Blogs

Paris: Drinking Pink at the Chameleon

Sometimes, it is best to leave the see-and-be-seen spots to the tourists and just blend in. In Paris, times such as these call for a visit to the Latin Quarter'’s cheery and charming Chameleon bar. When you tire of donning black and waiting in line to catch an overpriced glimpse of chic stars in sleek outfits, put the color back in your life by spending some time at my favorite hangout in the 5th. Here, as the name implies, you can camouflage yourself in the midst of interesting characters and sit back until you come to understand what they mean by "seeing pink".”

e-Marginalia Spotting at Eight Diagrams

Wayne Yang mentioned Travel Editor, Nana Chen's Doug Lansky Interview over at his blog, Eight Diagrams. Nice to be mentioned! We felt really fortunate to be able to speak with Lansky (DougLansky.com), the author of a whole parade of award-winning bestselling travel books including The Last Trout in Venice.

Vienna: New Years on the Austrian Imperial Train

Spend the last hours of the old year and the first of the new on board the Majestic Imperator Luxury Train in Vienna, the capital of Austria. The Imperial Train travels through and around Vienna by night, allowing you to enjoy the view while being pampered with fine dining at a black tie formal dinner, followed by dancing on board at the New Year's Ball.

Horseback - The Ideal Way to Explore Argentina and Chile from the Atacama to Patagonia

By Andrew Chaundler - Horseback is a perfect way to see the spectacular landscapes of Argentina and Chile. These two countries encompass an exciting and colourful land that contains almost every landscape and climate imaginable - from lush rainforests to harsh and arid deserts to the native forests, lakes and fjords of Patagonia. It is a part of the world rich in culture and history with a unique infusion of old and new world. The amazing geography and the welcoming rural cultures provide the raw ingredients for amazing and unforgettable horseback trekking. With many of the most beautiful wilderness areas inaccessible by road you can venture far from the beaten track and explore the country much as the early settlers would have done in centuries past.

Nice Pirate Ship

I never thought I'd get to say the phrase, "Nice pirate ship," to a man wearing a skull and cross bones but last Friday, I did. At the laundromat. Well, sort of. It all began when I saw a poster claiming that Westbound Train and The Toasters were playing together in Paris. To a sane, normal, non-concert addict such a poster would be nothing more than a piece of paper stapled to the door of a pastry shop. But for me, said poster evoked the reaction of a high pitched squeal. Westbound Train AND The Toasters! Together in Paris.

Travel Podcasts

We share Jen Leo's fascination with (and excitement about) podcasting, and her Travel Podcasts list offered an exciting introduction to some great resources with which we'd been unfamiliar. She lists Erik Olssen over at Gadling and Don George at Lonley Planet which are two of my personal favorites.

There is No Funk in France

I'll be leaving Paris soon, and I'm sad about that, I truly am. In general, this town has been good to me (despite the toll its climate takes on my thin Texan blood) and for the most part my time in Paris has been divine. Save one thing. Though Paris is the infamous resting place for Doors vocalist Jim Morrison, The City of Light has yet to "Light My Fire" for one main reason: I miss my rock n' roll. Along with bagels and peanut butter it seems to me that rock music - good, string-slapping, sing-a-long with the windows down rock n' roll -– is as funny to the French as a basket of Freedom Fries.

FlightAware: Track Flights in the US

This cool tidbit by way of wise, totally plugged-in Joi Ito's blog."This may be old news, but I just saw FlightAware for the first time. It tracks flights in the US that the FAA manages including general aviation. You find a private plane and then drill down to past flights that the plane has made. Quite amazing. I wish they could do t

Vermont: Cross Country Ski Touring

Joanna Walters' "The Inns and Outs of Going Truly Wild" has gotten me pretty primed for snowfall. I was just mentioning the other day that I'm hoping to do plenty of cross country skiing this winter. Wondering if my brother had left his skis in the barn when he moved overseas, or if I'll need to purchae my own.

Grants for Travel Writers

GoNOMAD.com, an alternative travel website based in South Deerfield, MA, has announced the third in a series of grants to help travel writers foster their craft. Each quarter of 2005, the editorial team at GoNOMAD will review applications in the form of a one-page synopsis of where the author wants to go and what kind of a story they want to write. Writers are asked to provide a one-page list of their published travel stories, or links to stories posted on the web. The most promising of these synopses will be culled down to one lucky winner every three months, with four recipients in 2005 receiving the $500 cash award each.
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