You are invited to discover an essay collection of Reflections on the interrelated topics of travel and language that freely morphs between being a Journal, a Memoir, a Commentary. Digressions are rife. Source material is drawn from a lifetime of extensive travel, most of it with Beverly, and from the study with her of a number of languages. It's hoped these Reflections will cast back some small measure of significance, interest, and pleasure. These selected comments, all unsolicited, mildly edited, and in reverse chronological order, show we seem to be traveling in the right direction.
The advertising you showed in the embedded clips for Times Square were amazing - smoke rings, waterfalls and The Ball smoke and mirrors set-up. Thank you for sharing all your research. [Ruth Tridgell, Australia]
My current [lecturing] topic is The Traveling Professor Does Chesapeake Bay and . . . I wanted you to know that I enjoyed the excellent Chesapeake Bay presentation on your website again and found lots of good stuff to add to what I normally talk about. That, of course, led to me rereading a number of the excellent accounts of your travels and I want to reaffirm how valuable they are to me as I plan or do my own travels. Those of us who receive your material are a lucky lot and I consider myself privileged to be one of those recipients. [Harold Cones, 2023]
This [posting] was very interesting[, such as] why Brooklyn is called Brooklyn . . . and why a baseball team got the name Dodgers. . . . Excellent research! [Jonathan Bolton, 2023]
Thanks for a remarkable article with even more incredible research . . . [on] such a fascinating subject. [Dwight Mitchell, 2022]
[M]y commendations for all the details/history about the VSOE operations from the early Sherwood days to the current Belmond ownership. I learned a lot. Thanks for sharing your research. [Neil Lang, 2021]
I [just read] this latest [posting on the WTC] and found it very interesting. You do have a knack for ferreting out a lot of interesting details. [Jonathan Bolton, 2020]
I enjoy reading these immensely . . . Thanks so very much for all your incredible travel write-ups! [Julia Geisler, 2020]
As always, [the postings are] awash in information. I loved the histories of Alligator Alley, Cow Palace, and Gothic architecture. Who knew? Who thought about it? [Simi Horwitz, 2020]
Wow, [Coronavirus] times are surely different. . . . I have entertained myself by rereading (again) most of your travel blogs--what a wealth of information you have provided me (us) and I can never thank you enough for the privilege of being included in your valuable education effort! . . . I very much enjoyed your latest Everglades writings. I spent many a year teaching students in the Everglades and Keys and you did such a beautiful job of highlighting what a beautiful and unique place it is. And the underpinning history was incredible, as usual. .. I have learned a great deal from your writings! [Harold Cones, Lecturer, American Cruise Lines, 2020]
Greetings from the Golden Eagle, just leaving Yekaterinburg [Russia] . . . Thanks for [the] email 2019/8 . . . ; very interesting. [Tim Littler, Founder, Golden Eagle Luxury Trains, UK, 2019]
I congratulate you . . . on your continued resilience, curiosity and commitment to passing on your wealth of knowledge to others. [Carter Brey, 2019]
I was thinking about you today. We have some passengers on board who were in New York on the day of 9/11. Chris worked for the NYPD. Your writings of the day and days following, I still find an incredible illustration of what so many went through. I thank you again for that. [Penny Liley, Owner, Hotel Barge Luciole, UK/France]
What a nice "gift" I found from you in my email--great job on the first installment of the Grand New England cruise! I leave Wednesday [by Amtrak] from Newport News to Boston to join a Grand New England cruise [as lecturer], so the timing was perfect. . . . I so very much enjoy reading your efforts. I know you do all this great writing because you love it but how nice of you to share it with all of us so we can enjoy it also. . . . I enjoy it all equally but get special enjoyment from learning about places I have never seen. . . . [Y]our well researched information is so valuable--perhaps not to everyone, but to the curious traveler who wants to know where he is going, it can't be beat. [Harold Cones, ACL Lecturer, 2019]
[In September] we will be in Paris - the place to be after reading your postings, thank you for all the info. [Ruth Tridgell, Australia, 2018]
We rode on the St. Martin Canal last year and so very much appreciated your commentary. Again, thanks for all the work you do on this blog to bring so much enjoyment to so many folks. [Harold Cones, ACL Lecturer, 2018]
I continue to be in awe of your adventures and your writing. I am so glad we crossed paths, although briefly, and I got hooked up with your blog. . . . I have now read all your adventures and gleaned a ton of knowledge and entertainment. . . . I have indeed enjoyed the whole blog, several posts several times. The depth of your articles provide insights on travel that one does not often see, especially in the travel magazines which appear to be written for [those] who do not care to learn of the science and culture of the areas they visit, only of the high-end eating establishments. [Harold Cones, ACL Lecturer, 2017]
Great writeup . . . , I enjoyed it. [Will Van Dorp, Lecturer, Blount Small Ship Adventures, 2017]
I have to tell you that your descriptions of our ethnic background . . . was mind-boggling in its detail and incredibly impressive. You've done us all a service by tracking down our grandfather's route from Minsk through Hamburg to the [US] when he emigrated. . . . Your work on Cassville [and] Rova [Farms in New Jersey] was first-rate. [Gary Gober, 2017]
Your postings are absolutely fantastic! I am really enjoying them and have gone back over several of them a number of times. I always figure I might be able to help you out by finding a mistake or two, but there are no mistakes. It is obvious this is an act of love for you and you do your travels great justice, as well as take us all along with you. Thanks for including me! [Harold Cones, ACL Lecturer, 2016]
You got a nice compliment from our friend Jane . . . After reading your post she commented . . . "he is brilliant". She is a teacher at Anoka College and says she would like to use some of your posts as assignments for her students to analyze and learn from. [Dan Johnson, 2016]
I read your wonderful article about your trip to Gettysburg . . . piecing together many interesting elements. . . . [Y]ou do your readers a great service by offering [articles] . . . that are germane and will expand their knowledge. [Dennis Pearlstein, 2016]
What a spectacular job you are doing with science, geography, history, culture, and about every other topic in the world. [Harold Cones, ACL Lecturer, 2016]
Thank you for taking me to the Galapagos . . . I was surprised by the stats on land v sea visits - going by boat I had always considered the only option - but now I know better! It is so interesting to read your Reflections Vince - the amount of research you undertake is really great. [Ruth Tridgell, Australia, 2015]
I've just come across your site and found a very helpful history, with maps!! for the Thirteen Colonies. I've been working on my husband's family genealogy and some of his ancestors arrived in Plymouth Colony very early. I'm not very familiar with Massachusetts geography and needed some help figuring things out. Your very well-written (i.e. not boring) history along with very plain maps has given me a new perspective. So, thanks a lot! [Deborah Weeks, 2015]
You are truly professorial, not simply in linguistics, but history. I learned a great deal, though I was especially drawn to some of your detours--from [Russian Orthodox] church cars [on the Transsiberian] to the history of the Faberge egg to your discussion of Whistler's Mother . . . [Simi Horwitz, 2014]
Die Berichte sind immer wieder super und lassen einem häufig das Wasser im Mund zusammenlaufen. The reports are super again and again and often make a person's mouth water. [Jürgen Stradtmann, Germany, 2013]
Your urbane travel missives and expressive writing do fit my sense of goodly proportion. I have an e-folder with all your files therein. [Irving Hopkins, 2013]
Once again I was stunned by your research and scholarship. [Simi Horwitz, 2013]
I continue to read with great pleasure your always informative, beautifully written, and carefully detailed "reflections", which have given me literally hours of enjoyment. What a contrast to the often vapid musings one finds on the web. [Paul Klee, 2009]
You are a real master of history and words, and the king of travel! [Darlene Palermo, 2008]
I enjoyed reading your most recent journal entry on Switzerland. What I found particularly interesting is that your writing seems a comment on the interaction of person and place, which I guess is what good travel writing is about. I remember one of our chats on the QM2 was about the nature of self-discovery and travel and how different places can allow for different forms of self expression. [David Wickenden of Four Poofs and a Piano, UK, 2008]
. . . continue your international citizenship. It is making a bigger difference than you even know . . . [Alan Heit, 2008]
A quote from . . . Mohammed, "Don't tell me how educated you are, tell me how much you have travelled" . . . , was used in the The Sydney Morning Herald on July 12. [Ruth Tridgell, Australia, 2008]
Ik kan enkel een voorbeeld nemen, aan hetgeen jij laat zien dat mogelijk is, en hoop met dezelfde ijver er ook ooit zo te staan. Doe zo verder dragende de liefde van je werk en geschiedenis in je leven. I can only take as an example what you show is possible and hope to also be at that point someday with the same zeal. Keep carrying the love of your work and history into your life. [Alex Kenis, Belgium, 2008]
I was very impressed with your reports on your visit to Louisiana. As a travel writer myself . . . I know only too well what is involved on reporting on what you saw and did—your attention to detail is meticulous. [Millie Marshall, 2008]
You are not only a linguist, but historian, chronicler, observer and commentator. Very thorough—very impressive. What a wonderful thing that you do! [Alan Heit, 2008]
You are the most European American I know! [Jessie Beecham, verbal comment, undated]
{Based on two articles excerpted from the website published online in 2007 at ezinearticles.com (qv) "Macaroni Penguins" and "Westbound":} Wow! Congratulations! And such an interesting article to submit! [Chris DiNapoli]; Congratulations! On to bigger and better things!! [Pat Olszewski]; Very exciting! The girls [three greatnieces] will be thrilled to know you are a published writer! [Rosemary Olszewski]; Proud to be related to you. Good job. [Lynette Fjellman]; This is great! Congratulations on your publication. I hope it will lead to more exposure to your website . . . I LOVED the bio sketch also! [Darlene Palermo]; Congratulations . . . that's great. Your brief CV at the base of the Ezine article is "wow". [Ruth Tridgell, Australia]
I really enjoyed the journey with you. . . [F]or me this goes against the old adage that a picture is worth a thousand words. So much time and effort is spent on seeing the world through a view finder. I would prefer to read of another’s visit than just look through the travel snaps. [Ruth Tridgell, Australia, 2007]
[Am reading] the Antarctica story. Read a little at a time so I can digest it properly. Fascinating. You are such a good writer. I feel I am on the boat and know the other people, the ones you describe and have conversations with. [Barry Plaxen, 2007]
You['ve] done real[ly well] . . . From ENY [East New York in Brooklyn] to World Traveler, not too shabby for a Brooklyn Boy. [Joe Saladino, 2006]
Your website is so appealing visually that one is automatically drawn to the content as well. [Darlene Palermo, 2005]
