Texans are feisty about protecting their freedoms—and equally spirited about celebrating them.
In the city of Austin, freedom of expression is often celebrated through music.
The city bills itself as the Live Music Capital of the World. The Austin Chronicle lists 250 venues offering live performances on any given night of the week. The city’s intimate association with music is a long-standing love affair.
Continue reading
The US Virgin Islands (USVIs) are like siblings—related by blood and separated by disposition. One is a popular socialite who wears glitzy jewelry and talks loud. One is laid-back and loves the outdoors. Another is an introvert with an abiding respect for history and culture. They are, in turn, Saint Thomas, Saint John, and Saint Croix (or, as nicknamed by the locals, Rock City, Love City, and Twin City).
I have a cousin who lives with her family on Saint Croix, the largest of the three. Before returning to Europe in the spring, I decided to accept her offer to enjoy island life for a few weeks.
Continue reading
I’m at sea on a 120-foot three-masted sailboat, Sagitta, touring some of the Leeward Caribbean islands and feeling somewhat disconnected from the real world. To read “The Saga of Sagitta (Part 1),” please see the previous post.
Day Six: Sagitta sailed west from Marina Cay to Jost Van Dyke (pronounced YOST). The island may be named for the seventeenth-century Dutch privateer, Joost van Dyk, who used its harbors as a hideout. (A privateer is a mercenary, essentially a pirate paid by a government.) On the way the dinghy circled the ship a couple of times, allowing us to take beauty shots of Sagitta under full sail for our photo albums. I saw several sea turtles on the surface during the trip along the south side of Tortola.
Continue reading
YearTripper 