“The word death is not pronounced in New York, in Paris, in London, because it burns the lips. The Mexican, in contrast, is familiar with death, jokes about it, caresses it, sleeps with it, celebrates …
March 18, 2013
North America
Celebration of Life at Day of the Dead, Oaxaca
Last Stop: Rhyolite, NV
Rolling into the small town of Beatty, Nevada, is a strange experience. One of the few settlements on the edge of the brutal Death Valley, it appears as a welcome rise of gaudy lights after …
March 5, 2013
Florida Road-tripping
California isn't the only state that holds claim to a scenic coastal drive. With more miles of coastline than any other state in the contiguous lower forty-eight, Florida has several. State Road Atlantic 1 Alternate …
February 26, 2013
Cultured Staunton, Virginia
Why are people from around the world flocking to Staunton, Virginia, a little railroad town nestled in the Shenandoah Valley? Staunton, pronounced “Stant-on,” isn’t content to merely be a scenic historic stop 10 miles west …
February 22, 2013
Moab, Utah – and the Man Who Quit Money
I didn’t see the gorgeous rocks that surround Moab, Utah, when I drove into town on a chilly November evening. My mind was swirling with images of the enormous chasms I had viewed at Canyonlands …
February 21, 2013
NOLA: Voodoo and the Spirit of the Hurricane
I’ll be honest – from my four-day weekend in NOLA, I wanted three things: voodoo, ghosts and Hurricanes. And I wasn’t disappointed. My first glimpse of Bourbon Street was a little disappointing – trashy bars, …
February 18, 2013
Caution: Whales at Work
Our whale-watching excursion in San Ignacio, Mexico, turned into a close whale encounter in the literal blink of an eye. On the Pacific side of the Baja peninsula, there is a large lagoon where gray …
February 15, 2013
Road-tripping Canada: The Maritime Provinces and Back
Generally, I travel alone. I like to explore at my own pace and in my own time. I'm not big on planning, either. I leave myself space to explore a different direction or seize an …
February 14, 2013
Far-flung Corners of Texas
Seventh time was the charm. Took me that many drive-throughs before I fell in love with a corner of Texas. Because aside from Padres Island National Seashore, I just couldn’t see much to like. To …
February 11, 2013
Chichén Itzá: It's the End of the World as We Know It
December 21, 2012, marked the milestone of not just another candle on my birthday cake, but also the Apocalypse: when the Maya's "Long Count" calendar indicated the end of a 5,126-year era. Forget America’s “fiscal …
February 7, 2013
Lucha Libre, T.J. Style
“Did that really just happen?” A lucha libre wrestler had tried to roll into the ring, miscalculated, and slammed down hard on the concrete. Instantly, the arena erupts in laughter, and the wrestler begins yelling …
February 5, 2013
Vamos a Las Gaviotas, Baby
Here’s what you will do: head south to the land of Baja California, where tumbleweeds run like wild desperados under the tangerine glow of a nuclear sun. Hard work is commended, yet siestas are encouraged. …
February 1, 2013
Don't Pet the Sharks in Oahu
If you're in Oahu and seen enough scary people in panda suits waiting for you to give them money so they can lunge at your face, why not try a shark cage tour? There is …
January 29, 2013
Borderlands: Two Days in Ensenada
We drove through downtown San Diego in a state of anxiety, paranoia and excitement. It’s hard not to be affected by the constant media deluge of horrors from south of the border: decapitated heads, mutilated …
January 27, 2013
Food + Art: Upstate in Dutchess County, NY
Dutchess County, New York, is part of the Hudson Valley. In one single county, you’ll find all types of cultures: historic, scenic outdoors, indie artists, foodie, horsey set and “beautiful people.” This is the land …
January 24, 2013