Well, the holidays have been over for a while, and the Super Bowl was last Sunday.  So, it was time to start thinking about doing a little wandering up in wine country.

Today we went on a drive up to St. Helena, one of our favorite little towns in wine country. The weather was glorious, which made lunch taste even better!

On Wednesday, we drove up to Sonoma for lunch.  We visited Sonoma quite a few times last year, but have not gone there this year.  So, it was time. 

A not very well known destination on the northern California coast is an old military town that offers beautiful ocean views and rustic woodlands.

A long but delightful drive up the California coast to the beautiful bay city of Eureka was both educational and relaxing! The fascinating history of the area goes way back beyond the Gold Rush years.

It's always a pleasure to visit the beautiful island of Oahu. Swimming, snorkeling, and delicious dinners awaited us.

My sister Elaine came to visit, and we took a drive down the coast to the Monterey peninsula. Wandering the Carmel streets, popping into art gallaries and shops was a pleasure despite the rainy weather.

Canada is blessed with a number of beautiful provincial capitals, but none are prettier than Victoria, British Columbia.

The National Park Service describes Glacier National Park as "a showcase of melting glaciers, alpine meadows, carved valleys, and spectacular lakes."  We were sold!  In the fall of 2023 we explored Glacier National Park, one of America's renouned public lands in the heart of Montana.  

This spring we decided to visit Arizona's Grand Canyon National Park.  At the same time we wanted to visit a few other cool spots in Arizona.  So, our itinerary looked like these stops: Phoenix -> Sedona -> Grand Canyon -> Page's Antelope Canyon -> Flagstaff -> Scottsdale -> Phoenix.  A big look around much of Arizona gave us a great feel for what desert living is like.  And people are so nice in Arizona!  California, take notice!

John Muir is often referred to as the "Father of the National Park Service." If you ever wanted to learn about John Muir this is the place for you. He lived here with his family for over 20 years. Lots of info on his life in Martinez as well as his wife’s family.

After ten years we returned to Yosemite National Park to show my wife's brother and his wife its beauty and alure.  It was a chilly weekend in November a decade ago when we brought their daughter Akiko and her boyfriend Shinya to the park. This time we brought Akiko's parents to the park to experience the magic of Yosemite for themselves. 

Introducing David Rehmeyer, an old friend of mine from our time at Shared Medical Systems, both in Malvern Pennsylvania and Tokyo Japan. To me, David is a modern day Sal Paradise from Kerouac’s novel On The Road. His adventures are legendary, from Pennsylvania to Japan to New Zealand, Texas and Alaska, and many points in between. He’s done numerous long distance bicycle trips, and has avidly documented his treks in his own online journal.

I asked David if he would be interested in giving us a feel of what it is like to work in Alaska as a tour bus driver, his current gig, and he happily accepted.  He’s included a number of pictures depicting the beauty of the area around Fairbanks. Enjoy!

Introducing Jeremy Soltroff, another old friend of mine from our time working together at the Social Security Administration office in Northeast Philadelphia. A world traveler via the Air Force with various stateside assignments and notable overseas stints in Italy, Germany and Japan, he eventually retired from the military, lived for a time as a Jersey Shore beach bum, and eventually came full circle, settling back into the Philly area.  

Jeremy is a bit of a historian and lover of fine architectuture, and is more knowledgable about the tri-state area than anyone I know.  I asked Jeremy if he would be interested in writing about some notable estates in the area, and he graciously accepted.  His first story is about Andalusia, a beautiful estate on the Delaware River.  Enjoy!

Introducing Greg Thomas, an old friend of mine from our time at Kaiser Permanente. He was working out of rosy Pasadena, while I was in various locations in the Bay Area. Greg retired a little earlier than I did, and did what some only talk about. Moving out of the US is not a trivial decision, but Greg took the plunge and did it, and most importantly, is happy he did.

As with David and Jeremy previously, I asked Greg if he would be interested in telling his story about how he decided to move to Costa Rica, and what is it like living there.  He’s included a some interesting and beautiful images of life in the small town he lives in. Enjoy!  --Charlie

The Bristol, Pennsylvania historic district has a variety of archetectural styles and historic buildings, many of which are in private hands and are therefore not open for public viewing. But thanks to the Grundy family, a beautifully preserved house in Bristol is open for tours, and this Victorian gem is a must see.  Have a look...