Istanbul the Grand Bizarre

Written by Stephen on April 16 2019

Istanbul Istanbul the Grand Bizarre   Istanbul is a place For dreamers to find Reality in a dream   The horizon is lined with Dazzling domes and minarets Of embedded long-standing mosques   And there are the markets Bazaars swelling with merchants and spices And carpets delivered in every pattern Fabric Style and sales pitch imaginable   The whimsical things read in story books Seen in movies Viewed in expansive photographs Are indeed very much there   But there is more And I would not call it…

Friday Moment of Zen with Thought and Music: Paulo Coelho and Kendrick Lamar

Written by Stephen on December 12 2014

                                 Friday Moment of Zen with Thought and Music: Paulo Coelho and Kendrick Lamar “What’s the world’s greatest lie?” The boy asked completely surprised. “It’s this: that at a certain point in our lives, we lose control of what’s happening to us, and our lives become controlled by fate. That’s the world’s greatest lie.” -Paulo Coelho  

Travel Wisdom: Kids Know Best.

Written by Stephen on December 12 2014

Trekking through the mountains of Laos with my buddy Dave we were staying with small villages of people in rural conditions. We pretty much slept on straw mats and their houses were constructed well, but were pretty much weaved together around a few wooden supports. There was maybe one light bulb in the direct center of the hut if they were lucky, but mostly it was candles. There was a cooking fire in the center that everyone crowded around at nighttime and dinner.  I don’t consider these people poor because…

Motorcycle Accident and the Death of my Travel Muse

Written by Stephen on November 21 2014

There is a moment when we intensely discover something that we love about life that marks us, that forever changes us. I knew early on I liked travel and I was well aware I was quite fond of motorcycles, but it wasn’t until I bought my 2nd Motorcycle from one of my best compadres that either of those things became a passion. I took a month off work to ride it up the West Coast from SoCal and across the top through the Rockies all the way back to Cincinnati,…

What I did on my Summer Vacation: Life Creeps West at a Slow Pimp’s Pace

Written by Stephen on November 06 2014

For about the last year and a half I’ve been rambling around the eastern U.S. and Canada, spending time with friends and family from where I grew up trying to formulate a plan for more adventure.  Moto Dharama BumThe more I looked the more I saw, the more I saw the more I planned, the more I planned the less I did until suddenly I was reminded of something Sylvia Plath wrote: “I saw my life branching out before me like the…

The Ultimate German Oktoberfest Road Trip

Written by Stephen on July 15 2014

Due to the recent World Cup the streets in Germany are full of spilled beer, jubilant people, and an abundance of “prost’s”.  It reminds me of one of my favorite festivals of the year, good ol’ Oktoberfest.  For 16 days in September, starting on the 20th this year, Germany turns into one of the biggest parties in the world.  People from all over the globe fly in for arguably one of planet Earth’s top drinking holidays. German fans losing their minds. Photo cred: Bjorn…