1491 - A Book Review

I just finished reading 1491 - New Revelations of the Americas before Columbus by Charles C. Mann and wanted to take some time this week to review this robust and exhaustive study of the ancient Americas.

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.

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".

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).

Here are a few random and ground-breaking discoveries outlined in detail throughout this book:
• In 1491 there were probably more people living in the Americas than in Europe (likely 10's of millions).
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• The earliest cities in the Western Hemisphere were thriving before the Egyptians built the great pyramids.
• 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.
• 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.
• Large-scale pyramids, with surrounding societies, have been discovered in Peru preceding those built at the Great Pyramids of Giza by several hundred years.
• 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.”
• Native Americans transformed their land so completely that Europeans arrived in a hemisphere already massively “landscaped” by human beings. Read more...

Trinkets and Souvenirs

According to trusty Wikipedia, a "souvenir" is a memento or keepsake or object a traveler brings home for the memories associated with it. 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.

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:

Random tourist: How much for the alabaster pot?
Random gift-shop owner: $320! Original! Bery Old!
Random tourist: I'll give you $4 for it...
Random gift-shop owner: Make it $4.50...

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.

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:

1. Anything found in the hotel, restaurant, or monument you are visiting is not unique.
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.
3. Try to buy your souvenirs in the most back-alley, out of the way places you can find.
4. Art is usually a great purchase with loads of local influence and originality.
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. Read more...

Lost on Planet China

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.....

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, Getting Stoned with the Savages and The Sex Lives of Cannibals are included.

In his new book, Lost on Planet China: 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.

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 Lost on Planet China and with the oddities of everyday encounters I found myself unable to stop reading.

Hopefully Ms. Yates would have approved of this review! Read more...

Best travel quotes....ever

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.

1. “Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness.” - Mark Twain

2. “A journey is like marriage. The certain way to be wrong is to think you control it.” - John Steinbeck

3. “One’s destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things.” - Henry Miller



4. “Not all those who wander are lost.” - J. R. R. Tolkien

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

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

7. “To travel is to discover that everyone is wrong about other countries.” - Aldous Huxley

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

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

10. "If you look like your passport photo, you're too ill to travel." - Will Kommen Read more...

The Terracotta Warriors

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 my previous post, 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.

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 click here) 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.

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? Read more...

When Good Ideas Go Bad

Have you ever seen an idea, proposal, law, or entire company that has the unfortunate distinction of being a good idea gone bad? You know what I'm talking about here: A great idea to start that wasn't quite carried out all of the way, or thought through entirely... I stumble across these once in awhile and I happened upon one this week that I thought I'd share. This week's good idea gone bad revolves around UNESCO's World Heritage list.

For those of you not familiar UNESCO's World Heritage List, it is a UN entity that (according to their Web site):

Seeks to encourage the identification, protection and preservation of cultural and natural heritage around the world considered to be of outstanding value to humanity.

Sounds good to me. Basically, sites that we all love to visit such as the Great Wall of China, the Great Barrier Reef, the Pyramids, and 848 other sites around the world (to see the full list, click here) are named to the list and protected. Cool. No brainer. Here's the problem though:

The UN has created this list (good), but doesn't provide any funding (real bad). Think about this one for a second: These sites are instantly recognized as the "it" places to see in countries around the world when they are named to the list. Every year, new sites are listed, announced, and generate a tremendous amount of buzz. Hmm.... in turn, tens of thousands of new people flock to these areas that didn't know about them beforehand. No funding + thousands of people = damage to historical sites. Or as travelport puts it:

UNESCO Sites:
Even more ironic is the mounting concern that the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) is actually speeding the demise of the planet’s most venerable places by designating them World Heritage Destinations. World Heritage status carries with it no funding, but brings an onslaught of tourists that many of the 830 sites “of outstanding value to humanity” are unable to sustain, especially the ones in developing countries.

UNESCO's mission statement about "protecting" these areas lists eight bullet points on how they plan to accomplish such "protection". Six of the eight points listed start with the word "Encourage". So here's my news flash: As much as I'd like to think that states, countries, and governments will automatically fund sites that UNESCO "encourages" them to protect, we all know better. And until UNESCO starts funding these newly (and existing) named sites, I'd just assume not name them at all. Read more...

Is a beach just a beach?

Its no secret that San Diego has gorgeous beaches, but I have to be honest I do not take advantage of them as much as I should. Chris and I work about 2 blocks away and sadly, I almost never walk down to appreciate it. So the other day when I was telling a friend how I will be leaving for Cabo next week, they said "leaving one beach and going to another?"

So it got me thinking, is it true that what I can experience 2 blocks away is the same as flying to Mexico to spend time on an identical beach? Does it take a vacation to actually slow down to enjoy our daily scenery?

I suppose in the most simplistic terms, it is mostly the same. There is sand, water and sun, but besides that, I maintain it is completely different! I believe there is much more to travel than just scenery, it is about the overall experience. It is about that small cafe that does not exist anywhere else in the world. Or the conversation with the taxi driver that remains with you for the rest of your life.

However, that being said, I definitely understand my friends point, some people like to travel to experience the different. If your home is in the desert, the ocean is a wonderful reprieve. Personally, I think there is a time and place for both. I am super excited to be on the beach and relax, but a trip to the mountains is always welcome. So the question is what type of travel do you prefer? Do you always seek out the different, always prefer the same or do you enjoy it all? Read more...

What has been your greatest discovery while traveling?

This question makes me envision Harrison Ford picking up the holy grail right after some guy's face melts off. Yummy. But besides all you treasure hunters out there, this question should be considered much more broad. In all the places you have visited is there a single treasure you hold dear? It does not need to be an object, it could be a feeling, a place, a personal awakening.

When traveling with a girlfriend, she told me one of the best discoveries was in the vastness of the world itself. I agree completely and believe that travel in itself a form of discovery. Each new location I am introduced to, I find something to relish. However, if I am forced to chose 1 paramount discovery, it has be human kindness. Whether it is the Frenchman taking an extra moment in broken english to explain the metro system; the the Spanish woman who took a picture for me even though she had never used a camera before; or the Australian woman who gave me a ride in Tasmania because I sat next to her on the plane. I will never forget any of these encounters and with each trip I always seem to find myself in new situations where human kindness overwhelms me.

Share some of your stories. What is your greatest discovery while traveling? Read more...