Travel Gear: Headphones

I rarely use headphones when traveling. On a long-haul, I prefer to read, snooze, or watch a movie in silence with subtitles turned on. I have yet to find comfortable, compact headphones. Back in 1980, when the Sony Walkman was introduced to the USA, the airlines were still handing out pneumatic headsets in Economy. These… Continue reading Travel Gear: Headphones

Urban Hike: Nordeast Minneapolis

Nordeast, looking towards Downtown. Last weekend, the annual Art-a-Whirl artists’ studio tour drew crowds to Northeast Minneapolis (“Nordeast”).  Nordeast was a quieter place back in February when I went there on an urban hike. It was a winter’s day, but I took advantage of the shoveled sidewalks and warm, locally owned businesses for coffee and lunch. I… Continue reading Urban Hike: Nordeast Minneapolis

Traveling with Cherry Blossoms

It could be another week before the buds on our apple tree explode; spring blossoms come late in Minneapolis. Back in March, I hiked up Kaimondake, a volcano in southern Japan for a day with Cecilia, a twenty-something from Sweden. She was traveling with the cherry blossoms, through Japan, from south to north. She would end… Continue reading Traveling with Cherry Blossoms