Hops Trains and Backpacks

Category: Other Interests

  • January’s 10 Best Stories in Travel

    Photo: January at Labrador Mountain, Truxton, NY I’m here to share with you my favorite stories of the month from around the web. All have an international flavor, many explore the unseen side of the places we hear about in the news. If you’re wary of traveling there, at least you’ll be able to visit…

  • Making it Mexican Street Food

    Mexico, despite popular misconception, is not the land of crunchy tacos, ground beef, and shredded cheddar cheese. It is the land of chili, lime, cilantro, and onion. Lime, chili, cilantro, and onion (and meat) on a tortilla are the essence of a taco. Likewise, in Mexico, lime and chili (hot sauce, especially Valentina brand) can…

  • Xochimilco, Mexico City

    Xochimilco is known as the Venice of Mexico for its picturesque canals. It also happens to be the hometown of my wife and thus our home for the holidays during the last week of December and first week of January. The photos included here are from the streets, market, and and show my take on…

  • Statement of Purpose

    Hand-drawn map from Jack Kerouac’s diary (Source) Journey With Maps. In part, an homage one of my favorite writers, Graham Greene, whose first travels outside Europe led to the travelogue Journey Without Maps, as well as Jack Kerouac, John Steinbeck, and others. As one of the worst winters in memory fades away comes the urge…