Kyoto, Japan. I love a parade but this one is exceptional. It is the Jidai Matsuri and it takes place every October 22nd. Over 1,000 years worth of historic Japanese royalty, military leaders and their entourages parade in costume through the…
The D. T. Suzuki Museum
Hidden Treasure in Japan – Joanne and I are often asked about our best travel experiences in Japan. The D. T. Suzuki Museum in Kanazawa is right up there on our list. It is a small, out-of-the-way place that you…
How to Visit a Japanese Onsen (Hot Spring Spa)
Japan’s northern most island, Hokkaido, is a lot like my native Wisconsin. There are four seasons and the landscape is a patchwork of farm fields and forest. Agriculture is big here. We are visiting in autumn and trees I recognize…
Japan – Why Ueno?
Why Ueno? (pronounced way-no) Traveling by plane from the Midwestern USA to Japan can be rough on the constitution. It is a 13 hour flight and when we land in Tokyo it is tomorrow afternoon, 14 time zones ahead of…
Wisconsin Photography 2016 Exhibit Includes Two Wolf River Photographs
Wustum Art Museum- I’m pleased to announce that two of my Wolf River photographs have been selected for Wisconsin Photography 2016, a competition organized by the Racine Art Museum’s (RAM) Wustum Museum. Every three years RAM sponsors a show…
Wolf River Photograph Selected for Gallery
I’m happy to announce that a Wolf River photograph of mine has been selected for a gallery show in Athens, Greece. Blank Wall Gallery is mounting an exhibit entitled “Dreamlike Landscapes” and my photograph “Wolf River – Midstream Ice” has been…
Quebec City Road Trip
Quebec City Road Trip. Things are a little better with French…French bread or French toast for example not to mention French salad dressing or fries. Also, if you add French, certain things may get sexier …maids, curves, kisses. Oo la…
Three Miracles in Botswana
Miracle #3 – Exploring The African Wilderness – Safely – Recently there was a tragic incident in South Africa where a woman was killed by a lion at a wildlife park. Since then I’ve had a couple dozen queries from friends asking if…
Three Miracles in Botswana
Miracle #2 – So Far We Haven’t Screwed It Up. Given the human mania for fencing in, plowing up, building on and paving over much of the earth’s surface, it is miraculous that the Okavango Delta’s rich wilderness hasn’t been…
Three Miracles in Botswana
Miracle # 1 – Water In The Desert. River deltas in deserts are rare on our planet. Indeed most rivers meet their end in an ocean or lake. There is no such body of water waiting for the Okavango River,…
Reasons To Go On An African Safari Even Though You Can’t Afford It
Guilt Trip. I felt guilt when I wrote the check for our trip to Botswana in Africa. Guilt because the roofing on our house will probably have to withstand another few Wisconsin winters. Guilt because the cold wind seeping in…
Ithaca – The End of Our Odyssey
We left Ithaca today and here is how it went; travelled by taxi, ferry, taxi, more taxi, airplane and bus. I sat at a cafe so long I got wired on coffee, then some kid kicked a soccer ball into…
Driving Around Milos
Like Santorini, its more glitzy neighbor to the southwest, Milos is a geological wonder. It is a dry, desert-like island with great beaches and quaint, whitewashed villages up in the mountains but unlike Santorini it is not overrun with tourists.…
Santorini Travel Tips
3500 years ago the island of Santorini blew up in a massive volcanic eruption. What remains today is a thin crescent of land that thrusts up out of the Aegean Sea forming a semicircular island that features a lot of…
The Brides of Beautiful Santorini
They come from all corners of the planet and when you see Santorini you can understand why. Of all of the Greek Islands, Santorini is often claimed to be the most awe inspiring. The population, for the most part, resides…
Welcome to Mykonos! An Adventure on the Greek Ferry System
We traveled by ferry from Ikaria to Mykonos and braced for arrival at Mykonos Town. As with any public transportation in Greece you get a free portion of carnival-like entertainment thrown in with the price of the ticket. It should…
Photo Tip – Avoiding the Chaos and Crowds in Mykonos Town – Get Up Early
“Nonconformity is the highest evolutionary attainment of social animals.” Aldo Leopold from A Sand County Almanac. My reason for coming to Mykonos was to get to Delos. Delos is a small island off Mykonos and it’s one of the most…
Ikaria – Greek Island of Long Life
Like many Greek islands, Ikaria is dry and wind swept, but it is isolated and is less visited than most. Legend has it that this is where Icarus plunged into the sea after flying so high and close to the…
Rock Fans at Ancient Ephesus
Ancient Ephesus lies near the coast and half way down Western Turkey. Around 300 BCE Greeks started building here and the Roman’s brought it to a crescendo around 200 CE. It was the second biggest city in the Roman Empire.…
What Brings You To Troy?
The plaque at the entrance to the Troy Archeological Site says “The Winds Brought Wealth to Troy.” What brought me was sexy pictures. Ancient mariners didn’t know how to sail against the wind so they had to wait for the…