Taste Washington is the nation’s largest single-region wine and food event. It brings together over 225 wineries, 70 restaurants and 60 culinary exhibitors from across the region for the ultimate four-day experience. It’s the result of a continued partnership between…
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Avenida Pax (Freedom Avenue) dead-ends into Cementerio General de Santiago (General Cemetery of Santiago). This is the largest cemetery in Latin America covering .32 sq. miles (85 hectares) with over 2 million burials. All but two of Chile’s presidents are…
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I’m not at all a connoisseur of beer. I know a Pilsner Lager is a good beer; Bud Light is not. I know beers from the Czech Republic are among the best in the world. But it wasn’t until I…
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For the past three weeks I’ve been visiting family in Florida, specifically St. Petersburg. The state of Florida has been a part of my history since I was a teenager. During summer break in the 1950’s, Mom, Dad, my sister…
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Easter Island, (Isla de Pascua or Rapa Nui), is located 2,340 miles NW of Santiago, Chile (5 hours on the plane). This diminutive volcanic island is an unsolved mystery. Speculation abounds as to why and who the people were, and…
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Their bodies were sleek and graceful, the skin soft to the touch, their demeanor welcoming even if a bit skeptical. Still, they were more used to this than I was. But I spread my arms out as instructed and flapped…
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Vega Central de Santiago has been an integral part of the Santiago community since 1895 with the construction of warehouses on the present site. Actually, this area has been a hub of buying and selling of agricultural products since the…
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The small village of Quintay (pronounce – keen-tie), sits comfortably on Chile’s coast, near Valparaiso and 76 miles (122 km) from Santiago. As you sit on the isolated shore and gaze at the breath-taking beauty of this area, a bustling…
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Our first choice of hotel in Southern California near Los Angeles is always Embassy Suites by Hilton Mandalay Beach Hotel and Resort on the beautiful golden sandy coast of Oxnard. Conveniently nearby we enjoy lunch at Waterside Restaurant and Wine…
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The day began like a normal adventurous day in Chile. But, as I crossed Hwy. 5 (the main artery of the entire country of Chile), I noticed traffic was at a stand-still. Carabineros (police) were everywhere forcing cars away from…
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Talented Chileans bring their talent to the streets and parks for mere pocket change. Sitting in a traffic jam in Chile has its bright side. The light turns red and a juggler appears before a line of cars to show-off…
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The walls of Santiago are filled with graffiti. But, in actuality, it’s art. Imagine being an artist and every wall in your city is your canvas. No building is immune to tagging. Building owners have taken the offensive position, rather…
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This is one of the largest and most beautiful of the KOA’s we have stayed in across the USA. It has true Southern Charm of plantation country with the enormous hardwood trees, some draped with Spanish moss. Denham Springs/Baton Rouge,…
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At 7:30 (19:30) on Saturday, John and I waited in the Santiago bus station anticipating a twelve hour ride to Castro, Chiloe’s capital city. Bus travel in SA is easy and inexpensive. Our bus (Cruz del Sur) would be with…
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Valparaiso is located on the coast of Chile’s Central Valley Region. The California gold rush was the catalyst which built Valparaiso into the greatest port in the South Pacific…at least temporarily. In order to reach the California coast, ships had…
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Note to readers: My Chinese friends, Zhu Xiaojian (Julia) and Yixian, recently visited South Africa. Julia’s English is excellent; however, we thought it would be fun to have both the English and Chinese versions. The Republic of South Africa, located…
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Bill and I drove to Tucson for a break during our all day drive. We followed the little geckos painted on the sidewalk, and they led us to the Visitor Center. The staff gave us maps and showed us points…
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The year is 1645. The most virulent strain of the Bubonic Plague has immobilized Edinburgh, Scotland, claiming the lives of more than half the city’s population. The area hardest hit: Mary King’s Close on High Street, a busy thoroughfare and…
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A month before my trip to South Florida, there was a NYC reception for hotels, attractions and restaurants in the Palm Beach area. I picked the dates for my trip- January 10-15th, booked my Delta flight and started planning my…
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“You want me to get on THAT and go down to where?” I wailed from high atop the Alberta Falls water-slide, looking down to an alleged pool that was well out of visual range. My 11-year-old grand-daughter nodded with a…
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