A poem for my son and his bride, on their wedding day. May your journey be long, your burdens be light, and your love remain Zen. Love, Dad
5 Thought-Provoking Weeks in Andalucía, Spain
Traveling through Andalucía changed how I see modern Spain. Its regional identities, political tensions, religious traditions, and its barely contained passions all make more sense in the broader context of a land that has been contested, rebuilt, renamed, and reimagined for two thousand years.
Bilbao in Retrospect
Travel has a way of teaching in reverse, where initial first impressions are refined over time towards a better understanding of a place…
Hiking in the White Towns of Spain's Southern Sierra Nevada
The Alpujarras — white towns -- were built by the Berbers of Northern Africa during Spain’s Islamic Al-Andalus era (AD 711 to 1492). Today, they are a popular gateway into the Sierra Nevada mountains…
Ronda, Spain: Hemingway's Famous Cliff Scene from "For Whom the Bell Tolls"
A day trip from Seville to Ronda, with a stop in Zahara de la Sierra, brought to life the setting of Hemingway’s “For Whom the Bell Tolls”…
Walking On Water: A Unique Winter Hiking Experience in Pocheon-si
Siberian winds chilling the bones? Perfect time for a road trip to Pocheon-si (포천시), the “Forest and River City”. Locals embrace winter as an opportunity to play ON the water, rather than IN the water…
Feral, Fuming, and Weirdly Happy: Mile 65 on the Laurel Highlands Trail
Short story about an unexpected route to happiness and contentment on western Pennsylvania’s 70 mile Laurel Highlands Trail…
2024 Year in Review
2024: A Year in the Life. This post is an annual wrap-up of our travel and memorable events throughout the year: Korea, Japan, Mexico, Italy, United Kingdom, Turkey, and USA.
Antalya and the Turquoise Coast
Antalya was our base city during a 30 day visit to Turkey in October, 2024. Turquoise waters, fresh salty sea breeze, the entrancing calls to prayer…
Trekking Türkiye's Lycian Way (Our Way)
We traveled to Türkiye in October 2024 intending to hike the Lycian Way, a 335 mile along the Mediterranean Coast. Things didn’t quite go as expected…
Lycian Way: Letoon and Xanthos
Day 1 and 2 of our Lycian Way trek in Letoon and Xanthos, where the heat sparked “Plan B”…
Lycian Way: Gelemiş and Patara
Days 2-6 of our Lycian Way trek, executing “Plan B” in Gelemis and Patara. Most well-preserved ancient ruins, sand dunes, and sunsets…
Lycian Way: Kaş
Days 6-11 of our Lycian Way trek, executing “Plan B” in Kas. Scuba diving, sea kayaking, and hiking along the Lycian Way…
Lycian Way: Çıralı and Mt. Olympus
Days 11-16 of our Lycian Way trek in Çıralı, home of eternal mountain flames and the lost city of Olympos…
Pack Leader for a 9 Mile Day Hike in Cappadocia
Highlights of this 9 mile off-the-beaten tourist path in Cappadocia: escort by a canine friend through a shady oasis, pigeon houses, and a 4,000 year old hand-carved castle…
Derinkuyu, Türkiye: Ancient Underground City
We traveled to Cappadocia primarily to visit the underground city of Derinkuyu, most likely built by early Christians as a refuge against invading Arabs in the Middle Ages…
Family UK Road Trip: London, Windsor and Stonehenge
In September 2024, we were joined by my mom and C’s family in the United Kingdom for a two week road trip. We met my mom in London, England…
Family UK Road Trip: Edinburgh and Scottish Highlands
Together with my mom, we rendezvoused with C’s family in Edinburgh and then headed to the Scottish Highlands on the first leg of our road trip…
Family UK Road Trip: Isle of Skye, Scotland
The highlight of our two week roadtrip in the United Kingdom was Scotland’s Isle of Skye…
Family UK Road Trip: Glasgow, Scotland
After C’s family returned to Korea, we continued onward to Glasgow, Scotland, with my mom to wrap up the final days of our two week family road trip in the United Kingdom…