The lyrics to an old Three Dog Night Song keep running through my head. “I’ve never been to heaven, but I’ve been to Oklahoma. Well they tell me I was born there, but I really don’t remember.” We’re on a bus to Portsmouth, on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is my personal Oklahoma. They tell me I was born there, but I really don’t … Continue reading Exploring Roots
A relaxing, laid back place to visit, with a touch of adventure One stereotype of British people is to paint them as formal, stiff, not overly chatty. But in our short time on the Isle of Wight, a vacation destination off the south coast of England, we met extremely friendly residents and travelers who wanted nothing more than to talk about how much they love … Continue reading Retreat to the Isle of Wight
It is all Segovia’s fault. We fell under the Spanish city’s spell with a glimpse of the Roman aqueduct and a fairy-tale castle said to be the inspiration for Disney’s Snow White Queen’s castle. One or both of us said, “I could live here,” and an idea was planted. As the years ticked by, we kept encouraging ourselves to do something daring. We first talked … Continue reading Choosing to Travel, Now
There’s a reason “eat like a local” is one of the most important axioms of travel. It’s a great way to experience and appreciate the culture of a given country and region. We try to do that as much as possible. We’ve enjoyed pastel de nata in Portugal, had tasty tapas and paella in Spain, eaten lots of baklava, moussaka, souvlaki, tzatziki, and saganaki in … Continue reading Where Everybody Knows Your Name
Renting a car is a great idea when visiting Paros. Just don’t expect too much. Traveling for an extended period while on contracted income requires economizing as much as possible. That means a lot of walking, supplemented by public transportation. Maybe by the end of this trip we’ll even learn to read bus timetables and routes. But 50-something days into our trip we arrived on … Continue reading The Mighty Panda
Off to See the World 