Globe Corner Blogs

I went to Vegas for a weekend with my family. My older brother recently moved out there for work, and so after a few months I went to visit him with my mother and my two other brothers. I woke up super early one Friday, worked a full shift, and then went straight to Logan airport. By the time I arrived in Vegas, the sky was pitch black, but the city lights were ablaze. The sight from my little airplane window really was spectacular. (At least, it was when I pushed to the back of my mind thoughts about what all that electricity was doing to the  precarious state of the planet’s environment . . . .)

We landed at about 11pm Vegas time (2am Boston time) with no intention of going to bed anytime soon. Being accustomed to waking at dawn for work, I therefore felt mildly delirious for the entire trip. But that was probably inevitable given the absurd nature of Sin City, USA. The taxi ride to our hotel was an adventure unto itself. Driving along the strip through this somewhat nightmarish fantasyland, I stared wide-eyed at the bright lights, flashing signs, gigantic buildings, colorful cocktails, and some of the highest heels I have ever seen (keep in mind, I studied abroad in Eastern Europe). Continue Reading »

Although Boston possesses a certain serene charm during the heart of winter, I confess that after weeks of trudging through knee-high snow I was looking forward to my week-long visit to Brazil‘s sensuous urban paradise, Rio de Janeiro. While I was there, Rio’s sky was blissfully sunny with the exception of only a few brief tropical showers. The air was hot, humid, and heavy. But it was a load I was willing to bear, especially when cooling off in the waters of Rio’s many picturesque beaches.

My father, brother, and I stayed at my uncle’s apartment in Copacabana, three blocks from the beach. Copacabana is a sliver of a neighborhood wedged between Rio’s iconic hills and the vast Atlantic Ocean. Rio’s culture is largely defined by the beach. On any day of the week, a multitude of beach goers relax with family or friends, conversing over the sound of the steadily pounding waves. Streaming through the crowds, vendors sell ice-cold beer, fresh coconut water, shrimp on skewers, towels, bikinis, jewelry, and souvenirs, rhythmically shouting the name of their merchandise as they pass. The atmosphere of the beach is very laid back, and this feeling permeates the rest of the city. Continue Reading »

National Geographic Trails Illustrated St. John Island

A guest post by Lorie K., winner of the Funny Family Vacation Story Contest

There are two ways to experience the Caribbean: The first is to enjoy a resort vacation with Mai Tais on the beach, massages, and fabulous meals while watching the sunset; the other is the way my family decided to do it – camping during monsoon season. After getting through the embarrassment of running through Laguardia Airport on Christmas Day to catch our plane with tents, sleeping bags, and coolers wrapped with duct tape in tow, I thought the worst of going camping on St. John island was over. I had visions of snorkeling, beach combing, relaxing with my parents and sisters after a harrowing first semester at law school, and possibly meeting a cute boy… oh, the folly of dreams! Instead, I found myself sleeping on the ground in a constant puddle due to sudden rain outbursts, slathering myself with aloe to relieve the sunburn, and trying to digest food cooked over a Bunsen burner. And no cute boys would deem to approach me on the beach with my dad lurking nearby in his black knee-high socks!
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Agile families are all alike; each clumsy family is clumsy in its own way.  (To slightly misquote Tolstoy.)

In every family there are certain traditions that must be followed on every vacation. You must play a certain silly car game; stop at the same ice cream stand on the way; get lost and not ask for directions. In my family we take tradition very seriously and therefore, every year without fail, one of us hurts ourselves or one another. And by “one of us” I mean my father or myself.

We suspect this tradition began when I was just a few weeks old  and my father took a strong graceful stroke in the pool and hit the bottom -  hard. The “thunk” was audible above water. But fortunately, rather than breaking his neck he simply scraped all the skin off his nose and forehead.

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Basel, Switzerland--photo by Mark

On our way from Germany to Italy, we decided to spend a night in Basel, Switzerland. The drive to Basel, however, took longer than we thought, even though we made an extended stop at one of the multiple rest areas that pop up along the highway. The delay was due to two things: a wonderful playground, perfect for our toddler, and a very good German cake selection, perfect for my husband. Once the guys on the expedition were satisfied and content, we could take off again.

Basel is one of Switzerland’s largest cities. Located on the Rhine River, in the so-called Rhine knee, and the city is divided by the river. From our hotel room balcony, we could see the largest part of the Old Town across the river and the bridges connecting both sides. We decided to start our evening by crossing the bridge to downtown and the City Hall. The sky looked overcast, but the temperature was pleasant. It looked like the people had decided to enjoy the last moments of the weekend, strolling near the water or just sitting in the riverside cafés. After a very short walk, we arrived at the main square and found City Hall just in time to escape the rain. Continue Reading »

Fun at the Beach

Weather-wise, it was perfect in Boston this weekend. Everyone seemed to be in a fantastic mood, people broke out their summer clothes, neighbors were sitting on their stoops, invitations to barbecues were popping up, and people were seriously starting to plan trips to the beach. Thanks to the weather forecast, I now know that the sun will disappear soon – most likely on my next day off from work – but that shouldn’t stop me or anyone from planning their next beach adventure. One must be prepared to take advantage of every weather-permitting opportunity. My godson Andy, who is featured in the photo, is always ready and willing to head to the closest beach. All he needs is his hat, shorts, sunscreen, adult supervision and he is ready to go. All the adult supervisors need to know is where to go. Continue Reading »