The Big Ball Drops And So Does the Other Shoe

Tonight the big ball drops in Times Square, NYC with thousands filling the square watching. Lil and I will be dropping this small ball with only the two of us in attendance. This year we are going solo and one of tonight’s events will be pulling the huge plastic bin of photos taken pre digital days and ones that trace our history together. 2007 was a good year and filled with many things to be grateful about. 2008 will begin with a little needed surgery for some skin cancer that is long over due. During my recovery time I plan on catching up on some writing and projects that are also long over due. May 2008 be one that is prosperous and happy for all!

Winter in Maine

I love sitting up here in Canaan moving at a slow pace and curled up with a great book. The book fits well as it is called The Geography of Bliss by Eric Weiner. He traveled the world looking for happiness in countries like Moldavia, India, Iceland and even the US. It was a fascinating read with some funny observation. This family place in Canaan is one place where I feel blissful. In fact winter in Maine is very special.

Holidays in Portsmouth NH

Christmas is done for most but we are heading up to Maine to visit family and celebrate just a wee bit more. As we always do we spend one night some place on the road and tonight it is in Portsmouth NH at the Sheraton. I love this little city by the ocean and its New England style. The white steeples and the brick buildings garnished with white holiday lights are perfect for keeping the spirit of the season. After a walk through town and a stop at Gulliver’s travel book shop I headed back to the hotel for a sauna. Dinner with Chance and Lil at Mediterranean and a slow walk back to the hotel is the best part of my holidays, hope yours went well.

Harley Hog Heaven in Sweden

The Johanna Museet in Skane Sweden is Harley hog heaven the number of antique working bikes is astounding. The museum is a collection of thousands of tech pieces that film and tv people use as props. What a cool place to spend an afternoon!

2007 Swedish God Jul or Christmas Tour

I will remember it as the God Jul Swedish Tour of 2007, a rare opportunity when Max Hartshorne and I get to travel together. We are more apt to be emailing each other from different parts of the world then meeting in a restaurant after hitting different places in the same city. Max’s energy level is amazing to watch and I have never seen anyone devour the International Herald Tribune or Financial Times with as much scrutiny and interest. Better yet was his determination to get things done, such as getting our return flight out of Copenhagen instead of Malmo, the extra sleep time was so necessary.

Best though was conversations over small dinners and while walking the streets, watching Max study cafes in order to get great ideas for the GoNomad Café is a study in itself. Perhaps though it is hopping back and forth between our rooms while doing some pre dinner work that I like best, the flow of ideas and glasses of wine back and forth. We saw so many interesting things on the God Jul or Good Christmas 2007 Tour and the memories will last. It is now time however time to get into the spirit here at home and to wish all a God Jul, safe holidays to all.

Pedal Power in Lund Sweden

I took the train today to Lund while Max had some interviews in Malmo. A quick 15 minutes and I was in the second oldest city in Sweden.Lund is also home to the oldest university in Sweden. As I got off the train I was reminded once again that the Swedes are energy efficient, pedal power. Even in cold weather.

Solid Silver in Ystad Sweden

One of my favorite part of traveling is meeting some cool people and catching their stories. This smiling face belongs to Owe Johansson, a top knotch Silver Smith whose works are in royal collections here in Sweden. Here he is working at a shop sell crafts to benefit handicapped folks. We went to the lovely town of Ystad yesterday as well as a wonderful x-mass meal in a castle. The x-mass spirit grows as the heated glogg flows.

Sleepless in Malmo

I fell asleep as surely as this lad fell to the ice in Malmo’s center ice rink, book on chest. Unfortunately I awoke a few hours later with a stuffy nose and dry throat. It is times like this when you really appreciate your home and bed. Insomnia is best handled when you can stalk around your house amongst familiar things. Cats following in the hope that maybe just this once you’ll open a can of food as easily as you did your fridge. After scarfing down some dinner leftovers you can eventually pad back upstairs and stare at one of the four hundred channels on you cable box. The best equivalent while in a hotel room on the road is repeated CNN segments. Until you remember that book purchased several weeks ago in your bag, in my case it is A Season in Red, by Kristy Needham. Guess it is time to pop open the mini fridge and swig some cola, eventually the morning will come and exploration will over come sleep deprivation, it always does.

Nordic Beauty

There is a classic beauty to the look here in Sweden yet a great sense of humour also prevails. As I was blogging just watched a hilarious commerical with not one word spoken. In a fancy restaurant an older couple is sitting down to eat, the man reaches for some Nicoret after. A very proper lady walks over to the table and flashes the table, the shocked man then has his pill grabbed by the flashing lady. She then demurely lowers her dress and pops the Nicoret. Okay better on the screen!

Two Sides of Malmo, Sweden

Malmo is Sweden's third largest city and very hot and happening right now. It is very green conscience and has become a mover and shaker in the bizz world. The best part is it also maintains its old world feel. You can look in one direction and go back in time, turn the other and modern Sweden is right there, amazing.

Per Hellsten, Stockholm's Hotelier

I met a very interesting man today, the owner of the Hellsten Hotel where I am staying. I like this place’s style and now I know why, it reflects Per Hellsten. He was an anthropologist, journalist and PR person before this current gig, hotelier. Some how he managed to hook up with a Miss Virginia for a few years of marriage in between all the traveling. This hotel was built to handle media types and with heated slate bathroom floors made from Karystos slate they do it well. The best boutique hotel in Stockholm.

Koh Phangan in Stockholm's SoFo

You don't need to twist up a Thai stick in Bambu papers to love Koh Phangan Restaurant in Stockholm's SoFo. The food is great and the huge place is a gas. Still if you got the stick this place will cure the munchies!

Pretty Smiles in Stockholm

We had a wonderful private guide this morning in Stockholm, Ylva da Silva, who actually works as a special guide for the Swedish Parliament. After visiting the Vassa and other spots, Ylva took us to my favorite area of Stockholm, the old city called Gamla Stan. She and her “partner” just bought a flat in the area. I stress partner because Ylva never married her mate and said that official marriage is not a priority and not common here in Sweden.
Armed with VIP passes for sights and transportation Max and I walked around on our own just checking it out, tomorrow is museum day. The brightest part of Stockholm is the smiling faces we have encountered.

Dinner with the Jonsson Family in Stockholm

We had a wonderful dinner at the home of Ann- Charlotte Jonsson and her husband Fredrick last night. The beautiful apartment was matched with the wonderful aroma of delicious food that was cooked to perfection.We started with the 2007 white glogg and went through several other fine bottles of wine. Max frequently arranges to have a meal with locals when he travels, a great way to really learn about a place. After a great time we navigated our way back to the fantastic Hotel Hellsten for that all important first night sleep, mission accomplished!

Merry Christmas from Sweden

Arrival in Stockholm is a very pleasant experience and the place feels good! People are filling the streets and good cheer is in the air and yes it is called Christmas,no fudging of what the season is called. PC can be down right boring and useless. I was in Macao one Dec not long ago and trees and shops were getting deck out for the season yet on the news channels the talk was all about banning x-mass talk, bah, humbug! Merry Christmas from Stockholm.

Stockholm Bound

Yesterday I was sitting in an auto shop getting my oil changed in Kingston NY, reading a book about Thailand named Catfish and Mandala. At the same time I was thinking about todays departure for Stockholm and Malmo. When you travel alot your thought process constantly shifts from one place to another.

The Iceman Cometh to the Hudson River Valley

"The Iceman cometh," said Eugene O'Neill in his play of the same name. The Iceman certainly hit the Hudson River Valley, it was enough to make a man look for a stool at Harry Hope's saloon for a whiskey with barman Rocky. I could listen to Willie tell about his days at Harvard Law or cosy up with Rocky's tarts, Margie and Pearl. I would stay away from Cora because of her pimp Chuck and Joe with his dreams about his gambling days. For more about the Iceman I would go to Sparknotes where I just got all the names and above insights,I just might buy a copy and read the whole story in Sweden.

Sony and Ginger in Oslo and Helsinki

As Max and I are prepping for our trip to Sweden, two of GoNomad’s best are right now exploring Norway and Finland, expect some great articles about Scandinavia coming out on GoNOMAD soon. The effervescent wordsmith and trained eye, Sony Stark is cruising around Helsinki and writing her witty blog Cross That Bridge as she does. Ginger Warder is holed up in Oslo checking out all that there is to see and do in her tasty way, check out Traveling Food.

Back to Sweden

My last trip to Scandinavia included only a one night stop in Stockholm Sweden, I swore to return and am sooner than I expected. Max and I are headed to Stockholm and Malmo Sweden next week. We have x-mass markets and museums to keep us busy as well as a dinner party that Sweden Tourism hooked us up with. Add in some snowflakes and I am all set!

Kharma and it's Part in Travel Writing

I try to remember that kharma plays a big part of my travel writing and good things do happen unplanned. I love it when I am invited on a press trip because I was recommended by someone that either was on a trip with me or a PR firm that though enough of my work and actions to share my name. The King of Travel, Johnny Jet and my good friends from Spring O’Brien come to mind. Many Thanks Nora!

In fact my association with GoNOMAD came about with a phone call way back in 1999 from Lauryn Axelrod with an invitation to join the team, she found me by word of mouth. I often wonder what happened to the other six originals. Fate again played a part when Max Hartshorne bought GoNOMAD, I had worked on articles as contributing editor for Transitions Abroad where he served several stints as managing editor but we had never met in person. I decided to go up to his home to meet him in person and found a highly motivated guy that also happened to be fun to chat with, I found a home at GoNOMAD there and then. My travel column in the Lincoln Eagle also came about via a unexpected phone call.

Word of mouth over the years still plays a big part of my writing career I was recently asked to send a tape to Stone Entertainment for a possible host gig on a Travel Channel Show all because someone recommended me, I have no clue who. I most likely will not get the job but it was nice to be asked. Recently thanks to my friends at France’s Tourism office in NYC Katherine and Jessie I am writing a piece for their 2008 France Guide, a beautiful glossy that will be distributed around the world. I do not discount hard work and its part in travel writing success however a little good kharma never hurts.

Sick on the Road Home

It was cold as I stepped out of Bradley Airport and into the late night, yet perspiration ran down my body like creek runoffs after a spring storm. I rode to long term parking lot fevered and tired and decided to stay at a nearby motel, I wasn’t going to fight this cold any longer.

I pulled into the Days Inn and grimaced wondering what kind of relief I was going to muster there. I ran the coffee maker with hot water to mix with some salt packets I squirreled away the day before, anything to relieve my sore throat. I laid back and moaned to myself, could it get any worse I wondered. As I slowly passed in and out I remembered a trip long ago and how sick I was then.

On one of my first back packing trips to Europe at 17 I headed straight to Amsterdam to live it up and explore what I heard was Europe’s big party place. By the time I arrived I was feverish and dizzy. I splurged and got a single room at a dirty and putrid hostel that I was told about. For two days I fell in and out of consciousness, slugging down water when I could lift my head. The smell of the room was the only constant and I barely remember some kind face bringing rolls and juice, I will always remember the kindness of the person as well as the squalor of that tiny room.

I woke up with a start that night near Bradley transported back in time to the hostel in Amsterdam. My Days Inn room appeared as a five star property; however there wasn’t a kind stranger that cared. Being sick on the road no matter where or why just plain sucks.