tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5058209319263726762024-03-21T17:21:54.763-07:00Finding PangaeaChris Tharphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14391277694336536573noreply@blogger.comBlogger108125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-505820931926372676.post-29523738702845647082008-12-19T10:12:00.000-08:002008-12-19T11:26:44.398-08:00Good News for Trestles!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPrzaQMX3FHb-81kuezZgvGpuh_LZcNMsuUNAaKECp9IkPgBs3IIRV5Z73iYxpC99sg4Szl0mDWFOvQxCLFVZBWMGKdUTHScpU24nCM-vvRVdLJy4ZG8o_5DaWCZSxxb-uwVgW7QRtBkRI/s1600-h/trestles.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 143px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPrzaQMX3FHb-81kuezZgvGpuh_LZcNMsuUNAaKECp9IkPgBs3IIRV5Z73iYxpC99sg4Szl0mDWFOvQxCLFVZBWMGKdUTHScpU24nCM-vvRVdLJy4ZG8o_5DaWCZSxxb-uwVgW7QRtBkRI/s200/trestles.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5281584832185567330" /></a><br />Its good news this morning for environmentalists in California, the foothill-south toll road has been dealt a fatal blow. The Department of Commerce announced today that it would uphold the California Coastal Commission's decision! Basically, this means that it is illegal under both federal and state law to build a toll road through San Onofre State Park. In a release issued from the Department of Commerce, they "determined that there is at least one reasonable alternative to the project and that the project is not necessary in the interest of national security."<br /><br />For those of you not familiar with the long disputed project, The TCA (Transportation Corridor Agency) proposed to continue highway 241 south from its current end at Oso Parkway to the I-5 near San Clemente. Here is a <a href="http://www.ftcsouth.com/home/projectalt.asp">map</a> for any one not familiar with the area. The highway's completion was touted as reducing the congestion on the I-5 and as an alternative for Orange County residents. However, the reality was that the proposed plan would have been built directly along San Maeto Creek. According to the Surfrider Foundation "the project would also result in the obliteration of Southern California’s last remaining pristine coastal watershed and substantially degrade habitat that is critical for the survival of at least seven endangered species, including the Southern Steelhead trout."<br /><br /><span class="fullpost"> What I love most about this story is that opponents of the 241 continuation project did not gain momentum from this fact. Instead, popularity was generated from a Southern California institution. Surfing. The 241 extension road project would have directly threatened the world class surf break at and around Trestles. This simple fact started a grass roots movement of unrivaled popularity. <span style="font-style:italic;">Save Trestles</span> became the battle cry and today it is these advocates we have to thank. They saved a beautiful region of our state from unnecessary desecration and I personally hope they take this day to celebrate their achievements!<br /><br />Be sure to visit Surfrider's <a href="http://www.surfrider.org/savetrestles/blog/">save trussels</a> website, the non-profit that has worked tirelessly to win this fight. And if you are interested in reading the TCA's plan <a href="http://www.ftcsouth.com">click here</a>. </span>Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14230357460726361677noreply@blogger.com60tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-505820931926372676.post-28752300918382537632008-12-18T10:15:00.000-08:002008-12-18T14:24:09.060-08:00Monte Roraima<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkjOw0k2PYw8lqrWf6F-DUpEg4-18-pGyn_NDoHTmGmMNnqj7lDhMeqSz93A0xsK1BYwYDp294MN-1wr2kmKESeXqtyWwKRyxIqEDkqTdxYZ7zrmNzm2hDbDHwe9dkYK6z3WjvTPWKW9k/s1600-h/images.jpeg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 107px; height: 129px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkjOw0k2PYw8lqrWf6F-DUpEg4-18-pGyn_NDoHTmGmMNnqj7lDhMeqSz93A0xsK1BYwYDp294MN-1wr2kmKESeXqtyWwKRyxIqEDkqTdxYZ7zrmNzm2hDbDHwe9dkYK6z3WjvTPWKW9k/s200/images.jpeg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5281258096378113330" /></a>So I was watching this show last night about a group of scientists that recently were assembled and sent to explore Monte Roraima in Venezuela. For those not familiar with random plateau's in Venezuela, Monte Roraima is one of the least explored places on earth. This table-top mountain, or tepuis, is thought to be the oldest mountain on earth having formed when Africa and South America split apart. Monte Roraima is unique in that it is nearly 9,300 feet tall and is almost inaccessible due to sheer cliffs on all sides. This is the point in this blog post where you all begin to drift as I write about random mountains in Venezuela.... Here's why this place, and this expedition, are fascinating to me: Monte Roraima's unique set of circumstances, and inaccessibility, have long made it a candidate for housing unknown, or even long extinct creatures. The thought here is that when this landscape rose from the ground, it's eco-system was essentially frozen in time, and has not been touched since. This place was what originally inspired Arthur Conan Doyle to write The Lost World in 1912 (the inspiration for Jurassic Park and King Kong).<span class="fullpost"><br /><br />So this random group of scientists set out to explore this place. There is this one guy who is a cryptozoologist. Yep, crypto as in hidden/secret, and zoologist as in animals. This guy was a "specialist" in lost/mythical or unknown-to-science animals. He basically walked around waiting for a pterodactyl to come flying down and eat him (local Indians talk about this species as one of many still thought to reside on the mountain) the whole episode. He was joined by a herpetologist, a couple of cave specialists, a random biologist, and a specialist in tarantulas. Long story short, they find a bunch of new creatures, but no dinosaurs or giant mammals. <br /><br />I mention all of this because something fascinated me during this show. I began to notice that no matter how remote a tribe, no matter how remote a location, even those on opposite ends of the earth with no contact whatsoever with one another, every single place and tribe have stories of the same type of creature: An ape man. In the Himalayas, it's called the Yeti. In North America, it's been long referred to as (even Native American mythology tells of it) Bigfoot or Sasquatch. In Australia the Yowie, in Central America the Dwendi. In this area of South America, I can't remember what the local tribe was calling it, but essentially it meant "demon-ape." I'm not saying I am going to start believing in Big Foot, but there is something to be said for every ancient culture telling of literally the same creature: A giant bipedal ape/man thing. It's not even that bizarre really. After all, there was a creature that basically was this exact specimen called <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gigantopithecus">Giganthopithicus</a> that lived perhaps as recently as 3,000 years ago in SE Asia. Who is to say something similar didn't live elsewhere, and even recently? So my question today is if anyone out there believes in Bigfoot?</span>Chris Tharphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14391277694336536573noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-505820931926372676.post-35882959482125619032008-12-12T09:33:00.000-08:002008-12-12T12:44:12.824-08:00To Go or Not to Go, That is the Question<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKmcKreBfAKokxhbqqO1ZX7na5Ja1VCPgxP7BKqQgMghWppf0I9rw8QA3u6otuL4_yadEyvGlFGWv7Nbkkex3PTszngIprX9oCVrKl2XzgN9QTPRc9xJ7SZdU3m7AMKIq7tY72EvjMN40/s1600-h/200MooseSign.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 157px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKmcKreBfAKokxhbqqO1ZX7na5Ja1VCPgxP7BKqQgMghWppf0I9rw8QA3u6otuL4_yadEyvGlFGWv7Nbkkex3PTszngIprX9oCVrKl2XzgN9QTPRc9xJ7SZdU3m7AMKIq7tY72EvjMN40/s200/200MooseSign.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5279006144663145938" /></a>The more I get to understanding people's travel psyche, the more I begin to realize something: People are nervous about visiting most places. It's not uncommon for me to hear, "I won't travel there, it's too dangerous" many times a week in reference to places no where near the <a href="http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/tw/tw_1764.html">State Department's Advisory List</a>. While most of the time I think their concern is off-base, the real question is, as travelers, what do we do with places like Thailand, India, Myanmar and Greece? We've all seen these countries in the news of late for various reasons and while not on Advisory Lists, instances of unrest in these destinations often creates an over-reaction from the general public. <br /><br />So the real questions are:<br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Where should we be worried about traveling?<br />Where shouldn't we worry?<br />When do people need to just relax, put aside their anxiety, and just go?<br /></span><span class="fullpost"><br /><br />Let me start with the obvious: Any destination engaged in some sort of international, civil, or insurgent-led war should be avoided. I think we can all agree that places like Iraq, Afghanistan and to some extent Pakistan are off-limits. Add to this the handful of countries that are so incredibly de-stabilized or lawless that one would be risking more than simply their belongings by traveling there, and we should add places like Somalia, Sudan, DRC, Zimbabwe, and largely Palestine. But what then?<br /><br />One of my pet peeves is that if you watch or read the news, you'd think that every place on this planet is dangerous; anything international should be avoided:<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Don't travel to Thailand, there are people that are protesting the government.<br />Don't go to London, they had those bombings,<br />Don't see the Louvre, the French hate us.<br />Avoid South America, they have all of those drug cartels.<br />Don't see China, it's near that crazy guy in North Korea.<br />Watch out for Peru, I saw that story about how Alpaca's will spit at you.<br />Definitely avoid Egypt, there are terrorists everywhere.<br />Steer clear of Southern Italy... all of those mobsters.<br />Don't go near the Mideast, Arabs hate us and will kidnap Westerners.<br />SE Asia is lawless. I heard that if you go most places there, you'll likely wake up in a bathtub without your organs.<br />Russia is crazy, after the collapse they lost all of their nuclear weapons, and they could be detonated at any time.<br />Never Indonesia; a tidal wave will sweep me away.<br />Nor Turkey. Crazy earthquakes, none of those buildings are built like the Japanese, they'll fall on me.</span><br /><br />Ugh. My advice: Relax. Take a deep breath. Look around you. Realize our country has it's own dangers. There will certainly be instances of unrest, crime, natural disaster and pockets of danger anywhere in this world one travels. But ask yourself: How many crime reports do you see on TV here each day? How many streets exist in this country that you wouldn't walk down past dark? How many earthquakes/tornados/hurricanes/floods hit our country every 12 months? Would you ever tell someone not to come to America because it's too dangerous?<br /><br />Make sure you do your research, and just go! Aside from the few places listed above, the countries in this world are overwhelmingly safe. The people there are overwhelmingly sweet, hospitable, and just like you. Buy a good guide book to steer you clear of the wrong parts of the city, avoid war zones, and just relax and enjoy yourself.</span>Chris Tharphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14391277694336536573noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-505820931926372676.post-33726233296620900822008-12-04T12:39:00.000-08:002008-12-05T13:10:15.062-08:0010 reasons to visit Bhutan<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrF-mv0TEOz-fbvc-p5_Yx6pVz9YoE0IkRONMTCWtMGOWfxa-gGJJHD3H9gfjjeKGgei0p7t_zAMRLJDhLEFD_xnTqlitr_6OIlEu7u9jsePEq2_4GVfzvKBSkAGo87e5FZfAzhkKOx_E9/s1600-h/100_0989.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrF-mv0TEOz-fbvc-p5_Yx6pVz9YoE0IkRONMTCWtMGOWfxa-gGJJHD3H9gfjjeKGgei0p7t_zAMRLJDhLEFD_xnTqlitr_6OIlEu7u9jsePEq2_4GVfzvKBSkAGo87e5FZfAzhkKOx_E9/s200/100_0989.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5276405512081560226" /></a><br />I know it has been awhile since I have returned from Bhutan, but I could not help posting something else on this magical country. If you have read any of my other posts, you will realize that I am on the verge of begging the Bhutanese government to let me apply for citizenship. So here is my list of the very best reasons to make Bhutan your next vacation destination.<br /><br />1. "You went where?" If you go to Bhutan, this is a question you will get frequently. And it feels fantastic. To go to a place that so few westerners have ever heard of proves that you have traveled somewhere unique. That, or American's abysmal lack of geographical knowledge. But, I am going to be optimistic and stick with the former.<br /><br />2. The Bhutanese People. The sweetest, kindest and most lovely people. They are open and friendly and no matter where you are you will receive smiles with waves of 'goodbye' from the children. (Kids use goodbye as a welcome). So cute.<br /><br />3. The Tiger's Nest. This amazing site is one of the most sacred monasteries in the entire country. Completed in 1692, it hangs on a cliff at 10,200 feet above the city of Paro. The proper name is Taktshang, which means "Tiger's nest", the legend being that Padmasambhava (Guru Rinpoche) flew there on the back of a tiger. The monastery suffered several blazes from a butter lamp which had fell during the night, but its restoration has been completed and it is back to its former glory. <br /><br />4. The Takin. What on earth is a Takin you ask? It is the national animal of Bhutan and has been described as a bee-stung moose. This animals association is intrinsically tied to Bhutanese religious history, more appropriately with Lama Drukpa Kunley otherwise known as the Divine Madman. He is credited with having created this animal by taking the head of a goat and attaching it to the body of a cow. <br /><br />5. Paintings of well....male genitalia. It is not often that we see penis' painted on the side of building or on flags on people's home. It is quite a sight. The historical significance traces back to the Divine Madman, a favorite monk which lived from 1455-1529. This outrageous monk was known for his sexual exploits as well as his ability to help with fertility. He is a greatly loved symbol and these paintings are in reverence to him.<br /><br />6. Monklettes. Otherwise known as little-kid monks. I hope this made-up term does not come across as disrespectful, they are just so darn cute in their orange robes. <br /><br />7. Eme datse. The Bhutanese love their chilies. And for the adventurous, try their national dish, eme datse. It is a mixture of chilies and cheese and after eating the most miniscule amount I spent the next 20 minutes sputtering, coughing, sweating profusely and guzzling anything liquid in sight. It is very, very hot. Watching our guides eat this dish without the slightest sign of discomfort, the Bhutanese clearly are born without taste-buds.<br /><br />8. You will not find a single McDonalds....anywhere. It is a blissful change from the everyday life of continual chain stores. <br /><br />9. "Gross National Happiness". This is concerned the primary currency of Bhutan and significantly more important than Gross Domestic Product. And the feeling is palpable, everyone is so happy.<br /><br />10. Druk Air. The best in-flight food you will ever have. And amazingly it is free.Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14230357460726361677noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-505820931926372676.post-32101941044968572622008-11-25T09:32:00.000-08:002008-11-25T11:39:10.801-08:007 Bizarre Holidays and Celebrations<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKPTGLMlS6KwSlZhvBwJFZ2qZJEkTSzqgzk7wb_GaKtKY8391aEEvHzhjcYY9ZLZj0KTzdj908D64Cd2PQjdTyMDh_iE44qa10Mg_ttbJ8Oqgd_Z6g7XOsIN1j0nFJTb6YTAM-B7STeqs/s1600-h/cheese.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 105px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKPTGLMlS6KwSlZhvBwJFZ2qZJEkTSzqgzk7wb_GaKtKY8391aEEvHzhjcYY9ZLZj0KTzdj908D64Cd2PQjdTyMDh_iE44qa10Mg_ttbJ8Oqgd_Z6g7XOsIN1j0nFJTb6YTAM-B7STeqs/s200/cheese.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5272678210713897282" /></a>I was thinking today that there are some really strange celebrations/holidays around the world. This week is Thanksgiving, and despite all of our affinities and traditions for this holiday, one could just as easily argue that it is a quite bizarre and strange spectacle for those not from the States. <br /><br />First off, most everything we celebrate on Thanksgiving is in some way, shape or form, inaccurate. The traditional story of course is that this was a celebration between Pilgrims and Indians in 1621. There are many sources though that clearly point to the fact that Thanksgiving was first practiced in 1619 in Virginia, or even as early as the late 1500's in Texas. Second of all, the food: Turkey? Cranberries? Pumpkin pie? Probably not, no and no. The only meat we know for sure that was eaten there was deer. Turkeys and cranberries are really an invention of the Victorians who prepared this food starting in the 1860's (along with Lincoln's Thanksgiving proclamation that actually set aside two dates for the holiday - one in August and the other in November). How about the funky dress then? You know, the Pilgrims in their black, with their big hats and strange shoes. Or the Indians with their feathered headdresses? Again, no, no and no. These are all later renderings by artists, but not historically accurate by any account. Nevertheless, I love Thanksgiving. It's a great day for family, food, and relaxation. I thought I'd post a list of seven of the most bizarre holidays/celebrations that exist elsewhere in the world:<span class="fullpost"><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">1. Novgorod, Russia: Maslenitsa</span><br />This happy holiday centers around Lent, where in many Orthodox countries, the week prior is marked with a series of celebrations.... in this case a free-for-all boxing match in which there are no rules. In centuries past, the fight ended only when the participates were covered with blood and without clothes.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">2. Bunyol, Spain: Tomatina</span><br />This one, though near and dear to my heart, is the epitome of strange. Near the end of August this city shuts down as the entire population embarks upon the world's largest tomato fight. <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">3. Brockworth, England: Cheese Rolling Festival</span><br />This traditional day, dating back to Roman times, competitors from all over the world run up a huge hill and then chase a 7 kg round cheese back down. The first who gets to it, keeps it.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">4. Eastern Island, Chile: Tapati Festival</span><br />A week-long festival begun in the 1970s in an effort to drum up more tourism, Tapati includes a triathlon in which native participates run around the lake of the Rano Raraku volcano carrying a large bunch of bananas. Isn't there an easier way to draw tourists to Chile?<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">5. Several in Turkmenistan....</span><br />The once president-for-life Saparmurat Niyazov was a bit odd to say the least. When he wasn't renaming months of the year after himself and his mom, he was creating holidays. In 2005, citizens were given the day off so that they could celebrate melons, and April 27th was chosen as a national holiday to honor horses.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">6. Tinku Festival: Bolivia</span><br />Each May thousands of Bolivian indians descend on the city of Macha to pick a fight with one another. The 600 year old pre-Hispanic Bolivian festival of Tinku sees villager engage in a slug fest that doesn't stop until blood is spilt on the ground. The blood is an offering to the earth goddess - Pachamama - to ensure a good harvest for the coming year.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">7. Antzar Eguna (Goose Day): Lekeitio, Spain</span><br />Goose Day dates back at least 350 years, and involves a group of young Spaniards trying to decapitate a dead goose hanging from a rope in the middle of the town's harbor. No wait, it gets better.... the contestants have to behead the goose using only their hands and arms. They try this by approaching the dangling goose in a rowboat, grabbing its neck, then falling into the harbor waters. If one of the guys manages to hold on to the bird despite the best efforts to shake him off (by bystanders pulling on the rope) and also manages to wrench the head off, he wins, and the prettiest girls in town flock into his arms. Totally awesome.</span>Chris Tharphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14391277694336536573noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-505820931926372676.post-5606560458474039282008-10-21T08:50:00.000-07:002008-10-22T12:10:58.837-07:00The Tshechu Festival<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4uLYYEbbyftavJa3wzKcbeEt7Ui02sXCZb3PfzGtB_KNRq3FIA9eNpteySFVnMr6UcHf6TAJH9v9CTraE2TUSUSGbYJjcPtF5omXP2rGoLsL5vaxsHilRLEdtXNArMzzXvsMULwLoxkiw/s1600-h/Mask_Dance.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4uLYYEbbyftavJa3wzKcbeEt7Ui02sXCZb3PfzGtB_KNRq3FIA9eNpteySFVnMr6UcHf6TAJH9v9CTraE2TUSUSGbYJjcPtF5omXP2rGoLsL5vaxsHilRLEdtXNArMzzXvsMULwLoxkiw/s200/Mask_Dance.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5260057664103704914" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrhj7afoRwWNcH5zzqL1n0qrWcKK8pnbu9LXx1fLXU7icq7KP94rjkHrL4RbB-5FgEagMad6WcL6IenbsV6SQ17egFtkc4CJILUNrazS9G9DEF9CQGGPT5JcTQVwC3ryObi3SZ3-K3kldw/s1600-h/maskd.gif"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrhj7afoRwWNcH5zzqL1n0qrWcKK8pnbu9LXx1fLXU7icq7KP94rjkHrL4RbB-5FgEagMad6WcL6IenbsV6SQ17egFtkc4CJILUNrazS9G9DEF9CQGGPT5JcTQVwC3ryObi3SZ3-K3kldw/s200/maskd.gif" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5260054819634808082" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMLVeAYNYDU9WCeEdTTboKVwHIAzy-_TSGok3o61kVD5g4Zer0ZBwXCln8kb25wFdJAQcMkIyQjLqJy6Nug1Ib19_1FRRp8txmwJB_vnDcxO2k-n67k9H0jvI5mIN4ib2Ju2PKBFrL-HsS/s1600-h/bhutan-festival.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMLVeAYNYDU9WCeEdTTboKVwHIAzy-_TSGok3o61kVD5g4Zer0ZBwXCln8kb25wFdJAQcMkIyQjLqJy6Nug1Ib19_1FRRp8txmwJB_vnDcxO2k-n67k9H0jvI5mIN4ib2Ju2PKBFrL-HsS/s200/bhutan-festival.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5260054638405919506" /></a><br />When I was in Bhutan I was lucky enough to be in Thimpu to see the Tshechu Festival. It was magical. The Thimphu Tshechu lasts for 4 days during which mask and historical folk dances are preformed in the courtyard of the Tashichodzong. Just imagine a sea of color, everyone dressed in their best clothes believing that their attendance will bring them good merit for the year. The history of this festival is ingrained in Buddhism (the country's main religion) and is in honor of Guru Rinpoche "the precious teacher". This Indian saint contributed enormously to the diffusion of Tantic Buddhism in the Himalayan regions of Tibet, Nepal and Bhutan around 800AD. <span class="fullpost"><br /><br />The Thimphu Tshechu lasts for four days during which mask and historical folk dances are preformed by monks and laymen alike. We were lucky enough to see it this year, the first year they held the festival outside as opposed to the old crowded courtyard that could accommodate only 25,000. The new area held 90,000 and although still crowded we had wonderful seats to see much of the performance and interact with people around us.<br /><br />The best part of this entire day were the children. They gathered around us to have their picture taken or conversely to take pictures (some of my favorite pictures of the trip). We sat in the square playing games like 'rock, paper, scissors" and (a very, very, gentle) rendition of "slap hands". It was so much fun! These kids almost all spoke a few sentences in English and even if they did not gestures were enough. <br /><br />This was one of my most fond memories of Bhutan and wonderful introduction into Buddhist life.</span>Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14230357460726361677noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-505820931926372676.post-23658436731784298642008-10-17T11:09:00.000-07:002008-10-17T13:11:40.381-07:00Willie and Microfinance, Part I<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibBWtKdAhm03Z2GUT79xBRrpahARdCkVxRb6Le4azM80vJazDbj9Tnb5cuJVFdnyIJqzftQmhyphenhyphenOwCw5Y42ycbaVaxKGi7gz-KAFBoYjPfxovJcFPppNFjYS6GDJCRMFuv2uWnB8o4NJBo/s1600-h/auction_montage-601.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibBWtKdAhm03Z2GUT79xBRrpahARdCkVxRb6Le4azM80vJazDbj9Tnb5cuJVFdnyIJqzftQmhyphenhyphenOwCw5Y42ycbaVaxKGi7gz-KAFBoYjPfxovJcFPppNFjYS6GDJCRMFuv2uWnB8o4NJBo/s200/auction_montage-601.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5258213674501910178" /></a>I met William today. William or "Willy", also goes by ZZ as his appearance to the legendary front man Billy Gibbons is uncanny. He stopped in today and we got to talking for a half-hour or so. As it turns out, Willy has family in Maui having gone to school there and lived for many years, and is trying to find his way out there. Willy had a falling out with his family some years back as his addictions to drugs and alcohol raged. <br /><br />Willy is homeless. <br /><br />He'd like more than anything else to make his way back to Hawaii and show them that he's clean. That he's turning his life around. That he's trying to dig his way out. Trouble is, hitching rides may be easy, but getting across the Pacific is another story.<span class="fullpost"><br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">How much is a one-way ticket to Maui?</span> He wondered.<br /><br />I looked it up.<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">It's roughly $390.</span> <br /><br />I almost winced at the amount. $390 is a lot of money to anyone, let alone a homeless man. How on earth to raise the money he wondered? He had a plan. <br /><br />Willie likes to surf. He hasn't lately, but loves the break here in San Diego - much like Maui, not as warm, but just as peaceful. He has two old boards that have fallen in disrepair. As I understand it, these boards are made by a legendary board-marker. I didn't quite follow who the maker was, nor did I fully understand as he explained their repair. My knowledge of anything surf-related is minimal, and that may be generous. Anyhow, with some work toil and repair, they ought to fetch almost $1,500 each with the right market. In Hawaii, the boards ought to fetch even more as Willie explained the market out there is a bit better than here. Does he have them fixed here, then pay to have them brought aboard an airline? <br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Depends on the airline's fees for the weight of the two boards.</span> He says thinking out loud.<br /><br />His next stop, he explains, is the surf shop down the street. They'll be able to give him a good idea of what is costs to transport surfboards. That's step one, but he's afraid the fees will be too high.<br /><br />Maybe he sells the two boards to someone in Hawaii from here, and then has them pay the shipping? Not favorable, he muses, as people like to see boards before they purchase. He does not want to sell them here, as they'll surely not fetch half as much money as they will in Maui or Honolulu. This is a man who understands economics. He understands the buyer's market. He knows Craigslist is probably his best shot at selling to the largest population, for the cheapest price. He's weighing his options. This man is an entrepreneur. <br /><br />Willie is working to save the several hundred dollars it'll take to have them fixed first. This of course will take him awhile. <br /><br />First he has to get his VA benefits to come through. <br />Then prove he's clean to find part-time work. <br />Then get a bank to let him open an account, maybe take a loan. <br />He has no collateral though. And herein lies the problem...<br /><br />The homeless, the poor, the weak, the disenfranchised, those that live in the "ghettos" are not stupid. They're not there because their incapable. Sure, some are unwilling. Some don't put forth the effort. But most of the time, poverty is as a disease: It cannot be shed. It leads only to further despair. These people don't have access to money. Heck, most don't have access to computers. Those living in the deepest ruts of poverty cannot get loans from banks. They cannot start the American (or any other countries) dream. They are limited. <br /><br />In some ways, the truly poor <span style="font-weight:bold;">are the ultimate travelers. They are the ultimate entrepreneurs.</span> These poor souls live on what they can beg for. What they can produce with their hands. What they can produce by collecting cans, bottles,or work here and there. They can live for years, eat, sleep at night, with nothing. They can find their way from one side of the country to the other, for free. They, like Willie, use what they have to buy/sell for a profit. If Willie was loaned the money to fix his boards, could he make $3,000? Good question. Even if he could, could he be trusted to repay it? Good question as well. This is going to be Part I in a series of blog entries about our thoughts on microfinance: <br /><br />What it is.<br /><br />Where it is.<br /><br />Why it works.<br /><br />And why, with regard to poverty, it might change the world.<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">To be continued....</span></span>Chris Tharphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14391277694336536573noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-505820931926372676.post-63421650005328598082008-10-13T10:08:00.000-07:002008-10-13T11:09:24.805-07:001491 - A Book Review<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-ji443ZUG4ehxkxZrpoUAH46dGR3OjNKMHpZMHdlUMgwNFpaiNo9VKCeMAeaLPhn8h2-Wl26Yug1AYhJHofFr9uyuqMzctQWv04RKO2l9JUxFZjqPMRPOP5ztoDOQc166FAJGwow2Y_k/s1600-h/67343853_315f3f61fe_o.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-ji443ZUG4ehxkxZrpoUAH46dGR3OjNKMHpZMHdlUMgwNFpaiNo9VKCeMAeaLPhn8h2-Wl26Yug1AYhJHofFr9uyuqMzctQWv04RKO2l9JUxFZjqPMRPOP5ztoDOQc166FAJGwow2Y_k/s200/67343853_315f3f61fe_o.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5256697383725836162" /></a>I just finished reading <span style="font-weight:bold;">1491 - New Revelations of the Americas before Columbus</span> by <span style="font-style:italic;">Charles C. Mann</span> and wanted to take some time this week to review this robust and exhaustive study of the ancient Americas. <br /><br />This review comes fittingly as today is Columbus Day; which as an aside, has to be the the most moronic and unhistorical holiday this country has. What really are we celebrating? Are we celebrating the year that a borderline traitorous European, certainly tyrannical, was the "first" to step foot on the Americas? And by "first" do we really mean "first wealthy, well-funded, European explorer"? As this book points out, the Americas were more populated, and in some ways advanced, than Europe of the same time period. Furthermore, to disregard Leif Ericson's (and probably countless others) landing here some 500 years earlier is questionable at best. But history needs a face, and being that Spain and Portugal ruled the world at the time, Christopher Columbus is that man.<span class="fullpost"><br /><br />But I digress, the book 1491, is phenomenal. In my eyes, Charles Mann provides one of the most exhaustive and well-documented studies of historical North and South America ever put to print. To capture the findings in this book in a single review would be near impossible, but to summarize I'll do my best. Mann's 1491 title serves facetiously as the account of the America's prior to European "discovery". <br /><br />I was taught, as every other school child was, that the populating of this country was a direct result of individuals (likely of Asian-descent) crossing the Bering Strait some 12,000 years ago. In turn, these nomads gradually wandered as far south as Chile, gradually populating and creating pocket societies along the way. In turn, we're led to believe that the Americas (certainly North America) had a population of people existing mainly in small, nomadic bands; living sparsely on the land, and that, for all practical purposes, America was still a vast wilderness upon Columbus' "discovery". Further, Columbus "discovered" this sparsely populated, and very unsophisticated, land in 1492. Charles C. Mann makes abundantly clear that archaeologists and anthropologists in the last thirty years have proved nearly every aspect of those assumptions wrong (and in some cases, very, very wrong).<br /><br />Here are a few random and ground-breaking discoveries outlined in detail throughout this book:<br />• In 1491 there were probably more people living in the Americas than in Europe (likely 10's of millions).<br />• At Olmec in 30 A.D., use of the zero has been discovered: An invention, widely described as the most important mathematical discovery ever made, which did not occur in Eurasia until 600 A.D.<br />• At the time of Columbus' landing, cities like Tenochtitlán (on Lake Texcoco, outside of present-day Mexico City), were far greater in population than any contemporary European city. Tenochtitlán, unlike any capital in Europe at that time, had running water, beautiful botanical gardens, and immaculately clean streets.<br />• The Spanish conquest and successful overthrow of empires in South America was likely due to the fact that the societies had been decimated by smallpox (introduced by Europeans and spread rapidly), in many cases up to 90% of the populations, allowing the conquistadorss to "win" so easily.<br />• The earliest cities in the Western Hemisphere were thriving before the Egyptians built the great pyramids.<br />• In many cases, the mathematical and scientific accomplishments of the Americas preceded those oft credited to European and Asian counterparts. These include many aspects of astronomy, the modern day calendar, farming, the wheel, plumbing, government and writing.<br />• The first paleo-Indian migration to the Americas could have occurred as early as 25,000-35,000 B.C. arriving in boats, not by foot.<br />• Large-scale pyramids, with surrounding societies, have been discovered in Peru preceding those built at the Great Pyramids of Giza by several hundred years.<br />• Pre-Columbian Indians in Mexico developed corn by a breeding process so sophisticated that the journal Science recently described it as “man’s first, and perhaps the greatest, feat of genetic engineering.”<br />• Native Americans transformed their land so completely that Europeans arrived in a hemisphere already massively “landscaped” by human beings.</span>Chris Tharphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14391277694336536573noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-505820931926372676.post-19778897774204420932008-10-07T22:16:00.000-07:002008-10-09T18:30:03.334-07:00Even the airport is amazing!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzebX1dweScnCEoi_ZqcvY8H0GsXXy3X62QXOXVWsc_bAnKgyq80TSQyqGuxRjuhWYP4Yl8hRvIW3FREizI16ON25dpKSmXgCF4k1zr4pIaqdMOn5Cl4iMl4zWoU50Xjj1KXP92XyjTjGa/s1600-h/Paro+Dzong+with+Ta+Dzong+Just+Above+it.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzebX1dweScnCEoi_ZqcvY8H0GsXXy3X62QXOXVWsc_bAnKgyq80TSQyqGuxRjuhWYP4Yl8hRvIW3FREizI16ON25dpKSmXgCF4k1zr4pIaqdMOn5Cl4iMl4zWoU50Xjj1KXP92XyjTjGa/s200/Paro+Dzong+with+Ta+Dzong+Just+Above+it.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5255331295827789970" /></a><br />So i have officially arrived in Bhutan, probably the most picturesque place I have ever seen in my life. We had a bit of an early morning flight (we had to be up at 2:15) which some might still consider night....I know I do. But even the flight here was so well worth it. Air Druk, the national airline and the only flights in and out of Bhutan, is a quaint little airline with the happiest flight attendants i have ever seen. We were able to see Everest out the side window of the plane, which only slightly worried me when all of the passengers on the right side got out of their seats to lean over everyone on the left side. Asians clearly have no personal space issues :)<br /><br />Our landing was really spectacular, we flew in between a valley where the hills were so close on either side we could basically see into people's windows. Everyone on the plane was silent, just taking in the beauty. Upon arriving in what I cannot describe as the airport as any thing other than a monastery. I have never smelled crisper, fresher more fragrant air. This place has a silence to it I cannot describe. I don't ever want to raise my voice above a whisper so as to not destroy the ambiance. <br /><br />Today we are off on a bike ride to a dzong in the hills. Not too bad........Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14230357460726361677noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-505820931926372676.post-9833967396688739472008-10-07T12:08:00.000-07:002008-10-07T12:43:41.916-07:00Trinkets and Souvenirs<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGb-jc9v7lwDUkDmqF25T5U5XGVyff-qO-_MQWM2HR5xTpDutx9NyZ75zBTNeK11GN1unV2u06KGTgBuvl1RCy-ZP-cWlBH_Tdoouu-71HzjHgPT4x0OT10bntL_O_3stVMh1Em5qvdiU/s1600-h/souvenirs.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGb-jc9v7lwDUkDmqF25T5U5XGVyff-qO-_MQWM2HR5xTpDutx9NyZ75zBTNeK11GN1unV2u06KGTgBuvl1RCy-ZP-cWlBH_Tdoouu-71HzjHgPT4x0OT10bntL_O_3stVMh1Em5qvdiU/s200/souvenirs.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5254496534611456162" /></a>According to trusty Wikipedia, a "souvenir" is a <span style="font-style:italic;">memento or keepsake or object a traveler brings home for the memories associated with it</span>. Fair enough I suppose. The definition listed above though is a bit trite in my opinion. After all, the summary makes it sounds like a random peach pit someone might choke on in Madrid, could fit the definition. We all know though, this isn't the case. Souvenir's tend to be those really lame things you can find in gift shops around the world: T-shirts, local "cultural" items, shot glasses etc etc. They are all of those things one brings home from a vacation and shows off to friends. Half the time, the "souvenir" could probably be flipped over to reveal a "Made in China" tag despite where you bought the thing... I mention this because I have developed a sort-of fascination over the years with the "souvenirs" foreign cultures think tourists will want to buy, the gullible people that purchase them, and the real gems that exist in these locations.<span class="fullpost"><br /><br />For instance, the Egyptians think that the golden ticket for tourist purchases is alabaster. Could be anything, just as long as it is alabaster, and made to look pretty old. Really, if it looks to be any sort of ancient trinket, people buy it. I must say too, the salesman in Egypt are way up the aggressive scale. You practically have to spray yourself with skunk odor to get these folks to leave you alone. I love their approach too:<br /><br />Random tourist: <span style="font-style:italic;">How much for the alabaster pot?</span><br />Random gift-shop owner: <span style="font-style:italic;">$320! Original! Bery Old!</span><br />Random tourist: <span style="font-style:italic;">I'll give you $4 for it...</span><br />Random gift-shop owner: <span style="font-style:italic;">Make it $4.50...</span><br /><br />And off someone walks with their "1000 year old alabaster pot". Everything is always "original" in foreign destinations as well. I was once in Luxor, and was taken to "the finest hand-made alabaster shop in the country" according to a guide. We were driven to a two-story factory in the middle of nowhere that had the alabaster on the second floor. The first floor was were it was all made "original". As we walked up there was a scene on the left side of the shop that I found hysterical. Five men in traditional clothing were sitting around holding all of the right tools with huge uncut pieces of alabaster. As we got out of the car, someone yelled to them and they quickly scrambled to start chipping away at the alabaster, drilling holes in it, one guy was even throwing water over it. The moment we walked inside, they all stopped and left their stations to resume whatever they were really there to do.<br /><br />Anyhow, Egypt has it's alabaster, Jerusalem their wooden ornaments, Thailand it's suits, Guatemala their rugs and on and on. I say this to point out that there are in fact, great souvenirs from the places we visit that are original, do show local craftsmanship, and are one of a kind. A couple of pointers:<br /><br />1. Anything found in the hotel, restaurant, or monument you are visiting is not unique.<br />2. When you go to a market, notice that 95% of the stalls sell the exact same things. Look for the one booth in the whole place that has different craft, and that's a good place to start.<br />3. Try to buy your souvenirs in the most back-alley, out of the way places you can find.<br />4. Art is usually a great purchase with loads of local influence and originality.<br />5. If you are a cruise-taker, any shop within a half mile of where the ship docks has a 500% mark-up on very standard goods.</span>Chris Tharphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14391277694336536573noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-505820931926372676.post-17606742558819968772008-09-25T15:14:00.000-07:002008-09-25T16:12:45.853-07:00Best Food Abroad<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhquGn7WihtDApJc0pB4Q5-c5v_VTGx4S4RrnBU-k-kNm2Kk9_dv9iepaTwiMDWgZg6ZjHpNqznjvw0OZjGZCslbd6N9hyphenhyphenB_vkF-cjnnKboFN4m2ED-26RETWZYYkmLnLPeVShaTjGK-Yo/s1600-h/tapas4.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhquGn7WihtDApJc0pB4Q5-c5v_VTGx4S4RrnBU-k-kNm2Kk9_dv9iepaTwiMDWgZg6ZjHpNqznjvw0OZjGZCslbd6N9hyphenhyphenB_vkF-cjnnKboFN4m2ED-26RETWZYYkmLnLPeVShaTjGK-Yo/s200/tapas4.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5250100063948196050" /></a>I love food. Like, really love food. Andrew Zimmern territory? Umm... maybe not that much. Can I be Gizmo, then Mogwai if I don't get my fill? Yes. Only the Gremlins midnight is more like my 9AM, Noon and 6PM feedings. Suffice to say, food equals good in my book. Naturally then, my travels invoke instant curiosity and excitement in me to seek out new and tasty cuisine. <br /><br />I was talking today about my favorite culinary destinations in this world. After a bit of thought, I realized my two all-time favorites are Thailand and Spain. I'm curious to hear what other destinations people list amongst their favorites.<span class="fullpost"><br /><br />For me, Thailand is the surprise entry on my list. Not many people think of Thailand as a food mecca. And frankly, if you don't like spice, you probably won't ever list it as one of yours. That said, I can't get enough spicy food. In addition to the fact that Thailand has some of the freshest food dishes I've tasted, the balance of sweet, sour, salt, spiciness and texture are hard to beat. I love their noodles. I love their soups. I love their curries. I love the mix of influences - East and West - that build the dishes. Love, love, love.<br /><br />And Spain? What can I say. The mere thought of tapas and sangria is enough to get my heart pumping. Calderos, grilled squid in olive oil & garlic, beef tenderloin & blue cheese, goat cheese baked in tomato sauce, perfect olives, paella, perfectly cooked meat, do I need to go on? It's also worth mentioning that any culture that sits down to frequent meals that surpass the two-hour mark, will always get high marks from me.<br /><br />I can't write about food for too long, because I get hungry. So, I'm out for now but give us your thoughts. </span>Chris Tharphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14391277694336536573noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-505820931926372676.post-12213476199253624202008-09-18T09:35:00.000-07:002008-09-18T12:28:34.085-07:00Most polluted locations in the world<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT0_z7FpNAQ05SEdndtp65L-wAPaa3P5zrVAX9npil29GFFajW1HNMclE8EP7f9lSLnXb4WjqVZQ7plXBcGhhIKzjDRFte919RXq9NCNdzuM-cJnayxAqnL__JfsP_mkuiYDvIEVIxRTzg/s1600-h/Yutian-pollution.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT0_z7FpNAQ05SEdndtp65L-wAPaa3P5zrVAX9npil29GFFajW1HNMclE8EP7f9lSLnXb4WjqVZQ7plXBcGhhIKzjDRFte919RXq9NCNdzuM-cJnayxAqnL__JfsP_mkuiYDvIEVIxRTzg/s200/Yutian-pollution.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5247443741222264530" /></a><br />Has environmental damage ever made you not visit a location? It is a big reason why I have never been to China, although I know it also contains picturesque locations filled with historical significance and a wonderfully kind culture. So I thought I would blog on some of the worlds most polluted cities and how they have found themselves in this position. This list is not in any particular order and there is still some disagreement which cities are more polluted than others. <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Linfen, China</span>: This city is the hub of China's coal production, and the smell of burning coal comes from both of legal and illegal sources. This city has a population of more than four million and located in the heart of Shanxi, from which the local population suffers from the ingestion of coal dust which causes a myriad of lung aliments as well as drinking water polluted with arsenic. (Source: MSNBC)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Sukinda, India</span>: Located in the north eastern portion of the country this particular city is plagued by hexavalent chromium in drinking water. This type of chromium is a heavy metal used for stainless steel production and leather tanning that is carcinogenic if inhaled or ingested (Source: Time). In Sukinda, which contains one of the largest open cast chromite ore mines in the world, 60% of the drinking water contains hexavalent chromium at levels more than double international standards.<span class="fullpost"><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">La Oroya, Peru:</span> Mining in this area has devastated the local environment in the Peruvian Andies. Lead, copper, zinc and sulfur dioxide are the main culprits and all of which come from the lack of regulations from mining. 99% of children have blood levels that exceed acceptable limits, mostly due to American-owned smelter that has been polluting the city since 1922 (Source: Time Magazine). This particular plant is owned by the Missouri-based Doe Run Corporation.....(author side note: how do these people sleep at night when they know they are giving children cancer?) Sulfur dioxide emissions from the Doe Run plant sometimes reach 10 times the amount considered acceptable by the World Health Organization, and the annual mean concentration exceeds this level by a factor of two or three (Source: Oxfam)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Chernobyl, Ukraine:</span> Not unexpectedly this city is still reeling from the ecological disaster that occurred in 1986. In Chernobyl, the report estimates 5.5 million people are still threatened by radioactive material that continues to seep into groundwater and soil 20 years after the nuclear power plant exploded there (Source: MSNBC).<br /><br />Some other severely polluted cities: Dzerzhinsk, Russia, Vapi, India, Mayluu-Suu, Kyrgyzstan, Tianying, China</span>Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14230357460726361677noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-505820931926372676.post-30220263948552545922008-09-17T14:33:00.000-07:002008-10-17T15:08:03.944-07:00Travel Secrets<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWP-NygBLdQQg12kmVVIxBDKSt3PAjEy5Imi-pZW9cDMnKgf2Yq4SaY1QlmJwKLblrTvN4NduZAZgh9RoTOg6juRMRalELy7JfU2K6LxCSGUPabFmiZ_7qq-zg_UGBHIYx12Of0aPWRtw/s1600-h/shh.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWP-NygBLdQQg12kmVVIxBDKSt3PAjEy5Imi-pZW9cDMnKgf2Yq4SaY1QlmJwKLblrTvN4NduZAZgh9RoTOg6juRMRalELy7JfU2K6LxCSGUPabFmiZ_7qq-zg_UGBHIYx12Of0aPWRtw/s200/shh.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5247114815835958450" /></a>Today's post may be a bit off-kilter, but I wanted to comment on a few things I've seen more and more of since joining the "travel community." Oh heck, let's just get to the point: <span style="font-style:italic;">There are some really annoying expectations people have about travel.</span> Now before I put my foot in my mouth any further, I want to make the compulsory public service announcement that everyone (including me) has expectations from time to time about what a place ought to look like, how much it ought to cost etc. etc. that aren't quite on point. Fact is, often times travel reality is the opposite of what we expected. That said, there are some things the general public needs to know. As a side note, if you travel frequently, or have not been locked in a box for the last ten years, you can tune out now. For the unfortunate few that do not, or have been, read on:<br /><span class="fullpost"><br />1. You can no longer fly from LAX to Paris for $399. Yep, shocking, I know. <br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Oh, what's that? </span><br />"You did it in college?"<br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Well guess what? Ten years ago: gas was cheaper, our dollar was stronger, and supply greater.</span><br /><br />2. You cannot stay on the beach in Thailand (specifically Phuket, Ko Phi Phi, Samui, Krabi or elsewhere) for $10/night. And no, there are no secret communities of backpackers that have occupied an otherwise unknown island where days are blissful, and everything is free.<br /><br />3. Tokyo is insanely expensive. Yes, worse than New York. And no, there's nothing I can find for you under $200 in that city anywhere near the sections of the city you'd want to be near.<br />"But why?!"<br />"That's insane!?"<br />"It can't be true!"<br />Answer: <span style="font-style:italic;">It just is, yes it is, unfortunately it is.</span><br /><br />4. If you are looking to get "off-the-beaten-path", steer clear of Europe.<br /><br />5. The combination of 4-5 star, centrally located, and very very cheap rarely, if ever, exists.<br /><br />6. In remote parts of this world, you cannot always just fly from place to place - you have to drive.<br /><br />7. There are ATM's in foreign countries. I know, totally crazy. It's almost as if there are banks in countries other than our own.<br /><br />8. You get what you pay for. Simple enough, right? If you want to spend $75 a night on a hotel abroad, don't expect much. Furthermore, don't write a review on Trip Advisor once you've stayed at that $75/night property that the valet was poor, breakfast incomplete, or room not very big.<br /><br />9. Iceland is not covered in ice, and Greenland is not really green.<br /><br />10. Cancun is dirty, gross, not very foreign, and chalked full of drunk college kids. It's not an ideal family vacation spot.</span>Chris Tharphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14391277694336536573noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-505820931926372676.post-24345063567676101502008-09-12T12:02:00.000-07:002008-09-12T15:12:14.243-07:00Top 10 reasons not to use online booking agents<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggvbWAtYbmYMdVOaVvGIocpaJpSajA1XaPV2cFusNVddLFUmAlUQ8EbXeZCO6BKpIs8SHcx7XaOjooGzEsmb9buykI2RvbyXVeqLYaZDIvWohu2MR5RFTlukpNVfWbHExMOA-ocs6VvUjF/s1600-h/expediascam-747766.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggvbWAtYbmYMdVOaVvGIocpaJpSajA1XaPV2cFusNVddLFUmAlUQ8EbXeZCO6BKpIs8SHcx7XaOjooGzEsmb9buykI2RvbyXVeqLYaZDIvWohu2MR5RFTlukpNVfWbHExMOA-ocs6VvUjF/s200/expediascam-747766.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5245229264968979522" /></a><br />I am going to turn to this blog to express my utter outrage at online booking agents, Obritz, this is primarily geared at you. Although, I am not particularly fond of Expedia either. These are simply big, faceless entities who only care about booking airfare in mass quantities to make a profit. Their ridiculous regulations are formed to make the most money they possibly can, while at the same time providing the least amount of customer service possible. So to publicly announce recent Orbitz experience, and a particular evil manager named Jasper, I am going to tell you exactly why no one should ever use online travel agents:<span class="fullpost"><br /><br />1. They might not find it all that important to tell you a flight change has happened or that your flight has been cancelled. In what other business does this happen???? Could you imagine another company getting away with this nonsense? Well, they are not obligated to let their customers know if a flight has been canceled or changed. <br /><br />2. You will NEVER get a refund. Ok...I guess I cannot say never, but almost never. They can screw up, admit they screwed up and still not refund you money.<br /><br />3. Their 24 hour cancellation window is a complete joke. Basically, they have a window of 24 hours in which you can cancel your flight, 'free of charge'. What they do not tell you is it can take up to two months to get your money back! How is this even legal! They should have to pay for my credit card fees if they are going keep my money for multiple months.<br /><br />4. Use <a href="http://kayak.com">Kayak.com</a>. Period, they are the best. Find the best flights and then book directly with the carrier. Flights are often cheaper (no admin fees) that these sites charge. <br /><br />5. If you have a problem, expect to be put on hold for a very long, long time. Customer Service is very important to me, if there is a problem all I need is someone to tell me it will be fixed. I hate the response, sorry there is nothing I can do it is our policy. Be prepared to hear this response to almost any question.<br /><br />6. If you book a flight and it is comfirmed, be sure to watch you email. The word 'confirmed' is somewhat of an ambigous term for online travel sites. It can mean confirmed as Webster's defines it, or it can mean just kidding the flight is not actually valid. My advice, if you book a flight, be prepared to receive an email back saying, sorry the flight was not actually available.<br /><br />7. Fees, fees and more fees. Be prepared to pay lots of fees, $5 service fee, $15 fedex fee, $15 for agent assistance, $150 change fee, etc.<br /><br />8. No matter how much business you put through an online travel company, you are still no more important than the next person. <br /><br />9. If you make a mistake, it will cost you. I think everyone has done it, accidentally booked the wrong flight time or day. Well, even if you call them within 2 minutes to try and correct the mistake.....too little, too late is your response. You will pay a $150 dollar change fee.<br /><br />10. If there is ever a problem with an online booking, wether it was your fault or the companies, the process leaves you feeling, helpless, unimportant and very, very, very angry. Jasper....i sincerely hope you are reading this!<br /><br />If you want to want a forum to complain, or just to read other's experiences here are few great websites for that: <a href="http://www.orbitz-sucks.com/">Orbitz-sucks.com</a> or <a href="http://www.marketingshift.com/2005/12/expedia-dot-scam.cfm">marketingshift.com</a></span>Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14230357460726361677noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-505820931926372676.post-2135665341781347552008-09-11T10:12:00.000-07:002008-09-11T10:49:27.659-07:00Super Rad Organization II...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhJT2KzERChV-sYN_xaUIEUpCMoDLgzOMr78GyTK9UE-M_vsZqBSdyRtPja8OhvdvpH4qwWu8_j1dLvt7joC2yYYvV9KOqLmLFq4Ua7l9w3_eKvS_peyT6GgX1WSEt36WBpt-ZhXBfdBw/s1600-h/240px-wave-in-a-box.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhJT2KzERChV-sYN_xaUIEUpCMoDLgzOMr78GyTK9UE-M_vsZqBSdyRtPja8OhvdvpH4qwWu8_j1dLvt7joC2yYYvV9KOqLmLFq4Ua7l9w3_eKvS_peyT6GgX1WSEt36WBpt-ZhXBfdBw/s200/240px-wave-in-a-box.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5244820273550969890" /></a>Hello loyal readers. Awhile back we profiled one of the many organizations (<a href="http://findingpangaea.blogspot.com/2008/07/one-super-rad-organization.html">Invisible Children</a>) that we make travel-related donations to for our clients. If you'd like to know more about how this program works, please <a href="http://www.pangaeatravel.net/index.php/our-donations.html">click here</a>. Today I want to draw attention to another one of our partners near and dear to our hearts: Surfrider Foundation. Like Invisible Children, Surfrider definitely falls into both Jessica and I's self-proclaimed "rad" category. This is an organization that started here in Southern California and has blown up throughout the country as a non-profit grassroots organization dedicated to the protection and enjoyment of our world’s oceans, waves and beaches. Founded in 1984 by a handful of visionary surfers in Malibu, California, the Surfrider Foundation now maintains over 50,000 members and 80 chapters worldwide. Basically, Surfrider started as a bunch of surfers just wanting to make sure our beaches and waves are safe, clean and protected. Yes please.<span class="fullpost"><br /><br />Surfrider spearheads numerous projects, and if you'd like to see many of their recent successes <a href="http://www.surfrider.org/whoweare6.asp">click here</a>, but I want to talk about one in particular today: their <span style="font-style:italic;">Rise Above Plastics Campaign</span>. Now if you're like me, you hear facts about pollution etc all of the time and 99% are forgotten two seconds later. A lot of times I can't adequately understand or put into context the scope of the problem, and hence forget all about it. Jessica and I recently went to a Surfrider chapter meeting and were made aware of one of the most disturbing facts I have ever heard. Here it is (straight from Surfrider's site):<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">There is a section of the Pacific Ocean twice the size of the continental United States called the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. Within it, 100 million tons of plastic swirl in a vortex of currents. There is so much plastic in the water that it outnumbers zooplankton by six to one! This plastic ends up in the stomachs of marine birds and animals. In fact, one million seabirds and 100,000 marine mammals die globally each year due to ingestion of or entanglement in plastics.</span><br /><br />Twice the size of the U.S.!! I almost fell out of my chair. Worse still, this plastic dump was only the size of Texas four or five years ago. This situation has gone haywire; totally out of control. Surfrider needs help from each of us to help curb the madness. There's currently a member from their team touring with Jack Johnson (who backs Surfrider 100% and wants to get their word out to the masses), trying to educate the public. I was recently at a concert of his where he dedicated a song to Surfrider, and even wore one of their shirts throughout the whole concert (<a href="http://www.savetrestles.com/savetrestles.htm">Save Trestles</a>!). We donate a portion of any of our client's vacations that are coastal or onboard a cruise ship to Surfrider. Surfrider has a section of their Web site where you can pledge to help this massive problem with plastics, and get involved today:<br /><br /> - Using reusable bottles for my water and other drinks. By using just one reusable bottle, I will keep 167 single-use plastic bottles from entering the environment.<br /><br /> - Using cloth bags for groceries and other purchases. For each reusable bag I use, I will save approximately 400 plastics from being used.<br /><br /> - Recycling the plastic bags and bottles I already have. For every thirteen plastic bags I don't use, I will save enough petroleum to drive a car one mile.</span>Chris Tharphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14391277694336536573noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-505820931926372676.post-65799093451076685032008-09-04T16:25:00.000-07:002008-09-05T09:35:22.850-07:00Dark Star Safari<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh30VqzwLdfthSsK4kmtRv0yOHwW0f0aclHLGrFPyIET7LbjI9LFQWWhyphenhyphenLAHhTuBDsV59Kcs_db4qBrEACU-TCWVDE5XweKYuvBkjPIj7FakJ6-LfxekKoNpxjKh7fVFG4crDyILHlJw5w/s1600-h/dark-star-safari.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh30VqzwLdfthSsK4kmtRv0yOHwW0f0aclHLGrFPyIET7LbjI9LFQWWhyphenhyphenLAHhTuBDsV59Kcs_db4qBrEACU-TCWVDE5XweKYuvBkjPIj7FakJ6-LfxekKoNpxjKh7fVFG4crDyILHlJw5w/s200/dark-star-safari.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5242576734052654498" /></a>Jessica inspired me the other day when she opened Pandora's box and wrote a book review on <span style="font-style:italic;">Lost on Planet China</span>. The thing is, Jessica and I read a ton of travel-related books. In the last month, I've gobbled up two travel books, and two pseudo-travel books (micro-finance related... my new obsession). Anyhow, I thought I'd follow suit and record my thoughts on a book I just finished, <span style="font-style:italic;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Dark-Star-Safari-Overland-Cairo/dp/0618134247">Dark Star Safari: Overland from Cairo to Cape Town</a></span> by Paul Theroux.<br /><br />Theroux is a well-known American travel writer and novelist who has published many notable books including <span style="font-style:italic;">The Great Railway Bazaar, Riding the Iron Rooster and The Old Patagonian Express</span> among others. He is a fascinating writer, one of the many items I will explain later.<span class="fullpost"><br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Dark Start Safari: Overland from Cairo to Cape Town</span>, as the second part of the title suggests, is Theroux's account of his voyage from Cairo, Egypt to Cape Town, South Africa. An undertaking of this much geography is impressive, made more so by the fact that Theroux did so alone, and entirely overland. For those of you not familiar, the term <span style="font-style:italic;">overland</span> is the traveler's way of saying entirely by bus, car or train (non-air); a popular form of travel in Europe, but hardly ever in Africa (as it is borderline suicidal - a point made evidently clear throughout the novel). Theroux offers a unique perspective on this trip, as in addition to being a traveler, Theroux was both a Peace Corps volunteer and professor in various parts of the continent in the 1960's. His perspective on the landscape and cultures of the countries he visits is refreshingly accompanied by a historical perspective dating back 40 years on the progress (or frankly, lack there of) in Africa.<br /><br />Theroux's Safari is chalked full of the standard musings one would expect on such a journey: sites, sounds, people, near misses, food, adventure, history, poverty, deplorable conditions and politics. The story is a fantastic read on these accounts alone. However I was really impressed with this novel for its candid view of Africa; the miserable state of it's social/political/economic legacy, and a fascinating look at Theroux's opinion of the "charity" and "aid" that's been dumped into the continent over the last 40 years. This insight was particularly fascinating to me. The over-arching theme of course, and one I agree with entirely, is how on earth has so much money (a number well into the trillions of dollars) been dumped into Africa only to see nearly every major category of distress get WORSE over the years? How is this an acceptable situation? How has Africa become, in many opinions, the case study for why present-day "charity" is totally a broken system? Have people gone there with good intentions? Lives been changed? Sure, but study the facts: 10's of trillions gone, conditions worse. It's almost unbelievable. It's a Hollywood script: Corruption abound, bogus charity, money never reaching its source, kickbacks, despots and tyrants, "charity" workers in Land Rovers, and as bad as it sounds, the World Bank.<br /><br />In addition to Theroux's candor, he writes with a certain poetic feel that is somehow reminiscent of a younger Henry David Thoreau. While Thoreau was magical at describing the complexities of nature and its relation to the human condition, <span style="font-style:italic;">Dark Star Safari's</span> Theroux seems to tap into the complexities of Africa and its relation to not only humanity, but charity and strife. I mention this as there is, in my opinion, a void in contemporary travel writing of "good" writing. It seems that 75% of travel books published are your neighbors next store who have gone somewhere foreign and captured their accounts. Few classically trained (award winning) novelists exist in the travel writing market.<br /><br />My only complaint with this novel is that Mr. Theroux frequently takes a "better than thou" approach to his critique and observation (often judgement) of both Africans, fellow travelers, and those there to "help". While he did teach in the continent, has some contacts there, and is in his elder years, he should not be so quick to assume his superiority. After all, he too, at the end of the day is just a traveler as well. Overall however, this is a fascinating read, and one I'd highly recommend to anyone wishing to be further educated on the continent, its politics, and history.</span>Chris Tharphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14391277694336536573noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-505820931926372676.post-77244954528442785722008-09-01T08:32:00.000-07:002008-09-02T18:22:51.284-07:00Airline safety videoThank goodness we are now going to be 'safe' on airlines!<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/gSJwzYiB_Pc&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/gSJwzYiB_Pc&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14230357460726361677noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-505820931926372676.post-732395042467443282008-08-27T10:37:00.000-07:002008-08-27T11:34:50.613-07:00Tikal, Guatemala<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1XL0yZ4BLVIJVk63SZtQjlIiyMS75RsxAPHCSUkFIxxfz0Bw6URZWisQNz2OP7uyBdtCIlVKYjO-PoV3c7aFUpDF8DmTbCvMH5TAXka-kriyD17n_mEhAZWEFJp5hlytCcXlM7FEsiRE/s1600-h/IMG_1154.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1XL0yZ4BLVIJVk63SZtQjlIiyMS75RsxAPHCSUkFIxxfz0Bw6URZWisQNz2OP7uyBdtCIlVKYjO-PoV3c7aFUpDF8DmTbCvMH5TAXka-kriyD17n_mEhAZWEFJp5hlytCcXlM7FEsiRE/s200/IMG_1154.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5239258898366004162" /></a>I just returned from a couple of weeks in Central America (Guatemala and Belize) and will be posting various things in the coming weeks about the trip. I thought I'd start with the Tikal ruins as, for anyone that has been there will know, it was a breathtaking experience.<br /><br />Tikal is located in the Peten region of Northern Guatemala, deep in the humid jungles of Tikal National Park. My wife and I spent an entire day there with our guide, Hannibal, who was born and raised in a small village bordering the Park. His wealth of knowledge of the area was amazing. As a brief synopsis, <span class="fullpost">Tikal was the capital of the vast Mayan Empire peaking in about 200 AD (the site has been dated as far back as 400 BC in some areas). The Mayans were a highly sophisticated group of the Classic Period with an empire stretching throughout present-day Mexico (Chiapas, Tabasco, and the Yucatán Peninsula states of Quintana Roo, Campeche and Yucatán), and the northern Central American region, including Guatemala, Belize, El Salvador and Honduras. As to an idea of their size, the Mayan empires in and around Tikal are said to have been populated with over a million and a half people (larger than present-day Barcelona, or San Diego). The Mayans are known for having the only fully developed written language of the pre-Columbian Americas, incredible art, monumental architecture rivaling that of the Egyptians, and sophisticated mathematical and astronomical systems. Tikal has thousands of structures, most still buried beneath trees, foliage and 1500 years of jungle growth. Tikal was long known to have existed by locals, but was "discovered" by Ambrosio Tut in 1848 who was roaming the jungles in search of chiclero - or gum, from the local gum tree.<br /><br />Having spent the day there, I was most impressed with the area known as the Acropolis, and all six temples (I-VI). The six step-pyramids in Tikal are enormous pyramids, some exceeding 200 feet. Many of these pyramids can be climbed; the most memorable being temple five which must be ascended by a small, vertical, wooden ladder over 18 stories high. If you're afraid of heights, there's no chance you should try this. At the top of the pyramid you can see out miles over the jungle canopy and can spot three of the other pyramids peeking above the tree line. The view is unbelievable. <br /><br />Being the amateur archaeologist that I am, I was most intrigued by the nearly 23 square mile residential area that is yet to be excavated. I'd love to be a part of the team that someday can dive into the ruins and everyday lives of the many that lived in Tikal, and built it's mighty empire.<br /><br />Finally, I was more than impressed with the extent to which the Guatemalan government has gone to protect and conserve the site. Truly, the Cambodian, Egyptian and Jordanian governments (among others) would serve themselves well to take a page out of the Guatemalans book to do MUCH more to preserve their respective sites. Sure, this site is designated a UNESCO site, but for those of you that read <a href="http://findingpangaea.blogspot.com/2008/06/when-good-ideas-go-bad.html">my post</a> on the issue, you know that this does little to no good in my eyes and much more is necessary when it comes to conservation/preservation of these magical ruins. The Guatemalan's have gone further designating the 222 square mile Tikal National Park protected land. In addition, there are adequate signs and safety measures in the Park. The government has gone so far as recording (through two checkpoints at the entrance to Tikal) every driver's speed through the Park leading up to the site to prevent drivers from speeding, and putting the native animals (jaguars included) in jeopardy of being hit. Fantastic stuff.</span>Chris Tharphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14391277694336536573noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-505820931926372676.post-22798287747254246272008-08-22T10:49:00.000-07:002008-08-22T11:34:16.528-07:00Lost on Planet China<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQxA4s_pUFiPV_qtayrZevmSOMgc6vyIGoNRm3J_GBtU7yD-FKutKf04PG6eq9BHo3IAwrcT3SLHbRE0QDEnVJondF7y2YlJf4r31HTNacIA_BqPYfvPkat8_UOVOVkqhLQXL99xpd9wfy/s1600-h/27357887.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQxA4s_pUFiPV_qtayrZevmSOMgc6vyIGoNRm3J_GBtU7yD-FKutKf04PG6eq9BHo3IAwrcT3SLHbRE0QDEnVJondF7y2YlJf4r31HTNacIA_BqPYfvPkat8_UOVOVkqhLQXL99xpd9wfy/s320/27357887.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5237409297603837794" /></a><br />I am going to transport myself back to my middle school days to Ms. Yates' English class and write a book review. I know people actually do this for a living and it is a highly reputable profession, but I can't help but think of standing in front of the class feeling pretty stupid for daring to criticize Steinbeck. Maybe that is why I only gave glowing reviews. So here goes.....<br /><br />I just finished reading the latest and greatest book by Maarten Troost, the single most entertaining travel writer, ever. Yes, I know that is a pretty bold statement, but I stand by my opinion.....his books are so wonderful. On this blog, we have our favorite books listed and both this proceeding novels, <span style="font-style:italic;">Getting Stoned with the Savages</span> and <span style="font-style:italic;">The Sex Lives of Cannibals</span> are included. <br /><br />In his new book, <span style="font-style:italic;">Lost on Planet China: </span> The Strange and True Story of One Man's Attempt to Understand the World's Most Mystifying Nation, or How He Became Comfortable Eating Live Squid, Troost does not actually live in the location of which he is writing. This is a bit of a departure from the more in-depth style of description I was used to, but it did not make me like it any less. In fact, I liked it more. His ever witty remarks on the strangeness of everyday occurrences in China "Hell is a line in China. You are so forewarned" are expertly interwoven with a clear and accurate depiction of a nation full of contrasts.<span class="fullpost"><br /><br />The single most appealing aspect of Troost is simply his humor. The man can make a trip to the fish market the most entertaining saga you have ever read (see The Sex Lives of Cannibals). This definitely carries through in <span style="font-style:italic;">Lost on Planet China</span> and with the oddities of everyday encounters I found myself unable to stop reading. <br /><br />Hopefully Ms. Yates would have approved of this review!</span>Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14230357460726361677noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-505820931926372676.post-69527660355460116692008-08-20T11:40:00.000-07:002008-10-17T15:08:33.522-07:00The Joys of Culinary Travel<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb_XzFBGTXeVuKvF1nnrggB_8qzUXUXBh8sO788G6bNdgphQV2BNH5dQR1aSkZNnhyphenhyphenSbqDqOtyRDCCg9URDJdZq8z-IQheJlv5TP-RSiN1W3yrz3cCMAIEeXyVdJO8Nj4P8M_fu7TvDgVe/s1600-h/300pxswedishchef2.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb_XzFBGTXeVuKvF1nnrggB_8qzUXUXBh8sO788G6bNdgphQV2BNH5dQR1aSkZNnhyphenhyphenSbqDqOtyRDCCg9URDJdZq8z-IQheJlv5TP-RSiN1W3yrz3cCMAIEeXyVdJO8Nj4P8M_fu7TvDgVe/s320/300pxswedishchef2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5236684288091674514" /></a>I do not really love to cook. I love to bake, but then I have cakes, cookies and other tempting treats sitting around my house just begging to be eaten.....so I try to stay away from that as well. I guess that is why I find it so fascinating that culinary travel is on the rise. According to the <a href="http://www.culinarytourism.org/">International Culinary Tourism Association</a>, culinary tourism is defined as "the development and promotion of prepared food/drink as an attraction for visitors." This definition seems to me the very reason why people go to Italy, but maybe that is simply because i don't have a desire to cook on vacation, but I do love to eat on vacation! Culinary travelers fall into two categories, those who go to cook and those who go to eat. I am definitely in category number 1. <span class="fullpost"><br /><br />Cultural understanding is intertwined with cooking, it provides insight into a region's community and history. There are a number of culinary tours out their to suit everyone's palate. French and Italian tours still remain the most popular, but pan-Asian, Middle Eastern and Central and South American cooking tours are gaining in popularity. One of the best ways is to find a tour which allows you to travel to a number of different cities, using local produce and cooking regional dishes. The key to a great trip is a great operator. Find tours with a cap on the amount of people allowed to attend, that way you will receive more one-on-one attention and guidance. Also, be sure to find out how intensive these programs are. Are you the type of traveller who wants to cook with time left over to visit other sites in the area? Or are you hard-core cooking master who wants to relish all the time they have with foreign chefs? <br /><br />Whatever your preference, you will return with some great experiences and worthwhile cooking tips!</span>Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14230357460726361677noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-505820931926372676.post-74628328827220054002008-08-12T14:21:00.000-07:002008-08-12T14:51:18.605-07:00Where in the world is???<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBzcQ_mVVQOnT3LYnKOOxo3wqBEQllrD4MpyYUeRvXsVjVasRSmZz5ts3eI6AYY7AuvmLBah4186OyA_EuJxZ_ioIF8lblOdz432ShFRe2ekX368Js2WCs7TwytCeo-SEce_728eUbBkdr/s1600-h/rosario-skylinethumbnail.thumbnail.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBzcQ_mVVQOnT3LYnKOOxo3wqBEQllrD4MpyYUeRvXsVjVasRSmZz5ts3eI6AYY7AuvmLBah4186OyA_EuJxZ_ioIF8lblOdz432ShFRe2ekX368Js2WCs7TwytCeo-SEce_728eUbBkdr/s320/rosario-skylinethumbnail.thumbnail.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5233751244925358098" /></a><br />Alright.....lets get excited because it is another installment of <span style="font-weight:bold;">Where in the World is? </span>Since we have had less-than overwhelming participation in the past, I will tell you how easy it is to win. All you have to do is guess where in the world this picture was taken and we will send you a $25 dollar gift card to Adventure 16!!!! Can't get easier than that my friends. <br /><br />Good luck....... <span style="font-style:italic;">and think south</span>Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14230357460726361677noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-505820931926372676.post-77810904550746663792008-08-08T10:52:00.000-07:002008-08-08T11:44:22.203-07:00Extreme Adventure Travel<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvI-cP3ZitF8OLHL38f4eV1ZZD9-_X1ZdJfUhoWxFGOhYQStbWA4AK_RlfM4ZHspVpTviws6gSjx-_ACIPqgUXvTEUrfP0vy_fNxECBVPDIRx93ogDIjK25XGd90sY0sa8H7S-TEoD9T7j/s1600-h/adventure-travel-abseiling-on-table-mountain-cape-town-south-african-tourism-u.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvI-cP3ZitF8OLHL38f4eV1ZZD9-_X1ZdJfUhoWxFGOhYQStbWA4AK_RlfM4ZHspVpTviws6gSjx-_ACIPqgUXvTEUrfP0vy_fNxECBVPDIRx93ogDIjK25XGd90sY0sa8H7S-TEoD9T7j/s320/adventure-travel-abseiling-on-table-mountain-cape-town-south-african-tourism-u.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5232218699231387346" /></a><br />I really love my job. I love it because I get to live vicariously through my clients as they travel all over the globe. I recently had a client book one of the most crazy adventure tours I have ever seen. It is a <a href="http://www.mtsobek.com">Mountain Travel Sobek</a> tour, called 6 Continents in 25 Days! Raft Rivers in North America, Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia, and South America. Basically, it is 25 days of hard-core adventure travel based around rafting down some of the most spectacular rivers in the world. Mountain Travel Sobek describes the tour themselves as "Outrageous. Audacious. Unprecedented. Ridiculous".....how fun does this sound!<br /><br />Another amazing adventure tour is offered by <a href="http://www.wildland.com/">Wildland Adventure</a> and called "Undiscovered Belize Adventure". This tour really makes a point of taking you outside the normal resort style stays for which Belize is so well known. Travel to the untouched Southern Toledo district and take advantage of the hiking, birding, caving, snorkeling on the Barrier Reef.....in short all things adventure.<br /><span class="fullpost"><br />10 days snorkeling, kayaking and hiking through Ecuador....yes please! Well that is what you will get in <a href="http://www.rowadventures.com">ROW International's </a>Galapagos Islands Multisport Adventure trip. This tour was honored as National Geographic 50 Best Tours of a Lifetime and there is really no question why. This eco-tour (which we love) is a sea kayak trip through the Galapagos, which is a much more environmentally friendly way of viewing the archipelago, as most tours use small cruise ships. This tour is all about staying active which keeping true to ROW's philosophy of leave no trace travel.</span>Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14230357460726361677noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-505820931926372676.post-33020563666167988912008-08-01T11:04:00.000-07:002008-09-05T12:55:23.294-07:00Best travel quotes....ever<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-7TVFSgh0IgjiRZhdyijAAqk2lPlunF-_vER79FrS8WTF4qW2m4420Oz6qruddbDy0dwanVB8F2-QEqe2d9jf5DoCKet3c3HhyphenhyphenwdsUhpjt5q9fffuFSv_gcmifvAs3alSRSObNp_DMybS/s1600-h/Tibetan_Prayer_Flags.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-7TVFSgh0IgjiRZhdyijAAqk2lPlunF-_vER79FrS8WTF4qW2m4420Oz6qruddbDy0dwanVB8F2-QEqe2d9jf5DoCKet3c3HhyphenhyphenwdsUhpjt5q9fffuFSv_gcmifvAs3alSRSObNp_DMybS/s320/Tibetan_Prayer_Flags.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5229618538673659554" /></a>There are many reasons why I love travel. There are equally many things that inspire me to travel. Photography is the most obvious. How many times I have seen a vibrant picture and said 'I want to go there!'. However, travel writing is another inspiring way to peak interest and let wanderlust take ahold of you. So I thought I would share some meaningful travel quotes and see if you are as moved as I am.<br /><br />1. “Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness.” - Mark Twain<br /><br />2. “A journey is like marriage. The certain way to be wrong is to think you control it.” - John Steinbeck<br /><br />3. “One’s destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things.” - Henry Miller<br /><br /><span class="fullpost"><br /><br />4. “Not all those who wander are lost.” - J. R. R. Tolkien<br /><br />5. “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” - Mark Twain<br /><br />6. “Perhaps travel cannot prevent bigotry, but by demonstrating that all peoples cry, laugh, eat, worry, and die, it can introduce the idea that if we try and understand each other, we may even become friends.” - Maya Angelou<br /><br />7. “To travel is to discover that everyone is wrong about other countries.” - Aldous Huxley<br /><br />8. “Adventure is a path. Real adventure - self-determined, self-motivated, often risky - forces you to have firsthand encounters with the world. The world the way it is, not the way you imagine it. Your body will collide with the earth and you will bear witness. In this way you will be compelled to grapple with the limitless kindness and bottomless cruelty of humankind - and perhaps realize that you yourself are capable of both. This will change you. Nothing will ever again be black-and-white.” - Mark Jenkins<br /><br />9. "Travel is more than the seeing of sights; it is a change that goes on, deep and permanent, in the ideas of living." – Miriam Beard<br /><br />10. "If you look like your passport photo, you're too ill to travel." - Will Kommen</span>Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14230357460726361677noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-505820931926372676.post-48324318058640081092008-07-31T09:59:00.000-07:002008-09-05T12:56:31.344-07:00The Terracotta Warriors<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw-sWzAZpGJPuyLhV0UdGCpjHjd1ByqFGz4iAweOPfvinH5Coa4yl5T3TZ_fhSJfiA0k_BixZQtGlLmwCgX4YH0gm8L9-npd_8mF55NJfFLQUZYE7fy1Zj3vbRDdgyGnT9LRqZciaPzeM/s1600-h/TerraCottaWarriors1.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw-sWzAZpGJPuyLhV0UdGCpjHjd1ByqFGz4iAweOPfvinH5Coa4yl5T3TZ_fhSJfiA0k_BixZQtGlLmwCgX4YH0gm8L9-npd_8mF55NJfFLQUZYE7fy1Zj3vbRDdgyGnT9LRqZciaPzeM/s200/TerraCottaWarriors1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5229232127167868674" /></a>As you all are aware by now, I'm an archaeology nut. I love it. Wanted to be an archaeologist as a kid, almost went back to school for it three years ago, and to this day can be found scouring the desert for artifacts on my vacations home. And per <a href="http://findingpangaea.blogspot.com/2008/06/top-ten-archaeological-trips.html">my previous post</a>, I plan on visiting most of the major sites around the world in my lifetime. So naturally, the things that excite me most in this world are stories of new discoveries, or of those discoveries left to be found. I thought I'd blog today about one of my favorite archaeological sites; not necessarily for what has been found thus far, but for what is left to be found.<br /><br /><span class="fullpost">In 1974 near Xi'an, Shaanxi province, China, farmers uncovered one of the most incredible sites ever found: The Terracotta Warriors. I could write an untold number of blog entries on the find (and if you want to read about it in depth, please <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terracotta_Army">click here</a>) but in brief the first Emperor of China, Shi Huang Di, commissioned for a tomb to be built for himself that was of a scope larger than anything ever undertaken. Over 700,000 workers built a tomb for Shi Huang Di that included palaces, towers, homes, over 100 rivers of flowing mercury (thought at the time to prolong life), possibly the largest collection of jewels and relics of all time within the tomb, and over 8,000 life size terracotta warriors (not one alike), horses, chariots, and strongmen guarding the entrance. These terracota warriors are one of China's most visited attractions each year.<br /><br />These existing discoveries are an amazing thing to visit, but what has yet to be discovered would surely be larger: Shi Huang Di's tomb. To date, no entrance to this tomb has been found. Much of what we know about it's contents come from the writings of an ancient historian, Sima Qian. He describes the lavish burial with priceless treasures quite meticulously. The archaeologists on this site largely know where to find the tomb as there is an unnatural 76 meter tall and 350 square meter wide earthen mound behind the warriors. Further, through remote sensing technology, the Chinese have found evidence within the mound of a 30 meter high building buried above the main portion of the tomb. It appears to have four large stair-like walls. Although there is evidence of a fire that struck this site in antiquity (likely started by a General five years after the Emperors burial), the contents of the tomb are largely believed to be intact. It would surely be one of the largest caches of history and treasure ever uncovered. Along with Atlantis, it could be argued that this is the single largest undiscovered treasure troves known from history. Wouldn't you love to be the one that first discovers the entrance?</span>Chris Tharphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14391277694336536573noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-505820931926372676.post-47661951932120399452008-07-26T10:31:00.000-07:002008-07-31T11:30:37.024-07:00Travel Disasters<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6-Z9Tzafll0pMmSMmuiDNdHv8oDs8ZUBIHh6gh2xW4-An2OnECCjtY8Y4Gz48jVTL0Qwfls1_yFYK4K6l97_v9-Wz16VlLZOdxX7ez85H2rCr-5iGPpqVao9myUUst_aebPhNZyEzZQA/s1600-h/300rafah_AP.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6-Z9Tzafll0pMmSMmuiDNdHv8oDs8ZUBIHh6gh2xW4-An2OnECCjtY8Y4Gz48jVTL0Qwfls1_yFYK4K6l97_v9-Wz16VlLZOdxX7ez85H2rCr-5iGPpqVao9myUUst_aebPhNZyEzZQA/s200/300rafah_AP.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5227383424666352770" /></a>As much as I'd like to believe that travel is always rosy, never a pain, and usually a good time.... as a world traveler, I know better. For as many times as my life has changed in a positive way because of the experiences I have been fortunate enough to have while abroad, there are just as many that didn't turn out as planned.... Or to be frank, just sucked. For today's blog entry, I thought I'd compile a list of some of the worst experiences I've had abroad. Please feel free to leave us comments on your experiences as well. And to be clear, I've often learned as much from these experiences as I have the great ones... So this entry isn't all bad, I'm a better person now for having gone through them.<br /><br /><span class="fullpost">1. While walking down the street in Florence looking at a map, my friend and I were stopped by an unmarked car of guys claiming to be police officers. They were demanding that we show them our passports. Knowing that they had no reason to request them, we refused. They began shouting. Again demanding the passports, I again refused loudly and told them the only way they'd see them is if they took us to the police station. Getting angrier, they told us to get in the car. Again refusing, I said we'd only go there by following their car. Defeated, they left. Close call.<br /><br />2. Having missed our bus to Eilat, Israel from Cairo, we I was stuck in Egypt with several friends without a way into Israel for a week. Needing to be in Israel by that next day, we managed to get ourselves on board a bus convoy of armed men heading to the closed crossing point of Rafah, Palestine to pick up their stranded countrymen for reasons I still do not understand. A very nice man wielding an uzi offered us a ride to the crossing point, where we'd be on our own to find our way through to Jerusalem. Long story short, we sat in an old warehouse in Palestine waiting to get our passports back for five hours. We weren't alone though! We shared some crackers and Coca Cola with a sweet elderly nun until we were let through. Good times.<br /><br />3. A buddy of mine became deathly ill while in Salzburg, Austria with an unknown ailment. Upon reaching a closed hospital, we managed to commandeer a wheel chair to get him to the ER. BEcause the staff spoke no English, we spent many hours trying to get him admitted. We finally did, and three days later he was out. Scary, but we met some sweet people in the process.<br /><br />4. I slept for a night in the new Thailand airport once. For any of you that haven't been there, it's gotta be the worst airport in the world to be stuck in. In addition to the fact that you cannot go to your gate and must wait in the absolutely enormous central reservations area, there are metal benches, air conditioning kept at about -56 degrees, and the loudest cacophony of noises and overhead announcements you ever heard stretching into the wee hours of morning. A tip from me to you: At the far end of the airport there is a gift shop that has fresh, hot noodles for about $1 that are served 24/7. Those noodles definitely got me through the night.</span>Chris Tharphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14391277694336536573noreply@blogger.com0