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usa: cedar rapids
Pretty much everything about this year has been unexpected, including major health problems for both my aunt & uncle… at the same time. We’re a family of three people only, so I went in February to Cedar Rapids to help however I could. Almost 25 years had passed since I’d last visited! Normally I would have looked forward to the trip, but I was in crisis mode with very few days available. Plus a wind chill of -25°F prevented me from exploring more. About the only memories that come to mind are yummy smells from the Quaker Oats factory plus a couple of beautiful, cold weather sunsets.
Read More »usa: cedar rapidsaveiro: architecture
Since I work as a tour guide, when I go somewhere new I adopt a very different philosophy from most travellers: minimal research before arrival, explore on foot once there, then investigate online at night. This method works well since I’m often several days in a single spot. My kind of travel. As I walked from the train station to my hotel along the main avenue, the architecture of Aveiro turned out to be a pleasant surprise.
Read More »aveiro: architectureaveiro: azulejos
For years I’d read that Aveiro had fantastic tile work. But when to visit? After finishing a tour in Porto, I had a few days off to rest… the perfect opportunity in spite of this 2015 heat wave. Such a variety of azulejos that I couldn’t stop taking photos. Pics above are only a sample of what I saw. Wow.
Read More »aveiro: azulejosportugal: how to eat bone-in fish
For years I joked about making a video on how to eat grilled fish with the bone in… now that I’m guiding groups for Rick Steves in Portugal, I’ve been convinced to do one. This example demonstrates sardinhas assadas or grelhadas which are a Portuguese staple, in season from the end of May to the end of October. Make no mistake; these are fresh, not canned. And because their season coincides with summer as well as Lisboa’s biggest party —the feast day of Santo António— just the smell of these yummy fish on the grill conjures up all kinds of great memories.
Read More »portugal: how to eat bone-in fishlisboa: galerias romanas
After years of visiting Lisboa, at long last I’ve been able to see what I consider one of the city’s holy grail sites: Roman galleries buried beneath the modern downtown district. They are difficult to visit because since the 1980s, the city government only opens them once or twice each year. I still remember them being open for one day only, & either I was too exhausted from doing tours to visit or just not in town. As of this post, the galleries are now open twice per year for three consecutive days during mid-April & the end of September. Nevertheless, lines are long & on-line reservations go quickly. Be prepared!
Read More »lisboa: galerias romanasspain: guidebook research 2015
Ever wonder what it’s like to update a travel guidebook? After writing about last year’s Portugal research, I thought I’d do the same this year during a whirlwind 3 weeks through southern Spain. Compiled below are the brief, daily Facebook updates I posted while on the road. Let’s roll!
Read More »spain: guidebook research 2015year in review: 2014
● Where was I? Argentina, USA, UK, Jordan, Israel, Portugal, & Spain.
Welcome to the fifth edition of my year in review… I write this for personal reasons, but you’re welcome to revisit the past year with me. I’ll go out on a limb & say it. 2014 turned out to be one of the best years ever, in every regard except a major one. Let’s focus on the positive for now, shall we?
Read More »year in review: 2014
romania: bucureşti
I know… it’s taken forever to write this. Almost as long as it took me to get to Romania! 🙂 The country had long been on my radar, especially after watching the 1989 Revolution unfold on tv. Images of the Ceauşescus’ execution were shockingly graphic in those pre-internet days. I may have been only 19, but I wanted to know more & knew that I’d be in Romania one day.
Read More »romania: bucureşti