Stamps In My Passport: Malta

As I wander around this great planet of ours, I am fascinated by the various architectural styles we individuals choose for our homes. Not only are they extremely diverse, they also tell us something about the culture and ambiance of the region. I could spend a little time talking about our own California style, but …

Stamps in my Passport – London Tate

Let me start out by admitting I have absolutely no appreciation of art. This admission is not one I wish to brag about. Rather it does somewhat lessen my self-worth. Nevertheless it is a truthful statement. I tried once in college to improve myself by enrolling in an art appreciation class, but alas, after only …

Stamps In My Passport – Guatemala

There are definitive moments in life. As one mellows, or ages, depending on perspective, these moments become clearer and more meaningful. Often they relate to loved ones either entering or leaving our lives. Some of them bring on fear and the adrenaline flows – or panic as we recall moments of major jeopardy. Others are …

Stamps In My Passport – Limbang, Malaysia

“For better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health,” and so on. With these words over fifty years ago, Barbara and I were joined in matrimony. I prefer to look at this connection more as a rubber band than as a chain. A chain is an inflexible connection, but …

Stamps In My Passport – Tunisia & Egypt

When a traveler picks up the morning paper these days or watches the late news on television, they are more likely than not to see some of the places they visited in past years – but now they may be in a state of turmoil. With the global political unrest that is occurring in Africa …

Stamps In My Passport: Souvenirs

One of the greatest pleasures of travel is the memories it engenders. Our house is littered with a number of items both large and small that remind us of people, places, and adventures that we met, visited, or experienced recently – or maybe even decades ago. Last week while changing things around Barb and I …

Stamps In My Passport – St. Maarten

One of the most overused clichés in our modern world is “sometimes it’s better to be lucky than it is to be good.” Regardless of your position on this saying, there is some truth to it. Recently on our trip to St. Maarten in the Netherland Antilles, I enjoyed a wonderful day made even more …

Stamps in My Passport: Yugoslavia

Music soothes the soul they say – but it also excites, infuriates, stimulates, or sedates, depending on the tempo. Music is cross-cultural – independent of nationality. One can appreciate the rhythmic view of a composer’s effort completely, without words. Lyrics add to the enjoyment, but the notes must stand on their own. Looking back to …

California Sons in Retirement (SIRs), Part 4

Fourth of a four-part series dealing with retirement. Update: The enjoyable path of our fictional hero, Rob, continues as he “repots” himself after retiring from full-time business activities and discovers SIRs. Well, it has been over two and a half years now since Rob packed his belongings at work and headed home. In some respects …

Stamps In My Passport: Places of Worship

Currently there is a great deal of press coverage about a Muslim community center being built in New York City near where the twin towers were – now referred to as “ground zero.” I don’t want to get into the dispute on this somewhat delicate subject, but it did cause me to look back over …

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