· March, 2012

Stories about Travel from March, 2012

Azerbaijan: Novruz comes to an end

  30 March 2012

Novruz, the Persian New Year which is also celebrated in Azerbaijan, has come to an end and, using the example of the oil-rich country, Eastbook says that during the holiday it can often be difficult to conduct business or arrange meetings. Nevertheless, it notes that Azerbaijan's Embassy in Georgia was...

This Week in the Caribbean Blogosphere

  29 March 2012

Again this week, the regional blogosphere was dominated by talk of Pope Benedict XVI's visit to Cuba. With reports of repression at an all-time high, Cuban bloggers were dismayed by the outcome of the trip.

The Cuba the Pope Leaves Behind

  29 March 2012

Pope Benedict XVI's trip to Cuba has come to an end, a visit bookended by the Castro brothers: President Raul Castro greeting the pontiff at the airport and Fidel Castro meeting with him before his departure. But bloggers are suggesting that despite the Pope's message of change and hope for the future, it looks like business as usual on the island.

Cuba: Pope Arrives Today; What Will His Visit Bring?

  26 March 2012

Pope Benedict XVI is due to arrive today in Cuba, even as bloggers chronicle the “wave of arrests and threats” preceding the papal visit. But top of mind for most bloggers, particularly from the diaspora, is whether or not the pontiff will decide to meet with the Ladies in White and other members of the political opposition.

Thailand: Unique Taxi Decorations in Bangkok

  25 March 2012

Created four years ago, the blog Still Life in Moving Vehicles has been featuring a variety of interesting photos of Bangkok taxi cab decorations. Dale Konstanz, who started compiling the photos more than five years ago, cites his inspiration for the online project. Here are some photos of taxi talismans, charms, religious icons, and political stickers

This Week in the Caribbean Blogosphere

  24 March 2012

Activity in the Caribbean blogosphere this week has been predominantly coming from Cuba and its diaspora, as the country prepares for the arrival of Pope Benedict XVI amidst frustration about the human rights situation on the island and dissatisfaction over the pontiff declining to meet members of the Cuban opposition during his stay.

Cuba: Bloggers Continue to Speak Out about Papal Visit

  23 March 2012

Pope Benedict XVI's upcoming trip to Cuba will be the first from the head of the Catholic church in more than a decade. As the pontiff's arrival draws ever closer, bloggers continue to be vocal about their opinions, even as human rights violations reportedly continue.

Video: Surfers, Fishermen and Radiation in Post Earthquake Japan

  20 March 2012

Journalist Lisa Katayama and filmmaker Jason Wishnow are documenting the lives of people dealing with radiation in a post-earthquake Japan. In We Are All Radioactive, they are including 50% footage made by themselves in the areas around Fukushima Power Plant, and 50% footage made by residents who were given waterproof digital cameras.

Cuba: Bloggers Uncomfortable as Pope's Visit Looms

  19 March 2012

As Pope Benedict XVI's controversial visit to Cuba draws closer, online discussion is heating up. Bloggers are upset over what they perceive as a partnership between communism and Catholicism, especially in light of reportedly ongoing human rights abuses and other surreptitious methods of curtailing personal freedoms.

Philippines: Electric Jeepneys

  19 March 2012

Prime Sarmiento writes that the Philippines has recently launched the largest electric public transport fleet in Southeast Asia with its first commercial franchise of electric jeepneys (e-jeepneys). The jeepney is the most popular public mode of transport in the country

Cuba: Bloggers Respond to Archbishop's Action

  17 March 2012

Bloggers are reaching boiling point over the political/religious acts of repression that have been taking place in Cuba - and the Pope hasn't even arrived yet. The latest controversy involves the request to remove protesters from a church, which reportedly came from the Archbishop of Havana.

Barbados: Could Bus Accident have been Prevented?

  17 March 2012

“Why are we so cynical and critical when it comes to mass-casualty bus accidents? We’ve learned to be because there are never any satisfactory answers as to cause or remedial actions taken afterwards”: Barbados Free Press blogs about the country's latest road accident.

Trinidad & Tobago: Political Fiction

  15 March 2012

The Eternal Pantomime says that it is becoming “very hard…to keep up with the many stories and angles to this new scandal with the PM’s travel assistant”, adding: “This govt is a fiction machine and churns them out faster than the Sweet Valley High series.”

Senegal: Discovering Exotic Local Produce

  14 March 2012

Khady discovers exotic local produce in Senegal: “Recently I challenged myself to start discovering some of the more exotic local produce available on the vendors’ stands in Senegal. I started this week. Well, kind of. I ventured beyond my norm, but the fruit that appeared in my kitchen came from...