Blog

I usually take some snapshots when I explore on my bicycle. A few times in the past couple weeks I’ve found the foreground to be just as interesting as the thing I wanted to photograph. Wildflowers A friend and I were cycling back and forth through an industrial area of St. Paul’s St. Anthony Park.… Continue reading Wildflowers and Participatory Games

Most mornings Dwight, my partner of 32 years, makes the first pot of the day. I get to enjoy the brew in bed while reading the New York Times. Usually I’m squirming at the news of more dog whistles from the White House. Delaying the Harriet Tubman $20 bank note is just one example of… Continue reading Living a Guarded Life

If you’re planning to visit Spain’s Costa del Sol, you’ll probably be staying in a busy place. It can be hard to avoid over-loved places, but I prefer to seek out B-List places. On our recent family trip to the Andalucia region of Southern Spain, we stayed in four cities: Nerja (4 nights), Granada (2… Continue reading Antequera: the Case for B-List Travel

April 2018. Hundreds of people were lined up in heavy rain to buy tickets for Spain’s national art museum, the Prado. Some fiddled with their smartphones to alleviate their boredom as they shuffled slowly towards the entrance. They seemed unaware they could use their expensive devices to simplify their lives. I found a sheltered spot… Continue reading Using a Smartphone to Bypass Lines in Spain

I needed to share my love of backpacking and walking with my two young nephews (aged 10 and 11). My partner, the two nephews, their parents, and I have been backpacking in Andalucia, Southern Spain. With a couple exceptions, we traveled using public transport and our legs. The exceptions were a ride on the tram… Continue reading Traveling by Numbers

My partner and I are backpacking in Andalucía, southern Spain, with our nephews (10 and 11) and their parents. We flew into Malaga from the States, then immediately started traveling by train, inter-city bus, and foot. We hope to complete the trip without ever taking a taxi. The map at the top of this post… Continue reading Backpacking with Kids in Andalucía: Snapshots of Nerja

We’re up, up, and away on a Delta flight from New York’s JFK Airport to Malaga AGP, Spain. In less than eight hours we’ll be on a Mediterranean beach. My 11-year-old nephew and my partner sit beside me. The other nephew (aged 10), and his parents sit across the aisle We’re oblivious to the Atlantic… Continue reading TWA Flight Center: Building Excitement

I usually travel with a lighweight daypack. It’s under three ounces, holds 18 liters, and can hide in a hiking boot in my backpack. Of course I could use my 30-liter backpack as a daypack: it’s just a little larger than a typical 20-liter daypack. However, the lightweight daypack comes in handy: Later this month… Continue reading Travel Gear: Lightweight Daypack