Susanne Speaks in the Pioneer Valley

My friends at GoNomad have the good fortune to live and work right up the street from one of the nation's premier liberal arts colleges; Amherst, Massachusetts. And even though I stopped in only briefly, I could feel the free-thinking spirit and smell the sweet pizza slices wafting in from Antonios. You know your in a college town when that happens.

You also know your in a college town when a woman like Susanne Hoder can give a powerful, revealing, 2 hour presentation on her visit to the Holy Land without retribution.

She visited the region for several months staying with Christian, Islam and Jewish families alike; sharing Rosh Hashanah with a Rabbi, Communion with preachers and Ramadan with Muslims. When she returned home she decided to gather her thoughts, photos and film on the subject and share it with America.

Susan provides a rare insight on Middle East tensions, the sensitivities of all three religions and the culprits of why the conflict continues.

"We can't protect Israeli's if we only understand Israeli's," she says. "We also have to understand what's happening to Palestinians if we want to protect Israelis."

Susanne points out that many measures the Israelis take to make Israel safe are actually doing just the opposite. She also points out that the general Israeli public (as well as us Americans) are unaware of the extent of aggression and intimidation used in the West Bank and Gaza Strip to segregate the three cultures. She's right.

Be it the residuals of WWII or the close bonds of a representative democracy or my misunderstanding of the Muslim religion, I've always felt more sympathy with the Jewish plight than the Muslim plight." But this isn't about religion insists Susan.

"This is a struggle about land," she says. It's not an animosity between 2 peoples because of the religion they practice or antisemitism. It's a process of a people loosing their land and water and opposing that process."

Susan goes on to point out flagrant violations of the Geneva Convention including destroying biblical land for shopping malls, settlements and industrial parks for use by one ethnic group alone. Intimidation, hostility, torture and the building of a giant wall called the "Matrix of Control" also cuts the region into pocketed isolated areas.

Of course, this infuriates and instigates the Christian and Muslim Palestinians and if you've ever watch television news it's the car and bus bombings that you'll see, not the forced occupation of privately owned land that's causing it.

There's so much more to this topic but for a travel blog I think I've gone well beyond the parameters of my usual light and fluffy topics. Still, for those interested in learning more visit here and here. Thanks for reading.

Motoring Up to Mohonk

Could a nearly 150 year old resort be so incredible that you need a “Day Pass” to gain entry to the grounds and resort?

My city-slicker engineer friend bailed on Manhattan's mayhem on Monday to discover New Paltz and the Hudson Valley. He'd heard only of a beautiful rustic retreat called the Mohonk Mountain House built in 1868 and wanted to see what it was all about. Being the prototype New Yorker he doesn't own a set of wheels or EZPass but with his old mans' blue borrowed roadster and 200 Grateful Dead concert recordings, he was in luck. He swapped the underground subways and stench for unspoiled wilderness and Victorian splendor.

Grinning ear-to-ear my friend could see the Mohonk a few miles outside of New Paltz. Little did he know that a surly security guard awaited his arrival.

"Drivers license and day pass please" demanded the guard.

"I'm not a guest - just want to see the place before I decide to stay," says happy motorist.

"Can't do it sir. Not allowed," grumps big brother.

My buddy's brain goes into overdrive and manages to woo the guard long enough for a 1 hour curtsy around the grounds. Maybe it was the miserable weather on Monday but the guard let him past the Fort Knox-like interrogation.

In record time, happy motorist enjoys hiking trails, rock formations, views of the lake, tennis courts, golf course, award-winning gardens, horseback riding and the sprawling architecture of an oak-paneled historical landmark. It sounds like the place was beyond all expectations and maybe worthy of the $20 day pass entrance fee.

So, pick a nice day, gather your camera and call 1-800-255-1000 (information desk) to score a $20 day pass and avoid the grumpy dude at the front. Let me know what you find.

Yale's Think Tank

Wish I could proclaim this gem mine but rather it belongs to Elfi's photostream.

Second only to Harvard, Yale has one of Ivy League's biggest coffers to spend on improvements and education. Looking at it you can tell it has to be a wealthy, highly intellectual and an enlightening campus.

And look I did - stare is more like it. Unlike Princeton, Harvard or Brown, Yale's eye candy today was the quintessential expression of neo-Gothic revival. As I drove through the campus, I pulled the car over repeatedly to examine the decorative friezes, arches, turrets and towers. Then I discovered it's true worth.

One of the 12 on-campus libraries is the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library. It holds a special collection of original manuscripts about a belief called "secular humanism." Secular Humanism is a anti-authoritarian philosophy first written about 2,500 years ago by Socrates and Confucius. It emphasizes the importance of reason, empathy, scientific evidence and compassion for others to form a persons values and views of the world. I liked it and delved deeper.

Millions of people around the world agree with the humanist philosophy of living a happy and productive life based on reason and compassion. Some of these great humanists I found include Isaac Asimov, Einstein, Albert Schweitzer, Mark Twain, Benjamin Franklin, Freud, Carl Sagan, Mozart, Beethoven, Voltaire, John Lennon, Katharine Hepburn, Abraham Lincoln and Thomas Jefferson.

It's far too late for me to attend Yale (even in my dreams) but I'd be in great company if I applied to humanism as my own belief system. Count me in as enrolled!

"My country is the world and my religion is to do good."

—Thomas Paine

Casting Spells in Salem, MA

I've not read Nathaniel Hawthorne's novel "The House of the Seven Gables" nor watched the movie nor score the chance to tour Salem's premiere historic site by the same name. But the place no less made a huge impact as I roamed Salem in search of ghosts and goblins.

Built in 1668 the address is on The National Register of Historic places as the oldest surviving 17th century wooden mansion in New England. Hawthorne was so inspired by the "secret staircase" he penned a literary classic around it. It's not far from the Capital Region, only a few miles north of Boston and the ideal vacation haunt this Halloween.

It's not hard to spot and once you see it you too will be spellbound. There are 'seven acutely peaked gables' (a line from Hawthorne's book), one giant clustered chimney and a centuries old elm still bearing leaves. A sturdy brown fence wraps around the front facing an ocean bay dotted with shiny new sailboats and yachts, a gratuitous window on the present. The narrow broken streets surrounding The House of Seven Gables invites visitors into a Colonial past with well preserved Federal brick mansions that the likes of Alexander Graham Bell and John Tierney might have lived in. The gardens should be at their peak in a few weeks as will lobster-eating season.

Salem is known for the tragic Witchcraft Trials of 1692 and tourism caters to that image with witch-themed museums, kitchy wax shows and cemetery tours. Even police cars have witch logos and the high school football team is called The Witches. I caught sight of a purple-robed witch sporting a broomstick and crooked nose handing out pamphlets for the official Witch Museum. Tempting but wait for a full moon for the full effect.

A true story - my buddy Doane called my cell while I was videotaping the Gables. Sure enough, the signal splintered and choked into a dozen sordid fragments until, less than 10 feet away, he called back and the clarity improved greatly. Could I have been standing directly in the path of a lingering spirit from spookier days? Quite possibly. Visit and let Salem cast a spell over you too.

A Turtle Named Chavez

First, the little girl offered me a bright yellow dandelion.

"This is for you!" she mumbled and then ran away.

In the middle of a bite of a free cheeseburger I chomped quickly to say 'Thank you.'

She headed for the grassy hill and swooped up her pet turtle and brought it to my picnic table.

"What a precious pet! What's his name?" I asked.

"It's Chavez." she said meekly.

"Yikes," I thought to myself but anyway. "Good name- he even looks like a Chavez," I tell her.

Little surprises like free Wednesday night grilling at the Candlewood Hotel in Burlington, Massachusetts and cute children offering me pretty flowers are why I love traveling. Exploring Massachusetts this week is not like I'm even working... up and down strange streets in search of parks, playgrounds, hip clubs, rowdy restaurants, great architecture and aerial views of Boston. The people I meet along the way, including the cops who question what I'm doing with a camera in a playground (good point) are the icing on the cake. Twice now I bumped into Officer Kirkland in Quincy; a third time and he might offer me an assignment with the department.

Today I'm off to Salem where ghosts, witches and spooky stuff will no doubt interfere with my videotaping. The frequency or wavelength or signal of spirits always competes with my wireless microphones.... it's a haunting presence but undeniable!

Boston's Beacons of Hope

Not since 1987 have the Boston Celtics made it to the NBA Finals. Tonight they take on Kobe's Los Angeles Lakers in home game 6 at the Fleet Center in downtown Beantown. Not being a basketball fan how do I know this? Thousands of screaming fans sporting green t-shirts that read "Beat LA" told me so as I videotaped exteriors of the "Gahden" tonight.

Navigating the city streets is not easy with mobs of basketball fanatics pouring out of pubs and waving pennants and banners. Traditional scalpers haggle with fans hoping for a seat with a view even if that means shelling out hundreds of dollars. Tow trucks sit idling waiting for someone to break the rules. The local television network stations park their Satellite trucks and jimmy jibs in clear view of the mayhem and action. I can literally smell team spirit from all the tailgate parties grilling burgers and dogs and cracking open Sam Adams.

Earlier a short burst of rain and fog helped drop the temps and clear the skies for a glorious sunset over the Leonard P. Zakim Bunker Hill Memorial Bridge. A unique cable-stayed bridge that crosses Charles River and quickly became a famous icon in Boston. Not surprising, I conveniently got lost and drove back and forth between the North End and Charleston just to nab every vantage point of this architectural gem.


Speaking of architecture, earlier today I made a pit stop at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum. Time was essential so I skipped the tour and stood briefly in quiet reflection under the glass pavilion overlooking Boston Harbor. Surrounded by famous JFK quotes, a hanging flag and the coveted sterling-silver lantern called the "Profile in Courage Award", I felt the legacy and memory of a President that many political pundits today are comparing Obama to. It's one of Boston's most popular tourist attractions and busiest archives and research facilities in the world.

Healthy, Wealthy and Wise

Franklin, Massachusetts has the country's oldest public library, a renowned Dance and Theater college known as Dean and a fantastic Whole Foods Market just up the street. It was named after Benjamin Franklin in 1778 and contains 116 of his books, the first public collection in the nation. I'm on assignment again in the Commonwealth Communities of Massachusetts. This state is so beautiful and steeped in history it suits me just fine to be here all week. My 2 favorite Ben Franklin quotes are "At 20 years of age the will reigns, at 30 the wit, at 40 the judgment" and "Early to bed and early to rise makes a (wo)man healthy, wealthy, and wise." Oh dear... look at the time. Goodnight.

Frank Sinatra's Hoboken

For an alternative to Manhattan with even better views of the Hudson and the city skyline try Hoboken. Yes, Hoboken. You'll be pleasantly surprised by its history, lush parks and ethnic restaurants, many that spill onto Washington and Willow Ave.

One of my clients requires that I videotape cities like Hoboken from the inside out so I really get to know the vicinity, even better than most of the locals. I shot endlessly for 2 days, 9 hours each day stopping only briefing to enjoy Benny Tudino's - home of the largest slice (also a crowded landmark destination), a tiramisu crepe at Crepes Grill and an earful of late night live music at Pier A Park with Midtown as a spectacular backdrop. I tend to eat and drive at the same time but the 12" slice of pie was so big it barely fit behind the steering wheel. Pepperoni and cheese that obstructs driving... I never thought I'd see the day.

A Midtown friend arrived in less than 15 minutes on the Path Train from 33rd and I showed him a revived waterfront he's been missing. From the Verrazano to the George Washington Bridge there before us, while walking Frank Sinatra Way, lay a 180 degree view of bustling and busy Manhattan, all lighted up with a dozen sailboats and pleasure craft motoring up and down the Hudson River. I was surprised to even see fishermen at the end of the pier casting lines and catching trophy size fish.

Hoboken is not the Frat Boy Scene that it was once known for. Steven's Institute is a haven for techheads but luxury apartment rentals, like Maxwells keep popping up along the shoreline attracting families, rich commuters and retirees. Construction crews working for million dollar projects are reshaping entire blocks. This old port city used to be occupied by surface parking lots and abandoned factories -- not any more. Riverfront dwelling units are sprouting up everywhere and bringing with it gentrification and smaller crime rates. It used to be that people who were priced out of Manhattan would cross the Hudson for cheaper alternatives but based on the real estate posters it seems just as inflated albeit more square footage.

By foot or by bike, give Hoboken, the promenade and the considerable green space parks a visit. Or by car take the Lincoln or Holland tunnels. For you baseball fanatics this city even claims to be the birthplace of baseball with the first game supposed played in 1846 at Elysian Fields (11th and Washington). Then again, it's a magnet for people of all walks of life.

Con Ed to the Rescue

Winds whipped through the Upper West Side of Riverside Park in Manhattan leaving tree carnage blanketing car hoods, electricity polls, old stone walls and historic brownstones. On Wednesday evening, a friend and I went scouting for a place to dine when we came across a swath of broken limbs and uprooted trees taped off from pedestrian traffic along the walkway. Old Oaks, Maple and Dogwood split and cracked like toothpicks from 100 mph winds that morning. From about 105th to the Soldiers and Sailors Monument a powerful thunderstorm and what I suspect might have been a rare super cell phenomenon ravaged the area. Cars like this shiny new Beamer lay merciless under the weight of an ancient trunk. Brooklyn, the Bronx and the Metropolitan area were hit just as bad. About 150 workers cleared away an estimated 150 trees and 230 tree limbs with heavy equipment. My friend and I surveyed the incredible damage with astonishment and disbelief.

Born to Sing and Dance in Borneo

Deep in the heart of a lush jungle an event of mythical proportions will take place one month from today. Dozens of world musicians with traditional instrumentals as exotic and unusual as the island itself will perform for 3 days. They will play strange but beautiful-sounding beats and rhythms from their African, Australian, Celtic, Chinese, Cuban, Greek, Indian and Middle East homelands. The indigenous music will resonate for thousands of fans in an ecosystem that's refuge for many endemic forest species like the elephant, rhino and tiger .

Yes, PilotGirl is bouncing to the other side of the planet Earth for the Rainforest World Music Festival next month, a rare and treasured opportunity on the world's third largest island. Concert, jam sessions, lectures and workshops will celebrate the diversity of "world music" from dawn to dusk. Our escort will also showcase the cultural, historical and environmental highlights of Borneo along with food and drink under the stars. I'll be bringing home miles of footage, professional audio recordings and an article for the TU, so keep up with the blog when I get there.

Doggie Paddling Lake Sacandaga (or SacanDOGa)

The canoe nearly capsized on Lake Sacandaga but Rocco wouldn't have cared. Moreover, the paddling would have done him good. My plump pooch is looking more like me in the pouch everyday. He was board and restless and whined like a baby the whole trip. Try as I might to hold him back he paced the canoe floor like walking a plank. As we neared the shoreline he hurled himself off the side, into the deep and doggie paddled to the beach. Everything we brought including lunch was covered with wet fur, sticky sand and black flies. Fortunately, the water was warm, clean and clear and the weather was just as perfect. Next time I'm retrofitting an inner tube with a dog leash and dog holder, tying it to the back of the canoe, and setting him inside. That way he can paddle like crazy or take breaks when he wants to - all the while helping me pull or push the canoe from ahead or behind. Stay tuned for this wacky invention I thought of on the way home this weekend...

Paddling the Years Away

Mutti celebrated her 65th on Friday, a hallmark moment. When asked what she'd like for her birthday: "Take me canoeing!" was her response. She snubbed the pedicure offer, the day trip to Belmont and shoe shopping at Crossgates.

So, despite the oppressive humidity this weekend we're going trawling for tires in conjunction with National River Cleanup Week along the Mohawk. Doesn't that sound grand? Yes, boatfulls of trash and debris scatter the Mohawk when the snow melts for the season and last Wednesday volunteers got a heads start on the process for us. If we leave Rocco behind we can pile the pails of garbage even higher in the canoe provided a motorboat wake doesn't tip us over! We've already biked, walked and run alongside the Mohawk so canoeing is what's left. Happy Birthday Mutti!

Growing Weary of Lofty Rhetoric

Harry Truman said "My choice early in life was either to be a piano player in a whorehouse or a politician. And to tell the truth, there's hardly any difference".

4 days before Independence Day Preston returns from Iraq, 30 pounds lighter and decades older in experience. With his safe return (fingers crossed), a wild and crazy party will welcome he and his twin brother Jeff home. Jeff has seen some scary stuff as an E7, having made the military his career 14 years ago and served 2 tours in Iraq since 2003.

Both are my stepbrothers and both are arguably doing what comes natural, an engrained obligation or duty as a result of growing up with a father who responds best to 'Sarge.'

But with their commitments fulfilled and personal lives as dads and husbands back to normal, or as normal as possible after being in combat, what's next for Preston and Jeff?

Some would find this surprising but come Election day in November none of us are voting for McCain or at least that's what Sarge will order and hope we do.

The Obama and/or Clinton camp has our vote and frankly who's more qualified to voice an opinion on Iraq than the soldier in the trenches? So I'm taking my cue from the boys on how to make things better for the U.S. and Iraq and the Democrats have it.

Still, Truman was onto something. Regardless of who's in the hot seat next year or the year after or after that, will the war in Iraq, the environment, the economy, education, immigration or health care improve, stay the same or get worse? Lofty rhetoric by wanna-be Presidents and too many op-ed pieces by the cynics (thanks Maureen Dowd) is making me weary, jaded and suspicious. And there's still 6 months to go before November. Uggghh. Wake me up when it's over.

Patriotic Gestures

I nearly forgot to mention (thank you Buzz) this beautiful Old Glory I saw draped over this beloved little cottage home near Humarock, MA last week.

It was during Memorial Weekend that our car squealed to a stop so I could jump out and snap a few shots. The owners must hire a crane and several extra hands to help canvas their roof top with the biggest flag I ever laid eyes on. Jen says that it's showcased every year around this time. Signs on the windows read "Thanks for your support. Pass it on to our veterans and troops" and "Tune to 88.7 for Patriotic Music."

Flag afficionados will argue that traditional customs limit the displaying of the flag from sunrise to sunset and only twenty-four hours a day if properly illuminated at darkness. Rules even govern the draping of flags including never draping over the hood, top, sides, or back of a vehicle, train or boat. But, here the flag works because it hangs vertically with the field of stars to the left of anyone looking at it from the street. See what having a veteran stepdad and two stepbrothers in the Army does to a tree-hugging environmental pacifist...

Dishing Dirt Irish-Style

After a long weekend of shooting an independent film in NYC Adrienne took me out for cocktails. Andrea is from "the Emerald Isle" with an adorable accent that scores her access to people and places the rest of us can only dream of.

She's been a leading DGA Production Assistant for two decades. Notable movies like "Margo and the Wedding", "The Thomas Crown Affair", "Vanilla Sky", "Sweet Home Alabama" and all 6 seasons of "Sex and the City" have secured her a comfortable future and friends around the world. And to think she landed in American 20 years ago without a degree or dollar to her name looking for no more than au pair work in California? Now, at 40 years of age the last thing on her mind is childcare. I instantly felt a connection with her traveling lifestyle.

"Storytelling is a thorny business" said Saint Patrick but Andrea pushes past that and can captivate an audience like an on-stage Irish televangelist. When she talks people listen, intensely, glued to her every provocative and humorous tale of behind-the-scenes mayhem and pop star gossip.

At a local pub on the Upper West side the bartender, by coincidence, was from the same wee-little town north of Dublin as Andrea. He graciously set us up for the night with cocktails. And what a night it was. I picked her brain and she dished dirt (make that 'peat') on her favorite and not-so favorite directors, producers, actors and camera crews. None of which I can disclose because I'm pushing her to publish a memoir, a bestseller for sure and one she could easily find publication for. By midnight my head was spinning with celebrity scuttlebutt and sweet and sour margaritas.

It was time to leave and after saying goodbye to my new favorite Gaelic gal but before landing in bed, I landed on my face. Yes, I took a tumble on the dreaded streets of New York. It wasn't a pothole or man cover but rather a small dog leash that tripped me up. Down I went, tearing a hole in my jeans and smashing my knees. If SATC were still in production Andrea might have found that funny enough to use as a bit in the show. Then and only then would the embarrassment have been worth it!