Trips posted in
Alfred O’Neill
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The world’s best fish ‘n chips? Anstruther, Scotland claims to be
On our last day in Scotland, my wife insisted we visit St Andrew’s…not a golfer, I grudgingly agreed and figured at the very worst, the drive would be fun. Before we departed our wonderful cluster of cottages in Perth, run by the Brown family, the retired aunt who lived and served as ambassador and tour…
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Morris Arboretum: timeless, vital arboretum, for all people and all seasons
Growing up, I always thought of arboretums to be where stuffy old people went for a walk — an enclosed giant garden. Ah, to be proven so wrong and smile about it! In the northwest border of Philadelphia, passed the magnificent stone mansions of Chestnut Hill lies the Morris Arboretum. This old estate property that…
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The Golden Buddha, awake, asleep, alive in Siem Reap, Cambodia
Easily missed due to the overwhelming majesty of Angkor Wat, Wat Preah Prom Rath is a quiet retreat. At first glance, it is feels like a crowded display of spires, murals, statues and other arcane Buddhist religious symbols. But it is far more. You have to stand still and slowly turn in the entrance; first…
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Girl-and-half-a-fig…what happened?
We all have those restaurants where the first time you went, you were so amazed and pleased that you simply lodge the meal away in the “Never Forget” corner of your mind. It had been 10 years since last I ate at this restaurant. It really was an amazing meal with great atmosphere. This past…
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Anasazi Indians and the remnants of thriving civilization at Tuzigoot, AZ.
Arizona is a magic state of colors, terrains varied from barren to lush, stark to surprising. While the landscapes are moon like and mysterious, so is the history of the Anasazi Indians. If you visit the Sedona area, the ruins cannot be missed. While many would opt for Montezuma’s Castle (truly stunning but overly popular…
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Marlowe’s in SOMA, S.F.: The bathroom wall paper says it all (Besides being great food)
SOMA San Francisco: Marlowe’s 5th and Brannon. SOMA (South of Market Street) is a neighborhood of deep contrasts – still dominated by old warehouses, rundown buildings that slip between them and littered with the homeless. The current state is one on converted warehouses for companies like Zappos and Lyft, condos for millionaires, and many, many…
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Armstrong Forest, Russian River: why do redwoods form in sacred circles?
Many of us, myself and wife included, dream of living in Sonoma or any of the blessedly beautiful places north of San Francisco. If you do go, do not, do not, miss the gem in the crown…Armstrong Woods. This magical place sits at the end of a long winding road that begins from the Guerneville…
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Jack London Park, Sonoma CA: revitalizing a gem
Jack London State Park, outside the town of Sonoma. Forget the wineries and hike here. We have hiked many, many places. From Cambodia to Morocco, Provence to Ireland, and few parks are as magical as Jack London State Park, near the town of Glen Ellen, Sonoma county, California. As one can guess, it is named…
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Ephesus, Turkey…the great library at sunset – ghosts of knowledge and luxury.
Of all the Roman ruins, Ephesus may be one of the greatest. What is unusual is that it is a coastal summer resort, somewhat intact, and bears all the marks of luxury and civilization the Romans had created; there are long rows of columns, passages through the town, that pass by smaller structures that were…
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Palace of Fine Arts San Francisco, stunning and hypnotic
I took my love there, but we never went in — though I had visited several times with my son over the years when we went to SF. The interior is for kids but appeals to the kid in all adults. We did not go in because the light was so perfect and the…
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The Legion of Honor: A long drive past the Presidio, but San Francisco’s best museum
My uncle lives in SF, and this time my mother, sister, wife and I went to visit him. First time we went as a group. Often, the group thing means not everyone gets to do what they want –but the Legion of Honor was a truly exceptional place. Way out past the Golden Gate and…
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The QM2 Crossing begins with Brooklyn attitude
At the Brooklyn Navy Yard getting a taste of the borough as we board the world’s largest ocean liner.
Outspoken Traveler 