I only have two weeks left in my three month France adventure, and it's a sort of scary thought. This trip has been everything I could have asked for, and I will be returning home a different, more confident guy than I was when I left. I'll write more in detail over the next several…
Camp des Milles isn’t exactly the image one has in mind of southern France. A former tile factory just minutes from the center of Aix-en-Provence, the complex was requisitioned by the French government during World War Two, first to house those suspected of fascist sympathies and later, after the fall of France, as a depot…
This article was supposed to be posted later this month. However, the recent events in Pittsburgh have caused me to move up the timeline. Dillsboro, Indiana is a small town of about 1200 residents roughly an hour outside of Cincinnati. It is rural, conservative, and largely the stereotypical mid-American small town. It is not exactly…
Ever since I was a teenager, I have struggled with depression. While my actual diagnosis is Bipolar II Disorder with severe anxiety, it largely manifests as depression. Sometimes it is just there in the background as a small voice in my head saying that things aren't ok; other times it is crippling, making small things…
It pains me to write these words, but silence is even less an option. I am ashamed to be American. Today I should be writing a piece for Travel Medford about my experience in Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument. But here I am, sitting at my desk, and I can't do it. Too much else needs to…
We had so much in common. We shared a love of exploring the world, of connecting with people, of tasting great food. We shared a desire to remind everyone that people are just people, no matter where they came from or looked like. And we shared a struggle with mental illness, with the voice in…
This past weekend was the one year anniversary - blogiversary - of The Royal Tour, so I thought it would be appropriate to take a look back at this first year, what I've done, and where I am going. First, though, I want to sincerely thank you all for reading and supporting this endeavor. To…
There are places in the world I would expect that my Jewish identity would be at the forefront of my experience. In Israel, I feel a connection to the long history of my people, and pride in the country we have built today. In parts of Europe, I am able to explore where my family…
I turn 37 today. It sounds old as I type it here. And, surprise of all surprises, I'm spending the big 3-7 at an airport and then on a plane, this time headed to New Orleans for a long weekend. Birthdays are always a time for reflection, and I find myself doing just that this…
As I've talked about before, I was diagnosed with Bipolar II Disorder when I was 14. It has taken me decades to come to grips with what that means, and to be in a place where I am comfortable being open about it. On Wednesday nights (assuming I am in town), I help facilitate a…