My Lisbon wanderings took me outside the city one day, and into the magical hills of Sintra. And I don’t use the term “magic” lightly… Magic has long been associated with the area. And it’s moss-clad forests resonate with otherworldly chants. Even the Romantic poet Lord Byron wrote about the place in the 18th century. His poem “Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage” cites “Cintra’s glorious Eden.” It was a...
I recently spent a couple of Lisbon days exploring one of the cities most interesting suburbs. This is probably the best section of the city in which to get in touch with Portugal’s glorious past. It was from Belém that the explorer Vasco da Gama set out to India by sea in 1497. When he returned the following year with a boatload of valuable spices — having circumnavigated Africa for the first...
I’m kicking back in Lisbon at the moment, and I want to share some of my impressions with you. This is a very laid back city with a great multicultural feel. I love the strong links to the history of exploration (I’ll have more to say about that in my next blog…). And, although it’s past its prime on the world stage, Lisbon has a vibrant energy that’s lacking in other European capitals. You can...
I got a sneak peak inside a crucial part of the publishing industry last week when I was given the opportunity to tour Lowe-Martin’s Ottawa St. Laurent facility — where Outpost and other fine magazines are printed. These guys work some serious magic when it comes to transforming the stories I write from ether into substance, putting them directly into the hands of my readers. Thanks very much to...
My visit to Canada is drawing to a close. I spent the past weekend exploring old haunts with my friend Rob Wilson, partner in crime from many teenage exploits and camping expeditions. The weekend got off to a great start when we drove out to his old farmhouse on Buckwheat Road, behind Spencerville, and set out into the woods with camera and tripod to find one of our old campsites. After stepping...
A lot of people replied by email to my last cryptic “Where’s Waldo” blog… Well, the correct answer is “Ottawa”. I’ve locked myself away in semi-seclusion for a month to get a solid start on a new book. And I’m pleased to report that it’s going well. A few of you also saw my Facebook post, and wanted to know what the new book will be about...
It’s time for a little game of “Where’s Waldo”… Except… well… I’m Waldo. And I’m not wearing a striped sweater or a funny hat. I’m on the road again. And I’m currently locked in semi-seclusion making a start on a new book. Here’s a late-day view from my balcony: Can YOU guess where I am? Reply in the comments below if you...
It’s been a bit quiet around here lately, but that doesn’t mean I haven’t been scheming… You were desperate for your travel fix. In need of stories that combine adventure, philosophy, bookish overtones and deep desert thoughts. Well it’s time to get your fix… You asked and I have delivered. But I didn’t just put together one catch-all piece for your reading pleasure. I’ve got 3 totally new...
Travel stories are perhaps the oldest human narrative. Even our earliest known text—the Epic of Gilgamesh—contains the story of a journey. And I can easily imagine our prehistoric ancestors sitting around a campfire telling hunter’s tales of all they’d seen. Why does travel fascinate us on such a deep level? And why do so many of us do it? Some of us travel as a vacation: to decompress from...
Travel is the greatest education I’ve ever had. It has taught me more about myself than any school or course or book. It has opened my mind to new worlds, new customs, new landscapes and new ways of being. But a lifestyle based on travel also comes with hidden dangers… And it’s easy to miss them when you’re blinded by the excitement of the new. I’m only starting to realize some of these...