If Fiji was nothing more than sand, sea and palm fronds, it wouldn't matter which beach resort you went to. Every vacation would be just like the last one, another been-there, done-that. But after 15 years and as many visits to this 333-island nation, deep in the South Pacific, I've got a pretty good idea why every resort offers a unique experience.
An Arizona Highway Patrol officer stops a Harley for traveling faster than the posted speed limit.
The Palladian Traveler puts away his wellies and laces up his hiking boots as he treks around the picturesque Valle d’Itra of Puglia in search of deserted trulli.
While visiting the coastal town of Bermeo, one of the oldest towns in the Basque Country of Spain, I received a most unusual invitation to dine with friends of friends. It was unusual not just because it began in a seafood market or ended in a mountaintop bodega. No, this was a rare invitation to dine at one of the Basque male gastronomy societies.
Attending as press, alas, not as a member, I first crossed paths with the Patriotic Millionaires several years ago at one of their events in Washington. At a dinner they hosted afterwards, I had the added treat of Alan Grayson at my table, and was mighty impressed with both the group and with Grayson’s witty comments about naked influence-peddling on the Hill and Congressional hypocrisy.
Australia, the “Land Down Under,” where, according to Men at Work, “the women glow, the beer does flow and men [purportedly] chunder,” is the sixth largest country, by area, on the planet, but also the smallest of our seven continents. Confused? Don’t be.
The Manor House, which is still in use today, was built in 1653 by the Knights of Malta. The sugar mill, constructed in 1733, now serves as a venue for weddings. Former slave quarters dating back 250 years provide lodging.
If you paused long enough to read the trailhead signs in Ohio’s Hocking Hills State Park, you’d find that the Black Hand sandstone underfoot was laid down 350,000 years ago, on an ancient seabed. Or you could blow off the science lesson – like I did – and push ahead to the Old Man’s Cave, past a meandering creek and down a level path.
The Belmond El Encanto hotel has welcomed discerning guests since 1918. Perched in the hills above Santa Barbara, this iconic hideaway offers serene seclusion in a relaxed, yet luxurious setting of lush gardens, winding paths and private bungalows. It is has been described as Hollywood glamour in a modern classic and after my recent visit I can see why the likes of Clark Gable and Carole Lombard were regulars to the resort.
The local bar was so sure that its bartender was the strongest man around that they offered a standing $1000 bet. The bartender would squeeze a lemon until all the juice ran into a glass, and hand the lemon to a patron. Anyone who could squeeze one more drop of juice out would win the money.