The Impractical Hedonist

Enjoying Life and the Pursuit of Happiness

You are here: Home / Archives for Travel

Travel

Restoring a Historic Yacht

by Leave a Comment

Newport, Rhode Island –

People surprise you.

Not by trying, of course.

Not that they won’t try, given the chance.

It’s just that, when allowed to be themselves, they have a tendency to do unexpected things.

But that’s the key, they have to be themselves.

Far too many of us aren’t.

We have a tendency to put on masks and pretend to be someone else.

Partly, it’s out of expectations.

Other people’s expectations for us, not our own.

So when someone figures out what he really wants to do, and then does it…

Well, that’s when things get surprising.

[Read more…] about Restoring a Historic Yacht

Snakes, Bees, and Sloths

by Leave a Comment

Tirimbina, Costa Rica –

The room was Spartan.

I’m talking monastery Spartan.

It had a couple of twin beds, and the type of metal shelving that you normally find in a restaurant pantry.

Plus a small, student-sized desk.

That was it.

And it did have an air conditioner, above the back door, with a remote control.

And instructions to turn it off whenever we left the room.

I felt lucky that we had a bathroom, in the room, and not some outhouse that we would need to find in the dark.

And the bathroom did have a shower.

Oooo, talk about luxury!

[Read more…] about Snakes, Bees, and Sloths

Making Cheese, and Grinding Pigments – A Visit to Zaanse Schans

by Leave a Comment

Zaanse Schans, The Netherlands –

The wind is blowing.

Which should be a good thing.

It’ll have those windmills going!

But it also means that we have to deal with it.

Walking into it.

Looking into it.

Making sure we don’t have any loose pieces of clothing that aren’t secured.

Well, there’s a reason this place is known for their windmills…

[Read more…] about Making Cheese, and Grinding Pigments – A Visit to Zaanse Schans

Sunrise Over Sra Srang

by Leave a Comment

Siem Reap, Cambodia –

To be honest, I don’t normally chimp.

I just don’t think to do it.

I try to force myself to do once or twice, to make sure I’ve got my camera set right for whatever I’m shooting.

But then I focus in on what I’m shooting, and don’t think to do it.

However, there is one situation where that all changes, and I chimp with every photo I shoot.

And that’s when I’m shooting in the dark.

[Read more…] about Sunrise Over Sra Srang

A Day At The Market – Otovalo Saturday Market

by Leave a Comment

Otovalo, Ecuador –

We’ve all seen the image.

The roasted, whole pig.

In the center of the banquet table.

With the feast going on all around.

Well, here’s a slight twist on that scene.

There is the roasted, whole pig.

At least it started out whole.

It’s been carved on a bit.

And there’s a lot of activity going on around, just like in the feast scenes.

Only we’re not in a banquet hall.

And the activity going on isn’t a celebration of any sort.

Nope, it‘s the everyday activity of a bustling market place.

Lots of stalls, all around, where people are selling and buying.

And there, in the midst, is the food section.

[Read more…] about A Day At The Market – Otovalo Saturday Market

Sunset from the Boat – Taking a Sunset Cruise from Tamarindo

by Leave a Comment

Tamarindo, Costa Rica –

“You’re welcome to swim to the beach, but don’t go past the tree line. The Saudi Billionaire who owns the house there doesn’t like it.”

Not that I was planning on swimming all the way to the beach, it’s at least fifty meters, and I’m not that strong a swimmer.

Plus the ocean has a very strong current today.

Not a good combination.

But there are others that make the attempt.

Several are successful.

Including a Father and very young daughter.

And she’s not willing to try to swim back.

I don’t blame her, she can’t be more than six or seven, if even that.

Already, two of the passengers have gotten into trouble in the strong currents.

One grandmother, here with her spouse, children, and grandchildren, exhausted herself near the reef.

Luckily, she was wearing a life-vest.

[Read more…] about Sunset from the Boat – Taking a Sunset Cruise from Tamarindo

The Train Market of Mae Klong

by Leave a Comment

Mae Klong, Thailand –

“When you hear the horn, get away from the tracks.”

Not exactly the words you expect to hear when visiting a market.

I mean, what you expect to hear about is what you might find at this market that you might not at a different one.

You know, regional specialties, or other things that set one apart from another.

And that is exactly what we are hearing about.

What sets this market apart from the others around the country.

Maybe the world.

The tracks.

[Read more…] about The Train Market of Mae Klong

A History of Plates – A Visit to the Primehof

by Leave a Comment

Delft, Netherlands –

“It’s the coldest winter since 1928,” the man behind the counter told us.

Great.

It had been spring-like weather the week before, but we happened to be visiting during an extreme cold snap, with high winds.

We were not prepared.

So, after a brief bit of shopping for a hat that wouldn’t fly off my head with the slightest breeze, we backtracked a little to take a few photos of things we had passed on our walk from the B&B where we were staying.

As we were taking our photos, we ended up just outside the Primehof, the former palace of William of Orange.

As with many former palaces across Europe, it was now a museum.

I think this must have something to do with palaces having lots of large, spacious rooms. These tend to lend them to become museums over other potential uses.

That and often being centrally located in town.

It all adds up.

[Read more…] about A History of Plates – A Visit to the Primehof

The Tomb of Minh Mang

by Leave a Comment

Huế, Vietnam –

Symmetry.

Some find it comfortable.

Safe.

Balanced.

Predictable.

Others can find it boring.

So, when someone desires symmetry in their abode, it tells you something about them.

And, when you get right down to it, this is an abode.

Just because they’ve been dead for a while…

[Read more…] about The Tomb of Minh Mang