Travel Reader

Barcelona's Soccer Pride

2008-09-10T10:47:00.004-04:00

Soccer fans are passionate and prideful. If you are ever in Europe or Latin America make sure to get tickets to a game. It's an experience you don't want to miss. Read more below from the GoNOMAD article, "More Than a Club" -- FC Barcelona Embodies the Spirit of Catalonia.

"Since he moved to the city fifteen years ago, Estaban has been a regular at the Camp Nou. Over a few glasses of Estrella Damm he tells me the important role that the club has played in his life.

“When I came here from Andalusia one of the ways I was able to feel part of the city and part of Catalonia was to support Barça,” he says.

“It was hard being a migrant but the club gives you an identity. Now I feel Catalan and I’m proud to live in Barcelona. Being a culé is about living and breathing Barça. The most important day of my year is when Madrid come here. The whole city is electric. Barça are playing for a nation that day, not a city.

Leaving the bar, I walk down the Avinguda de Joan XXIII watching the fans streaming towards the stadium. The Camp Nou looms on the horizon.

Europe’s largest stadium is a concrete giant; its huge grey stands rise from the earth, providing a contrasting backdrop to the bursting colour of the stalls selling shirts, scarves and flags.

The air is filled with the noise of children excitedly, and at times annoyingly, blowing horns, as they rush to see their heroes."

Check out GoNOMAD!

Salt Lake City Adventure

2008-09-02T21:16:00.003-04:00

Bring your binoculars because Utah is rich with wildlife and scenic regions. It is active with outdoor adventure, whether hiking, offroading, kayaking, biking camping, or winter activities. Read more below from Utah: Revitalized Salt Lake City is Vibrant, Even Hip (Really!).

"The lights dimmed. The crowd cheered. All eyes were in the center of the dark room where two grand pianos sat, glaring at each other as the duel was about to begin.

A pianist, dressed in the requisite musician-black, reached into a fishbowl, sitting atop his grand piano. He slowly pulled out a slip of folded, white paper, for the next song request. And within seconds, our friend stood atop the piano, celebrating her birthday, dancing to the infamous 90’s pop song, “I Touch Myself.”

Not the first image of Utah that pops into your mind? You are not alone. Yet Salt Lake City is a vibrant, even hip town.

Although Salt Lake City was founded by those who forsake caffeine and alcohol, downtown is undergoing a major revitalization with chic condos and cozy bistros popping left and right.

Independent coffee houses can be found scattered across the city, including “Beans and Brew” and “Jack Mormon Coffee,” in addition to the ubiquitous Starbucks. And there are not one, but two, piano bars downtown.

And that’s to say nothing of the outdoors. Utah is famous for its snow, boasting some of the top ski terrain in the country. But summer months are chock full of adventure, from hiking in the canyons surrounding Salt Lake City, mountain biking, rock climbing, and rafting. "

Check out GoNOMAD!

Asilah: The Glamor of Morocco

2008-08-23T14:11:00.004-04:00

Asilah, a small port town in Morocco is an artisan wonder. Artists flock into this small town annually for with fresh paint to revive the innovative getaway. Read more below from, Shedding What's Shabby at a Moroccan Port.

"It was a crisp Sunday afternoon, and the narrow terrace of Casa Garcia, a small seafood restaurant in the Moroccan port town of Asilah, exuded a rarefied air. Fashionable Moroccans in big designer sunglasses feasted on grilled fish, while a party of British women exchanged air kisses. All around, waiters in white jackets and skinny black bow ties weaved between the white-tableclothed tables, serving bottles of chilled white wine and luscious bowls of fresh clams.

While such scenes of glamour have burnished Asilah’s reputation as a stylish playground for North Africa’s elite, it wasn’t long ago that this ancient fortified port, about 30 miles south of Tangier along the balmy Atlantic Ocean, suffered from obscurity.

Moroccan guidebooks written before the late 1970s only mentioned Asilah in passing, usually as a curiosity. But in the last few years, Asilah’s medina has become a clandestine getaway for Moroccan and European jet-setters who hide behind the thick carved doors of their exotic holiday homes, lounging on electric-blue roof terraces with a book in one hand and a cocktail in the other.

Much of the turnaround can be traced to 1978, when two local friends — Mohammed Benaissa, a photographer and diplomat, and Mohammed Melehi, an artist and curator — came up with the idea of inviting artists to paint murals on the town’s peeling walls. That grew into a summer-long arts festival, with flamenco concerts, design exhibitions and poetry readings, that attracts artists and fans from throughout the Middle East and the West."

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Warsaw's Rise

2008-08-18T19:46:00.003-04:00

Warsaw, Poland has had a little remodeling. With the same old town feel it has overcome the devastation of the WWII era, and is now a great travel destination. Read more below from, Warsaw: A City on the Rise.

"Warsaw is gearing up and doing it in the right way. It’s a beguiling city with a sense of humor, and after all of the trials and tribulations of the last world war it is also a miracle.

Warsaw’s old city was completely devastated during WWII but has been carefully rebuilt exactly as it was. Unlike many cities that have been rebuilt, there is no Disneyland feel, it seems as it should, real.

On my arrival on a Sunday I couldn’t help but notice the throngs entering the many churches in the city. Polish traditions were an enigma to party higher-ups in the Soviet Union. Stalin claimed that getting Poland to go communist was like saddling a cow.

It is perhaps tradition that makes Warsaw a wonderful place to visit. Sunday afternoon concerts are invariably focused on Chopin, and ice cream is a must on a sunny afternoon.

Vodka is the drink of the masses and still made the traditional way, clean and crisp. Warsaw just may make visiting the city a tradition in itself."

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Champagne's French Origins

2008-08-13T14:58:00.003-04:00

Just north of Paris the wines are overflowing and the bubblys rise. When touring this region you will be frequently offered champagne. Read more below from, Tasting French Champagne: A Transcendent Experience.

"The original wine made in the Champagne region of France was a still wine. The origin of champagne with bubbles is murky.

It is presumed that because of the fluctuating storage temperatures and the nature of yeast, some of the still wines were eventually converted into sparkling wines on their own. Subsequent tinkering and careful trial and error led to the process in use today.

Dom Perignon, who was the cellarmaster at the Benedictine Abbey in Hautvillers in the late 1600s, is credited with creating the first champagne. Actually the process of making sparkling wine had been around a long time before he came on the scene. But, it was he who had the idea to use cork as a stopper for the wine they called champagne, instead of the wooden stoppers previously used.

He also perfected the riddling process and the second fermentation. That, and the use of stronger glass bottles to contain the bubbly, are the signature of the Benedictine Abby’s wine - the first modern champagne.

Today, Dom Perignon Champagne is recognized for such high quality that it is a valuable long term investment for the world's most distinguished champagne collectors. It is the most expensive champagne in the world, with a recent auction of two bottles of the “rarer than rare” 1959 vintage of Dom Perignon Rose bringing a record $84,700!

According to Richard Geoffroy, Dom Perignon Chef de Cave: "Dom Perignon Rose Vintage 1959 is a rare, superlative, mythical vintage. Powerful and solar, its light will inspire the creation of Dom Perignon Rose forever." Wow! I wish I could have tasted one of those."

Check out GoNOMAD!

France's Tribal Markets

2008-08-05T12:18:00.004-04:00

Vibrant food Markets, tribal clothes and a wide range of diversity and culture flow through the streets of Cours Julien, France. Read more below from, A Spinning Globe Stops Here.

"On hot days, a proliferation of terraces unfold onto the Cours Julien main square. At La Baleine qui dit Vagues (59, cours Julien; 33-491-48-95-60, www.labaleinequiditvagues.org), students and grandmothers sip coffees side by side as the district’s colorful cast of characters emerges. A busker dances around, guitar in hand, singing in smooth French patois. Amateur jugglers practice their routines, as punks gyrate with diabolo sticks. And when school lets out, scores of children dangle from the cypress and olive trees.

Bobos, meanwhile, graze the clothing racks at Madame Zaza of Marseille (73, cours Julien; 33-491-59-28-48; www.zazaofmarseille.com), a fashionable boutique where the florid and flowing dresses suggest the swaying colors of North Africa (from 45 euros, or about $73 at $1.62 to the euro).

East of the square, dozens of cafes, secondhand stores and boutiques are blanketed in a burst of graffiti. Among the trendiest is Be Myself (22, rue Bussy l’Indien; 33-491-88-01-35-53; www.be-myself.net), a tiny boutique where the designer, Marie-Christine Roura, hand paints sensual faces and loopy graphics onto T-shirts (29 euros).

In the evening, Cours Julien takes its place among the city’s coolest night spots, as young and old alike are drawn to the thick, aromatic waft of grilled meat that drifts from restaurants. Picking a cuisine is like spinning a globe and prodding a finger at it."

Check out New York Times Travel.

Morel Hikers

2008-08-04T22:47:00.003-04:00

Idaho is the hiking capital. I have never been on a mushroom hike, but it sounds like quite the adventure. Morel Mushrooms are found among the ashy soil and lavender Trillium flowers. Read more below from, The Hunt for Morels in Idaho.

"So I knew what morels looked and tasted like but why couldn’t I find any? About three quarters of the way through our hike, Nancy hit pay dirt. She literally found $40 in the dirt. She thought it was trash and being a conscientious Idaho native, she picked it up. It was two wadded up $20’s. We kidded her, saying she should just buy 40 bucks worth of morels and give up the hunt!

Selling at about $14 per pound in stores, she’d get several dozen. Later, Nancy and I were talking about taking our kids to a concert. We were patting ourselves on the back for being cool moms while sharing a priceless experience with our kids and then Nancy’s search bore real fruit. She yelled, “I found one!” and pinched it up quicker than a four year old can play leapfrog.

A small part of me wanted to tackle her for her mushroom. When she showed me where she had found it, I couldn’t believe the Darwinian magic of how it blended in with its environment. How does anyone find these things? According to Idaho’s leading newspaper The Idaho Statesman, this year 1000 full-time mushroom pickers, mostly from Cambodia, Laos and Mexico have pitched tents in the Payette and Boise National Forests. Two million acres of this land had burned in 2007 producing prime picking spots for commercial mushroom hunters.

By the end of our hike, our group of about 16 had harvested a little over a half dozen. Like me, the men had struck out. I explained that relying on caveman theory, that is as it should be. After all, women are gatherers, men hunters. (But what did that say about me?) Chef Kucy said he occasionally cooks bounty caught and/or gathered by Tamarak guests. "

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Culinary Capital

2008-08-03T12:47:00.004-04:00

Fresh meat, flowers, cheese, and vegetables are sold all over the markets of Lyon. France is a city of passion and culinary ardor. Read more below from Studying Gastronomy in Lyon, France’s Culinary Capital.

"It was 8:30 in the morning and I was standing in an overflow of sounds, smells, and sights, flanked by bouquets of daisies on my right and ox tongues on my left.

The public market in Lyon, France is a staple of everyday life for its residents, and an increasingly popular draw for visitors who want to see where Lyon’s rich culinary traditions truly begin.

Stretching along the banks of the Saone, the so-called 'other river' in Lyon that runs parallel to the Rhone, the market offers fresh produce, meats, flowers, cheese, honey, oils, and other foods, as well as books and arts and crafts.

It's also one of the most congested areas of Lyon on a Sunday, as I discovered. People from all walks of life pack onto the sidewalks to view or sell wares, and the spectacle is something to behold.

Sellers try to outdo their counterparts with shouts regarding their succulent chickens roasting on spits and soft cheeses mellowing in the summer sun. Canvas bags filled with purchases seem to fly from one hand to another, and baskets of fruits and vegetables overflow onto small, folding tables.

Still, despite the frenzy, it’s likely that the real stars of the show – Lyon’s renowned cadre of chefs, restaurateurs, and gourmet shop owners – have already come and gone, arriving at dawn to take their pick of the freshest ingredients and cart them back to some of the finest restaurants in Europe."

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The Valleys of Cuba

2008-08-01T08:46:00.002-04:00

By most travelers the Valley of Vinales is considered the most beautiful region of Cuba. The flush valleys and rolling green hills are breathtaking. Read more below from The Valley of Vinales: Cuba's Hidden Shangri-La.

"Continuing our journey, a short distance away we stopped at the Mirador de los Jazmines on a high point, 160 km (100 mi) from Havana, overlooking the Valle de Viñales below. Standing on an observation point edged by the Hotels Los Jazmines, I gazed on the enchanting valley, all green with a mystic-like aura.

The scenery across the valley floor had a dreamlike character. High, mostly green-clad cliffs enclosed a valley of green farmland with a sprinkling of palms, here and there an outcropping of rock, seemingly planted to break up the all-encompassing greenery.

It was a wistful scene of how nature without a brush can bring out beauty, even without a painter, to create a Shangri-la.

As I pulled myself away from this stunning scene, I heard a woman say, “Oh for the life of a dog!” Looking down, I saw a dog curled up and lazing in the sun, oblivious to the world around it.

Travelling in Cuba I have always been amazed at how often one sees dogs sleeping under the blazing sun, disregarding human traffic and the searing heat."

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Win Travel Money!

2008-07-26T18:39:00.003-04:00

You could do it all, scale the mountains of Fiji, learn Arabic in the markets of Israel all your wildest travel dreams. Create the most exotic and extraordinary itinerary, the best, most original journey will win a grant for $7,500. Read more below for more information or check out this travel grant from dodo.com.

"You can increase your chances of winning by conforming to the following criteria:

Your journey is extraordinary, involving insight into foreign cultures and remote countries

You have the ability to report regularly with travelogues, photos and videos about your adventures

Your planned journey is interesting to the members of the dodo.com community

How to Apply!

Create your own profile on dodo.com
Create a travelogue of your planned trip by putting the travel dates in the future
For each stop of your trip, write one travelogue entry
Describe in each entry what kind of highlights and adventures you plan to experience
Write a short comment in the dodo.com blog for the grant with a link to your travelogue of the planned trip.

All applications, which are on the blog till the 28th of August, will be considered for the grant."

Tour de Chile

2008-07-23T10:57:00.004-04:00

Tour the world by bike, the "tour de chile" trails around Chile's lakes, mountains and volcanoes. This is a seven day bicycle tour, with 4-5 hours of cycling a day. Read more below from, Cycling Chile's Lake District.

"Our seven-day cycling tour was organized by Amity Tours, a small family-owned tour company in Temuco, Chile. It included a week in two of Chile's 11 regions (similar to U.S. states) and ranged from Temuco to Puerto Montt. Our tour guides accompanied us, arranging our meals and lodging, and helping with the luggage and lingo.

Allejandro, the tour company owner, drove the van and arranged our daily routes so we saw the best views of Chile’s stunning lakes, waterfalls, and snow-capped volcanoes. Each day seemed more gorgeous than the day before.

Ernesto, our cycling guide, rode with us and served as escort, naturalist, and motivator. He is a competitive (former country champion) mountain bike racer, who is now studying to be an adventure tour guide.

He’s 28, handsome, and built like a Tour De France rider. I admit that I was intimidated by him at first; after all he’s young and talented, has legs of steel, and unlimited energy.

Ernesto literally rode circles around us for a week; rotating among us, checking to see how we were doing and offering encouragement.

After we finished our daily 4-5 hour cycling tour, Ernesto would ride his mountain bike around a lake, or up a mountain, while we soaked in a hot tub or relaxed in our rooms."

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The Shores of Tel Aviv

2008-07-21T09:41:00.003-04:00

Everyone is welcome along the Mediterranean shore. Tel Aviv is a city dancing with diversity, and it has some of the cleanest and most accessible beaches in the world. Read more below from, Seizing the Day in Tel Aviv.

A couple of hours later, eager to see what other strange bedfellows I’ll find huddled on the edges of the water, I conduct an informal census: I walk the two miles or so of beach from the Orthodox section all the way down to Jaffa, the old Arab port of Tel Aviv. Just south of the gay section I find a stretch of sand-and-sun worshipers that I instantly dub the Ambiguous Male Friendship beach; just south of that I find the I Hate What I’m Wearing beach. I walk farther, and proceed to find concentrations of, variously, surfers, young families, volleyball players, Ethiopians, hippie drummers and irritable girlfriends.

I’d earlier been told by the illustrator and author Maira Kalman, who was born in Tel Aviv and still has an apartment there, that I’d find “old men in their underpants” on the beach in front of the Dan Hotel (“Old men in their underpants: what can be wrong with that?” she’d said with some excitement). So, in front of the Dan, I search for boudoir chic; I find only one such exhibitor, but many examples of dermal creping.

Down toward the southernmost part of the beach near Jaffa, the population turns increasingly Arab, and I see more and more head wraps on the women. On the beach’s edge, I sit on a park bench and fall into conversation with a warm, bearded 54-year-old gentleman who tells me he’s an imam and a muezzin. We discuss the auspiciousness of the date — the day before, on Independence Day, Isreal had celebrated its 60th anniversary with a semi-terrifying dazzle of air force maneuvers over the water — and the man tells me: “Peace is good for us all. Jews, Christians, Muslims. ...”

Just then a young beachgoer zooms by us on his Vespa, his surfboard ingeniously strapped onto the side of the motorbike, so I add, "... and surfers."

Check out New York Times Travel.

Supernateral Travel

2008-07-19T12:59:00.006-04:00

Wiltshire, England is filled with unexplained mysteries. It's a town known for its supernateral experiences, and leaving travelers feeling eerie and unsettled. Read more below from, Wiltshire, England: Standing Stones, Crop Circles, and Visits From Outer Space.

"Walking through the eerie construction, I listened to the theories about its purpose. It’s still unsure the purpose Stonehenge served, but scientists and archaeologists throughout the world are still trying to find out with new theories and evidence emerging.

It's thought the name Stonehenge originates from the Anglo-Saxon period – the old English word ‘henge' meaning hanging (literally ‘the hanging stones').

Stonehenge is believed to have been built in three stages - the first of which was a circle of timbers surrounded by a ditch and bank.

Deer antlers, believed to have been used as pick-axes, were found during excavations and testing has shown they date back to around 3100 BCE. There are also 56 holes, named Aubrey Holes after the 17th century antiquarian who found them, which date back to 3150 BCE.

The second stage is believed to have commenced around 600 years later, in around 2500 BCE, when it was rebuilt - this time using bluestones. These came from the Prescelli Mountains in South Wales, 380 kilometers (236 miles) away."

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Destination Up!

2008-07-16T09:14:00.002-04:00

Just recently, I had the opportunity to have a flight instruction. It was such a great experience. Read more below from, Learning to Fly: A Bird's-Eye View of the Pioneer Valley.

"We flew at an altitude of 3,000 feet along the Connecticut River, and above the lush green hills and farmland of the Pioneer Valley.

The lakes and rivers glittered as the sunbeams fell upon the surface. Mountains bordered the horizons in every direction. The soft hue of purple peaks blurred in the distance. The view was spectacular.

The flight instruction lasted about an hour. I learned how to steer the plane, gently guiding the yoke to one side then to the other. It was a surreal feeling when Foster let go of all the controls and I was flying the plane myself.

Before I knew it we were back on the ground. We ended with a smooth landing.

Flying in the Piper Warrior II N4302V, a small plane, was very different from being in the air on a commercial airline. You don’t have to peek out of a small frosted window, you can see everything.

After the landing, Foster recorded my time in the air. I completed one fortieth of the flight time necessary for a pilot's license.

I jumped out of the white and yellow Piper. There were planes taxiing the runway, girls with sundresses and aviators approaching the hangar, and grease stained mechanics working on the aircraft.

I looked up into the endless blue highway and saw a glint of distant airplane."

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Inside the Imbayah Festival

2008-07-13T11:14:00.005-04:00

Festivals bring a country's culture alive. They unleash a vivid history and reestablish historic customs. To learn more about the The Imbayah Festival read more below from, Banaue, Philippines: The Imbayah Festival Celebrates Ifugao Culture.

"The Imbayah festival which celebrates Ifugao culture, rice planting and the harvest and rice wine was scheduled for the next day.

I took it easy the next day as my legs were aching from the Batad trip. The festival started at 5:30 pm with a low-key opening ceremony with just a few spectators.

A huge, black, boar, tied to bamboo poles in front of a traditional hut in Banaue Plaza, lay on the ground. The tribesmen made mock attacks with a spear as they danced around it before sacrificing the animal by cutting around its middle.

Within 10-20 seconds it was dead and the tribal folk chanted, tapped the boar with sticks before singeing its hair off on a fire. It was then butchered on the spot and distributed. Although this seemed cruel and gruesome to me, it was apparently quite normal and acceptable in Banaue.

This was followed by the first dance, which was very casual. Children, adults and elders took part in their national dance in tribal gear while members of the public, in shorts and tee shirts, mingled too.

The dance involved everyone moving like chickens as they danced around in a circle and had great fun; the crowd grew quickly as the music and laughter got louder."

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Architectural Wonder of Zadar

2008-07-11T13:48:00.004-04:00

On the northern Dalmatian coast, Zadar, Croatia, is an outdoor museum for architectural history. The picture to the left is ninth-century Church of St. Donat. Read more below about Zadar from, After 2,000 Years, a Croatian Port Town Still Seduces.

Zadar — which is seeking heritage-site status of its historic center from Unesco— possesses a combination of Split’s ancient, blue-collar moxie and Dubrovnik’s well-heeled, outdoor-museum aura. Like those Dalmatian cousins, Zadar is still most famous for an embarrassment of historical and architectural riches. The newly remodeled Archeological Museum has more than 100,000 pieces from the Paleolithic period to the 11th century.

Next door, at St. Mary’s — a three-nave church founded in 1066 — is perhaps Zadar’s most valuable collection. Hidden by resident Benedictine nuns during wartime (including the last decade), the permanent exhibition is awash in Byzantine-era gold and silver, and includes paintings, reliquaries, crosses and embroidery spanning 1,000 years.

My first break from sightseeing in the Old Town was at the Garden which the UB40 drummer James Brown and a British music producer, Nick Colgan, opened four years ago. The outdoor lounge sits atop the town walls and combines comfortable daybeds, a terrace overlooking the water, and top international D.J.’s.

“Geographically, I think Zadar is perfect,” Mr. Colgan said. “This is new territory. Zadar’s on the cusp and the kind of place you find rather than being told about.”

Check out New York Times Travel.

You and Europe: Trip Giveaway!

2008-07-10T09:02:00.007-04:00

Gather up all your home videos from your most recent trip to Europe and get to work. Come up with a catchy cultural clip and you could win an all-expenses paid trip for two to the country of your choice! Not for one, but two. What more inspiration do you need? Not sure how to get started, check out how to make a video. Or if you want to view other videos, take a look at unlimited inspiration! Read more below from, You and Europe!

"This is your chance to win a trip for 2 to the European country of your choice!

Are you traveling through Europe with a camera?
Have you been to Europe with a camera?

Make a video and upload it here to enter and win.

The most dazzling and romantic continent is waiting for you: thirty-eight countries with unique cultures, dozens of cuisines and great sights from the ancient to the ultra-modern, providing endless inspiration for your great travel videos.

It can be funny, poignant, romantic, serious or silly. Catch an aspect of the culture, whatever captures your imagination and tell that story in your own voice and in your own style. The only limitation is that it should not exceed 3 minutes in length."

For more check out Visit Europe!

Enchanting Small Town Escape

2008-07-10T00:28:00.004-04:00

Old Deerfield is desirable. It’s enchanting, with a small town feel. A quarter mile walk down the historic stretch is the perfect getaway. A late night stroll, with fireflies, moonlit houses and the soft summer sounds provide a relaxing and romantic ambiance. Read more about Historic Deerfield in, Stepping Back in Time: A Visit to Historic Deerfield.

“After lunch at the Deerfield Inn, I head to the Wells-Thorn House, which features rooms illustrating the changing lifestyles of Deerfield residents spanning more than a century, from 1725 to 1850.

Constructed in the Georgian style, the house is painted an extravagant light blue, a rarity for the time period. The house was originally built by a Patriot tavern owner; it would have been a popular meeting place for Deerfield's supporters of independence during the American Revolution.

Today, each room of the house is furnished to represent a different time period in early New England life, and the evolution is incredible. The first room is little more than a hearth and a few crude tools; by the last room, a hundred years later, we see elegant furniture, linens, and intricate wallpaper.

As is always the case at Historic Deerfield, the guide here is incredibly knowledgeable, able to comment on even the smallest feature of any room in impressive detail.”

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Jamaican Waters

2008-07-07T12:14:00.002-04:00

Jamaica is full of natural wonders, blue lagoons, gorgeous flowers, private beaches, blue mountains and flush green wildlife. A traveler's choice tropic destination. Read more from, Port Antonio, Jamaica: Not Your Typical Seaside Town.

"It would be wrong to go to Jamaica without hitting the beach, so for oceanside swimming there are three main options: Frenchman’s Cove, Winifred Beach and San San. Winifred is the public beach, and is often more crowded than the other two, which charge admission and are privately run.

The entrance charge for the private beaches is minimal - about $3 American per person. All are beautiful, of course, but Frenchman’s Cove is an isolated inlet with a bar and restaurant on the beach and chairs available for rent. It’s also got a freshwater spring feeding into it, and the soft, white beach is flanked by stunning cliffs. It’s generally acknowledged to be the most beautiful beach on the island.

A boat ride away from Frenchman’s Cove is the Blue Lagoon and Monkey Island. Monkey Island is only fun for about ½ an hour- the water is too shallow and full of sea urchins to swim, and the beach doesn’t get any sun. But it’s worth a look from the boat, certainly.

It is possible to snorkel out of Monkey Island, but from what Ian and I heard from other visitors, the snorkeling isn’t that exciting, and it’s more fun just to paddle around in the ocean or, if possible, go scuba diving.

The boat rides start out of the Blue Lagoon, and we did a loop and ended up back there because we didn’t get to swim there beforehand. It’s possible to have the boatmen drop you off at Frenchman’s Cove, too, where Sherman is more than happy to pick you up when you’re ready."

For more check out GoNOMAD!

Natural Patriarch

2008-07-04T15:26:00.004-04:00

The Fourth of July long weekend is a great time to relax and enjoy the great outdoors. A picnic with the family or a adventure on the river. This article I just read from the Washington Post has a great patriotic twist. Read more below from, Red Rocks, Blue Skies and White Water.

"The rock is red. The sky is blue. The clouds, when they show up, are puffy white. It all glides by at the languid, satisfyingly informative pace of a panning shot. When the gaze drifts above the canyon rim, what appears is the signature iconography of a John Ford film: butte, mesa, chimney rock.

And then, on the fourth day, you look up and the oarsman is gone.

How odd. That looks like him downstream, swimming frantically back toward the yellow raft no longer drifting languorously on the famous Colorado River. Swollen by the largest snowmelt in recent years, the waterway has meandered to the point in southern Utah where there are no more banks to wash over and simply enrich with silt. When the Colorado reaches Cataract Canyon, the stone walls draw closer, the bottom pitches forward and the river accelerates, churning massive waves from left and right to crash together in the middle. These waves are tall, angry and of profound concern to Brian when he reappears, almost magically, in the little boat, grabs the oars and takes a long look downstream.

"Oh [bad word]!" he says. "Oh [bad word]! Oh [bad word]!"

Turns out we're in an adventure film. And no one is ruling out disaster."

Check out The Washington Post Travel!

Bright Lights Big Cities

2008-07-01T15:18:00.002-04:00

Independence Day is just around the corner and pyrotechnic crews are preparing their displays of booming fireworks. Montreal hosts a fiery display of lights on Saturdays and Wednesdays. Read more below from, Oooooh, Canada.

"Across the lake, the lights on the park’s Ferris wheel flickered off. Among the crowd, the hawkers selling beer and blinking devil’s horns grew silent. As the opening strains of “The Blue Danube” waltz filled the air, a series of pyrotechnic strobes went off on the far side of the lake. The Strauss faded out, replaced by the “10...9...8” of an Apollo-era countdown, each number embellished by a comet, a shell that leaves a glittering trail in its wake. At zero, a line of fountains started spewing fire, and a loud rumbling began. It was as if the whole lake was about to lift off.

For the public, the competition is a chance to see 10 grand pyromusical displays — including a noncompeting show that closes the festivities — throughout the summer. In a city known for its festivals, the fireworks are exclamation marks that punctuate many Saturday nights, and a few Wednesday nights as well. Officials at La Ronde, which was built for the 1967 World’s Fair and is now owned by Six Flags, estimate that last year more than three million people watched the displays.

A jury of 19, chosen from the public, evaluates each performance and at the end awards golden, silver and bronze trophies to the top three. There’s no prize money, but that doesn’t really matter: for Mr. Chouillier and the other pyrotechnicians, just being invited to participate in the competition, generally regarded as the industry’s most prestigious, is an honor.

“It’s a sort of consecration in the life of a fireworks artist,” Mr. Chouillier said last Friday as his team, aided by La Ronde’s own crew, loaded aerial shells up to a foot in diameter into firing tubes."

For more check out New York Times Travel.

The Iguassu Falls

2008-07-01T11:06:00.002-04:00

Each step closer to the falls leaves each visitor with an unsettled anticipation. These rushing waters of South America nearly double the size of Niagara's Falls. To learn more, read the article below, Argentina's Iguassu Falls: Niagara's Big Brother.

"Since we were spending the night on the Argentinian side we began our adventures with an easy trek along the Upper and Lower Circuit trails. With this many waterfalls clumped together names like Floriano, Deodoro and Benjamin Constant (on Brazil's side) and Santa Maria, Belgrano and Adam and Eve (on the Argentina's side) help keep our bearings.

In a jungle so verdant and so wild, its a good idea that you shadow your tour guide closely. My high-energy Manhattan urbanite sprinted ahead of the pack and lost out on a train ride to the falls most fearsome precipice: Devil's Throat.

Two thousand tons of water per second crash down in an apotheosis of rainbows and froth at Garganta del Diablo or Devils Throat. It's even more breathtaking since it's impossible to see into the abyss below.

Getting there takes several steel catwalks stretching from small island to small island. The anticipation builds with every step until it's deafening roar and thundering views completely immerse you. With imagination, the sight resembles a gigantic vat or cauldron of mirky witches' brew. It bumbles and hisses and spews humidity in all directions.

During a rare moment, the shutterbugs disperse and I'm left to reflect on how native tribes once worshipped this supernatural power. Our guide insists that a full-moon tour captures the mystery of the place more than in the day time. Absent of artificial halogens, the moon's silver path illuminates the river from the banks up until everything dips to black over the edge. " Check out GoNOMAD.com!

Global Tips

2008-06-30T09:06:00.005-04:00

It’s an awkward situation when you step out of a foreign airport and suddenly someone picks up your bags and brings to your ride. Do you tip them? If you do how much is appropriate? In some countries the tip is included, but for others it is expected. Here is a guide I found at GoNOMAD. Read more below from, A Guide to Tipping Around the World.

Tipping Guide for Around the World

For the scope of this guide I will be giving a brief overview of the proper (and improper) amounts to tip in countries across the globe.

Italy: In Italy the tipping procedure is kept to a minimum. No tips are expected, but, again, if you feel as though the person did a great job, feel free to round up to the next highest amount. Also remember too that you are being charged a coperto ('cover charge') or possibly for pane ('bread') as well.

Taxi drivers usually expect to receive 5-10% of the bill.

Brazil: In Brazil the rules are not as strict. Like the feel of most the country, if you like what you see, tip, and if you don’t, well then don’t tip! There are no set guidelines and the amount is entirely at a person’s discretion. At hotels, a 10% to 15% service charge is included in the bill.

At a restaurant there is a 10% service charge included in the bill. At bars and cafes a 10% tip is good if it has not been added to the bill.

For taxis, a tip is not expected, yet drivers might be permitted to keep some change. Frequently, hotels will negotiate the fare in advance with the driver and pass the amount on to the guest as a flat rate (tip included).

China: You'll never have to tip anywhere in China. It's the one consolation for the fact that foreigners are charged more as a matter of government policy.

For more check out GoNOMAD!

A St. Lucian Dream

2008-06-30T08:51:00.002-04:00

I have a couple friends who live in St. Lucia. And Whenever I listen to their smooth island accents and close my eyes I can almost envision myself on their coasts. When I came across this article, the tropical scenes I imagined became more vivid. Read more below from St. Lucia's Moment.

"Driving up and down the island's main highway, it's easy to see the allure. The views are all knockouts—dramatic, intense, instantaneous. I dip down into the heart of Choiseul, a small town between two mountains, and see that there's a church by the beach in the small harbor—but before I can take a second look, I'm heading up and out again. Since the car and I are dancing such tight do-si-dos with the road, twisting around to see where I've been seems unwise. Choiseul, the church—it's gone before you know it.

Then, approaching Soufrière from the south, there's a turnout. I am on the top of a ridge, where I can stop both to catch my breath and to inhale the view. The vertiginous beauty of the place is exhilarating. I look down into the basin of Soufrière, which from up here seems more like a postcard of Caribbean splendor than a real place. The boats are moving on the glistening water, there's traffic off the beach and hubbub in the town and—up, up the hill on the other side—houses, trees, and then Jade Mountain. From across the bay, the resort looks jarring, like a multilevel parking garage stacked against the hillside.

The southwestern corner of St. Lucia was designed by the Qualibou caldera 35,000 years ago. Though dormant, the volcano still spits gray boiling water and sulfurous gas out of a scattering of pools of bubbling mud and cracks in the earth's crust. The original French commander, with the blessing of Louis XVI, built baths here to soothe the aches and pains of his soldiers. Chastanet would like to pick up on that idea: He dreams of a high-end spa putting the same to good use. But this attraction is the least of the volcano's gifts. The caldera, which stretches two by three miles, is what gave St. Lucia the Pitons as well as the eighteenth-century town of Soufrière and its bay."

For more check out Conde Nast Traveler.

The Southern Carolina

2008-06-25T10:31:00.004-04:00

Transportation has never been so easy. I'm here in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina where vacationers cruise the strip with golf carts. It is quite the sight. Bumper to bumper traffic until cart curfew at 11 o'clock every night. South Carolina must be a hot spot. Read about Greenville (just four hours from Myrtle Beach) in this article I found from GoNOMAD, Gorgeous Greenville, South Carolina.

"Greenville has followed in the footsteps of other Southern cities that were able to turn around their image by refurbishing its older structures and creating architecturally pleasing new ones.

Sure there are tacky buildings from the 1960s and 70s, but the storefront brick facades and tree-lined streets drown out the drab exteriors to buildings like the structure that houses the town's newspaper.

Whether you're driving, walking or taking the town's trolley, getting around town is easy. Even for the "navigationally-challenged," it's tough to get lost in Greenville.

Another advantage to making a visit here is that it is affordable. You don't have to visit eateries like High Cotton everyday. There are plenty of places to dine for a low price.

I had a cheap, delicious meal at Soby's on the Side. Located behind the main Soby's restaurant, Soby's on the Side offers affordable breakfast, lunch and brunch dishes.

Restaurants including Soby's, Mary's and High Cotton, hotels like the Westin Poinsett and thoroughfares like Main Street and McBee Avenue are examples of how Greenville came alive in the past decade."

For more check out GoNOMAD!