Riviera Mayan Adventure on the Reef Playacar
When Rebecca first mentioned going to the Mexican Riviera I was leery. Mexico? At the time, the only thing I knew about our southern neighbor was what the US Army taught me years before. That hard lesson was learned in 1998 while doing a short stint at Fort Bliss. For those of you unfamiliar with Fort Bliss, it’s a 1,700 square mile playground reserved exclusively for Uncle Sam. It’s the US Army’s second largest installation, home of the 1st Armored Division, and situated in the picturesque desert city of El Paso, TX. Any soldier who’s ever spent more than a day at Ft. Bliss knows the kind of world that exists once you leave El Paso and cross into that southern border town. Juarez, Mexico – the home of crooked cops, drug cartels, and a perfect place to get raped, robbed, or murdered. It’s not exactly the type of place you would take the kids to get t-shirts, postcards, or ice cream. Anyhow, you can see why I was so apprehensive about taking a vacation there.
As it turns out, all Mexican towns and cities do not rank the same. To make a comparison between Juarez and some of Mexico’s more popular tourist destinations is like trying to compare Detroit, Michigan with Cary, North Carolina. There just isn’t any comparison. So putting all reservations aside, Rebecca and I purchased a flight and headed out into Mexico’s lush Riviera Maya.
Following this truck, I knew I had to be heading in the right direction.
The Riviera Maya is truly a magnificent place. The entire area is a tropical paradise located on the Yucatan Peninsula. The region is famous for its Caribbean beaches, beautiful jungles, and warm tropical climate. There’s no shortage of sights to see, things to do, or places to explore here in this neck of the woods! (more…)
Posted in Adventurous Places, Great Dining, South America and tagged mayan riviera, mexico, reef playacar.
In My Rover Near the Cliffs of Dover- A Love Story
She was brilliant. She was beautiful. She was my most faithful of companions and her name was Rover. Now as I peered out through the fogged-up glass, it seemed I was losing her for good. I remember that fateful day I first brought her home with me. Everything about her seemed so pure, clean and new. I loved the way she looked… the way she smelled… that certain style that only she possessed.
They say you can’t buy love, but the 500 quid I paid for her never felt so right, nor so good. At first, I planned on only using her for awhile. You know, merely as a cheap means to get around. But then things got much more serious. I became attached and I didn’t want to lose her. I seriously considered even bringing her back to the States with me; and I probably would’ve if everything hadn’t just sort of fallen apart.
She had been mine for only a month when I first began noticing her condition starting to deteriorate. It all happened as we were returning from a romantic drive from the White Cliffs of Dover. to my home in Godmanchester, Cambridgeshire. First it was merely a hiccup or sputter and but nothing to really warrant too much concern.
White Cliffs of Dover
When she started getting worse I took her to get checked out. Surprisingly they said she was still in good condition for her age. Her prognosis was really quite favorable and they expected her to last several more years. Oh, they couldn’t have been more wrong! It wasn’t but two weeks later that she really took a turn for the worse. She began overheating, discharging milky fluids, and then… (more…)
Posted in Adventurous Places, Europe and tagged cliffs of dover, England, Rover 45.
The Perils of a Paperboy in Deadwood Gulch
Growing up I never stayed put in one place for any extended period of time. The conditions surrounding my childhood were such that I had lived in seven states all before the age of eighteen. Looking back now, there is one place that brings back more fond memories than any other. That place is the historic old-west city of Deadwood, SD.
Main St, Deadwood Gulch – circa 1876
This frontier town was a place born out of adventure. It was certainly a rowdy place in 1876 when Wild Bill Hickok was shot playing poker in Deadwood’s infamous Saloon #10; and it was still a place of excitement in 1985 when I moved there at the youthful age of 12. (more…)
Posted in Adventurous Places, Historical Journeys, North America and tagged deadwood, paperboy.
Snow Skiing in the Desert of Arabia (Mall of the Emirates)
Everybody knows that fantastic snow skiing can be found in places such as the Swiss Alps, Utah, and the Colorado Rockies. Many of you though might be surprised to hear that great skiing can also be found in North Carolina, as well as a few other places in the Southern United States. But would you believe it if I told you that snow skiing could also be found in a Middle Eastern desert? It’s no Breckenridge, but if you ever find yourself in the United Arab Emirates, in the city of Dubai, look no further than the Mall of the Emirates for snowy fun on the slopes!
Donning their winter garb and eager to hit the slopes, varied crowds of people form up inside the Mall of the Emirates’ Ski Dubai. Forget the Alps or the Rockies, everybody knows that the world’s best snow skiing in the world can only be found inside Middle-eastern shopping malls. Seriously though, this indoor snow skiing complex is really one-of-a-kind. I guess that’s all just par for the course though when you’re talking about all of the wonderous innovations found within the vertical city of Dubai. (more…)
Posted in Adventurous Places, Asia and tagged mall of the emirates, Ski Dubai.
Fort Monroe, Virginia is an amazing place!
Not that long ago, Rebecca, Noah, and I visited the historical Fort Monroe outside of Hampton, Va. Having never been to the fort before we didn’t quite know what to expect. We were all pleasantly surprised with the entire experience and would definitely recommend this place to those that love American military/ Civil War history.
F/A-22 Raptor flies over Fort Monroe, Virginia. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Ben Bloker) (more…)
Posted in Adventurous Places, Historical Journeys, North America and tagged Abraham Lincoln, fort monroe, ft monroe virginia, General Robert E Lee.