We boarded the plane leaving for Kona behind a clean cut well-dressed businessman toting a RollAboard with a book tucked in tightly in the back. Only one word of the title showed, "sex" and this apparently caught the eye of a number of travelers as we heard hints of conversation and chuckles from behind us. But no one had the guts to actually ask this traveler for more details, juicy or otherwise. For those who know me, know the serious … [Read more...]
Shanghai World Expo – China Showcases its Place in the Modern World
With its management of the 2008 Olympic games a smashing success, China will, from May 1st to October 31st, 2010 at the Shanghai World Expo, try and outdo its Olympic success. As one of the Chinese workers at the Shanghai World Expo told me, "Like it left its footprints during the ancient ages, China is beginning to make its mark on the modern world." Well, he had a point. No one can deny that this country contributed much to the ancient … [Read more...]
A Few Words about Madagascar
Sometimes it's good to be cautious--and other times it's better to go with your gut. People told us not to visit Madagascar, that political conflict made the country unsafe for tourists. But we decided to go anyway because if we had listened to those voices, we'd never have gone to Nairobi, Kampala, or Kigali. We are cautious when we travel, but aware that our best and most eye-opening experiences are places well off the beaten … [Read more...]
Fundacion En Via of Oaxaca: Exchanging Culture While Fighting Poverty
I've been supporting women's microfinancing organizations since I first read about them about a decade ago and had to look up the term before I ran to get my checkbook. It seemed like such a common-sense way to make a difference in a world where you often think you can't. But the whole concept didn't became concrete to me until I went on an En Via microfinancing tour last November, after coming to Oaxaca on a whim to spend three weeks around Day … [Read more...]
A Few Words About Zimbabwe
The bus ride from Lusaka, Zambia to Harare, Zimbabwe lasted four hours longer than it should have (total trip was nearly 12 hours). We spent four hours at the border crossing, where everyone's belongings were examined, less for security and more to squeeze as much money as possible from undeclared goods. Baboons outnumbered travellers at the crossing and, having mastered the art of swiping food from unaware passengers, they seemed to want to be … [Read more...]
Huangshan Gems
"Since you are here in Huangshan, you must visit our two traditional villages, Xidi and Hongcun. They are little gems of elegance and tradition." A guide advised when I asked him his favourite attractions in the region. We had already made plans to visit these villages and his advice reinforced our decision. Both Xidi and Hongcun villages rest in the foothills of the Huangshan (Yellow) Mountain. They lay amid a landscape of greenery, … [Read more...]
A Few Words About Mozambique
We love the energy of Maputo. It is vibrant, entrepreneurial, positive, and alive. Though Mozambique is not without its problems, its capital city is clearly on the move, transforming itself and melding some of the best parts of its rich and diverse cultures. We spent the first day visiting a workshop organized by Prolinnova, the Spanish NGO Centro de Iniciativas para la Cooperacion/Bata, and the National Farmers Union of Mozambique, UNAC. The … [Read more...]
A Few Words About Zambia
Bugs. When I think of Zambia, I think of bugs. It started when a mysterious little creature bit Dani on the side of the head. We spent hours monitoring the swelling as it inched closer and closer to her eye, applying cortisone, and praying that we wouldn't have to go to the clinic. Thankfully, Dani's head didn't explode and the bite went way. Despite a mosquito net, our favorite bug repellent (Dani has a newfound love for chemicals), and … [Read more...]
The Great Wall and the Great Market
My toes are numb, I'm not sure I even have toes anymore. We have elected to take a tour to "the secret wall" somewhere along China's nearly 4000 mile "Great Wall". This is in the dead of mid April, Spring in many parts of the northern Hemisphere, but here winter's icy tentacles are far reaching and we are bundled up in multiple layers of clothing. We are all huddled in an old van for 3 hours to this "secret spot". The dense, grey gloomy fog of … [Read more...]
5 Important Tips for Enjoying Egypt
Egypt is one of the most fascinating destinations on the world tourist map. This extra ordinary country is today the favorite vacation spot for many, just like it was in the days of the early Greeks and Romans. The thoroughly cultured Greeks, in particular, were fascinated by this civilization that predated theirs by at least 2000 years. When you decide to visit Egypt, you always worry about climate, save places to visit and stay, where and … [Read more...]
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