Gadling http://www.gadling.com Gadling http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/%SiteURL%/media/feedlogo.gif Gadling http://www.gadling.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Heat-Map Shows Travelers Most And Least Frequented Destinations]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/05/25/heat-map-shows-travelers-most-and-least-frequented-destinations/http://www.gadling.com/2012/05/25/heat-map-shows-travelers-most-and-least-frequented-destinations/http://www.gadling.com/2012/05/25/heat-map-shows-travelers-most-and-least-frequented-destinations/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

mapHave you ever wondered what countries are the most and least frequented by travelers? Estonian tech firm Bluemoon has taken data from the photo sharing service Panoramio and created a heat-map based on photos. The map details which countries are the most visited (in yellow), which have a medium amount of visitors (in red) and which are explored the least (in blue). A grey area signifies that no photos have been taken there using Panoramio.

As you can see from the map, Europe is a major tourist destination, as is much of the east and west coasts of the United States and Japan. Certain regions that seem to receive few visitors include Mongolia, India and Australia. Moreover, many areas in Canada and Africa remain unexplored.

They've also created a map of the "world's most interesting remote places." It only looks at destinations away from cities with remote tourist attractions. Some examples from the data show the Greek Islands are touristy (red), the Amazon Basin has almost no tourism (green) and Ladakh falls in the middle (yellow).

For a bigger view of the map, click here.

Heat-Map Shows Travelers Most And Least Frequented Destinations originally appeared on Gadling on Fri, 25 May 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>google mapsGoogleMapsheat-mapleast popular destinationsLeastPopularDestinationsmapmost popularmost touristymost visitedMostPopularMostTouristyMostVisitedphotostravel dataTravelDatawhere to travelWhereToTravelFri, 25 May 2012 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Meet The Man Who Spent 11 Years Walking Around The World And The Woman Who Waited For Him To Return]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/05/25/meet-the-man-who-spent-11-years-walking-around-the-world-and-the/http://www.gadling.com/2012/05/25/meet-the-man-who-spent-11-years-walking-around-the-world-and-the/http://www.gadling.com/2012/05/25/meet-the-man-who-spent-11-years-walking-around-the-world-and-the/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

jean beliveau walk around the worldOn his 45th birthday, Quebec native Jean Béliveau went out for a walk. He crossed over Montreal's Jacque Cartier Bridge in Montreal, where he originally dreamed up the idea of escaping his life as a neon sign salesman nine months before, and kept going for 75,554 kilometers through 64 countries. He burned through 54 pairs of shoes but somehow managed to maintain his relationship with his wife, Luce, who stayed at home while Jean spent 11 years walking around the world. But when he returned to Canada, some criticized the walk as a self-indulgent escape from a midlife crisis since it wasn't done for a specific charity.

Seven months after returning home from what is believed to be the world's longest uninterrupted circumnavigation on foot, Béliveau is being courted by publishers who want the rights to his story. We caught up with Jean to find out more about his motivation for taking an 11-year walk, how he pulled it off without losing his wife and what he's up to now.

Why take a walk around the world?

Jean: I owned a small neon sign factory but when Quebec had a terrible ice storm in the winter of 1998, we lost power for weeks. We had to close the factory and then my wife had to move to Montreal for her job. I had a midlife crisis in the meantime. I began to sell neon signs but I wasn't making much money. I said, 'My God, what happened with my life? I'm throwing my life away.'

I felt like I was working just for money and giving my soul away, and for what? I ran over Jacques Cartier Bridge in Montreal one day and thought, 'I wonder how many days it would take to get to New York. And how many weeks or months or years to get to Mexico, South America, the rest of the world.'

Continue reading Meet The Man Who Spent 11 Years Walking Around The World And The Woman Who Waited For Him To Return

Meet The Man Who Spent 11 Years Walking Around The World And The Woman Who Waited For Him To Return originally appeared on Gadling on Fri, 25 May 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>FeatureJean BeliveauJeanBeliveauwalk around the worldWalkAroundTheWorldFri, 25 May 2012 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[A Challenge: Learn All Of The Countries In The World]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/05/24/a-challenge-learn-all-of-the-countries-in-the-world/http://www.gadling.com/2012/05/24/a-challenge-learn-all-of-the-countries-in-the-world/http://www.gadling.com/2012/05/24/a-challenge-learn-all-of-the-countries-in-the-world/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,



While in DC a couple of weeks ago with fellow Gadling writers, a few of us hopped into a taxi on our way to dinner. Our driver was an African man from a country he kept under wraps. He told us that if we wanted to find out which country he was from, we'd have to earn our way to the answer through his impromptu trivia. And so we tried to answer his questions.

"You have to exercise your anthropological and geographical versatility to comprehend my country of originality," he teased us.

"I can guess the continent," one of our writers chimed.

"Oh yes, guessability, no problem, Madam," he cooed.

"West Africa?" she guessed.

"Well," he drew out the word for a few seconds. "I will formally agree but I will formally disagree with you. I am an individual of complexity. You want a clue?"

"Yes," we all answered in unison.

"OK. I am going to give you a complex geographical clue. Let me see. Name me 11 countries in the world that have four letters," he began.

Continue reading A Challenge: Learn All Of The Countries In The World

A Challenge: Learn All Of The Countries In The World originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 24 May 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>all of the countries in the worldAllOfTheCountriesInTheWorldcountries in the worldCountriesInTheWorldgeographygeography challengegeography questionsgeography triviaGeographyChallengeGeographyQuestionsGeographyTriviahow many countriesHowManyCountrieslearn geographyLearnGeographylist of all of the countries in the worldlist of countriesListOfAllOfTheCountriesInTheWorldListOfCountriesobscure countriesObscureCountriesthe countries of the worldTheCountriesOfTheWorldThu, 24 May 2012 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Dogs Abroad: The Most Dog-Friendly Countries]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/05/23/dogs-abroad-the-most-dog-friendly-countries/http://www.gadling.com/2012/05/23/dogs-abroad-the-most-dog-friendly-countries/http://www.gadling.com/2012/05/23/dogs-abroad-the-most-dog-friendly-countries/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


I adopted my first dog as an adult last July. In January, I happened upon a stray dog and took him in, too. Now I have two dogs. It was only a year ago that I was without a dog and, in regard to traveling, without a worry. I now see that I took for granted my ability to hop on a plane to anywhere in the world and leave, for as long as I wanted to, prior to having dogs. Destinations still aren't off limits for me - I can still go wherever I want to go - but my dogs can't go everywhere with me and certain restrictions make it not worth trying in some cases. So where can we travel with dogs? What are the most dog-friendly countries?

The dog-friendly countries I have seen listed with the most frequency are below. If you have any you'd like to add to the list, please tell us about the country and respective rules in the comments.

Continue reading Dogs Abroad: The Most Dog-Friendly Countries

Dogs Abroad: The Most Dog-Friendly Countries originally appeared on Gadling on Wed, 23 May 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dog friendly citiesdog friendly countriesdog friendly destinationsdog friendly traveldog-friendly countriesDog-friendlyCountriesDogFriendlyCitiesDogFriendlyCountriesDogFriendlyDestinationsDogFriendlyTraveldogs abroadDogsAbroadtraveling abroad with dogstraveling with dogstraveling witha dogTravelingAbroadWithDogsTravelingWithaDogTravelingWithDogswhere can i take my dogwhere can i travel with my dogWhereCanITakeMyDogWhereCanITravelWithMyDogWed, 23 May 2012 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Last Pyramids Of Egypt]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/05/21/the-last-pyramids-of-egypt/http://www.gadling.com/2012/05/21/the-last-pyramids-of-egypt/http://www.gadling.com/2012/05/21/the-last-pyramids-of-egypt/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

pyramids
They just don't make pyramids like they used to.

The pyramids of Egypt have fascinated people ever since they were built. The Step Pyramid at Saqqara started things off around 2650 B.C. Later came the iconic pyramids of Giza. What's often forgotten, however, is that pyramid construction continued for more than a thousand years and there are at least 138 built to house the remains of pharaohs and queens. More are still being discovered. Last year, satellite imagery revealed seventeen previously unknown pyramids.

The later pyramids of Egypt tend to be overlooked, and it's easy to see why considering the sad state of most of them. Just take a look at this photo of the pyramid of Senusret II (ruled 1895-1878 B.C.) and photographed by Jon Bodsworth. Like a lot of later pyramids, it was made of mud bricks instead of stone blocks to save money, and that's why it's a giant sad lump today - an interesting lump, though.

The interior tunnels are still intact and archaeologists discovered the nearby village where the workmen lived. Contrary to popular belief, slaves didn't construct the pyramids. Actually, it was trained craftsmen and farmers who didn't have any other work to do when their fields were underwater during the annual flooding of the Nile.

Senusret II was part of the 12th Dynasty, a high point in Egyptian power and civilization. It's strange then that pyramids were in decline. You can see several of these pyramids at Dahsur, not far from Saqqara and an easy day trip from Cairo. One is the Black Pyramid of Amenemhat III (ruled 1842-1797 B.C.). It started to collapse almost immediately so he had to build a second one at the Faiyum Oasis near a giant temple to the crocodile god Sobek. This site reopened last year.

Gallery: The Last Pyramids of Egypt

Remnants of the stone exterior of Pyramid of Senusret I (ruled 1962-1928 BC)Internal structure of Pyramid of Senusret IPyramid of Amenemhat I, with modern Muslim graveyard in frontPectoral of Senusret IIPyramid complex of Senusret III (ruled 1878-1842 BC) with queens' pyramids

Continue reading The Last Pyramids Of Egypt

The Last Pyramids Of Egypt originally appeared on Gadling on Mon, 21 May 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adventureadventure traveladventure traveleradventure travelersadventure travelsadventure-travelAdventureTravelAdventureTravelerAdventureTravelersAdventureTravelsancient architectureancient Egyptancient egyptian religionancient historyAncientArchitectureAncientEgyptAncientEgyptianReligionAncientHistoryarchaeologyarcheologyarchitectureartart historyArtHistoryEgyptegyptologyhistoryMiddle KingdomMiddleKingdompharoahPharoahspyramidpyramidsMon, 21 May 2012 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[8 Languages You've Never Heard Of (And Who Actually Speaks Them)]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/05/18/8-languages-youve-never-heard-of-and-who-actually-speaks-them/http://www.gadling.com/2012/05/18/8-languages-youve-never-heard-of-and-who-actually-speaks-them/http://www.gadling.com/2012/05/18/8-languages-youve-never-heard-of-and-who-actually-speaks-them/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,



As anyone who follows my articles here on Gadling knows by now, I don't travel to relax poolside at a resort or sip a fancy drink with coconut oil. I travel because this world is a fascinating place.

While everyone has their own travel philosophy and reasons for wanting to get away, I know that for many travelers, one of the greatest joys of travel is experiencing other cultures and peeking into corners of the world, which are far removed from our own. This could range from immersing yourself in a culture with a different religion, cuisine, or something as simple as driving on the other side of the road.

More often than not, however, one of the largest indicators that we "aren't in Kansas anymore" is traveling to a place with a language that is different from our own. With linguists estimating there are over 7,000 languages spread across the globe, there is little to no chance of any traveler ever having the opportunity to properly experience them all. Furthermore, as Gadling blogger Kraig Becker points out, there are still uncontacted tribes in parts of the Amazon where we don't even know what language they speak yet.

Though situations like these are encouraging, the sad reality is that the majority of indigenous languages is critically endangered and will most likely not survive the next generation. According to the United Nations and UNESCO, not only does an indigenous language go extinct every two weeks, but up to 90% of the world's languages are likely to disappear in the next century if current trends continue.

While the Economist reports that recent advances in technology may actually be able to aid in the rescue and rebirth of languages, the fact of the matter remains that thousands of global languages are dying at a terrifying rate.

So, in a nod to the fascinating beauty of global tongues, here is a rundown of eight languages that you've probably never heard of, and are lucky if you ever hear.

Continue reading 8 Languages You've Never Heard Of (And Who Actually Speaks Them)

8 Languages You've Never Heard Of (And Who Actually Speaks Them) originally appeared on Gadling on Fri, 18 May 2012 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Anal languageAnalLanguageAnus languageAnusLanguageKet languageKet peopleKet SiberiaKetLanguageKetPeopleKetSiberialanguages youve never heard ofLanguagesYouveNeverHeardOfMelpa languageMelpaLanguageobscure languagesObscureLanguagesrare languagesRareLanguagesSamiSilbo GomeroSilboGomeroTaushiro languageTaushiroLanguageweird languagesWeirdLanguagesXhosaYoron languageYoronjimaYoronLanguageFri, 18 May 2012 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Kolmanskop: Namibia's Eerie Ghost Town]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/05/17/kolmanskop-namibias-eerie-ghost-town/http://www.gadling.com/2012/05/17/kolmanskop-namibias-eerie-ghost-town/http://www.gadling.com/2012/05/17/kolmanskop-namibias-eerie-ghost-town/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Kolmanskop, ghost towns
There's something compelling about ghost towns. To walk amid the houses that once held families, past playgrounds that once rang with the laughter of children, and through public buildings where locals once gathered - all gone.

I've explored ghost towns all over the American Southwest, and while they have creepiness aplenty, the most disturbing ghost town has to be Kolmanskop in Namibia. Perhaps it hits closer to home because it was abandoned as recently as 1954. Perhaps it's because its buildings are half filled with desert sand, and may one day get buried entirely.

Kolmanskop sprouted into existence in 1908 when diamonds were discovered there. At that time Namibia was colonized by Germans who were eager to extract the mineral wealth of the region and, shamefully, had just committed genocide against two Namibian tribes to secure their dominance. The discovery set off a rush of investment and construction and soon this barren stretch of sand was the location of a model German town with schools, theaters and stately homes. It was so wealthy that its hospital boasted the first x-ray machine in the Southern Hemisphere and its public transportation included the first tramline in Africa.

Gallery: Kolmanskop

NeighborsMine manager's houseWhat was once in this room before the sand came?Dead rat and bugAlone

Continue reading Kolmanskop: Namibia's Eerie Ghost Town

Kolmanskop: Namibia's Eerie Ghost Town originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 17 May 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adandonedAfricacolonialcolonial periodColonialPerioddisturbingeerieGermanGerman coloniesGerman colonizationGerman colonyGerman South West AfricaGermanColoniesGermanColonizationGermanColonyGermanSouthWestAfricaGermany colonyGermanyColonyghost townghost townsGhostTownGhostTownshistoryKolmanskopNamibiascramble for africaScrambleForAfricaSouth West AfricaSouthWestAfricaSperrgebietstrangeweirdThu, 17 May 2012 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Travel Regrets: One Lost Conversation]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/05/14/travel-regrets-one-lost-conversation/http://www.gadling.com/2012/05/14/travel-regrets-one-lost-conversation/http://www.gadling.com/2012/05/14/travel-regrets-one-lost-conversation/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

lost conversation

It's impossible to know what a lost conversation might have yielded. A lost conversation occupies a place in memory, a reservoir of sadness or relief. It's the shape of the reservoir that remains forever unknown. This uncertainty often renders the very recognition of a lost conversational opportunity difficult.

The decision to welcome a stranger into conversation while on the road isn't always easy. Nobody wants to be an easy mark. In places with pervasive tourism infrastructures, it's often the better part of wisdom to ignore touts and attempts at conversation altogether. There are, after all, many scams to avoid, many tourist traps to escape.

But often a self-imposed barrier to conversation on the part of a tourist or traveler precludes what would have been interesting, useful, personally significant, or simply an opportunity to share a laugh or two.

A year and a half ago I was in Mauritius, having a conversation with my partner on a beach. What was it about? No idea. A very tall man with dreadlocks came up to us and hovered maybe 15 feet away. Very quietly he asked us if we might be interested in buying some jewelry made out of sea urchins.

I couldn't hear him. "Sorry?" I asked. He repeated his pitch. "No thank you," I responded, somewhat curtly. We were not interested in his jewelry. He also wasn't really bothering us. Had our completely forgettable conversation not felt urgent, I would no doubt have been more polite. Hawkers are few and far between in this part of Mauritius, at least off-season, and his entreaty had been tame and gentle. But we weren't interested, and we were in the middle of a conversation in any case.

"Where are you from?" he persisted. Every time we got this question in Mauritius we had to make a decision. Either we enjoyed the unfolding game and entertained a dozen or so guesses before we revealed our nationality, or we nipped it in the bud by responding "American." This time, eager to get back to our conversation, we chose the latter option.

"I know America," he said with sudden clarity. He pointed at his chest with a single finger. "I am from Chagos." Suddenly, everything changed. He was no longer an unobtrusive if vaguely annoying hawker. "You are from Chagos?" I asked, suddenly alert. "Yes," he answered. And then he turned away abruptly. The lines of communication were closed. He was done.

Continue reading Travel Regrets: One Lost Conversation

Travel Regrets: One Lost Conversation originally appeared on Gadling on Mon, 14 May 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>british indian ocean territoryBritishIndianOceanTerritoryChagossiansDiego GarciaDiegoGarcialost conversationLostConversationmauritiusSeychellesunited kingdomUnitedKingdomMon, 14 May 2012 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Popular Guidebooks Go Digital]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/05/04/popular-guidebooks-go-digital/http://www.gadling.com/2012/05/04/popular-guidebooks-go-digital/http://www.gadling.com/2012/05/04/popular-guidebooks-go-digital/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

guidebooksFrommer's has a new series of guidebooks out. Nothing new there; that's what they do. Unique to Frommer's new "Day by Day" series though is that they are digital guides, which allow users to search, bookmark and navigate through the content easily.

Enabled by Inkling (the interactive textbook people), the Frommer's "Day by Day" digital books retail between $10 and $15, and are available as individual apps or within Inkling's app. Travelers can purchase them once to use them on both their iPhone and iPad. They contain hundreds of maps and thousands of Retina Display-ready photos, which makes it easy to plan upcoming trips on the new iPad.

Said to be far more useful than paper guidebooks, the new Frommer's digital books contain both indoor maps for locations like museums, as well as outdoor maps that point to interesting destinations in their respective locations.

Continue reading Popular Guidebooks Go Digital

Popular Guidebooks Go Digital originally appeared on Gadling on Fri, 04 May 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>FlickrguidebooksIPadSci/TechTripAdvisorFri, 04 May 2012 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Heifer International: Working To End World Hunger, One Llama At A Time]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/05/03/heifer-international-working-to-end-world-hunger-one-llama-at/http://www.gadling.com/2012/05/03/heifer-international-working-to-end-world-hunger-one-llama-at/http://www.gadling.com/2012/05/03/heifer-international-working-to-end-world-hunger-one-llama-at/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

bolivian farmerGot an extra $20 burning a hole in your pocket and want to make a difference in the lives of others? Buy a flock of ducks. Eighty-five dollars will get you a camel share, while a mere $48 purchases a share in a "Knitter's Gift Basket (a llama, alpaca, sheep and angora rabbit)."

Since 1944, Heifer International has provided livestock, and animal husbandry, agricultural and community development training to over 125 countries, including the U.S. The goal: to help end world hunger and poverty by improving breeding stock, providing valuable dietary supplements such as milk and eggs, and creating viable business enterprises for commodity products such as cheese, wool, honey, or crops cultivated by draft animals like horses and water buffalo.

The livestock species used to support disenfranchised communities are diverse, but traditional to their respective regions. They include goats, sheep, honeybees, beef and dairy cattle, water buffalo, yaks, horses, donkeys, llamas, alpacas, camels, rabbits, guinea pigs and poultry.

When I was a kid growing up on a small ranch in Southern California, we used to donate our male dairy goat kids (which, if sold here, would most likely be relegated to dinner) to Heifer. Although the program no longer ships live animals overseas (it's easier and safer/more humane to ship frozen semen), the concept remains the same: using top bloodlines to improve the quality and enhance the genetic diversity of herds or flocks in impoverished regions.

Heifer teaches the concept of the "Seven M's: Milk, Manure, Meat, Material, Money, Motivation and Muscle." These are the benefits livestock animals provide to people in developing nations. With the training provided by Heifer employees and volunteers, the cycle of poverty can be broken, and families and villages can thrive. During the holidays or for birthdays, I like to make animal gift donations in the name of the recipient, an especially valuable lesson for children (who, let's face it, really don't need another electronic piece of crap to foster their ADD and lack of global awareness).

Never doubt the power of a furry friend to change the world. To make a donation, click here.

Check out this Heifer International gallery of animals and their proud owners from around the world:

Gallery: Heifer International

Heifer International: Working To End World Hunger, One Llama At A Time originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 03 May 2012 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>agricultureanimal loversAnimalLoverscattlecharitable donationscharitable givingCharitableDonationsCharitableGivingcheesecheesemakingchristmas giftsChristmasGiftscommodity foodsCommodityFoodscropsdairydairy animalsDairyAnimalsdeveloping nationsDevelopingNationsdonationseggsfaminefood programsfood securityFoodProgramsFoodSecuritygift ideasgoatsHeifer InternationalHeiferInternationalholdiayshorsesindigenous peoplesIndigenousPeoplesknittinglivestockllamasmilkpetsphilanthropic travelPhilanthropicTravelphilanthropysheepstarvationsustainable agricultsustainable agricultureSustainableAgriculturethird worldThirdWorldvolunteeringThu, 03 May 2012 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Video: Visiting The Pyramids of Sudan]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/04/30/video-visiting-the-pyramids-of-sudan/http://www.gadling.com/2012/04/30/video-visiting-the-pyramids-of-sudan/http://www.gadling.com/2012/04/30/video-visiting-the-pyramids-of-sudan/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


Sudan is near the top of my list of countries I haven't been to that I want to explore. One of the main things I'm aching to see are the pyramids of Meroë. This site has dozens of pyramids built starting around 720 BC.

Meroë was one of the capitals of the Nubian Empire, which at times rivaled its more famous northern neighbor, Egypt. As archaeologists continue to excavate in the Sudan, they're finding that it had more influence on ancient Egyptian culture than previously thought. The Nubians even took over Egypt and installed their own dynasty there, ruling from 760-656 BC before the Egyptians kicked them out.

The pyramids at Meroë are a two-and-a-half hour drive north of the modern capital Khartoum. This video takes us on that journey, with a classic soundtrack to get us in the mood. The camel crossing reminds me of a similar holdup I experienced in Ethiopia's Somali region!

Video: Visiting The Pyramids of Sudan originally appeared on Gadling on Mon, 30 Apr 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adventureadventure destinationadventure destinationsadventure traveladventure travelsadventure vacationAdventure VacationsAdventureDestinationAdventureDestinationsAdventureTravelAdventureTravelsAdventureVacationAdventureVacationsancient egyptancient historyAncientEgyptAncientHistoryarchaeologyarcheologyEgyptologyhistoryKhartoumMeroepyramidpyramidsSudanSudan tourismSudan travelSudanTourismSudanTravelvideoMon, 30 Apr 2012 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Photo of the Day: Sudanese Desert Landscape]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/04/27/photo-of-the-day-sudanese-desert-landscape/http://www.gadling.com/2012/04/27/photo-of-the-day-sudanese-desert-landscape/http://www.gadling.com/2012/04/27/photo-of-the-day-sudanese-desert-landscape/#commentsFiled under: , ,

sudanese desert landscape

A Sudanese desert landscape like this one doesn't materialize everyday here at Gadling. Sudan isn't the easiest country to visit, nor the least expensive. It's also not the very safest place to spend time as a tourist in the aggregate. Both the US State Department and the UK's Foreign and Commonwealth Office advise their citizens very generally to at the very least seriously investigate the risks before visiting Sudan.

I don't mean to make light of any of this in considering this image, snapped by Flickr user Mark Fischer in February in Ash Shamaliyah, Sudan, to be very striking. The contrast of the blue sky against the orange sand is beautifully interrupted by small, lonely buildings.

Upload your images of lonely desert landscapes to the Gadling Group Pool on Flickr. We choose our favorites from the pool as Photos of the Day.

Photo of the Day: Sudanese Desert Landscape originally appeared on Gadling on Fri, 27 Apr 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ash shamaliyahAshShamaliyahphoto of the dayPhotoOfTheDaysudansudanese desert landscapeSudaneseDesertLandscapeFri, 27 Apr 2012 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Africa's Tallest Statue: The Monument To The African Renaissance]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/04/26/africas-tallest-statue-the-monument-to-the-african-renaissance/http://www.gadling.com/2012/04/26/africas-tallest-statue-the-monument-to-the-african-renaissance/http://www.gadling.com/2012/04/26/africas-tallest-statue-the-monument-to-the-african-renaissance/#commentsFiled under: , ,

The Monument To The African RenaissanceFlying or driving into Dakar, the capital of Senegal, it's impossible to miss this imposing statue.

That's deliberate. The Monument to the African Renaissance is supposed to make a statement. At 49 meters (161 feet), it's the tallest statue in Africa. In fact, it's one of the tallest statues anywhere, beating the Statue of Liberty by several feet.

When it was completed in 2010, this giant statue caused a giant controversy. Feminists complained about the secondary status given to the female figure. Imams complained about her scanty clothing. Some complained about its Soviet artistic style, seemingly out of place in Africa, and the fact that it was built by a North Korean company. Lots of people, especially in the West, complained about its $27 million price tag.

Yeah, like the West never wastes money.

Sure, it's brash, it's bold, and it's more than a little out of proportion, but it makes its point: Africa has a big future ahead of it. You see it in everything from Africa's towering skyscrapers to its lively cafe culture, from its newly paved roads to its growing middle class. As a recent editorial by Kenyan author Binyavanga Wainaina stated, Africa isn't like its international image, and big projects like this help the world see Africa differently.

Love it or hate it, this statue has become a major tourist site in Dakar. You can take an elevator up to the top of the guy's head and look out over the city. People are even photographing it as they fly into town, or by flying a camera on a kite like Jeff Attaway did to take the photo below.

Hopefully the next major statement by an African government will be built by an African company.

Top photo courtesy Laurence Thielemans.

The monument to the African Renaissance

Africa's Tallest Statue: The Monument To The African Renaissance originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 26 Apr 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adventureadventure destinationadventure destinationsadventure traveladventure vacationAdventure Vacationsadventure-travelAdventureDestinationAdventureDestinationsadventuresAdventureTravelAdventureVacationAdventureVacationsAfricaDakarmonumentSenegalSenegal tourismSenegal travelSenegalTourismSenegalTravelstatue+statuesThe Monument To The African RenaissanceTheMonumentToTheAfricanRenaissancewest africaWestAfricaThu, 26 Apr 2012 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Safari Destination: Ruaha National Park, Tanzania]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/04/25/safari-destination-ruaha-national-park-tanzania/http://www.gadling.com/2012/04/25/safari-destination-ruaha-national-park-tanzania/http://www.gadling.com/2012/04/25/safari-destination-ruaha-national-park-tanzania/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Lions are a common sight in Ruaha National Park, TanzaniaFor decades Tanzania has been one of the top destinations for travelers looking for a classic African safari experience. After all, the country's Serengeti National Park is home to hundreds of thousands of animals and is one of the few places where you can witness the amazing spectacle that is the Great Migration. But anyone who has ever visited the Serengeti knows that during the peak season it can get rather crowded, which can certainly diminish the mystique of the place.

Travelers looking for an alternative destination may want to consider visiting Ruaha National Park instead. Located in central Tanzania, Ruaha is the country's second largest park and a spectacular natural environment in its own right. Named for the Great Ruaha River that passes along its eastern border, the park marks the transition from forests in the south to the more arid grasslands of the north.

Covering more than 13,000 square miles of wilderness, Ruaha is home to a dizzying array of wildlife including the largest population of elephants in East Africa. With an estimated 10,000 elephants living within its borders, Ruaha is one of the best places on the continent to spot those enormous creatures. The park is also home to a large number of predators, including hyena, leopard, cheetah and several very healthy prides of lions. There are even a few packs of the increasingly rare and endangered African wild dogs too.

Even though it is located in a remote area of Tanzania, there are no less than six lodges to stay at when visiting Ruaha. Those lodges include places like the Tandala Tented Camps, Ruaha River Lodge and Jongomero Camp, each of which offer rustic, yet still luxurious, accommodations for adventurous travelers.

It may be a bit more challenging to get to but for those looking for a unique and decidedly uncrowded African safari, Ruaha is well worth the journey.

Safari Destination: Ruaha National Park, Tanzania originally appeared on Gadling on Wed, 25 Apr 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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I've always been intrigued by Burkina Faso. I know very little about this West African nation and that only increases the allure. It also helps that it has a cool name and its capital, Ouagadougou, has probably the coolest city name ever! While my travels have focused on North Africa and the Horn of Africa, I plan to explore West Africa one day and Burkina Faso is high on my list.

This video by Tony, who writes the great Africa Full Circle blog, gives a sneak peak of the street scene in Ouagadougou. He mounted a camera to his helmet and sped around town on his motorcycle, then added a chilled out soundtrack to the video. Tony says that the roads are much nicer than they used to be with many having been paved in the past year.

Tony has plenty more videos from his world travels on his many blogs. Be sure to check them out!

Video: Traffic In Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso originally appeared on Gadling on Sun, 22 Apr 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adventureadventure destinationadventure destinationsadventure traveladventure traveleradventure travelsadventure vacationAdventure VacationsAdventureDestinationAdventureDestinationsadventuresAdventureTravelAdventureTravelerAdventureTravelsAdventureVacationAdventureVacationsAfrica tourismAfrica travelAfricaTourismAfricaTravelBurkina FasoBurkina Faso tourismBurkina Faso travelBurkinaFasoBurkinaFasoTourismBurkinaFasoTravelmotorcyclemotorcycle crashMotorcycleCrashmotorcyclesOuagadougouvideoWest AfricaWestAfricaSun, 22 Apr 2012 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Five Things You Can Do On Earth Day To Save Natural Resources]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/04/21/five-things-you-can-do-on-earth-day-to-save-natural-resources/http://www.gadling.com/2012/04/21/five-things-you-can-do-on-earth-day-to-save-natural-resources/http://www.gadling.com/2012/04/21/five-things-you-can-do-on-earth-day-to-save-natural-resources/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

earthEarth Day is upon us, and even if you're not planning to celebrate our planet's making it through another year (what global warming?), there are still some simple measures you can take to show your gratitude. Love your Mother, you know?

Whether you're on the road or at home, the following are smart rules to implement every day of the year:
  • Do laundry at night, after peak electricity usage hours and only wash full loads.
  • Use a travel mug when you purchase your morning coffee and carry a reusble water bottle.
  • Stash reusable shopping bags in your car, purse or backpack and desk.
  • Turn the tap off while brushing your teeth, washing your face, doing dishes or shaving.
  • Switch to e-tickets, e-pay, and other paperless forms of commerce; add your name to no junk mail and catalog lists.

[Photo credit: Flickr user kevin dooley]

How to Save Water and Save Money

Five Things You Can Do On Earth Day To Save Natural Resources originally appeared on Gadling on Sat, 21 Apr 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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If I were tasked with creating a slogan for Tren Italia, it would be Sempre Ritardo - Always Late. Perhaps it wouldn't help sell tickets but it would be a rare occasion of truth in advertising. I have a battered wife-syndrome love affair with train travel in Italy. Tren Italia (TI) has been a mess for decades, but I keep riding because I love trains, hate buses and can't afford to rent cars in Italy. I'm generally supportive of unions, but anyone looking for evidence to support union-busting laws could find plenty of ammunition by studying TI's inefficiencies.

Dysfunctional Website - I tried to buy TI tickets online using every credit card in my wallet and none worked. I contacted the New York office of the Italian Tourism Board to see what I was doing wrong and they confirmed that American credit cards generally do not work on TI's website. I recently purchased train tickets in Germany and Switzerland online from the U.S. with an American credit card without a hitch, but as everyone knows, Italy is a different beast.

Aside from the credit card hitch, the site's search functions leave a lot to be desired. For example, I was looking to find a cheap, regional train from Parma to Modena last week and checked the box "Find the best price." Oddly enough, when you check that box, it only displays the more expensive 11-euro trains to Modena. Uncheck the "Find the best price" box and it also shows the regional lines that cost just 5 euros. Go figure.

Continue reading Dysfunctional Tren Italia - Sempre Ritardo

Dysfunctional Tren Italia - Sempre Ritardo originally appeared on Gadling on Wed, 18 Apr 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>italytrain traveltrain travel in italyTrainTravelTrainTravelInItalytren italiaTrenItaliaWed, 18 Apr 2012 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[A Writer Returns To Uganda Without Ever Leaving]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/04/16/a-writer-returns-to-uganda-without-ever-leaving/http://www.gadling.com/2012/04/16/a-writer-returns-to-uganda-without-ever-leaving/http://www.gadling.com/2012/04/16/a-writer-returns-to-uganda-without-ever-leaving/#commentsFiled under: ,



I'd been looking for an excuse to leave Kampala for a several weeks. After our guard stole my roommate's bankroll and the security company asked us to decide whether he should be fired or pistol-whipped -- we settled on the latter after both protesting and soliciting his input -- I'd been tasked with a story about health care that required me to loiter in a hospital where amputees dragged themselves down the halls from ward to ward. I was young and these slight horrors planted the seeds of anxiety: I was convinced that the waiters at the expatronized Ethiopian restaurant, who al-Shabab would murder a few years later, had become rude and that the screeners at the gates of parliament had taken an unhealthy interest in my press pass.

When my less-than-encouraging editor offered me the Murchison Falls story, I took it immediately. I'd never said no to him and it was finally convenient to say yes. I didn't want to be at home anymore. My half-built compound had been all but taken over by a group of construction workers, men who wore their muscles like wet suits and sweated accordingly.

Murchison Falls National Park had once been renowned enough for its plentiful wildlife to attract the Queen and the Prince of Wales, but the last few decades had been hard on the area around Masindi and Lake Edward. A series of rebel armies -- anti-Milton Obote, anti-Idi Amin, anti-Yoweri Museveni -- took up residency in the hills near the Blue Nile. After a Lord's Resistant Army soldier gunned down a British tourist on safari in the park in 2005, the State Department issued a warning and the slow trickle of adventurous Europeans stopped altogether. Most of Joseph Kony's boys fled the scene of the crime and the few elephants, crocodiles and hippos that hadn't been eaten or used for target practice were finally left in peace.

Gallery: Murchison Falls National Park

The FallsThe RiverElephantsHipposWildlife

Continue reading A Writer Returns To Uganda Without Ever Leaving

A Writer Returns To Uganda Without Ever Leaving originally appeared on Gadling on Mon, 16 Apr 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adventure-travelAfrica TravelAfricaTravelgalleryJoseph KonyJosephKonyMurchison FallsMurchisonFallsNorthern UgandaNorthernUgandaSafariUgandaUganda TravelUgandaTravelMon, 16 Apr 2012 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Met Showcases Predynastic Art Of Egypt]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/04/13/met-showcases-predynastic-art-of-egypt/http://www.gadling.com/2012/04/13/met-showcases-predynastic-art-of-egypt/http://www.gadling.com/2012/04/13/met-showcases-predynastic-art-of-egypt/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Predynastic Art, Egypt, MetThe Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City has one of the best collections of ancient Egyptian art in the world. Now it has opened a special exhibition focusing on the lesser-known art from the early days of Egypt before the pharaohs.

"The Dawn of Egyptian Art" brings together art from the Predynastic and Early Dynastic Periods (ca. 4000-2650 B.C.), a time when Egypt was developing into a society with towns, specialized labor and, eventually, a centralized government. This broad swath of time included several distinct local cultures that slowly became the ancient Egypt that we are familiar with.

The main culture was the Naqada culture. Villages each had their own animal deities, many of which survived as gods and goddesses of dynastic Egypt. The dead were buried with works of art such as jewelry and figurines of these deities. As agriculture became more important in the fertile Nile valley, villages grew into towns and art flourished. Local rulers became more powerful and expanded their territories until Egypt was two kingdoms: Upper and Lower Egypt.

The 175 objects from the Met's collection, and those of a dozen other institutions, put Predynastic Art into its historical and cultural context as well as display them as objects of beauty. For example, this female figure, shown here in a photo courtesy the Brooklyn Museum, was made about 3500-3400 B.C. and is typical of the highly abstracted figures made throughout most of the Predynastic Period. It's unclear what this figure symbolized, although many Egyptologists think these figures are goddesses, since similar figures painted onto pots are always larger than the male "priests" shown next to them.

Some art is easier to identify, like ships and hunting scenes painted onto pottery or on tomb walls. There are also statues of gods and goddesses, many of which can be identified as the major deities of the age of the pharaohs. A masterpiece of early Egyptian art is the Narmer Palette, seen in the gallery, which commemorates the unification of Upper and Lower Egypt in the 31st century B.C.

For more information, check out this excellent page on Predynastic Art and check out the gallery below.

"The Dawn of Egyptian Art" runs until August 5.

Gallery: Egypt before the Pharaohs

Palette in the shape of a pair of turtles, Naqada II (c. 3650-3300 BC)Naqada I bone figureThe Narmer PaletteNaqada II vessel showing a possible boatIvory Hippo from Naqada I Period, c. 4000-3500 BC

Met Showcases Predynastic Art Of Egypt originally appeared on Gadling on Fri, 13 Apr 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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"Somewhere" from miadox on Vimeo.

"Somewhere" is the first installment of a time-lapse video series. Covering both natural beauty and man-made wonders, "Somewhere" is a fantastic start for an ongoing project. If the rest of the videos in this upcoming series are anything like this time-lapse, then we all have worthwhile time wasting via film-watching to look forward to in the near future. Created by Miadox, this video features stunning images - the kind that make you tear up a little bit at your desk and think positive thoughts about what a beautiful place planet Earth is. Crashing waves, skylines, sunsets, gigantic machinery, racing clouds, headlights and sparkling stars all make appearances in this juxtaposition-centered video. Enjoy Earth.

Continue reading Video: 'Somewhere' Time-Lapse Video

Video: 'Somewhere' Time-Lapse Video originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 12 Apr 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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