I watched the 2000 German film, In July (Im Juli), again, hoping to catch scenes of Hamburg. I’d first watched the movie long before I thought about going to Hamburg, or went to Hamburg, and didn’t remember how much of Hamburg was showcased. A cute love story about taking risks and going on an adventure…
Beyond the New York Public Library: The Morgan
The Bonus Adventurers (teenage stepchildren) and I were drawn to the Morgan Library at 36th and Madison because of the Edgar Allan Poe exhibit (through Jan. 26, 2014). Who wouldn’t want to see handwritten scrolls of Poe’s handiwork? What we most enjoyed were working drafts. The kids marveled at what writers had to do in…
Reason to Visit Hamburg: WWII Bunker Transformed to Green Energy Plant
The IBA Energy Bunker in the Wilhelmsburg section of Hamburg, Germany, officially opened this week. The monstrous bunker, built by slave labor during World War II to shelter residents from Allied air raids and to defend Hamburg, was an imposing—and crumbling—reminder of darker times. With walls thicker than a man’s wingspan, it was too big…
Unexpected Treasures of Lubaantun
On the first full day of our stay at the Cotton Tree Lodge on the Moho River in the Toledo District of Belize, we haven’t yet learned which plant leaves to rub on our skin so the mosquitos won’t bite us. We have heard the howler monkeys but haven’t yet seen one. We’ve not gotten…
Making Our Way to the Cotton Tree Lodge
A getaway is so much better if it’s somewhat challenging to reach. The Brawny Sherpa and I wake up in the middle of the night to get to JFK in time for our flight to Miami only to be delayed because our plane is experiencing mechanical difficulties. We wait, we fret, we’ve got to get…
Visiting Mount Kisco’s Invisible Church
It’s easy to cruise right past the tiny little cemetery at the corner of St. Marks Place and Main Street in Mount Kisco without noticing the Revolutionary War-era grave markers. Situated just across and down a bit from Friendly’s at the corner by Conte’s Fish Market, on the way to the bagel store and T.J….
On My Knees at the Scala Santa
Will the Bashful Adventurer, who is not exactly a church-goer, nevertheless be transformed by a visit to the Scala Santa, or Holy Stairs, in Rome?
An Unlikely Way to Spend a Weekend: A Visit to Horse Country
Attending a horse show at Old Salem Farm in North Salem, N.Y.
The Contrasts of Isla Mujeres
Expecting a day of tequila sunrises and snorkeling, the Brawny Sherpa and I set off by catamaran from Cancun to Isla Mujeres. The water was too rough for playing in, though, so, once on the island, we rented a golf cart for about $20 and tootled toward the Mayan ruins at the tip of it…
Three Inns I Always Want to Return to
Some places stick in your memory even decades after you’ve been there. There’s magic in their atmosphere, or good fairies floating in their mirrors, or memorable scents in their soaps that bring serenity on a visit. No matter how far away I get, these are the places to which I always want to return: The…