As July 4 approaches, I have been thinking about liberty. Is war the opposite of freedom? Is love the opposite of hate? I believe that apathy is the opposite of love. I am pondering the opposite of autonomy. I challenge myself to make selections that will make me proud. Owning a bikini from the 2012 … Continued
A man in a bubblegum-pink crushed velvet suit and matching top hat stood along side a woman dressed like a gypsy in layers of colorful silks and linens, joyously waving to Jim and me as we rolled slowly to the checkpoint that emerged from the afternoon dust. We stopped the truck and our brightly clad … Continued
In July, the heat rolls off the streets in waves, bounding down the asphalt and nipping at the feet of vacationers in our tourist- trap central. Most come for the books; that lazy, dreamlike juncture one acquires in running their fingers over leather bound spines as gingerly as they might fondle a newborn, breathing in … Continued
NATURE FIX acquainted, survived, camping trip; seventeen in 69; high school; five crazed; a mass deed Frisbee flaps backpacks, footing sand; old beast’s rock dinosaur footing; flying discs; some caught what I knew; I was lost; where I was; feeling freed we found charm, passion play, bathing warmth; agreed fifteen years pass; never knew where … Continued
St. John: Finding Freedom on the White Sands of Paradise Many people have an ideal picture of an “escape to freedom.” For some, it is a hidden bed and breakfast in the big city. For others, it is an adventurous hike through a remote jungle. My idea of freedom is to be on the open … Continued
Amy Friedman, our Independence Travel Writing Contest Judge and award winning writer of Desperado’s Wife, offered to share her story. Kept Together by the Bars Between Us When we met, he had already served 7 years of a 13-years-to-life sentence for murder. He was once a drug dealer and had shot and killed another dealer … Continued
People all have their special place where they feel alive. When peace is felt all around and you have a glance at what it means to be free. For me, that special place is camping in the woods. No cities or towns, no highways, just you and your family with your imagination. When I was … Continued
The Mayan Riviera’s colectivos traverse the pot-holed, coastal thoroughfare with laughable disregard for anthropological safety. Fighting the vaguely digestive smell inside, I shout “Tulum!” through nine perspiring passengers, and spend the next thirty minutes battling the vertebral hum. Eventually, the white van vomits me onto the highway, and from his quickly-receding window, the driver’s brown … Continued
5 Highlights of a Honeymoon Road Trip Napa Valley With some of the very finest food and wine to be found in the United States, it’s no surprise that the Napa Valley is a hit amongst newlywed gourmands and wine connoisseurs. Newcomers to the ways of the grape will feel equally at home; here the … Continued
Bump! The chairlift hits the back of my sleepy legs as it had done a thousand times that season, I sit back on the empty chair and let it pull me to the top. I let my gaze wander over the entire face of the mountain, one side of the chairlift is lined with snow-covered … Continued