Pottery for Pets

I woke up the next morning with my heart fluttering. It was the first day of my pottery retreat. I threw on older clothes I didn’t mind getting dirty with clay and hurried outside. I hadn’t really seen the courtyard the night before. We arrived after dark, when little was […]

First Lesson. Rishton.

It was late evening, and we had just arrived at the pottery studio of one of the most famous ceramic artists in Uzbekistan. We were exhausted and sweaty and weren’t sure if our long day of travel was over or if we would now need to look for alternative accommodation. […]

Getting There.  Rishton.

I’ve been talking about doing a pottery retreat for a long time – somewhere I can learn new skills, work with different types of clay and glazing techniques, get some fresh ideas for my craft.  It was always “one day” and “wouldn’t it be cool” type of idea.  I might […]

A Long-Overdue Affair: The Wisconsin State Fair

Last year, it finally happened. I went to the Wisconsin State Fair! Although I had lived in the state for over a decade, for whatever reason, I’d never made it to the festival grounds in West Allis until last year. Ironically, it took me to move out of Wisconsin to […]

Chicago: Keeping the Blues Alive

Today is a special day in Chicago: Buddy Guy celebrates his 90th birthday.  Although we are currently busy writing posts about Uzbekistan, this milestone-and America’s 250th year-makes it the perfect moment to celebrate one of the country’s greatest musical traditions: the blues. At his birthday bashes, Buddy Guy usually tells […]

Six Wonders of the World: Part I

By Julia / August 17, 2023

We were on a mountain in Peru, looking down at a gorgeous green valley, peppered with ancient stone constructions. “I can’t believe we are finally at Machu Picchu!” Victor said, “Congratulations!  You have now visited all “New Seven Wonders of the World”!” “I have?” I asked, unsure. “Well, let’s see.  […]

First Visit to the Land of Enchantment

By Victor / August 10, 2023

“Did you see what the license plate on our car rental says?” I asked Julia as we were pulling out of the Albuquerque airport parking lot. “What?” “Land of Enchantment.” “Well… that’s promising…” Julia said, but I could tell that she wasn’t sold yet. For many, New Mexico is the […]

More Hiking Mistakes: Banff and Jasper National Parks

By Julia / August 3, 2023

Our previous hiking post about the Gap of Dunloe ended up being a list of mistakes we made while planning and executing the four-hour hike over some of Ireland’s most beautiful lands.  Now that we got back from hiking in Banff and Jasper National Parks, I am tempted to repeat […]

The Last Two People On Earth or Last Day In Grenada

By Julia / July 20, 2023

“I have an interesting idea for our last day in Grenada.” Victor said, “Our flight is at 3 pm, and the airport is located right next to a beach.  How about we go there early in the morning, spend a day at the beach, and then just… walk to the […]

Grenada Off The Beaten Track. Part II

By Victor / July 13, 2023

Eastern Grenada surprised us big time.  Many travellers often skip it because it lacks the beautiful beaches people tend to associate with Caribbean islands. And while it’s true that you won’t find heavenly beaches here, the region is home to some fantastic off-the-beaten-track activities.  The best part is that all […]

Grenada Off The Beaten Track. Part I

By Victor / July 6, 2023

I must admit the title of this post is a little bit of an oxymoron. Considering we had to repeatedly explain to our friends and relatives that we were going to an island in the Caribbean and not to a city in southern Spain (spelled as Granada), writing about non-touristy […]

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