Today would have been Jack's 98th birthday. For those of us who knew him best and loved him most, words cannot describe our profound sense of grief and loss over his passing. Even now. And forever.
Just last week, I came across what I believe to be Jack's last published travel article, written at age 92. He never lost that "thrill of discovery . . . and the delight of rediscovery, digging deeper, revealing hidden treasures not first seen."
At the twilight of a long travel writing career, I realize among the great pleasures and privileges of my journey was the thrill of discovery. Equally satisfying has been the delight of rediscovery, digging deeper, revealing hidden treasures not first seen. An avid travel consumer and long-time freelance travel journalist, I've visited more than 82 countries and sailed on 30 cruises ... up the Amazon, down the Nile and through island archipelagos, dropping anchor in exotic ports of call around the globe, creating indelible memories of the world's fascinating people, places and things.
Here's a sampling of some of my favorites:
Paris without tears
My love affair with this great city began during World War II. A young soldier stationed at a military airdrome near the French capital, I finagled a series of off-duty weekend visits that first captured my heart. I've been back to Paris many more times during the years, never tiring of her lasting endearments, the physical and spiritual essence of what makes Paris Paris. In my view, it's the most romantic city in the world. Getting around this sprawling metropolis is a breeze on the Metro, the city's famed subway system, but nothing beats a walkabout in Paris for a close-up view of the timeless monuments, classic museums and celebrated restaurants of this world-class city that lives up to its own clichés.
In the lilt of Irish laughter
As writer/host of a travel show on a Chicago radio station, I was delighted when the opportunity presented itself to escort a group of our Irish-American listeners to the land of our forefathers. Not only that, we'd get to march in Dublin's annual St. Patrick's Day Parade! On the big day, our group of 50 fell into step behind another troupe of Americans — the famous Mummers Marching Band from Philadelphia. Capped, speckled and spangled, the high-stepping performers led us down O'Connell Street in an explosion of color and sound. Cheering us on along the way, scores of shouting, laughing Dubliners lined the street, giving us a grand warm welcome.
All hail the Queen
A transatlantic crossing aboard the Queen Mary II is a pinnacle travel event. For a self-professed Anglophile, it's even better than that. The most glamorous passenger ship afloat combines the style and grace of the legendary ocean liners of yore with five-star amenities unrivaled by today's most luxurious land-based hotels: world-class entertainment, enrichment lectures and elegant daily sustenance for the body, mind and spirit. Sailing from Southampton to New York with no port calls to break the rhythm of the voyage, we enjoyed the daily QM2 schedule at our own leisurely pace. Orchestrated by the ship's master chef, a symphony of menu selections par excellence were featured daily in an abundant variety of onboard dining venues. Our once-in-a-lifetime grand crossing coming to an end, the great ship slowly passed under the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, her funnel barely clearing the underbelly less than 12 feet above. As we approached New York Harbor, passengers lined the ship's port side, eager to catch a glimpse of the Statue of Liberty in the distance, shrouded in the early morning mist.
Land of the pharaohs
Standing on a wind-swept desert, gazing at the pyramids and nearby Sphinx silhouetted against a cloudless horizon, I was overwhelmed as much by the historical significance of the ancient architectural marvels as by their awesome size. The initial appeal of Egypt's great antiquities might be through the eyes, but their indelible entry into the soul is through the emotions. The realization millions before me had stood in this exact same place paying silent homage to their brooding splendor was both humbling and uplifting. Neither age, nor civic strife, has withered Egypt's primeval beauty nor stilled its ancient voice. The crumbling remains of its fabled past have been restored and preserved, testimony to a vanished civilization that refuses to be lost in history's maze.
Adventure on demand
Whenever people ask "What's your favorite trip?" my answer is always the same: "an African safari." When was the last time a poisonous green mamba sat coiled beneath your chair at an outdoor barbecue? Or a raging bull elephant charged down the road after your open-top safari vehicle? Talk about an adrenaline rush. During a camera safari to East Africa (Kenya and Tanzania), these and other seminal encounters remain as vivid today as when they first occurred: thundering waves of wildebeest on migration across the Serengeti, a lone giraffe blissfully nibbling on a treetop at the Masai Mara Game Reserve, or Samba, the great cats of Africa, in their natural Ngorongoro Crater habitat. If you're planning to visit this exotic wilderness savanna, hurry.
Rendezvous with Ronda
Once in a great while an unexpected discovery crosses your path leaving an indelible mark on your psyche. Ronda, in Spain's Andalusia region, is just such a place. When one of our colleagues went missing, our tour guide Gabriel responded with a flourish, "No problem. To be lost in Ronda is to discover Spain." At the centerpiece of this ancient village, the eighth-century Puente Nuevo Bridge spans a gaping gorge of limestone, offering a spectacular panorama of rocky cliffs surrounding the magical little town. Among Ronda's most captivating attractions is the Plaza de Toros, one of Spain's oldest bullrings, its museum filled with colorful costumes and bullfighting memorabilia. A closer look reveals black-and-white photos of Ernest Hemingway, notorious lover of the bullfights. Actor/director Orson Welles was another aficionado, whose ashes, by the way, are buried at a nearby estate.
Freelance writerJack McGuire is the author of "Grand Crossing, Coming of Age on Chicago's South Side during the Great Depression."
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