Articles written by John Bryant

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About me - John Bryant

I'm a retired Army officer - married to a retired Army Nurse, too - living in Tucson, Arizona. My wife and I decided when I attended graduate school in the University of Arizona in Tucson in the late 1970s that we would ultimately return to this great part

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Travel > Europe Travel diaries: Italy: 1 of 8
There it was - a gap in my trip planning! We were going to complete a short stay in the Cinque Terre area of Italy and had to be in Portoroz, Slovenia two days later. What to do in addition to trying to satisfy my wife's desire to visit the famous marble quarries of Carrara? Well, a little map reconnaissance and online searc... More..
Travel > Europe (Other) Travel destinations: Slovenia: 1 of 7
Experienced travelers searching for a wonderful time have returned to Croatia, more than a decade after the violent breakup of Yugoslavia from 1991 to 1995. Slovenia on Croatia's northern border and slightly smaller than the state of New Jersey avoided most of the bloodshed and damage of that series of wars but this beautifu... More..
Arts & Humanities > European History The significance of Waterloo in European history: 1 of 4
Waterloo! Despite its having been fought almost 200 years ago, Waterloo remains the most famous battle in world history .. one which ended an empire and permitted almost a generation of peace in western Europe. Why was Waterloo so important, so burned into the pages of history? A bit of historical context. In a time when kin... More..
Travel > United States Oahu, Hawaii: Attractions and activities: 9 of 25
My wife and I were recently able to revisit a tropical paradise in Hawaii, a place we were fortunate to live for many years. A place where one keeps a swimsuit, beachmat, suntan lotion, and sandals nearby. Where men's ties are an unnecessary extravagance and guests leave their shoes at their hosts' front door. Where temperat... More..
Travel > Asia Travel experiences: Last impressions of China: 5 of 12
The initial impression of a first time traveler to Beijing, the capital of the People's Republic of China and, with Shanghai and Hong Kong, one of the country's world class cities, will be the large, new airport and the six lane, ultramodern toll highway to the city's center. Anyone expecting a small, ramshackle airport and ... More..
Travel > Europe Travel experiences: Germany: 9 of 21
Without doubt, Bavaria in southern Germany is one of the most beautiful areas in the world. The lush, rolling green and carefully tended farmland. The beautiful little villages filled with colorful homes, many with bright and intricate murals of faith or labor on their sides. Tall maypoles' in the center of the villages with... More..
Travel > Europe Travel experiences: Lake Garda, Italy: 1 of 2
My wife, a friend, and I recently enjoyed a little time on northern Italy's tremendously beautiful Lake Garda and left convinced the lake and the tiny villages which line it are a travel must at least once in a lifetime. The basics: the lake lies near the southern base of the Italian Alps and is almost equidistant from Veron... More..
Travel > Europe Travel experiences: Mysteries of the Balkans: 1 of 1
Croatia and Slovenia of the former Yugoslavia have been back on the international tourist map for several years - and rightly so - but several other former Yugoslav republics are only recently opening themselves to tourists a dozen years after the end of the Balkans war. In a recent June, however, two couples from Tucson wer... More..
Travel > Boat Travel & Cruises Travel diaries: Christmas aboard Holland American cruises: 1 of 1
Accurately or not, Holland America cruises have a reputation for attracting older' and linen and china' passengers. The line's Mayan Ruins' cruise over Christmas 2006 on board the SS Veendam (1200 passengers, 300 crew) from Tampa was anything but; perhaps the exception which proves the rule. Several friends, my wife, and I a... More..
Travel > Travel Planning & Advice Western France's World War II history tour: 1 of 1
Left to themselves, readers interested in military history might develop vacation itineraries exciting only to themselves. Thankfully, it does not have to be that way. Plans can combine opportunities to visit key military history sites and enjoy contemporary travel attractions, offering something for the husband (or wife) hi... More..