Becca Hensley
March 2022
Mar 15, 2022Reboot at Lake Austin Spa Resort in Texas Hill Country
On the grassy shores of Lake Austin, my husband and I spar — with swords. Don’t worry. We’re not really in danger of slicing one another if we take a misstep, which frankly happens each time I step forward when I am supposed to move backward. In fact, we’re wielding bokken, wooden swords used primarily for martial arts weapon training. Along with other guests, we attempt to follow the footwork and bokken swings demonstrated by our instructor, who softly leads us in bokken practice’s most elementary steps. “It takes hours a day for years to become an expert,” he reminded us when we faltered. The swords, meant to represent real weapons in shape and weight, play a large role in Japanese martial arts training, disciplines from kendo to aikido.
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January/February 2022
Feb 26, 2022Vacationers Seek Unforgettable Experiences in a Return to International Travel
Bleary-eyed after an overnight flight to Paris, I stumble off the plane and wend my way toward passport control. Before I’ve had a chance to take the inevitable, jet lag-inspired wrong turn, an elegant man catches my eye. He’s holding a placard with my name and waving to me. “I’m with the Ritz,” he says, taking my bag and leading me to the one passport control aisle with nobody waiting in line. “She’s a VIP,” he says to somebody as we pass, and I see a man gape at me, then, not recognizing me as a tabloid star, turn away, disappointed. I want to tell the poor fellow I’m nobody, actually, that every guest with a reservation at Ritz Paris gets this de rigueur spin through the crowds. As if proving my point, my companion ushers me efficiently through passport control, baggage claim and customs, then puts me into a limousine. There’s traffic, but even Ritz Paris can’t eliminate that. Eventually we arrive at Place Vendome, where the Ritz — a grand palace hotel, the first in the world to introduce electricity and telephones to every room — presides over the square.