How was your journey? The Gambardella family, several generations of whom are usually on the scene, have been asking this question ever since they began welcoming guests to their villa-like retreat on the edge of a cliff along the legendary Amalfi Coast of southern Italy in 1904.
Well, all my travel journalist colleagues seem to be doing it; so I thought it was about time for me to finally compile my own list of favorite travel destinations in 2018. I was blessed to experience such an array of edifying and diverse landscapes and cultures. Did I say diverse?
Shards of rain and near-freezing temperatures in the middle of December did not prevent me from making a desperate pact with Horace. As a financially hopeless traveling boy, I often asked dead authors for help. I showed up at their graves and pleaded, “I’ll keep writing, you just show me how to pay the bills. Show me how to make a living.” That’s what I said, or some variation thereof.
Have you ever visited a village that was a worldwide TV star? If not, I urge you to stay at the unique Port Meirion Village in North Wales. It became famous as the result of a decidedly offbeat British TV show and, as you will see if you go there, there’s a marvelous collection of eccentric houses, homes and other buildings that were not only shaped in unconventional sizes, but that were also painted in a multitude of garish colors.
The most depressing place on the planet is my hometown of Seattle in the month of January. The December holidays are over with January’s grim back-to-realty winter looking us straight in the face. In Seattle that generally means endless light showers and a sun that has completely disappeared. But leave it to the Canadians who embrace the long winter months of ice and snow with celebrations that warm both the heart and soul.
The lovely Stefania whisked me away in her car and we were off to visit the quaint town of Ascona in the district of Locarno where we strolled along the promenade adjacent to beautiful Lake Maggiore. Along the way, we stopped at one of the charming cafes that dotted the path for a glass of wine. While enjoying our beverages, I admired the beauty of the surrounding buildings with their warm Mediterranean-style architecture.
Are you still looking for that unique, even offbeat present? What about a book? Aaaah, but not just any book, the travel related books featured here are ones you’ll wish you’d known about before you read this article. In all my travels and in what I read, I always seek out the truly distinctive and out of the ordinary, and the following 4 books are in that category
I joined Peace Corps knowing very little of what life or work would be like. Unlike some of my volunteer friends, I hadn’t dreamt of Peace Corps since I was little, and it was never part of some 10 year professional plan.
People watch in awe as the morning sun first breaks over the ruins of Chichen Itza, a Maya city considered one of the new seven wonders of the world. A shaman conducts a purification ritual in the small contemporary Maya town of Nolo, while a farmer cuts branches off an Agave plant which will be stripped and made into rope (sisal) at the Hacienda of Sotuta de Peon.
The pastry chef aboard the Viking Vili had no fear of losing his job because of me. My pathetic attempt at making a gingerbread house during his lesson on board put my skills at the kindergarten level. His fanciful creations in the ship’s lounge looked like they were conjured up by a Christmas elf employing Santa’s magical powers.
