A Traveler's Notebook

Diving into Mayan Caves

2011-01-02T17:36:00.000-08:00

This is the second most viewed video on the National Geographic web site this year. Incredible!

Dow Jones SmartDarts

2010-07-22T07:30:00.000-07:00

This game is a great way to test your geo-skills. Many thanks to my dear wife and brother-in-law for passing it along.

"How much do you know about the people, companies and exchanges that drive global markets? Time to find out. The closer you are to the target, the more alpha you achieve. There are 5 levels and you need to score enough points to progress to the next level."

http://www.dowjones.com/algo/smartdarts/?from=
wsj_bnrad_smartdarts25jun2010&segment=Sales/Trading

A passport for college?

2010-06-30T13:27:00.000-07:00

This is an interesting article, pointed out to me by my dear wife. I think she's on to something...

Colleges should make a passport a rite of passage

Best Travel Podcasts

2010-06-27T17:01:00.001-07:00

For travelers and history buffs who like podcasts (basically, recorded programs for your iPod), I want to share with you some exceptional programs that I enjoy. New episodes of these podcasts come out regularly, and they sync automatically with your iPod (probably through iTunes), so they're very convenient listening for train/bus/plane rides, dish washing, and other mindless tasks that require hands-free entertainment. All of the following podcasts are free, well-made (in my opinion), and worth a look. Enjoy!

1. A History of the World in 100 Objects: This BBC program is narrated by the director of the British Museum, who discusses one object from the museum's collection per episode. The episodes are less than 15 minutes each, and they're outstanding.

2. Stuff You Missed in History Class: This is a spin-off of the How Stuff Works franchise, and if you believe that truth is often stranger than fiction, this podcast is for you. I suggest subscribing to the podcast, and downloading favorite topics from their long list of back episodes.

3. PRI's The World: The multiple podcasts offered by PRI are akin to NPR programming, though The World focuses more on global perspectives. I especially love the weekly GeoQuiz, which is short, challenging, and easily downloadable.

4. Wait Wait Don't Tell Me: There is no better, more enjoyable way to get caught up on the week's news than listening to an episode of NPR's Wait Wait. The episodes are about an hour long, but you'll wish they were longer.

Large Hadron Collider

2010-06-22T04:10:00.000-07:00

I have a friend from Notre Dame who's working at CERN in Switzerland this summer, and he recently posted a great article about the inner workings of the Large Hadron Collider that rests beneath the France/Switzerland border. Think about that opening scene in Angels & Demons and you'll be on the right track. Check it out! Thanks, Nil. You make physics look cool.

Peter Island, B.V.I.

2010-01-09T14:27:00.000-08:00

We're back from Peter Island, and it certainly lived up to its billing as a unique Caribbean hideaway. After landing in Tortola, and taking a short ride to the docks, we took the resort's ferry to the island under the cover of nightfall, and checked in not knowing what we'd find in the morning. The next day, and for the rest of the week, we read beneath palm trees, dove for conchs, and picnicked on the island's secluded beaches. Just what we needed! There were no pirate encounters, though I did find an old rum bottle in the coral off White Bay Beach. Sea trash or Blackbeard's flask? We'll never know.

Geography Education

2010-01-09T14:05:00.001-08:00

As a teacher and traveler, I'm always interested in any way to blend my two passions. Few things are as frightening as the statistics one hears about school kids and their ignorance of geography-related issues. I've found National Geographic's My Wonderful World campaign to be a wonderful resource for kids, parents, and teachers who want to get more people reading maps and learning about the world. Additionally, and most recently, my school began working with MBA students from the University of Notre Dame and Reach the World to "to develop the knowledge, attitudes, values and thinking skills needed for responsible citizenship in a complex, culturally diverse and rapidly changing world."

At the beginning of the school year, a group of bikers visited our school, just before they set off on a journey through Latin America. Each week, volunteers from ND come into my classroom, and we talk about the progress the travelers have made, what they're encountering, and other issues of cultural importance. Because many of my students have never left Indiana, the experiences the RTW bikers share with us provoke some really interesting and illuminating discussions. The bikers communicate with us through the RTW website, answering student questions and posting videos and blog entries. It's been really empowering for my students, and I see their interest in the outside world growing week by week.

Maps, Maps, Maps

2009-10-26T17:51:00.000-07:00

As a lover of all things map-related, I was excited to come across these cartographic masterpieces today. A couple groups, including the World Bank and the European Commission's Joint Research Centre, created these maps to give us a better sense of how connected we all are... not in the digital sense, but the old fashioned physical sense. The maps below represent the world's shipping routes, train tracks, roads, and accessibility, respectively. The last map is especially cool, showing how long it would take (in days and hours) to get to the most accessible and least accessible parts of the world.

Jumbo Hostel, Stockholm, Sweden

2009-08-16T04:53:00.001-07:00

I really like the idea of unusual sleeping accommodations, and a private room inside the belly of a renovated 747 jet certainly qualifies. Built especially for backpackers, the Jumbo Hostel at the Stockholm airport opened toward the beginning of 2009, and certainly beats sleeping with your head on a radiator in a LaGuardia cafeteria (been there). Sleep in the cockpit for $734/night (um, that's not a hostel), reserve a room for about $160/night (again, not a hostel), or recline in a first-class seat for $44/night (there we go).

Prehistoric Cave Art

2009-07-25T07:48:00.000-07:00

At present, I'm designing a unit on prehistoric cave art for the upcoming school year, and like so many of the Social Studies topics I come across, there's a clear need for some armchair travel in order to fully appreciate its awesome-ness.

The most famous examples of Paleolithic cave art are found at Altamira, in Cantabria, Spain, and Lascaux, France, and several other notable European cave sites are concentrated in these two countries. Both of the aforementioned caves were discovered by intrepid children, and are now highly protected UNESCO World Heritage sites. After some 15,000+ years of isolation, the carbon dioxide exhaled by tourists during the first years of public display began to damage the paintings, so both Altamira and Lascaux are pretty much impossible to experience first-hand these days. Altamira has close to a three year waiting list, and Lascaux is open to a handful of scientists for a few days out of every month. You can visit accurately represented replicas that have since been created for preservation's sake, but not the real thing.

(Above: Altamira)

(Above: Lascaux)

Outside of Europe, as expected, the materials and themes displayed in prehistoric cave art vary quite a bit. For example, the paintings at uKhahlamba/Drakensberg, South Africa, depict uniquely African predators chasing spear-toting humans across the rock walls. Compare that to the figures represented in Australia's Kakadu National Park (which portray pre-Aboriginal weaponry and the pursuit of kangaroos) or India's Bhimbetka rock shelter s (where everyday life is drawn in colors that are still vivid some 9,000 years later), just to name a few. These non-European cave art sites are often considerably more accessible, sometimes because the site itself is more exposed and therefore less susceptible to carbon dioxide accumulation.

(Above: uKhahlamba/Drakenberg)

(Above: Kakadu National Park)

(Above: Bhimbetka)

Anyway you look at it, the various symbols on these caves' walls, though relative simplistic, are remarkably powerful. Just imagine being the nine-year-old girl who strolled into Altamira for the first time in modern history and took it all in amidst the deafening silence. Or maybe the group of teenagers taking their dog for a walk, who stumbled upon "the Sistine Chapel of pre-history" (as Lascaux is popularly known) and had it all to themselves for a few hours. If that doesn't make you want to be an explorer, nothing will.

Geo Quiz Challenge

2009-06-30T05:45:00.000-07:00

PRI puts out a daily Geo Quiz segment on the radio, though I get their podcast via iTunes. If you're looking to test or build your knowledge of world geography, check it out:

5632

4,017 of 5,917

Take the quiz

TheWorld.org

TravBuddy.com

Notes from Tanzania: Ngorongoro Crater

2009-06-22T12:23:00.001-07:00

After our Kilimanjaro climb, Brother Bill and I drove west across Northern Tanzania for some safari action. There is one road connecting Arusha and Serengeti National Park, most of which was built by the Japanese government. We guessed that it had something do to with the large number of Toyota cars on the road, but never really got a good explanation. Anyway, after a game drive at Lake Manyara National Park (home to tree-climbing lions, flamingos, hippos, giraffes, elephants, and more), we continued on to Ngorongoro Conservation Area, which blew our minds.

Picture this: A few million years ago, a large volcano blows up, creating the world's largest (and best preserved) volcanic caldera. In the ensuing years, a diverse set of animals descend the caldera walls, find everything they need inside, and sort of voluntarily commit themselves to a lifetime in an open-air aquarium. While Maasai tribesmen still bring their herds into the crater to graze during the day, the "bowl" is just like a modern day Jurassic Park where animals live and die on full display. Additionally, there's an eerie halo of fog that surrounds the crater rim during most of the day, and once you begin to descend into Ngorongoro along the lone entrance road, the inner sanctum just glows, like a secret world. Unbelievable.

Above: The overview of Ngorongoro Crater from the rim.

Above: Maasai herdsmen in the crater.

Above: Our ride, Kermit, and one of the crater lakes.

Above: Baboon mom grooming her baby.

Above: A serval cat, stalking our car.

Notes from Tanzania: Kilimanjaro

2009-06-21T16:14:00.001-07:00

Brother Bill and I are back from a wonderful two weeks in Tanzania. The highlight was definitely our seven-day climb up Mt. Kilimanjaro, following the difficult and stunningly-beautiful Machame route through rainforest, moorlands, alpine desert, and finally, some serious arctic conditions on summit day. This was one of the most difficult things I've ever done, both mentally and physically, and we were constantly put to shame by our incredible Tanzanian porters, who so often passed us on the trail, balancing cast-iron stoves on their heads and singing in Swahili. All said and done, we hiked/climbed/scrambled some 50 miles, watched the sun rise over Tanzania and Kenya from 19,340 feet above sea level, and had great fun along the way.

(Above: Kilimanjaro's Kibo Peak from Moshi.)

(Above: Our first day's trek through the rainforest.)

(Above: Sweet Spanish moss handlebar mustaches.)

(Above: An acclimitizing hike up to Lava Tower.)

(Above: Walking among otherworldly Senecio Kilimanjari plants.)

(Above: Clinging on for dear life on the Barranco Wall.)

(Above: Resting up at Barrafu Camp prior to summit attempt.)

(Above: Crazy blizzard at the summit, just before sunrise.)

(Above: One of several majestic glaciers atop Kili.)

(Above: The porters and guides who made it all possible.)

The Knee Defender

2009-06-04T14:46:00.000-07:00

Roughly two paragraphs into a heartfelt blog entry about my pre-Kilimanjaro adrenaline buzz, I began searching Yahoo! for funny images of people with their knees jammed into narrow airplane rows. (This is how my mind works.) As the proud owner of chicken legs, I was overjoyed to discover a marvelously passive-aggressive travel gizmo called the Knee Defender, which locks onto your seatback tray, preventing the person in front of you from reclining. Genius! I can just picture the scene:

Person in front of you: Um, sir, my seat won't recline.
Flight attendant: Let me give that a try. Hmm, it feels jammed.
Person in front of you: It was working earlier.
Flight attendant: (Looking behind the seat) Ahh, the Knee Defender!
Person in front of you: Huh?
Flight attendant: I'm sorry, sir. There's nothing I can do.
Person in front of you: (Turning to see the lock) He can't do that!
You: Yes, I can. Eat it, space hog.
Person in front of me: Take it off!
You: Never.
Person in front of you: I guess I've learned my lesson about being considerate.
Flight attendant: Wonderful. (To you) Sir, I see the space we've provided you is entirely inadequate for your go-go-gadget legs. Can we upgrade you to business class?
You: Why, yes. Thank you.
Person in front of you: Will you take the Knee Defender off before you go?
You: (To flight attendant) Did you hear something?

Needless to say, I didn't finish the aformentioned entry about Kilimanjaro, but will report in full upon my return.

Peter Island, B.V.I.

2009-05-28T07:34:00.000-07:00

After three years of hard work, my wife is now a proud J.D., which in the context of this blog means one thing... bar trip! As tradition holds, we've been looking into possible international adventures to pursue after she completes the bar exam later this summer, and with the help of the knowledgeable Barb Maxwell at Viking Travel, we've settled on Peter Island, in the British Virgin Islands. We're flying from Chicago to San Juan, Puerto Rico, and then taking a small plane on to Tortola, B.V.I. From here, a ferry will take us five miles across the Sir Francis Drake Channel (Arr!) to the island resort. Our room looks out at Dead Chest Island (a half mile offshore), where Blackbeard is said to have ditched 15 sailors with a cask of rum and a sword (Double arr!). A few miles further out to sea is Norman Island, which is believed to be Robert Louis Stevenson's inspiration for "Treasure Island". Pirate lore aside, Peter Island is 18,000 acres of palm trees, electric blue water, and secluded strolling beaches, offering much needed R&R. We can't wait!

Borobudur, Java, Indonesia

2009-05-26T05:16:00.000-07:00

In the same way that Machu Picchu was "discovered" in the Peruvian Andes by Hiram Bingham (1911), the equally impressive Buddhist temple of Borobudur led a sleepy existence in the jungles of Central Java until Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles (founder of Singapore, etc.) was shown its location by indigenous Indonesians in 1814. In the 200 years since Raffles first visited Borobudur, some 2,500 carved relief panels and 500 Buddha statues have been identified, documented, and restored, preserving one of the world's foremost Buddhist pilgrimage sites and creating (justifiably) Indonesia's most popular tourist landmark. If Borobudur interests you, also see Ankgor Wat, near Siem Reap, Cambodia.

Petra, Jordan

2009-05-02T04:44:00.001-07:00

For many years, I thought the final scenes of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (where they enter a hidden city through a spectacular slot canyon) were filmed on a constructed set someplace. It wasn't until much later that a friend told me that this city, Petra, was a real place-- an ancient Nabatean trade capital on the route between Asia and Africa-- and it naturally moved to the top of my must-see list. The building shown in the movie, Petra's treasury, is carved into the face of the sandstone canyon. Most travelers arrive via Amman, Jordan, the closest major city.

Underground Churches

2009-05-01T18:21:00.001-07:00

As an interesting alternative to the elaborate cathedrals of Europe, there are a number of underground churches in surprising parts of the world that capture a distinct sense of place. For example, I recently heard about the Salt Cathedral of Zipaquira, a Catholic cathedral chiseled deep within an abandoned mine in Columbia.

Also, there's the "underground" rock churches of Lalibela, Ethiopia, which were built as a surrogate Jerusalem after Muslims conquered the real Jerusalem back in the day. (Thanks, Wikipedia!)

Finally, I had some runner-ups (or is it runners-up?), which questionably fit into this category of underground churches. They are Newgrange, north of Dublin, Ireland, the Batu Caves, near Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, the Cave Church in Presillas, Spain (see photo below), and the Cave Church of St. Peter in Antakya, Turkey.

TunaHAKI Centre, Moshi, Tanzania

2009-04-17T16:12:00.000-07:00

After 15+ hours on an airplane (Detroit-Amsterdam-Kilimanjaro), popular opinion supports a rest day in Moshi, Tanzania, before climbers begin their treks. Brother Bill and I were excited to hear that we'd be able to spend some time at TunaHAKI, an orphanage in town that uses visual and performing arts to educate and empower street children and the children of AIDS victims. I'll be collecting school supplies, candy, and more to deliver to the TunaHAKI children, so if you'd like to donate something, please let me know! The TunaHAKI Centre is linked with the GO Campaign, a U.S.-based non-profit that helps vulnerable children around the world.

Man vs. Wild: Northern Indiana (Part #10-12)

2009-04-08T14:04:00.000-07:00

Part #10

Part #11

Part #12

Man vs. Wild: Northern Indiana (Part #7-9)

2009-04-08T13:48:00.000-07:00

Part #7

Part #8

Part #9

Man vs. Wild: Northern Indiana (Part #4-6)

2009-04-08T13:37:00.000-07:00

Part #4

Part #5

Part #6

Man vs. Wild: Northern Indiana (Part #1-3)

2009-04-08T13:22:00.000-07:00

As many of my loyal readers know, I am a big fan of Man vs. Wild, the survival-themed television show. In order to make the most of my week off from school, I decided to film my own episode of the show: Man vs. Wild: Northern Indiana. Thankfully, I lived to tell the tale.

Part #1

Part #2

Part #3

Blogs beget blogs

2009-03-22T12:47:00.000-07:00

Last weekend I came across The New York Times' "Travel Q&A" blog, which I liked a lot and thought I'd pass along to other travel aficionados. You can search for related Times articles by country, which it better than combing through the print version each week for information that's relevant to your own trip planning. Additionally, I recommend the weekly emailed version of the Times travel section, the Travel Dispatch, which includes 36-hour guides to popular attractions around the world, amongst other things. And one last blog: Globespotters, for which the verdict is still out. Enjoy!

New Travel Books

2009-03-06T17:44:00.000-08:00

It's very exciting to have two friends publishing travel-related books this spring, and though I haven't read either book yet, I know both authors' writing styles well and can predict that they'll be well worth a reader's time.

The first book is by New York travel writer David Farley, who spent quite awhile living in Rome researching An Irreverent Curiosity: In Search of the Church's Strangest Relic in Italy's Oddest Town. Farley is a very talented, light-hearted person, and the focus of his book (which I'll let you read for yourself on his website) is rich with the kind of quirkiness that he does so well.

Also coming out this spring is What This River Keeps, the debut novel of my college writing mentor, Greg Schwipps. As an English professor and hardcore catfish wrangler, you can bet Schwipps' novel will be well crafted, full of dynamic characters, and (as the title suggests) heavy on the fishing. In my opinion, there's no better combo.

Lost City of Z, and Brad Pitt?

2009-02-24T15:30:00.001-08:00

In May of last year, I raved about an article in The New Yorker, written by Dan Grann, that covered the mysterious disappearance of the British explorer Colonel Percy Harrison Fawcett (and his son, and others) in the Mato Grosso region of the Brazilian Amazon. The article was expanded into a book by Grann, and the movie rights were recently optioned by Paramount, with hopes of starring Brad Pitt as Fawcett in the near future. If you've every thought that GPS, Google Earth, global cell phones, the Internet, satellites, or other technological advancements have eliminated the mysteries of this planet, this story will renew your faith in adventure.

Atlantis?

2009-02-21T06:28:00.000-08:00

As a fun diversion from my week, I've been following the Internet stories about an armchair Google Earth geographer who claims to have discovered the sunken city of Atlantis using his home computer. In CNET's coverage, the coordinates of the find (about 600 miles west of the Canary Islands) are given as 31 15'15.53N, 24 15'30.53W. If you're an avid Google Earth-er, it's worth a peek. Google issued a statement attributing the street-like patterns on the ocean floor to the sonar-based underwater mapping process, but conspiracy theorists smell a cover-up (as they tend to do). For a bird's-eye view of other proposed Atlantis sites, see Santorini, Greece (36 24'14.93N, 25 23'53.53E) or the SW Cuban coast (21 39'33.40N, 81 57'26.18N).

Seven Continents Club/Kilimanjaro Update

2009-02-11T14:36:00.000-08:00

There's a lot of good news to report these days, not the least of which is the establishment of an official Seven Continents Club flag. Brother Bill and I designed it over the course of several weeks and several beers, and my multi-talented mother-in-law, Kathy, is going to help us sew the finished product. All club members will be able to request the flag for their adventures, with the hope that we can build a photo library of our colors flying in front of landmarks the world over. With luck, flag patches will follow for all members. If travel is your thing, please consider joining. We'd love to have you.

In other news, Brother Bill and I have booked a climb up Mt. Kilimanjaro at long last. We'll be in Tanzania for about two weeks in June, following the Machame Route to the summit. We organized the trip through Adventures Within Reach, a Colorado-based company that's been extremely helpful with trip logistics. We added an extra acclimatization day to the 6-day trek, an afternoon of volunteering at an arts-based shelter for AIDS orphans and street children, and three days of post-trek safari in northern Tanzania. Until then, you'll find me on the StairMaster with a backpack full of old law books.

Best Art Museums, Part 3

2009-01-17T06:55:00.000-08:00

National Palace Museum, Taipei, Taiwan: During the Japanese invasion of China in the 1930-40s, and throughout the communist revolution that followed, the best artifacts of the Forbidden City (representing thousands of years of Chinese history) were taken from Beijing by the Nationalists and brought to Taiwan for safe keeping.

National Archeological Museum, Athens, Greece: The artistic legacy of Ancient Greece is scattered around the world, but it makes sense that the most impressive collection of Greek sculpture, pottery, frescoes, and other artifacts would reside in Athena's city.

Museum of Egyptian Antiquities, Cairo, Egypt: Nowhere else can you see sarcophagi and burial riches of 27 royal mummies, including the notorious King Tutankhamen (when he's not on tour). See the tombs in Giza, and then come here to view their striking contents.

Museo Nacional de Antropologia, Mexico City, Mexico: From massive Olmec carvings to Mayan religious relics and the famous Aztec Stone of the Sun, you go to the source for all things pre-Columbia in Central America.

Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, USA: This pick shows some regional bias on my part, but the Art Institute's collection of Impressionist and American art is extraordinary, and the new modern wing (opening this May) will up its world-class profile.

Best Art Museums, Part 2

2009-01-16T06:33:00.000-08:00

Vatican Museums, Rome, Italy: Beyond the famous Sistine Chapel, the Vatican has been the drop point for thousands of paintings, sculptures, and artifacts collected by the Roman Catholic Church.

Uffizi Gallery, Florence, Italy: The Medici family of Florence used its extraordinary wealth and power to patronize some of the best artists the world has known. Their collection captures Italy at the height of its artistic output.

Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), New York, USA: Both the museum space and the unparalleled modern art collection it houses (the brainchild of Rockefellers, Goodyears, and the like) are widely considered to be the pinnacle of modernism.

Tate Modern, London, England: This museum opened in 2000 to house work from the 20th century (including Rothko, Matisse, and Monet), with large-scale art installations being a big draw. It is undergoing a massive expansion in anticipation of the 2012 Olympics in London.
Musee d'Orsay, Paris, France: This bastion of impressionist painting, housed in a spectacular former train depot, is more digestible than the Louvre due to its size and focus.

Best Art Museums, Part 1

2009-01-15T16:43:00.000-08:00

As a byproduct of extensive travel (and marriage to an art junkie), I've learned a lot about art museums over the past couple years. Several museums stand out as the gold standard, while others are home to more narrowly defined collections of particular significance. Either way, these museums of note will certainly not disappoint.

Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA: The Met's collection is so vast and mind-blowing that every visit feels like a trip around the world. Don't miss the new Greek and Roman wing.

Musee du Louvre, Paris, France: Built as a 12th century fortress and stocked with the spoils of Napoleon's conquests, the Louvre's collection is the essence of history.

State Hermitage Museum, St. Petersberg, Russia: In the former Winter Palace of the Russian tsars, the collection of paintings begun by Catherine the Great (now the single largest collection of paintings in the world) recalls Russia's imperial past.

British Museum, London, England: Founded in 1753, this museum displayed the objects collected by Captain Cook on his South Seas adventures, and currently houses everything from the Rosetta Stone to friezes from the ancient wonders of the world.

Museo Nacional del Prado, Madrid, Spain: This is the place to go to see European painters galore, especially the famous Spaniards (i.e. Velazquez, Goya, El Greco).

Havsupai Waterfalls, Grand Canyon, Arizona

2009-01-11T06:58:00.000-08:00

For a unique way to experience the Grand Canyon, consider the eight mile hike from the Hualapai Hilltop to the village of Supai, which is home to about 450 members of the Havasupai tribe and serves as the canyon-floor gateway to one of the most spectacular sights along the Grand Canyon corridor: a series of electric-blue waterfalls with secluded swimming holes. Starting at the canyon rim, the reportedly challenging trail requires hikers to navigate a number of switchbacks while dodging trains of mules and horses carrying goods to and from Supai. Upon arrival at Supai, hikers check into the lodge or campground (reservations highly reccomended... it's a long hike back), and continue on to one of four refreshing waterfall-fed swimming holes to cool down. Spend a few days exploring the spectacular surroundings, and then hitch a helicopter ride ($85, one-way, per person) back to the trailhead.

Life before the Euro

2009-01-05T17:24:00.000-08:00

In this traveler's opinion, there's no better souvenir than the change left in the bottom of your pocket after an adventure. Coins are art, history, and culture, and while they're ubiquitous in the present, they become collector's items without fail as the years progress. They're portable, easy to accumulate, sold at cost (so to speak), and rewarding to clean up, examine, and display, if that's your cup of tea. Myself, I'm a pirate-style collector, throwing my coins in a wooden box that has become something of a treasure chest. Generally-speaking, I'm a fan of the Euro, but who didn't secretly enjoy the individuality of the pre-Euro coins (or for that matter, bills)? Give me lira, franc, drachma, guilder, peseta, mark, schilling, or escudo any day, along with all their transactional inconveniences. It heightened the experience of country-jumping, arriving some place totally new after a half day train ride, and these distinct currencies served as a border of sorts in what's now, essentially, a borderless Europe. Viva la pocket change!

World Music

2008-12-18T16:15:00.000-08:00

If you're into world music, you probably already know about Putamayo. Their CDs are for sale in any international-themed store, and besides the alluring album cover artwork, the music itself is consistently outstanding. The rhythms of faraway lands make excellent background music, and help to educate listeners in different musical traditions. To be clear, Putamayo is the record label, and their individual albums showcase tracks from a number of talented, regional artists in a particular genre. If you're thinking about branching out and exploring new sounds in preparation, perhaps, for a trip to one of these places, you can't go wrong with Putamayo.

(Click on the album cover for track samples.)

Worldmapper Cartograms

2008-11-30T08:04:00.000-08:00

I recently heard a story on NPR about a team of cartographers, geography professors, and researchers at the University of Sheffield who developed a logarithm to resize the world map according to a particular variable being mapped (called a density-equalizing map, or cartogram). For example, is the variable is the amount of money a country spends on their military, the United States dominates the map, while the African continent is just a sliver (see below). See some 600 free, printable cartograms at Worldmapper.

The story came up in regards to the way the American electoral map looked during the recent presidential election. Without taking population density into account, the map looks to have gone predominantly Republican (red states). However, when you adjust the map to reflect where most voters actually live and which states have the most electoral votes, the Democratic victory for Barack Obama (blue states) is accurately reflected.

Masada, Israel

2008-11-29T16:46:00.000-08:00

Some places--like Petra in Jordan and Angkor in Cambodia--are so magnificent that they inspire travelers to imagine what other worldly wonders exist in relative obscurity, tucked away in some sleepy corner of the world. I thought I was pretty up on this sort of thing until this month's issue (Dec. 2008) of National Geographic came out, featuring some of the architectural accomplishments of King Herod throughout present-day Israel, Palestine, Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria. Take a look at Masada, for example, a three-tiered palace perched on the edge of a rock outcropping (picture below).

Kilimanjaro Lust

2008-11-01T11:43:00.001-07:00

Brother Bill and I have resolved to make a brotherly adventure out of climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro in the near future. In preparation, I've been devouring every written account, YouTube video, and online picture of the experience I can find. We're looking at Zara Adventures, a well-vetted outfitter in Tanzania that has earned high marks from friends who reached the summit in years past. Kilimanjaro is the highest free-standing mountain in the world, and its summit is the highest point in Africa. The climb is non-technical, but according to those who've completed it, that in no way reflects the mental and physical resolve it requires to hike at such high altitudes for several days at a time, often in sub-zero temperatures on unforgiving mountainside scree. I also have yet to read an account from any climber who didn't break into tears at one point or another, so we're predicting an emotional, memorable experience. There are several routes up the mountain, and research shows that the 6- or 7-day Machame Route is among the best, giving climbers more time to acclimate to the altitude and increasing chances of reaching the summit. More details to come.

The Forbidden City, Beijing, China

2008-10-12T13:22:00.000-07:00

If a trip to Beijing isn't in your immediate plans, check out The Forbidden City: Beyond Space and Time, an online 3-D representation of the entire 178 acre city-within-a-city that was home to China's emperors from 1420 to 1912. You get to choose your character (and a virtual guide, if you'd like) and wander around the complex, interacting with the Emperor in his every day duties, training fighting crickets in the garden, and interacting with other virtual visitors in a realistic environment that elaborately constructs a sense of place and history. I've been lucky to have visited the Forbidden City, and this feels like the real deal. The main difference is that the center staircases throughout the city (often covered in elaborate dragon carvings and always reserved for the exclusive use of the Emperor) are off limits to in-person visitors, but online you can march up and down all day long.

Iceland

2008-09-21T14:42:00.000-07:00

Brother Bill recently returned from a week in Iceland. Here's the report:

"It's nice to get off the beaten path every once and a while. That's exactly what Iceland offers. Whether it was playing chicken with rare, oncoming traffic (over the many one-lane bridges) or camping near enormous waterfalls, it's apparent that Iceland is a remote island in the North Atlantic. Reykjavik was cool, but if you go, see the sights and get out in the countryside (i.e. anywhere outside of Reykjavik). My best experiences were the iceberg lagoon at Jokulsarlon (runoff from Europe's largest glacier, Vatnajokull), hiking and hot tubbing (in a hot spring-fed river) near Hverageroi, camping and hiking in the vicinity of the enormous waterfall named Skogafoss, and making a dash for it on the path that tucked behind another inspiring waterfall named Seljalandsfoss. These are all shown my photos below. Of course, there are lots of other things to see. The Golden Circle (a popular route consisting of Iceland's largest waterfall, geyser, and continental divide) was great, in addition to trips around the Snaefellsness peninsula, and a dip in the eerie, but welcoming Blue Lagoon."

Where to go next?

2008-07-22T10:20:00.000-07:00

I have a lot of people ask me where they should go on their next trip, so I thought I'd post my typical answer for Traveler's Notebook readers, too. I'm always looking for value, and it's pretty clear right now that skyrocketing summer airfare to Europe and the weakness of the dollar casts a bit of a shadow over some traditional European getaways. As North America approaches the fall and winter months, the big attraction is South America. The beaches of Rio, the streets of Buenos Aires, the Andean trails and vineyards in Chile and Argentina... it's all at its prime (and relatively affordable) during the Southern Hemisphere's spring and summer. Plus, no jet lag when you're flying straight down! Alternatively, if you have the time, money, and inclination to cross the Pacific, it's very inexpensive once you hit the ground (especially compared to Europe). Cambodia, Vietnam, China, Laos, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia are linked by trains, multiple budget airlines, and in many cases, ferries. The food is incredible, the cultural traditions are entirely foreign to many Americans of European descent, and excellent hotels come with tiny price tags. Closer to home, it's worth heading up to British Columbia for winter skiing (just before the 2010 Olympics roll into Vancouver/Whistler) or getting some friends together to rent a villa or sailboat for a Caribbean vacation. Companies like wimco.com (villas) or moorings.com (sailing) are so large that they offer options for any budget. If you look at the price of a private Caribbean villa or luxury yacht and figure out a per person rate, it's almost always significantly less expensive than a week at a resort. Hope that helps, and happy trails!

Athens, Greece

2008-06-21T12:47:00.000-07:00

We jumped ship his morning, and scaled the Acropolis just after breakfast time. There's a big Athens Festival going on in the city, and later in the day, as the sun set, a gospel group took the stage at the ancient amphitheater alongside the Parthenon as the street musicians serenaded the late night diners, most of whom (us included) were glued to Russia v. Netherlands on the tube. What a wonderful way to end our whirlwind adventure.

Alexandria/Cairo, Egypt

2008-06-20T00:29:00.000-07:00

Wow, what a day we had in Cairo. After docking in Alexandria, we bused it through the desert for about three hours to Giza, and spend some time walking around the incredible pyramids. The sphinx gave me goosebumps (the expression on her face is so lifelike), and the weather was super hot, so it just felt like Egypt. After that, we sailed on the Nile, which was a great way to interact with the river. We barely scratched the surface of the city in a day, but we did get some fresh mint tea and an apple-flavored hookah in the bazaar, so life is grand.

Limassol, Cyprus

2008-06-18T11:26:00.000-07:00

We opened the curtains this morning to a U.N. peacekeeping fleet in the harbor of Limassol, and then beat the 95-degree heat by heading up into the Troodos Mountains, where it was about twenty degrees cooler. These pictures are from our three mile trek along a river, down to a beautiful waterfall.

Antalya, Turkey

2008-06-17T06:23:00.000-07:00

We made friends in Antalya today! After lunch, we wandered down along the castle wall to an excellent baklava bakery... yum. The architectural highlight was Hadrian's Gate, built back in the day to welcome the Roman emperor to Antalya. Today, it's flanked by a Starbucks and a McDonald's.

Fethiye, Turkey

2008-06-16T07:41:00.000-07:00

We went for a boat ride around the 12 islands off Fethiye today, which was really fun. In a tiny cove, there were ruins from an ancient Roman bath (rumored to have welcomed Cleopatra) that you could swim through. Note the tombs carved into the rock above the harbor.

Bodrum, Turkey

2008-06-15T12:09:00.000-07:00

We scaled the walls of a Crusader castle today, saw one of the ancient wonders of the world (or the ruins of it), climbed up to an ancient amphitheater, and had our first dip in the Aegean Sea. The weather couldn't have been better, and now if Turkey wins its Euro Cup game against the Czech Republic tonight, everyone will be happy in Fethiye tomorrow. Also, I caught a tortoise. Happy Father's Day, dad!

Istanbul, Turkey (Day 2)

2008-06-13T06:25:00.000-07:00

Some of the things we came across in the sultan's palace today included St. John the Baptist's arm and skull, the sword of David (of David and Goliath), a 80-something carat diamond, a piece of Mohammed's beard, and an old walking stick identified as Moses' staff. Pretty incredible. The afternoon was spent shopping in the Grand Bazaar and the Spice Market, and deals were had by all.

Istanbul, Turkey

2008-06-12T07:52:00.000-07:00

A warm and sunny day in Istanbul! We woke up to dolphins and the amazing skyline of the city. The mosques, the spices, the geometric-patterned fabrics, the grand bazaar, and the active waterfront are almost overwhelming to the senses. I'll try to post some more photos when we leave port tomorrow evening... there's no shortage. :)

Chios, Greece

2008-06-11T09:23:00.000-07:00

We woke up this morning to the sound of mopeds below us, and opened the curtain to the beautiful city of Chios. The city's archaeological museum had a stone that contained a letter to the islanders from Alexander the Great, outlining their responsibilities to him. Unbelievable! We scaled a castle moat, tried to outrun the stray dogs that Emily seems to attract, and spent the afternoon relaxing and anticipating Istanbul. Chios is known for its Mastic (sp?) trees, which have given the world's great historical figures chewing gum for centuries.

Santorini, Greece

2008-06-10T07:10:00.000-07:00

A gondola ride up the side of a cliff to Fira, a seven mile hike along the rim of a volcanic caldera to the postcard town of Oia, some serious donkey-dodging, and beautiful views in every direction were the highlights of our stop in Santorini. The middle of the island was blown to pieces a long time ago, a blast that was estimated at four times the strength of Krakatoa, sending a 100-foot tsunami that wiped out the Minoans on Crete. Yikes! Today there was nothing but blue skies, blue steeples, and white-washed abodes clinging to the cliff side. It's hard to imagine a more beautiful place in the world.

The Amalfi Coast, Italy

2008-06-08T08:18:00.000-07:00

Another beautiful day afloat. We docked in Sorrento this morning, and took a ferry to the fishing village of Positano, about thirty minutes down the coast. There was a big regatta in Amalfi today, so there were lots of people out and about. Gorgeous! Dinner with the captain tonight, and a day-at-sea tomorrow en route to Greece.

Rome, Italy

2008-06-06T11:54:00.000-07:00

I'm happy to report that we made it to Rome without any hitches, and that we spent the whole day exploring this wonderful city. The history is just incredible, and the signigicant sights are so endless that we've found it difficult to wrap our heads around the city in its entirety. No Pope-mobile spottings!

The Trip Report

2008-06-02T08:34:00.000-07:00

Starting Thursday, Expedition Turkey will be underway! We'll be flying to Rome, and joining the ship at the Italian port of Civitavecchia. Our ports-of-call include Sorrento (Italy), Santorini (Greece), Chios (Greece), Istanbul (Turkey), Canakkle (Turkey), Bodrum (Turkey), Fethiye (Turkey), Antalya (Turkey), Limassol (Cyprus), Alexandria (Egypt), and Athens (Greece). I have every intention of posting a photo highlight or two after each day's excursion, so please check back for updates. Thank you for your interest!

The Eiger, Switzerland

2008-05-23T07:45:00.000-07:00

Last night, I went to the Chicago premiere of The Alps: Climb of Your Life, an IMAX film that was being shown in conjunction with a Switzerland Tourism media event at the Museum of Science and Industry. The movie was about American climber John Harlin III's attempt to climb the Eiger's North Face, the nearly vertical 6,000-foot wall of ice and crumbling rock that claimed his father's life 40 years earlier. The Swiss scenery was gorgeous, especially in the IMAX format, and I walked away with two thoughts: 1) The Swiss know something we don't, and 2) I'm glad people like John climb the Eiger so my acrophobia-self can watch the film with two feet on the ground.

Above: The North Face of the Eiger, Switzerland.

Cruising Antarctica

2008-05-16T10:54:00.000-07:00

The only feasible way to visit Antarctica is via cruise ship, many of which depart Ushuaia, Argentina, the southernmost city in the world. The sailing season is approximately late November to early March, with each month offering a different reward. November is penguin mating season, December and January offer the most sunshine, and from February on, whale-spotting is at its best. Bigger ships offer greater stability in the notoriously rough Drake Passage, but small ships (just a few hundred people or less) can access remote bays, and minimize the amount of time spent waiting to board a zodiac.

Above: A zodiac cruise through Paradise Bay, Antarctica.

The Bay of Fundy

2008-05-13T06:23:00.000-07:00

This bay-- which separates New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and the northern tip of Maine-- is said to have the largest vertical tide variation of any body of water in the world. There are some other contenders (in Quebec and the UK, most notably), but it's difficult to beat the Bay of Fundy's 50-foot rise and fall over the course of 12 hours. Boats that are bobbing happily at anchor one hour are planted in the sand the next, and these forces of nature create some funky erosion along the coastline.

Above: The Bay of Fundy at high tide.

Above: The Bay of Fundy at low tide.

The Lost City of Z and City of the Caesars

2008-05-06T06:33:00.000-07:00

Everyone's heard of El Dorado, the mythical city of gold in South America. Some believe it is located in or around Lake Guatavita (about 30 miles northeast of Bogotá, Columbia), and there have been several efforts to drain the lake-- some of which uncovered significant deposits of gold, emeralds, and other valuables before Columbia decided to protect the lake as a national heritage site.

Above: Lake Guatavita, Columbia. Note the channel cut into the crater rim on the left side of the photo, which was one group's attempt to drain the lake in the 16th century.

In addition to El Dorado, there were a handful of other "lost" South American cities that drove conquistadors crazy. As it turns out, the Lost City of Z (thought to have been the centerpiece of an isolated, thriving empire in the Mato Grosso region of the Brazilian Amazon) may not be a figment of our gold-fueled imaginations. I highly recommend Dan Grann's article "The Lost City of Z" in the September 19, 2005 issue of The New Yorker, which investigates the disappearance of famous British explorer Colonel Percy Harrison Fawcett, and ends with unexplainable shards of elaborate pottery found in the heart of one of the least explored places on the planet.

Above: The Mato Grosso region of the Brazilian Amazon.

While researching the two cities above, I came across the City of the Caesars, which brings us back into the realm of the mythical. Legend says the city is in the Andes, on the border between Chile and Argentina (in Patagonia). The mountains on either side of the city are said to provide the gold and diamonds, respectively, that (pick one) 1) Incan ancestors still guard, or 2) are hoarded by the ancestors of the survivors of a Spanish shipwreck.

Above: The natural border between Chile and Argentina, in Patagonia.

Maiden's Tower, Istanbul

2008-05-03T18:02:00.001-07:00

If you were able to laugh off Denise Richards as a nuclear scientist in the The World is Not Enough (an otherwise decent Bond movie), you'll recognize Maiden's Tower, also called Leander's Tower, which was used as a submarine hideout by the movie's bad guys. The tower is the main structure on an island in the Bosphorus Straight, off Istanbul, Turkey. Today, it's a cafe and restaurant, reachable by private water taxis from the city.

What's Your Travel IQ?

2008-04-19T17:35:00.000-07:00

I've become thoroughly addicted to the Traveler IQ Challenge, which you should not even think about checking out if you don't have lots of free time to waste. Enjoy!

Amazing Hotels, Part 3

2008-04-12T07:17:00.000-07:00

I think I'll make this the final installment of the amazing hotels list, just so we're keeping it to the hotels that I feel are truly heads above the rest in terms of their uniqueness. I'm sure I've left some incredible places out, but that's the beauty of it... they remain to be discovered.

BELOW: The Fairmont Banff Springs, Banff Springs, Alberta, Canada; Fairmont's Canadian properties, many of which are landmark hotels built by the Canadian Pacific Railway to promote train travel in Canada (also see the Empress Hotel, Château Lake Louise, and Château Frontenac, for starters) are a sight to behold. This hotel is the poster child for luxury in the Canadian Rockies.

BELOW: Hotel Kia Ora, Rangiroa, French Poynesia; These over-water bungalows just look like French Polynesia to me, and a diver friend swears that the diving around Rangiroa could not be any better in terms of visibility and underwater life.

BELOW: The Ice Hotel, Outside Quebec City, Quebec, Canada; There are several hotels around the world that are build out of ice, but this one is particularly impressive. It's a 30,000 square foot complex, re-built each year using 500 tons of ice and 15,000 tons of snow.

BELOW: Taj Lake Palace, Udaipur, Rajasthan, India; This 250-year-old marble palace appears to float atop Lake Pichola at the epicenter of India's "City of Dreams".

Amazing Hotels, Part 2

2008-04-06T10:42:00.001-07:00

It's taken me a few days, but I've come up with another round of hotels that defy the imagination. Enjoy!

BELOW: Commune by the Great Wall, Outside Beijing, China; To the best of my knowledge, this is the closest you can stay to the Great Wall, and these 11 architecturally stunning villas almost match its beauty.

BELOW: The Burj Al-Arab, Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Designed to look like a wind-blown sail, the Burj is as fantastical on the inside as it is on the outside. It's often cited as the world's best hotel.

BELOW: Ariau Amazon Towers, 35 miles from Manaus, Brazil; Three miles of catwalk connect an entire string of luxury tree houses, built at the level of the super-active rainforest canopy.

BELOW: Berggasthaus Aescher-Wildkirchli, Appenzell, Switzerland; Take the gondola up from the valley below to arrive at this cliffside guest house, high in the Alps.

Amazing Hotels, Part 1

2008-03-29T16:30:00.000-07:00

Over the course of my writing career, I've come across a number of amazing hotels around the world. If you win the lottery, here are few worth checking into:

BELOW: Hotel Salto Chico, Patagonia, Argentina; Plopped in the middle of the Patagonian wilderness. Gorgeous.

BELOW: Nimmo Bay, British Columbia, Canada; The ultimate fishing lodge, serviced by a fleet of helicopters that drops you in salmon-packed mountain streams.

BELOW: Hotel Caesar Augustus, Capri; The former private residence of a Russian prince, this cliffside hotel has perhaps the best views in the Mediterranean.

BELOW: Ashford Castle, County Mayo, Ireland; A 13th-century castle, beautifully preserved in appearance and spirit. Plus, they still practice falconry, which is just awesome.

Shangri-La

2008-03-16T14:00:00.000-07:00

If you haven't already read Lost Horizon by James Hilton, I'd highly recommend it. It's a short novel (less than 150 pages) about a mythical city high in the Himalayas called Shangri-La. Isolated from the rest of the world, the city is a center of knowledge, Buddhist-style harmony, and extraordinary longevity. Although the idea of Shangri-La is as fleeting and alluring as Atlantis, Xanadu, El Dorado, and others, the city's physical descriptions in the book are probably based on the real-life Hunza Valley, on the border between Pakistan and Tibet. Apparently, Hilton visited the area a year or two before the book published.

Above: The Hunza River Valley, Pakastan/Tibet border

Mont Saint-Michel, France

2008-03-08T11:36:00.000-08:00

Talk about a place that captures the imagination. This island off the coast of Normandy, surrounded by tidal flats, is linked to the mainland by a causeway. Since the 6th-century, it's been used as a stronghold, a monastery, a prison, and a living museum for travelers. It's widely believed that Mont Saint-Michel was the inspiration for the look of Minas Tirith in The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.

Taktshang Goemba, Bhutan

2008-03-01T18:32:00.000-08:00

I must be on a "things hanging off the sides of cliffs" kick, because I've been reading a lot about Taktshang Goemba (also known as the Tiger's Nest Monastery) lately. The Buddhists of Nepal, Tibet, and Bhutan are known for their inspired monasteries, but I think the Tiger's Nest takes it to the next level.

The Meteora Monastaries, Greece

2008-02-28T14:20:00.000-08:00

If you've seen For Your Eyes Only, the James bond flick, than you'll surely recognize these monasteries in Greece. I wonder if they actually have the little basket that ferries people up the side of the rock. Anyway, of the 24 Meteora monasteries (outside Athens), only five are still in operation. It's great to know that places like these are real places, not just movie sets. I still remember the day that I found out about Petra, Jordan, and the filming of the final scenes of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. I found it hard to believe that such a place could be anything but the product of our imaginations, but such is the wonder of travel.

Above: Meteora Monasteries, Greece

Above: The Treasury, Petra, Jordan

Navagio Beach, Zakynthos

2008-02-27T15:06:00.000-08:00

Navagio Beach pops up in my research every once in awhile, and I was fascinated by its history. The wreck you see is a former cigarette smuggling ship that washed ashore in 1983. The beach is on the Greek island of Zakynothos, and is only accessible via a 30-minute water taxi ride from Porto Vromi.

Expedition Turkey

2008-02-24T09:31:00.000-08:00

The next adventure is in the making. It looks like I'll be cruising from Rome to Athens (via the Greek Isles, Istanbul, coastal Turkey, Cyprus, and northern Egypt) this summer. The vessel: the Azamara Quest, a sleek small ship from the new culture-focused spin-off of Celebrity Cruises/Royal Caribbean (azamaracruises.com). Our itinerary focuses on ancient civilizations, and I've been astounded to read about the below-the-radar sites throughout Turkey in particular that promise to be incredibly educational. For starters, the Museum of Underwater Archeology (bodrum-museum.com) is housed inside a castle built by Crusaders on a peninsula off Bodrum, Turkey. Inside, there's literally thousands of years of Mediterranean history, all salvaged from underwater cities and ancient shipwrecks (some from the 7th century and earlier).

Underwater Hotels

2008-02-17T11:13:00.001-08:00

Besides all the talk about space tourism (virgingalactic.com), I think the most exciting travel development in recent years has been the evolving concept of underwater hotels. Jules' Undersea Lodge in Key Largo, FL, pioneered the idea, and rumor has it that a handful of larger, more luxurious underwater hotels are in the works. For starters, the Poseidon Undersea Resort is shooting for an early-2009 opening in Fiji, and the massive Hydropolis is coming soon to Dubai. Before long, "sleeping with the fishes" will have a whole new meaning.

Above: Jules' Undersea Lodge, Key Largo, FL (jul.com)

Above: Poseidon Resort, Fiji (poseidonresorts.com)

Above: Hydropolis, Dubai, U.A.E. (hydropolis.com)