Beauty, Beasts, and Bells at the Bok Tower in Central Florida

The sound of Bok Tower’s carillon bells was so mesmerizing that I did not notice the snake. I stood at the far end of the tower’s reflecting pond, enjoying the ethereal music, until suffocating midday heat drove me to the shaded concrete benches at the edge of the semi-circular clearing. Suddenly, a movement. A black … Read more

My Turn To Host the Blogging Boomers Carnival

Carnivals always make me think of the words ‘circle’ and ’round,’ perhaps because I associate a carnival with Ferris wheels, merry-go-rounds, and Tilt-A-Whirls. Though not a real carnival, the Blogging Boomers Carnival in which I participate each week is also a circle of sorts; it’s a ring of bloggers who share a common interest (in … Read more

Muscle Car City in Punta Gorda, Florida Takes The Adage “One Man’s Junk Is Another Man’s Treasure” To A New Level

Just six of the 720 parking spaces were occupied when I pulled into the lot of Muscle Car City. I surveyed the squat building before me. Despite a fancy black and white checkerboard paint job, it still looked every inch a converted Wal-Mart. Inside the only sound was a hushed conversation between two elderly gentlemen … Read more

Travel Insights 100: Making Sense of the Internet’s Exploding Travel Category

In the early years of blogging, political sites like Huffington Post, tech blogs such as Gizmodo and Mashable!, and celebrity gossip sites such as Perez Hilton were first to grab the spotlight. But of late, travel has had the hot hand on the Internet. Travel search engines, booking sites, travelogues, and independent travel blogs are … Read more