Before my wife and I had children, we embarked on one last epic vacation with just the two of us. She was already six months pregnant with our first child, so the cruises wouldn’t take us. Instead, we took a plane out to San Francisco, rented a car, and took a 12-day road trip ending […]
Destination: Yilan, Taiwan
I took a day-trip Taipei to Yilan, on the northeastern part of Taiwan, in 2004. It was before the annual Duanwu Festival, where they race dragon boats. Dragon boats at the dock. Closeup of Dragon boat #4. A nice pond at the park. Koi pond with ducks. Another duck. Vendors selling to hikers. Waterfall and gazebo. […]
Destination: Oahu, Hawaii
My honeymoon trip in 2005 was to the island of Oahu, in Hawaii. It was one of the better vacations I’ve taken. We went snorkeling in Hanauma Bay, ocean kayaking, lounging on the beach, taking a submarine underwater, and exploring the island. Waikiki beach and Diamondhead. Hanauma Bay. People going snorkeling in Hanauma Bay. The […]
Eating on a Budget in Five States
A couple of summers ago, we vacationed in five states. Whenever I visit a new place, I make it a point to find the best budget restaurants to dine at. Here are my best finds for each state. Tokyo Sushi, in Ashburn, VA If you’re a fan of sushi, you know that a good sushi […]
Take a Trip to the Real America
My wife and I sat in the car and hesitated for a moment. I hadn’t noticed the skulls and Confederate flag before we decided to stop. The sign outside the shop said “motorcycle leathers.” A Harley was parked in front. We had driven a couple of hours south of Jackson Hole on our way back […]
Destination: Hsinchu, Taiwan
Hsinchu is a city on Taiwan’s northwestern coast. I spent a few days there on vacation in 2003. Fog and trees at Guanwu National Forest Recent earthquakes wiped out the path here The fog at Guanwu makes for an eerie experience in the woods Giant trees (sequoias?) Rock climbing at a church Sunflower farm Water […]