People do the craziest things. Just look at reality television. But who am I to judge? I joined the ranks of over 74,000 other nut jobs who’ve downed the famous Sourtoe Cocktail in Dawson City. (If you haven’t heard, that’s a whiskey shot garnished with a desiccated human toe.) What can I say? I’m a […]
Canada, Destinations, North America, Yukon
Dawson City Yukon: Why This Historic Canadian Town is Worth a Visit
18
Aug
Aug
Updated May 2020 Dawson City, Yukon, can’t let go of its past. And for this tiny town less than 200 miles from the Arctic Circle, that’s a good thing. The Gold Rush On a hot August day in 1896, gold was discovered in Yukon swampland that would later be known as Dawson City, and the Klondike […]
Destinations, New York, North America, United States
Don’t Miss the Fabulous Coney Island Mermaid Parade
15
Jun
Jun
Women half dressed wearing fish costumes. Men half dressed wearing fish costumes. Elaborate doos, makeup for days. Painted floats and classic cars. The streets filled with cheering crowds. Welcome to the Mermaid Parade. It’s quite a spectacle. When to Go I’d read about the Parade for years before finally going in 2016. Once I was there I felt […]
Destinations, Montana, North America, Travel Stories, United States
Take Part in an Authentic Spring Cattle Branding in Montana
22
May
May
As soon as I get out of the vehicle, I’m hit by the baritone wails coming from dozens of distressed heifers. Their calves have been moved to an adjoining pen—and they’re not happy about it. Some pace while others stretch out their necks, raise their noses to the sky and mooooooooooo. (click above to hear the cows that morning) Spring […]
30
Apr
Apr
I had to mull this post over. I asked myself: was a photo-essay showcasing the sexy (and perhaps not so sexy) classic cars that I saw while on my photo tour in Cuba too cliché? My conclusion: Probably, but what the hell. I’m not a car person. As far as I am concerned, they’re just a […]
Asia, Destinations, Mongolia, Travel Stories
The Ultimate Kazakh Mongolian 8-hour Dance Party [Videos]
31
Dec
Dec
I’m not that much for big crazy parties. Don’t get me wrong I have my moments. But normally I’m pretty low-key, preferring an intimate dinner to a raucous evening out on the town. But on a trip to Asia, I gleefully indulged in one of those aforementioned “moments” with a group of Kazakh Mongolians. And when […]
Asia, Destinations, Mongolia, Travel Stories
Why Kazakh Nomad Women in Mongolia Can Spend All Day Milking
01
Nov
Nov
It’s milking time. Again. All hands on deck. The women of the Kazakh nomad community in Western Mongolia are in all-out commando mode. Their tongues click and arms wave as they chase their herds of goats and sheep into a pen. Hundreds of hooves dart this way and that, swirling and spinning, trying to avoid what’s […]
31
Aug
Aug
I remember musing that an American wedding planner would think I’d lost my mind. Wrestling? You want wrestling at your wedding?! Her shock giving way to complete bewilderment and horror when I followed up with…..and, we’ll want a horse race too. A Kazakh Wedding Tradition: The Wrestling Begins I scanned the celebration and grinned. This […]
12
Aug
Aug
We sit on the ground around a low wooden table waiting for the day to begin. It’s overcast, threatening rain, and the ger is dim, throwing everything into monochrome. A pot of boiling milk sits on top of a battered wood-burning stove in the center of the room, and I watch as steam rises into […]
29
Jul
Jul
It’s been a while since my adventure in western Mongolia with photographer Timothy Allen and seven fellow photography lovers, and yet I still think of it all the time. We camped in the Altai Tavan Bogd National Park, a vast and profoundly beautiful and pristine expanse where we met the world’s most tolerant and gracious […]