Sorted by date Results 176 - 197 of 197
Driving across Oregon's Columbia Valley on my way to see a friend in Pendleton, I kept looking at the green cuts in the hills indicating verdant vineyards. But approaching Pendleton, I was struck by the notion that I was no longer in the Pacific Northwest, but the Hill Country of Texas. I kept looking for tumbleweeds to roll across the road. Really, the terrain is just not what Alaskans would expect from a close neighbor. But Pendleton has many more surprises for visitors. Wool blankets and more...
Perhaps you've been avoiding Mexico because of drug cartels and kidnapping, but here's one destination far away from all that. Floating in the Caribbean Sea along the eastern shore of the Yucatan Peninsula is Cozumel. Small and easy to get around, it's only 30 miles long and close to 10 miles wide, yet oddly enough, is Mexico's largest Caribbean island. It has a population of 77,000, mostly living in the main city of San Miguel. The island is in the Mexican State of Quintana Roo - just say that...
Sex, drugs and great museums are what this city is all about. You can either be a traditional tourist and take in the Rijksmusem or the van Gogh museum, or go off the chart and cruise the Red Light District, where the women and men are displayed in windows of what we Alaskans would call "cribs." With its hash and marijuana coffee houses, Amsterdam has a racy reputation. This is an ultra-liberal city. As one Dutch friend once said to me, "We were glad to see the Pilgrims leave, they were...
Long before Dutch Harbor became America's No. 1 fishing port, there was Gloucester, Mass. Visit here and you'll be pulled up short at how old it is and how young Alaska is in comparison. Established as a settlement in 1623, a mere three years after the Pilgrims landed on Plymouth Rock, it incorporated 19 years later. Founded on cod A tumbling, cheek-to-jowl town of windy streets and homes from lowly one-bedroom fisherman colonials to grand mansions, Gloucester has a rich history in fishing for...
In 1995, I flew from Barrow to New York City on MarkAir for $200, and the pilot flew right down Fifth Avenue at night, over the Empire State Building, at a height where we could see people walking on the street. Neither is possible these days. For sure it's a jump from the slow pace of Alaska to the big city, but it's worth it. You'll appreciate the peace and quiet when you return home, because this city is never quiet - there's just levels of noise, from some guy turning his car alarm off and...
Buffalo, New York is a vibrant city filled with lots to do and discover for persons of all ages. At the Albright-Knox Art Gallery, you can see one of the world's most impressive collections of modern and contemporary art, including works by Van Gogh, Picasso and Warhol. Across the street, you'll find the stunning Burchfield Penney Art Center, which is committed to the art of Buffalo and Western New York. As you walk around our city, you'll come across some of the finest architecture of the late...
New Bedford, a whale of a place to visit Before Alaska was bought by the United States, there was one Massachusetts city that already had direct links to the Territory. New Bedford, the number one fishing port in the country right behind Dutch Harbor, in the 19th century was the east coast center for the whaling industry, harvesting baleen and oil for the masses. Its ships took the long voyage around South America and up the West Coast into the Arctic Ocean in pursuit of the bowhead whale. In la...
A big state has to have a big road, and the Haul Road from Coldfoot to Prudhoe Bay is certainly that. And yes, Atigun Pass is at times both breathtaking and horrifying depending on the conditions, and entering onto the Arctic Plain with the mighty Brooks Range on your left is memorable. But the Dempster Highway, that's real adventure. Beginning southeast of Dawson City in the Yukon Territory, it winds its way 457 miles, through the Northwest Territories, past the Arctic Circle, up to Inuvik on...
Of all the old gold rush towns in Alaska and the Yukon, the most authentic is Dawson City. Come during spring breakup and slog through the mucky streets, unpaved streets, just like the Klondike stampeders did in 1898. Walk on the high boardwalks past historic buildings reclaimed by Parks Canada, or peek into dilapidated, but still standing, weather-beaten structures. There's history on every corner. If you're a Robert Service fan, come in "The summer-no sweeter was ever; The sunshiny woods all a...
Traveling outside of the United States obviously requires a lot of planning, and even more so for people with health issues. Many seniors who are covered by Medicare don’t realize that once they leave the United States, Medicare coverage is minimal or nonexistent. However, if you are traveling to a U.S. territory, such as the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, or the Northern Marian Islands, you are probably covered. Otherwise, don’t make the mistake of relying on Medicare. So what happens if you do end up needing medical care while o...
In the early 1990s, Barrow elders told of the huge clouds of returning migrating birds to the village that blocked out the sun. While Alaska and elsewhere no longer see bird population in those numbers, still, prepare to be wowed by the local festivals in small towns across the state. Coming in May to a town near you are annual shorebird festivals, both on and off the road system. Homer - for more than just the halibut Homer, the place you love to go halibut fishing, is a mere four-hour drive...
One winter, I was sitting in Takhini Hot Springs, a bit north of Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, talking to a family from Anchorage there with their daughter for a ballet audition. “Where are you from?” she said. “Skagway,” I replied. “Where is that?” she asked. “Alaska,” I said. She turned to her husband and said, “I told you we needed to get out of Anchorage and see more of the state.” And so do you. Winter is a great time to travel throughout Alaska. No RVs on the road, the potholes are filled...
On a map, we're kissing cousins, so it's a natural that Hawaii is Alaska's second home for a break from winter. And golden beaches crowded with Eddie Bauer bathing suits are proof of that. Where else can Alaskans slide off the white page of winter and into a world of color, light, warmth and the aroma of flowers only five hours out of Anchorage? It's like being born again. With our love of wild beauty and solitude, Molokai, "The Friendly Isle," is so familiar to Alaskans, but oh, so much...
With Christmas fast approaching, have you finished your gift list, checked it twice and finished your shopping? Or do you still have some presents to buy? If you need ideas for what to get for folks who travel a lot for pleasure or business, a "gift of go" can be the perfect solution. Shopping is convenient, no further away than your telephone or computer. Whether scratching your head about what to buy for someone who visits a different Caribbean island every winter or for Aunt Matilda who's...
Women wearing the latest fashions strolled into Gucci and Neiman Marcus intent on adding to their chic wardrobe. Not far away, my wife Fyllis, wearing blue jeans and boots, was learning to lasso cattle. My afternoon was spent exploring a rugged wilderness of giant cactus and towering mesas. The first impression of Scottsdale, Arizona, is the diversity of attractions. The shopping alone provides an introduction to the something-for-everyone variety. Along with top-of-the-line stores are shops...
Wellesley Island is the second largest island in the Thousand Islands. Actually, there are many more than 1,000 islands in the St. Lawrence River. The area was once the playground of the rich and famous but now everyone can play. It is a great destination of its own with a wide variety of things to see and do. The first stop should be the Thousand Island Welcome Center where there are a plethora of brochures plus staff to answer questions. Check Visit1000islands.com or call 800-847-5263 for...
“I don’t know what to do to celebrate your [70th] birthday!” my husband lamented. “I know you don’t want a party or jewelry, but I can’t decide what to do for you.” “I’m going to Scotland by way of Iceland!” my friend said exuberantly. “Why don’t you come with me?” And so it was that I found myself on Icelandic Air to Reykjavik one balmy night in July with my friend Sloane, an artist and former helicopter pilot who had been there in the 1960s when the airline had one prop plane and a dicey la...
Quick Quiz: Where is Sachsenhausen and what is Apple Wine? Well, to start with, as you probably guessed Sachsenhausen is in Germany. And, as you also may have opined, apple wine is wine made from apples instead of grapes. In the Rhine-Main region, vintners have been producing apple wine from local apples for over 250 years. A bit of history: During the Middle Ages, beer and wine were the beverages of choice. Then, in the middle of the 16th century, the Rhine-Main area went through a bit of...
New Mexico sites an Eighth Wonder of the World? Years ago (make that at least a half century ago) when Marilyn and I were in our twenties and newly married we traveled with her parents to New Mexico. I’d been there before but that didn’t count. I was only a two-year-old at the time and after a year our family moved to Kansas. Obviously I had no memory of New Mexico, and the trip with Marilyn’s mom and dad was a happy eye-opener. In terms of travel attractions, New Mexico may well contain some...
Un-Cruise Adventures plans 19 trips for 2014 in Hawaii, Mexico, Northwest U.S. and Alaska A few issues back I described the Hawaii tour that Un-Cruise Adventures has scheduled for 2014. Here’s more information about more adventures that the cruiseline with the funny (but descriptive) name has on tap for their “Active,” “Luxury” and “Heritage” sailings in 2014. The line’s eight vessels, carrying 22 to 88 guests, specialize in small-group adventure cruises in Alaska, Hawaii, Mexico’s Sea of...
Titanic will sail again Yep, you read that right. In the not-too-distant future a luxurious cruiseship Titanic may once again sail on her maiden voyage from Southampton, England to New York City. Well, not the original Titanic, of course. That tragic and much-storied vessel remains on the floor of the Atlantic Ocean, having sunk on her maiden voyage to New York after an iceberg opened a gaping hole in the ship’s hull. But you may be able to book passage on a new, modern, luxurious Titanic II s...
In the course of magazine editing, newspaper reporting, book authoring, freelance writing and Web site publishing for the past 60-plus years I’ve had the pleasure to visit and write about many a splendid local celebration. These have included locales that varied from Kansas on the plains in our nation’s mid-section to the mountains of Colorado, the islands of Hawaii, the shores of California, Jolly Old England and (drum roll please…) funfests that have provided enduring grand memories in Anchorage, Fairbanks, Juneau and Ketchikan. This month le...
