Farsighted Fly Girl

Barbuda The reports of Hurricane Irma's destruction across the Caribbean region   has left me worried and with my stomach in knots. After watching how Hurricane Harvey pounded Texas, and how Irma continues to menace Florida, it's doubly concerning because the Caribbean doesn't get the visibility or response that the U.S. commands. The islands of the Caribbean are more than just vacation spots, they shelter a people and a culture that I know and love. After hearing from friends and researching reports, it's clear that donations are needed more than anything else to start a rebuilding process that will probably take years. The most extreme devastation happened on Barbuda,  the tiny sister island to Antigua whose proud citizens and pink sand stole my heart years ago. The island has been almost completely wiped out, leaving Barbudans homeless and evacuated to Antigua. St. Thomas, Anguilla, St. Martin and parts of Cuba are also challenged with trying to recover fr...

Because it's cold, rainy and dreary in Chicago and because I live close to arctic winds and far, far, away from paradise, I've been contemplating the most beautiful beaches I've ever visited. My criterion for beauty doesn't just involve physical attractiveness. I also consider the clarity of the water, color and texture of sand and if there are distinguishing cultural indicators like music, food or dress. Using those requirements, here are my top five most beautiful beaches: 1. St. Lucia Of course. From the warm, crystalline water to the sweep of the Pitons overlooking powdery stretches of beach, St. Lucia comes as close to Eden as I've ever seen. 2. Barbuda You've just never experienced paradise until you've laid on a pink sand beach. Tiny Barbuda boasts a stunning combination of turquoise water and pink sands. The sand is so dazzling that I keep glass bottles of it all over my house. 3. Bahia Rio may claim the fame and glitz but the beaches ...

So it's 10 below zero in Chicago. My forehead feels immovable from being exposed to the skin-slapping wind. People always expect Chicagoans to be used to the weather but you never get used to brutal temperatures. You just adjust. Adjustment for me means focusing on my many tropical travels. I've gazed at tons of gorgeous beaches but the most unforgettable was Barbuda's pink sand shoreline. Stretching for 10-miles non-stop, with nary a beach towel or umbrella stand in sight, Barbuda's beaches resemble true paradise. I keep two bottles of the blush-colored sand on my bookshelf. Today I've been staring at it hoping it will transport me to Barbuda or at least transmit a bit of the tiny island's heat. It hasn't worked. At least I have my memories. The most vivid of which is spending hours in postage-stamp-sized Codrington Airport. The waiting area and outside yard serves as Barbuda's socializing mecca. Women lounge around to discover who's flying in or...