Wednesday, February 29, 2012

One Hundred & Seventy Four Days of Dreaming and Scheming


I haven't written in a while. One hundred and seventy-four days to be exact. I have a string of excuses - writers block, a bad case of ADD, Thanksgiving, Christmas, football season, life - all of the above and then some. I think winter time is a very unproductive time for creative thinking, and  writing  passionately about travel does require creative thinking. Frank Lloyd Wright said the idea was often easy, but the working out of the thing was very hard.  That sentiment certainly applies to writing as well as architecture. Anyway - after numerous encouraging comments from friends and compliments from some unexpected places about The Nomad Architect Travel Blog, I am back in the saddle. I plan to bring you many new posts about off the beaten path travel to hotels,country inns and out of the way bistros unique in character. From the south of France to the Big Apple - From  the deserts of the Southwest to the verdant woods of the Northwest - I will be sharing experiences about places near and far. There will be contributions by guest writers and photographers as well. It is my fervent hope that you will gain some insight into the world of amazing travel experiences and cultures.
 
Some updating is in order here. You may notice the "look" of the blog has been completely changed. Several new items have been added and others expanded. Feel free to click through the various pages and links of the blog, as well as the page tabs at the top to learn more about where to Sleep and Eat. The Design tab has informative links to travel books and other planning information. The About tab details the reasons behind this venture into the virtual ether. The new blog header features the Hotel Marques de Riscal in Elciego, Spain . To learn more about this and other unique hotels and places along paths less traveled read This Week's Featured Place To Sleep Before You Die summary at the top of the right margin of the blog. The header will be changed frequently and will feature other unique sleeping quarters and interesting places for the Nomad to experience.

Finally, to ensure that you get all future posts, please sign up. Just go to the "FOLLOW THE NOMAD ARCHITECT VIA EMAIL" box in the right margin, enter your email address, click Submit and follow the instructions. You can also subscribe to the various feeds under the "SUBSCRIBE" button. And yes, you can even follow the blog on Twitter. This is a new thing for me, but I am all in!! I have been pleasantly surprised to discover the number of page views of the blog and interest from other travel blogs and web sites since it was launched in March of 2011. It is my desire to expand it and bring a unique perspective to more fellow travelers.  And, as always, feel free to comment on posts and other travel experiences you may have had.

So it is LEAP DAY!! Spring is just around the corner. We have recovered from the over indulgence of the holidays and wanderlust is beginning to set in. This blog is all about helping you find that one in a million place that you can only dream of - so welcome one and all to The Nomad Architect....the blog for travelers who refuse to settle.

Back by popular demand - This Week's Video Artist - Adele - My kids gave me her album "21" for Christmas and I am hooked. This girl has the big hair, the big attitude and the big voice. The future of pop and R&B is in good hands with this 24 year old from the UK.  Put on the head phones, click and enjoy.

Travel Quote of The Week - “Traveling is a brutality. It forces you to trust strangers and to lose sight of all that familiar comfort of home and friends. You are constantly off balance. Nothing is yours except the essential things – air, sleep, dreams, the sea, the sky – all things tending towards the eternal or what we imagine of it.” – Cesare Pavese


See You On The Flip Side

thenomadARCHITECT

D.L. Stafford

P.S. If you would like to get a little insight on the pleasure and  pain of traveling with an architect, check out this article by a long suffering wife of an architect - Traveling With An Architect - Check Out The Doorknob . All of it has been verified by my better half.