Adventure / History / Modes of Transport / USA
by Jeffrey Kontur · Published April 16, 2014 · Last modified November 17, 2015
With a great deal of chuffing, 500 tons of steel slowly begins inching along. Not even walking speed. Trees and landmarks creep by the windows. The brass fixtures and polished wooden trim speak of a bygone era. An era most of us have never seen firsthand and yet, one which...
The Berlin Wall was torn down 25 years ago. (Has it really been that long?!) So to have lunch near the Wall seems implausible enough, but to do so in Nova Scotia? Even when the Wall was standing, it wasn’t exactly a lovely, pastoral place for a picnic. You may...
Adventure / Africa / Logistics / Nature
by Jeffrey Kontur · Published April 2, 2014 · Last modified March 17, 2014
Full disclosure: This isn’t my story, it’s my friend Tommy’s. Tommy is a super adventurous traveler. He’s also an absolute train fanatic. He loves trains, especially old steam trains. He travels all over the world just to ride on interesting trains that are still in service. A few years ago...
Logistics / Modes of Transport
by Jeffrey Kontur · Published March 5, 2014 · Last modified February 24, 2014
When it comes to air travel, I have a theory. Except on very short flights or if you pay extra to avoid it, it’s pretty much inevitable that you will have a layover. Sometimes more than one. Since that’s likely to be the case anyway, I like to plan my...
Facts & Trivia / History / USA
by Jeffrey Kontur · Published January 29, 2014 · Last modified February 5, 2014
Silent puffs of smoke rise on the distant shores. Sailors gather at the rails to watch the cannonballs splash harmlessly into the water. Not even near enough to get their shirts wet. Laughing, they sail into the city and pillage. With the American Revolution and the War of 1812 still...
by Jeffrey Kontur · Published January 22, 2014 · Last modified June 2, 2016
I tend to eat very well in general but when I go on vacation I eat especially well. That doesn’t necessarily mean that I eat a lot. It means that I eat very rich foods. Having always been a huge fan of variety, I’m also a pretty adventurous eater. While...
July 4th of ’77, the Independence Day celebration is a relatively subdued affair compared to what we have come to expect in this day of huge fireworks extravaganzas. Just a simple dinner at a local restaurant with a few close friends and colleagues. Of course, simple is an understatement considering...
by Jeffrey Kontur · Published December 23, 2013 · Last modified February 5, 2014
Every state has an official state flower, animal, tree, slogan, etc. but where does it stop? Here’s a roundup of some pretty wacky official state symbols. Beverage: Milk (DE) Star: Dubhe (UT) Wild Animal Game Species: Gray Squirrel (KY) Saltwater Mammal: Dolphin (FL) Yacht: Courageous (RI) Crustacean: Maryland Blue Crab...