The Red Market in
Macau, China -
photo by Janis Turk |
This month, as usual, GoNOMAD takes you all over the place. North to Finland, South to Texas, East to Macau and Vietnam and West to the streetcorner in Winslow, Arizona, made famous by Jackson Browne and the Eagles.
Kate Cosme and Kathryn Abbott write about a three-generation moms' getaway on Cape Cod and Shady Hartshorne completes his four-part series, Arizona Rocks! with a story about the town of Winslow and its crown jewel, La Posada.
Isadora Dunne takes us to Pori, Finland, to enjoy a sauna and a dip in icy waters. Max Hartshorne travels to Beaumont, Texas, and finds wildlife and nightlife in the heart of the Oil Patch.
Kelly Westhoff sends us a beautiful photogallery from the Bamboo Village in Mui Ne, Vietnam and Janis Turk takes us through the markets and back streets of Macau, China.
Elizabeth Bagley enjoys a lovely weekend on San Juan Island in Washington and Jon Brandt goes snorkeling in the Galapagos Islands in Ecuador.
Qanta Ahmed writes about the "invisible women" of Saudi Arabia and Cindy Bigras reviews the new Putumayo CD "Italia."
All in all it's just another month of top-notch travel writing on GoNOMAD.com!
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New stories recently published on GoNOMAD:
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Mui Ne, Vietnam: A Kelly Westhoff Photo Gallery
We knew exactly where we wanted to stay in Mui Ne: Bamboo Village. As budget travelers, Bamboo Village cost more for one night’s stay than what we were accustomed to paying for an entire week’s worth of lodging. However, we sprung for the big bucks, beachside villa because it was our wedding anniversary. Even though there was a clean, clear pool on the premise, we preferred our view of the South China Sea, which was just beyond our room’s front door... |
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Macau, China: Contradictions and Tiny Miracles
When I came here, I expected Las Vegas. And, yes, in Macau, the Vegas thing is all there. On steroids. There's a replica of the Roman Coliseum, a volcano like the one at The Mirage, a Disneyesque version of the New Orleans French Quarter, and neon to light the night. However, I sensed this city might be more than just sum of its casinos, and as I fell asleep listening to waves lap at the shore that first night, I knew I still hadn't seen the real Macau... |
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In Search of Goddesses and Pirate Queens
Eurynome Journeys, named for the 'wide-wandering' Goddess Eurynome, specializes in theme-based women-only tours that provide opportunities to visit museums and archaeological sites to learn about the history or a destination. These tours focus on the women of history, who were largely neglected by historians until recent years. These tours provide an opportunity for women to retrace their roots and visit their families' ancestral homelands... |
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Standing on the Corner in Winslow, Arizona
It’s trivia question time. Who made the town of Winslow, Arizona, famous in the 1970s? If you answered The Eagles, you’re partially right. It was actually Jackson Browne who wrote the lyrics for the Eagles’ 1972 hit song, "Take it Easy." Glen Frye wrote the music and, if he had also written the lyrics, he might have made some other town famous like Flagstaff or Chinle. But he didn’t, and Winslow will be the capital of Take-it-Easy-land forever or until everyone forgets the song whichever comes first... |
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Finland's Hidden Treasure: Pori, Where the Finns Go
Among most Americans the Finnish town of Pori is virtually unknown, but it is a favorite summer getaway for many Finns, as well as European vacationers from Sweden, Germany, Great Britain and the Netherlands. There are two big reasons: Pori Jazz in mid July, is the oldest and largest Jazz festival in all Europe. For sun lovers and nature enthusiasts the nearby Yyteri beach -- which is known to many as the most beautiful beach in all of Scandinavia -- provides the ultimate reason to visit the Pori area... |
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A Three-Generation Moms' Getaway on Cape Cod
Busy working mothers don’t often get the chance to find relaxation close to home. So when the opportunity struck for this mother, daughter, and three-month-old granddaughter to take a three-day vacation in early April, our options were limited. Where could two moms go to getaway and relax in the early spring in New England? We decided to head to the Outer Cape, the last leg of the journey out on the forearm of the Massachusetts peninsula that is Cape Cod... |
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| Experience Maine by spending five days sampling some of the best restaurants and enjoying the most scenic towns-Portland, Freeport, Brunswick and Rockland. You'll enjoy a variety of dining experiences from the casual Lobster Shack, to Fore Street Restaurant (A Gourmet Magazine's Top 50 Restaurant in 2002) and Marcel's, recipient of the Wine Spectator "Award of Excellence" and the AAA Four Diamond award. Throughout your trip a private car and driver will ensure you have a seamless experience and you'll enjoy the beautiful hotels and Inns that you will stay at each night. |
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'The Amazing Race' (TM) For Regular People?
Competitours (www.competitours.com) is a team travel competition featuring a secret European itinerary.
Teams compete to earn points by accomplishing a daily series of fun, quirky and surprise challenges that are about creativity, resourcefulness and a bit of zaniness, NOT speed or physical prowess. At stake, a worldwide travel spree grand prize. Try and dethrone 'Amazing Race' Season Nine champ, Tyler MacNiven (The Hippy) on our July 28 trip. Win a free trip if you dare... |
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Beaumont, Texas: Wildlife and Nightlife in the Heart of the Oil Patch
We beached our canoes and kayaks on a sandbar on Village Creek, a tributary of the Neches river here in Southeast Texas. It was time for lunch and stories. Our guide had plenty of both, we soon found out. The day was sunny and the paddling along this gorgeous stretch of river was as relaxing as can be. Our guide, Terry Thomas, is a grizzled, slender man with a lot of experiences under his belt. He was once an ironworker, now he's a part time river guide and a budding sculptor... |
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Washington's San Juan Islands: A Little Piece of Paradise
My main purpose of visiting San Juan Island was to go on a whale watch. It being the beginning of May, it was uncertain whether I would see the resident orcas. Every winter they migrate as far as Monterey, California, but it wasn’t long before the Captain spotted a familiar pod. Dorsal fins as large as six feet protruded from the still waters. Our naturalists were thrilled to point out two new members of the returning pod. Two 300-pound pink and black babies dove in and out of the water... |
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Ecuador: Finding Sea Legs in the Galápagos
There was something so calming and tranquil under the water. An entire universe of life existed down below. It was a sight that I had rarely been able to witness, and certainly not to the extent that you can in the Galápagos. The islands are unique because it’s one of the few places in the world where the animals have no fear of the humans because humans have never been a big predator to them. Down under the water, all of the problems up above dissolve... |
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Finnish Lapland: Sweating in the Arctic
Lapland, a cultural area that includes the northernmost part of Norway, Russia, and Finland, is home to the Lapps or Sámi, the only indigenous people in the European Union. No one knows where they came from, but they’ve been here since the Ice Age, traditionally making their living by hunting, fishing, and reindeer herding. Now, there are only 700 reindeer herders left in the area, but Lapland is still about reindeer, and not because Santa’s Village is close by at the Arctic Circle... |
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Traveling with a Small Dog: Tips from an Expert
Whether for business or pleasure, many people dislike leaving their small dogs behind when they travel. Instead of putting your dog in a kennel or one of those upscale doggie hotels popping up around the country, consider taking your small dog (weighing 15 pounds or less) with you the next time you travel by airplane. On many major airlines, passengers can pay a fee and have their small dog accompany them on the airplane within the passenger cabin... |
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More Recently Posted Travel Articles
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Azerbaijan: Unlike Anywhere Else
"We are very close to everything," my driver from the airport explains, smiling as he swerves around a truck with one hand on a cigarette and the other out the window, "And very close to no one." For a moment I am at a loss as to what he means, and can’t decide if it is a language error, or whether he is, indeed, making a fairly abstract point about the contradictions of Azeri life. Either way, the more time I spend in Azerbaijan, the more convinced I am that his statement actually makes sense.... |
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Saudi Arabia: In the Land of Invisible Women
Qanta Ahmed, a young British Muslim doctor, takes a position at the top hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on a whim, hoping for adventure and acceptance in the Middle Eastern Kingdom. What she comes to experience during her two year stay is shockingly different. In the Land of Invisible Women describes Ahmed's encounters with sexism and racism in the Saudi Kingdom, as well as the humor, honesty, loyalty, and love that she eventually finds... |
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Putumayo's Italia CD: Musical Storytelling from Italy
Putumayo’s latest CD, Italia, was released in May, 2009. Featuring Italian singer-songwriters, this music at times transports you to hilltop villages, other times to smoky cabaret settings in postwar Italy. Folk music inspired by Latin rhythm, swing, and Celtic tradition, it is the vocals that take center stage in this musical storytelling. Gianmaria Testa is a singer-songwriter and poet from Piemonte in northern Italy. In Il Viaggio, he tells of his plan to follow a raging river to the place where it will meet the sea... |
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