The sound of a baseball meeting a catcher’s glove signifies everything about spring for me. I get chills to hear it for the first time, especially after a long winter. Shadows are cast over a bullpen plate as a game takes place just steps away. Hordes of fans like myself watch the pitcher-catcher duo practice their duet, almost like animals at a zoo. Their exchange barely seems human in the way in which the pitcher moves and the catcher receives. If you find yourself traveling throughout the United States from April to October, most likely you will find a baseball game taking place. It is Continue Reading
Suzy Stumbles Over Travel: Week of March 12, 2012
Back from the Arizona heat, I bring you this week’s Suzy Stumbles Over Travel. In case you are new to this site, each week, I ask writers and readers to submit their favorite travel posts of the week. I read each submission, comment, post the article to my Twitter, stumble the piece using Stumbleupon and place a link to the submission on my Facebook page. The following week, I select my five favorite submissions submitted last week to be featured here. The stumbling begins again into the next week. Just a few things to keep in mind, please leave a link to your submission in the comment box Continue Reading
Budapest At Night Wishes You Were Here
I make my way up the street, bumping into what appears to be a costumed man. Complete with top hat and tails, he churns a pile of chestnuts, hoping for a sale. My nose is assaulted with a whiff of Budapest as I continue up the road to cross Margit híd, otherwise known as Margaret Bridge. Giant pieces of ice hurry down the Danube, almost looking like little fragments of countries turned into islands. The pieces move in a mesmerizing motion, so much so that find myself immune to the cold, perfectly content on staring at winter in essence in Budapest. When it reaches such cold temperatures in Continue Reading
Dessert in Vienna: A Slice of Aristocracy and the Sacher Torte
I step inside what appears to be wall-to-wall red fabric with gold appliqué, large portraiture and dripping crystal. A man in a black suit greets me as he points me in the direction of the coat check. Still frozen from Vienna’s cold outside, I hesitate. Do I have to? I glance around at the opulence bombarding me and realize, yes, I have to. To be an aristocrat for dessert in Vienna you would never wear your coat indoors. Five minutes later, after peeling the various layers of coats, scarves and hats off of my frozen self, I rub my hands together for warmth as I am shown to my table by the Continue Reading
Suzy Stumbles Over Travel: Week of March 5, 2012
As I count the days until my weekend in Arizona for baseball’s spring training, I bring you this week’s Suzy Stumbles Over Travel. Each week I ask writers and readers to submit their favorite travel posts of the week. I read each submission, comment, post a link to the article on Twitter, stumble the piece using Stumbleupon and place a link to the submission on my Facebook page. The following week, I select my five favorite submission from last week to be featured here and the stumbling begins again into the next week. Just a few things to keep in mind, please only submit one post per Continue Reading
Trieste, Italy Wishes You Were Here
I knew I would like Trieste from the minute the city tried to knock me over. I’m not a subtle person. I have always preferred my destinations to speak up to me bluntly, just as I would do in any situation. This northern Italian city is known for the bora, Italian for the strong, cold and dry northeast wind dizzying the Adriatic. These northern winds tend to plague the Adriatic in winter and this winter day was no different. Speeds have been known to get up to over 150 kilometers per hour. As I wait to cross the road to Piazza Unitá d’Italia, I hang on tight like a father in the passenger seat Continue Reading
Traveling Weather or Not
When you go into battle, you must leave no patch of person uncovered, except the eyes. The window to the soul is not afraid of a little cold. I begin with the thickest of socks. Next comes the jacket, one I purchased in Slovenia, more like wrapping oneself in a down comforter. I add the one pair of gloves I brought, gloves that would become my second layer of hands. Next, I adorn the one hat I packed, a red wool beret I got in France. It was the easiest hat to pack and a hat I didn’t think I would be wearing every day for two weeks. I then add a silver scarf, probably more decorative than Continue Reading