Don’t Eat the Elephant: A 3-Week Guide to Southern Brazil
The 3rd Half - Active in Retirement
by Jim
1y ago
When can you say that you “know” a country?  More than just passing through an airport, how long and how different is needed to justly claim an understanding of its soul?  For example, does a week in New York City satisfy a claim to the United States?  Would the Wyoming cowboy, California surfer, or Iowa farmer agree?  While the question is one to ponder (preferably over beers), it became a reality to us visiting Brazil.  The country is geographically huge and ecologically diverse, with a population exceeding 200 million.  This elephant of a country offers wonderf ..read more
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Rio de Janeiro: If Miami and San Francisco had a Baby
The 3rd Half - Active in Retirement
by Jim
1y ago
Going out on a limb here but stay with me.  What would happen if Miami and San Francisco had a baby?  Her nose, his eyes? Mix long, wide urban beaches in a tropical climate with rainforest clad mountains and a pretty harbor.  Overlay a Latin beat, food, and style.  Finally sprinkle on significant economic disparity, rich and poor.  Mix them together and out pops…Rio de Janeiro. Amongst big cities, I rank Rio one of the top three most beautiful in the world (along with Cape Town and Paris).  More on that later.  Suffice it to say, its geography is amazing.&nbs ..read more
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Paddling the Boundary Waters, a Sublime Bucket-List Adventure
The 3rd Half - Active in Retirement
by Jim
1y ago
Close your eyes.  Really, go ahead…close them.  Feel the space.  Sniff the air.  Listen.  Can you sense freedom?  Does sunlight warm your brow while a breeze cools the cheeks?  Is the smell of wood overlaid with the sound of water?  Did a bird just call, or the fire crackle?  If so, welcome to the Boundary Waters.  Where meditation mixes with adventure, and spirituality crisscrosses comradery.  And that is why it deservedly qualifies to be a sublime bucket-list adventure.. Paddling the Boundary Waters, a kaleidoscope of colors As a bald ea ..read more
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Back in the Day
The 3rd Half - Active in Retirement
by Jim
1y ago
Silly me.  Back in the day, I wasn’t so sensitive.  But over the past few weeks, it’s come to my attention that I use the phrase “Back in the Day” way too often.  And so do my friends.  What’s bad is that, while I didn’t mean anything by it, those words carry quite a punch.  My apologies. Pick all that apply.  “Back in the day” means: A fond, if slightly faded, memory of a better time in the indistinct past  A subtle establishment of credibility The perfect response to “Hey Boomer” Proof of getting old A not-so-subtle suggestion that things were “better” bef ..read more
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Rock’n Down Memory Lane; An Iconic Band Bucket List Experience
The 3rd Half - Active in Retirement
by Jim
1y ago
“Meet the New Boss, Same as the Old Boss” It’s a grey-haired love fest.  In bed before 10:00 pm, activities start by 7:30.  Instead of monster-sized bouncers threatening any untoward rushing the stage, bespeckled, cane carrying ushers directed me to a seat.  Didn’t even need to gymnastically contort to see the band, few stood, and only for brief time periods. Concerts are a wonderful thing.  They capitalize on our primaeval response to rhythm.  Instinctually, we sense the beat and catalyze muscles, breathing, and even emotions.  Add on top the logic a melody and w ..read more
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Packaged Tour or Independent Travel; Which is Best?
The 3rd Half - Active in Retirement
by Jim
2y ago
For the first time in over 40 years, I traveled using a packaged tour.  Well, almost.  We used them on African safari.  But for the 70+ other countries, it’s been done independently.  The trip was fun; our companions enjoyable, the activities comprehensive, and the guide excellent.  Looking back, had we too harshly judged tours?  Did our desire for flexibility blind us to the advantages of groups?  After reflection, and several conversations with avid tour takers, a clearer picture has come into focus.  When it comes down to a packaged tour or independen ..read more
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Iceland Bound? 10 Reasons Why You Shouldn’t, and 1 Why You Must
The 3rd Half - Active in Retirement
by Jim
2y ago
Vacations are precious.  No one has enough time and money.  Choosing where to go is a gut choice, followed by hours of deductive reasoning to justify the decision.  Iceland Bound?  Over the past 10 years, the country has rocketed upward on the “places to visit” travel list.  As a purveyor of “Adventure Travel”, it certainly has gained more than ample press coverage. For those in the midst of such a choice, here are ten reasons why you shouldn’t, and one big reason why you must. Iceland’s Southern Coast is a mix of mountains, glaciers, and beaches Iceland Bound: Setting ..read more
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Bucket List Adventure: Dolomites Hiking – Yes or No?
The 3rd Half - Active in Retirement
by Jim
2y ago
Mountains call my name.  Sharp, rocky peaks pierce the sky like gothic spires, while streams splash through wild-flower meadows.   Whether hiking or picnicking, they provide the perfect combination of adventure and serenity. While every continent sports its share, the Dolomites Range in northern Italy stand out.  The question is: Is Dolomites Hiking a bucket list adventure, yes or no? View from Lago di Carezza What Makes Dolomites Hiking Special Living in Park City Utah, we are surrounded by world-class options.  Close by are the Rockies (aka the Wasatch), and the Uint ..read more
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Go To Poland Before Today’s Memories Turn Into Yesterday’s History
The 3rd Half - Active in Retirement
by Jim
2y ago
You call yourself a traveler.  To wander, to wonder, to collect exotic experiences.  Your passport contains stamps from unpronounceable places, where consonants outnumber vowels.  Western Europe feels comfortable like a wool sweater on a cool night, as do the major entrees to Africa and Asia.  Tis time to double down on the sublime, to seek opportunities where culture is changing faster than your travel schedule.  I recommend Central Europe.  Not the standbys like Prague, Budapest, or Berlin.  Instead, go to Poland.  Go before its present becomes past, a ..read more
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Latin America Adventure: 10 Lessons Learned
The 3rd Half - Active in Retirement
by Jim
2y ago
Reliance is the recognition of dependence. Climbing down from the bus to a dark, empty platform, my eyes searched hopelessly for signs of life.  We just entered a new country, without money, food, internet, or a map.  Overwhelmed perhaps, the only recourse was to move forward.  Our bus driver tried to help, as did a young girl whose English was better than her mother’s stare.  “Go over than under, behind those buildings to the train station, and then beyond”.  As evening deepened, Carrie half-joked about our chances of getting mugged, and the possibility of camping in ..read more
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