Robert K Stephen (CSW)

“Travels to a Different Time” : 9August2004: Montreal and Malbaie Quebec: Trip from Montreal to Malbaie

Stayed with in laws in Montreal. Had a great barbequed Porgy with Swiss Chard for lunch before heading out on a 5 hour drive to the Charlevoix region of the Province of Quebec. We slipped out of Montreal heading east with little traffic. Out of Quebec City on the 138 the scenery was glum withContinue reading ““Travels to a Different Time” : 9August2004: Montreal and Malbaie Quebec: Trip from Montreal to Malbaie”

March 2004: Trip into Costa Rican Rainforest

My son Andrew and I headed into the Costa Rican Forest leaving the girls behind for spa day. We left at 08:15 in a minibus with 12 other people. Our guide seemed knowledgeable and some of the facts he related to us that I remembered were. Upon arrival we climbed up towards the mountain andContinue reading “March 2004: Trip into Costa Rican Rainforest“

RKS Wine: Château de la Chapelle Blaye Côtes de Bordeaux 2018

The wine is a blend of Merlot (85%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (15%). As for aromatics blackberry rules supreme. To a lesser extent blueberries, black cherry, root beer and a bit of lavender. I am noticing an increasing streak of root beer in some high alcohol wines. This wine is 14%. On the palate the tanninsContinue reading “RKS Wine: Château de la Chapelle Blaye Côtes de Bordeaux 2018”

RKS Film: “Dead Bride”: Spaghetti Horror Film?

Do you remember those delightfully different Westerns in the 1970’s shot in Spain and Italy. Not only were they enjoyable but they played a role in reviving a languishing genre of film so popular in the 1950’s and 1960’s. The horror genre of film has never really languished but the Italian “Dead Bride” is aContinue reading “RKS Film: “Dead Bride”: Spaghetti Horror Film?”

RKS Travel: How Has COVID Changed Air Travel?

In Toronto little has changed although airport taxis and limousines now have protective plexi-glass screens separating you from the driver. Going to and from the three Greek airports I passed through there were no screens in taxis/limos taking you to and from the airport. Of the 5 September flights I was on each was soldContinue reading “RKS Travel: How Has COVID Changed Air Travel?”

RKS Wine: Alentejano Wines Keep Charging Ahead

If we discuss Portuguese imports of wine to Canada the Douro leads the pack but over the past few years the wines of Alentejano are catching up. Let’s try Valcatrina from the Alentejano from well known producer Casa Santos Lima. Unfortunately, the label only states the wine is made from “typical grape varieties”. Hardly helpfulContinue reading “RKS Wine: Alentejano Wines Keep Charging Ahead”

“Travels to a Different Time” : March 2004: Puntarenas Costa Rica: A Gringo Tourist for a Moment: Canopy Trail Zipper Ride

In some countries you can escape being typecast as a gringo tourist. Costa Rica is not one of them. You participate in gringo attractions you predominate even more. So off to the Canopy Trail Zipper Ride with son Andrew. We were picked at the hotel at 15:30 and had a 90-minute ride to the Ride.Continue reading ““Travels to a Different Time” : March 2004: Puntarenas Costa Rica: A Gringo Tourist for a Moment: Canopy Trail Zipper Ride”

RKS Literature: Passage of the Day: Prostitution and Art Theft

“Beautiful art, like beautiful women, provokes desire. A desire to possess and be possessed, a yearning to have created, a sense of peace and majesty, to hold this sublime proof of the existence of God, who must be great indeed to have created a thing of such beauty. In this manner, if you’ll forgive theContinue reading “RKS Literature: Passage of the Day: Prostitution and Art Theft”

RKS Film: “The Last Out”: Cuban Fodder for Major League Baseball?

“The Last Out” is a PBS POV documentary which you can stream free (assuming you are not geoblocked) until 2November22 at pbs.org and the PBS Video app. It chronicles the trials and tribulations of three Cuban baseball players fleeing the poverty and lack of baseball opportunities to make their career, hopefully, in American professional baseballContinue reading “RKS Film: “The Last Out”: Cuban Fodder for Major League Baseball?”

“Travels to a Different Time” : March 2004: Puntarenas Costa Rica: Face to Face with a Venomous Central American Coral Snake

I was up early so decided to head over the rocks to another beach. I was hoping to see the howler monkeys we have been hearing. So I climbed the rocks and headed to a nearby beach walking barefoot on the sand. No howler monkeys barking away but head down on this early morning IContinue reading ““Travels to a Different Time” : March 2004: Puntarenas Costa Rica: Face to Face with a Venomous Central American Coral Snake”