RivBrownie
A third generation Los Angelena, my parents instilled in my sisters and me a love for seeking out local wonders. They'd load us into the old family station wagon and take off for Scotty's Castle in Death Valley, Zzyzzx or the Salton Sea. We explored endless mountain backroads seeking out abandoned mines, hanging trees and Old West graveyards. We dug for fossilized sharks' teeth in the San Joaquin Valley, roamed the ineffable Bodi and haunted junk shops of every shape and size. Even now, wandering off the beaten path is my favorite form of travel. Obscure neighborhood churches in Florence, Italy, La Bodega de Santo Thomas in Baja Mexico, a local 'dancehall' (i.e., brothel - oops!) in Istanbul, Turkey, natural hotsprings (swimsuits optional) in Reykjavik, Iceland. Local wonders lie wherever one is willing to stop and look.
