It was 2:00 a.m. when I arrived in Ho Chi Min City. The flight from Hong Kong was delayed. I dozed as we cruised over the inky black South China Sea. I imagined my destination. Faded French colonial buildings and bustling new commerce overlaid with a legacy of bitter conflict. Tet Flowers Filled the Streets Enough of my preconceptions, … [Read more...]
The Snows of Kilimanjaro
Kilimanjaro is crowned with a crystalline carapace. At sunrise this gleams golden. Shaped like a Victorian plum pudding, the extinct volcano is a looming presence in the surrounding African savannah. Some mornings long ribbons of gauzy mist enshroud the base, on others it hides behind clusters of white and grey clouds. "The mountain is shy," … [Read more...]
With Athletes Gone, 2012 Olympics Props are Hot Sellers
They've gone. That glorious legion of 2012 Olympic and Paralympic athletes. For a month they transformed London and transfixed the world. On Monday, one day after the Paralympic flame was extinguished, Londoners filled the streets to cheer teams in a victory parade and bid farewell. There was a final flypast, the incorrigible Boris waved his … [Read more...]
London’s Trafalgar Square is a No Fly Zone
Trafalgar Square is a no fly zone for pigeons. They are gone. That cooing, feathered flock of scroungers who delighted generations of children and tourists have been evicted. There was a time when pigeons were considered heroes "Feed the birds, tuppence a bag!" they were immortalized by Mary Poppins and as much of a London fixture as her … [Read more...]
2012 Olympics Men’s Marathon: They’ve Come a Long Way
Champagne, brandy, beef bullion Oxo cubes, sips of strychnine and gargling with wine. This was how athletes prepared for the 1908 London Men's Marathon, now an Olympic legend. Only 6 runners completed the course, perhaps due to a humid 78 degrees and dehydration. Water was not considered helpful though champagne, brandy and beef broth were … [Read more...]
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