When I was a child, we always sped through the Painted Desert in the Navajo Nation on our way to my grandparents’ house in Sun City, leaving nothing behind but the tailwinds from the car. I scanned that vast expanse of land and sky, the colors of the soil rich with brilliant pinks, muted reds, […]
Every year, Swedes celebrate a national holiday called “Midsummer.” The roots of the festival go back to the 6th century A.D. Originally held to usher in the season of fertility, Midsummer also honors the summer solstice. The traditions began in the southern areas of Sweden and then gradually spread to the rest of the country. People
Not Just Reindeer: Sweden’s Midsummer Festival Read More »
Holy. Cursed. Divine. Blighted. This juxtaposition of words characterizes two locations in Japan that share a remarkable relationship. Aokigahara Forest, in the shadow of Mt. Fuji, rises up the side of the mountain, eventually giving way to caves and bluffs that extend above the forest. The convergence of the two iconic areas not only reveals
Aokigahara Forest: Death in the Shadow of Mt. Fuji Read More »
Despite facing intense adversity in its early stages, the Sydney Mardi Gras festival has become the largest annual event held in Sydney, Australia that celebrates the LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transsexual) community. The celebration is an explosion of color, creativity, and, most importantly, acceptance. The party lasts for three weeks and people from around the
The Sydney Mardi Gras: A Riot of Beautiful Energy Read More »
“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one’s lifetime.” Mark Twain, The Innocents Abroad When I was in seventh grade in 1977,
Like Seattle with Palm Trees: The Academic Redneck Arrives in Hawaii Read More »
Tomorrow, yours truly, the Academic Redneck, embarks on a once-in-a-lifetime historical study adventure, “Iwo Jima and the War in the Pacific,” through Stephen Ambrose Historical Tours. My trip will begin in Honolulu, Hawaii, where I’ll tour the USS Arizona and other relevant Pearl Harbor landmarks. Then it’s on to Guam, Saipan, and Tinian before climbing Mt.
A Fourteen-Day Tour: The Academic Redneck Heads to the Pacific Read More »