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FEATURE: CALIFORNIA, USA
If you have ever wanted to visit an island off the coast of California, and Hawaii is just too far (and perhaps not in the budget), Santa Catalina Island is an ideal second choice. Discovered in 1542 by Portuguese explorer Juan Rodgriguez Cabrillo, who named it San Salvador, it was renamed 60 years later by Spaniard Sebastian Vizcaino for Saint Catherine, and Santa Catalina it remains. It has been in private ownership several times in its history. Originally the home of the Tongva Indians, who lived off the abundant fish and seal reserves, it was occupied by a wide group of Europeans and private owners in the last several hundred years before being taken over by a succession of American entrepreneurs, all of whom had dreams of developing the island. None succeeded.
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HAWAII
My first image of Kauai is from high above on the final approach to the Island. The vibrant red earth is a stark contrast to the intense cerulean ocean. The dirt is red due to the fact that the high iron content of the volcanic soils has had plenty of time to oxidize, especially with the wet conditions of the island. Incidentally, Kauai is the rainiest place on Earth.
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FRANCE
I wondered if Ferrari made buses as our sardinized mass of humanity rocked unsteadily within the belly of the beast that is the 600 bus. Snaking up from starry eyed Cannes to Grasse, of perfume fame, past the gourmet renowned medieval town of Mougins, the blue Mediterranean its constant backdrop, our bus was guided expertly by a driver skilled enough to dare the race roads of Monaco.
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GREECE
As the ferry sets sail across the straits, a pod of dolphins frolic alongside. The white limestone cliffs of Ithaka’s shoreline are striped by eerie silvery pink and blue lights. I think of Odysseus’ wife, Penelope, and how she waited all those years for him to return I will not soon forget this journey. Ithaka is a place that will draw me back again too.
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PORTUGUAL
I took a last look at the breathtakingly colourful and elaborate palace from its level. Perched atop a mountain containing trees from around the world, the palace looks like a Disney castle resting in an environmentalist’s dream.
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ITALY/SICILY
Paestum on the Italian mainland plus Agrigento and Syracuse on Sicily are the three best Greek settlements for touring. Each of these UNESCO World Heritage Sites also has a museum displaying a wealth of Greek items. All three sites are easily accessible and make for great day trips into the past.
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PORTUGAL
From the train I can see one seemingly small turret on top of a hill. And then another. Then I see that they are joined by a wall. The effect is that of a saddle. They are so high up that it makes me wonder how I will ever reach the castle.
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GREECE
On a bright May afternoon, I travel by train across the lush Thessaly Plain in central Greece. Suddenly, out of the plain, gigantic spires of rock emerge, some higher than 400 meters, their strange shapes jutting up out of the fertile soil. Nothing I have seen in pictures has prepared me for this sight. Few places I have seen in Greece are so intensely dramatic.
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ROGERSVILLE, USA
The intriguing past of Rogersville, Tennessee begins in the late eighteenth century. A good place to begin enjoying this history is Crockett Springs Park located in the central part of town off W. Main Street, accessible from Rogers Street or Rogan Road. Here one will find Rogers Cemetery where Davy Crockett’s grandparents are buried.
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AUSTRIA
Vienna is the city of castles, palaces, extraordinary churches; it is the city of the Viennese waltz…and the Viennese vaults. Vaults. As in, tombs! Caskets and coffins, and urns filled with ashes. And, urns filled with innards! They are all on display right there…in the church basement. Go on in, and enjoy the “Viennese Vaults.”
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FRANCE
The head emerged from years in its watery grave. If only stone cold eyes could see! The discovery of a true to life bust of Caesar, in the Fall of 2007 along the shore of the Rhone, was appropriately found in southwestern France for here the great man had some of his greatest victories and the hand of Rome pressed most deeply into the land.
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ARIZONA
You can tell that thousands of Navajo Indians have walked up this canyon. Years and years of constant steps have worn natural footholds up and down the orange walls. They look as if they’ve been intricately carved. And in a way, they had been.“Could you ever get lost up here?” Amanda asked Calvin, our sure-footed Navajo guide.“No.” He answered.
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SPAIN
I was just a college girl majoring in art history when I became smitten with the architectural genius of Antoni Gaudi (1852-1926). Captivated by Gaudi’s unconventional, whimsical and gravity-defying architecture, I yearned to visit Barcelona where I could see his creations “in the flesh.”
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ISRAEL
Straddling the shore of the Dead Sea, Highway 90 takes you through some of the most breathtaking desert scenery in the Middle East. En route, you also pass the unobtrusive sites of Qumran and Masada whose presence are only betrayed by signs denoting the park entrances.
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HAWAII
My wife Annie and I are immersing ourselves in the history and culture of Hawaii's less crowded “outer” shores, far from the lights and traffic of Waikiki. It is like opening a Russian doll, so many hidden dimensions are revealed. We keep getting vivid glimpses of long-vanished ways of life. It is a rich, diverse and sometimes shocking tableau, full of extreme contrasts.
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| TRAVEL THRU HISTORY is a unique travel ‘zine dedicated to exploring historical and cultural experiences. If you have toured the wonders of Egypt, trekked through Berber villages in the High Atlas mountains of Morocco, explored the ancient ruins of Greece or the Mayan pyramids in Mexico, and immersed yourself in another culture, we’d like to hear from you. This is a site for writers to share their travel experiences in a creative, literary way through travel articles, essays, journals and creative non-fiction memoirs. |
| We publish stories featuring the historical, archaeological, and cultural aspects of a destination. We also accept stories about literary journeys, visits to the haunts of famous writers and artists, unique museums and art galleries. Explore the exciting and diverse world of other cultures, and take us on exotic adventures. |
| Readers will be taken on fresh, often overlooked experiences and adventures that will provide a valuable insights into the past as well as the lifestyles of other cultures. |
| To send a story or query a story idea, please read the writer’s guidelines in the Submissions section and review previously published articles. |
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This site was last updated on
May 16th, 2012.
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