Category Archives: Travel
Creeping to Arenal
Toni said, “I’m sixty years old, and I’ve never seen a volcano,” so we set off for Lake Arenal. Who knew it would be raining? In the Central Valley, where we live, it hasn’t rained since Thanksgiving. We thought the … Continue reading
The Hug: A Handshake From the Heart
When I meet new people, I like to shake hands. I expect a firm handshake, accompanied by eye contact. If I find myself on the receiving end of a limp handshake, I struggle to resist the urge to wipe my … Continue reading
Starring on highways in Pennsylvania: fall foliage
One of the things I love about Pennsylvania is the smash hit that plays along a highway near you around the last two weeks of October, and runs until the last leaves fall. In this production there are no bad seats, and the ticket is always free. It can be a sad story, a reminder of mortality; or a joyous one, with the implicit promise of renewal; regardless, it plays to packed houses. Continue reading
You CAN go home again
In Spanish, the word casa means house; as far as I can tell, there’s no word that means home. In English, we differentiate between house and home, but often use the two words interchangeably. Lately, I’ve been wondering: How can … Continue reading
Meet me on South Street
This week marks the 40th anniversary of the South Street Renaissance, and I’m thrilled that my visit coincides with the festivities. I’m sure South Street will have changed in the year and a half I’ve been gone, but not as much as it did between the seventies and eighties. Continue reading
The Prisoner’s Village
I’d have felt boorish if we’d visited Cuba and not checked out Havana, but the words “beach vacation” ricocheted around my brain. After all, this trip was my escape from the rainy season. I booked three nights in a hotel … Continue reading
Serial quitter
This January, I almost quit smoking. Again. I can hardly keep track of the myriad times I’ve almost quit. I started smoking at about twelve, and have continued off and on for most of my adult life. Luckily, I’ve lived … Continue reading
Havana by Horse and Carriage
Cuba is a trip in a time machine, and cars are the gateway. As Jack furiously snaps shots of meticulously maintained vintage Chevies, Fords, Studebakers, Packards, Pontiacs, Plymouths and Buicks from the 40s, 50s and 60s, his camera seems another … Continue reading
Rain, rain…..
Last year, the rainy season took a vacation. When I arrived, at the end of June, we got rain every day for two or three hours, but that only lasted for a few days. During most of July, it hardly … Continue reading
