I left a couple of days ago for a 10 days of traveling through Scandinavia. It’s kind of a homecoming since I studied abroad in Copenhagen during the fall semester of my junior year in college, and this is my first trip back. I’m starting off in Copenhagen, where I am right now. The picture above…
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The Curated Commute — Oh, They’re So Cute! Americans in China
The Curated Commute is a series where I pick interesting podcasts or other audio treats to accompany you on your commute. Hopefully they’ll entertain you and maybe even help you learn a little something while you’re en route… *** Today’s featured podcast comes from This American Life. In three parts, Ira Glass and crew follow the…
The Final Episode of the Hugo Chavez Show
Earlier this week Vice President Nicolás Maduro tearfully announced to the citizens of Venezuela that their President Hugo Chavez had died at the age of 58 of cancer. Chavez has been the strong man in Venezuelan politics since his election in 1998, after a failed military coup. It’s difficult to convey the attachment and love many Venezuelans have…
Visiting the Apartheid Museum — Johannesburg, South Africa
To enter the Apartheid Museum you’re given a ticket. That ticket assigns you a classification and therefore the gate through which you are allowed to enter, Whites or Non-Whites. It’s a poignant way to begin learning about this unparalleled period of South Africa’s history. What struck me initially on my visit was just how much of the…
The Kenya Most Travelers Don’t See
Kenya is known for many things, including amazing landscapes, stunning wildlife, Maasai tribes, and even picturesque beaches, but Kenya is also known for producing world class runners. Iten is the center of Kenya’s training grounds for long distance runners. “Sitting at the edge of a high plateau about 200 miles northwest of Kenya’s capital, Nairobi, Iten…
Truffle Troubles in Southwest France
January isn’t necessarily an ideal time to travel to Europe. All the holiday lights have come down, and it’s still pretty darn cold, even in most of southern Europe. I can still think of one reason that would quickly convince me to board a plane (and buy a warmer coat!) in January — truffle season…
Utter Darkness Every Night in North Korea
The sky fades to black. No, it’s not some cheesy opening line to a play, but the truth each night for a nation of approximately 23 million people. This unbelievable NASA satellite image shows the almost complete darkness that envelopes North Korea each night. The contrast from neighboring South Korea is dramatic, to say the…
Next Time in Medellin, Colombia
A friend recently asked me to describe the most beautiful place I’ve visited… It’s such a hard question, but I completely understand the desire to ask it because I love to know the answer to the same question from fellow travelers. But, there are so many beautiful places in the world! Southern Europe, especially the…
The Curated Commute – Breaking News from Easter Island
The Curated Commute is a series where I pick interesting podcasts or other audio treats to accompany you on your commute. Hopefully they’ll entertain you and maybe even help you learn a little something while you’re en route… *** You might be surprised to hear that new things are being discovered (and theorized) about the moai…
Johannesburg’s Not-So-Scary Central Business District
Last month I visited Johannesburg, South Africa with AFAR Experiences. It was interesting ahead of the trip to tell people that I was going to South Africa, to Joburg specificially and not Capetown. To be fair, I also wanted to see Capetown, but I only had so many vacation days and safari won out over…
