In October 2017 I had the opportunity to spend about three weeks exploring Portugal and the Azores Island of Sao Miguel. I fell in love with the food, the culture, and the countryside while there. (For the posts on the yummies I ate, read Codfish […]
From Codfish to Cozido For sixteen days, Christian and I travelled through Portugal trying all the local foods our appetites could handle. I anticipated the fresh seafood dishes and wines for which Portugal is well-known, eagerly. As a lover of both seafood and red wine, […]
Last year, (2017) I spent three weeks backpacking Asia with one of the other Suitcase Six ladies. Marie and I had an unforgettable time exploring Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, and Hong Kong together. As I reflect on our adventures, I realize we made quite a few […]
The last stop in Thailand for Marie and I was a really special one. Elephants have long been one of my favorite animals and I really wanted to see them when I was in Thailand. That being said, I was very aware of their exploitation […]
Why the country’s criminal justice system is ranked #4 in the world. 2016 was a big year for Singapore prisons systems and criminal justice. There was a change of command with Mr. Desmond Chin taking over as commissioner for the Singapore Prison Service (SPS), replacing […]
The beginning of our 1.5 weeks in Thailand was spent on the west coast, in the town of Krabi. After a short flight from Singapore, and a quiet, 40-minute taxi ride from the Krabi airport to our accommodations at the Bananas Bungalows, Marie and I […]
Of the places I visited in Southeast Asia, Malaysia was one where I experienced the most intense culture shock. This was likely intensified by factors like illness and jetlag, which are not directly related to Malaysia and can be attributed to mistakes we made. None […]
In Southeast Asia, Marie and I spent about 3 days in Kuala Lampur (KL). If we had more time, I would have liked to explore the rest of Malaysia and take a few day trips around the country. I know there are plenty of beautiful […]
The good, the bad, and the ugly sides of the United States juvenile justice system.
In March, I got to spend five days in Singapore with Marie and I fell in love with the place. One of the things I most appreciated about the city was that they make a noticeable effort to protect our planet and create a sustainable […]
