: About Me

Since childhood I have harbored a lively curiosity about the world and the people who inhabit it. As I matured, I narrowed my academic training to the field of history, but I have continued to pursue lifelong collateral interests in the natural sciences, languages, and the arts. Given my interests, it is not surprising that I eventually gravitated to a career in museums. My resume includes stints as a historic site manager and historian, museum planner, executive director of a state museum, and CEO of a private historical society. My work has enabled me to indulge interests as diverse as U.S. and European history, antique firearms and decorative arts, wildlife, ecology, paleontology, transportation, social customs, the history of technology, architecture, and the visual arts.

My life course has put me in touch with people from many lands. My wife is a native of Cuba who came to the U.S. at the age of 17. Our family, friends and acquaintances include people from Cuba, Spain, Mexico, Argentina, Great Britain, the Netherlands, Finland, Denmark, Russia, Bosnia, Romania, Hungary, and Japan. Our two children also have established cross cultural relationships.

In a sense, therefore, the world has come to me, but I also am in love with travel, especially travel related to nature, culture, and history. I have managed to visit 42 of the 50 U.S. states and nine foreign countries. The highlight of my life was spending thirteen consecutive months in Europe doing historical research. I also have arranged and conducted group travel. Not only do I relish experiencing new places, I enjoy sharing my experiences with others through writing and photography.

Another passion is music, my favorite genres being the European classics and the folk music of many cultures. Finally, I confess a lively interest in college football and basketball, especially in the fortunes of my alma mater, the University of Florida. Although a native of Tennessee, I grew up in the Sunshine State and am a proud citizen of the Gator Nation.

Travel > Travel Planning & Advice Best vacation destinations

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In an America infatuated with youth and novelty, there is one place where "old" is the adjective of choice. That place is St. Augustine, Florida. Founded in 1565 by the Spanish, St. Augustine is the oldest continually occupied settlement of European origin in the continental United States. For most of its history, St. Augustine was a "presidio," a military garrison town. Its principal functions were to maintain a foothold for Spain in southeastern North America and to defend the routes of the Spanish treasure fleets, which sailed along the east coast of Florida before turning toward home. ...

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