Robert K Stephen (CSW)

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”

RKS Literature: Passage of the Day: Museums and the Big Box Office Draw

“Museums want the real deal, but they also want the flash of the celebrity name. They are better off with a small handful of renowned pieces, rather than rooms full of excellent examples of little-known artists. Your average public would flock to an exhibition that consisted solely of Whistler’s Mother before they would grudgingly attendContinue reading “RKS Literature: Passage of the Day: Museums and the Big Box Office Draw”

“Travels to a Different Time”: March 2004: Puntarenas Costa Rica: The Shuttle Bus into Liberia

The hotel description stated there was shuttle service into the town of Liberia. Nothing was stated whether it was complimentary or if there was a charge for using the shuttle service. The trip was 50 minutes and a return trip cost the four of us $80USD. Part of the trip was the road we tookContinue reading ““Travels to a Different Time”: March 2004: Puntarenas Costa Rica: The Shuttle Bus into Liberia”

RKS Literature: Passage of the Day; Bureaucracy at the Ministry!

“You can feel the bureaucratic atmosphere of the Ministry as soon as you enter the hall. The place is infused with the threat of large numbers of people in hiding. Everyone is studiously dedicating themselves to ignoring what you want. Backs are turned as soon as they perceive you are a stranger and might askContinue reading “RKS Literature: Passage of the Day; Bureaucracy at the Ministry!”

“Travels to a Different Time” : 15March2004: Puntarenas, Costa Rica: The Fateful Glass of Water and the “Lucky Lady”

As a North American we are always on alert about European water! It’ll kill you if you are not careful. The food might kill you too so eat at McDonald’s in Paris every night! On a trip to Mexico I had a vicious crippling attack of Montezuma’s that I could only wish on my worstContinue reading ““Travels to a Different Time” : 15March2004: Puntarenas, Costa Rica: The Fateful Glass of Water and the “Lucky Lady””

“Travels to a Different Time” : 15March2004: Welcome to Costa Rica

There are few advantages of having been victimized with a seat at the extreme back end of the plane next to the WC. However with those vacuum powered flushes ringing in my ear goodness me the plane deplaned at the rear making for my quick escape. The airport at Liberia is tiny with only twoContinue reading ““Travels to a Different Time” : 15March2004: Welcome to Costa Rica”