There is an old Russian folktale that says that in days gone by, young married couples were locked inside a granary shed for privacy during their wedding night. True or not, it’s a story that …
October 18, 2012
Travel Stories
Moscow's Love Lockdown
Adventure (via Scooter) in Ubud, Bali
When my cousin Natalie and I left the Monkey Forest Inn villas in Ubud to stay in a different villa for her birthday, I had no idea the adventure I was in for – as …
October 18, 2012
One Night in the French Quarter
Before Katrina devastated New Orleans, the State of Alabama sent me and two other newly appointed law clerks to attend a conference there. We were given a pre-paid twin room at the Hotel Monteleone (for …
October 16, 2012
Land of Haydn: Burgenland, Austria
Many people are largely unfamiliar with how important Franz Joseph Haydn was to classical music. He is called the “Father of the Symphony” and “Father of the String Quartet,” yet he is not as well …
October 14, 2012
Cabot's Miracle: Desert Hot Springs and Pueblo
I’m in love with a dead man. Honestly, if there ever was a Man of Men to pine for, it would be Cabot Yerxa, who died three years after I was born. Not only was …
October 11, 2012
Alaska's Spectacular Drive along the Turnagain Arm
It takes little time after heading south from Anchorage to be exposed to some of the most stunning scenery Alaska has to offer. The Seward Highway, connecting Anchorage with the Kenai Peninsula, has been justly …
October 11, 2012
Giving Face in Kashgar
It was my final day in Kashgar, China. I had all the photos I needed and was ready for a good meal before catching my flight out, when I noticed a tiny man sitting outside, …
October 9, 2012
Breakfast in Macon
When the plane landed in Macon, our manager had to create a little disturbance to throw us off balance. Sometimes, I think he felt it was his job. “You know, this is the largest card-carrying …
Shark Calling in Papua New Guinea
I became interested in shark calling when I met shark enthusiasts like myself who had visited the remote island of New Ireland off the coast of Papua New Guinea. I arrived at the village of …
October 8, 2012
Shoestring Travel: Rome
After several days in Berlin, the next stop on our fabulous European adventure was Rome. Neither of us had ever been to Rome before, so we were quite excited to see some of the Eternal …
October 5, 2012
The Merry Cemetery in Maramureş, Romania
In the twenty-four years of my life I spent in Romania, I never had the occasion to visit a unique place in Transylvania called the Merry Cemetery. So, about two months ago, I called my …
October 5, 2012