Archive for April 2019
Book review: The Great Alone
I didn’t love the only novel I’d read by author Kristin Hannah, The Winter Garden. To me, it seemed a pale copy to Helen Dunmore’s much more impressive The Siege. But I was intrigued by the storyline of The Great Alone and decided to take a chance on this novel. I’m glad I did. I…
Read MoreFrom lunatic asylum to ideal escape from the lunacy of NY: Randall’s Island
Randall’s Island – actually the conjoined islands of Randall’s and Ward’s – is an ideal city escape in New York’s Manhattan. Located in the East River, at the height of Harlem and Queens, this peaceful oasis allows you to feel far, far away from the chaos of daily life in New York. Not surprisingly, this…
Read MoreBook review: The Rosie Project
I enjoyed reading The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion, an amusing, lighthearted novel about a highly intelligent but socially awkward man who has devised a ‘foolproof’ test for finding a wife. I always have a soft spot for novels about social misfits, and Professor Tillman fit the bill perfectly. What is perhaps most interesting about…
Read MoreSwans and medieval atmosphere in Bruges, Belgium
I’ve already written about the great spring day my younger son and I had last year biking around picturesque Bruges. But I also wanted to spotlight this stunning town, whether you plan on exploring on two wheels or two feet. If you’re taking public transport, Bruges is an easy train ride from Brussels. We came…
Read MoreMarch travels to Alaska, North Korea, Australia, Dubai & NY
Although I am an avid traveller, I am neither an airline pilot nor an international spy (even if both professions sound rather intriguing…) I did travel to all these places last month, but alas, only on the written page. And isn’t that the point of novels? To transport us around the world, to different periods…
Read MoreGuayaquil’s modern Santa Ana Port
I’ve already written about my early morning jogs when I was staying in Ecuador’s largest city, Guayaquil. I would pass along the Malecon, up the (killer) stairs to the panoramic lighthouse and through the picturesque, colonial Las Peñas neighborhood. On these jogs, I would also loop my way through the modern Santa Ana Port. This complex…
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