TravelWorld International Magazine, Summer 2021: Travel is Back!

SUMMER 2021 

travelworld 

INTERNATIONAL MAGAZINE 

San Miguel de Allende, Mexico 

Travel is Back! 

The Magazine Written by North American Travel Journalists Association Members

Letter from the Editor 

TravelWorld International Magazine 

is the only magazine that showcases 

the member talents of the 

North American 

Travel Journalists Association 

SUMMER 

2021 

travelworld 

INTERNATIONAL 

MAGAZINE 

Where Can We Travel Right Now? 

One silver lining of the pandemic has been the surge in exploration 

of our local, beautiful surroundings. A new expansion of road trips, 

camping and searching out national destinations of interest has 

developed with surprising satisfaction to many happy wanderers. 

Yet still there is vey much the itch to travel beyond, to the far corners of 

the world, with the freedom we were acustomed to. The good news is that 

there are more than 75 countries that now that can be visited. Vaccinated 

travelers can now travel to many countries in Europe as they are easing 

their restrictions as the summer evolves. The bad news is that in most 

places there are still extensive restrictions. 

Travel guidelines and restrictions are constantly changing, so it is imperative 

that extensive research takes place before planning a trip abroad. Be 

certain to consult the website of your destination. It’s suggested that travel 

insurance is a must; passport requirements can change at the last minute. 

Here is a list of suggested websites to consult before 

traveling, in addition to that of your destination: 

www.cdc.org : provides travel information by destination including 

updated global maps 

https://travel.state.gov : US Department of Travel Advisories 

Group Publisher: 

Publishers: 

VP Operations: 

Editor: 

NATJA Publications 

Helen Hernandez & 

Bennett W. Root, Jr. 

Yanira Leon 

Joy Bushmeyer 

Contributing Writers & Photographers: 

Daniele Auvray 

Keri Bridgwater 

Jason Gilbreth 

Wendy Gunderson 

Julie Hatfield 

Jeffrey Lehmann 

Tim Leland 

Bennett Root 

Carla Rupp 

Jason Rupp 

Cori Solomon 

Sherry Spitsnaugle 

Debbie Stone 

Kathleen Walls 

DMO Contributors: 

Branson, MO 

Discover Austin, Minnesota 

French Lick Resort, Indiana 

Graceland 

Hard Rock Hotel 

Shreveport-Bossier, Louisiana 

The Confidante, Miami Beach, Florida 

Tthe Ven-Embassy Row, Washington DC 

Wigwam Arizona 


San Miguel de Allende - A City of Fallen Women Julie Hatfield 6 

License to Chill - A Weekend in Jamaica Keri Bridgwater 10 

Travel is Back - Encouraging Consumer Data Jason Gilbreth 14 

Yokohama on My Mind Daniele Auvray 17 

Living a Desolate Dream for 2,000 Miles - Baja Road Trip Jeffrey Lehmann 22 

Time-Travel Trip Across America - Charleston to Asheville Bennett Root 28 

6 

10 

canitravel.net : a new, comprehensive, user-friendly guide to 

Covid-19 travel restrictions worldwide 

This issue of TravelWorld International Magazine provides NATJA members’ 

stories about places they have traveled, both before and during the 

pandemic, and places they want to travel. We find it encouraging that travel 

is coming back and look forward to finding new 

methods to travel cautiously and safely so that 

we can savor our beautiful world once again. 

Editorial /Advertising Offices: 

TravelWorld International Magazine 

3579 E. Foothill Blvd., #744 

Pasadena, CA 91107 

Phone: (626) 376-9754 Fax: (626) 628-1854 

www.travelworldmagazine.com 

14 

17 

2 

Joy Bushmeyer, 

Editor 

Cover Photo 

“San Miguel de Allende was voted the Best City in the World in 2015 

by Travel & Leisure Magazine’s readers. Now we know why. We fell 

instantly in love with it”. 

Julie Hatfield and Tim Leland 

COVER PHOTO of San Miguel de Allende by Tim Leland 

View from their hotel window. 

Volume 2021.02 Summer 2021. Copyright ©2021 

by NATJA Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. 

Reproduction in whole or in part without written 

permission is prohibited. Advertising rates and 

information sent upon request. Acceptance of 

advertising in TravelWorld International Magazine 

in no way constitutes approval or endorsement by 

NATJA Publications, Inc., nor do products or services 

advertised. NATJA Publications and TravelWorld 

International Magazine reserve the right to reject 

any advertising. Opinions expressed by authors 

are their own and not necessarily those of Travel 

World International Magazine or NATJA Publications. 

TravelWorld International Magazine reserves the 

right to edit all contributions for clarity and length, 

as well as to reject any material submitted, and is 

not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts. This 

periodical’s name and logo along with the various 

titles and headings therein, are trademarks of 

NATJA Publications, Inc. PRODUCED IN U.S.A. 

22 

28 

3

PressPlay! 

in Shreveport-Bossier, LA 

…where adulting isn’t always hard 

Tired of life being on pause? Then Press Play on a nearcation in Shreveport-Bossier, 

Louisiana! With everything from epic outdoor adventures to unforgettable dining, 

we’re the perfect place to Press Play on a brand new day. Plan your visit today! 

www.Shreveport-Bossier.org 

SUMMER 

2021 

travelworld 


Dry Tortugas National Park by Seaplane Wendy Gunderson 38 

The Quintessential Stars of the Green Mountain State Debbie Stone 42 

The Greenest Hotel in America - The Proximity Hotel Carla Rupp/Jason Rupp 48 

The Enchantment of the Finger Lakes Cori Solomon 54 

Florida’s Hidden Gem is Clay County Kathleen Walls 58 

The Elegant Greenbrier, Home of the Top Secret Bunker Sherry Spitsnaugle 62 

38 42 

INTERNATIONAL 

MAGAZINE 

48 

54 

58 

62 

4 

5

Morning view from our 

B&B window 

or years we have been hearing what a special 

destination San Miguel is. So, just before the 

Covid-19 pandemic shut down virtually all 

foreign travel, we decided to buy a plane ticket 

and find out. Note, St. Miguel’s magic certainly 

doesn’t have to do with how quickly you can get 

there from Boston, at least in our experience. 

Thanks to Delta’s exasperatingly late take-off from 

Boston it took us 15 hours to get from Logan to our 

B&B in San Miguel, arriving late at night. We could 

have gotten to Tokyo in about the same time. 

It didn’t take long to find the answer, however. 

When the sun arose the next morning and we 

looked out the third-floor window of our cozy 

little B&B, we were greeted by a stunning tableau 

of old colonial buildings anchored by a splendid 

cathedral: Parroquia de San Miguel Arcangel, 

which looks like the winner of a serious sand-castle 

competition, towering over this UNESCO World 

Heritage town. It was framed from our window by 

a huge red bougainvillea in full flower, gleaming in 

the sun. 

A typical street in San 

Miguel de Allende 

San Miguel was voted the Best City in the World in 

San Miguel was voted the Best City in the World in 

2015 by Travel & Leisure Magazine’s readers. Now 

2015 by Travel Leisure Magazine’s readers. Now 

we 

we 

know 

know 

why. 

why. 

We 

We 

fell 

fell 

instantly 

instantly 

in 

in 

love 

love 

with 

with 

it. 

it. 

SAN MIGUEL de ALLENDE 

A city of fallen women ... fallen men too. 

Story by Julie Hatfield 

Photos by Tim Leland 

A garden in San Miguel 

6 

Cobblestoned streets of San Miguel de Allende -- 

“the city of fallen women” 

here are more ways to stub your toe and take a tumble on 

the cobblestone streets of this magnificent little town than 

there are art galleries – and there are an incredible number of 

art galleries in this town. More per square feet in San Miguel, 

it seems, than in Santa Fe, New Mexico. 

Like most of the thousands of ex-pats who flock down here to 

live the good life, we’re old. We sent a prayer heavenward every 

morning to keep us vertical as we set off to explore. (Not that we’re 

unfamiliar with bumpy sidewalks and potholed streets in Boston, 

but San Miguel’s cobblestones are Beacon Hill’s on steroids.) 

7

8 

San Miguel at dusk 

Livingroom in one of the 

San Miguel private homes 

on tour to the public 

n estimated 10,000 firsttime 

American and 

Canadian visitors have 

been similarly smitten 

and are ex-pat homeowners 

living in San Miquel. And why 

not, when it is filled all winter 

with flowers, quality restaurants, 

world-class art and art galleries, 

numerous festivals of all kinds, 

happy people . . . and sunshine. It 

virtually never rains in San Miguel 

from January to April, and again 

in November and December. July 

is the wettest month, and it’s also 

extremely warm then. 

Part of the joy in walking the 

streets of the historic old central 

zone is the surprises you find 

behind the big wooden doors. The 

narrow streets, lined with high 

stucco walls, reveal nothing of 

the color and beauty that you find 

behind the mysterious doorways. 

When opened, each door reveals 

a surprise similar to an Advent 

calendar: a colorfully decorated 

shop or restaurant, or an enormous 

and beautiful home complete with 

multiple bedrooms, patios, interior 

courtyards, fountains, swimming 

pools and exquisitely landscaped 

gardens. The roof decks all feature 

stunning vistas of the city and the 

valleys stretching beyond. It seems 

as if creative decorators from all 

over the world have settled here 

and put their best design ideas 

into these private homes, using 

the Mexican mentality of color, 

indigenous collectibles, and love 

of the culture. If you are not 

lucky enough to have received 

an invitation to stay at a friend’s 

private home, you can sign up at 

the public library (which itself is a 

gem with its hand painted ceiling) 

to take a house-and-garden 

tour every Sunday through the 

winter season, to see for yourself 

what makes these homes so 

extraordinary. 

peaking of art, is it possible to have too much of 

it in one town? If you want to immerse yourself 

in art of all kinds for a full day -- or a week -- 

walk to Fabrica la Aurora, a restored textile mill 

that has been turned into a complex of 60 galleries 

under one roof, all showing the sculpture and paintings 

and other mediums of local artists. It’s opened every 

day and also offers two excellent cafes for restoring 

one’s energy as you tour the seemingly endless exhibits 

of art. On the first Saturday of every month, if you 

haven’t overdosed already, it hosts an Art Walk from 5 

to 8 p.m. with music and more food. 

Some 6,000 feet above sea level, the town itself is hilly. 

No need to find a health club for exercise. You can get a 

good cardio workout daily just by walking around and 

exploring; friends with Fitbits found their 10,000 steps 

came quickly. 

This physical activity (even if you don’t augment it with 

a horseback ride, golf, or hot-springs swim outside 

the city limits) requires nourishment. And there’s no 

shortage of incredible restaurants in San Miguel. 

We expected to have our fill of the usual burritos, 

tostados, enchiladas, and tacos on this trip, and of 

course they were there in plenty. But in this town of 

fewer than 200,000, you can find Italian, Asian, Creole- 

Cajun, French, seafood, sushi and anything else in the 

way of international menus, the cuisine exquisitely 

prepared and presented. One lunchtime, we craved a 

simple Caesar salad, so we walked into the three-story 

El Pegaso Restaurant near the church and ordered one. 

Out came the waiter with an enormous bowl and all the 

ingredients for a Caesar, which he proceeded to create 

at our tableside, just like waiters at the old Ritz Carlton 

in Boston used to do -- a made-to-order Caesar salad 

complete with crushed anchovies, garlic, soft boiled 

egg, Worcestershire sauce, Romaine lettuce and all the 

trimmings. Our simple salad was anything but simple, 

and we returned three times for the same lunch. 

Oh, and meal prices in San Miguel? The price for the 

salad was slightly over $5 (plus the standard Mexican 

tip of ten percent). Eating out there is a delightful 

bargain. 

San Miguel de Allende was every bit as enchanting as 

advertised. It should be on every traveler’s bucket list. 

And the two of us navigated all the cobblestone streets 

and narrow sidewalks without ever taking a fall. That’s 

the good news. 

Three little tykes climb 

a ladder at Fabrica la 

Aurora gallery 

The bad news was that the day after we 

returned to Boston, one of us tripped on 

the corner of a rug in our condo and fell 

flat on our face on the living room floor. 

Sculptures are 

everywhere in 

San Miguel 

9

License 

The beach at Couples 

Tower Isle in Ocho Rios 

to Chill: 

Measuring 146-miles long 

the island of Jamaica is 

home to 14 parishes 

Couples Tower Isle 

A 

Weekend 

in 

Jamaica 

Story and Photos by Keri Bridgwater 

Sunset at Couples Tower 

Isle in Ocho Rios 

www.keri bridgwater.com 

Celebrated as the birthplace of reggae 

and highly regarded for its full-bodied 

rums and flavorsome cuisine, Jamaica 

is a destination that lends itself equally 

to cultural pursuits as it does to relaxing 

under swaying palms on a picture-perfect 

beach. Some might have remained 

hesitant to travel internationally, but 

anyone seeking a carefree week of 

sunshine and cocktails or day trips with 

a dash of history a short hop from North 

America make the Caribbean’s third 

largest (and some say liveliest) island an 

easy weekend escape. Under two hours 

flight time from Miami, even taking a 

normally dreaded Red Eye from San 

Diego with a connection via Charlotte, 

North Carolina landed us in Montego 

Bay around noon and our hotel, Couples 

Tower Isle in Ocho Rios, two hours later. 

10 

11

A bamboo 

rafting trip on 

the Great River 

in the hills 

of Hanover 

with Chukka 

Caribbean 

amaica might be famed for its picturesque stretches 

of sand, but with lush interiors, lagoons and rolling 

hills to explore, we planned to pack as much into 

three days as possible. Dunn’s River Falls is standard 

for many first timers, but a day exploring capital 

city Kingston taking in the Bob Marley Museum, 

National Gallery of Jamaica, and walking tour of 

The Kingston Midtown Arts District is undoubtedly 

time well spent. Coffee enthusiasts will love the farm 

tour at Craighton Estate, located outside of the Blue 

Mountain State Park, but when it came to easing into 

things on day one, it was hard to argue with a guided float 

along the Great River on a traditional bamboo raft, with 

a glass of Prosecco in hand. An excursion with Chukka 

Caribbean from Lethe Village, a former banana plantation 

outside of Montego Bay in the hills of Hanover, certainly 

made for a pleasant way to spend our first morning before 

swinging back into nearby Trelawney Parish for an underthe-radar 

rum-tasting experience at Hampden Estate. 

nother fine example of colonial-era 

architecture worth looking at on our drive 

back to Ocho Rios was Rose Hall Great 

House. Fully restored in the 1960s, the 

Georgian-era property outside of Montego 

Bay provided a fascinating snapshot of 

Jamaican history intertwined with tales 

of the European bourgeoisie and ‘White 

Witch’ Annie Palmer that delighted and 

scared in equal measure. Born in Haiti, the vicious 

plantation mistress is said to have moved to Jamaica 

in search of a wealthy husband. After dabbling 

in witchcraft and dispatching with not one but 

two spouses, plus several slaves, legend states that 

Palmer now haunts the grounds with visitors leaving 

trinkets at what is purported to be her tomb. 

The tomb of ‘White 

Witch’ Annie Palmer at 

Rose Hall Great House 

Trinkets and tokens at 

the tomb of Annie Palmer 


The Rose Hall 

Great House 

outside of 

Montego Bay 


Hampden Estate 

Great House in 

Trelawney Parish 

Rum production techniques 

are unchanged since the 18th 

century at Hampden Estate 

Located in the Queen of Spain valley near Cockpit Country 

and established in 1753 by the Stirling family, production 

processes at this old-world distillery and working factory 

remain true to 18th-century pot distillation techniques. 

The scenic and winding country drive to the estate 

grounds rewarded us with a rum punch welcome drink, 

an informative talk on the history of Jamaica and rum 

production before a hardhat distillery tour that included 

a peek inside the original open vat fermentation house. 

Regarded by many as the “grand cru of Jamaican rum,” 

thanks to diverse flora and fauna plus limestone aquifers 

in the region, Hampden’s high-flavor profile product is 

high in ester, which adds a fruitiness to the aromas of sweet 

caramel and molasses. While slaves and Maroons (escaped 

Africans who formed inland communities, of which four 

official towns are still in existence today) burned many 

of the great houses across Jamaica during the Christmas 

Rebellion in 1831, Hampden’s owners were known to pay 

their workers and treat them kindly, and as a result, their 

home was spared. Although sadly not open to the public, 

today Hampden’s great house is used for special events 

by the current owners whose flock of resident peacocks, 

including feisty patriarch Edward, adds to the grounds’ 

romantic ambiance. 

Whether the secluded charms of Port Antonio, 

hedonistic resorts in Negril, or reggae clubs of 

Kingston appeals, Jamaica really has something 

for every traveler’s taste. And while the pandemic 

might have put pause to what was predicted to be a 

record-breaking year for tourism last year, thanks to 

well-implemented safety protocols, on-site testing 

at hotels, and easy-to-navigate entry requirements 

courtesy of Visit Jamaica making travel there lowstress, 

Jamaica as a can’t miss getaway destination is 

back. Sitting on the beach at Couples Tower Isle on 

our final morning, my partner and I both agreed we 

were leaving wishing that we could have seen more 

while simultaneously looking at dates to figure out 

when we could return. 

Rose Hall Great House is a 

lovingly restored Georgian-era 

plantation house with a rich history 

A guided tour at 

Hampden Estates in the 

parish of Trelawney 

12 

Hampden Estate in 

Cockpit Country is 

one of the oldest sugar 

estates in Jamaica 

Hampden’s 

high-flavor 

rums ooze 

aromas 

of sweet 

caramel and 

molasses 

Abraham, the scarlett 

macaw at Couples 

Tower Isle Resort 

One of the 

brightest 

tropical flowers, 

Heliconia 

Rostrata Peru, 

is abundant 

across Jamaica 

Twilight colors at 

Couples Tower Isle 

Resort in Ocho Rios 

13

The Galapagos Aggressor III 

Travel is back! Amidst a global 

rollout of coronavirus vaccine, new 

data suggests the travel industry is 

due for a post-pandemic resurgence. 

AGGRESSOR ADVENTURES 

recently announced the positive 

results of its latest Consumer Travel 

Index, which tracks consumer travel 

sentiments on a bi-monthly basis. 


Encouraging Consumer Data 

Points to a Readiness to Plan and Book Travel 

Story by Jason Gilbreth 

Photos Courtesy of Aggressor Adventures 

The survey asked respondents to 

share their travel plans for 2021. 

Results show nearly 40 percent of 

travelers are planning longer trips 

this year, with more than 55 percent 

of consumers having booked or 

planned a future trip during the past 

three months. 

“At Aggressor Adventures, we’ve 

seen first-hand in the first quarter 

that people are valuing their time 

away from home more than ever. 

Bookings increased 17 percent this 

March compared to pre-pandemic 

averages,” says Wayne Brown, CEO 

of Aggressor Adventures. “I am 

encouraged to see travelers taking 

longer and more extensive vacations. 

This allows for people to add in 

experiences they wouldn’t have had 

time for on a shorter break.” 

A recent American Express Global 

Travel Trends Report reveals that 

54 percent of consumers believe the 

freedom and flexibility of being able 

to live and work while traveling the 

globe is more appealing now than it 

was prior to the pandemic. Similarly, 

Aggressor’s survey shows more than 

19 percent of consumers intend to 

travel more this year because they 

are working remotely. 

Nile Queen 

connected with your employer 

while traveling to and from our 

destinations gives travelers peace 

of mind that their workload will 

be significantly less daunting 

upon their return home than in 

years prior,” says Brown. 

The pandemic has changed 

peoples’ perception of luxury 

travel. Aggressor’s survey results 

show nearly 40 percent of 

consumers plan to spend more 

money than they normally would 

on a trip this year. Similarly, 

the American Express Global 

Travel Trends Report reveals 

personalized experiences, high 

cleanliness standards and privacy 

being the most desirable luxury 

amenities among respondents. 

Additionally, 59 percent of 

travelers indicate they want to 

use a travel agent to help plan 

and customize their next trip. 

“Our phones have been ringing off 

the hook since the start of the new 

year. Customers are telling us they 

see small group luxury travel as the 

safest option for them,” says Lisa 

Stierwalt, Travel Agent with Aggressor 

Adventures. “People have a little extra 

money in their pocket from staying 

home during the pandemic and are 

using travel to treat themselves to a 

much-needed adventure. We have 

exceeded our expectations for the first 

quarter of this year and can’t wait to 

see what the rest of the year might 

bring as vaccination rates increase 

across the globe.” 

With so much momentum behind the 

industry, I am confident we will see 

a rebound this summer and fall that 

will exceed expectations and prepandemic 

numbers. I am excited to 

continue to support the industry-wide 

effort to help consumers return to 

normalcy doing what they love most, 

travel. 

14 

Bahamas Aggressor Liveaboard 

“While you may not be able to work 

remotely on adventures, customers 

are benefiting from professional 

flexibility during plane rides 

and layovers. The ability to stay 

Nile Queen Stateroom 

Bahamas Aggressor Interior 

15

The Wayne Brown Story (CEO Agressor Adventures) 

By Jason Gilbreth 

I would like to introduce you 

to Wayne Brown, a self-made 

entrepreneur from humble 

beginnings who built an 

incredible travel empire, 

Aggressor Adventures. 

The son of a truck driver 

and a school bus driver, 

Wayne was raised on a farm 

in Jacksonville, Florida with 

his four siblings. Growing up 

with the mantra that anything 

that is broken can be fixed 

through perseverance, Wayne 

helped his parents raise 

animals and grow vegetables 

to feed his siblings. 

After high school graduation, 

the U.S. Airforce came calling, 

and Wayne enjoyed 8 years 

of serving his country while 

also getting to see the world. 

Following his stint in the 

Airforce, Wayne worked his 

way up the ladder at Taco Bell 

and became a City Manager. 

While the future was bright, 

he wanted to become his 

own boss and partnered with 

a franchisee to build new 

Taco Bell restaurants and 

purchase existing locations 

from corporate. His 60 

restaurants performed so well 

he was elected to the Board of 

Directors, providing council to 

other franchisees. 

Wayne’s success as a franchisee 

allowed him to cultivate his 

love for travel and take up 

scuba diving as a hobby. The 

hobby would later become a 

passion, and Wayne went on 

to purchase Aggressor Fleet, 

a liveaboard scuba diving 

company with boats all around 

the world. 

Fast forward three years 

and Wayne has transformed 

Aggressor Fleet into 

Aggressor Adventures, an 

outdoor adventure company 

housing three distinct 

adventure brands as well as 

a full-service travel agency 

that helps travelers see the 

world. Aggressor Liveaboards 

offers the ultimate liveaboard 

experience for scuba divers 

all over the world. Aggressor 

River Cruise sails the land 

of the Pharaohs aboard 

luxury. And its newest 

adventure, Aggressor Safari 

Lodges Sri Lanka, is a fivestar 

tented lodge offering 

luxury accommodations, 

personalized service, and 

majestic safari sightseeing. 

Locals 

enjoying a 

stroll through 

Sankei-en 

garden 

Reflection of 

the Nippon 

Maru 

YOKOHAMA 

On My Mind 

Story and Photos by 

Daniele Auvray 

Sankei-en 

garden 

Sankei-en garden in Autumn 

16 

17

ormerly a small fishing village 

on the Tokaido road, Yokohama, 

now Japan’s second largest city, 

was first made a treaty port in 1859. 

Then followed an influx of traders, 

especially Chinese and British, making it 

the biggest port in Asia by the early 1900. 

The heart of the city is compact and 

walkable. Minato Mirai 21, an area of 

redeveloped docks, has some creative 

architecture with high tech earthquake 

proofing, and now the first ever, urban 

ropeway, dubbed ”Air Cabin”. Its focal point, 

the Landmark tower, built in 1993 under US 

architect Hugh Stubbins, and at 880ft, was at 

the time Japan’s tallest building. It has since 

then taken second place. 

Reached by the (then) world’s fastest 

elevator, at 2500 feet per minute, the 69th 

floor public lounge has a spectacular 

360-degree view. It has now taken second 

place, however reaching the top floor in only 

40 seconds is still quite amazing. 

Located in 

the Minato 

Mirai district 

of Yokohama 

city, an 

area of 

redeveloped 

docks, the 

Landmark 

Tower is 

next to the 

Yokohama 

Museum 

of art. 

Yokohama 

giant ferry 

wheel is a 

delight for 

kids and 

grown 

ups 

too. 

Passengers arrive or depart on 

cruise ships at the Yokohama 

Port Osanbashi Pier 

n the older, more attractive part of the town, created 

on rubble from the 1923 earthquake, Yamashita 

Park is a pleasant promenade overlooking ships, 

including the moored liner Hikawa Maru which 

cruised Yokohama and Seattle in the 1930-60. First 

launched on September 30th, 1929, she made her 

maiden voyage from Kobe to Seattle on May 13th, 

Yamashita park, a public park is also the 

permanent berth place of the Hikawa Maru 

which cruised between Yokohama and 

Seattle up until its retirement in 1960 

1930. She had a reputation for service that combined 

splendid food and beautiful art deco interiors. 

Nicknamed “the Queen of the Pacific”, Charlie Chaplin 

traveled on her for part of the round-the-world tour that 

he made in 1932. She is now permanently berthed as a 

museum ship. 

The view from the sky garden Yokohama landmark tower in clear weather 

Nippon Maru, a former 

training vessel is 

now a museum ship 

permanently docked in 

the harbor next to the 

Landmark tower. 

18 

19

One of the colorful entrance 

gates to Yokohama’s 

chinatown 

Yokohama ‘s 

fashionable 

cafe is a 

reminder 

of the city 

long musical 

connection 

with Jazz 

music. 

he vast classical garden, covering 

175,000 square meters, contains 

many historical buildings, some of 

which were brought to the park from 

locations all over Japan, including 

the three storied pagoda, set high up 

on a hill and all lightened up at dusk. 

Originally constructed in Kyoto in the mid 

1400s, it was relocated to Sankei en in 1914. 

Kanteibyo Temple in Chinatown 

A billboard on top of a fashion shop in 

Yokohama chinatown, recall its past 

history with foreign traders 

ver a century ago, jazz music 

burst into Japan through 

Yokohama port. Ocean liners 

would bring passengers 

and bands from all over 

the world through Japan’s 

maritime gateway. Traveling 

musicians could head for the bars and 

clubs to drink, dance, and make music. The 

local appetite for that “hot jazz” sound was 

insatiable and its popularity spread rapidly. 

Jazz cafes and bars sprung up across the city 

playing the latest records imported from 

America. 

As you stroll through the park, you will find 

bridges, streams, small waterfalls, bamboo 

groves and ponds. The house that Hara and 

his family lived in ( Kakushokaku ) is a huge, 

sprawling flat dwelling with dozens of spacious, 

interconnected tatami rooms, overlooking a 

private green lawn. 

In late march or early April, the cherry blossoms 

are in full bloom. In July and August, there is a 

pond just by the entrance that is bursting with 

the beauty of Japanese pink lotus blossoms. 

Although it is a delight in every season, any 

chance to either assist at a tea ceremony during 

its cherry blossoms festivities or a moon viewing 

event (most probably held there sometime 

around September) is not to be missed. 

Yokohama Chinatown is the largest of the 

few Chinatown in Japan. It has a mass of 

restaurants, food shops, Chinese medicine 

shops and fortune-tellers. At its heart is the 

Chinese Kanteibyo Temple 

(1887), dedicated to ancient Chinese 

hero Kuan-yu, who was worshiped as a 

god of war but now is popular as a god 

of accountancy, business success, and 

prosperity. 

Raw tuna on rice is a popular dish 

served in bars 

Performing Tea ceremony at 

Sankei-en 

Once the private residence of an extremely 

wealthy silk merchant by the name of 

Tomitaro “Sankei” 

Hara (1868-1939), the lovely landscaped 

“Sankei en” has been open to the public 

since 1906. 

20 

Among the ponds and flowers are sixteen 

architectural treasures, including a 

three-story pagoda from Kyoto. 

Usagi mochi,a special sweet made of 

white bean paste covered with a thin 

layer of mochi (pounded glutinous 

rice),decorated to look like a rabbit. 

A bowl of green tea readied for a 

guest at Sankei-en 

Yokohama Chinatown colorful street 

21

ne of the most desolate places on earth starts 

just across the border from where I live in 

San Diego, Mexico’s Baja Peninsula. It will be 

more than 2,000 miles/3,200 KM to drive the 

entire peninsula, a long-time dream of mine! 

Coronavirus has given me the time but forces me 

to tackle this adventure by myself… in an old car. What 

true explorer could turn down a challenge like that?! 

A half day’s drive from the border sits San Quintin. Even 

30 years ago, I considered San Quintin the demarcation 

between old Baja and today’s over-developed commerce 

driven border region. San Quintin was 

seemingly three times as big as the last 

time I drove through it. But, remarkably, 

just a couple minutes drive out of town, 

civilization dissolves away… just like in 

the old days. Life is slower here and the 

people friendlier. 

Story and 

Photos by 

Jeffrey 

Lehmann 

The one golden rule of Baja is never drive at night! Baja 

Highway 1 that stretches all the way down the peninsula is just 

too dangerous. The highway is barely wide enough for two cars 

to pass and drops off immediately at the edge into desert sand. 

Plus, there are axel breaking potholes, sleepy or drunk drivers, 

giant trucks, hairpin turns, and voracious winds to name just a 

few of the hazards that have ended trips and often times lives. 

The regular passing of roadside crosses attests to the latter. I 

fortunately arrive at my casita just as the last of the sun’s light 

disappears. 

Now the vast stretches of the Baja desert lay before me. In 

these long stretches of road, I was able to clear my mind 

and really start to take in the amazing wilderness that is 

Baja. This landscape is probably best defined by the Mexican 

Giant Cardon or Elephant Cactus. They grow extremely 

slowly and can live hundreds of years reaching a height of 60 

feet/18 meters and a weight of 25 tons/22,700 kilos. There is a 

surprising amount of wildlife here for such a desolate place. 

Living a 

Desolate Dream 

for 2,000 Miles! 

Baja 

Road Trip 

uerrero Negro is the 

largest producer of salt 

in the world. But it is 

best known for the close 

encounters with Gray 

Whales that occur here 

in March. The Gray Whale 

migrates from Alaska to Baja 

California each year to give birth. I 

set off with Mario Tours to hopefully 

experience this for myself. We are 

provided rain ponchos before stepping 

into our pangas, not for rain or even 

sea spray but rather to keep us dry 

from spouting whales, a pretty exciting 

prospect. We barely reached the calving 

area when a whale jumps halfway out of 

the water. So close that his splash sprays 

us. We could see at least a dozen whales 

at any given time in every direction 

on the compass. Each spotting was 

new and exciting, but after a couple 

of hours our time was running out. 

Just as the captain suggests we need to 

head back, a mother and calf appear 

next to the boat. The excitement of this 

encounter has everyone giddy. These 

whales commune with us for a magical 

moment, and we feel an amazing bond 

with these magnificent creatures, 

conversing without conversation. 

The whales linger. I am surprised as I 

touch the mother. The whale’s mottled 

coloring with hitchhiking barnacles 

isn’t rough, but smooth and rubbery 

like a dolphin. 

Floating on adrenaline, I continue 

south to Mulege, a sleepy fishing 

village. I enjoy the sunset while walking 

along the river to a local bar run by 

a family. Their home attached to the 

back of the bar. After ordering a drink, 

I am invited to play pool with family 

members. And I feel like family by the 

time I leave. 

Jacques Cousteau famously 

called it the World’s Aquarium 

A close encounter with a gray 

whale is the experience of a lifetime 

Gray Whale Breaching 

Mexican Giant 

Cardon or 

Elephant Cactus 

are ubiquitous 

throughout Baja 

22 

Osprey commonly build nests 

on telephone posts in Baja 

Sleepy fishing village 

of Mulege at sunset 

23

Author with the La Paz Sign on the Malecon 

Whale Shark Statue 

on La Paz’s Malecon 

Humpback Whale 

Breach on La Paz 

Malecon 

La Paz Cathedral 

from the city park 

a Paz is the capital of Baja 

Sur and is where I meet 

long-time friend, Joachin 

Renero that I’ve known 

for more than 15 years. He 

has good looks and a quiet 

confidence and is from a 

founding family of La Paz. He is 

also a fairly well-known Mexican 

photographic artist. La Paz is a 

city that thinks it’s a town and 

Joachin knows absolutely everyone. 

Each building and business has a 

backstory with colorful characters 

worthy of a telenovela, Mexico’s 

popular primetime soap operas. 

Joachin shares these stories casually 

as we walk the Malecon, the 

boardwalk along the waterfront 

that’s packed with impressive public 

art. 

After a couple relaxing days, I 

press on to Cabo San Lucas at the 

very tip of Baja. I have avoided 

Cabo my entire life, considering 

it just another tourist trap. After 

the obligatory photo op in front of 

“El Arco”, Cabo’s iconic sea arch, 

we spot humpbacks nearby. The 

pack of boats following the whales 

is oppressive. In the far distance, I 

point out a massive humpback that 

is jumping over and over again. 

The captain races towards it. These 

breaches are impressive displays as 

these whales propel up to 40 tons 

out of the water. As we near the 

whale, I look on in awe while the 

others chatter in elated excitement. 

The whale surprises us with one 

more breach close to our boat. This 

stuns everyone into silence. A fitting 

end to my southbound journey. 

spot a fin in the distance sticking just a finger’s length 

out of the water and point it out to the captain. He 

positions the boat to allow us to intercept the whale 

shark as he passes. A small group of us jump in the water 

with snorkel gear and swim to the spot. Suddenly out of 

the murky water white dots appear as this behemoth reveals 

itself. I freeze for a moment, stunned by its massiveness. As 

the giant tail passes by me, I suddenly remember I am supposed 

to swim with it. An instant later and it would have disappeared 

into the murk. My fellow tourists quickly fall behind allowing 

me to swim with this amazing animal by myself for a long while. 

I speed up to see its wide head, large mouth, and small eyes and 

then slow down to watch it swim by. A fish the size of a city bus. 

There is no communing like with the gray whales earlier on my 

trip. But I am awestruck and dumbfounded by this amazing 

animal. I swim with the whale shark for 15 minutes, when I 

suddenly feel a tug on my fins. 

The tour guide tells me 

there is another tourist 

boat that wants to see 

this fish. I obligingly 

swim back to our 

Whale Shark 

boat. 

There are days of desert to drive through to get back home to 

San Diego, but my mind is never bored as it plays on repeat my 

amazing wildlife encounters on my trip down the Baja Peninsula. 

Tourist boats crowd “El Arco” in Cabo San Lucas 

Humpback whale off Cabo San Lucas 

24 

Back in La Paz, Joachin puts me on 

a whale shark tour. The largest fish 

in the sea, these amazing animals 

travel the oceans migrating from 

the Philippines in summer to the 

rich waters just off La Paz in winter. 

Filter feeders whale sharks are 

completely harmless to humans. 

The water is so filled with their 

phytoplankton food that it is murky 

to the point you can barely see past 

your outstretched hand. 

25

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27

Early urban planning: The Casimir Patrick House is located on 

Lot 260 of the 1680 Grand Modell of Charles Towne. Its history 

has been curated by the Preservation Society of Charleston. 

From Charleston to Asheville 

n this short roadtrip, we 

traversed America. Not 

in the 350 terrestrial miles 

we drove, but in the 350 

years we time-travelled 

from Charles Towne, 

South Carolina, where 

our country’s European ancestors 

arrived in 1670 and where the old 

ways still dominate, to Asheville, 

North Carolina, where young 

businessmen and women work 

side by side with an evolving arts 

community to develop a new 

diverse and inclusive lifestyle that 

may ride demographic growth to 

define the America of the future. In 

a time when desires and happiness 

are increasingly served by being 

included as participants in groups 

we admire, and where groups seem 

to dictate which statements become 

the facts upon which people live 

28 

Ironwork is a prevalent and distinct artistic feature of many 

historical homes and official buildings throughout Charleston. 

Individual artistry of local blacksmiths was highly prized. 

Traversing America: 

A Time-Travel Roadtrip 

their lives, communities appear more 

divided and immiscible than ever. Some 

communities mark past glories, seeming 

to reverse time; others want to emerge 

from a formless cocoon to become a new 

butterfly, beautifully busy on a warm 

Spring afternoon. In this short trip we 

were able to visit both, sampling their 

respective offerings, and we wondered at 

their uncertain but likely co-dependent 

futures. 

In 1663, England’s Charles II granted six 

English noblemen the new world land 

of “Carolina,” the name derived from 

“Carolus,” the monarch’s Latin honorific. 

The grant included all the land from the 

southern boundary of Virginia to the 

northern boundary of Spanish Florida, 

stretching from the Atlantic, unbounded 

to the west. Settlement would push the 

indigenous and Cherokee tribes and 

the French trappers west and buffered 

against the Spanish influence from the 

south. Charles Towne itself was founded 

Homes and official buildings both exhibited traditional, 

symmetrical design. Because it was Spring, many homes were 

adorned with natural color in their gardens and on their windows. 

Story and Photos by Bennett Root 

by one William Sayle, with a troop 

of Bermudians, within a decade of 

the original land grant. Given the 

advantage of the natural harbor 

formed at the confluence of the Ashley, 

Wando and Cooper Rivers, Charleston, 

as it became known post-Revolution, 

emerged as the most important 

English commercial center south of 

Virginia. The wealth, power and status 

of the city developed quickly and was 

dominant for almost two centuries. 

Charleston’s legacy, including the slave 

trade, would fuel the development 

and settlement of our southern 

states at least through Appomattox. 

Today, this well-preserved heritage 

supports tourism as the city’s largest 

economic driver. In fact, for the last 

decade, Charleston has been Condé- 

Nast’s top ranked US tour destination 

for international travelers. And 

throughout, one of the top “must do’s” 

is a city tour in a horse drawn carriage. 

It was there we determined to start. 

Ironwork as an 

expression of 

artistic taste 

has long been 

a distinctive 

feature of homes 

in historic 

Charleston. The 

Rutledge House 

Inn evidences how 

blacksmiths were 

kept busy in the 

early 1800’s. 

Churches and 

steeples can be 

seen throughout 

historic 

Charleston. 

Known as 

The Holy City, 

Charleston’s 

earliest founding 

documents 

guaranteed 

religious freedom, 

and Protestant 

denominations 

flourished. 

Catholic and 

Jewish traditions 

were more 

welcomed here 

than in some other 

colonies. 

Broad Street was established 

in the 1680 “Grand Modell” as 

the main east-west street in 

the City. The wealth, power, 

and exquisite architecture 

on display “South of Broad” 

offer a vibrant picture of the 

Charleston’s varied tastes. 

The famous 

Circular church 

is located, 

appropriately, on 

Meeting Street. 

The church site 

and graveyard 

date from the 

late 1600’s. The 

first circular 

hall dates from 

1804. What better 

way to feel this 

historic presence 

than in a slow 

carriage ride? 

The various 

artistic 

architectural 

elements in this 

house speak 

volumes about 

the freedom of 

expression and 

desire to present 

a distinct voice 

that characterize 

the homes south 

of Broad. A 

carriage tour is 

the perfect way to 

enjoy the show. 

29

There is a large “fleet” of horse-drawn carriages that 

offer tours of various parts of historic Charleston. 

To avoid chaos, there are pre-designed tour routes 

assigned to drivers who narrate their designated 

route, offering a delightful way to experience the 

deep historical roots of the city. 

Lush gardens and rich ironwork punctuated our carriage 

tour of historic Charleston. They offer a peaceful, serene 

safe harbor from the bustle of business in the urban center. 

The Governor’s House on Broad and Orange 

in historic Charleston is a beautifully restored 

B&B. Located just outside the old city wall in 

an orange grove, the house was occupied by 

Edward Rutledge, the youngest signer of the 

Declaration of Independence. 

harleston’s 

traditional horse 

drawn carriage tours 

are tightly regulated 

by the city, with each 

carriage subjected to a 

“head tax.” To control congestion, 

there are actually five different 

tours with detailed, established 

routes, all touching the historic city 

center. Each carriage is dispatched 

by lot to a specific route. The 

lottery ball sent us off on Tour 2, 

west on Queen Street, then south 

on King, crossing Broad and 

along Tradd and Meeting Streets, 

south towards the Battery and the 

White Point Gardens overlooking 

the harbor. Josh, our carriage 

driver and tour guide, narrated 

our journey into Charleston’s 

yesterdays, full of politicians, 

pastors, pirates, and a handful of 

normal people. 

The doyens of the city established 

their homes “south of Broad,” 

and it is here that the mansions, 

with their gardens and ironwork, 

show off Charleston’s artistry. The 

houses’ styles differ by period, but 

30 

there are consistent architectural 

elements of a distinct Lowcountry 

style—houses built with single 

rooms and attached verandas in a 

long row to allow harbor breezes to 

“air condition” the home, veranda 

ceilings painted a sky blue to ward 

off evil spirits. Mansions, whether 

Federal, Gothic Revival, Italianate 

or Victorian, were “double houses” 

hung off a central hall. Homes and 

gardens were often decorated with a 

blacksmith’s signature in their fences 

and gates. Absorbing the details of 

this rich tapestry is best done at a 

horse’s natural walking gait. The 

carriage tour was perfect. 

We stayed at the Governor’s House, 

a pre-revolutionary house once 

occupied by Edward Rutledge, the 

youngest signer of the Declaration of 

Independence and later a Governor 

of South Carolina. The home, 

located at Broad and Orange, was 

actually built in an orange grove just 

outside the old city’s wall. Designed 

as a traditional Georgian double 

house, the home featured bedrooms 

on either side of a central hall. 

Redesigned after the Civil War by 

Captain Wagener in a Victorian style, 

the home added a spiral staircase, 

but the heart-of-pine floors, the slate 

fireplaces and the triple hung windows 

remained in their original state. The 

ironwork that once adorned the second 

story verandas is long gone, but the inn 

retains an essential sense of Charleston’s 

long history, and we found ourselves 

time-traveling deep into our collective 

past. 

The collective past, of course, includes 

the fact that Charleston was central 

to the slave trade. From almost 1000 

“cargos,” between one and two hundred 

thousand African captives survived 

the middle passage and quarantine at 

Sullivan’s Island, only to be sold here as 

slaves for plantation or domestic labor. 

Today, that history is acknowledged, 

but downplayed by both the whites and 

Blacks we encountered. That is not to 

say white supremacist feelings do not 

exist here, witness the Charleston mass 

shooting at the AME church some five 

years ago, but we saw a city trying to 

present positive images of its past while 

distancing itself from the economic 

foundation and personal realities of its 

past. 

This beautifully restored sitting room in the 

Governor’s House on South Broad Street in 

Charleston boasts a huge grand piano. Sitting 

here to read or enjoy a late afternoon sherry is 

a special delight. 

Gardens are a staple 

of homesteads in 

historic Charleston. 

They are formal, in 

many cases sculptural, 

and not surprisingly, 

reminiscent of 

traditional English 

garden architecture in 

their curved pathways 

and symmetrical design. 

The dining room in the Governor’s 

House speaks elegantly of traditional 

living patterns of our colonial 

ancestors. Antique and history buffs 

alike can look forward to losing 

themselves in its detail. 

31

Magnolia offers a 

“Slave Tour” featuring 

“restored” slave 

dwelling units for 

visitors wanting to learn 

about the history and 

economic foundations 

of plantation life. 

32 

he Magnolia Plantation, 

sited about 6 miles 

northwest of downtown 

Charleston, is part of that 

past. It is now re-inventing 

its story as evidenced in its 

“From Slavery to Freedom” 

project. Gifted to Thomas Drayton 

in 1676, he and his wife Anne 

relocated from Barbados to occupy 

almost 450 acres of terra firma and 

marshland on a convenient bend in 

the Ashley River. After clearing the 

land, Drayton tried farming various 

crops including indigo, then valued 

in Europe as a deep blue dye. Of the 

several crops they tried, rice, what 

would become known as Carolina 

Gold Rice was the most lucrative 

and would become the staple crop at 

Magnolia. But rice farming is hard, 

and Magnolia’s success was built less 

by the Drayton family and more by 

the 250 or so slaves there engaged. 

Today, the Plantation is addressing 

its past through a restoration project 

which recreated four restored 

slave cabins dating from the 1850’s 

through the early 20th century. The 

Plantation now offers daily tours 

of the cabins (as distinct from its 

gardens or the plantation house) and 

areas that were used as rice fields. 

We signed up for both of these 

tours. 

The slave cabins were restored 

pursuant to a project plan design 

to show progress on “the road to 

freedom” as now interpreted by The 

Living History Group of Charleston. 

Per plan, the 1850 cabin was to be 

“cleaned, repaired and stabilized 

as needed to ensure the safety of 

guests visiting the building” which 

might not have been reflective of 

conditions for blacks in the 1850’s, 

let alone when the first slaves arrived 

Magnolia’s slave 

cabin restorations, 

appropriate for 21st 

century touring, 

likely failed to 

convey the living 

challenges for 

Magnolia’s slave 

families. 

in the late 1690’s. And it clearly was 

not reflective of conditions that 

would be experienced by a family 

(or two) trying to live together 

in ten or twelve square meters of 

space. Nor was the new freedom 

reflective of material changes 

in living conditions. With the 

exception of the tour presenter, a 

middle-aged Black woman who 

was a college graduate trained as 

an actress, Blacks at the plantation 

appeared to serve mainly in menial 

roles. That is not to say there has 

been no progress, but I am not sure 

descendants of slaves have either 

aspirational freedom or effective 

freedom of opportunity to pursue 

aspirational goals. Magnolia was 

both beautiful and serene. But it 

seemed life here was caught in a 

time warp, content in an unevolved 

past that kept basic roles intact. 

Spanish moss drapes 

most of the large 

oaks throughout the 

Magnolia Plantation. 

The moss is a thin, 

pendant, flowering 

epiphytic plant drawing 

it moisture and nutrients 

from the rich semitropical 

air of Southern 

afternoons. 

Magnolia’s long bridge, 

perfectly mirrored in 

the still water, evoked 

feelings of a placid, 

peaceful Southern 

lifestyle. 

A few magnolias greeted 

us at the entrance to the 

Magnolia Plantation, a 

historic rice plantation 

just north of Charleston. 

The plantation was 

founded by the Drayton 

family in 1676. Despite 

its name, azaleas are 

the more common 

denominator in its 

famous gardens. 

33

Harvesting Carolina 

Gold rice was 

very lucrative for 

plantation owners, 

but grueling work 

for the Plantation’s 

enslaved workers. 

The enslaved 

women used a 

pestle like the one 

here to de-hull the 

rice and prepare it 

for market. 

Flowers are central 

to the sprawling 

beauty of the 

plantation and 

its gardens. The 

cool mornings 

and warm, lazy 

afternoons of late 

Spring show off 

plantation life at its 

very best. 

he bend in the Ashley 

River, part of the 

original grant, was fortuitous: 

it allowed Drayton’s to build a 

system of levees and dikes 

to permit marsh lands to 

become rice fields as they were flooded 

and drained in a rhythm necessary for 

rice cultivation. Tidal rivers provided 

both the fresh water needed to flood 

the fields, and the means to get crops to 

market. And they left time for slaves to 

perform other important tasks, such as 

improving the main plantation house. 

The Carolina Gold was also fortuitous: 

in 1685, a distressed merchant ship paid 

for repairs in Charleston with a small 

quantity of Madagascar “rice seed.” Dr. 

Henry Woodward planted the seed, 

and it produced a savory grain with a 

distinct, nutty flavor. The grain grew 

very well in the marshy soil of tidal 

Carolinas. When properly finished, the 

rice commanded a premium price, and 

made wealthy men of plantation owners 

who could operate with very low labor 

costs. Of course, the product ceased to 

produce gold for plantation owners who 

lost their essentially free labor force 

after the Civil War. Today, plantation 

economics are driven more from 

tourism that from Carolina Gold rice. 

Aside from the troubling ghosts 

of the past, the Plantation and its 

gardens were beautiful. The azaleas, 

and the one magnolia I saw were 

vibrant. The image of the long bridge, 

reflected precisely in the still water, 

was perfect. But I left, and to this day 

remain, a little unsettled. Waves of 

underclass have come to these new 

world shores. Yes, they and their 

newness were the backs upon which 

industrial wealth was built. Within a 

few generations, however, individuals 

in that underclass clawed their way 

to respected, even preferred places in 

this melting pot society and became 

Magnolia serves as 

a wildlife preserve 

for its resident 

turtle population 

and marsh birds. Its 

estuaries are also 

home to a significant 

alligator population. 

Magnolia Plantation, 

sited on a bend in the 

Ashley River, is ideally 

located to cultivate 

Carolina’s famous Gold 

Rice. The elaborate 

system of gates and 

levees that supported 

cultivation are 

preserved for visitors 

on the Rice Tour at 

Magnolia. 

a part of an American amalgam. And 

in time, slowly, the amalgam redefined 

itself, adapting to and embracing new 

ways and diverse viewpoints. But the 

color barrier seems harder than other 

barriers. It seems acknowledging a past 

without allowing for an evolving future 

is to swim against the tide of history. 

That cannot end well. Charmed as I 

was by Charleston and Magnolia, they 

seemed a bit of a paeon to the past. I 

would feel better were we on a clearer 

path to a shared future, if I could see a 

respect for our past as we also embrace 

the future and accept the challenge to 

make change an agent of growth. We 

would touch that image as we traveled 

to Clemson and on to Asheville. 

But that is another story, for another 

day. 

The Magnolia Gardens 

are justifiably world 

famous. The traditional 

shapes and paths of an 

English garden grace 

the entrance to the 

plantation house. 

The manicured grounds 

of Magnolia’s plantation 

house span the view 

to the boat docks 

along the Ashley River. 

Construction and 

maintenance of the 

Southern plantations 

were largely dependent 

on the labor of their 

enslaved populations. 

34 

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36 

37

Dry Tortugas National Park 

by Seaplane 

One of America’s most remote National 

Parks offers a fascinating history in a tropical 

setting, rich with wildlife and natural beauty. 

ry Tortugas National Park is 

located 70 miles west of Key West 

and is accessible only by seaplane, 

ferry, or by private boat with a 

permit approved by the National 

Park Service. The least expensive way 

to get to the park is by the Yankee Freedom ferry, 

which transports up to 175 passengers and takes 

2 to 2-1/2 hours to reach the park. The seaplane 

costs a bit more, but you arrive at the park in 35 

minutes and get an amazing view of Key West, 

the park, and everything in between. The plane, 

operated by Key West Seaplane Adventures, flies 

approximately 500 feet above the water, allowing 

you to see everything from sunken wrecks to 

sea turtles coasting along the surface. Pick up 

your headphones and you are treated to a guided 

tour by your pilot, including tales of explorers, 

merchants, pirates, and treasure hunters. 

Aerial View of Dry 

Tortugas National Park 

Undersea Sand Dunes 

Story and Photos by Wendy Gunderson 

The Dry Tortugas are a set of seven keys, situated 

on the edge of a shipping channel between the 

Gulf of Mexico and the western Caribbean Sea and 

Atlantic Ocean. It was named “tortugas” for the 

abundance of turtles in the area, and “dry” given 

the lack of fresh water. 

Seaplane 

The Marquesas 

Interior of Seaplane 

View from 

seaplane 

arriving in 

Key West 

38 

39

South Swim Beach 

ort Jefferson was constructed between 1846 

and 1875 to protect the pathway to the Gulf 

Coast ports. The structure is the largest brick 

masonry structure in the Americas and is 

quite impressive. Although the sea has taken its 

toll, the Park Service has invested considerable time 

in stabilizing and preserving the structure. During 

the Civil War, the fort was used as a prison, primarily 

housing Union deserters. Fort Jefferson’s most famous 

prisoner was Dr. Samuel Mudd, who was convicted 

of conspiracy to murder President Abraham Lincoln 

by setting the fractured leg of John Wilkes Booth. Dr. 

Mudd was sentenced to life in prison and arrived at Fort 

Jefferson in 1865. In 1867, an outbreak of yellow fever 

took the life of the prison doctor, and Dr. Mudd assumed 

the role. For his service, he was pardoned by President 

Andrew Johnson in 1869. 

Two hundred and ninety-nine species of birds inhabit 

the park, although some areas of the park may be closed 

at certain times of the year for nesting. Visitors can swim 

or snorkel to catch a glimpse of sea turtles swimming 

amidst the 30 species of coral preserved in the park. 

Overnight camping is available, with nothing but stars 

overhead. The journey is well worth the reward. 

Moat on southeast side of Fort Jefferson 

Moat on north side of Fort Jefferson 

View of Moat from inside 

Fort Jefferson 

More information on Dry Tortugas National Park can be found on the National Parks website, 

https://www.nps.gov/drto/index.htm 

Entrance to Fort 

Jefferson 

Exterior of Cell of Dr 

Mudd 

Memorial 

to Dr Mudd 

Entrance to Park 

with NPS Sign 

40 

41

Red Covered Bridge 

Red Covered Bridge 

Cambridge Junction Bridge 

Gates Farm Bridge 

The Quintessential Stars 

of the Green Mountain State 

THE COVERED WOODEN BRIDGES OF VERMONT 

Story and Photos by Debbie Stone 

The covered bridges of Vermont are often found on postcards, in books and stories about the state and on 

many different social media sites. They’re the settings for idyllic, scenic drives, weddings and ghost tales. 

Sleepy Hollow Farm 

I had long drooled over such images and yearned to see the bridges in person. Last year, I had planned a trip 

to the area to finally make my dream a reality, but of course that didn’t happen. With the advent of Vermont 

easing its Covid restrictions for fully vaccinated travelers in spring, I set out to accomplish my goal. 

Power House Bridge 

Cambridge Junction Bridge 

Grist Mill Bridge 

Grist Mill Bridge 

42 43

44 

Village Bridge 

Scribner Bridge 

ermont is home 

to more than a 

hundred of these historic 

structures and as such, it 

boasts more covered bridges 

per square mile than any 

other state in the country. At 

one time, there was upwards of 

five hundred, but unfortunately 

many were lost to the major 

flood of 1929, as well as to 

modernization and vandalism. 

Built of timbers from forests 

and fashioned by craftsmen, the 

bridges date from 1820, with the 

majority built during the mid 

and late 19th century. They were 

primarily constructed to keep 

snow off the bridge roadway 

during winter, as a sloping roof 

allows snow to fall into the 

river. They also provided shelter 

for travelers during storms. 

Additionally, the coverings 

protected the bridges themselves. 

Exposure to harsh weather 

elements can lessen the life of 

a bridge, however, if covered, it 

can last a century or more. Sides 

and roofs made the structures 

more durable. Sides, in particular, 

helped farmers get their cattle 

over the bridge, as the sight of 

rushing water made them balk. 

The bridges are undeniably 

romantic, complete with bucolic 

backdrops and charming hamlets. 

It’s obvious why these weathered 

beauties are magnets to visitors, 

who enjoy photographing them 

with avid enthusiasm. They are 

iconic symbols of our heritage 

and their appeal lies in their 

ability to evoke the spirit of the 

past to a simpler way of life. You 

can easily picture horses and 

buggies making their way over 

the bridges on rudimentary 

dirt roads through the pastoral 

countryside. 

n a 63-mile loop from 

the town of Stowe, I 

stopped at nine 

covered bridges and 

photographed them 

from every angle. Each 

one was unique, from 

size and span to its history, color 

and backdrop. Cambridge Junction 

Bridge, for example, was created to 

access a railroad junction and the 

surrounding village of Cambridge 

Junction. It has a whopping span of 

135 feet, making it one of the longest 

spans of its type in the U.S. Gates 

Farm Bridge, on the other hand, only 

reaches sixty feet and peacefully sits 

in a cornfield on a farm. 

Then there’s Red Covered Bridge, 

which crosses a picturesque gorge. 

One of the last to be built during the 

historic period of covered bridge 

construction in the state, it possesses 

a queen post truss design and red 

metal roof. This design style was used 

when the structure needed to cover 

a larger span. This bridge is listed 

on the National Register of Historic 

Places. 

Jaynes Covered Bridge has several 

names. When it was built in 1877, the 

Jaynes family lived nearby. It’s also 

known by Upper Bridge and Codding 

Hollow due to its location. And then 

some people call it the Kissing Bridge, 

which from what I’ve learned, is a 

common moniker for many covered 

bridges. The idea is that the bridge 

provided a discreet place for couples 

to kiss without being seen by others. 

Bridges with multiple names are 

not unusual in Vermont. Grist Mill 

Bridge is another case in point. It’s 

called Grist Mill because it lies just 

past an old grist mill building, but 

you might also hear it referred to 

as Bryant Bridge (someone named 

Bryant lives or lived in the area), 

Canyon Bridge (it’s situated on 

Canyon Road) and Scott Bridge (this 

could be the name of the man who 

built it). In truth, the builder’s actual 

identity is unknown, making the bridge 

a bit of a mystery. And who doesn’t love 

the scent of an elusive past! 

A favorite among visitors is Gold 

Brook, or Emily’s Bridge. The 48- 

foot Howe truss bridge spans the 

Gold Brook and is famous for being 

Vermont’s only haunted covered bridge. 

This style of bridge was prominent 

across the country, as it was strong 

and relatively easy to build. It was also 

innovative because of it used vertical 

iron rods. The rods were secured with 

bolts between the diagonal beams and 

if the joints loosened, the bolts could be 

tightened. This design solved a major 

problem with bridges made entirely of 

wood. 

As for the bridge’s ghostly notoriety, 

there are a few versions that revolve 

around the “Legend of Emily.” The 

Emily’s Bridge 

most prevalent tells of a farmer’s 

daughter, Emily, who was jilted by her 

intended groom on the day of their 

marriage. Despondent, she took her 

life at the bridge. Some believe that 

Emily’s spirit continues to haunt the 

bridge, especially on moonlit nights, 

when she waits for her man to return. 

Other folks remember the story as 

a tale concocted in the presence of 

some suggestible college students 

during the 1970s, when renewed 

interest in witchcraft was all the rage 

in schools across the nation. Young 

Emily, deserted by her fiancé, does 

not commit suicide, but rather rides 

back across the bridge in a state of 

uncontrolled fury. Unfortunately, her 

horses panicked and she was thrown 

from the wagon to her death. 

Wooden covered bridges are revered 

and beloved sentinels in rural America, 

and hopefully they can continue to be 

preserved to withstand the test of time. 

45

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46 

47

The Proximity Hotel 

THE “GREENEST” HOTEL IN AMERICA 

Greensboro, North Carolina 

Story and Photos by Carla Marie Rupp and Jason Rupp 

Proximity Hotel 

has a beautiful lobby. 

The posh Proximity Hotel exudes 

swank luxury, New York City style, 

down south in glorious Greensboro, 

North Carolina. It provides the 

essence of comfort and welcome to all 

who visit. 

Greensboro is a city located halfway 

between Washington, D.C., and 

Atlanta, GA. It is a great place to visit 

in any season, a wonderful center of 

art, music, history and culture. While 

there is much to do in Greensboro, 

a stay at the unforgettable Proximity 

Hotel is a joy all in itself. 

The Proximity Hotel was named 

after the box-like Proximity Mill, a 

cotton and sawmill that existed in the 

1800’s. It was carefully constructed 

and modeled after the old mill with 

artistic steel staircases and other 

decor. Touches of the aged and 

tarnished made us feel right at home 

as in the cool lofts available in our 

home base of New York City. Our large 

room had two queen comfortable beds 

and, due to the unique air filtration 

system provided, we slept exceptionally 

well. Music lifts your senses as well. 

One special staff member’s job is to 

choose the music selections. (How 

did they know our favorite, soothing 

melodies)? Guests can even hear music 

underwater in the swimming pool! 

building, four-tiered credit-based 

system that awards points based on 

compliance with different aspects of 

sustainability. LEED Platinum is the 

highest rating possible. 

Owner Dennis Quaintance, who 

gained a lot of his ideas in London 

and other travels, with his business 

partner Mike Weaver, demonstrated 

their concerns for Mother Nature 

and the local environment. The 

swimming pool is filled with salt water 

and the irrigation system gathers up 

rainwater. The Blue Bell gardens are 

so-named because the Blue Bell plants 

are indigenous and native to North 

Carolina. 

There is so much greenery! In fact, the 

Proximity Hotel is rated the “greenest 

hotel in America” and it prides itself 

on this distinction. As guests we 

were welcome to tour the hotel and 

our kind and knowledgeable guide 

explained what goes into the Proximity 

Hotel’s high “green” rating. Built in 

2007, it was the first Leed Platinum 

hotel in North America, a coveted 

award, given only to a handful of 

buildings worldwide. LEED, which 

stands for Leadership in Energy and 

Tflowers Environmental Design, is a green 

around the Proximity. 

The hotel is self-sustained and has its 

own painter, Chip Holton, (who was 

beginning to add color to the paintings 

in the 132 guest rooms), and a florist, 

Tom Grandy, who chooses the lovely 

Lobby with high ceiling and 

winding staircase. Photo 

courtesy of Proximity Hotel. 

King Room, spacious 

bathroom. Proximity 

Hotel. Photo courtesy 

of Proximity Hotel. 

King bed in Spa room of 

Proximity Hotel. Photo 

courtesy of Proximity Hotel. 

King bedroom at Proximity 

Hotel. Photo courtesy of 

Proximity Hotel. 

48 

49

Vintage cars are 

available for rides 

at Proximity Hotel. 

Photo by Carla 

Marie Rupp 

Staff at Proximity 

Hotel Greensboro 

ushers us into the hotel 

transportation van with 

a big smile. Photo by 

Jason Rupp 

50 

Vintage London taxi 

at Proximity Hotel. 

Photo courtesy of 


Check-in counter 

is spacious and 

welcoming. Photo 

by Jason Rupp 

Vintage New 

York Taxi at 


Photo courtesy of 


t’s ironic that the green Proximity 

Hotel is located in Greensboro, 

North Carolina, which, in 1781, 

was named after American Major 

General Nathaniel Greene. The word 

“green” seems to fit the city, as 

it has 177 parks, including the 

Guilford Courthouse Military Park. 

The hotel provides many amenities that 

complement the “greenery”, including 

stylish bicycles that guests can use to 

pedal on the “greenway” road to make 

their stay even “greener.” 

While it is luxurious at the hotel, it is 

surprisingly affordable as the Proximity 

offers many tempting promotions 

to make it an attainable getaway. It 

is definitely less expensive than a 

comparable stay in New York City, 

Washington D.C., or London. And 

there are free amenities galore: Wi-Fi, 

the New York Times delivered daily, 

airport shuttles, a salt-water swimming 

pool, bicycles, and lots more. 

The Proximity Hotel has a sister site, 

the “O. Henry Hotel,” named after the 

famed author William Sydney Porter, 

whose pen name was “O. Henry,” and 

who was a Greensboro native. It was 

a 300-room hotel, built in 1919, but 

demolished in 1979, and rebuilt in 

the late 1990s. It also is a Quaintance- 

Weaver hotel. 

Celebrities such as Oprah, Michael 

Jordan and even Presidents Bill Clinton 

and Barack Obama have stayed at this 

hotel group. Many guests are business 

or leisure travelers, but couples, singles 

and families are all welcome here. 

At the restaurants associated with the 

O. Henry, food is spectacular. You can 

dine at the plush Green Valley Grill, 

with its Mediterranean food, or at the 

Lucky 32 Southern for a real American 

comfort meal. Guests can ride to the 

O’Henry from the Proximity in one 

of the many stylish, vintage vehicles 

provided. 

t the Proximity Hotel, we descended the winding 

metal stairs or used the elevator and dined in 

style at the hotel’s amazing signature restaurant, 

the Print Works Bistro. The food there was 

so delicious we are still dreaming about it, 

wanting to eat it all again. This is the kind 

of place where celebrations of all kinds are 

held, from anniversaries to birthdays, or just to enjoy life, as 

we did. Many people we met during our visit in Greensboro 

chatted with us about their memories of dining at Print 

Works. One woman at a music festival we attended said her 

husband proposed marriage to her there. It’s that kind of 

place. 

Our memories are vivid as well! We remember the best 

cinnamon rolls, pastries and beignets ever! The black coffee 

is amazing! Vegetables, such as beets, Brussel sprouts, 

eggplant, and tomatoes are amazingly fresh as most of the 

ingredients used are grown locally. Desserts are out of this 

world! It was like eating in Europe, without the flight, over 

the water. And all this takes place in a vibrant dining room 

with walls of windows overlooking gardens or on the creekside 

terrace. 

The secret is out about the value and enjoyment of Proximity 

Hotel. We met hotel guests from all over the country, even 

abroad. The polite, friendly staffers were top-notch in helping 

us feel welcome both in the restaurant and in the hotel. Even 

the front desk staff was exceptional in showing us the fleet 

of vintage vehicles for shuttling to and from our activities. 

The goals and achievements of the proprietors, the warmth 

of the people, and the amazing food made our experience 

overwhelmingly favorable. No wonder we thought we would 

write about it! 

Greensboro, North Carolina is a university city with so much 

to do. There are demonstrations of the arts and you can visit 

murals and parks, go shopping, dine at cafes, visit breweries 

and even do historical research. There is much Revolutionary 

War history, as the Battle of Guilford Courthouse, a strategic 

victory for the Americans, was fought here in 1781. Also, 

this is where the sit-ins at the F. W. Woolworth counter 

occurred, which were the catalyst for the widespread Civil 

Rights Movement. 

We toured the International Civil Rights Museum, where 

you can see the historic lunch counter where the so-called 

Greensboro Four—David Richmond, Franklin McCain, Ezell 

Blair and Joseph McNeil—first initiated sit-ins at the start 

of the 1960s at this site. Civil Rights history was made in 

Greensboro with their bravery. We learned more in this wellorganized, 

even at times shocking and certainly educational 

museum and tour than out of any history book. 

Tasty French Toast for Breakfast at Printworks 

Bistro for Breakfast. Photo by Carla Marie Rupp 

Carla loves her 

plate of comfort 

food at Lucky 

32 Southern 

Kitchen at the 

O. Henry Hotel, 

the sister hotel 

of Proximity. 

Photo by Jason 

Rupp 

The 

food is 

amazing 

at 

Proximity 

Hotel. 

Photo by 

Jason 

Rupp 

The freshly 

baked 

cinnamon roll 

buns had us 

on a happy 

sugar high. 

Photo by 

Carla Marie 

Rupp 

We enjoyed 

the eggs 

benedict for 

breakfast at 

the Printworks 

Bistro inside 

the Proximity 

Hotel. Photo 

by Jason 

Rupp 

51

n our last day in Greensboro, we visited the 

Greensboro Science Museum and Skywild. It 

was a thrill when we petted a live penguin 

with the required three fingers while a guide 

held the penguin. 

Replacements Ltd, the world’s largest retailer of 

old and new china, crystal, silver and collectibles is also 

well worth a tour. So huge, it has 12 million pieces of 

inventory from over 400,000 patterns in a warehouse the 

size of eight football fields. 

Carla with Penguin at Greensboro Science Center 

North Carolina. Photo by Jason Rupp 

Jason Rupp, Carla Marie Rupp, and Amy 

Scott sample a burger and a beer at Hops 

Burger Bar in Greensboro North Carolina. 

Photo by Jason Rupp 

There are many great festivals and events throughout the 

summer and fall in Greensboro. After the National Folk 

Festival was held in Greensboro for three consecutive 

years, the city began holding an annual North Carolina 

Folk Festival, with talented musicians of all kinds on 

a variety of stages. Arts and crafts and food vendors 

are popular at the festival, which is produced by 

ArtsGreensboro in early September, the weekend after 

Labor Day. 

Our friend Amy Scott took us to a few of her local 

favorite places to eat away from the hotel like the Iron 

Hen and the Smith Street Diner. We definitely agree with 

her appraisal that in North Carolina everybody is friendly 

and nice to everyone they meet. This was our experience 

in Greensboro and we were surprised to encounter so 

many people from New York City. 

Your Happy Place 

The Proximity Hotel and the city of Greensboro, North Carolina rank 

tops in our travel memory favorites. We loved our five night stay! 

If you go: 

Proximity Hotel 

704 Green Valley Road 

Greensboro, North Carolina 27408 

800-379-8200 or 336-379-8200 

www.proximityhotel.com 

Print Works Bistro 

336-379-0699 

www.printworksbistro.com 

As early as the mid-1800s, West Baden Springs Hotel 

earned a reputation as the place to relax and rejuvenate. 

Good that some things never change. 

Dine in the atrium and admire the spectacular 200-foot 

dome. Savor a proper afternoon tea. Experience golf, 

casino, horse stables, and everything else the resort has 

to offer. Or, just relish some quiet time on the veranda. 

West Baden is best enjoyed at your own pace, after all. 

Visit frenchlick.com to plan your West Baden escape 

“You can actually feel the 

history that lives in the 

hotel, and it is a perfect 

location to relax and 

unwind in a calm and 

unhurried atmosphere.” 

— TripAdvisor Review 

52 

Proximity Hotel Greensboro North Carlolina 

Greensboro Area Convention & 

Visitors Bureau 

VisitGreensboroNC.com 

@visitgreensboronc 

Management reserves the right to cancel or modify any event without notice. Must be 21 years or older to enter the casino. 

Gambling Problem? Call 1.800.9.WITH.IT or text INGAMB to 53342! 

53

Keuka Lake and Hammondsport Fall 

courtesy Luke Petrinec 

The Enchantment of the Finger Lakes 

ften there are ties with 

locations that we never 

thought connected us to 

a place. I have dreamed of 

visiting the Finger Lakes for 

quite some time. Before travel writing, 

I wrote about pets. I received emails 

about the Grapehounds Wine Tour, 

dog adoption, and wine tasting event 

in the Finger Lakes. When I branched 

out to include wine writing, I learned 

about many of our wine regions and 

sampled various wines. My studies 

included the Finger Lakes. 

Soon after, I met Morgen McLaughlin, 

currently executive director of the 

Willamette Valley Wine Association, 

but she at one time was the executive 

director of the Finger Lakes Wine 

Country. My connection with the 

Finger Lakes was brought to yet 

another test when I rescued a dog I 

bred, and part of his journey back 

to me was a foster stop in the Finger 

Lakes. 

In 2018, while attending the 

International Media Marketplace, I 

met the representative of the Finger 

Lakes, but that was not my year to 

visit the region. It was a webinar 

in the fall of 2020 that solidified 

my yearning to visit. The beauty of 

upstate New York enthralled me. It 

came to light in the Finger Lakes 

and Corning. From the small-town 

quaintness to the natural splendor of its 

lakes, streams, and waterfalls. Through its 

obsession with wine, glass, and aviation, 

one finds a lot to explore through art and 

culture. 

CORNING MUSEUM OF GLASS 

he Corning Museum 

of Glass is considered 

one of the most significant spaces 

dedicated to the art, history, and 

science of glass. Founded in 1951, 

the museum features the history of 

glassmaking and exhibits of contemporary 

art and design. Delving into the medium of 

glassmaking and the exquisite art designs 

coming from this material would be well 

worth the trip. 

By Cori Solomon 

www.writtenpalette.com 

The yearning to visit the Corning Museum of Glass and delve into the cool-climate 

wines, especially Riesling, possibly the region’s flagship wine, are beckoning me to 

travel to this region. Will 2021 or 2022 bring me closer to my goal of visiting? 

Drone Photo of Keuka Lake and Vineyard Fall 

Courtesy Luke Petrinec 

Corning Museum of Glass Exhibits 

Courtesy of Debbra Dunning Brouillette 

Corning Museum of 

Glass - Exterior 

Courtesy of Debbra 

Dunning Brouillette 

Hot Glass 

Courtesy 

The Corning 

Museum 

of Glass 

54 

55

KONSTANTIN FRANK WINERY 

AND RKATSITELI 

Dr. Konstantin 

Frank 

Rkatsiteli 

Domaine 

LeSeurre 

Chardonnay 

Weis 

Vineyards 

Reisling 

56 

Finger Lakes Wine 

DR. 

s an oenophile, the Finger 

Lakes history of making 

wine and its wine intrigues 

me. It all began in 1829 when 

Reverend William Bostwick 

planted Vitis labrusca grapes in his 

Hammondsport rectory garden. The 

first bonded winery, Hammondsport’s 

Pleasant Valley Wine Company, began 

in 1862. Not only was Pleasant Wine 

Company the first bonded winery in 

New York but also the United States. 

The area has four wine trails: Cayuga 

Lake Wine Trail, Keuka Lake Wine 

Trail, Seneca Lake Wine Trail, and the 

Canandaigua Wine Trail. Its first AVA, 

Cayuga Lake, was established in 1988. 

Conesus 

Lake 

Hemlock 

Lake 

Rochester 

Honeoye 

Lake 

Candice 

Lake 

Lake Ontario 

Canandalgua 

Lake 

Keuka 

Lake 

One of the more influential people 

in the Finger Lakes region was 

Dr. Konstantin Frank. His work 

at Cornell University’s Geneva 

Experiment station in 1951 set 

the standard for grape growing in the 

area. He discovered that Vitis vinifera 

varieties could grow in the cold Finger 

Lakes climate by grafting onto native 

rootstock. His influence inspires many 

of the current wineries today. 

During a recent webinar, I was 

introduced to three wineries and their 

wine, which whetted my appetite to 

come visit and taste the wine from 

more wineries in the area. All three are 

in the Hammondsport. 

Seneca 

Lake 

Cayuga 

Lake 

Owasco 

Lake 

Ithaca 

Skaneateles 

Lake 

Finger Lakes Region of New York - Map by Artistic Design Services 

s mentioned, Dr. Frank’s 

influence was profound on the 

region and his winery, 

Dr. Konstantin Frank. The 

first grape he planted was Rkatsiteli, 

an esoteric variety from eastern Europe, 

Georgia. It is one of the oldest grape 

varieties in the world, dating back to 3000 

B.C. Its strong resistance to cold weather 

and retention of high acidity during the 

hot summers makes it ideal for the Finger 

Lakes. 

In their 4th generation, the family still 

follows the footsteps of Konstantin, which 

includes making the Rkatsiteli. With its 

zippy acidity and freshness, the wine 

evokes lemon and lime flavors accented by 

green herbs. 

Onondaga 

Lake 

Otisco 

Lake 

Oneida Lake 

Syracuse 

Cazenovia 

Lake 

Photo by 

Cori Solomon 

DOMAINE LESUERRE WINERY 

AND CHARDONNAY 

he LeSeurre family origins take them to 

Champagne, France. Coming to the United 

States to learn about winemaking in America, 

Céline and Sébastien got hooked. Their first 

vintage at Domaine LeSeurre was in 2012. 

Their wines reflect their French heritage as they 

blend those traditions with their new-world wine 

experience. Tasting the 2017 Chardonnay Unoaked 

Cuvée Classique, one sees how the old and new world 

approaches come together. 

WEIS VINEYARDS AND RIESLING 

Photo by 

Cori Solomon 

eis Vineyards represents one of 

the newest wineries in the area and 

specializes in German-style wines. Born 

in Zell Mosel, Germany, Hans Peter Weis 

grew up in the vineyards. He came to the 

United States to work a vintage and discovered 

the Finger Lakes, making it his home. With similar 

micro-climates and soils to his hometown in Germany, 

he knew he had found his calling. His Riesling is 

a marvelous example of the bright, citrusy wines 

produced in the Finger Lakes from this variety. 

Photo by 

Cori Solomon 

Domaine LeSeurre 

Photo by Domaine LeSeurre 

Finger 

Lakes 

Wine 

Photo 

by 

Cori 

Solomon 

57

ith travel opening again, let 

us start with hidden gems 

like Clay County, Florida. 

It sits south of Jacksonville 

and west of St. Augustine. 

The county’s hot springs were 

a popular vacation destination for northern 

visitors in the late 1800s. Today, the spring 

feeds a public swimming pool at Spring Park. 

Spring Park sits on St. Johns River where you 

can walk or fish on the pier. If you’re more of 

a landlubber, picnic or watch the wildlife from 

egrets to squirrels. Events include Food Truck 

Friday and Third Saturday Market in the Park. 

Goldhead Bathhouse 

built by ccc - This part 

stone bathhouse built by 

the Civilian Conservation 

Corps is still in use. 

Hayes Park Launch 

- Master Sgt. John E. 

Hayes Memorial Park 

boat launch to Black 

Creek stays busy on 

weekends. 

Florida’s Hidden Gem 

Clay County 

Story and Photos by Kathleen Walls 

Gold Head Branch State Park in 

Keystone Heights, one of Florida’s first state 

parks, developed by the Civilian Conservation 

Corps (CCC) during the 1930s, is home to bald 

eagles, Sherman’s fox squirrels, red-cockaded 

woodpeckers, gopher tortoises, and enough 

songbirds to offer a pleasant wake-up to visitors 

camping there, ranging from tents to RVs to 

cabins. It has something unusual in Florida, a 

ravine. 

Camp Chowenwaw County Park is a 

newer park, also offering camping. For 70 years, 

it was a Girl Scout camp. The county bought 

it in 2006 and developed it. It’s on beautiful 

Black Creek so it’s perfect for fishing, kayak, or 

canoe access. It’s also set up for outdoor fun like 

hiking, volleyball court, picnic areas, seasonal 

pool, nature center, and playground. A museum 

tells the history. 

Clay County has an abundance of parks. Black 

Creek Park and Trail, on the north side of Black 

Creek, is a wonderful place to hike or bike a 

wooded trail. Ronnie Van Zant Memorial Park 

on Lake Asbury honors its most famous county 

singer. In Middleburg, Master Sgt. John E. 

Hayes Memorial Park offers a boardwalk trail 

along Black Creek, a playground, and a dock for 

launching your boat, anything from kayaks to 

larger motor boats. 

Camp Chowenwaw log building 

– Known as the Big Cabin, this 

log structure was built at Camp 

Chowenwaw in 1932 from timber 

harvested on-site and is still in use. 

Black Creek trail – Trail at 

Black Creek Trail Head 

58 

Spring Park A view of the 

spring fed swimming pool 

and the park 

On Clay’s history side, Green Cove Springs 

Railroad Museum and Old Jail offer a 

glimpse of life in small town old Florida. There is 

a depot and old caboose. The museum was once 

the county courthouse. The Old Jail is authentic 

Spring Park view of river and pier – 

a view of Spring Park and the city 

and would cure even a hardened criminal 

pier out into the St. Johns River. condemned to spend a night it its tiny cells. 

59

Military Museum 

Medic Exhibit 

Camp Blanding Museum 

Borge at Camp 

Blanding Museum 

60 

The Military 

Museum, next to the 

St. Johns River, was the 

site of former Naval 

Air Station, Benjamin 

Lee Field. The museum 

displays exhibits ranging 

from WWI to Desert 

Storm. Outside there is 

a display of vehicles and 

tanks. 

Dive deeper into Clay 

County’s war history 

at Camp Blanding 

Museum. A WWII 

barracks houses it. 

Before you enter, visit the 

outdoor Memorial Park. 

The most moving of the 

monuments there is a 

small Liberty Road Borne. 

After the war, France 

wanted to honor the 

American liberators. They 

installed 1146 markers, 

called Bornes, along the 

road the soldiers tramped. 

When increased traffic 

necessitated removal 

of four of the Bourns, 

France donated them 

to significant places in 

America. The fourth and 

final Borne, #35, went 

to the Camp Blanding 

Museum in honor of the 

soldiers who trained here. 

Inside, watch the film 

explaining how the camp 

came to be. Then view 

the exhibits showing 

the history of the base. 

Besides training soldiers, 

it became a German 

prisoner of war camp and 

at one time housed 190 

German civilian prisoners 

interred because of their 

nationality. During 

WWII, Camp Blanding 

was the fourth largest city 

in Florida. 

or dining, there is something to suit 

every taste. You can skip the chains and 

fast-food joints. Clay County has a varied 

assortment of individual restaurants that 

can hold their own anywhere. This is just a 

few. 

Dalton’s Sports Grill moved into a fantastic 

building decorated with old western murals and décor 

near Lake Asbury. It’s a family-style restaurant that 

serves typical American fare. My favorite is the Wind 

Basket, but the Gator Tails tempt me. 

Ronnie’s still holds the top spot for wings. They’re 

across from Spring Park and offer a 2-for-1-wingsspecial 

on Tuesday. 

Mackey’s Munchies is a family-owned Cajun 

restaurant in Orange Park. Chef Mackey is a 

Louisiana native, so he knows his stuff. 

Salsas Cocina Mexicana & Cantina is 

in a new building. They offer authentic Mexican 

food. Grumpy’s has a location in the same building. 

(Middleburg is growing fast) They are the top of the 

line for breakfast and lunch. 

In Keystone Heights, try Florida Cracker 

Kitchen and for seafood, Whitey’s Fish Camp in 

Fleming Island. 

There are chain hotels near the new toll road, Hwy. 23, 

but to get the feel of real small-town Florida, stay at 

River Park Inn next to Spring Park. 

River Park Inn 

Dalton’s Sports Grill 

Ronnie’s 

Florida Cracker Kitchen 

61

The GREENBRIER, 

known as 

America’s Resort, 

a luxury destination, 

welcomes 

celebrities, 

royalty, and 

guests from 

all walks of life 

e walk through 

the windowless, 

bleak facility 

which has been 

preserved as it 

was when it was 

phased out in 1992, and view the 

showers where people would have 

“decontaminated,” dormitories 

with lockers and metal bunk beds, 

a stark cafeteria, and outdated 

communications equipment. We 

stand silently in the auditorium, with 

avocado-colored theatre seating, 

where members of Congress would 

have met. It feels eerie to be in a 

place that could have been used 

under horrific conditions. 

The teen’s dad adds, more bluntly, “It was 

to beat the crap out of someone if they 

needed it.” 

IN A STATE OF READINESS 

FOR 30 YEARS 

During 1962 through 1992, the facility was 

continually updated with supplies, food, 

and equipment, so that it would remain in 

full-operation status. Within the bunker 

was a self-contained power plant capable of 

providing power needs for the more than 

1,000 people, as well as an infirmary and 

fully stocked pharmacy. 

Given the code name Project Greek Island, 

the bunker was kept secret until May 31, 

1992, when the site was exposed by a story 

published in the Washington Post. 

A doorman welcomes guests to the 

elegant Greenbrier, West Virginia 

As we view the security area where 

cameras would have monitored 

everything going on in the bunker, 

a teen on the tour points to a club 

among the guns, pistols, weapons, 

and riot gear, and asks what it would 

have been used for. 

“The government pretty much had to 

throw in the towel once the location came 

out,” Jonathan says. 

Immediately after the story was published, 

the facility was phased out; equipment 

was reassigned to other government and 

military facilities, and in 1995, tours began. 

he most popular thing to 

do at the luxury Greenbrier 

Resort in West Virginia 

isn’t being pampered at the spa, 

playing a round of golf on one of its 

world-class courses, or indulging 

in its legendary fine dining. 

The resort’s most requested 

activity is a 90-minute tour of what’s known 

as the bunker, the former top secret U.S. 

government relocation facility designed 

to accommodate the Senate and House of 

Representatives in the event of a national 

emergency. 

Guide Jonathan Wright, who has been giving 

tours of the bunker for 16 years, tells our 

group that there are up to 12 tours a day 

with a maximum of 24 people on each tour. 

“I keep thinking that one day everyone who 

wants to will have seen the bunker,” he 

62 

HOME OF FORMER TOP-SECRET BUNKER AMIDST A WORLD OF ELEGANCE 

The Luxury GREENBRIER in West Virginia 

Story and Photos by Sherry Spitsnaugle 

says, “but it hasn’t happened yet.” 

BUILT UNDER MAXIMUM SECURITY 

The location of the Greenbrier was no 

random choice, back in the 1950s, when 

the Eisenhower administration suggested 

building a protected structure that would 

house leaders in the case of a nuclear blast. 

Some 250 miles from Washington, DC, the 

bunker would be accessible by road, rail, or 

air. 

Described as a relic of the Cold War, the 

bunker was built under the strictest of 

security protocol, between 1958 and 1961, 

and was buried 720 feet into the hillside 

under the West Virginia Wing of the 

Greenbrier hotel. Its three entrances were 

designed to withstand a nuclear blast 15-30 

miles away and to prevent radioactive fallout 

from entering the facility when sealed. 

The blast door at the west entrance weighs 

in at some 25 tons and is 12 feet wide, 10 

feet high and 18 inches thick. Blast doors 

were camouflaged to blend with hotel 

décor and functionality. 

HIDDEN IN PLAIN SIGHT 

Jonathan points out the signature 

colorful wallpaper of the hotel, which 

would have covered the entrance to the 

bunker, and says that back in the day 

no one would have suspected that the 

clandestine facility was just feet away. 

“Sometimes the best place to hide things 

is in plain sight,” he adds, also noting 

that when the facility was built, the 

public was told that a new wing was 

being added to the hotel, which indeed, 

was accurate. While Congress members 

knew about the facility, most didn’t know 

the location. 

Jonathan explains that with up to 

1,100 people stuck in the dim facility 

for up to 40 days, it was entirely 

possible that there could have been a 

need for use of force. 

If you go: 

Tours of the bunker are open 

to anyone; reservations are 

highly recommended. Call the 

Greenbrier at (855) 453.4858 

to reserve a tour. Lockers are 

provided to leave your phone and 

electronic devices. The fee for 

the 90-minute tour is $39. While 

you don’t have to be a guest at 

the Greenbrier Resort, one walk 

through its elegant lobby to get to 

the meeting point of the tour will 

convince you to spend at least 

one night. 

Rates vary depending on the 

season and even with the onset 

of the pandemic and what is a 

somewhat pricier lodging, the 

Greenbrier has stayed busy. 

While the facility was never activated, the 

fact that it was built in the first place makes 

one wonder if a similar location exists 

today. 

The nearby town of Lewisburg 

is also a great choice to 

spend time and has good 

accommodations. Check into 

the historic General Lewis 

Inn if you would like to be 

in the middle of downtown. 

Lewisburg also offers foodies 

everything from casual places 

like local favorite the Humble 

Tomato (possibly the best patio 

in town) to fine dining such 

as the popular French Goat. 

The friendly burg with a smalltown 

feeling has a welcoming 

downtown to explore and one 

of the nicest visitors’ centers 

(check out the legendary clean 

restrooms) you’ll find. 

The bunker tour ends in the lobby near 

the bunker. The guide says that the 

bunker was hidden in plain sight 

The bunker tour begins with an 

explanation of one of several blast 

doors. Anyone on the tour must leave 

their camera, phone, and electronic 

devices in a locker during the tour. 

Rooms are lavishly furnished at 

West Virginia’s Greenbrier 

63

Come Home TO 

GRACELAND 

IT WAS THE PLACE ELVIS CALLED HOME 

AND NOW ITS THE #1 AMERICAN ATTRACTION! 

120 HISTORIC ACRES DEDICATED TO 

THE LIFE AND CAREER OF THE LEGENDARY 

KING OF ROCK ‘N’ ROLL. 

SEE GOLD RECORDS, JEWELED JUMPSUITS, 

HIS CLASSIC CARS AND ENGAGE IN 

ALL-NEW INTERACTIVE ACTIVITIES 

THAT LET YOU EXPERIENCE ELVIS 

LIKE NEVER BEFORE. 

THEN, STAY 

WITH US AT OUR AAA FOUR-DIAMOND 

RESORT HOTEL, THE GUEST HOUSE AT GRACELAND. 

64 

GRACELAND.COM 

800-238-2000 | Memphis, TN 

© EPE. Graceland and its marks are trademarks of EPE. 

All Rights Reserved. Elvis Presley © 2021 ABG EPE IP LLC

TravelWorld International Magazine, Summer 2021: Travel is Back!

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