travel

Eurotrip 2024 After Action Report

Quintus Curtius Travel & Exploration , , , ,

Every man should periodically make an intense sojourn.  The destination matters less than the journey itself, for it is the act of discovery that soothes the turbulent soul.  I recently returned from a 10-day trip to Europe, during which I visited Amsterdam, Italy, Spain, and Portugal.  I wanted to summarize my impressions here.  You have heard and read, no doubt, an endless number of travel accounts by countless authors.  Much of what I say may already be known to you.  But there is still some value, I think, in hearing these things from a voice with a different inflection.   

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With More Success Come More Responsibilities And Burdens (Podcast)

Quintus Curtius Podcast , , , , , , ,

Some people think that as they become wealthier and more successful, their lives will resemble that of an idle aristocrat. They believe they will finally reach a point of perfect comfort. The reality is very different. With more success come more work, and more responsibilities, not less. You will have to develop a whole new set of skills to adapt to these changed circumstances. But you can do it.

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Should I Stay Or Should I Go? (Podcast)

Quintus Curtius Podcast , ,

A reader writes to ask for advice on whether he should travel to the US to attend college.  His family wants him to stay where he is, but he longs for wider horizons and new opportunities.  Each option has advantages and drawbacks.

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Ponta Delgada, San Miguel, The Azores

Quintus Curtius Travel & Exploration , , ,

I arrived in Ponta Delgada on the island of San Miguel in the Azores early yesterday morning.  I have had a chance to do a bit of exploring of the city, and have some short trips lined up for the coming week.  I’m very impressed so far; the climate is temperate and pleasant, and the overall “feel” of the city is very congenial.  I was surprised at how different the idiom here is compared to the style of Portuguese spoken in Brazil.  It is very different, at least to me.

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Mundaú, Brazil

Quintus Curtius Travel & Exploration , , ,

When a man is exposed to different modes of life, his sense of understanding and sympathy is correspondingly activated.  Preconceptions and prejudices begin to recede into the mist, and steps are made, perhaps still hesitatingly, towards a feeling of human commonalities.  And things that may once have seemed to be so important in our own lives take on a much more diminished aspect.

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Monstrous And Inconceivable: Jack London Builds His Ship To Sail Around The World

Quintus Curtius Podcast , , , ,

“Monstrous and inconceivable” was how Jack London described the conception and construction of his yacht Snark, the vessel on which he planned to sail around the world. The construction was beset by delays, cost overruns, and incompetence.  London fought through the obstacles, even teaching himself celestial navigation while en route to Hawaii.  This podcast describes his thoughts on building it, his problems and obstacles, and the true spirit of discovery. We then close with some tweet readings from the G Manifesto.

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Coming Full Circle

Quintus Curtius Thought , ,

As a man hopefully grows in experience and knowledge, he will begin to notice a curious thing.  The knowledge that he continues to acquire, and the sights that he continues to see here and there, subtly redirect him back to where he first departed.  It is almost as if some grand cosmic joke is at work.  Now when I say we return to where we first started, I do not mean that we return as ignorant as when we first left.  We have grown, matured, and become more complete; there is no going back to the old ways and old days.  And yet, as knowledge grows, we begin to long for the places of our youth:  the sights and sounds of our younger days, and the pleasant connections to eras past.  Wisdom reduces all things to their essentials.

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Ibn Qalaqis On The Importance Of Travel

Quintus Curtius Literature , , ,

The poet Nasrallah Ibn Abdallah Al-Qalaqis (نصر اللّه بن عبد اللّه القاضي الأعزّ ابن قلاقس) was born near Alexandria, Egypt in 1137.  He was a master of language and a composer of many exquisite verses, and was also an intrepid traveler.  The name by which he is generally known (Ibn Qalaqis) is derived from the Arabic word for colocasia, a plant cultivated in his day for its medicinal qualities.  His biographer tells us (with a twinkle in his eye) that “He had so little beard that his face was quite bare and, for that reason, verses were composed against him, which I abstain from mentioning on account of their indelicacy.”  One wishes that these lampoons might have been preserved, if only to see how little insults have changed over the centuries.

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Impressions Of Belo Horizonte, Brazil

Quintus Curtius Podcast, Travel & Exploration , ,

I spent the recent holidays in Belo Horizonte, which is the capital of the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais.  It was a fantastic trip, and I wanted to give readers my impressions of the city.

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