Blogging since 2004!
buenos aires: palo borracho
[Below is an amalgam of various posts published under the old version of Line of Sight in 2007 & 2008. This tree is usually a big topic of conversation in January & February when it blooms, much like the jacarandá in November. Plan your visits accordingly! ]
Read More »buenos aires: palo borrachoyear in review: 2010
● Where was I? Argentina, USA, Colombia, Portugal, Spain, Morocco, France & UK.
Better late than never, right? Regular readers know that I’m big on resolutions for the new year, making lists, and love ticking off completed items. While I definitely have goals to accomplish in 2011, I’ve decided to stop being so rigid about it. I’m taking the pressure off by not publishing them here. Instead, I’d like to go over 2010… it was a whirlwind year, & I apologize for not blogging more regularly. As my schedule demonstrates, it was physically impossible. 2010 was probably the year I’ve most traveled in my life… & that’s saying something:
Read More »year in review: 2010
glasgow: architecture
As is the case with most European cities, religious buildings are some of the oldest remaining. Glasgow is no different. The cathedral has its origins in the early 1100’s with most of the exterior finished by the 1400’s. Not as large as I expected, the church’s unrestored façade is beautiful Gothic although the building is dwarfed by the adjacent Royal Infirmary. Glasgow Necropolis, on the opposite hill, offers some wonderful perspectives of the cathedral… as well as lots of architectural treats:
Read More »glasgow: architectureglasgow: first impressions
Some people questioned my decision to stay four nights in Glasgow & only two in Edinburgh. Everyone assured I’d be happier spending more time in Edinburgh. But after reading a bit about the former industrial scene in Glasgow & the city’s revival in recent years, I knew I’d want as much time as possible to explore. Glasgow certainly did not disappoint. And just like Bogotá earlier this year, I couldn’t understand why the largest city in Scotland receives so little tourism.
Read More »glasgow: first impressions
personal: unemployment benefits
Resigning from a company you’ve spent the past 11 years with can be unsettling… even if the time is right. After a long run with Rick Steves —first as a tour guide, then as a guidebook researcher & writer, & later a return to guiding tours— I recently said goodbye. It was a great company to work for & I’ll miss several people, but I can’t be sad for very long. There are just so many benefits to being unemployed.
Read More »personal: unemployment benefits
mar del sur: boulevard atlantic hotel
After finishing the Conquest of the Desert in 1878, the Argentine upper class began to develop all the land forcefully taken from the indigenous population. An extensive coastline, lined with pristine beaches, proved ideal for summer getaways from Buenos Aires. Escaping malaria outbreaks in the city also motivated the rich to leave the big city temporarily. Rail arrived in 1886 to Mar del Plata & two years later the Bristol Hotel opened, catering to all the major landowning families. National tourism was born.
Read More »mar del sur: boulevard atlantic hotel