Superbowl perspective

Superbowl perspective

The Superbowl is over for another year. People are happy or sad about the outcome, based on their life-long affinity for one team or another, or sometimes based more on whim. If someone won last year, that team is sort of automatically served up as the Goliath that...
The surprise of a foot massage

The surprise of a foot massage

Yesterday Ramon surprised me with a foot massage. He has innumerable wonderful qualities, but this has never happened before. I think he’s worried about me. I am too. All U.S. foreign aid – a fraction of 1% of the U.S. budget – has been halted. And...
Mexico City paradise

Mexico City paradise

The Culver family adventure continued in Mexico City with a handful of well-chosen activities, some fortuitous errors, and abundant serious relaxing. It didn’t hurt that there was a holiday during our stay that literally stopped traffic: we just rolled with it....
Wet Week on the Riviera Maya

Wet Week on the Riviera Maya

My sister, brother and I have always gotten together at Mom’s house, and at Dad’s house. We’ve had amazing times together, and been through the rough stuff together at those same places. With Mom and Dad both gone now, we were wondering how...
Digging deeper in Italy

Digging deeper in Italy

There are no words to describe Matera. Even pictures are too small and contained. Video is not bad, but it’s still hard to capture. The old city is deep in what looks like a limestone quarry stretching over miles, with carved stone homes and businesses connected...
Crossing the boot

Crossing the boot

Ali, Shane and I rented a car in Salerno and went on a proper tootle across the ankle of Italy’s boot, stopping in three different places for a couple of nights each. Shane, as per custom, had done his research, and more’s the logic there: this part of the...