May 21st, 2013 at 2:00PM: cacophonyx, Flickr
Nothing like stereotypes to really give you the feel of a country. It seems that a lot of people have a soft spot for anything that gives us an insider look - whether true or not - at Scandinavia. Why Scandinavian, and in particular Swedish culture, is of such interest is a bit beyond me, but there's certainly an obsession with that country in the north that brought us ...Click on a label to read posts from that part of the world.
culture posts
How to Be Swedish: This Video Will (Sort Of) Tell You
May 21st, 2013 at 2:00PM: cacophonyx, Flickr
Nothing like stereotypes to really give you the feel of a country. It seems that a lot of people have a soft spot for anything that gives us an insider look - whether true or not - at Scandinavia. Why Scandinavian, and in particular Swedish culture, is of such interest is a bit beyond me, but there's certainly an obsession with that country in the north that brought us ...Official To Chinese Tourists: 'Be Quiet, Don't Spit'
May 18th, 2013 at 1:00PM: Kim Traynor
A senior official in China has urged Chinese tourists to improve their behavior, the South China Morning Post reports. Vice-Premier Wang Yang said the "breeding" of some Chinese tourists leaves something to be desired and there are problems with them, "talking loudly in public places, jay-walking, spitting and willfully carving characters on items in scenic zones."
Mr. Yang is ...Postcards From Carcassonne: Exploring A Medieval French Village
May 1st, 2013 at 11:00AM:
While on a film production in southern France (no really, for this), we were cruising along the autoroute between Toulouse and Narbonne. I was in the driver's seat, which, for the record, is not the spot you want to be in while driving through this part of France. You get the occasional glimpse at the countryside, but as the sun shines and the southern landscape passes by, you definitely want ...Discover Scandinavia In Washington DC: Nordic Cool 2013
Feb 20th, 2013 at 11:00AM:
Aurora Borealis, new Nordic cuisine, ice hotels, hot springs, fjords, moose, meatballs and music? Scandinavia is at the top of the list for a lot of travelers these days. But if you can't book a ticket to the northern countries this year, Washington, D.C., might be your next best bet.
The city is the host of Nordic Cool 2013, a month-long international festival celebrating the culture of ...The Best Places In The US To Celebrate Chinese New Year
Jan 22nd, 2013 at 11:00AM:
Chinese New Year – or Spring Festival as it's also known – is a Chinese celebration that marks the start of new life. Each year is associated with an animal from the Chinese zodiac and 2013 will welcome the year of the snake.
New Year is the most important holiday in China (a lot like Christmas is in the West), and Chinese families celebrate by buying gifts, food and clothing. ...The Kimchi-ite: 10 Differences Between South Korea And The Rest Of The World
Dec 21st, 2012 at 11:00AM:
There are countless differences between South Korea and the rest of the world. Even the casual traveler bouncing around Asia will notice how everyday culture differs. In many ways Korean culture is somewhere in between that of Japan and China, but in so many more ways it is unique to itself. Here are some of the more interesting and unique differences I have noticed.
1. KOREANS AGE ...Faces Of Afghanistan: Why A Personal Connection Is The Most Important Part Of Travel
Dec 13th, 2012 at 10:00AM:
"The people are sweet, the country's a mess."
I had asked an NGO worker with a teaching and military background about his perspective of Afghanistan.
It's always hard to sum up a place in a sentence, be it Australia or Afghanistan, but this one kind of said it all, in a particularly heartbreaking way.
Read a newspaper article and you get to know a place. Have an exchange with an ...Moments Of Serendipity: Daily Life In Afghanistan
Dec 6th, 2012 at 11:00AM:
Good travel pushes you to let go of control, and Afghanistan is certainly one of those places. Here, daily life is dictated by security decisions, which roads are safe to travel on and which ones are not, and if you are trying to stick to a concrete plan, something will surely get in the way. Afghanistan is the place for serendipity, a place that when you come to understand that you have ...Mountain2Mountain: Advocating For Voice And Women's Empowerment In Afghanistan
Dec 5th, 2012 at 11:00AM:
Three years ago I was in Telluride, Colorado attending Mountainfilm festival. I was particularly blown away by a series of huge photographs that depicted life in Afghanistan. I remember being particularly moved by one of a beggar woman in a burqa, sitting in the middle of a dusty street with a boy sitting in her lap. I had read, and even written about the Streets of Afghanistan photo exhibit, in ...Urban Park Allows Visitors To Travel To More Than 50 Countries
Oct 23rd, 2012 at 3:00PM:
Do you wish you could travel more but don't have the time to visit as many places as you would like? If you can get yourself to Copenhagen, you'll be able to travel to over 50 different countries without leaving their newest urban park project, Superkilen.
Commissioned by the city of Copenhagen and RealDania, the concept of the "Super Park" was developed by SUPERFLEX as well as architectural ...10 Remote Travel Destinations From Around The World
Oct 20th, 2012 at 10:00AM:
As technology and transportation advance, the world becomes smaller and smaller; however, that doesn't mean there aren't still out-of-the-way destinations with well-preserved history and culture worth exploring. Although tricky to get to, these 10 remote spots are worth the journey.
Easter Island
One of the most famous remote islands in the world, Easter Island, a special territory of ...10 Cultural Experiences To Have In Buenos Aires, Argentina
Oct 17th, 2012 at 11:00AM: Traveling to Buenos Aires in Argentina? Add these experiences to your itinerary for a better view of local culture.
Graffiti Walks
Walking around Buenos Aires, it will immediately become clear the city has close ties with the arts, specifically graffiti. While many associate street art with vandalism, the works adorning the streets in Buenos Aires are created by talented and ...Getting To Know The Faces Of Holland
Oct 11th, 2012 at 4:00PM:
Holland's most recent campaign, "Faces of Holland," allows travelers to get to know the iconic facets of the region. Here are the six "faces," and how you can meet them for yourself.
Bicycles
Biking and Holland are almost synonymous. In fact, out of Holland's 16 million inhabitants, 18 million own bicycles, which means there are more bikes than people. With a flat landscape and over ...10 Locals To Befriend On Your Next Trip
Oct 2nd, 2012 at 11:00AM: When traveling, interacting with locals can really enhance your trip. From showing you lesser-known sights to teaching you about local culture and giving you offbeat tips you wouldn't find in a guidebook, residents in the city you visit are worth getting to know. To help give you some travel insight, here are 10 locals to befriend on your next trip.
The Taxi Driver
Many travelers don't ...Explore Cuba's Rich History And Culture With GeoEx
Sep 28th, 2012 at 8:00AM: Adventure travel company Geographic Expeditions (GeoEx) has announced that it has been awarded a license to begin offering historical and cultural exchange tours to Cuba, giving Americans a rare opportunity to visit a country that has essentially been off limits for decades. The first scheduled tour will take place November 3-10 of this year and travelers who book by October 1 will receive a $500 ...Holistic Culture: Berber Remedies In Morocco
Sep 15th, 2012 at 2:00PM: When visiting Morocco, you have the opportunity to learn about ancient remedies and Berber apothecary by visiting a Berber pharmacy. The indigenous Berber people have been honing their herbal healing methods for centuries and even though modern medicine is widely available, Moroccans swear by these cures.
Many of the pharmacies located in the souks of cities such as Fez and Marrakech are run by ...Austria Opens Its First Yodel Hiking Trail
Sep 15th, 2012 at 12:00PM: When people think of Austria, one thing that often comes to mind is the musical style of yodeling that was developed in the Alps. The country is proud of their melodious heritage, and is helping active travelers experience it outside of the theater with their first ever Yodel Hiking Trail.
Recently opened by Castello Hotel and Restaurant owner Christian Eder, the trail sits high above Austria's ...Marriage Traditions Of Morocco's Berber Tribes
Sep 14th, 2012 at 2:00PM:
Every fall the indigenous Berber people of northern Morocco gather in the mountain village of Imilchil, about four hours from Fez, for the traditional Imilchil Marriage Festival. While the dates shift based on the lunar calendar, the three-day event will take place this year September 23 to 25.
At the Imilchil Marriage Festival, youths from different tribes get the opportunity to meet ...
Why Bolivia Should Be Your Next Travel Destination
Sep 11th, 2012 at 4:00PM: Before traveling to Bolivia, I received mixed opinions on whether the country was a worthwhile destination to add to my itinerary. Because I wanted to find out for myself firsthand, I – thankfully – made sure I did. Now, Bolivia is one of my favorite travel destinations on the planet. Here's why:
It Offers One-Of-A-Kind Adventures
Where else can you bike the world's most ...Kiwi Cool: New Zealand For The Un-Adventurous
Sep 6th, 2012 at 12:00PM:
I just spent a month in New Zealand and I don't ski, snowboard, climb mountains, or bungee jump. I don't like "extreme" anything and I'm not sure why anyone would participate in something called "zorbing." In the midst of winter in the Southern Hemisphere, it's too cold for beaches or swimming but too wet most days for a pleasant hike. Instead, I explored museums and galleries, sipped ...
