Adventure / Culture / Laid-back / USA
by Jeffrey Kontur · Published March 5, 2022 · Last modified February 20, 2022
It was an accident of timing that I visited New Orleans two weeks before the start of Mardi Gras. But I can now definitively say that’s the best possible time to go. The French Quarter is a ghost town. You get none of the drunks, vomiting, crime, or other unseemly...
The small town of Adrian, Michigan very briefly held the world’s record for largest number of decorated Christmas trees on public display all in one place. Within a few hours, another town took the record. But seeing these trees was still quite a sight, even for someone who hardly cares...
Culture / Nature / Sedate / USA
by Jeffrey Kontur · Published September 6, 2018 · Last modified September 5, 2018
I filmed a recent visit to the Portland Japanese Gardens. These are widely proclaimed to be the best such gardens outside of Japan. And here are some photos from the gardens.
Culture / Europe / Off-the-beaten-path / Wandering
by Jeffrey Kontur · Published April 20, 2018 · Last modified April 7, 2018
Europe has long been called “the Old World”. Seeing some of the beautiful centuries-old architecture, it’s obvious why. At the same time, people actually live here and
by Jeffrey Kontur · Published April 16, 2018 · Last modified April 7, 2018
Antoni Gaudí was a Spanish architect who lived from the late 1800s until the early 1900s. One of his most famous works is a giant cathedral that is the single most-visited site in all of Spain
Culture / History / South America / Strenuous / Tropics
by Jeffrey Kontur · Published March 30, 2018 · Last modified March 19, 2018
One of Quito, Ecuador’s biggest attractions, both literally and figuratively, is the massive Basilica del Voto Nacional (“Basilica of the National Vow”). The towers are a full
Art / Culture / Off-the-beaten-path / South America / Tropics / Wandering
by Jeffrey Kontur · Published February 19, 2018 · Last modified February 12, 2018
While out wandering around Trujillo, Perú I stumbled across the campus of the Trujillo College of Medicine. Like many places here, the college is surrounded by walls. However these walls are covered in amazing mosaic artwork. Spanning several blocks, these giant and elaborate masterpieces stand as public showpieces.
Culture / Guided Tours / South America
by Jeffrey Kontur · Published February 12, 2018 · Last modified February 8, 2018
While touring the ancient Nasca aqueducts and spiral wells, my guide Arturo also shared a great deal about the history, geology and botany of the region. During our own exploration, we happened upon a tree whose fresh leaves were “ground up” and the sap rubbed on the skin as a...
Culture / History / Off-the-beaten-path / South America
by Jeffrey Kontur · Published February 11, 2018 · Last modified February 8, 2018
Aside from their world-famous geoliths in the desert, the Nasca people did leave a few other legacies behind. They built a few small pyramids, some burial mounds, stone living structures, and a complex aqueduct system. It is this aqueduct system that is perhaps most impressive. In the 1980s, a powerful...
Active / Activities / Bucket List / Culture / History / South America
by Jeffrey Kontur · Published February 10, 2018 · Last modified February 8, 2018
Most everyone is familiar with them, even if you didn’t know what they were called or know much about them. The Lineas de Nasca are a bunch of lines and shapes out in the high deserts of southern Perú. If you were walking on the ground and came across one...