tours, France for language immersion, I spent a few days exploring the wines and chateaux of the Loire Valley. Chenonceau, Chambord, etc. are all phenomenal castles to explore with their idyllic settings, great architecture, and sense of history. One of my favorite settings and chateaux…
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A Wild Time in the Serengeti – Safari!
More Details: A Wild Time in the Serengeti – Safari!The Serengeti is the epitome of the national park offering what we call a safari experience (“safari” actually means “journey” in Swahili). Its vast expanse and, of course, the natural beauty and wildlife offer a very unique experience to us who don’t love in remote areas of Africa. I had done a one day in-and-out…
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Boarding Pass Stories: Constantinople! OK, Istanbul
More Details: Boarding Pass Stories: Constantinople! OK, IstanbulThe destination, the when(s), and the reason(s) My knack for taking one trip idea and expanding its scope is not a recent event. That’s how I ended last year exploring a country I may have never visited otherwise: Moldova. It pre-dates my travel blogging days by a bit. As I joined a group of friends…
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The Skyview Wheel in Atlanta
More Details: The Skyview Wheel in AtlantaAtlanta, my hometown, likes a good prop like any other self-promoting city in the U.S. We got the Olympics, we build & raze sports venues like there is no poverty around, etc. When I heard we were getting a Ferris wheel in downtown Atlanta, I rolled my eyes (OK, not literally). Another waste of money,…
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Photo of the Week – The Georgia Aquarium
More Details: Photo of the Week – The Georgia AquariumThe Georgia Aquarium is one of my favorite places to be like a tourist in Atlanta. It is well done and even me, not quite nature boy, is fascinated by the marine life it holds and how it presents it. The colors in this picture are some of my favorite in the whole aquarium. If…
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Four Decades of the Panama Canal
More Details: Four Decades of the Panama CanalI have been to Panama a few times in my life as I have relatives who live there. During those visits I have enjoyed Panama City itself, traveled to see El Valle, been to the beaches near Coronado, visited isolated populations on ecotourism visits, spent time on the beautiful island of Contadora (in the Pearl…
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Photo of the Week – The Mountains of Utah
More Details: Photo of the Week – The Mountains of UtahAh, this picture really makes me long for winter (or a trip to the southern hemisphere where IT IS winter!). Taken many years ago while I skied awesome Alta, I long to return to those wonderful slopes and setting. I need to ski next year as I missed this season and I also have Europe…
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Reflections on Beginnings and Endings…
More Details: Reflections on Beginnings and Endings…I was having a conversation with a dear friend who already has lost both her parents. It was a bittersweet conversation remembering parents gone on both sides and how parental relationships live on beyond that event called “death.” The conversation took me back to reflections I have been having this past week about how life,…
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Boarding Pass Stories: Little Rock, Arkansas
More Details: Boarding Pass Stories: Little Rock, ArkansasBoarding pass series goes to: Little Rock, Arkansas!!! The destination, the when(s), and the reason(s) A pretty unlikely destination, you may think, but I went there for a few months for business around 2001. Bill Clinton’s presidency had just ended and the presidential library would be located in this town which seemed to have gotten…
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My Top 5 Inflight Pet Peeves
More Details: My Top 5 Inflight Pet PeevesAs I flew back from a recent trip, having experienced a few random annoyances, my mind immediately sought to mentally catalog all my pet peeves about flying (I did have nine hours to kill…). A few months ago I shared my hotel pet peeves. I greatly enjoyed hearing from you on your own hotel pet peeves,…