Author Archives: kirkphillips

A ramble through Dingle

Posted on August 13, 2019 by kirkphillips

The rain was steady, as I strained to see the next waymark on the climb up Mount Brandon. The black marker posts did not identify an obvious footpath, but instead indicated the general direction—uphill through a marshy field of rubble. … Continue reading →

Posted in Ireland | 1 Comment

Coasting through Croatia

Posted on July 24, 2019 by kirkphillips

(I’m touring Croatia, Slovenia, and Bosnia-Herzegovina. To read about Slovenia and Bosnia, please see the previous posts, “Breaking free” and “Building bridges.”) To sleep in the hill town of Motovun, Croatia, a steep hike is necessary, either a short one from the … Continue reading →

Posted in Croatia | 1 Comment

Building bridges

Posted on July 3, 2019 by kirkphillips

(I’m touring Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, and Slovenia. To read about Slovenia, please see the previous post, “Breaking free.”) The region now known as Bosnia-Herzegovina is a melting pot that never melted. The country has three major ethnic groups, three self-governing territories and … Continue reading →

Posted in Bosnia-Herzegovina | 2 Comments

Breaking free

Posted on June 15, 2019 by kirkphillips

The Slovenian city of Ljubljana (yoob yee AH nah) spent most of World War II in solitary confinement. In 1942 Fascist Italy imprisoned the city, encircling it with nineteen miles of barbed wire. On the perimeter, 206 watchtowers and bunkers … Continue reading →

Posted in Slovenia | 11 Comments

High old time (Part 2)

Posted on February 6, 2019 by kirkphillips

I’m in Peru, preparing to hike the Inca Quarry Trail and visit Machu Picchu. To read “High old time (Part 1),” please see the previous post. After breakfast, our group of nine turned in our packed duffels and left Cusco in the … Continue reading →

Posted in Peru | 6 Comments

High old time (Part 1)

Posted on February 6, 2019 by kirkphillips

A few days before arriving in Peru, I began taking acetazolamide pills as a precaution against altitude sickness. Some people are not affected by high altitude, but I didn’t want to risk enjoying my trek to Machu Picchu in order … Continue reading →

Posted in Peru | 5 Comments

In the animal kingdom

Posted on November 12, 2018 by kirkphillips

I had every intention of following Galápagos National Park’s simple rule: maintain at least six feet of distance from the wildlife. However, the animals were not as compliant. Blue-footed boobies waddled right up to my hiking shoes. Sea lions grazed … Continue reading →

Posted in Ecuador | 8 Comments