Manaus, Brazil, called the “Paris of the Tropics,” was the richest city in South America in the late 1800s due to the rubber trade. To celebrate its affluence, the city constructed a magnificent opera house known as Teatro Amazonas, which contained marble, crystal, tiles, and paintings imported from all over Europe. The rubber trade collapsed … More Manaus: Paris of the Tropics
The Crossing Places by British writer Elly Griffiths is the first book in her Ruth Galloway mystery series. Ruth is a 39-year-old professor of forensic archeology who lives alone with her cats in a remote area of England called the Saltmarsh, which was sacred to its Iron Age inhabitants. Ruth loves sequins and bling but always … More Turning to Mysteries: The Crossing Places by Elly Griffiths
In my April newsletter, I described the Trivial Pursuit game that we played (unsuccessfully) during our recent three-week Brazilian cruise. The winning team got the big prize, and the remaining nine teams entered the playoff round to see who would come in second. Our ten-person team was in dead-last position. Each team could bet anything … More Win By Not Losing
Frances Aylor 