Feed Editor 5 Oct 2006 19:56:09 GMT Alternative Travel, Around the World travel, Nude Beaches, Destination Guides, Travel Articles on GoNOMAD.com http://www.gonomad.com/index.html en-us http://www.gonomad.com/images/gonomad-logo-travel-guide.gif Unlike some tourists, when I contemplate Switzerland, I don’t think of army knives, watches, the alps or secret bank accounts. I think of the late psychologist Carl Jung writing about alchemy — transmuting base metals into gold as a metaphor for personal and psychological transformation. I think of the macabre surrealist H.R. Giger, whose horrific biomechanical nighmarescapes have influenced morbid self-seekers for generations. I have no use for standardized guides, so before my infiltration of the Swiss countryside, I landed a used copy of Richard and Iona Miller's The Modern Alchemist: A Guide to Personal Transformation, a work utilizing some Jungian concepts. 30 Oct 2009 17:10:07 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/features/0909/switzerland-giger.html F3E4664D-C666-4741-A34A-33FFFB4F3E0A Vacationland proudly proclaim the state license plates. “Lots of hikes with great views,” says my husband, Pinaki. For him, great views translate to great landscape photography. “The world’s finest lobster comes from Maine,” screams the headline of the website of the Maine Lobster Council. Enough already, I am hooked. Picking a warm weekend in July, we packed our bags and drove up to Maine. All the way up to northern New England from our home in Connecticut. 28 Oct 2009 18:59:11 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/destinations/0910/maine-mount-desert-island.html 665A26F7-19A9-4BCE-9FFB-6E709AEA551B Immersion into a different culture is intellectually stimulating and forces you to examine your culture and your place in the world. Additionally, if you go to a non-English speaking country, your kids will get a head start on a second language. However, a year in a different country will provide your family with other less obvious benefits. Childhood is short, and if your family lives a modern fast-paced lifestyle, it will seem even shorter. During our year in France we were freed from our never-ending list of chores and obligations. Our life was simpler, and as a result we slowed down and spent a lot more time together as a family. 28 Oct 2009 18:58:01 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/family/0910/tips-for-living-abroad-with-kids.html CE8AA0E2-A178-41D3-A817-862FFFFA13FB Susan Van Allen describes the taste and experience of Micaela and Mamma Agata's cooking school. In Ravello, where life is more beautiful, we are given the taste of what life is like, not only through the foods, but through the history and culture. Van Allen's knowledge and love for Italy is expressed through cooking, with descriptions so vivid, one will feel as though they are present Van Allen presents a guide to Italy's many attractions including historic sites, museums, villas, gardens, cooking schools, spas, beaches, shopping, crafts schools, and opera companies. In these excerpts she describes cooking classes in Parma and Ravello. 28 Oct 2009 18:57:26 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/market/0908/places-every-woman-should-go-in-italy.html 47D2CCB1-55EC-4680-AAE7-A16C33A8FF3A Cuddled by the mountains of the state of Guerrero, Taxco is an attractive town known for its colonial architecture, steep and narrow cobbled streets, edged with whitewashed houses with red-tiled roofs, dominated by the stately and towering 250-year old Santa Prisca and Santa Sebastian Church, carrying the name of two saints. The Aztecs first founded the city, built on the side of a mountain, which they called Tlacho (the place of the ballgame) and it was re-founded by the Spaniards in the early 16th century. 28 Oct 2009 18:56:30 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/destinations/0910/mexico-taxco.html 199DAB52-0352-42B7-ABC6-1CF3A557FF1C Like an annoying metronome, the wipers slap in time to Michael Buble’s rendition of Come Fly With Me as they clear the fresh cache of snow from our windshield. “What’s with this?” I say to my husband who’s sitting next to me in the driver’s seat of our rented Chevy. “I thought we’d be escaping this white stuff.” Although not crooning like Buble, I had ironically suggested this very idea to him a few weeks earlier. “Let’s ditch BC’s wet west coast and take off for some higher and drier ground. Santa Fe would fit the bill.” 28 Oct 2009 18:55:14 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/destinations/0910/new-mexico-santa-fe.html A6C0D21E-CAB5-44C9-B13E-105D7F0A06AC When you Google 'intrepid solo women's travel,' they should have a picture of Isabella Bird. I have been reading her book about Colorado, which she visited in the 1870s, but she also visited Australia, Hawaii, Japan, China, Vietnam, Singapore, India,Tibet, Turkey, Persia, Kurdistan, Baghdad, Tehran, China, Korea, and Morocco. In later life, she used the celebrity status she had attained to found not one but two hospitals in India. The following excerpts are from A Lady's Life in the Rocky Mountains. The book is a trifle slow-going at the beginning, but it winds up galloping away with you. 28 Oct 2009 18:54:31 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/historic-travel/0910/isabella-bird.html 6FF2ABDC-70FB-4BD5-94C8-D8B3E2DED22A Brazil is more than carnival in Rio de Janiero, crowded beaches in Sao Paolo and Amazon River cruises. There are quiet corners to this vast country where immigrants from across the sea have recreated a little bit of home. Santa Catarina is one of those places. European Influence The province (about an hour’s flight south of Sao Paolo) was settled by Europeans – primarily Italians and Germans – and their influence remains strong. In Pomerode, for example, where almost all of the original settlers in the 19th Century came from Germanic Pomerania, 90% of the population still speaks German. In nearby Blumenau, one of the best-known industries is beer production using traditional German methods (you can tour the Eisenbahn brewery as well as the city’s historic museum of beer-making). Each year, the residents don German costumes and celebrate Oktoberfest, even though in Brazil – because it’s in the Southern Hemisphere -- the celebration takes place in the spring instead of harvest time. The factory in Blumenau producing hand-crafted glass is called Di Murano (after the famous Italian island outside Venice known for its glass). Its studio is open to visitors, who can watch glassmaking in action –and then buy something wonderful to take home. 20 Oct 2009 21:37:41 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/destinations/0904/brazil-santa-catarina.html DDA24CF9-E0E9-4B52-BDB1-666CC3F08090 Samos is a Greek island located in the northeastern Aegean Sea and a 1 ½ hour ferry ride from the Turkish port of Kusadasi, which was our starting point. According to Greek mythology, Samos was the birthplace of Hera, the long suffering wife of Zeus, and she was particularly worshipped on the island. Samos is very green and very mountainous. Mount Kerkis is actually the highest mountain in the North Eastern Aegean Sea. You’ll also find lovely beaches, bays, villages, historical sites and hotels to suit any budget. The capital of Samos, where the ferry docks, is located on the eastern shore and called Vathy. 20 Oct 2009 21:36:52 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/womens/0908/samos-greece-history.html BAE698D7-B9C3-453E-8E39-15BDC9F9A89B Sadly, the Bronx is often at the bottom of any traveler's New York list. A full week's worth of vulcanized rubber hardly dents most of Manhattan's must sees and the farthest most visitors make it from Gotham is the west part of Brooklyn. But for a certain type of traveler, possibly the kind who would gleefully burn a Lonely Planet, the Bronx might just be the place to be. This is for the Bronx that never makes the guidebooks. The South Bronx: the Bronx that burned, the cradle of hip-hop, the childhood playground of Colin Powell, Al Pacino and J-Lo. 20 Oct 2009 21:36:04 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/destinations/0910/new-york-south-bronx.html FA372D4E-CF1B-4D7D-88ED-23257CA4EFD8 A page with links to all of GoNOMAD's stories about Chile 20 Oct 2009 21:35:15 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/destinations/countries/chile.html 79E55712-C3B6-41D4-84AA-75A16EDE66EA A page with links to all of GoNOMAD's stories about Argentina 20 Oct 2009 21:34:32 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/destinations/countries/argentina.html 4A119CE6-EBF7-409A-AFC4-F37FB376C3E6 Continuing south after our visits to Huntsville and Birmingham, we rolled into the capital of Alabama, Montgomery. Founded in 1819 when the two rival towns of NewPhiladelphia and East Alabama Town merged, Montgomery became the state capital in 1846. The long list of historic events that took place here justifies their slogan: “Courageous… Visionary… Rebellious.” Whether you’re interested in the Civil War or Civil Rights, Shakespeare, Country Music or Baseball, you’ll find it in Montgomery. 16 Oct 2009 16:05:51 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/destinations/0910/alabama-montgomery.html D5F33FFB-6125-4F35-B429-1D7D21A40451 David Byrne is a musical innovator who was the catalyst behind the Talking Heads, one of the most influential bands of the '70s and '80s. He has collaborated with musicians from around the world, and in this new book, he provides succinct commentary on the state of the world learned from his many travels on the saddle of a bike. This book has a wonderful flow; he easily moves from Buenos Aires, to Manila, to New York, observing things like how buildings look and what local musicians are saying, and the pace is rapid, like a bike ride. Here is Byrne's opening to the book, setting out his agenda to transform cities that are bike-unfriendly to something a little more civilized. 16 Oct 2009 16:04:44 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/market/0909/bicycle-diaries.html 8934CACF-C514-4164-A946-2A0E86CD5EA2 Galveston is one of those destinations where there really is something for everyone. I happen to love those parts of America where the culture was shaped by other nationalities like the Dutch in New York or the French in New Orleans. In Galveston you can really feel the grandeur of Spain, most notably in the Hotel Galvez that fronts boldly on the Gulf of Mexico, named for Governor Bernardo de Galvez, one of the most interesting characters in the history of the Gulf Coast. I also love historic American architecture, and Galveston's position as the commercial center of the Gulf in the late 1800s led to the building of block after block of magnificent Victorian mansions. More than 2,000 buildings in Galveston are listed on the National Registry of Historic Places. But that's just me. Galveston is a great destination for all kinds of reasons. But don't take my word for it. Ask the five million people who come here every year. There are miles and miles of beautiful beaches, possibly the best birding and fishing in the world (FDR came here to fish for ten days), as well as surfing, sailing, kayaking, shopping, antiques, art galleries, fine dining, you name it. 16 Oct 2009 16:03:41 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/destinations/0909/texas-galveston.html 564F0A6C-B29A-4539-B021-CC8304CE32B9 Ouro Preto, means “Black Gold” a reference to the black iron oxide covered gold nuggets found in the Tripui River in the late 1600s that led to Brazil's greatest gold rush. In its glory during the 17th century it was the richest city in Brazil and the capital of the state. It is impossibly beautiful. Red roofed meticulously-preserved colonial houses, some painted bright pastel colors roll up and down the hills of the town that are topped by gold-laden churches. Thick cobblestones cover the steep winding roads. I am struck by the shear “weight” of the town and the amount of labor it must have taken to build it in such an extreme environment. 12 Oct 2009 17:55:02 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/destinations/0910/minas-gerais-brazil.html F2EC16DE-6F1E-47AE-9B3D-788E98F49DEC The Bougmez Valley I’d seen described as “the best-kept secret in Morocco.” Admittedly, this was something I’d read in the Lonely Planet Guide to Morocco, and Bougmez is also mentioned at least briefly in a number of other guidebooks. But no two guidebooks even spell the name the same way – which I thought was a promising sign. And until fairly recently there was no paved road to the valley, so it was plausible that this was still an unspoiled Shangri La. I was eager to see if Ait Bougmez really was “nature’s answer to Prozac,” as the Lonely Planet described it. 9 Oct 2009 18:22:37 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/destinations/0910/morocco-bougmez.html 75AEEC75-8B9E-4F62-AC8A-7C260C1FDB26 A trip to Nova Scotia involves a good deal of driving. When you get to The Cabot Trail, the driving pays off. Nova Scotia, the most populous of Canada’s Maritime Provinces, resembles an italic lowercase i on a map. With the Bay of Fundy on its west coast, the waters of the Atlantic Ocean on the Eastern Shore, the i shape of Nova Scotia gets its dot from Cape Breton Island. The province is easily reached by the high-speed CAT Ferry from Portland and Bar Harbor, Maine, a "super ship" with movie theaters, a casino, and other on-board amenities. 7 Oct 2009 21:48:25 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/features/features.html 9F635278-6C70-4EAF-B4D0-E67373380080 We flew up north and arrived in Iquique, a mining town of 200,000 right on the Pacific coast, and practically in the Atacama desert. More than 20,000 here work in giant copper, salt and other mines, the men work 10 days in a row with four off. The jobs are coveted and passed down from father to son. It rains about two millimeters a year, so restaurants like El Tercer Ojito don't need any real roofs. "When it rains, it's just a piffle," said Cristina. By the beach, we saw an entire gym set up outside with no roof. Water of course is very scarce here in this arid climate, and it comes from faraway rivers and lakes. The talk of the city is how they want to force the big mining firms to pay for desalinization plants as they do in Antofagasta, Chile's second largest city. 7 Oct 2009 21:47:02 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/features/0909/iquique-chile.html 023001A3-334C-4B12-B452-F8FE30C797DB The decay is enchanting and matches the heat, not subtle, nothing about Salvador, Brazil is. It is a long way from the now comparatively polished streets of Rio and I am grateful for it. Just steps from my luxury hotel is a one time-convent. My eyes blink repeatedly; the bright morning unveils a city that is used. It alternates between obscene and heavenly. The young boy passed out in the street is unnoticed by the traditionally dressed female drummers, the polar opposite. This was also a feature of my trip up through the Pernambuco State: opposites making for one great trip. Busy building in Recife and slow paced beach life in Porto de Galinas; the colonial splendor of Olinda and the growing beach resorts up north. One stand-out feature of my journey was smiles, just so many smiles, which in itself was worth everything. 6 Oct 2009 17:51:55 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/destinations/0909/brazil-salvador-recife.html B289E9A4-235B-45DA-9A9A-BCA88A83C0A1 You would think that it wouldn’t be that hard to spot an auburn-haired orangutan in a tree. But it is. No sooner had I dumped my bag at the lodge on the Kinabatangan River than river guide Nelson hurried me into a waiting boat to head down river before dusk. Fifteen minutes later Nelson cuts the boat’s engine, nods to the left and shushes everyone. I try to follow his line of vision, but disappointingly couldn’t see anything. Finally I see him, an adult male, hanging by one arm and chowing down on a handful of leaves in the afternoon sun. He is calm, quiet and watchful. I sit there amazed staring up at him in deferential silence. Only a flock of hornbills taking flight across the river breaks the stillness and quickly returns me to reality. A Long-Lost Relative The most impressive thing when you get up close to an orang-utan is how similar we humans are to them. Everything about them feels familiar. Weirdly, I felt like I was staring at some long-lost relative. 6 Oct 2009 17:50:25 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/features/0909/malaysia-orangutans.html CD420985-D971-48A8-B52D-054FBDE3765D We didn’t have much money, we didn’t have much time, and we were going to one of the most expensive cities in the world. It was hectic but fun; and finding ways to keep the costs down was a challenging mission - but we accomplished it. Getting There The three of us split the flight and the hotel, and we each paid about $650 US for four nights and a return flight from Seoul. We were in a great location called Shinjuku (right off the Tochomae stop on the Oedo subway line, and near to the Shinjuku stop on the JR line Yamanote) and the hotel was called Shinjuku Washington Hotel. The hotel had least ten restaurants, a sauna bath, nice, clean, simple rooms, and some great bars; one of which sold beers from around the world in a more comprehensive way than I have ever seen. The hotel had a three-star rating and Shinjuku proved to be close to many attractions that we enjoyed thoroughly. 6 Oct 2009 17:48:56 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/transports/0909/japan-tokyo-subway.html A10DD4D7-7ABE-4B20-A59A-8D202D9C0BE2 There is no doubt about it – the best snorkeling and diving in the world is in Raja Ampat. This west Indonesian archipelago contains more marine bio-diversity than anywhere else in the world – more fish, more corals. In 2002, The Nature Conservancy conducted a scientific survey of the Raja Ampat Islands to collect information on its marine ecosystems, mangroves and forests. The survey brought Raja Ampat’s total number of confirmed corals to 537 species — an incredible 75 percent of all known coral species. 25 Sep 2009 18:18:43 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/destinations/0909/indonesia-raja-ampat.html A7B0604B-8E39-4FB5-8F44-6654FBBCD685 An unexpected surge of patriotism overcomes me as the Union Pacific steam locomotive pulls into the depot. Music plays, banners wave, the arriving faces beam from the train’s open windows. The sky is crystal clear, the sun strong - all the makings of a festive opening for Cheyenne’s Frontier Days. Passenger rail service to Cheyenne ended in 1971, making today’s arrival a special event. For a while, some of the passengers will poke around the renovated depot, where vendors of Western crafts have set up for the rodeo’s ten-day duration. 25 Sep 2009 18:17:51 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/features/0909/wyoming-cheyenne.html 941C689F-052F-4486-8A74-76D7FBF75BC9 Learning vacations are now more popular than ever; from Thai cooking schools to studying Spanish in Guatemala to practicing meditation in India. But how about somewhere a little closer to home and a place you can still get a rich cultural experience as well? The answer: The John C. Campbell Folk School. Whether it’s mountain dulcimer, digital photography, or quilting, you will find something of interest among the 860 courses offered. Located in the scenic hills of western North Carolina, the school, a registered non-profit situated on a serene 300-acre property in the hamlet of Brasstown, specializes in courses rooted in the traditions of southern Appalachia. But it offers a fine selection from other cultures of the world as well. I initially made the trip to Brasstown for a week-long Southeast Asian cooking course. 25 Sep 2009 18:16:40 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/alternatives/0909/john-campbell-folk-school.html F39C472E-3A69-4BBA-85F3-2F3A7ACE8EF6 From Connecticut, it took us almost five hours to reach Stowe, a classic Vermont village. Driving through Vermont, the irony hit me. Vermont’s fall foliage and ski-slopes have overshadowed its summer; its quaint towns have stolen the spotlight from its rugged summits. I was glad that my husband’s passion for hiking helped me discover a side of Vermont not known to many. We had booked a room for Saturday night at Fiddler’s Green Inn in Stowe. We got special summer rates and the fun of choosing our room. We picked one with a crooked ceiling overlooking a babbling brook. 25 Sep 2009 18:15:53 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/destinations/0909/vermont-mt-mansfield.html 964B86AD-35E0-41C6-892C-DC6590E8E03C Across the largest land mass in the world, powerful and deadly empires once ruled. Genghis Khan shook up most of the continent by paving a ruthless path of destruction that stretched from China to eastern parts of Europe. Since then, the land and its people have been exploited by relentless wars, power-hungry tyrants and the Communist regime. But what maps and the media fail to highlight in modern, post-Soviet times, Jeffrey Tayler brings into the limelight with his new book Murderers in Mausoleums. Tayler begins his travels in Moscow and moves through the forgotten lands of Central Asia, ending in Beijing. 25 Sep 2009 18:14:54 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/market/0909/murderers-in-mausoleums.html B99CBAEB-7F1B-420C-BC2C-4FA346487C37 I’d hopped into the last available seat in a 16-passenger van leaving Qax, Azerbaijan, between a four-foot high granny and a couple of newly-weds. The newly-weds, though cruising the second day of their honeymoon, managed to momentarily untangle themselves for introductions, offering anglicized names of Pat and Rusty. As I looked around the van it seemed full of quiet and sedate people, all bound for Tbilisi, the capital of a brand new country, for me: Georgia, recently bloodied by a slam-bang war with Russia, which excluded the possibility it might be a familiar part of the U.S.A. After a tedious border crossing into Georgia, Rusty magically produced a bottle of Georgian wine, twirling it to catch the light: full-bodied purple. 16 Sep 2009 23:08:19 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/destinations/0909/georgia-wine.html F28EF3B1-7051-4D2E-BB19-AFC1507570F6 There are few things more frustrating than being confined to a beach apartment in Brittany, France, growing plump on French wine and tiny lemon tarts. OK, so the lethargy was amazing, but that’s not the point. When my company sent me to Lorient, France for two weeks on a very important mission, I puffed with pride. Of course I could manage just fine with my little French knowledge. No problem. After completely confusing my co-workers’ affectionate cheek kisses for sexual assault, drinking sour cream which I thought was milk, and entirely confused with the geography of the area, I decided I could not waste my single night in Paris on the return journey. I had dawdled and fumbled enough. 16 Sep 2009 23:07:50 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/tours/0909/paris-in-context.html 9902C5F6-B06C-47B5-BC02-BA95B38ECC2B Despite its English roots, St. Francisville oozes Southern charm. One of the first things you’ll notice as your car pulls into town is the Spanish Moss. It drips from nearly every tree and shrub around. If you’ve never seen it before, which as a Yankee girl I hadn’t outside of movies, the moss is almost eerie. It’s harmless, however, to humans and trees alike. And the longer I spent in St. Francisville, the more I stared to believe that it was the moss, with its dingy gray color, that was responsible for the hush in the air. It seemed to filter the sun’s brightest rays and everything in its presence felt soft and shadowed. 11 Sep 2009 18:48:33 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/destinations/0909/louisiana-st-francisville.html 2764993C-BEE7-436E-8905-4662A7541A58 Clean Breaks: 500 New Ways to See the World, from Rough Guides describes 500 eco-friendly adventures all over the world including homestays in Native American tipis, expeditions to watch the zebra migration in Botswana, sleeping in houseboats in India or riding with cowboys in Venezuela. Richard Hammond says he and co-author Jeremy Smith chose "the kind of holidays that get under the skin of a destination while genuinely benefitting local communities." "It is often about focusing on the uniqueness of the destination, staying in family-run hotels, visiting local markets and festivals, and hiring local guides so that their tourism dollars benefit the destination." 11 Sep 2009 18:47:42 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/market/0908/green.html A52A42C2-2F6F-495E-8911-C7BCFF03E748 A new travel social networking website, Go-Lo.net was launched August, 2009. The site, created by David Paul Appell, president and co-founder of EnLinea, designed the site to allow travelers, travel writers and tourism professionals a forum to exchange ideas about media, cheap hotels, airfare, and travel opportunities along with current events. Appell told GoNOMAD, “A fresh new way for travelers and experts to interact, Go-Lo breaks down the traditional barriers that have stood between travelers and travel journalist, publicists, agents, venders, and anyone else with good, actionable info.” 11 Sep 2009 18:46:59 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/traveldesk/0909/go-lo-travel-networking.html 2EF71CA4-0866-4086-B924-80E7A589B2D8 The island of Djerba, floating off the southeast coast of Tunisia, is a popular destination for relaxing in a traditional hammam, grilling your body on a sandy beach or haggling over handmade Andalusian pottery. Few realize that only a few miles away is one of the oldest Jewish communities in the world; some say it dates back 2,500 years to time of King Nebuchadnezzar. A Joyous Sound Covering my head with a white cotton hoodie and tossing my sandals atop a growing pile of shoes, I listen as a fantastic cocktail of sounds comes from inside the oldest synagogue in North Africa. 9 Sep 2009 15:48:08 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/features/0909/tunisia-djerba-festival.html 966E1CCE-7CDA-475F-BB99-732728B6BE35 Second-timers are smart guys. They have this been-there-done-that attitude and seldom care for repeating their first experience. Who would be interested in the same old attractions if you have already taken pictures of them during your first visit? I think it’s this common psychological phenomenon, which largely explains why second-timers tend to extend their experience or pursue new directions and unbeaten paths. It’s Cool to Have Friends in London A good friend of mine, who now works and lives in London, was so kind that she invited me to this wonderful city for the second time this April. Either she forgot how it felt to have guests at home for a week, or missed my enthusiasm about exploring London, but there I was, at Heathrow airport, having to buy my Oyster card again. 8 Sep 2009 17:17:39 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/destinations/0909/london-second-time.html 71F03028-2258-46DD-A05A-8BA292DD9C7C For decades, scores of public figures who shaped South American history and culture have passed through or made their home in the Chilean port-city of Valparaíso; people like revolutionary-turned-pop-culture icon Ernesto 'Che' Guevara, Chilean Nobel Prize winning poet Pablo Neruda, and even military dictator Augusto Pinochet. However, none of these prominent people match the personality of Valparaíso itself. Visitors will stumble upon the identity of this gritty yet richly historic port city most easily when travelling at ground level. Touring Valparaíso on foot is the best way to encounter everything from the grand historic buildings down to the lowliest hot dog stand surrounded by locals enjoying 'completos,' - hot dogs smothered in a thick layer of mashed avocado. 8 Sep 2009 17:17:04 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/destinations/0909/chile-valparaiso.html 8FD6F3B8-78EA-43A3-9D6F-0EE528DF38AE Canada has always remained a mystery to me. It is rarely mentioned in politics, history or just in good old banter. Kind of like the quiet kid who sits in the back of the class that you suddenly find so alluring. My Aunt invited me to stay with her at the Fairmont Queen Elizabeth Hotel in Montreal for a few days while she attended a convention. I figured this was a true opportunity to dig down as deep as I could to answer the question that has been haunting me: What is it with Canada? I awoke bright and early to meet Claire-Marie Lavoie, a tour guide from the Infotouriste Centre who would be showing me around the best parts of the city via van. 3 Sep 2009 15:46:13 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/womens/0907/montreal-je-ne-sais-quois.html 9ADFDA3F-10C6-42C6-9C04-23E85DF7C026 spent my summers by the sea. Always, a beach, a dock and a longing to be out in a boat followed me each successive summer as I joined family and friends at our family vacation home in Edgartown, Martha’s Vineyard or later, the Jersey Shore. My grandmother used to belong to the Chappaquiddick Beach Club, and one of the swell things about this club is the big dock that allowed members to come over to the club by small boat. I sat on that dock for hours, watching with envy the Boston Whalers and other small motorcraft that zipped in and out, piloted by grinning young men or bikini-clad teen girls. Oh how I wanted to be in that driver’s seat. Fast forward 35 years, and I’m waking up after spending the night on the bridge of a 42’ Krogen trawler yacht owned by the friends of a friend. When my pal Jack asked me if I’d like to rendezvous with Denny and Laraine and spend a few days on their boat off the coast of Chappaquiddick, it didn’t take me a second to say yes. 3 Sep 2009 15:43:59 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/transports/0908/cruising-the-mass-coast.html C38B8335-0EE7-41CC-9B15-C2715EA3DD57 Boston stands proud as the birthplace of the American Revolution and the present day hotbed of art, education and culture. For baseball fans, the city offers a taste of Red Sox history at Fenway Park. With so much to see and do, we set off early in an effort to reach Boston by 9 a.m. Our primary intention was to walk along Boston’s scenic harborwalk, which has been constructed to provide easy access to the Harbor and connect the waterfront neighborhoods. Some parts of it are still undergoing extension. 3 Sep 2009 15:43:10 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/destinations/0908/massachusetts-boston-waterfront.html 15417ED0-6DAD-4BB7-8B69-82CEADBD0793 When I heard about Overlook Farm in Rutland, Massachusetts (about an hour-and-a-half due west of Boston), and the chance to spend three days there during goat kidding season, when the female goats give birth, I thought it would be a great chance to see if I really liked goats, up close and personal. Overlook Farm is operated by the charity Heifer International as a “learning center,” meaning that its main focus is providing educational opportunities to learn about world poverty, hunger, and sustainable agriculture. My now-husband and I had “bought a goat” through Heifer each of the past several years, and as donors we receive their magazine, where I originally read about the goat kidding program. 3 Sep 2009 15:42:13 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/womens/0908/kidding-goats.html 491BEC54-5A31-4385-9140-C6A3FA659A5B TravelMuse is a website, launched about a year ago, co-founded by Kevin Fliess and Eric Wood based on finding a solution to the travel planning space and helping people to find inspiration and ideas on where to travel. TravelMuse is free to use. No more pricy travel agents. “We make money through advertising and a revenue share on bookings (air, hotel, car and packages) made through our anchor partner, World Choice Travel, a Travelocity company,” Said Fiona Ashley, Director of Marketing of TravelMuse. The TravelMuse is a start-up company that empowers people to imagine, experience and share their travel ideas. The TravelMuse planner helps you quickly create a personalized trip, even multiple trips at once all through one window on your browser. This may sound like any other booking website offering choices of hotels and rental cars with flights, but TravelMuse is much more than just hotels and rental cars. 3 Sep 2009 15:41:06 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/traveldesk/0908/TravelMuse.html 4314A269-B4BE-4122-9EB3-4618729458EC When planning a recent trip to England our goal was “cheap and cheerful,” as they say. Frequent flyer miles and a business trip brought the six of us across the Atlantic and our British relatives suggested we meet on the Isle of Wight. It sounded ideal, in addition to beach activities we could look forward to biking and hiking. Generally when we travel together we rent a self-catering cottage, but with only four nights on the island, off the southern coast of Britain, a cottage was not an economical option. Hotels and B&Bs seemed too confining for our group of 10 and this was not the time or place to explore camping. Eureka a yurt! Just weeks before we were set to leave the US, still undecided about lodging, we received a message from our relatives suggesting that we look at the website of The Really Green Holiday Company. “They do yurts,” they said. 26 Aug 2009 19:57:50 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/lodgings/0908/yurt-holiday-on-the-isle-of-wight.html 98B5671E-C4C2-46B6-B55F-86633ECEF6E5 If Znojmo were any more anonymous, the Federal Witness Protection Program would stash all their people here. In fact, it would not surprise me to discover Jimmy Hoffa running the pension next to our hotel. Not even mentioned in the Lonely Planet guide, Znojmo is an inconspicuous and little visited destination apart from the trendy and popular towns of Prague and Cesky Krumlov. Three hours south of Prague, and an hour and a half north of Vienna, this spotless village in the Czech Republic territory of Moravia flirts with its neighbor Austria in the midst of a burgeoning wine industry, content with neglect and comfortable being overlooked as a tourist stopover. Arriving by bus from the Czech town of Brno, we were captivated with our first sighting of Znojmo (pronounced ‘Zaw No Way Moe’). The dominant church spire of St. Nicholas Church overlooks the terra cotta roofs of the village below, as they appear to be kneeling in homage during worship at a Sunday Mass. 26 Aug 2009 19:56:57 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/destinations/0908/znojmo-czech-republic.html 3C4EE4A6-FF4B-433C-858E-31E239EFF46A When someone asked me about my favorite moment of the Calgary Stampede in Alberta Canada, I was at a loss. Ten days for the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth is not enough to breathe in the beauty and excitement of the Canadian Wild West. Was it seeing the broncos burst out of their bucking chutes, feeling their wild energy and urge to run? Was it listening to the tales of the talented Chuckwagon riders behind the scenes as they prepared for a night of timing and skill unmatched in the rodeo world? Perhaps it was the brilliance of the Grandstand Show with its state of the art fireworks and 1600-pound Wheel of Death? Or the ultra-green ScrapArtsMusic quintet’s athletic, theatrical performance that uses industrial scrap to supply their eclectic sound? 26 Aug 2009 19:56:20 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/features/0908/calgary-stampede.html AF678572-47E4-4845-947D-84BB8242F1E1 To explore Urbino today takes stamina as its narrow streets wind up and down the hills, but the rewards are great visually and the feel of an old town palpable. At night it is hard to feel like you live in these fast paced days; your pulse slows and steps shorten. In between twin humps of a hill is the Piazza della Republica; sitting at an outdoor café will certainly set the stage for a Marche mindset. The mindset will come in handy at the nearby village of Urbania on the fast flowing Metauro River. The Castel Durante is huge and dates from the 13th century. The name of the city was changed in 1636 when Pope Urban VIII took over the land and brought them into the Papal States. It is however on the arcaded streets that life in a Marche village unfolds; ice cream shops and cafes are interspaced with shops carrying the local ceramic works. If you're in a macabre mood behind the altar of the Chiesetta dei Morti in Via Ugolina are a dozen leathery mummified corpses, one with multiple stab wounds… shades of Urbania CSI. 19 Aug 2009 21:30:08 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/destinations/0908/italy-marche.html 0A9F6DA7-415B-4082-8DCD-E93B90325271 Chefchaouen is a magical dreamscape of a place, occupying the saddle between two peaks in the Rif Mountains of northern Morocco. Houses, stone walls, alcoves, arches, streets, are all covered in whitewash tinted a shimmering iceberg blue. Doors, sashes, ornate iron balconies and window grilles are painted in shades from cobalt to aquamarine. The Spanish Influence This lends the winding streets and stairs an underwater feeling -- as if a Greek village had been relocated to the bottom of the sea. In fact, Chaouen, as it is locally known, is in many respects a Spanish town, having been settled by Moorish refugees fleeing the Inquisition. Christians were banned from entering the town until 1920, when Spanish troops occupied Northern Morocco. One of the three who tried to sneak in, an American missionary, was poisoned. 19 Aug 2009 21:29:20 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/destinations/0908/morocco-chefchaouen.html C91E443D-7163-4EE0-B144-70321CDFA59E editor's note: Erik Gauger is the founder of Notes from the Road, one of GoNOMAD's favorite websites, which is known for its extraodinary landscape photographs. Jennifer Bellenoit recently caught up with Eric and asked him about the evolution of his photography and his website.] 14 Aug 2009 22:39:20 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/features/0908/erik-gauger-notes-from-the-road.html A65CD17A-6201-4AEB-BBB7-2EEAED0FA401 In Thailand I took refuge in the northeast in a region known as Isan, where the people taught me how to sit like a Thai and then as a monk, how to walk like monk. In a rural Buddhist temple I learned the art of stillness without the aid of television and from some very fine monks I learned that there is still an awful lot of grace and beauty in this world if we are willing to see it, but more importantly if we are wiling to fully engage ourselves. My experiences did not result in my transformation, or enlightenment in the Buddhist sense. That would take more than a year anywhere, Buddhist temple or otherwise. It did teach me that spirituality and knowing ones purpose in life is an incredibly difficult journey on an unmarked path. 14 Aug 2009 22:38:25 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/market/0907/sons-of-isan.html 2845880C-5152-40EF-A163-4289B82BA0C8 Some of the most beautiful places in the world come with a history of civil injustice, often masked by the tourist industry. Lucy Popescu has worked with English PEN’s Writers in Prison Committee (WiPC) from 1991 to 2006. She also writes for Tribune and has a monthly column in Literary Review called “Silenced Voices.” Her most recent book The Good Tourist includes accounts of human rights violations, violence and civil unrest in countries ranging from Mexico to Australia to the United States. It is a different kind of travel guide; the most attractive attributes of the country are still highlighted in the beginning, but a brief but passionate overview of the tumultuous history of the country is included. The book makes it clear that travelers, as human beings, have a responsibility to educate themselves on the different problems that persist in the world. The chapters are divided by country. At the end of each chapter, Popescu provides reading suggestions as well as steps that you can take to help make a difference. Below are some excerpts from her new book 14 Aug 2009 22:37:37 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/alternatives/0907/good-tourist-ethical-traveler-guide.html 9AC2624F-5923-4D7E-943A-50DD864CA795 After an action-packed visit to Huntsville, we moved on to the largest Alabama city, Birmingham. It’s known as the “Magic City” because it grew so fast after being founded in 1871 as an iron and steel production center. The 56-foot tall statue of Vulcan, the Roman god of metalwork, is the largest cast iron statue in the world and it makes a great first stop if you’re visiting Birmingham because you get a panoramic view of the city and there’s a museum that gives you a quick overview of Birmingham’s history as an industrial center, a focal point for the Civil Rights movement and its new incarnation as a center for medical technology and research. 14 Aug 2009 22:36:33 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/destinations/0908/alabama-birmingham.html 9CBAB766-01EA-46BB-B6E3-A91803A8798D Some might say a “family-vacation” is an oxymoron. A friend told me once a family vacation isn’t a vacation, it’s a trip. With limited resources and time you really can’t afford to have a vacation that doesn’t feel like one. So the biting of nails and gnashing of teeth that usually comes with planning your family vacation, is completely reasonable. The trick is to create the overlap in your itinerary–things that kids and parents will both enjoy. And I believe a successful family vacation is based on the overlap being at least 50 percent. I’d say the other 25 percent is for them, the kids, and the remaining 25 percent is for us, Mom and or Dad. Visiting Toronto, there is plenty to do that falls into the overlap category. My son, James, and I spent about four days there sampling a typical family vacation. We were shown a variety of family friendly venues and attractions that were interesting and fun for both of us. 14 Aug 2009 22:35:38 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/family/0908/toronto-for-families.html 730196EB-1292-4D62-B80B-38272AD2DA5A Scratch beneath the surface of Laos’ burgeoning tourist scene, and you will see a country suffering with poverty and inequality. Charlotte Halligan discovers how micro-credit is changing lives for poor women across Laos.] I find myself in a rural Lao village surrounded by 15 women. They are all different ages; mothers, daughters, grandmothers, even babies. Their language is completely alien to me; I strain to understand but I only grasp a few numbers in their exotic tonal tongues. But I don’t need to understand what they’re saying to understand that they’re excited. The women hold up and pass round different cottons, fabrics and intricately embroidered silk. Their sing-song voices clamber over each other, reaching a deafening crescendo which descends into near hysterical laughter. Notable is the complete absence of any men. This is my first trip to the Ban Hai village in central Laos, and I am witnessing something truly special – micro-credit in action. 14 Aug 2009 22:34:43 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/womens/0908/laos-micro-credit.html 55544DFE-22DE-4378-A222-A63C5CB0A103 Normandy is famous for two great invasions: June 1944 and September 1066. After enjoying the many D-day tourism activities this region has become famous for, we headed west to the Department of Manche, Basse Normandy, which means 'the sleeve,' named after the French name for the English Channel. This western half of the Normandy peninsula is dotted with lovely beach towns like Granville and Carteret, and is full of fields, sweeping beaches and surging tides, but not that many people. Beach, Beach and Seafood Here the name of the game is beach, ocean, seafood and of course, great castles and well preserved Medieval buildings. In Bricquebec, one such castle remains standing that was built in the 11th century! Though many of the buildings here were destroyed by both Allied and German bombs during World War 11, this castle was unscathed, as was the place we'd bed down for the night....Chateau le Val 14 Aug 2009 22:33:45 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/lodgings/0908/chateau-le-val-normandy.html F3395685-5B53-44F5-8458-5A3AB4DC14EB I wasn’t expecting to be pampered in Vegas. Eat too much? Yes. Stay up late? Of course. Dissolve into a state of utter spa bliss? I’d take it, but was that even an option? My image of Las Vegas was that it was a city more accustomed to breaking humans down than putting them back together. What I experienced on a recent visit, however, proved my vision needed a makeover. Promising Pleasure Las Vegas in the business of promising pleasure, so I wasn’t surprised that its biggest hotels all have spas built right into them, nor was I surprised that all of these spas offer foot rubs, scalp massages and steaming, aromatic baths. I was surprised, though, by just how many spa experiences I had to choose from. For example, upon checking in to my suite at the Palazzo, I found a 30-page spa menu waiting for me in my room. The menu listed fitness classes and beauty services available at the Canyon Ranch Spa inside the hotel. 14 Aug 2009 22:32:42 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/womens/0908/nevada-las-vegas-spas.html 59DB6665-AB29-4F13-8F47-7E58D876CED3 I'm known around the office as the guy who never goes anywhere outside New England -- my dream vacation is doing nothing at a bed & breakfast in Maine -- but when I got a chance to visit Houston, I snapped it up like a hungry trout. Named for the wily Cherokee war chief who won independence for Texas -- that would be Sam Houston -- this place has character. Some say it's the western part of the South, and some say it's the southern part of the West. Actually, like the rest of the Texas Gulf Coast, it has a character all its own because of all the different groups of settlers who have arrived here over the years. 14 Aug 2009 22:31:58 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/destinations/0907/texas-houston.html D87456C8-A3A5-42B6-8A3A-2013CA579D27 On this 65th anniversary, any visit to the north of France's Normandy region must include visits to the various locations of the Allied D-Day invasion in June 1944. Americans and others who want to get a first-hand view of where it all happened can find many fascinating opportunities to learn about the history in this part of France. We visited the D-Day beaches, the Caen Memorial Museum, the villages of Arromanches and St. Mere D' Eglise, the nearly destroyed city of Le Havre and pillboxes embedded over the beaches at Longue-sur-mer. It left us in awe of the size and scope of the battles, and impressed with how much of an impact the war still has on this region. 14 Aug 2009 22:31:12 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/features/0907/d-day-beaches-and-museums.html 7512D2A9-E256-46CA-B287-A8A192365E87 On a visit to Panama, it's hard to know where to start. Because of its central location, the country is host to more species of plants and wildlife than anywhere else in the world. The country also boasts one of the man-made wonders of the world, the Panama Canal. But what may be Panama's greatest attraction is the opportunity to visit the villages of ancient peoples who have lived in America for centuries, at one with nature, long before the arrival of Europeans. Panama has a lot to offer the solo traveler, but with so many attractions and activities, many people like to travel with the assistance of experienced guides who can take care of day-to-day arrangements and make sure that visitors make the most of their time in this remarkable country. If you're planning a trip to Panama, a good resource is Viajes Cora of Panama, which has a wide variety of tours for families, couples and solo travelers that include snorkeling and diving, ecological parks, tours of the Panama Canal and many other attractions. 4 Aug 2009 22:24:40 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/tours/0908/panama-tribes.html 795B9D6E-9C45-450B-997C-F66069845CDF Soon after I arrived for my whirlwind tour of Louisiana Music Festivals, a Lafayette gourmet imparted this wisdom: “I love the food in New Orleans. Just don’t call it Cajun.” Lesson learned. This was, in fact, the first of many lessons I learned during my travels in Louisiana. There’s more to this place than even I, a long time devotee of the Bayou State’s food and music, would have thought. First there’s Lafayette -- the small, Southern city with an internationally renowned music festival, great food and all kinds of cultural activities. And Arnaudville -- a sleepy little hidden gem of a town with a diverse artists’ community. Baton Rouge is known for its music and art, but it was the history that stood out to me. And, while New Orleans could hardly be considered a hidden gem, there is so much more to it than Bourbon Street and Mardi Gras. 4 Aug 2009 22:23:15 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/destinations/0907/louisiana-music.html 8F686CAE-504D-415C-8B83-AA970DCB2D6B The path leads me deeper into the jungle, where towering gum and ceiba trees block the sunlight, their limbs dripping with lianas and red bromeliads. The canopy is alive with humming insects, bird song, and howler monkeys’ eerie guttural cries. I round a bend and suddenly a pyramid looms before me, overgrown with moss and vines. It’s easy to imagine I’m the first explorer to stumble upon these ruins. Deep in the jungle of Chiapas, where monkeys still outnumber tourists, slumbers the ancient city of Yaxchilán (Maya for “Place of Green Stones”) which flourished from AD 300 to 800. The ruins are so remote that the only way to reach them is by boat along the Usumacinta River, which forms the natural border between Mexico and Guatemala. Yet Yaxchilán is still a surprisingly easy side trip from the tacky tourist mecca of Palenque. 4 Aug 2009 22:22:05 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/features/0908/mexico-yaxchilan.html 056D7C5D-132C-4DAE-BA41-F8B5728579C6 As we boated up the Manu River the country got wilder and the wildlife more diverse. Thatched huts gave way to forest. Storks, herons, terns, vultures, and turtles became commonplace. And soon we observed speckled and black caimans sunning themselves in shallow water and on the sand banks. The black caimans can get quite large and we got close to a 15-foot specimen. “What would happen if I stepped into the water?” I asked. My sons looked at me with a ‘Duh’ expression. “Look at the teeth, Dad.” 29 Jul 2009 22:33:43 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/family/0907/peruvian-amazon.html BC387A87-83CA-430C-BBFB-8CBD2B022174 Twilight down the shore is a feeling, and an experience that’s been a part of my family’s life for three generations. It begins at the end of a long day at the beach, where lots of swimming and sun has left you sun bleached and tanned. It transitions with an outdoor shower and a change of clothes that feel smooth on your body and a relief from your wet bathing suit. Chairlift at Seaside Heights, above the boardwalk. It culminates as one enters the porch or the deck, surrounded by friends and family with a cocktail and a sense that all is well with the world. Anticipation of a seafood dinner only adds to the satisfaction. We were searching for the Twilight down the shore during this vacation. 29 Jul 2009 22:30:40 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/family/0907/new-jersey-shore.html D257E85B-1373-4521-AC36-0C23F9A62F7E There is not a great deal to do on the 22 by 2 kilometer isleta. Unlike Púcon, Chile or Buenos Aires there is little pressure to do, do, do. In fact, the locals have a nigh religious devotion to “hacer pereza” (literally, “to make lazy”). They are not necessarily lazy people; they simply know how to hit the pause button. On the island, there is so much to breathe in (starting with pure air): “the seven-colored waters,” the dry tropical landscape, the soft eastern breezes—and the lilting quality of the local’s patua language (a mix of English, Spanish and French creole). Even a fairly relaxed Sourthern Californian—as I prefer to imagine myself—has great trouble learning how to make a good lazy. I had to ascribe to myself a daily mantra: “Today I do not have… to do… a thing. I do not have… to do (exhale) a thing.” 29 Jul 2009 22:25:48 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/destinations/0907/providencia-colombia.html 5E383534-2999-4A63-9D3C-72B61A9B5C24 We started our road trip in Huntsville, the Rocket City. It got that name when German rocket scientist Wernher von Braun moved there in 1950 to work on the American space program. He eventually created the Saturn V rocket that took Americans to the moon, and Huntsville has been a central part of NASA’s space exploration ever since. Many defense and aerospace technology companies have offices here and the city boasts more PhDs per capita than any other American city. The U.S. Space and Rocket Center is the most popular attraction in Alabama and it combines life-sized models of rockets, a space shuttle and other NASA equipment, with rides, informational displays and an IMAX® theater. 29 Jul 2009 22:23:59 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/destinations/0907/alabama-huntsville.html AEB6545F-647D-4A95-BDB5-A2E256EF45B1 “You don’t go to Cuba to eat,” just about everybody had warned me. “There’s nothing… NOTHING!” admonished my friend Ruth, who gives food tours of Mexico. Well, it turns out it’s not true. I’d been to Cuba once, ten years ago, and my culinary memories are dim. As a food writer and restaurant critic, my recent return trip was an eye (and heart) opening experience. 23 Jul 2009 19:23:09 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/food-and-wine/0905/havana-dining.html 973977F1-073E-4E73-BAD3-CF4CB4CE37F2 While thousands of people then flocked to Hami to a purpose-built viewing area, my friend Alex had organised a horse-trek in the Koktokay National Park. Our guide, Dilshat, was a young Uyghur man who, as well as five other languages used in the region, spoke excellent English. Everything started badly. At the entrance to the national park Chinese officials told us that foreigners were not permitted to enter. A Chinese tourist had recently been stabbed and killed by a Kazak man for insulting the Kazak culture and spitting at him. In spite of this, Chinese tourists were still allowed into the park but foreigners were not. We were told that there was no way to enter but that it should be fine the next day. 23 Jul 2009 19:22:17 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/alternatives/0907/eclipse-in-china.html FB6B7E16-0E64-4F82-ACEB-1CA85D9755B3 After settling into our gorgeous room overlooking the pool and splendid acres of gardens and tennis courts, we headed out to Burlington to see the Lake Champlain Waterfront Festival, at the historic Church Street Marketplace. The festival celebrates the 400th year anniversary of French explorer Samuel de Champlain’s travels to the lake that now bears his name. Despite the ominous clouds, the festival and parade went on as planned. The people of Burlington do love their lake, and why not? Lake Champlain is a striking and stimulating place. The festival proved to be the same. 23 Jul 2009 19:21:09 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/destinations/0907/vermont-burlington.html AF60C3BA-C76C-4188-962F-F905250C6F9F The Houston Art Car Parade was started by The Orange Show Center for Visionary Art, an organization founded by Houston Postman Jeff McKissack to make art more accessible to the community. The first parade in 1988, with 40 cars, drew about 2,000 people. Now there are more than 250 cars in the parade and it draws about 250,000 people from all over the world and forms the nucleus of The Orange Show's Art Car Weekend, known as "Houston's best party." 23 Jul 2009 19:20:30 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/destinations/0907/art-car-gallery.html 4919F1CE-5305-446C-AA1F-FADAB291F018 Normandy is known to many Americans only because of the Allied invasion on D-Day in June 1944, the most recognized piece of Normandy's long history depicted in the Tom Hanks movie "Saving Private Ryan." In June, 2009, I visited many of the places made famous during that historic time as well as landmarks made famous by much earlier battles, like Bayeaux. We began our trip in the city of Rouen, and then motored out to the coast. 23 Jul 2009 19:19:52 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/destinations/0907/la-manche-normandy-france.html 352191AF-1C95-4580-B57A-5C2846E0CEDF Surprise Valley, located in the northeast corner of California, is a prehistoric lake bordered by the Warner Mountains, on the west and by the Hayes Range on the east. The frontier town of Cedarville has an elevation of 4,648 feet and approximately 800 residents. Main Street is bordered by buildings from the late 1800s when more than 300,000 emigrants in wagon trains traveled through. Today farmers still herd their livestock down the center of Main Street. Cedarville has B & Bs and ranches which offer guided horseback tours. The base camp for our rides was Fandango Ranch. 23 Jul 2009 19:18:47 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/womens/0907/surprise-valley-california-cowgirls.html 6A2F675D-9345-4243-8926-AC380A106124 Leech Lake is the third largest lake in Minnesota, covering nearly 112,000 acres. Even though I had never been there, by virtue of my being a Minnesotan and the lake’s unusual shape, I could quickly point it out on a map. It isn’t just a round blue blob. Instead, it has an amoeba-like quality. Plus, on a map, the land around the lake is always shaded as it is within the boundaries of the Chippewa National Forest and the Leech Lake Indian Reservation. Both ensure that almost 80 percent of the lake’s shoreline is undeveloped. Tourism is a major industry for the Leech Lake area. Lodge-style resorts, campgrounds and RV parks dot the western edge of the water near the small town of Walker. I was eager to get there simply to see the scenery. 23 Jul 2009 19:18:00 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/features/0907/minnesota-leech-lake.html B379D1F0-2681-4274-8E8F-31E3B8D88725 The Cache La Poudre (pronounced kash la POOH-dur) is Colorado’s only National Wild and Scenic river, and it begins at the peaks of Rocky Mountain National Park, flowing north and east along the Roosevelt National Forest, and eventually passes through Fort Collins. The river, which owes its name to French-Canadian trappers who hid gunpowder in the river-valley during the raging blizzards of the early 1800s, is an absolutely prime candidate for travelers looking to go rafting on vacation. 23 Jul 2009 19:17:16 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/transports/0907/colorado-fort-collins-rafting-the-poudre.html 0E65D973-F3F1-4178-9E22-5B912ADCE4C1 I had hiked 10 days in Chile’s Torres Del Paine National Park to get here, and got up before dawn. I felt like a pilgrim waiting for a miracle. In a way, I got one. Along with many others I was staring at three towers of vertical granite that soar above a glacial lake, willing the sun to hurry up and rise now and for the fog to stay away. One minute, the spires were a uniform dark grey. The next the tip of the tallest had turned orange, then gold. Soon all three pinnacles were striped gold and dark grey. The whole show lasted less than five minutes, but it was unlike anything I have seen before or since. 13 Jul 2009 20:06:55 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/destinations/0907/chile-torres-del-paine.html 71919E90-890F-4F97-98C0-158D1A455503 Twenty minutes from Ocean City, we found ourselves at the gateway to a gorgeous beach where wild ponies roam free. Yes, we had reached the Assateague Island National Seashore. Initially, Ocean City and Assateague Island were connected. In 1933, a storm formed the Ocean City inlet and thus separated them. Since then, the similarities between the two have been on a constant decrease. While Ocean City boasts of a lively atmosphere with hotels, restaurants, amusement parks and night clubs, the Assateague Island offers wildlife, pine forests and marshy lands. 10 Jul 2009 21:49:37 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/destinations/0907/maryland-assateague.html 5BA8F77F-B64A-4F32-8483-91BCFDA371CD I had so much fun on my trip to the Texas Gulf Coast, it's hard to know where to begin. As associate editor of GoNOMAD, I've become something of an expert on fun, and the Gulf Coast has it all, especially for families: wildlife, outdoor recreation, the best fishing in the world, environmental education, history, architecture, drama, music... And art of all kinds: fine art, pop art, found art, performance art, you name it. Lots of cool museums that get people -- especially kids -- excited about art and inspire them to make some of their own. 8 Jul 2009 21:08:15 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/destinations/0906/texas-gulf-coast.html 673E9592-C712-4B23-8A5C-3B9F491DD43E Orkney is a group of more than 70 islands, actually, north of Scotland. It's easy to imagine life here 200 years ago. People speak in paragraphs, taking time to tell a story or set up a joke. It’s almost as easy to imagine life five millennia ago. Really. Within an hour’s bike ride of this port town, Stromness, lies a UNESCO World Heritage Site whose structures rival even Stonehenge for their impressive antiquity. Best thing is, they’re easily doable for families. Kids especially love them for their sheer caveman cool. 7 Jul 2009 19:09:46 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/destinations/0907/scotland-orkney-islands.html C8164547-D2F9-4B58-BBFB-8894BFE1A697 You’ve been cutting out recipes for years, everyone tells you you’re the perfect host or hostess, and you’ve stayed at more B&Bs than you can count — but will you be a good innkeeper? Maybe. The fact that you can cook doesn’t mean you have the persistence and stamina to run an inn, nor does being handy at restoring an old building mean you have the leadership skills it takes to run a business. Some equate the job of an innkeeper to that of an actor or actress in that you must be “on” whenever you’re working. The differences are that you can’t be acting, and the show never ends. When you’re an innkeeper, it’s show time 24 hours a day. 6 Jul 2009 19:51:17 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/market/0906/b-and-b-for-dummies.html 2BAE2C94-0AB3-4E6B-A1A5-56FE00E401A9 Islands are a strong pull for me, a strong enough pull to fly to the other side of the world from my home in the Hudson River Valley of New York. The fabled Great Barrier Reef was a part of my decision but the chance to sample some of Queensland’s Islands sealed the deal. I discovered three islands that were totally different from each other in every way but for the sheer delight they offer. 6 Jul 2009 19:50:43 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/destinations/0907/australia-queensland-islands.html EADCD0F4-E752-4F03-99CA-597AC6EC30F7 Train'Shares Inc is offering guests the same luxury travel and private rail cars that used to be reserved for only the wealthiest of Americans. The trains will begin running in 2010. Barry Jones from Time Shares Inc. explains that this is to “ensure that full occupancy occurs, keeping in mind that the relatively long average lead time between when a Journey passenger makes a reservation and the departure date, is over eight months.” The trips aren’t cheap, but they are a serious throwback to the grand old days of railroad travel. You'll feel like a robber baron in your own private car! 2 Jul 2009 21:21:31 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/transports/0906/trainshares.html 9E17F4E9-215C-410D-A9C6-4247F03053AA Chres Village School and Orphanage had clean rooms, kind staff, and a patient, diligent director named Phat Fiphon. The orphanage was started by his father and relies mostly on donations, volunteers, and sponsors. When we arrived, approximately 40 children lived at the orphanage with more coming from other homes to attend the free classes offered in English, Chinese, Khmer, science, and geography. When the orphanage tour ended, Nicole and I offered to teach English classes, which Phat (or “Fi”) enthusiastically accepted. Nicole taught the older kids, who ranged from eighteen to early twenties. I led a class of about forty adolescents, approximately nine to eighteen years old. 2 Jul 2009 21:19:59 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/helps/0906/cambodia-teaching.html 92B30D3F-A5E0-40B6-BCA9-A00318491175 Soon we were moving in the Mukki region of the Kanha National Park. The first thing we spotted were colorful jungle fowls but they are very shy creatures and I could never get a good picture of them. The jungle is famous for its Sal and Bamboo trees. Alger showed me around with such enthusiasm that I am thinking of dragging my family to a national park in the future. I saw Gaurs (resembles a bison), cheetals (a type of deer), peacocks and even wild boars but there was no sign of the elusive tiger. At one particular road Alger and the park ranger got quite excited as they saw the pug marks of a tiger and they tried to track it. 2 Jul 2009 21:18:32 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/lodgings/0906/india-kanha.html DD58A7DD-2368-410B-93D9-B3940FC7D324 Archaeologically-minded visitors to Crete flock to the famous palaces of Knossos, Phaistos and Kato Zakro, and why shouldn't they? Ancient palaces, mysterious bull-riding rites and bright frescoes fascinate even the most historically uninspired traveler. But Phourni – arguably the most important archaeological site on Crete – lies ignored at the summit of a hill overlooking the Archanes township. 2 Jul 2009 21:17:44 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/features/0906/crete-cemetery.html 42E470A4-8765-4931-9B40-AC13466A961D The mini-bus, packed with passengers, slowed and then stopped. Ahead, barely visible through the dirty windshield and the February mist, was something that shouldn't have been there: a border crossing. There shouldn’t have been a border crossing because there shouldn’t have been a border. As far as mapmakers and world governments were concerned, we were still in Moldova, an Eastern European country wedged between Romania and Ukraine. The guys up there, though, the guys with the guns, they didn't agree. Back in America, when I let people know I was going to Transnistria, the collective response was: “where?” And the reason they had never heard of it was because Transnistria, despite having its own constitution, army and currency, isn’t recognized by any other sovereign nation and technically doesn’t exist. 2 Jul 2009 21:10:35 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/destinations/0906/transnistria.html 5F540957-7655-43A0-B1E4-B13C14EC96D3 About an hour after leaving Acapulco, Mexico’s number one resort, our van was parked in front of the Museum of the Tehuacalco Archaeological Zone - only recently opened to visitors. Located a short distance from the state of Guerrero’s capital city of Chilpancingo, Tehuacalco peaked between 650 and 1100 A.D. as the ceremonial center of the Yope and their surrounding region. It existed for more than two more centuries albeit in a declining cycle. Long lost to the South Sierra Madre Mountains of southern Mexico this pre-Columbian archaeological zone is the most recent addition to the cultural attractions offered to visitors in Acapulco. 25 Jun 2009 17:50:32 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/destinations/0906/mexico-tehuacalco.html 62C12C31-3BDC-4865-8A64-3D27CF79322D What is lying just down the road from where you live? What unexplored places are just a few gallons of gas away but you’ve never set foot in them? For me the main one has been Huntsville, Alabama, a nearby enigma on my personal map. It’s my daughter’s spring break, though, and I’ve got the itch to explore. The three of us pack up the car with only vague ideas of what we’ll be doing there, but we have four days to figure it out. Huntsville’s marquee draw is the U.S. Space & Rocket Center. It took a lot of coordinated NASA brainpower to land a spacecraft on the moon and the blast-off part of the process was developed in this city. 25 Jun 2009 17:49:47 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/family/0906/alabama-huntsville.html 9F4E97D1-1126-487A-A628-2258DD4712A8 Some days blend into one another, but the five days we spent on safari in South Africa remain vivid and indelible. When we came to Africa, we lived at the Kapama Lodge, within the private game preserve that borders Kruger National Park. The wake-up call came every morning at 5:00 AM, and we arose in the dark. By 5:30, we were being served coffee on the veranda, looking across the lagoon at first light on the horizon. As we climbed into the large, open four-wheel drive Toyota Land Cruiser for our morning safari, the sun was just coming up. 25 Jun 2009 17:48:56 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/lodgings/0906/south-africa-kapama-lodge.html B7C28549-3A55-4B88-BEBF-C6B484A7B0D7 I suggest money not be wasted going to Turkmenistan, though the country is an admitted hoot. With the mandatory guide any visit is expensive, requiring private transportation over the boring desert, and nothing of interest to see; it’s easier and less expensive, for most, to simply visit Las Vegas. But for those who must visit every last weird country on earth, such as myself, Lufthansa and Turkmenistan Air fly to Ashgabat from Europe and the Middle East, expensively... Turkmenistan also has a reputation for ptomaine and unsanitary food preparation. But enjoy. 25 Jun 2009 17:47:33 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/destinations/0906/turkmenistan.html 89991FAB-0977-43BF-9AC8-96C7F92DA028 The Tibetan plateau averages more than 4,000 meters (13,000 feet) above sea level. It boasts the highest peaks in the world. The culture is fascinating. Ever since I first learned about Tibet as a child, I wanted to go there. So, when Jon and I found ourselves cycling through China, it was only the next step to enter Tibet. We took the new Quinhai-Tibet railway, which had opened only a few months before, in the summer of 2007. This railway was both a blessing and a curse: it allowed us easy access into Tibet, but with increased Western tourism, Chinese immigration and trading, many fear it will bring fast change to a dwindling Tibetan culture. 18 Jun 2009 19:48:44 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/bicycle-tours/0906/tibet-descent.html 8A64B714-0866-4133-AD14-49082A4BBFAB Paraty Bay, one of the most beautiful places on the Brazilian coastline,is often referred to as part of the "Green" coast, but "Emerald" Coast best describes the sparkling translucence of the bay reflecting the lush verdant jungle on the shore. Islands, one for every day of the year, dot the warm waters. The beaches on them are all public. Getting to them is easy, too. Boats are available for hire on the wharf at Paraty. The different boat styles and colors offer a great opportunity for photographs in the morning light. 18 Jun 2009 19:48:03 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/destinations/0906/brazil-emerald-coast.html 0DCBE91A-F09E-453D-B6E8-8EBB3D8E74EE When we think of New Haven, the first thing that comes to our mind is Yale University. Rightfully called “the most beautiful urban campus in America,” the architectural style of its courtyards, arches and towers range from New England Colonial to High Victorian Gothic, from Moorish Revival to Contemporary. Walking by the majestic buildings I felt close to its glorious past and its present-day quest for knowledge. Guiding generations of bright young minds, the buildings of this Ivy League university stand tall and proud. 18 Jun 2009 18:25:21 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/destinations/0906/connecticut-new-haven.html 74B1CA95-E296-40BA-9E71-6670599679CB We had entered into the simple lives of the villagers in Bomang’ombe, and the hearts of children hopeful about their bright future. Within the few months of teaching in Bomani Primary School, I bonded closely with Naomi, a fellow teacher and a real friend whom I could confide in and be myself. Her husband Deo showed us many sides of Tanzania, even a thing or two about drinking beer in Tanzania (he sure could drink!). We shared travel tales with them, while they told us about their childhood and families. 18 Jun 2009 18:24:33 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/helps/0906/tanzania-bomangombe.html F20F138C-6CDF-4041-ADD7-1BE0274E39C6 One innovative tour company is combining the small-group, women-only format with theme-based tours that explore the history of a destination. The tours focus on notable women of history, who have often been neglected by historians until recent years. These tours also provide an opportunity for women to retrace their roots and visit their families' ancestral homelands. Eurynome Journeys of Camden, Maine, has been a pioneer in the area of women-only travel since 1998, when founder Erja Lipponen started her website www.wanderwoman.com. 18 Jun 2009 18:23:14 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/womens/0905/eurynome-journeys.html E96F8C62-2ECD-4F56-9AC8-074EAA1D4D3E There is something gritty about the isle of Bonaire. I feel it the minute I set foot on the ground. I also taste it. It may be the dry, scrubby terrain. Or maybe it is the thick, salty air. Perhaps, it is a little bit of both. Each year, tourists flock to Bonaire, fifty miles north of Venezuela, with snorkels and flippers in tow. Part of the Netherlands Antilles, it boasts one of the most environmentally renowned Marine Parks in the world, claiming over 300 species of tropical fish and over 120 different types of coral. 11 Jun 2009 20:43:57 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/features/0906/bonaire.html 660DF454-4A0D-435C-98B0-64472144DD88 McLeod Ganj near Dharamshala is a popular tourist spot as it is the seat of the Dalai Lama in exile from Tibet. In a restaurant we overheard a tourist asking a waiter how she could get an audience with the Dalai Lama. We had other ideas. We were there to trek from McLeod Ganj through Indrahar Pass and wanted to exit in another town, Chamba. But the weather had other ideas about our trek. 11 Jun 2009 20:42:48 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/destinations/0906/india-mcleod-ganj-triund.html 30FF9584-FFD5-4241-887C-15EC1A1A5ABA Freighter voyages are not for the ordinary traveler; they are for people who want to escape from the norms of planned, routine travel and step into the world of unpredictable adventure. Flying is for people who would like to get somewhere quickly. Freighter travel is for people who would like to slow life down a few notches and enjoy the world around them. In the words of Andrew, “By not flying we got to see a way of life that impacts our own lives so much - to hear about the people who transport all the white goods to our homes, the clothes we wear and the cars we drive, around the world. It's an incredibly nomadic existence and not one that we get to hear about very often, unless you put yourself in that position of sharing part of the journey with the crew.” 11 Jun 2009 20:41:31 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/transports/0906/freighter-cruising-experience.html F5ED32C1-8C1F-4FFC-9B21-E127863BA55D Luang Prabang is a small, ancient city tucked away in northern Laos at the junction of the picturesque Mekong and Nam Khan rivers where nature and community converge in an unassuming way. Longboats run the rivers, rice fields line the banks, mountains paint the distant landscape, and the slow pace of life will envelop even the most harried traveler. This is the perfect place to while away the hours relaxing on the quay with a good book or simply get lost exploring the town. 11 Jun 2009 20:40:45 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/destinations/0905/luang-prabang-laos.html 1682DBA6-970E-4C07-B146-4B1822D7CA9B “I love Italy!” announced our nine-year old son on our first full day in Portovenere. Although he was the first to say it, we were all charmed by this seaside village on the Ligurian Coast. It had been rainy off and on all morning, but the weather hadn’t prevented us from exploring the city. My son and husband had already played giant outdoor chess in a choice spot on the waterfront while my daughter and I enjoyed fresh grapefruit juice in a café looking out on the stunning port, and we had all explored the village’s rocky fortress and San Pietro Church. 4 Jun 2009 18:46:51 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/family/0905/portovenere-italy-with-kids.html D315770C-DFF5-44B1-9861-AD4914D28297 The Nazca Lines are a series of large geoglyphs, or giant drawings on the ground, located in the Nazca desert in Peru. These geometric shapes of immense proportions are believed to have been created by an ancient civilization sometime between the 4th and 8th centuries BCE, though some believe they were created more recently. The lines seem to have been created through the removal of the reddish-brown desert rocks, which revealed the white Earth below. Since the desert is so dry and does not receive much wind, the lines remain uncovered. Other countries, including the USA, Chile, Bolivia and Egypt, also play host to mysterious geoglyphs, but the Nazca lines are considered the most complex, the most impressive, and the most mysterious. 4 Jun 2009 18:46:05 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/features/0905/peru-nazca-lines.html 37198711-BDA9-4889-A56E-8ECC5BA8DF0D Vietnam had thrown lots of surprises our way. Three and a half weeks in the country had taught us that it was better to go with the flow than to fight for an itinerary we’d mapped before ever leaving home. For example, we hadn’t planned to spend any time in Mui Ne, a sleepy fishermen’s village turned tourist resort. However, our month-long tourist visa was about to expire and our flight out of the country was leaving from Saigon. The frenetic pace of the city, though, had worn our nerves. Mui Ne was an easy three-hour bus ride away and it provided the slower pace we were seeking. 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. 28 May 2009 18:34:30 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/lodgings/0905/mui-ne-one.html 8556A9C8-E7E5-4681-8D18-586665E44D4F 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. Orcas are black and pink shortly after birth, but soon after the pink turns to white. 28 May 2009 18:24:53 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/destinations/0905/washington-san-juan-islands.html 05E80AB3-158A-4BD4-BC7A-44200798F86B 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. Often mistakenly referred to as an island, Macau is a peninsula just 37 miles southwest of Hong Kong and bordering mainland China. It is now one of two special administrative regions of the People's Republic of China. Governed for 442 years by Portugal, it was the oldest European colony in the history of Asia before it was handed over to China in 1999. The Portuguese influence is apparent in the distinctive architecture, food, music and swirling mosaic patterns inlaid in city streets. 28 May 2009 18:24:03 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/destinations/0905/china-macau.html 86EF434E-00E9-4D3F-A40B-17E8BD0CA27F I'd never set foot in the Republic of Texas until last month, when I discovered Beaumont, about two hours north of Houston. It's a city with big plans afoot. Their sidewalks are being ripped up and replaced with quaint brick, and black iron streetlights are being added to give the main drag, Calder Avenue, an old time feel. Things are looking up in this city of refineries. My first evening was spent on a couch, eating passed tapas at the Easy Street, emblematic of the relaxed charm of East Texas. 28 May 2009 18:05:43 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/features/0904/beaumont-texas.html 8CA33A1D-0A8D-466D-8636-5D53FF13333B 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, which is held every summer in mid July, is the oldest and largest Jazz festival in all Europe. It draws both popular domestic acts and artists of international fame: Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie, Sting, and more recently, Kanye West. 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. 28 May 2009 18:04:40 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/destinations/0905/finland-pori.html ADDA1548-35A6-4B15-8BED-E5C763EB8B5F The Galápagos Islands, located about 1000 kilometers from mainland Ecuador, are home to a wide variety of land and sea life. The islands get their name from the old Spanish word “galápago,” which was a type of saddle. The first Spaniards to find the islands thought that both the shape of the islands and the tortoise shells resembled the saddles. With 12 main and 12 minor islands, you can spend about two weeks alone exploring each island and swimming in the surrounding areas. The more popular option is to stay on a boat and travel by night, but my friends and I were only in the islands for five days and on the cheap, so we stayed in a hotel on Santa Cruz. 28 May 2009 18:03:31 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/destinations/0905/ecuador-galapagos.html B18F311C-F314-439C-A565-B16F7C0C2B1A 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, singer-songwriter and poet from Piemonte in northern Italy. In Il Viaggio, accompanied by his guitar, he tells the moving story of his plan to follow a raging river from his mountain village to the place where it will meet the sea, leaving behind the bright stars. 28 May 2009 18:02:40 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/market/0905/putumayo-italy-cd.html B936C958-C24B-4F73-AF27-E5E118C25FD2 Want to visit Greece? Interested in fighting animal cruelty? If so, a Colorado-based company called inside/out offers a unique combination of cultural immersion and cause-based alternative travel. Participants of inside/out’s “humanitourism” trip to Greece will visit the largely un-touristed Zagoria region to provide hands-on help to a project which desperately needs outside assistance. Located in the country’s mountainous north, and blighted by an overpopulation of dogs and cats, this Greek province has been the site of shockingly inhumane conditions for domestic animals. 16 May 2009 20:25:21 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/helps/0904/humanitourism.html 7B27ABC2-19B9-42E8-B06B-308846C64B6E 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, as long as the pet stays within an FAA approved pet carrier, and that carrier remains under the seat in front of the passenger (like a traditional carry-on bag). 14 May 2009 21:41:47 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/destinations/0905/arizona-winslow.html FC12F794-283D-4069-B1C0-8EFF2F201CF0 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. 14 May 2009 21:40:34 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/destinations/0905/arizona-winslow.html DF32DC1E-CF2A-4D0D-87EE-4BE97465A904 iPhones and iPods are becoming essential for travelers--for example, TripIt automatically organizes all of your important travel documents (Photo - flickr user Irrezolut) The iPhone and iPod touch are quickly becoming essential travel tools. With the incredible growth of downloadable third-party software (apps) on iTunes, the iPhone and iPod touch have suddenly become an electronic Swiss-army knife for road warriars and avid travelers. 14 May 2009 21:39:41 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/market/0905/iphone-travel-apps.html 2C3B564C-41E2-4AAB-8F77-06157EEFB01C I am sitting sweating droplets the size of plums in a wood-burning Finnish sauna in Lapland. It’s well over 110 degrees Fahrenheit inside this little hut, though outside, it’s around 10 degrees. This is not surprising, considering I am 186 miles north of the Arctic Circle. I’d swear at Leena, my Finnish friend who has dragged me into this hot-hole, but Finns consider the sauna a sacred place, and you’re not supposed to use foul language. 14 May 2009 21:38:58 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/destinations/0905/finland-lapland.html 6945AA6E-4AE5-409B-9AA9-95BEEF3D8EB4 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. There was some concern about the possibility of cold weather. New England can be notoriously chilly at any given time of year and April is no exception. It has been known to snow on many an April day in this region, but was that enough to tamper our adventurous spirits? Definitely not. 5 May 2009 21:59:53 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/womens/0905/wellfleet-cape-cod.html 54AE065C-1382-4906-B747-C5D5CD450378 “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. With its semi-desert plains and thickly forested hills, gorgeous coastline and polluted slums, Baku does make you feel like you are within reach of a dozen different places. 5 May 2009 21:59:09 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/destinations/0904/azerbaijan.html CCE5177C-96BB-43C4-AB01-9C2C9FD9BCEA This was the first vacation we’ve had together where our kids (Julianne, age 14 and Justin, age 11), armed with charge privileges for arcade games and unlimited soda, felt comfortable abandoning us for their own pursuits. This is a godsend if you are looking for a family vacation where the adults can actually spend some quality time alone without worrying about the kids getting bored or into mischief. Our quality time consisted of playing craps in the Casino Royale and working out on the ellipticals in the Fitness Center while staring out at glaciers and other magnificent snow-capped vistas. 5 May 2009 21:58:25 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/family/0904/alaska-cruise.html 491D81D8-B9F8-4BA4-B081-3185D5A14CBD 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. She exposes some of the mysteries of the women behind the veil, and explains what it's like to don an abbayah [read: burqa] and become one of the invisible. 5 May 2009 21:57:29 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/market/0904/invisible-women-excerpt.html 99780A0A-B67F-4929-9993-C2D5716F2B8D Colorado is distinct proof that variety truly is the spice of life. Many amazing places can be described as having something for everyone, but Colorado is peerless in its unique atmosphere of well-balanced extremes and endless diversity. Over the course of the past 150 years Colorado has persisted through dangerous highs and lows; beginning as an undeveloped beauty, growing to a bustling gold rush boom state, shrinking to an economically devastated collection of ghost towns, and finally emerging from the ashes in the past decades to rise and thrive again, the Centennial State has continued to defy norms and expectations. 5 May 2009 21:56:26 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/destinations/0904/denver-gold-rush.html 7C74B690-DF08-4DDF-BF78-5EB9954F205A Imagine climbing and leaping from cliffs into the Atlantic surf, then being buffeted helplessly about by whirlpools and tidal currents. Now imagine doing it safely and laughing yourself breathless. Invented in Wales, coasteering combines extreme sport and environmental consciousness-raising amidst the cliffs of the achingly beautiful Pembrokeshire coast. Death-defying alone, it’s perfectly safe with protective equipment and a local guide who reads the ecologically sensitive coast like a big-print hymnbook. 28 Apr 2009 22:18:13 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/alternatives/0904/wales-coasteering.html CB0A9BC6-4220-4A67-B613-B4D7604C9616 In France, and indeed worldwide, Burgundy has some of the best wine available; Romanee-Conti, Pommard and Corton-Charlemagne can bring tears to practiced taste buds. In the center of Beaune is the Hotel-Dieu (Hospices de Beaune) where a yearly auction of Burgundy wines is offered. This ancient hospital also offers an astounding view into past healing practices, and there are many artistic masterpieces on display. Nearby is one of the palaces of the Dukes of Burgundy, a dukedom which held power for ages in France. The main palace is in Dijon but the Dukes often were drawn by the vineyards. 27 Apr 2009 21:59:07 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/food-and-wine/0904/france-burgundy-beaune.html 2696BB00-89BE-41AB-8AEF-7B4425E1606B A chill went through my spine as I strode up the gangway to the USS Alabama, anchored just off the coast in the Mobile. It was a cool morning on Mobile Bay, where in the 1960s this 680' long grey piece of historical steel was towed from a West Coast shipyard to the state it was named for. Walking around on such hallowed steel made me think back about the real heroes, like my father, who served during the Second World War on ships like these. The legend has it that Alabama schoolchildren sent in their ice cream money in order to raise the million or so to pay for the relocation. On the ship, swing music is piped into the galley and on the deck, reminding me of the era in which this ship served active duty in the Pacific. It was a short stint, just 37 months. She sailed almost around the globe, served her time, and now she's by the side of the bay for tourists to walk around on and gawk at. 27 Apr 2009 21:57:40 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/destinations/0903/alabama-attractions.html A21421C6-E8E3-45E3-B7D6-629424DF23D5 Estonia’s capital city is located in the north of the country on the Gulf of Finland, a mere 50 miles south of Helsinki across the water. It is a tradition for Finns to make the trip to Tallinn for its inexpensive prices -- on clothing, food and liquor -- as Finland is notoriously pricey. Since Estonia’s independence from the U.S.S.R. in 1991, transport between Tallinn and Western Europe has become increasingly easy, and with it’s induction into the European Union in 2004 and a vow to adopt the Euro by 2011, Estonia is looking to attract international tourism. As I was in Helsinki for a few days, an overnight trip to nearby Tallinn seemed like a no-brainer: a new country, a charming old city, and a hostel price dramatically lower than any I had seen in Helsinki. I decided to do like the Finns do and make a trip across that icy bay. 27 Apr 2009 21:56:46 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/destinations/0904/estonia-tallinn.html 1D8F52C7-EB65-4683-A444-DE6D95D9511F On my trip to Alabama I found towns like Fairhope, Foley and Monroeville that are as charming to me as my home village, South Deerfield, Massachusetts... a little burg with everything you need: pharmacy, video store, hardware store, general store and of course, cafe. And I found downtown Mobile equally charming with its shady lanes and pocket parks, beautiful historic architecture and friendly, upbeat people. We touched down in our needle-thin regional jet at Mobile's airport, where driver Bill Hyde met me and the group. I sat up front and kept my attention on Bill, peppering him with those questions I like to ask when I first arrive at a new city. 24 Apr 2009 20:17:39 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/destinations/0903/alabama-towns.html 2A345FD7-0595-4989-805D-92D484C0774B So twelve of us boarded an air-conditioned bus (temperatures soar in March in India) and met our tour guide. Lucknow is known for its politeness and the guide was an epitome of it. But little did we know what was in store for us later. He told us a little about the city which was know as Avadh in the times gone by and was ruled by colorful kings and noblemen. Our first stop was the Bara (big) Imambara. Some of us had trains and planes to catch the same day and shopping was also included in the agenda. There is a beautiful gate next to the Bara Imambara called Roomi Darwaza (door) and the entrance to the Imambara is also grand. It is said to be built around 1783, commissioned by the ruler Asad-Ud-Daulah in the time of severe famine.The objective was to provide employment and relief to the people. 24 Apr 2009 20:13:55 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/destinations/0904/india-lucknow.html 435F3DE4-8F2A-445F-9897-B54C07709753 Estonia’s capital city is located in the north of the country on the Gulf of Finland, a mere 50 miles south of Helsinki across the water. It is a tradition for Finns to make the trip to Tallinn for its inexpensive prices -- on clothing, food and liquor -- as Finland is notoriously pricey. Since Estonia’s independence from the U.S.S.R. in 1991, transport between Tallinn and Western Europe has become increasingly easy, and with it’s induction into the European Union in 2004 and a vow to adopt the Euro by 2011, Estonia is looking to attract international tourism. As I was in Helsinki for a few days, an overnight trip to nearby Tallinn seemed like a no-brainer: a new country, a charming old city, and a hostel price dramatically lower than any I had seen in Helsinki. I decided to do like the Finns do and make a trip across that icy bay. 24 Apr 2009 20:13:02 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/destinations/0904/estonia-tallinn.html 63C02DA9-711B-4BB5-9BAC-18ACF10A9981 Lucknow is known for its politeness and the guide was an epitome of it. But little did we know what was in store for us later. He told us a little about the city which was know as Avadh in the times gone by and was ruled by colorful kings and noblemen. Our first stop was the Bara (big) Imambara. Some of us had trains and planes to catch the same day and shopping was also included in the agenda. There is a beautiful gate next to the Bara Imambara called Roomi Darwaza (door) and the entrance to the Imambara is also grand. It is said to be built around 1783, commissioned by the ruler Asad-Ud-Daulah in the time of severe famine.The objective was to provide employment and relief to the people. 23 Apr 2009 22:46:33 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/destinations/0904/india-lucknow.html 79151140-5138-40EF-A4B5-4B616F65C5BE Uzbekistan, hapless heroic Uzbekistan, bedeviled by one of the world’s most regimented police states, offers Central Asia’s most incredible and truly astounding sites so dazzling that eyes glaze in wonder. These marvels span the country, World Heritage cities strung seriatim to form three police state jewels. Tourists are little affected by the antics of the current petty dictator, Islam Karimov, who continues to gain in popularity from a mere 92% plurality in the 2000 election to an awesome 99% in the 2005 election. 23 Apr 2009 22:45:22 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/destinations/0904/uzbekistan.html A6E16A14-6574-4377-9908-A42F92C52F5E I was about to share fears and hopes with my ancestors. With the aid (and the patience) of Pino, I journeyed to Sardinia through the oldest Carnival I had ever seen, or experienced, because, let’s face it, you can’t just see a 2000-year-old ritual, you need to experience it. Being born in Sardinia myself and having lived for twenty years only 60 km away from Mamoiada, I have always known this tradition, but after seeing what it actually does for the spirit of the village, I’ve realized I had never captured the spirit of lonesome figure of the Mamuthones. 23 Apr 2009 22:42:30 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/features/0904/sardinia-mamuthones.html F624FDA4-EEE6-4E24-A6CF-4115ECF8EEA1 The Sibyl uttered her trance-induced predictions, Charon ferried souls across the swampy Styx, and Romans bathed in hydrothermal spas, all within an eight square mile area west of Naples, Italy, known as the Phlegraean Fields. For my three girls (ages 3, 7, and 10) the wonders here include exploring active volcanoes, the Sibyl’s cave, the entrance to Hades, and ancient Roman villas. The Phlegraean Fields encompass a caldera or cauldron-like region of twenty-four volcanoes and craters, many still bubbling with seismic activity. Escaping the bustle of downtown Naples and the crowds of Pompeii, this region has fewer tourists and more eye-popping sites. 23 Apr 2009 22:43:31 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/features/0904/italy-naples-family.html 8A0949DE-0ADB-4636-B2F5-E21C8B67DBB4 As our truck followed the curves of the highway through the mountain valleys, I realized how wrong I’d been. A full moon hung low in the sky, casting its silver glow over the snow-capped mountains, wide rocky riverbeds, and smooth ice-bound lakes. Any talk other than oohs and aahs faded as we stared out our windows at the beautiful night before us. Because of the hour, there were few other vehicles on the road, and I gripped the steering wheel, alternately glancing at the highway and then at the scenery. The moonlight bathed the park in a surreal, romantic glow, making me appreciate anew the scenery that I’d seen so many times in years of driving this highway. 23 Apr 2009 22:41:23 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/womens/0904/canada-alberta-jasper.html 74AD78F4-8E36-4B37-A1BF-11777134DA47 Drug dealers and kidnappings and attacks, oh my! In late February, the U.S. Department of State released a travel advisory for travel in Mexico. Though the advisory specifically discussed large cities along the border, the American media’s reporting tactics have targeted the entire nation. Surely there are dangerous areas in Mexico, but when I visited the west coast city of Puerto Vallarta and its surrounding towns, I felt safer than I’ve felt in many American cities. A charming city located on the Banderas Bay, Puerto Vallarta hasn’t gone unnoticed by world travelers. It’s slowly expanded and acclimated to the approximate three million visitors received every year. 23 Apr 2009 22:36:30 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/destinations/0904/mexico-puerto-vallarta.html 4E685777-2CA7-43E2-B5A2-2230E01EE921 For all its popularity as a travel destination, the Golden State still has plenty of wonderful out-of-the-way places to explore. Below is an excerpt from the book Off the Beaten Path: A Travel Guide to More Than 1,000 Scenic and Interesting Places Still Uncrowded and Inviting by the editors of Reader's Digest. The excerpt is a digitally scanned reproduction of text from print. Although this excerpt has been proofread, occasional errors may appear due to the scanning process. Please refer to the finished book for accuracy. 23 Apr 2009 22:34:14 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/market/0904/california-off-the-beaten-path-excerpt.html C3D02196-164F-4392-BA83-9F538C5A7093 If ordinary bicycle tours aren’t enough to satisfy the intrepid traveler in you, it’s time to take a journey through the challenging but spectacular scenery of the Andes Trail in South America. In 2008, twenty steadfast biking enthusiasts traveled 11,000 kilometers (or 6,875 miles) from Mitad-del-Mundo monument at the equator just outside Quito, Ecuador to Ushuaia, Argentina, known as “the end of the world.” The expedition was put together by Bike Dreams, a long-distance cycling company based in the Netherlands. 23 Apr 2009 22:33:22 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/bicycle-tours/0904/andes-trail.html 62CC87B4-5E39-4CFA-AA64-E8A0C2D793D6 Even if you have only three days for an adventure to squeeze in between your trips, jobs, deadlines, family problems, dont hesitate -- venture. No matter how unlikely it looks from where you are now, it may be that right thing to do to get your mind off problems and let enough energy into your system to feel the lust for life again. Mission: A three-day getaway with a friend to a place which would smoothly combine new and ancient, beautiful and odd, interesting and familiar, busy and relaxing, distant and close, brief, yet having a lasting aftertaste. To stop it sounding like a riddle from some old Slavic fairytales, lets put it straight. As we had only three days, our ideal destination would be some foreign country which was not very far off; we could cope with several hours by train. Challenge: Having just returned from a week trip to Sevastopol, the Crimea peninsula, I had three days left till getting back to work. My initial intention was to waste them away on the sofa, when I received a phone call from my friend in Moscow, suggesting us going somewhere nice to see the summer off. The weather forecast resolved our doubts between St. Petersburg and Kiev: +18 C (64 F) versus 32C (90 F), the city we already visited many times against a brand new travel experience. 8 Apr 2009 19:12:41 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/destinations/0904/ukraine-kiev.html CD019BDA-2C7F-448D-918A-701189C11DA2 The credit crunch got you down? Need a break from bailouts? Spring skiing should do the trick. Its the same rush as playing the stock market but much safer. My favorite picks: Val dIsere and Chamonix, two of the best resorts in the world, both that stay open long after the closing bell. Gains Made at Val dIsere There are no losers at Val dIsere, only winners. This mountain is built on the backs of a long list of champions like Ortleib, Jean Claude Killy, Oreiller, Goitschel, Bozzetto and more recently, Bode Miller and Lindsey Vonn of the United States. Vonn won the World Championships Super-G with a time of 1 minute, 20.73 seconds in February at the FIS World Alpine Ski Championship this year. With 154 trails, thats 186 miles of skiing. Its surprising the races arent held here every year. Together with Val dIsere and neighboring Tignes, the mountain is aptly called L'Espace Killy. The height of L'Espace Killy gives the advantage of rarely being short on newly groomed trails, all 1850 meters or 6,069 feet of them. 8 Apr 2009 19:11:30 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/destinations/0904/france-skiing.html D7596CBB-5FD2-4B6F-939D-8230BCC915B4 Leaning back on the carpet-covered benches on the patio of the Caf Des Deliices in Sidi Bou Said Tunisia, my three friends and I exhaled slowly. It had been a long trip from New York to get here. The waiter brings a tray of sweet pepper mint tea and strong Turkish coffee: the kind with the grounds on the bottom of small cups that you sip slowly. In between us stands a tall hookah. Our Tunisian guide Wadya laughs at us as we timidly take small puffs off the apple flavored Tobacco that is heated rather than burned by a small piece of charcoal on top. 8 Mar 2009 19:04:22 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/destinations/0904/tunisia.html D742D84A-31B4-4B25-83A6-08B4064156BF “Are you headed up North or are you going down South? asked the waitress at dinner on our first night. “Actually, were here in Concord for the weekend, I replied. Her eyes lit up and she told us that she was happy we had come. So were we. Having grown up in Massachusetts my boyfriend Ty and I had no excuse as to why we had never visited the nearby capital of New Hampshire, and when I was invited to the opening of the McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center we jumped at the chance. The city is accessible and exceedingly easy to navigate, which is a huge plus, especially if youre lacking a navigation system in your car as I am. There are also plenty of public buses and trolleys that run through the center of town, and if you are staying right in the city, as we were at the Holiday Inn Concord, the State House and downtown Concord are a short walk away. 31 Mar 2009 21:42:05 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/destinations/0903/new-hampshire-concord.html 705F003E-B167-4816-9B79-E1B3571BEAE6 I found the prospect of visiting Egypt daunting, but not because I feared terrorism. (Dont let the February 09 bomb in downtown Cairo mislead you; Egypts Tourist Police have not permitted a single such incident at the countrys archaeological sites since 1997.) Nor did I fear the famously searing heat. (Theres a simple solution: Go in winter). No, what scared me, simply, was claustrophobia. To see some of Egypts greatest ancient wonders, such as the breathtakingly vivid wall paintings in the pharoahs Valley of the Kings, you first have to get through narrow passageways to crypts cut deep into hillsides. My concern, therefore, was that in order to savor these and other treasures, Id have to shake my fear before I left the Cairo area. So mine is a tale of bold actions and derring do including one Sphinx, three pyramids, and a critique of the 1932 horror movie, The Mummy. 27 Mar 2009 20:59:53 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/destinations/0903/egypt-pyramids.html 7569038E-AC7A-4137-931A-C87CC15DBE29 Taking a back road into Auch, France, the remote capital of the Gers, in a rented Renault time machine, two hired housesitters pinched themselves. Auch! As the 15th-century Cathedral de Sainte Marie and the 14th-century Tour dArmagnac rose up into the elegant cobalt sky, our eyes climbed the Escalier Monumentales 232 steps to the swashbuckling statue of the regions most famous cadet: DArtagnan the Fourth Musketeer. Assuming a bright and breezy tone, we decided that life doesnt get much better than this: a three-month housesitting job in the French countryside. We were deep in the heart of gastronomical Gascony, the stomping ground of ghostly gourmets, a center of the foie gras trade, and the birthplace of Armagnac. 25 Mar 2009 19:29:50 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/destinations/0903/france-gascony.html 9254863F-6EA2-46D0-9637-A6CDF5ADDBA0 The Pod straddles the ambiguous ground between hostel and hotel, but does so deliberately. Micro-hotels mimic hostels by effectively rationing square footage. By keeping personal quarters to a minimum and emphasizing shared community spaces, micro-hotels capitalize upon an aspect of the hostels business model that makes such low rates possible. If youve stayed in enough hostels, you come to recognize the things that are "nice to have," versus the things you "want" and things that you "need." 25 Mar 2009 19:28:20 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/lodgings/0903/new-york-pod-hotel.html B1EDA919-CCF9-4BF2-B323-67D4E980EE93 After a bit in Brussels it was time to traverse the French-speaking Wallonia area, packed with more castles and breweries than any man could wish for, one castle per 25 kilometers. It is no wonder that many of Europes battles took place in Wallonia; it was well worth fighting over. Through history right up to WWII, major decisive battles raged, yet today it is a peaceful, picturesque place. Wallonia is the lungs of Belgium with more than 80 % of Belgiums forests. It also borders France, Luxembourg and Germany while maintaining its own style and traditions. There was no better place to begin than in the capital of Wallonia, Namur cradled between the Meuse and Sambre rivers. Victuals in the area are superb as there are cheese makers, bakers, farmers and monastery masters at food production. 20 Mar 2009 21:11:40 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/destinations/0903/belgium-wallonia.html 64383DE5-9E3D-4326-99DD-C2EFBECA55B7 We flew into Cancun, that man-made destination that was born in the early 70s in the vast and lightly populated Yucatan Peninsula. Here you can visit ruins from the glorious Mayan civilizations, and even meet with Mayans who live in the region today. There are also many chances to get some adrenaline going, and view deep dark places that youll never forget! Though Cancun is best known for its famous Hotel Zone, with more than 145 hotels and a staggering 28,000 rooms, just down the coast we found another place that brings travelers a taste of what Mexicos Riviera Maya used to be its called Puerto Morelos. 20 Mar 2009 21:10:59 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/destinations/0903/mexico-cancun-ecotourism.html 724695B9-C16B-4B9F-B9FB-A93F7727C275 Though it cost a sizeable personal fortune, I persevered, discovering the worlds most scenic 300-mile (500 kilometer) highway, a vast region chocked with sparkling glaciers stretching from Tajikistan through Afghanistan to Pakistan, the safe parts of the latter two oft-time problematical countries. The Pamirs are entered from the Silk Road through Osh, Kyrgyzstan, south to Sary Tash where the Pamirs slash a curtain of ice across the entire southern horizon, glistening behemoths crowned by hundreds of miles of glaciers. 20 Mar 2009 21:10:09 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/destinations/0903/tajikistan.html 8C314398-1BE7-4720-8F6D-B3D5FE6D9E37 Families sightseeing in Europe have different priorities than couples or individuals. The adults still want to visit historic sites, experience a different culture, try new foods and drinks, but kids get impatient with complex itineraries and long waits. A visit cant just be interesting - it also has to be fun. Strasbourg was a treat for our family of four with two kids, ages 7 and 9. We visited in December to see the famous Christmas markets and discovered an impressive city that makes it easy for young visitors to enjoy its charms. 20 Mar 2009 21:09:38 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/family/0903/strasbourg-with-the-kids.html 8DCFD073-E0F7-4AAA-B76D-1137BF0784F7 California's Napa Valley is famous around the world for its fine wines, and the area is also known as a center for the culinary arts. Visitors to the valley can learn all about the cultivation and preparation of fine food and wine at a local campus of the nation's most prestigious culinary institute. The Culinary Institute of Americas Greystone campus in St. Helena, California, is shifting the role of the wine country spectator into the role of the creator and entrepreneur of fine foods and wines through a series of short classes offered to non-enrolled guests. 11 Mar 2009 21:31:24 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/food-and-wine/0903/california-cia.html 1EACDA71-3DD4-4E7A-BC17-64650AC37E6F Whenever I travel my internal barometer measures how I rate a place by sensory intake. How does a place look, smell, sound, taste and touch. I call it “spirit of place. Its the essence that adds up and captures the destination. My trip to the French Alps was a multi-sensory experience. I started in Megeve, a small Alpine village whose name means village surrounded by water. I saw a landscape dotted with farmhouses and chalets, streams and forests. A medieval, pedestrian town center had narrow winding streets, giving the impression of a place little changed over time. 11 Mar 2009 21:30:42 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/destinations/0903/france-alps.html 8E661AFC-A794-430C-8279-FA05044AB418 The hardest part came just before Stella Point -- again the guidebook was right. Theres a steep fifty-or-so meters of loose gravel sliding down beneath you with every step. I inhaled with one step, exhaled with the next. I felt like an engine, knowing nothing but the movements of my legs and lungs. Suddenly, the ground was firm and flat beneath me. Wed reached Stella Point (5752 m/18,871 ft). I raised my arms in victory. The hard part was over. From Stella Point, we walked a gentle incline to Uhuru Peak, stumbling and catching our balance like a bunch of drunks. 11 Mar 2009 21:29:00 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/features/0903/tanzania-kilimanjaro.html C8CDC556-F59E-4967-AF25-06F989BF9FC3 Beyond providing an escape from our everyday routine, travel enables us to understand ourselves and the world around us in a new way. Through bonds made both with locals in places we visit and with travelers sharing the experience, we realize a side of ourselves that we never knew before. More and more, women are finding that these journeys of discovery are best made with other women. There exists a strong communal feeling among participants in women-only travel, and a sense of freedom that is hard to come by when traveling with the entire family. 11 Mar 2009 21:28:19 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/womens/0903/women-adventure.html D807E0DD-76E5-456A-8866-5DEE0A7A7EA9 [David Grann just published a fascinating book about an adventure searching for an ancient mystery in the Amazon. We are pleased to be able to publish this brief excerpt of “The Lost City of Z which is the kind of travel book we love a combination of history and adventure in the worlds deepest, darkest jungles.] 11 Mar 2009 21:27:10 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/market/0903/lost-city-of-z.html A1B3BBE3-FD16-4BA9-987D-649415F84520 Explorers intrigued by centuries-old cave formations and the opportunity to investigate the world below ground will find activities to suit their subterranean tastes in the town of Oudtshoorn in South Africa. Nestled in the Little Karoo region of the Western Cape of South Africa and a little more than 260 miles from Cape Town, Oudtshoorn is the ideal base for travelers headed to the world-famous Cango Caves. It also boasts opportunities to explore smaller local caves and discover the area near the Swartberg Mountains via quad bike. 11 Mar 2009 21:26:15 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/features/0903/south-africa-caving.html EAC56DE4-CCBA-4270-8FB4-8FDA9D2055A0 According to my audacious climbing instructor the scenery was spectacular. But I couldnt look down. The snow-capped peaks and misty basin of Cwm Idwals hanging valley might have been caked in pink icing and sprinkled with chocolate hail for all I cared. I just wanted my two feet firmly planted on its verdant ground. Three hundred feet up and with three hundred feet to go, I began to wonder why I - a height-fearing, laptop-worshipping urbanite - had left the luxury of my four-star hotel to come to a rock climbers playground nicknamed Devils Kitchen (so called because of an ominous swirling plume seen to circle above Llyn Idwal Lake). 10 Mar 2009 21:26:13 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/womens/0903/uk-wales-climbing.html 8A82C70A-A6A8-4E95-B905-4AF0525F383E While the 1995 documentary "High on Crack Street: Lost Lives in Lowell" was a critically acclaimed victory for HBO, it was a curse upon the fourth largest city in Massachusetts. Lowell earned an ugly reputation in the early 1990s due to drug and gang issues, but since then a dramatic downtown revival has made the city a center of history and culture, from the historic mills and Jack Kerouac to art and the annual folk festival. Between roughly 1840 and 1870, Lowells textile mills made the city a veritable hot spot for young immigrants who traveled to America in search of work. The young generation of mostly Irish settlers struggled to make a living in what was then known as the town of East Chelmsford, living on mere pennies a day. 26 Feb 2009 21:48:14 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/destinations/0902/massachusetts-lowell.html 38E0C9A7-59EC-4401-9952-29B17B824F75 If you're one of the 9.3 million people who tune in to The Amazing Race, then chances are the seasoned traveler in you can't help thinking: "I could do that!" Steve Belkin, president and founder of Competitours travel competitions, agrees. His new company pits teams of two against each other in quirky challenges around Europe, each competing for the grand prize: a worldwide travel spree. 26 Feb 2009 21:46:40 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/traveldesk/0902/competitours.html 06AE7860-DF0F-486C-A1D9-0BB3CDC2718A Could the world turn without an occasional sip of real champagne? I doubt it. Reims (or Rheims) is synonymous with champagne, or so I have always thought. It is no doubt where you should start, especially considering that below the streets deep in the chalk soil are caves connected with miles and miles of tunnels. Nestled below are bottles and bottles of champagne, lovingly cared for and meticulously counted. Troyes likewise was a definite stop when I headed to France's Champagne region. But on this trip to the area, I also wanted to explore some of the hidden gems, lesser-known places with age-old traditions. 20 Feb 2009 21:29:52 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/destinations/0902/france-champagne.html 4FCB8CE8-E1BA-4C44-8F21-94C388D54564 We motored by bus out of the city of Torino, heading for a mountain village deep into the Alps on a September afternoon. The small coach wound around the hairpin turns, and one of our mates kept putting his hands in front of his face, as he was afraid to look out the window. The bus strained as it made its way up the steep paved road, and pebbles flew off to the side down a vast face of rock. By the side of the winding road, goats with long tapered horns grazed on an impossibly steep rock face. They were not wild mountain goats, but a herd tended by a faraway farmer. 20 Feb 2009 21:28:50 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/features/0902/hiking-in-the-alps-torino.html 8B97AD1E-02DE-4F9B-B206-5DC66C5C8590 For some beer lovers, attending both Oktoberfest and the Great British Beer Festival in a single year would be an accomplishment. For Chris Nelson and Merideth Canham-Nelson, those festivals were only a fraction of their Year in Beer, an odyssey that had the couple drinking pints in five European countries and seven U.S. cities throughout 2008. The two first became interested in beer exploration during the 90s when Merideth got a job waitressing at a pub in Oakland, California that had 28 rotating beers on tap. She found it hard to keep them straight and wanted to know beer better. 20 Feb 2009 21:27:33 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/features/0902/year-in-beer.html 8B1AC79E-0115-4FA7-B35C-23C62302E166 The Wow factor of the world's greatest archaeological treasures puts Machu Picchu near the top, along with Petra in Jordan, Ankgor Wat in Cambodia and Bagan in Myanmar, among others. But when it comes to that most important of factors: location, setting and surroundings, Machu Picchu is either number one or tied with Petra, which is strewn along miles of red-rock canyons frequented by those early capitalists, the Nabatean spice traders. Machu Picchu nestles between two pointy peaks at a modest 8,000 feet (2400 meters), the best known yet least understood of the great Incan ruins. No one has figured out exactly who lived there or why, or the reason for Machu Picchu's abandonment before the Spanish conquest in the early 1500s. 20 Feb 2009 21:26:52 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/destinations/0902/peru-machu-picchu.html 08083BFA-EC38-4E7C-8C55-0BC974B1B0DD GoNOMAD Editors Max Hartshorne and Kent St. John and Julia Dimon of the TV show Word Travels presented a seminar on travel writing for beginners in February at the NY Times Travel Show. Below are some tips that they offered the 180 attendees at the presentation. You'll also find some great outlets for beginning travel writers. Julia Dimons Travel Writing Tips: 1) Find a Good Hook: Take a fresh point of view on an old subject or look for unusual new stories. Many of the places you will write about have been written about before, so you need to find something new and original to say that will grab a readers (and an editors attention.) 2) Be a Reporter: Traveling as a writer is different from traveling as a tourist. Take notes, ask questions, get quotes and notice the little details of your trip. How much did it cost, how long has it been open, how many people have visited, etc. Travel writing has been described as part reporting, part dear diary and part providing traveler information. 17 Feb 2009 16:40:44 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/traveldesk/0901/travel-writing-tips.html B1E2B46F-9A96-412A-AC34-D77D7D72B775 Everyone knows that bicycle tours are one of the best ways to experience Europe, but there are many different kinds of bicycle tours, and many different ways to book them. Many US tour companies will make all the arrangements for your travel, lodging and dining and see that you cover the scenic and cultural highlights of a region -- with a group of your fellow Americans. But you can generally save money and find greater flexibility by booking a tour with a European company because their volume is so much greater. Europeans average about a month of vacation every year, and consequently they do a lot more traveling, and especially a lot more bicycling. Because they have so much more volume, European tours companies can charge as much as 70 percent less than tours booked with American tour companies, and they can offer a wider selection of tours and departure dates. 17 Feb 2009 16:39:18 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/bicycle-tours/0901/european-bike-tours.html 4D90E1C7-F0A7-43BF-8DEA-D9CE26DF274F Its that time of year again - when chocolate boxes are carved into hearts, roses brim from corner grocers, and cupid comes out of hiding. So, how are you going to celebrate the big day of romance? What love-struck surprise can you conjure up for your favorite valentine? This year were taking you to the Pacific Northwest jewel of Seattle. Although Seattles downtown core is a mish mash of past and present, it all works together harmoniously. New-age high rises hover above Gold Rush landmarks, trendy boutiques snuggle between flagship department stores and government headquarters brush up to corporate conglomerates. There are countless cozy espresso bars where you can escape the drizzly weather, ethnic-varied restaurants to appease the most discerning palate and so much cultural diversity itll make your head spin. This destination thats embraced by the glistening Puget Sound and backed by snow tipped peaks is so picturesque itll tug on any heart strings. 10 Feb 2009 21:58:03 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/womens/0902/seattle-valentines.html 3FFB8399-111B-448A-9F45-FABD2DF46064 I like being around the sea a lot. Sesha likes to be around mountains. It is not that I do not like mountains, but I like sea equally if not more and it had been five years since I went anywhere near a beach. The best part about Surathkal Beach is that it is empty. It is not like Goa beaches; the sand is for 10 meters or so but minus the crowds it felt like heaven. Both of us had backpacks and the sun was high in the sky and it was almost noon. Still we took off our shoes, tied them to our backpacks and walked along the sea. There are small rocks which we climbed, got wet and slipped a little from! 6 Feb 2009 21:35:54 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/destinations/0902/india-surathkal-beach.html 73BDC36E-8D23-4BC3-8FDA-1F56744C696D The shared taxi driver strapped on his fingerless driving gloves and gripped the small chain steering wheel as he jumped in, not what you want to see when you're about to travel a notoriously dangerous highway. His needless revving of the tuned Paykan's engine and obvious impatience didn't exactly inspire confidence either. Things had started to look grim. 6 Jan 2009 21:35:00 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/transports/0901/iran-taxi.html 77F43148-369A-4360-B7DA-1A9BB0ADC229 Sure, youll visit the Eiffel Tower, and the Arc de Triomphe, but to glimpse a more authentic Paris, consider taking a few detours. Unique memories are sometimes made in the most unexpected places, so stash a copy of this article inside your travel guide when you head to Paris. These are the unexpected spots where my favorite memories and Parisian impressions were made. At school we called it an overview: a little taste of the things wed study more thoroughly in the future. In Paris, the effective overview is a Segway tour. Segways are those two-wheeled scooter-like contraptions that you ride standing up. They look a little like an old-fashioned lawnmower with a platform for standing. The four members of our tour, all new to Segways, were a bit wobbly at first. After about twenty minutes we were riding around as if we dodged Paris traffic every day. 30 Jan 2009 21:34:47 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/destinations/0901/france-paris-detours.html F6FCA8DC-DBA2-45F3-ADF9-AF51A664C0CE Nature works in mysterious ways. Otherwise, how does one explain the striking structure of the massive Shawangunk Ridge which extends from the northernmost point of New Jersey to the Catskill Mountains? Nature has been at its powerful best while creating the layered silica-cemented Shawangunk conglomerate with bold strokes of pure white quartz pebbles and sandstone. The vegetation is dense and the lakes around it are crystal clear. The Shawangunks contain mostly private land as well as land owned by the Mohonk Preserve, Minnewaska State Park Preserve and Sam's Point Preserve with more than 100 miles of hiking trails and several areas for rock climbing. 29 Jan 2009 20:24:46 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/features/0901/new-york-shawangunks.html 3ABBBBE5-15A6-4E56-81FA-4C26AFCAE548 While planning your next get away, consider the wide array of travel items that have recently hit the market to help make the trip a little easier. For a beach vacation in Mexico, clean drinking water can come in the form of a water purification drinking bottle. Toting neck cushions or warm travel socks could be the key to making a long plane or car ride as comfortable as possible. And for techies who cant live without their iPhones, travel accessories like a portable fuel cell charger or a stylus for easy typing make bringing electronics abroad a snap. 22 Jan 2009 22:26:54 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/traveldesk/0901/travel-gadgets.html 2F2EBDDE-4796-4D88-9B18-AB66ACB06F5F For a unique family travel experience, you can't beat Goblin Valley, Utah. Situated between Utah's more popular (and crowded) national parks, this unusual state park and the nearby Little Wild Horse slot canyon offer fun and adventure for young and old alike. We visited in October, a great time of year when the air is warm, and the sunny skies are bright blue. We were so enchanted by the area that we stayed for a week. 22 Jan 2009 22:25:50 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/family/0901/utah-goblin-valley.html 1EFA161C-843F-4135-A49C-5626D3CB2EEE GoNOMAD.com is proud to be a media partner for the sixth annual New York Times Travel Show to be held February 6 to 8, 2009, at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City. More than 400 exhibitors will be on hand representing more than 100 countries. You can meet the staff of GoNOMAD.com at booth 1033 and learn about exotic destinations around the world. GoNOMAD.com is an alternative travel content website with more than 200,000 unique visitors per month. GoNOMAD Editors Max Hartshorne and Kent St. John will conduct a workshop on travel writing, based on a highly successful workshop at last year's show. Back from a trip and want to share what you saw with the world? Hartshorne and St. John will present an overview of the travel writing market for beginning travel writers and provide tips and tricks that will help get your articles published. 22 Jan 2009 22:25:03 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/traveldesk/0901/nytimes-travel-show.html E89C798A-3CC8-471D-9995-B6445D3ABA69 It is evening in downtown Seville. With bated breath, a seated audience fills the inner courtyard of the Museum of Flamenco Dance. The ceiling, at the top of the building's atrium, is echoingly high. The walls are a smooth embrace of stone pillars and brick. And tonight, all of it threatens to crumble beneath the frown on Antonio Granjero's face. It's a look of anger and incredulity, and it is as essential to tonight's performance as the music and footwork itself. Granjero has taken the stage as the male dancer in tonight's flamenco show. The performance, entitled "Vaya con Dios," or "Go with God," is the most explosive and energetic dance I have ever seen. 20 Jan 2009 18:47:03 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/features/0901/spain-flamenco.html B8C59FEB-76CF-41B2-AE99-24C5C0E6C97E Now in its 11th year (2008), the Rainforest World Music Festival is held every July in a valley one hour west of the city of Kuching, Borneo. The beloved location is inside a sprawling living museum the Sarawak Cultural Village. The goal is to promote peace and harmony by assembling renowned world musicians from all over the world. The venue splits at the seams with breaking attendance records and people still arrive without tickets, optimistic of finding a way in. Its akin to the Woodstock of Southeast Asia. About 9,000 other music fans joined me on this July evening. Even Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Badawi and First Lady, Datin Sri Jeanne Abdullah are here. These VIPs mean little to me but wild applause ensues as they take their seats under a giant canvas. 20 Jan 2009 18:43:43 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/womens/0901/sarawak-malaysia-rainforest-music-festival.html 3AB51D92-C58D-4B8E-AF80-5A3D5F06DF08 The folks at RoadTrip America have been collecting pictures of funny and odd road signs for years, and have an impressive online gallery of more than 400 photographs, submitted by RTA members from around the U.S. and Canada. After twelve years of assembling “highway howlers online, RoadTrip America has released a collection of favorites called Caution: Funny Signs Ahead. The hilarious photos are accompanied by fitting captions, and the book inspires the reader to get out on the open road and find some silly ones themselves. 20 Jan 2009 18:42:44 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/market/0901/funny-signs.html C08EF530-08E8-40B6-9194-955B32646E29 I am alone in a round pen, intentionally scaring a horse that could kill me. I wave a wand that has a plastic bag tied to the end of it. This strange, snapping object scares the horse, making him trot nervously around the edges of the pen. Tom Chambers, a Horse Listener is standing outside the pen, coaching me. “Keep your eye on his rear flank, he says. “Dont look him in the eye. That tells him that you want him to go away. Okay, hes getting tired. Hes licking his lips, Thats baby talk for a horse. He wants you to take care of him and make the scary bag go away. When you want him to stop running, just say 'Stop!' in your brain." Yeah, right. The horse is a mind-reader? “Stop, I think, and the horse does. Wow. 26 Dec 2008 20:26:17 GMT http://www.gonomad.com/features/0812/arizona-tanque-verde.html 0067AE4B-6D8B-4980-BB00-C2F4543C4F47