By Barbara Dodge ITWPA Member I felt like Cinderella riding to the ball at the prince’s castle with my pumpkin carriage and footmen. Actually it was a rented Ford Expedition minivan with my family, but still the thrill was there. I’d always heard about the castles in Ireland and it had been on my bucket list for years to go see Blarney, Dromoland, and Cabra Castles, to name … [Read more...] about Kissing the Blarney Stone
Destinations
Searching for Our Golden Years in Playas del Coco, Costa Rica
By Robert Archibald We were told our Golden Years were before us and something to look forward to. But we could see very little gold in our future if we were to stay home in the U.S. The cost of living, taxes, and medical expenses would just be too high. We began our search for an overseas retirement home starting in Ecuador and fell in love with Cuenca. We plan to go … [Read more...] about Searching for Our Golden Years in Playas del Coco, Costa Rica
Nature’s High Drama Over Portland’s Chapman School
By Jim Rouse Portland, Oregon is known for its scenery, spectacular gardens, and showy roses. But these are not the only nature shows in town. On a cool, early-fall evening, a crowd of over 100 people has gathered on the grassy hill overlooking Chapman Elementary School on the west side of Portland. They are standing around or sitting on blankets. Others have brought chairs … [Read more...] about Nature’s High Drama Over Portland’s Chapman School
The San Blas Paradise
By Luba Nikolayev ITWPA Member One of the joys of traveling is finding a place so untouched, so empty of human presence that it seems as if you are the first person to have ever witnessed it. Such places can be hard to come by, yet just six hours away by boat from the southeast coast of Panama lie more tropical islands than days in a year. Over 300 of these islands are … [Read more...] about The San Blas Paradise
Cliffhanger, Lynnwood’s Late Night Place of Plenty
By William Wayt It’s 10:45 p.m. and I’m sitting in the bar at Cliffhanger Sports Bar & Restaurant in Lynnwood, Washington. I smell the mouth-watering aroma of steaks as a server whisks past me balancing a large tray of food for the party of four sitting behind me. Seems like Lynnwood rolls up the carpet at 10:00 p.m. By then most of the good eating places are closed. … [Read more...] about Cliffhanger, Lynnwood’s Late Night Place of Plenty