Tagged: tourism

Solo Travel Logo 2

The Zen of Solo Travel

I’ve become a big fan of solo travel. Until recently, I had always been afraid to try it. One of my friends told me that a “big guy” like me has nothing to be...

Mt. Hood and Rising Sun 0

Portland Solo Vacation 2018

After a solo trip to Seattle last fall, I decided to check out Portland, Oregon Day 1 House on a Hill Around Downtown Across the River Aerial Tram Day 2 Rainy Morning Brewery Hopping...

Questionable Camping Sign 3

What’s Up With Camping?

What’s the appeal of camping? I don’t mean that as a rhetorical question. I honestly don’t know why people enjoy it. I’ve been a couple of times, and while I have had fun occasionally,...

Lucky Seven 7

The Problem with Casinos

Math. That’s the problem that I have with casinos. Once I realize how badly the odds are stacked against me, it’s hard to have much fun. To me, a slot machine is really just...

Dallas Postcard 5

A Dallas Postcard

I love the old postcards where the letters are filled with local landmarks. A few months ago, I created one for Springfield, Illinois. Ever since then, I’ve wanted to create one for my adopted...

Springfield Postcard 2

Greetings From Springfield: A Postcard

While writing a recent article about a childhood trip to Springfield, Illinois, I had an idea for a postcard. I was originally going to include it in the article itself, but as sometimes happens,...

Route 66 Shield 1

Route 66: The Great Mother Road

My oldest memory is of Route 66. I was around three years old watching “E.T.” at the Route 66 Drive-In on Watson Road, just outside of St. Louis. The drive-in is long gone, paved...

Disney World in a Currier & Ives Print 1

A Charming Little Shithole

It was a charming little shithole: a small town whose rustic beauty belied its backwardness. Anywhere else in the country, it would be full of mobile homes and mini malls. But in the verdant...

Scarborough Faire Jousting 1 3

Are You Going to Scarborough Faire?

Last year I went to Scarborough Faire in Waxahachie, Texas. It was my first time at a Renaissance Faire, and I loved it. It was a perfect day for taking photos: sunny, but not...

Magic Hat Tower 1

Magic at Magic Hat Brewery

A friend here in Dallas turned me onto Magic Hat #9. This caramel-colored beer bills itself as a not quite pale ale, and although I am not a big fan of pale ales in...