It was a bit of a tropical symphony. The air outside my room buzzed with the calls of insects, birds, and monkeys. These sounds merged with the drips of millions of water droplets falling on the leaves after the rain to create a cacophony of tropical music. Despite the luxury around me, I felt as if I was indeed staying in the forest, in a natural experience that was connected … [Read more...]
Tasting the Good Life in Carmel Valley
Life was good: a glass of wine in one hand, and a bocce ball in the other, gazing out across a vineyard at the scrub-forest hills of the Carmel Valley. As my wife knocked my ball out of scoring position, I silently complimented myself on the choice to come to Bernardus Lodge & Spa for our first year wedding anniversary. Bernardus Lodge is well-known among some Bay … [Read more...]
Hard Days and Soft Nights in Montana Ranch Country
Walking along the deck toward our tented cabin, I heard a rustling in the brush to my right. There calmly munching the greenery was a large female moose, along with her calf nearby. I slowed to a shuffle as she picked up her head to evaluate my intentions, and for a moment I was concerned that my path of travel might alarm her given the proximity of her calf to our cabin. … [Read more...]
In Marrakech, Variety Is the Spice of Life
The sun dipped low on the horizon, and a cacophony of sounds filled the square---percussion beats, singing and chanting, the calls of touts, the hiss of burning charcoal, and the flutes of snake charmers. This sensory overload mixed with the smells of freshly-squeezed orange juice, meat on the grill, exotic spices, and a mass of diverse humanity. Taking in the scene of the … [Read more...]
Travels in the Western Cape
The skies darkened and the rain started. Soon, it was coming down so hard that it sounded like a jet engine roar on the roof. Then came some cracks of lightening, which sounded at increasing frequency until it felt almost continuous. Fortunately, while the 30-year storm raged outside, my wife Sylvia and I were comfortably relaxing in our spacious and well-decorated villa at La … [Read more...]