Stories about Travel from November, 2011
Barbados: Response to Crime Affecting Tourism?
Barbados Free Press questions the role of the local police “in what has become an all-too-familiar story of covering up crime against tourists.”
Vietnam: Questions on the ‘New Seven Wonders’ Contest
Tim of Come and Go Vietnam questions the credibility of the ‘New Seven Wonders of the World’ contest. Vietnam's Halong Bay was included in the initial list of winners.
India: The Camel Fair Of Pushkar
Nisha J shares her experience of spending a day at the famous Camel Fair of Pushkar, a holy town of the Ajmer district in the state of Rajasthan, India.
Bhutan: The King Visits Japan
Dorji Wangchuk posts a photo essay on the recent state visit of the Bhutanese royal couple to Japan.
Jamaica: Miami Book Fair Meetup
Litblogger Geoffrey Philp meets some old literary friends at The Miami Book Fair International.
Ghana: Visual Artist Meets Nicest People on Earth
Christine M. Rose, an actor and visual artist from upstate New York, writes about her trip to a Ghanaian village: “They were literally the nicest people on earth…They literally fed, clothed, and sheltered me with no expectation of recompense.”
Mexico: Looking Beyond the Violent Portrait of Ciudad Juárez
Richard Boren in the blog Border Wars shows that there's a lot more to Ciudad Juárez than the violence portrayed in the media. “The city is becoming increasingly more isolated from the world. […] The collateral damage from Juarez's one-sided portrait in the media is enormous, and one of the...
Chile: Citizens Fight to Save Valparaiso's Emblematic Elevators
Valparaíso’s 130-year-old elevators are teetering on the brink of extinction and locals are taking to the streets and social media to fight for them. The World Monuments Fund has named them one of the world’s 100 most endangered historical treasures.
North Korea Opens its Door for Tourists, But Cellphones are Not Allowed
North Korea, one of the world's most reclusive states, opens its door a tiny crack for tourists to earn hard currency. But tourists are forbidden from bringing cellphone, sending an email and talking to ordinary North Koreans. A travel blogger from the Tripified.ca left sarcastic comments on North Korea's tourism...
Kenya: The Maasai Flame
Learn about the Maasai flame from the Wandering Trader: “One of the unique aspects of visiting the Maasai in Kenya is they perform many of their rituals while you are there. After seeing the way they typically dance and getting a taste of what life is like inside their homes...
Palestine: Freedom Riders Challenge Israeli Segregation
On November 15 a group of Palestinian activists were arrested while travelling on a bus carrying Israeli settlers. The activists called themselves the “Freedom Riders”, after the American civil rights campaigners of 1961.
Europe: A Song Criticizing Schengen Visa Procedure
At BlogActiv.eu, Kader Sevinc writes about “a creative way of criticizing the Schengen visa procedure” – Schengen Macht Frei, a song by Sarp Yeletaysi/Sarpinto, who writes this on SoundCloud: “[…] This song is the product of many visits to embassies of European countries to obtain a visa which is a...
India: Jim Corbett Museum
As a part of the Club Mahindra Bloggers Trip, Anu Shankaran went to the Corbett National Park and the Jim Corbett Museum and posts a photo essay. Jim Corbett was a British-Indian hunter of man-eating tigers and leopards, conservationist, naturalist, photographer and author.
Cuba: Papal Visit Challenges
Crossing the Barbed Wire suggests that the proposed Papal visit to Cuba next year “presents challenges for three essential actors of the current Cuba”; El Cafe Cubano, meanwhile, says: “I don't believe the Pope's visit will do anything to ‘CHANGE’ things in Cuba.”
Bangladesh: Joining A Cycling Community
A. I. Sajib posts a photo essay on his experience during a cycling tour with a new cycling community in Bangladesh.
Nepal: Why Kathmandu's Tribhuvan Airport Is Hated
Dinesh Wagle explains why Kathmandu's Tribhuvan Airport is one of the most hated airports in the world.
Sri Lanka: Preserving The Covered Bridge in Badulla
Uditha Wijesena posts a photo essay on the covered bridge at the Bogoda Temple in Badulla and reports that support is required to preserve this unique attraction.
Lebanon: Jeita Grotto… To Vote or Not to Vote
Will the Jeita Grotto in Lebanon be named as one of the New7Wonders of Nature today? Layal Al Khatib sums up the discussion between Lebanese netizens in favour and against the voting contest.
Cuba: On the Pope's Potential Visit
On hearing news that the Pope may visit Cuba next year, diaspora blogger babalu says: “If the Pope does indeed visit Cuba and the Castro regime is still in power, there can only be two possible outcomes: either the visit will be ‘apolitical,'…or the Pope will stand up and vehemently...
Cuba: Segregation Sail
Reinaldo Escobar and his wife Yoani Sanchez get kicked off a yacht tour reserved for tourists; he recounts the experience here.
Brunika: Brunei's Instagramers Community
Brunika is Brunei's official instagramers network whose vision is for each members to “Share, Good Communication and Own Creativity”