Hiking Adventures in the San Francisco Peninsula and Beyond
Troll Forest, above Bergen I was driving south on Highway 101 yesterday, toward San Jose. It was early morning, my regular commute since 2013, before the pandemic last year brought it to a grinding halt. It was early enough for 101 not to be its usual parking lot. I was listening to NPR, as customary, and the … Continue reading One Week in Norway
Coronado Beach, San Diego It is another drought year in California. Our hills are golden brown. Parched. Fall seems to be arriving early, with colors either turning or appearing to do so. Fire-red poison oak, usually that hue in September and October, dots the hillsides. The contrast between our flowing rivers and the Pacific Ocean, on one hand, and the … Continue reading The Golden State
View from the Oat Hill Mine Trail above Calistoga Some notes and observations: Calistoga is a wellness resort, founded in 1862 by Samuel Brannan, who, legend has it, had hoped to create the Saratoga (a renowned hot springs in New York) of California, and instead, after a beverage or two, founded the California of Saratoga, … Continue reading Calistoga
It should bother me, perhaps, that in my late forties I have gotten no closer to visiting Brazil than these Mundo Novo beans (pictured above), from one of my favorite local roasters, Liminal Coffee, discovered earlier this year at the San Mateo, California farmers’ market. In response to my third posting in the past week of … Continue reading Morning Musings
Roma Senza Glutine We continue our food and beverage theme (https://johnpavolotsky.com/2021/01/28/in-search-of-the-perfect-cup/), with a trip around the world in search of gluten-free delights. We start in Rome, the mecca of gluten free dining. Roma Senza Glutine, a treasure trove of gluten free breads, crackers, biscuits, and other goodies, was but a short walk from our flat in Trastevere. … Continue reading International Adventures in Gluten-Free Dining
Fish sculpture This fish, comprised of ocean trash, caught my eye in downtown Bandon. I have always been sensitive to the health of the ocean, but this sculpture brought the reality home. An important message can be lost without the right presentation. Comments welcomed.
It is a tough time to be a travel writer. As a baker needs flour, so does a travel writer need fresh sights, smells, sounds, experiences, inspiration. Of course, writing about past adventures is an option. For example, I could tell you about a brilliant day last autumn, cool morning, warm afternoon, mild evening, starting … Continue reading Spanish Steps
Friends, I am considering a number of topics for new posts, including Indian Summer (in Northern California) and reflections on trips to Switzerland. What is your vote? Thank you.
Montecatini Alto, part of a 3-day visit to Tuscany last October, could not be farther from the current reality of 24-hour catastrophe TV, coronavirus memes, no live sports, shelter-in-place (house arrest), new (home-based) co-workers, distance learning (Zoom videoconferences and Google Hangouts Chat), social distancing (isolation), deep cleaning (usually reserved for unpleasant dental visits), hyper-local (neighborhood-based) … Continue reading Montecatini Alto
If I cannot travel, I might as well reminisce. Viareggio is a quintessentially Italian seaside town on the Tyrrhenian, equidistant from Pisa and Lucca (https://johnpavolotsky.wordpress.com/2019/11/30/lucca/), our base for a 3-day visit to Tuscany this past October. The vibe is art deco. A certain timelessness pervades Viareggio; it seems that little has changed, and but for … Continue reading Viareggio
The Peninsula Hiking Club 