The Lost Son of Havana is, ostensibly, a baseball movie. It’s the story of the life of former baseball pitcher Luis Tiant. In 1961, the Cleveland Indians brought Luis Tiant to the United States to play professional baseball. The young pitcher followed in the footsteps of his father, also a pitcher, who played in the Negro League for the New York Cubans. While living out his dream as a major league player, Tiant received a message from his parents back in Cuba – “don’t return home.” The rise of the Castro regime made returning back to Cuba an unwise decision. Tiant heeded the advice of his parents, but it would be 14 years before he saw them again. And even longer before he was able to return to the island of his birth. Castro eventually allowed the elder Tiant’s to […]
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A Pass Through Visit to Bosnia-Herzegovina
If you had asked me to list my must-see vacation spots, Bosnia-Herzegovina wouldn’t have been in the top 10. Truth told, it probably wouldn’t have made the top 50. Bosnia-Herzegovina was formerly part of Yugoslavia, and became an independent country in the breakup of the latter country. While the country is predominantly a mountainous one, it has a very small spot of land that is along the coast of the Adriatic Sea. It was that small bit of coastline where I found myself about a week ago. This wasn’t my final destination, I was merely passing through these few miles traveling from Split to Dubrovnik, and the highway goes right through Bosnia-Herzegovina. WOW! I’m not sure what I was expecting, but this part of the country is beautiful. Of course, with the sparkling blue waters of the Adriatic, it’s hard […]
Read MoreEdinburgh The City of Festivals
Today’s guest post comes to us from Andy Hayes, also know as the Edinburgh Guide. Offering up great Edinburgh tips and advice, be sure to check out the Edinburgh guide blog before your next trip to the Scottish capital — including exclusive tips for navigating the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, the world’s largest arts festival. — Scotland’s capital city of Edinburgh is a busy place throughout the year – at some point in the history of Edinburgh, someone thought it would be a good idea to combat our fickle and sometimes torturous weather with a series of festivals. Now, I think the city is deserving of the title City of Festivals, because nearly every month you’ll run into a festival or two to spruce up your visit. Here’s the low down on some of my favourite festivals; if you want to […]
Read More3 To See in San Francisco
I am pleased to introduce you to a fellow travel blogger, Cat Lincoln, who has generously offered to share a guest post about her city with us while I’m on vacation. — I love sightseeing, but the pressure to hit a laundry list of attractions can make your vacation feel like a competition, or even worse, work! One tactic that helps me keep my “must see” list under control is to limit it to three destinations. List checkers like my husband still feel like they’ve “accomplished” something. And it gives dawdlers like me enough space on our itinerary to enjoy a second cup of coffee – or aperitif – at a charming, out of the way café. Here’s my “Three to See” in San Francisco! Crissy Field and Golden Gate Bridge As soon as you catch sight of the […]
Read MoreTop 10 FREE Things to Do in Europe this Summer
Yes, Europe can be expensive. It’s a big price airline ticket to get there, and although the dollar/euro valuation is improving, you’re still going to find yourself spending some money. Planning ahead means you can save a little here and there, adding up to a whole lot of savings. Consider these Top 10 FREE things to do in Europe this summer (as listed by the European Travel Commission): Austria: Innsbruck is offering a free hiking bus program for all guests living in Innsbruck or staying at one of the holiday villages (with a Club Innsbruck Card). May 30th – October 26th. Belgium: What else, but free beer?! The Haacht Brewery offers free tours and tasting (one low fermentation and one high). Yummmm, Belgian beer! England: London has free admission to the British Museum (additional charge for some special traveling exhibits) […]
Read MoreMix a Little History with Your Cocktail at this Museum
Where else but New Orleans do history and cocktail mix?! The Museum of the American Cocktail features 200 years of cocktail history. From vintage cocktail accoutrements, to Prohibition-era literature, to vast varieties of other cocktail memorabilia, it’s a little American history told in cocktail form. The museum claims to be “part museum, part bar, and part Victorian bordello.” While the museum serves as a tourist attraction depicting a fun bit of Americana, it’s also an educational institution that serves professionals in the beverage industry. It is a nonprofit organization that provides exhibits and education that advance the profession of mixology, while still stressing the importance of responsible drinking. Proof positive that history really can be fun! The Museum of the American Cocktail is located in the Southern Food & Beverage Museum at the Riverwalk Marketplace, 1 Poydras Street, Suite 169 […]
Read MoreQuilt Museum at University of Nebraska – Lincoln
As the weather gets colder, I’ve been pulling my quilts out of the closet and getting them on the beds in the house. Most of my quilts were made by family members, and have great meaning in both the design and the love and care that went into making them. Quilting is an art form that also shares a history – of a family, a community, a culture, or a country. The International Quilt Study Center & Museum is dedicated to the preservation, study and exhibition of quilts and to sharing the resources with the public. On display you’ll find a selection of approximately 50-75 quilts. In addition to the permanent galleries, you’ll find rotating current exhibits include. The Museum is located at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (1523 North 33rd Street, Lincoln, Nebraska) and is open Tuesday – Saturday […]
Read MoreStatuary at the Louvre in Paris
I spent some time today at a blogging conference, and met up with fellow travel-blogger Pam from Nerds Eye View. As is often the case when travel bloggers get to talking, the discussion soon turns to places we’ve been, places we’re going, and places we want to go. Pam is a great photographer (click on her link above and go check out her stuff), and we also discussed how much photos added to the travel blog experience. So today, I’m sharing a photo taken on my trip to Paris last fall. The photo was taken on a visit to the Louvre. The statuary was in a garden atrium area of the museum, and is just one of hundreds of pieces on display. I recently had the opportunity to watch some sculptors at work, and that has given me a new […]
Read MoreBack to Basics: Find a Cheap Meal on a College Campus
It the food part of your travel budget is running a little low, but you just can’t face one more trip to the local grocery store for bread and peanut butter, try heading to a nearby college campus to find a hot meal for a reasonable price. While many students take their meals in their dorm dining halls, most campuses still have other student dining facilities. Whether it’s a snack bar, cafe, full restaurant or bar, the prices are geared to a student budget. Of course, the food is geared to a student palate as well, but if you’ve been subsisting on a diet of cold snacks, a burger may seem pretty darn tasty. Most non-dorm dining facilities are open to the greater campus community – meaning visitors as well as students. Plan on using cash, as not all accept […]
Read MorePhoto Collage of Tuscany
I’m trying out some new photo editing techniques and programs, and thought I’d share this photo collage, made easy with online photo editing program picnik. While I am certainly NOT a photo expert, I like the way this collage option allows me to aggregate my pictures and share them with others – like in this group of photos from time spent in Tuscany this spring. I love it when I can share photos with friends – without boring them to tears with my vacation stories. This picknik collage provides a number of different options. Check it out and see if you find a use for it yourself. Photos: All ©2008, Mary Jo Manzanares ______________________________________
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