Cultura Magazine

Category: Blog article

  • Journeying Through Memories of Illinois Route 3: Brooklyn

    Part 7 of personal reflections and historic explorations of the Grafton to Cairo length of Illinois Route 3 by writer and poet Richard Stimac. I’ve been to a strip club twice, both associated with my military service. A friend of mine and his older brother were both army veterans. When I enlisted, they decided on a pre-shipping-off-to-basic-training trip…

  • Journeying Through Memories of Illinois Route 3: Granite City

    Part 6 of personal reflections and historic explorations of the Grafton to Cairo length of Illinois Route 3 by writer and poet Richard Stimac. I was once a zombie. A local indie production company filmed a horror movie in my hometown of Granite City, a Rust Belt steel town with more than enough on-location sets for any post-apocalyptic…

  • Hey, Who’s Nicked our Henry Moore! ‘Reclining Woman: Elbow’, off to Kew Gardens

    For as long as I’ve been using Leeds Central Library, located next to the art gallery, it’s been part of the landscape. Since 1982, Henry Moore’s Reclining Woman: Elbow has dominated the public gathering place that has hosted all sorts of civic comings and goings over the years. On breaks from the laptop on warmer…

  • Journeying Through Memories of Illinois Route 3: Kayaking at Grafton

    Part 5 of personal reflections and historic explorations of the Grafton to Cairo length of Illinois Route 3 by writer and poet Richard Stimac. More than one company rents kayaks by the hour, but paddling the Illinois River is a task. Both the Illinois and the Mississippi contain a nine-foot channel lock-and-dam system to maintain…

  • Journeying Through Memories of Illinois Route 3: Scouting on Wood River

    Part 4 of personal reflections and historic explorations of the Grafton to Cairo length of Illinois Route 3 by writer and poet Richard Stimac. My Boy Scout troop used to camp at the mouth of the Cahokia Creek Diversion Channel. We didn’t choose the location for the name but because it was where the Lewis…

  • Santa Cruz de Tenerife—Exploring a City of Contrasts

    Intersected by the dormant volcano of Mount Teide, Tenerife is a story of two halves. While the sunworshipper pilgrimage tends to head south for the beaches and pretty much guaranteed dry, warm weather, tropical Tenerife lies to the north, often offering lush vegetation, plantations and palms. OK, it’s slightly cooler here. And more humid. That’s…

  • Journeying Through Memories of Illinois Route 3: Clark Bridge and Alton Political History

    Part 3 of personal reflections and historic explorations of the Grafton to Cairo length of Illinois Route 3 by writer and poet Richard Stimac. In my childhood, my mom took me to Dr. Rose, an eye doctor who had his own office in Alton. The trip was an adventure. I was born and raised in…

  • Journeying Through Memories of Illinois Route 3: Of the Piasa Bird and Tattoos

    Part 2 of personal reflections and historic explorations of the Grafton to Cairo length of Illinois Route 3 by writer and poet Richard Stimac. Since childhood, my plan was to earn a doctorate and work as a college professor. In my early 20s, I collected my bachelor’s degree in history and a master’s degree in…

  • Golden Acre Park, a Piece of Yorkshire Heaven

    As a freelance writer, I find myself in various settings while striving for productivity. But inspiration doesn’t necessarily arrive in a ta-da! moment. Sometimes just being surrounded by serenity and visual splendour is all that’s needed, and I’m pleased to announce I’ve found my spot. It’s even right here, on my doorstep—a not-so-little piece of…

  • white cruise ship

    Bad Day at Sea. On Cruising and Heart Trouble

    Fifteen years ago this summer, I had a heart attack on a cruise ship in the middle of the Atlantic, on the way to England. My wife Linda and I were on board the Independence of the Seas, doing what we did every morning—exercising before breakfast.  She was pedalling on a recumbent bike. I was…

  • Cultura Magazine: Call for Submissions

    Cultura is open for article pitches on themes of international travel, culture (including cultural history), and relocation. We welcome guest posts by new and seasoned authors from around the globe. Please refer to the guide below to increase the chance of acceptance of your piece and to minimise delays in publication. INITIAL PITCHES AFTER PITCH…

  • european commission flags on poles

    Understanding ETIAS. Timelines and What UK Travellers Need to Know for EU Entry

    Alongside restrictions on freedom of movement within the EU since Brexit, many UK citizens will also face the need for formal authorisation to enter the Schengen Area for short term travel. ETIAS Most UK nationals entering the EU for up to 90 days will need to be approval through the European Travel Information and Authorisation…

  • Cultura Magazine: Stories of Global Travel, Culture and Relocation

    Welcome to Cultura! Seizing the opportunity for travel and cultural experience is important on many levels. It broadens perspective and personal growth, encourages an appreciation of ecological and human diversity, and fosters an awareness of global affairs. For so many of us, the desire to explore the world is driven by an innate curiosity of…