Sullivan is not really new to the music scene; he’s been carrying around a guitar since he was four. When his father took him to see Buddy Guy at a local theater, Guy invited the then eight year old Quinn on stage to play. As a teenager he would find himself touring the world, playing and hanging out with other guitarists, including Eric Clapton, B.B. King, Jeff Beck and Carlos Santana. You know… just normal teenager stuff.

His discography now includes a fourth album, ‘Wide Awake’ that he released in the summer of 2021. Having accomplished so much at such a young age, you might think in our world of selfies, lifestyle and bling that Sullivan would be enticed by the ‘rock star’ image. But you’d be wrong. “I still live in New Bedford” he says. The more we talked the more I realized Quinn Sullivan is well-grounded. He knows what he wants in his music and he’s laser-focused on making it happen. Our conversation began with those early days

You’ve got to tell me a little about the Toe Jam Band.
“That was the first band that I used to go see as a kid. They used to play at a zoo close to my house. Every Monday my dad and I would go see these guys play; it was a kid’s band. We got to know a couple of kids in the band and at the same time I was learning how to play guitar. I probably was about four. They saw me with my guitar, I was just hanging out playing it, strumming along with them and one day the lead singer said, ‘Hey, how about we have Quinn come on stage with us and play along?’ So, I came up with my acoustic guitar, unplugged just strumming away with the band … thought that would be so awesome and so much fun to do. So every week I would go and hang out and play. It was such a great thing to do as a kid, especially loving music.”

What is it about Massachusetts and guitar players?
“I don’t know, nobody really thinks of Massachusetts as being a music place unless you do your research and look at history. I don’t know man, like I said I grew up in New Bedford and there are a bunch of great musicians around this area that play all over the downtown area. We call this area the South Coast and it’s just a bunch of cool musicians, bands and artists playing. I was lucky enough to grow up in a place where that was going on a lot as a kid. I was just surrounded all the time; I’d go to open-mike jams and various events going on in the area. I was always around music growing up.”

You’ve been mostly considered a blues player but your collaboration with Oliver Leiber on your latest project, ‘Wide Awake’ gives fans some fresh perspective on the music of Quinn Sullivan.
“What a fun process it was. Yeah, it’s funny you said the blues thing. It has been my title for a long time. This album allowed me to see what I could do, the avenues I could go down, musically. As Carlos Santana put it, ‘expand your Rolodex!’ “(laughing)” The record was really fun to make. I made it in Oliver’s home studio in Los Angeles and it was such a fun process. We wrote the album in about five or six months and I enjoyed the writing process so much. We got together the first time probably in mid-2018 and the first writing session off the bat was just great. We wrote a song called, ‘She’s Gone’ which is actually one of my favorite songs off the album. We wrote it in about two hours. I spent about a week writing with him and it was the first time I ever met him, never met him before, never really knew much about him. It was a mutual friend who hooked us up together and we immediately had this great friendship that just sparked an immediate chemistry…and we did the whole album in a year and a half span. We wrote fourteen or fifteen songs and I came back to L.A. at the end of 2019 to record. And all of these incredible musicians he put together for this album; Abraham Laboriel, Jr. “(Paul McCartney’s drummer)” Aaron Sterling “(John Mayer, Taylor Swift)” just phenomenal musicians, Paul Peterson’s playing bass and keyboards, you know a Minneapolis hero. Oliver got a bunch of these people together and that in itself was incredible because I never thought I’d ever be in a room with all these people.” (laughing)”I am such a huge fan of music and a huge fan of looking at the liner notes on albums, seeing all the people that played on the songs on great albums. I’m just a huge music lover in that sense and to have these people’s names on one of my albums is just out of this world. I couldn’t have had anybody better on this record.”

The track ‘All Around the World’ really hits home right now. I think it gives us all a little inspiration, some light at the end of the tunnel.
“Absolutely, that was one of the reasons we chose that to be the first single. Funny enough, we wrote the song before any of this even happened. We wrote it in 2019 about how the world was at the time, which was not great. Obviously, things began to get a lot worse, but we had no idea. It just resonated with me and my whole record company and my manager. We just decided it would be a good song to put out as the first thing that people hear of mine, because I hadn’t released any music for a good three to four years, so it’d been awhile. I thought the first piece of music I put out, I wanted it to be something positive, with energy and good vibes, really.”

Sounds like you’ve been pretty productive during the pandemic?
“Well, I have. It’s been a drag for us all, but the album was done before the pandemic started. I was very fortunate to not have a half done album and then have to cram to finish it. If anything it gave us more time to work on it, refine things, more time for mixing. So I had a lot of time to think about it, reflect on it and add things I thought needed to be added. Oliver would do things to it and that added a good six months to it. We pushed it all back a year. It was suppose to come out in 2020 and have it done by the summer. Obviously, it didn’t make sense to put it out in 2020, so we waited a year and the start of 2021 let’s have a new single out and let’s just push this thing out there, so that’s what we did.”

Blues it seems, more than any other genre of music is handed down from teacher to student. That truly was the case for you when you met Buddy Guy, wasn’t it?
“Well when you look at all these people in the blues world, even the rock and British blues world, like Jeff Beck, Clapton, Carlos Santana, I kind of put them all together in a group. You grow up listening to these people, seeing them on TV, posters on your wall, but you never think ever in your life you’ll be in the same room with them. Through Buddy Guy I’ve gotten to meet some of my heroes. It’s a full circle moment for me. The Buddy Guy thing happened when I was about eight years old; I got to see Buddy play at a theater called the Zeiterion, which I actually just got to headline a show there a few months ago…another full circle moment for me. We went to the theater in 2007 and I went with my dad and we knew some people at the theater and hoped maybe we could finagle our way backstage. So, we did and met Buddy’s guitar tech. I think we knew that Buddy was notorious for bringing kids on stage and giving them some time if they could play, because Buddy’s just so generous like that. We walked into his dressing room and I had my little Squier Fender Stratocaster with me and I was definitely a shy little kid at that time so I probably wasn’t talking much. I remember him being so gracious and so nice to me. I think he was just geeked out because I had a guitar (laughing) I was a little kid with a guitar and he was like can he play this thing? So I played a little bit for him and apparently that was good enough for him to call me on stage that night because that’s what ended up happening. He called me up and I played the last half hour of the show and it was like the greatest night of my life. I mean for an eight year old kid to get an opportunity like that you don’t really realize how cool that is at the moment. I’ve just begun to realize it now, how incredibly amazing that is for a little kid to do. And also having no idea how it would change my life course; I always knew I wanted to be a musician and it would be something I would want to do, but I never thought it would come so quickly. Through Buddy Guy, it’s jump-started the career I have today, so I owe Buddy so much and obviously thank him so much for all he’s done.”

Did I see you playing a Sitar at an event, one time? A Sitar?
“Yeah, that’s just from my connection to the Beatles and George Harrison and the love that I have for that music. I love Indian music; I love all different kinds of stuff. I did that in India, I got to play a festival in Mumbai a few years ago in 2017.

Let’s talk about your writing, do you have a process…do you write with your guitar?
“My process is always changing for me. Normally it does start with the guitar, or an idea or concept for a song. Lately, I’ve been trying to teach myself how to play the piano a little bit so I’ve been messing around with that. Writing on a piano you get different chordal ideas versus playing guitar, it’s just a different weapon of choice to use to write. But yeah, most of the time it’s on the guitar and it usually starts with a vocal line, a chord progression or any sort of melodic thing I hear in my head, I just have to put down. And once you start you really can’t stop!” (laughing) “You have to just get it done…I mean, I have like a thousand, if I showed you my phone I have a thousand voice memos and ideas that sometimes are just insane, but you have to put them down.”

As the world comes out of hibernation, talk a little about the tour you’ve got coming up with Beth Hart.
“It starts in San Diego on February 3rd at the Balboa Theater, I believe and we’re going to go all across the country and we end in Boston, which is really cool because that’s home for me. It’s going to be so fun and Beth is an extremely gifted singer/songwriter and so cool. I’m so excited to do some shows with her, she’s so amazing. This is really my first major tour in quite some time. It’s been a few years since I’ve gone on this big of a tour. I’ve just finished rehearsals for it and I’m looking forward to playing the new music for people and meeting new people, obviously as safely as we can do it. It just feels really good to be out again and playing live. It’s really the bread and butter of what I do and why I love playing music, playing live for people.”

You’re playing some outstanding venues, too?
“Yeah, we’re playing the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, two nights at the Wilbur in Boston, the Foxwoods in Connecticut, just all over the place.”

Check out Quinn Sullivan live during his current national tour with Beth Hart. It’s going to be a party!

Quinn Sullivan Tour Dates 2022

• Tue, FEB 1
  Luther Burbank Center for the Arts
  Santa Rosa, CA
  
• Thu, FEB 3
  Balboa Theatre
  San Diego, CA
  
• Sat, FEB 5
  Saban Theatre
  Beverly Hills, CA
  
• Mon, FEB 7
  Mission Ballroom
  Denver, CO
  
• Thu, FEB 10
  Uptown Theater
  Kansas City, MO
  
• Sat, FEB 12
  The Pageant
  St Louis, MO
  
• Mon, FEB 14
  Center Stage Theater
  Atlanta, GA
  
• Wed, FEB 16
  Ryman Auditorium
  Nashville, TN
  
• Fri, FEB 18
  Old National Centre
  Indianapolis, IN
  
• Sat, FEB 19
  Taft Theatre
  Cincinnati, OH
  
• Tue, FEB 22
  The Palace Theatre
  Greensburg, PA
  
• Thu, FEB 24
  Warner Theatre
  Washington, DC
  
• Sat, FEB 26
  Keswick Theatre
  Glenside, PA
  
• Sun, FEB 27
  Hackensack Meridian Health Theatre at the Count Basie Center for the Arts
  Red Bank, NJ
  
• Wed, MAR 2
  The Town Hall
  New York, NY
  
• Fri, MAR 4
  Turning Stone Resort Casino
  Verona, NY
  
• Sat, MAR 5
  Foxwoods Resort Casino
  Mashantucket, CT
  
• Wed, MAR 9
  The Wilbur
  Boston, MA
  
• Thu, MAR 10
  The Wilbur
  Boston, MA

The post Quinn Sullivan: Music for a New Age appeared first on Traveling Archive.

We return annually to Bangkok to visit my wife’s family, and as her mother approaches 80, it has become more of an imperative. So when 2020 put the kibosh on March travels, we waited – like many – for a travel opening. Thailand closed its borders completely until October 20, 2020 after which one could enter only with a pre-approved Certificate of Entry (COE), and even then a fourteen-day hotel quarantine was enforced. These efforts helped keep the Thai average daily COVID cases at nearly zero from May through December, and even after a spike at year’s end, deaths remained less than 100 in the country of nearly 70 million – more than double the population of Texas but three-quarters the area.

An Opening

Finally, on April 3, 2021, the Thai government announced a seven-day stay for travelers with vaccinations at least two weeks beyond the final dose and less than three months old. Moderna jab No. 2 had already been scheduled, so my wife immediately asked for four weeks’ vacation, and we started gathering the documentation necessary for a COE from the consulate. The process included obtaining travel insurance with minimum coverage of $100,000 specifically mentioning COVID, which seemed silly. “It is an illness and should be covered under typical health coverage,” I argued. Once bitten, twice shy: a company had denied coverage to a traveler who got COVID and the Thai government was left with the bill, the consulate staff person explained with characteristic Thai patience.

That night I requested a letter with the required verbiage from World Nomads travel insurance, and a signed PDF was waiting in my inbox the next morning. We resubmitted our COE application, got approval, and had fifteen days to book flights, pay half the hotel, to receive the actual document. That and our passports, vax cards and even a marriage certificate (as we have different surnames) went to the hotel, and were good to go – after a negative COVID test result within 72 hours of takeoff. Documents for all of these things had been sorted by the consulate and hotel, but had to be presented for review again by Japan Airlines agents at check-in at O’Hare.

We sashayed through security, chatty with TSA agents with nothing much to do. We boarded a plane with 34 passengers to Tokyo Narita and lay out across the middle seats, and had a similar experience on the connecting flight to Bangkok.

Arrival

Thai nationals returning home can get basic accommodations paid for by the government, but we had a list of select tourist hotels in the city. I came armed with a stack of books and a Netflix password.

Immigration meant document sorting again, twice, a temperature check, and an escorted walk to the actual immigration area where… documents were sorted, stamped, questions were asked, and finally we met the typical stamp-your-passport agent. A process that took over an hour – not unusual at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi International, but surprising with only three planes parked at gates.

A hotel representative walked us to the curb where we met the driver from the hotel’s partnered hospital. He asked us to place plastic baggies on our shoes, and despite staying together, the two of us had to sit distanced within a van lit up with decorative welcome lights, like something straight out of Vegas, belying the purpose of our stay.

Rules: you cannot leave the room. All meals from daily set menu options will be delivered to the room on trays; leave the dirty dishes outside the door. Submit photos twice daily via LINE (the Thai messenger app of choice) of your temperature readings (armpit thermometers provided and kept as souvenirs). On Day 5 you receive a COVID test. If negative, you receive a certificate when you leave on Day 7. Like summer camp.

We chose wisely. Montien Riverside Hotel is an older property but well kept. Large rooms show wood floors and crown moldings, and most importantly, a nearly floor-to-ceiling window overlooking the mighty Chao Phraya River with an angle on sunrise. We watched the tide rising and falling, the tugs, barges, and longtail boats casting wakes, and the locals fishing and swimming. From our 24th floor perch we boat- and bird-watched, took time-lapse videos of river traffic and the fading colors in the clouds at sunset, and dined at a small marble table looking at the city under glass.

A Curious Twist

Yet all of this was one part bullet dodged: while we were in the air over the Pacific, Thailand’s third wave (if one counts the first two as anything much more than ripples) compelled the government to increase the quarantine again to fourteen days-even for the vaccinated. Had we landed a few days later, we’d have been subjected to it and the doubled hotel costs. We counted our luck though we would not be allowed our daily strolls in the riverside garden.

All Bangkok restaurants and bars were immediately closed or limited to delivery or pickup. (Ten days later they reopened at 25% capacity.) At the same time, despite current daily infection levels remaining much higher than all of 2020, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) announced a new “sandbox” plan for Phuket tourism. Starting July 1, vaccination cards or negative COVID tests will grant quarantine-free entry to travelers flying directly (or if direct flights were unavailable, connecting via a quarantined terminal at Suvarnabhumi International) to the popular southern island in the Andaman Sea. TAT expects more than 30,000 tourists monthly. Such is the nature of travel in destinations aggressively adapting to the pandemic.

As for us, we were released for good behavior and took a taxi directly to Krua Apsorn, our favorite restaurant, to pick up a carryout order for Mom.

Keep abreast of current travel guidelines at the Thai embassy’s website.

Kevin Revolinski’s articles have appeared in The New York Times, Chicago Tribune, and Sydney Morning Herald. He is the author of 16 books, including Wisconsin’s Best Beer Guide, Backroads & Byways Wisconsin, The Yogurt Man Cometh: Tales of an American Teacher in Turkey, and a short-story collection, Stealing Away. A frequent guest on Wisconsin Public Radio, he lives in Madison, Wisconsin. Visit his website at www.TheMadTraveler.com or www.KevinRevolinski.com

The post Through Hoops and Quarantine: Travel to Thailand appeared first on Traveling Archive.

Curated by Ed Boitano

10 National Parks Tied to Asian/Pacific American History

Courtesy Kaila Yu

The importance of honoring Asian American history is especially timely with the disturbing rise in anti-Asian hate during the pandemic. Many Americans are not aware that anti-Asian hate has been taking place since the early 1800s and aren’t taught about Asian American achievements. Several national parks honor the considerable contributions that Asian Americans have made throughout U.S. history, from building the transcontinental railroad to fighting in the military in World War II. In honor of the upcoming Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month, travelers can visit one of the 10 parks on this list tied to Asian/Pacific American history.

Make sure you read Ed Boitano’s Horrific Past: The 1849 California Gold Rush – on Traveling Boy

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Designer Becca Saladin Reimagines Famous Historical Figures as Modern People Living Today

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Why Costa Rica Is One of the Best Vacation Destinations in the World

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It’s no wonder, considering that there’s literally something for everyone when you plan a getaway there. Costa Rica is known for its incredible national parks, where tourists can enjoy some thrilling activities like river rafting, canyoning, cave tubing, and zip lining. It’s also one of the best places for animal lovers to discover some interesting wildlife like macaws, sea turtles, and adorable sloths.

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Courtesy of Michael Lee

In 1900, at a time when the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 banned most Chinese immigration and reflected a climate of deep anti-Asian prejudice, 9-year-old Mabel Ping-Hua Lee came to America from China on a scholarship to attend school. At 16, she would cement her place in women’s suffrage history, helping to lead a storied New York City march.

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Twenty Essential English Language Films Noir (1940-2021)

T-Boy Society of Film & Music

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The fluffy flour-based pancakes that American’s have come to love at breakfast time (or for brinner) just aren’t found abroad. French crêpes are too thin. The Japanese version (okonomiyaki) is too thick and most often topped with savory things like meat, seafood, and cabbage.

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Greta Thunberg

After capturing the world’s attention at the United Nations in New York City last September, Thunberg, now 17, spoke in December at the UN’s climate change conference in Madrid. Her main theme: science. “I’ve given many speeches and learned that when you talk in public, you should start with something personal or emotional to get everyone’s attention,” she said. “But today I will not do that because then those phrases are all that people focus on. They don’t remember the facts, the very reason why I say those things in the first place.”

Ghost Forests: Louisiana’s Wetlands

Courtesy National Geographic

A mindful mission: Louisiana’s wetlands near the Mississippi Delta are being lost to a rise in the sea levels, leaving eerie “ghost forests.” Under the state’s coastal restoration plan, Jacqueline Kehoe writes for Nat Geo, “more land could be saved than lost by 2060. It’s a plan that could save species, create new science and industries, and mitigate climate impact on millions of lives.” Ecotourism could help this ‘Amazon of North America’ recover, Kehoe writes.

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Along With Youth

By Ernest Hemingway

A porcupine skin,
Stiff with bad tanning,
It must have ended somewhere.
Stuffed horned owl
Pompous
Yellow eyed;
Chuck-wills-widow on a biassed twig
Sooted with dust.
Piles of old magazines,
Drawers of boy’s letters
And the line of love
They must have ended somewhere.
Yesterday’s Tribune is gone
Along with youth
And the canoe that went to pieces on the beach
The year of the big storm
When the hotel burned down
At Seney, Michigan.

Send Deb your favorite travel poems

Earth’s Mountains May Have Mysteriously Stopped Growing for a Billion Years

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The post National Parks Honoring Asian Americans appeared first on Traveling Archive.

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T-Boy Society of Film & Music

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Pancakes

The fluffy flour-based pancakes that American’s have come to love at breakfast time (or for brinner) just aren’t found abroad. French crêpes are too thin. The Japanese version (okonomiyaki) is too thick and most often topped with savory things like meat, seafood, and cabbage.

MORE

 

Why Costa Rica Is One of the Best Vacation Destinations in the World

From the rainforests to the beaches, these are the top reasons you need to visit Costa Rica.

Courtesy Andrea Romano

It’s no wonder, considering that there’s literally something for everyone when you plan a getaway there. Costa Rica is known for its incredible national parks, where tourists can enjoy some thrilling activities like river rafting, canyoning, cave tubing, and zip lining. It’s also one of the best places for animal lovers to discover some interesting wildlife like macaws, sea turtles, and adorable sloths.

MORE

Check Out 5 of Our Top 10 Favorite International Destinations, Now Open For Business

Courtesy Austin Adventures

Week by week, safe travel beyond borders has become more viable for eager adventurers. We are excited to share a countdown of our top 10 international destinations that are open and safely navigating the new travel world. This week we are revealing the first five accessible destinations and stay tuned, next week we’ll release the last five in the top 10 countdown!

MORE

The 16-Year-Old Chinese Immigrant Who Helped Lead a 1912 US Suffrage March

Mabel Ping-Hua Lee fought for the rights of women on two sides of the world.

Courtesy of Michael Lee

In 1900, at a time when the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 banned most Chinese immigration and reflected a climate of deep anti-Asian prejudice, 9-year-old Mabel Ping-Hua Lee came to America from China on a scholarship to attend school. At 16, she would cement her place in women’s suffrage history, helping to lead a storied New York City march.

But while she fought for women’s voting rights, she herself would not be eligible to cast a ballot for decades after the 19th Amendment was ratified in 1920. That’s because the Exclusion Act prohibited Chinese immigrants from obtaining any rights of American citizenship.

MORE

Extreme Places: A Night in an Ice Hotel

Spending a night in ice and snow is possible in the far north of Europe. The “Icehotel” in Jukkasjärvi, Sweden, was built back in 1989, making it the first of its kind ― and therefore part of our “Extreme Places” series.

Courtesy Hendrik Welling, DW reporter

A visit to an ice hotel isn’t exactly the first choice if you prefer to spend your holidays under palm trees in warmer climes. But if you can manage to overcome your fear of freezing, you’ll be rewarded with a unique natural experience.

MORE

Along With Youth

By Ernest Hemingway

A porcupine skin,
Stiff with bad tanning,
It must have ended somewhere.
Stuffed horned owl
Pompous
Yellow eyed;
Chuck-wills-widow on a biassed twig
Sooted with dust.
Piles of old magazines,
Drawers of boy’s letters
And the line of love
They must have ended somewhere.
Yesterday’s Tribune is gone
Along with youth
And the canoe that went to pieces on the beach
The year of the big storm
When the hotel burned down
At Seney, Michigan.

Send Deb your favorite travel poems

Earth’s Mountains May Have Mysteriously Stopped Growing for a Billion Years

Courtesy MAYA WEI-HAA, National Geographic

Starting about 1.8 billion years ago, the planet’s continental crust thinned, slowing the flow of nutrients into the sea and possibly stalling the evolution of life.

MORE

Archaeologists Discover What May Have Been World’s Oldest Brewery in Egypt

The remains date back to 3100 B.C.

Courtesy of Cailey Rizzo

Archaeologists may have found the remains of the world’s oldest brewery buried in Egypt.

The potentially 5,000-year-old beer factory in the city of Abydos dates back to the reign of King Narmer — around 3100 B.C. — the country’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities confirmed this month in a press release.

MORE

5 Things Science Says Will Make You Happier

Research-backed habits that will improve your outlook and positive attitude

By Nataly Kogan
Medically reviewed by Daniel B. Block, MD

It’s easy to assume that things like money and a luxurious lifestyle lead to happiness, but research shows that it’s the more simple experiences — like practicing gratitude or spending time with friends — that promote a sunny outlook.

Whether you need to shift from negative thoughts or want to continue a streak of positivity, here are five ways to boost happiness every day.

MORE

The post Reimagined Historical Figures, Why Costa Rica appeared first on Traveling Archive.

This wasn’t a conscious thought. As the travel restrictions weighed more heavily upon me I started to broaden my cooking, unconsciously seeking out new recipes from favorite countries that reminded me of my visits. Then one day I realized I’d taken a grand tour of Europe without leaving my dinner table. Over the course of two weeks I cooked ten different international meals. With the resulting leftovers and lunches I had 14 days of reminiscences of past visits while enjoying the taste of each country.

And it wasn’t just Europe I visited. I went to Cuba (I wish!) New England (a favorite summer haunt) and to North Africa for an adventurous dish. But it really all started rather simply in Mexico.

I’m a big fan of tacos, but not one of “messy eating around the dinner table” tacos. So now I make taco bowls to be eaten with a fork and spoon. Yes I’ll still eat tacos as street food, say, in Mexico City, with sauce dripping down my chin and arms, but doesn’t this look more inviting?

The next evening I was transported to Spain over a dish of Chicken Chilindron. This dish could be from any Mediterranean country except for the addition of smoked paprika, a.k.a. smoked pimenton, a very distinctive Spanish spice added for its red smoky heat. The aroma and taste had me right back in Extremadura, Spain, where smoked pimenton has its own DOC.

For a Friday in Lent I made cod cakes. The Iberian Peninsula is historically connected to cod, with Basque fishermen crossing the Atlantic, way before Columbus “discovered” the New World, to catch and dry fish for transport back home. All the salt cod you see today is descended from their preserving tradition. The Portuguese fished New England’s cod banks as well. This recipe is from an older Portuguese woman I once knew. It is healthier and more complex than the deep fried Spanish cod croquettes I love.

The next three dishes could easily be lumped into an Italian trifecta. Not that I was on a roll here. And certainly pizza the way I make it has nothing to do with Italy. But it’s still good and does have Italian-American roots. No, these reflect a desire for a more extended stay in the boot of Europe.

And while the scallops in white wine and garlic could be found along any Mediterranean coast, serving them on pasta got the dish included here.

But the true dish of Italy I made was a huge batch of slow-cooked Bolognese sauce, fragrantly simmering all day in my kitchen. It made a great base for some homemade ravioli I enjoyed for many days before freezing a quart for another trip, er, I mean meal. And speaking of slow cooking, I also made a vat of Pasta e Fagioli, unconventionally using some Rancho Gordo pinto beans I got as a Christmas gift. (If nothing else, we’ve all learned to improvise ingredients during this pandemic shut down.) I enjoyed the soup’s rich deliciousness many times.

Then, while I was in the neighborhood, I thought I’d skip across the Mediterranean to taste a bit of Ethiopia. It wasn’t my plan, but I was inspired by a description of berbera spice mix on Milk Street Radio one Sunday. Apparently Ethiopians put berbera spice in everything, everyday, and each house has its own distinctive blend. I researched the basic recipe and made my own, adding and subtracting to my tastes. By the second batch I knew to use less hot ingredients, so everyone in the household can enjoy this taste of North Africa. The result is Doro Wat, an Ethiopian chicken dish with a red onion to chicken ratio of 1:1, a head of garlic, and a half cup of berbera spice blend. Wow! Just Wow! I doubled the next batch of berbera I made so I can use it every day, too.

Europe bound once more, I had a layover in Greece, because I always wanted to. And because I had all the ingredients for this delicious sounding dish: Greek Braised Chicken, a.k.a. Kota Kapama. It’s not what you’d think – no olives or feta cheese – just a healthy amount of cinnamon and allspice rubbed into the skin-on chicken thighs before they are braised in a tomato and wine stock. It was just so fragrant and tasty – Yum!

On my last visit to France (and the word “last” takes on new meaning during this pandemic as I wonder if we’ll ever travel again . . . ) I was in the Lorraine region when I remarked that during my entire visit I had not tasted the celebrated local dish, quiche. Arrangements were promptly made, and quiche was served with drinks before dinner, by a chef who disdainfully told me that we “never serve quiche here.” (I can only throw my hands in the air and exclaim “THE FRENCH”! when I think of it. They should serve quiche more often – and more civilly.) It was delicious. Since then I have it on rotation in my kitchen, using up bits and pieces of ingredients and things “going bad” in the refrigerator. This one used up the sheets of phyllo pastry left over from the Greek spinach and feta dish, Spanakopita, that I ate all of but neglected to photograph!

Last year a sale on pork loins left me with an eight pound loin (I cannot resist a food sale!) Half was butterflied, stuffed with herbs, wrapped in prosciutto and braised (with much work and little reward except that it was pretty) while the other was frozen. I thawed that for the next two dishes.

The first was a slow-cooked New England balsamic and stock braise on red potatoes and carrots. It fits the travel theme because we visit family in New England often. Coastal Maine and New Hampshire are favorites for summer fun and food, so while it wasn’t lobster rolls I was cooking, it was comfort food.

But the real reason to cook the pork, besides making room in the freezer, was for the leftover pork needed to make Cuban Sandwiches. With thinly sliced pork loin, Swiss cheese, ham, dill pickles, and two kinds of mustard layered in a crusty loaf, then pressed and grilled, these are always a favorite in our house. They were so satisfyingly chewy-delicious served with a horseradish cole slaw and a cold beer. Heaven!

There was another Cuban dish – Braised Chicken. It tasted great, but except for the raisins, olives, and capers it looked just like all the other chicken dishes pictured above. So, instead of looking at same ol’ same ol’, here’s a picture of the Cuban Sandwiches plated:

So wasn’t that a fun vacation to the culinary hotspots of the world? You got to read it and enjoy a vicarious tour through kitchens of seven countries, while I gained five pounds cooking and eating! Does that seem fair to you?

Do you like to recreate the dishes of your favorite vacation destinations? Please tell me about them in the comments below (and share the recipe!) Thanks for reading.

The post Vicarious Culinary Travel During a Pandemic appeared first on Traveling Archive.

Curated by Ed Boitano

Singer/Musician/Composer Stacey Kent on Hit Series, Our City Tonight

Hosts Jim Gordon and Leeta Liepins ask Ms. Kent compelling question about her life as a musician during the Covid pandemic. Her answers are profound and thought provoking.

Global Rescue: Going into the Wilderness

Spring is here and people restless from the pandemic protocols will start hitting the trails, pitching camp site tents, and exploring the great outdoors.

“Going into the wilderness means you are entering some level of a survival situation. There are many emergencies and contingencies in the backcountry that do not have a medical requirement. For these instances, you need survival equipment,” said Harding Bush, a former Navy SEAL and the senior survival instructor at the U.S. Navy Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape (SERE) Course in Rangeley, Maine.

What to Pack in a Survival Kit

Asian Americans Grieve, Organize in Wake of Atlanta Attacks

Asian Americans were already worn down by a year of pandemic-fueled racist attacks when a white gunman was charged with killing eight people, most of them Asian women, at three Atlanta-area massage parlors.

“It didn’t help with former president Trump referring to the COVID-19 pandemic as the Kung Fu virus. Recently there were seven propaganda incidents with direct anti-China references to COVID-19.” – Ed Boitano

Hundreds of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders turned to social media to air their anger, sadness, fear and hopelessness. The hashtag #StopAsianHate was a top trending topic on Twitter hours after the shootings that happened Tuesday evening.

MORE

Extreme Places: A Night in an Ice Hotel Video

Courtesy DW Travel

Europe at its most extreme: the series “Europe to the Maxx” in DW’s lifestyle and culture magazine “Euromaxx” makes Europe’s superlatives experienceable ― from extraordinary architecture and spectacular landscapes to unique cultural phenomena. Accompanying the series, the book “111 extreme places in Europe that you shouldn’t miss” was published in cooperation with Emons Verlag. An alternative travel guide, both informative and entertaining. For avid travelers, fans of Europe and anyone who likes to show off with unusual pub quiz trivia. Full of guaranteed record breakers!

MORE

Twenty Essential English Language Films Noir (1940-2021)

T-Boy Society of Film & Music

But first, what is a Film Noir?

The term film noir, French for ‘black film’ (literal) or ‘dark film’ (closer meaning), was first applied to Hollywood films by French critic Nino Frank in 1946, but was unrecognized by the Hollywood establishment of that era. Marked by a mood of pessimism, fatalism, and menace; its style is often characterized by cynical heroes, stark lighting effects and set design, intricate plots, and an underlying existentialist philosophy.  Highly influenced by German Expressionist cinema of the 1910s and 1920s, film historians generally define the genre retrospectively, focusing primarily on American crime dramas of the post-World War II era.

See Top 20 Films Noir

Earth’s Mountains May Have Mysteriously Stopped Growing for a Billion Years

Courtesy MAYA WEI-HAA, National Geographic

Starting about 1.8 billion years ago, the planet’s continental crust thinned, slowing the flow of nutrients into the sea and possibly stalling the evolution of life.

MORE

8 Bizarre Reasons Why Passengers Get Kicked Off Planes

Courtesy Evie Carrick, Travel and Leisure

From smelling bad to wearing sagging pants, these are some of the most unusual reasons people have gotten kicked off planes.

MORE

Archaeologists Discover What May Have Been World’s Oldest Brewery in Egypt

The remains date back to 3100 B.C.

Courtesy of Cailey Rizzo

Archaeologists may have found the remains of the world’s oldest brewery buried in Egypt.

The potentially 5,000-year-old beer factory in the city of Abydos dates back to the reign of King Narmer — around 3100 B.C. — the country’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities confirmed this month in a press release.

MORE

From a Small, Rural Schoolhouse, One Teacher Challenged Nativist Attacks Against Immigration

Courtesy Ross Benes

In the wake of World War I, rabid anti-German sentiment led to the arrest, later deemed unjust by the U.S. Supreme Court, of Robert Meyer.

MORE

Hawaii Offers Tourists Free Hotel Stays in Exchange for Volunteer Work

The program’s goal is to inspire mindful travel

Written by Stefanie Waldek

If gorgeous beaches, an incredible cultural history, and active volcanoes aren’t enough to convince you to visit Hawaii, perhaps the state’s voluntourism deal for tourists will nudge you across the line.

As of Oct. 15, Hawaii has eliminated the 14-day quarantine requirement for visitors who partake in the official pre-travel testing program, which now means that the state is able to promote the Mālama Hawai‘i initiative to tourists.

MORE

5 Things Science Says Will Make You Happier

Research-backed habits that will improve your outlook and positive attitude

By Nataly Kogan
Medically reviewed by Daniel B. Block, MD

It’s easy to assume that things like money and a luxurious lifestyle lead to happiness, but research shows that it’s the more simple experiences — like practicing gratitude or spending time with friends — that promote a sunny outlook.

Whether you need to shift from negative thoughts or want to continue a streak of positivity, here are five ways to boost happiness every day.

MORE

What Americans Abroad Should Not Expect

Pancakes

The fluffy flour-based pancakes that American’s have come to love at breakfast time (or for brinner) just aren’t found abroad. French crêpes are too thin. The Japanese version (okonomiyaki) is too thick and most often topped with savory things like meat, seafood, and cabbage.

MORE

 

The 16-Year-Old Chinese Immigrant Who Helped Lead a 1912 US Suffrage March

Mabel Ping-Hua Lee fought for the rights of women on two sides of the world.

Courtesy of Michael Lee

In 1900, at a time when the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 banned most Chinese immigration and reflected a climate of deep anti-Asian prejudice, 9-year-old Mabel Ping-Hua Lee came to America from China on a scholarship to attend school. At 16, she would cement her place in women’s suffrage history, helping to lead a storied New York City march.

But while she fought for women’s voting rights, she herself would not be eligible to cast a ballot for decades after the 19th Amendment was ratified in 1920. That’s because the Exclusion Act prohibited Chinese immigrants from obtaining any rights of American citizenship.

MORE

Extreme Places: A Night in an Ice Hotel

Spending a night in ice and snow is possible in the far north of Europe. The “Icehotel” in Jukkasjärvi, Sweden, was built back in 1989, making it the first of its kind ― and therefore part of our “Extreme Places” series.

Courtesy Hendrik Welling, DW reporter

A visit to an ice hotel isn’t exactly the first choice if you prefer to spend your holidays under palm trees in warmer climes. But if you can manage to overcome your fear of freezing, you’ll be rewarded with a unique natural experience.

MORE

Midnight on the Great Western

Thomas Hardy (1840–1928)

In the third-class sat the journeying boy,
And the roof-lamp’s oily flame
Played down on his listless form and face,
Bewrapt past knowing to what he was going,
Or whence he came.

In the band of his hat the journeying boy
Had a ticket stuck; and a string
Around his neck bore the key of his box,
That twinkled gleams of the lamp’s sad beams
Like a living thing.

What past can be yours, O journeying boy,
Towards a world unknown,
Who calmly, as if incurious quite
On all at stake, can undertake
This plunge alone?

Knows your soul a sphere, O journeying boy,
Our rude realms far above,
Whence with spacious vision you mark and mete
This region of sin that you find you in
But are not of?

Send Deb your favorite travel poems

Kimberly Truhler on Film Noir Style

With more than twenty years of study in film and fashion history, Kimberly Truhler is an author, educator, guest speaker, and host of screening series on the history of fashion in film. Her latest book, Film Noir Style: The Killer 1940s, should be on the top of the list for all cinephiles and lovers of Films Noir.

See Kimberly Truhler’s interview on Vancouver’s hit TV series Our City Tonight with Jim Gordon and Leeta Liepins:

Words of Wisdom from a Covid Survivor

By Grace Nakar

I am a Covid survivor. I was sick for 14 days.

I normally don’t get this personal… but I realized I have these tidbits of info that might help people.

MORE

DNA From the Bible’s Canaanites Lives on in Modern Arabs and Jews

A new study of ancient DNA traces the surprising heritage of these mysterious Bronze Age people.

Courtesy Andrew Lawler, National Geographic

They are best known as the people who lived “in a land flowing with milk and honey” until they were vanquished by the ancient Israelites. But a recent scientific report reveals that the genetic heritage of the Canaanites survives

MORE

Trapped in Museums for Centuries, Maori Ancestors Are Coming Home

Courtesy Ye Charlotte Ming

New Zealand’s repatriation program brings human remains back and lays them to rest.

To the Maori people of New Zealand, the practice of preserving one’s head after death was an act of love and respect. Beginning in 1770, Europeans began trading the mummified and tattooed Maori heads, also called toi moko, spurring enemy tribal groups to collect the heads of enemies for sale. Now, European museums are sending the toi moko home. Since 2003, the remains of more than 600 ancestors, including toi moko, have been returned to New Zealand.

What’s New in Berlin: House of One – Three Religions in One House

Berlin is soon to become home to something truly unique. Jews, Christians, and Muslims are planning to build a house of worship here – one that brings a synagogue, a church, and a mosque together under one roof. The three separate sections will be linked by a communal room in the center of the building. This will serve as a meeting place, where worshipers and members of the public can come together and learn more about the religions and each other. The House of One is a contemporary expression of religious life, expressed in an equally modern architectural language.

The Future of History in the Pandemic Age

By Michael Creswell

Historians need to consider and prepare for changes to the profession that will follow the COVID-19 pandemic.

Attempting to predict the future is always perilous, and events frequently humble those who dare to try. Making predictions is especially hazardous for historians, who often struggle to explain the past. Peering into the future is not part of their professional training, and their efforts to do so are likely to fail.

MORE

The post Swedish Ice Hotel, Asian American Attacks appeared first on Traveling Archive.

Curated by Ed Boitano

Words of Wisdom from a Covid Survivor

By Grace Nakar

I am a Covid survivor. I was sick for 14 days.

I normally don’t get this personal… but I realized I have these tidbits of info that might help people.

MORE

8 Bizarre Reasons Why Passengers Get Kicked Off Planes

Courtesy Evie Carrick, Travel and Leisure

From smelling bad to wearing sagging pants, these are some of the most unusual reasons people have gotten kicked off planes.

MORE

Archaeologists Discover What May Have Been World’s Oldest Brewery in Egypt

The remains date back to 3100 B.C.

Courtesy of Cailey Rizzo

Archaeologists may have found the remains of the world’s oldest brewery buried in Egypt.

The potentially 5,000-year-old beer factory in the city of Abydos dates back to the reign of King Narmer — around 3100 B.C. — the country’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities confirmed this month in a press release.

MORE

From a Small, Rural Schoolhouse, One Teacher Challenged Nativist Attacks Against Immigration

Courtesy Ross Benes

In the wake of World War I, rabid anti-German sentiment led to the arrest, later deemed unjust by the U.S. Supreme Court, of Robert Meyer.

MORE

Southwest Marks 50th Anniversary with $50 Flights

Southwest Airlines is celebrating its 50th year in operation with one-way flight deals as low as $50 this winter.

Travelers have until February 8, 2021, to book the low fares, which require a 21-day advance purchase.

The discounted seats are valid for travel within the continental U.S. from February 9 through May 26, 2021. Meanwhile, travel between the continental U.S. and Hawaii, travel to and from San Juan, Puerto Rico and international travel are valid February 9 through May 20, 2021. Some blackout dates apply.

Booking weekday flights between the airline’s nearly dozen operating bases is likely to net travelers the biggest savings on spring travel. Notable routes available for $100 roundtrip include Atlanta-Nashville, Los Angeles-Las Vegas, Baltimore-Boston and Orlando-Fort Lauderdale.

Customers can also find nonstop international flights from under $180 one-way, including Houston (Hobby) to Cancun, Mexico for $175 and Orlando to Montego Bay, Jamaica from $153.

Contact your travel advisor or visit Southwest.com to search the airline’s low fare calendar based on your travel dates.

Germ Protection: Pack this Next Time You Have to Go Through TSA

Nakefits are lightweight, waterproof sole protectors that adhere to your feet and stay on for hours to protect you from germs, fungal infections, slipping and hot surfaces. Pop them on before going through TSA to give your feet protection. Or take them on a trip and pop them on before entering the hotel spa or sauna, taking a barefoot yoga class, or using the pool or hot tub. Available in a range of sizes suitable for children and adults, Nakefits can be easily removed without any pinching, peeling, or irritation of the skin. For further information, visit NakeFit USA.

Hawaii Offers Tourists Free Hotel Stays in Exchange for Volunteer Work

The program’s goal is to inspire mindful travel

Written by Stefanie Waldek

If gorgeous beaches, an incredible cultural history, and active volcanoes aren’t enough to convince you to visit Hawaii, perhaps the state’s voluntourism deal for tourists will nudge you across the line.

As of Oct. 15, Hawaii has eliminated the 14-day quarantine requirement for visitors who partake in the official pre-travel testing program, which now means that the state is able to promote the Mālama Hawai‘i initiative to tourists.

MORE

5 Things Science Says Will Make You Happier

Research-backed habits that will improve your outlook and positive attitude

By Nataly Kogan
Medically reviewed by Daniel B. Block, MD

It’s easy to assume that things like money and a luxurious lifestyle lead to happiness, but research shows that it’s the more simple experiences — like practicing gratitude or spending time with friends — that promote a sunny outlook.

Whether you need to shift from negative thoughts or want to continue a streak of positivity, here are five ways to boost happiness every day.

MORE

 

Earth’s Mountains May Have Mysteriously Stopped Growing for a Billion Years

Courtesy MAYA WEI-HAA, National Geographic

Starting about 1.8 billion years ago, the planet’s continental crust thinned, slowing the flow of nutrients into the sea and possibly stalling the evolution of life.

MORE

DNA From the Bible’s Canaanites Lives on in Modern Arabs and Jews

A new study of ancient DNA traces the surprising heritage of these mysterious Bronze Age people.

Courtesy Andrew Lawler, National Geographic

They are best known as the people who lived “in a land flowing with milk and honey” until they were vanquished by the ancient Israelites. But a recent scientific report reveals that the genetic heritage of the Canaanites survives

MORE

Trapped in Museums for Centuries, Maori Ancestors Are Coming Home

Courtesy Ye Charlotte Ming

New Zealand’s repatriation program brings human remains back and lays them to rest.

To the Maori people of New Zealand, the practice of preserving one’s head after death was an act of love and respect. Beginning in 1770, Europeans began trading the mummified and tattooed Maori heads, also called toi moko, spurring enemy tribal groups to collect the heads of enemies for sale. Now, European museums are sending the toi moko home. Since 2003, the remains of more than 600 ancestors, including toi moko, have been returned to New Zealand.

Less Will be More in Post-Pandemic Travel: Airbnb Chief

Smaller cities and more family time will gain favor over global tourism permanently in the wake of the pandemic, Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky predicts. “They’re not yearning to see Times Square” after months of isolation from normal life, he observes.

MORE

What’s New in Berlin: House of One – Three Religions in One House

Berlin is soon to become home to something truly unique. Jews, Christians, and Muslims are planning to build a house of worship here – one that brings a synagogue, a church, and a mosque together under one roof. The three separate sections will be linked by a communal room in the center of the building. This will serve as a meeting place, where worshipers and members of the public can come together and learn more about the religions and each other. The House of One is a contemporary expression of religious life, expressed in an equally modern architectural language.

The Future of History in the Pandemic Age

By Michael Creswell

Historians need to consider and prepare for changes to the profession that will follow the COVID-19 pandemic.

Attempting to predict the future is always perilous, and events frequently humble those who dare to try. Making predictions is especially hazardous for historians, who often struggle to explain the past. Peering into the future is not part of their professional training, and their efforts to do so are likely to fail.

MORE

WNPA Recently Announced the Recipients of its Annual Awards

Western National Parks Association (WNPA), a nonprofit education partner of the National Park Service (NPS) since 1938, recently announced the recipients of its annual awards. For over 30 years, WNPA has recognized individuals and organizations who make exceptional contributions to national parks and increase awareness of WNPA’s mission.

MORE

What Americans Abroad Should Not Expect

Pancakes

The fluffy flour-based pancakes that American’s have come to love at breakfast time (or for brinner) just aren’t found abroad. French crêpes are too thin. The Japanese version (okonomiyaki) is too thick and most often topped with savory things like meat, seafood, and cabbage. Australian-style pancakes are too eggy and have sugar in the dough.

MORE

The post Covid Survivor’s Advice, Kicked Off Planes appeared first on Traveling Archive.

Curated by Ed Boitano

Joseph Robinette Biden Jr. is U. S. President

Newspaper Headlines of the Inauguration of Joseph Robinette Biden Jr.

Courtesy (The Freedom Forum Today’s Front Pages – Freedom Forum)
The Freedom Forum is a nonpartisan 501 (c)(3) foundation that fosters First Amendment freedoms for all.

MORE

From a Small, Rural Schoolhouse, One Teacher Challenged Nativist Attacks Against Immigration

Courtesy Ross Benes

In the wake of World War I, rabid anti-German sentiment led to the arrest, later deemed unjust by the U.S. Supreme Court, of Robert Meyer.

MORE

Southwest Marks 50th Anniversary with $50 Flights

Southwest Airlines is celebrating its 50th year in operation with one-way flight deals as low as $50 this winter.

Travelers have until February 8, 2021, to book the low fares, which require a 21-day advance purchase.

The discounted seats are valid for travel within the continental U.S. from February 9 through May 26, 2021. Meanwhile, travel between the continental U.S. and Hawaii, travel to and from San Juan, Puerto Rico and international travel are valid February 9 through May 20, 2021. Some blackout dates apply.

Booking weekday flights between the airline’s nearly dozen operating bases is likely to net travelers the biggest savings on spring travel. Notable routes available for $100 roundtrip include Atlanta-Nashville, Los Angeles-Las Vegas, Baltimore-Boston and Orlando-Fort Lauderdale.

Customers can also find nonstop international flights from under $180 one-way, including Houston (Hobby) to Cancun, Mexico for $175 and Orlando to Montego Bay, Jamaica from $153.

Contact your travel advisor or visit Southwest.com to search the airline’s low fare calendar based on your travel dates.

Germ Protection: Pack this Next Time You Have to Go Through TSA

Nakefits are lightweight, waterproof sole protectors that adhere to your feet and stay on for hours to protect you from germs, fungal infections, slipping and hot surfaces. Pop them on before going through TSA to give your feet protection. Or take them on a trip and pop them on before entering the hotel spa or sauna, taking a barefoot yoga class, or using the pool or hot tub. Available in a range of sizes suitable for children and adults, Nakefits can be easily removed without any pinching, peeling, or irritation of the skin. For further information, visit NakeFit USA.

Charting the Adventure Travel Industry’s Path to Recovery

Written by Heather Kelly

Tripadvisor and Phocuswright recently released a joint report reviewing consumer travel behavioral trends throughout 2020: A Year in Travel: Charting the Travel Industry’s Path to Recovery (free and publicly available). This report analyzes search and click data on Tripadvisor’s website throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, offers insights based on how travelers’ attitudes to travel are changing, and looks at what these trends may mean for the future recovery of the travel industry. The findings correspond with research from the Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA) and offer additional insights into how the adventure travel industry can adapt to changing consumer preferences.

MORE

No Two Alike: The First Photos of Snowflakes

Courtesy of Brian Clark Howard, National Geographic

Published in 1923, these vintage images highlight the beauty and mystery of snow crystals.

In the late 1800s, a self-educated Vermont farmer by the name of Wilson Bentley made the first successful image, or “photomicrograph,” of a single snowflake. He used a bellows camera attached to a microscope.

Here are some of the very first photos of snowflakes.

SEE THE PHOTOS

Dublin & Galway Selected Friendliest Cities in Europe

It’s travel award season on the island of Ireland! In recent weeks, the island has been awarded a number of exciting accolades. Both Dublin and Galway have topped the Condé Nast friendliest cities in Europe list, while EPIC The Irish Immigration Museum has been awarded Europe’s Leading Tourist Attraction by the World Travel Awards for the second year running.

Meanwhile, Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel experts were wowed by the Burren Ecotourism Network’s community effort, naming them one of ten winners in the new ‘Community’ category of Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel 2021. Ireland’s Burren Ecotourism Network has been named one of ten winners in the new ‘Community’ category of Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel 2021.

“Heroes of Our America”: Reading a “Patriotic” History of the United States

By Alan J. Singer

Not long ago, history textbooks were written as patriotic fables. Examining one offers a warning about the cost of putting mythmaking ahead of historical learning

Heroes of Our America (1952) was a history book for fourth graders published by the Iroquois Publishing Company of Syracuse, New York. Its co-authors were Gertrude and John Van Duyn Southworth. John Southworth, with Harvard and Columbia University degrees, taught at a number of schools in the New York metropolitan area and was president of the publishing company. Gertrude Southworth, his frequent co-author, was also his mother.

I picked it off my office shelf after Donald Trump called for teaching “patriotic history” in American schools as a defense against a mythical radical “left” conspiracy and to ensure that  “our youth will be taught to love America.” Heroes of Our America is an example of the kind of “patriotic history” Donald and I were both exposed to as children in the 1950s. I grabbed the book when it was discarded from the Hofstra University Curriculum Materials Center only a couple of years ago.

MORE

The Future of History in the Pandemic Age

By Michael Creswell

Historians need to consider and prepare for changes to the profession that will follow the COVID-19 pandemic.

Attempting to predict the future is always perilous, and events frequently humble those who dare to try. Making predictions is especially hazardous for historians, who often struggle to explain the past. Peering into the future is not part of their professional training, and their efforts to do so are likely to fail.

MORE

 

Trapped in Museums for Centuries, Maori Ancestors Are Coming Home

Courtesy Ye Charlotte Ming

New Zealand’s repatriation program brings human remains back and lays them to rest.

To the Maori people of New Zealand, the practice of preserving one’s head after death was an act of love and respect. Beginning in 1770, Europeans began trading the mummified and tattooed Maori heads, also called toi moko, spurring enemy tribal groups to collect the heads of enemies for sale. Now, European museums are sending the toi moko home. Since 2003, the remains of more than 600 ancestors, including toi moko, have been returned to New Zealand.

Less Will be More in Post-Pandemic Travel: Airbnb Chief

Smaller cities and more family time will gain favor over global tourism permanently in the wake of the pandemic, Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky predicts. “They’re not yearning to see Times Square” after months of isolation from normal life, he observes.

MORE

What’s New in Berlin: House of One – Three Religions in One House

Berlin is soon to become home to something truly unique. Jews, Christians, and Muslims are planning to build a house of worship here – one that brings a synagogue, a church, and a mosque together under one roof. The three separate sections will be linked by a communal room in the center of the building. This will serve as a meeting place, where worshipers and members of the public can come together and learn more about the religions and each other. The House of One is a contemporary expression of religious life, expressed in an equally modern architectural language.

Start the Year Off Right with a Journey to Well-Being

Enroll Now

Limited Space Available — Act Soon!

Hawaii Offers Tourists Free Hotel Stays in Exchange for Volunteer Work

The program’s goal is to inspire mindful travel

Written by Stefanie Waldek

If gorgeous beaches, an incredible cultural history, and active volcanoes aren’t enough to convince you to visit Hawaii, perhaps the state’s voluntourism deal for tourists will nudge you across the line.

As of Oct. 15, Hawaii has eliminated the 14-day quarantine requirement for visitors who partake in the official pre-travel testing program, which now means that the state is able to promote the Mālama Hawai‘i initiative to tourists.

MORE

WNPA Recently Announced the Recipients of its Annual Awards

Western National Parks Association (WNPA), a nonprofit education partner of the National Park Service (NPS) since 1938, recently announced the recipients of its annual awards. For over 30 years, WNPA has recognized individuals and organizations who make exceptional contributions to national parks and increase awareness of WNPA’s mission.

MORE

5 Things Science Says Will Make You Happier

Research-backed habits that will improve your outlook and positive attitude

By Nataly Kogan
Medically reviewed by Daniel B. Block, MD

It’s easy to assume that things like money and a luxurious lifestyle lead to happiness, but research shows that it’s the more simple experiences — like practicing gratitude or spending time with friends — that promote a sunny outlook.

Whether you need to shift from negative thoughts or want to continue a streak of positivity, here are five ways to boost happiness every day.

MORE

What Americans Abroad Should Not Expect

Pancakes

The fluffy flour-based pancakes that American’s have come to love at breakfast time (or for brinner) just aren’t found abroad. French crêpes are too thin. The Japanese version (okonomiyaki) is too thick and most often topped with savory things like meat, seafood, and cabbage. Australian-style pancakes are too eggy and have sugar in the dough.

MORE

The Radical History of Corporate Sensitivity Training

By Beth Blum

During these turbulent months, American corporations have responded to demands for racial justice by straining to showcase their sensitive sides. They’ve pledged, like Quaker Oats, to change offensive product names; they’ve scrambled, like Prada, nascar, and Delta, to implement emergency sensitivity workshops; and they’ve opted, like most of the major publishing houses, to hire sensitivity readers to vet new manuscripts for racist representations. Not so at the Donald Trump White House.

MORE

The Pentagon is Missing the Big Picture on “Stars and Stripes”

By Mark T. Hauser

The Pentagon’s plan to scrap funding for the Stars and Stripes newspaper isn’t just an attack on a historic military institution. It’s ignoring the lessons the paper’s history offers for efficient operation and integrating military operations with the economic life of the nation.

MORE

The post Joe Biden Headlines, Māori Repatriation appeared first on Traveling Archive.

Curated by Ed Boitano

The 12 Days of Christmas

The 12 Days of Christmas start on Christmas Day and last until the evening of the 5th January – also known as Twelfth Night. The 12 Days have been celebrated in Europe since before the middle ages and were a time of celebration.

The 12 Days each traditionally celebrate a feast day for a saint and/or have different celebrations.

MORE

Charting the Adventure Travel Industry’s Path to Recovery

Written by Heather Kelly

Tripadvisor and Phocuswright recently released a joint report reviewing consumer travel behavioral trends throughout 2020: A Year in Travel: Charting the Travel Industry’s Path to Recovery (free and publicly available). This report analyzes search and click data on Tripadvisor’s website throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, offers insights based on how travelers’ attitudes to travel are changing, and looks at what these trends may mean for the future recovery of the travel industry. The findings correspond with research from the Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA) and offer additional insights into how the adventure travel industry can adapt to changing consumer preferences.

MORE

No Two Alike: The First Photos of Snowflakes

Courtesy of Brian Clark Howard, National Geographic

Published in 1923, these vintage images highlight the beauty and mystery of snow crystals.

In the late 1800s, a self-educated Vermont farmer by the name of Wilson Bentley made the first successful image, or “photomicrograph,” of a single snowflake. He used a bellows camera attached to a microscope.

Here are some of the very first photos of snowflakes.

SEE THE PHOTOS

8 Immune-Boosting Smoothies We Want to Sip All Day Long

Courtesy Mary Nunes

Whether it’s flu season, allergy season, or you’re just in the mood for a refreshing, flavorful drink, an immune-boosting smoothie is always a good idea. By snacking on something as easy and convenient as a smoothie, you can jam-pack your body with antioxidants, vitamins, and more superfoods that kick-start your immune system into gear. Smoothies are (rightfully) all the rage these days, as they are easy to make, totally filling, and can give your body a plethora of health benefits.

READ HERE

You Might be an American Traveling Abroad if…

Inspired by Jeff Foxworthy with assistance from the Alot Travel Team

If you wear a Baseball Cap while traveling abroad you might be an American tourist.

Baseball is the American pastime, right? At least, it was at one point, and it’s still thought of that way, even though we watch more pro football than baseball at this point.

Still, we love the caps, and we carry them around with us everywhere — including overseas, where they immediately mark us as Americans.

MORE

5 Things Science Says Will Make You Happier

Research-backed habits that will improve your outlook and positive attitude

By Nataly Kogan
Medically reviewed by Daniel B. Block, MD

It’s easy to assume that things like money and a luxurious lifestyle lead to happiness, but research shows that it’s the more simple experiences — like practicing gratitude or spending time with friends — that promote a sunny outlook.

Whether you need to shift from negative thoughts or want to continue a streak of positivity, here are five ways to boost happiness every day.

MORE

“Heroes of Our America”: Reading a “Patriotic” History of the United States

By Alan J. Singer

Not long ago, history textbooks were written as patriotic fables. Examining one offers a warning about the cost of putting mythmaking ahead of historical learning

Heroes of Our America (1952) was a history book for fourth graders published by the Iroquois Publishing Company of Syracuse, New York. Its co-authors were Gertrude and John Van Duyn Southworth. John Southworth, with Harvard and Columbia University degrees, taught at a number of schools in the New York metropolitan area and was president of the publishing company. Gertrude Southworth, his frequent co-author, was also his mother.

I picked it off my office shelf after Donald Trump called for teaching “patriotic history” in American schools as a defense against a mythical radical “left” conspiracy and to ensure that  “our youth will be taught to love America.” Heroes of Our America is an example of the kind of “patriotic history” Donald and I were both exposed to as children in the 1950s. I grabbed the book when it was discarded from the Hofstra University Curriculum Materials Center only a couple of years ago.

MORE

 

Start the Year Off Right with a Journey to Well-Being

Enroll Now

Limited Space Available — Act Soon!

Hawaii Offers Tourists Free Hotel Stays in Exchange for Volunteer Work

The program’s goal is to inspire mindful travel

Written by Stefanie Waldek

If gorgeous beaches, an incredible cultural history, and active volcanoes aren’t enough to convince you to visit Hawaii, perhaps the state’s voluntourism deal for tourists will nudge you across the line.

As of Oct. 15, Hawaii has eliminated the 14-day quarantine requirement for visitors who partake in the official pre-travel testing program, which now means that the state is able to promote the Mālama Hawai‘i initiative to tourists.

MORE

WNPA Recently Announced the Recipients of its Annual Awards

Western National Parks Association (WNPA), a nonprofit education partner of the National Park Service (NPS) since 1938, recently announced the recipients of its annual awards. For over 30 years, WNPA has recognized individuals and organizations who make exceptional contributions to national parks and increase awareness of WNPA’s mission.

MORE

Dublin & Galway Selected Friendliest Cities in Europe

It’s travel award season on the island of Ireland! In recent weeks, the island has been awarded a number of exciting accolades. Both Dublin and Galway have topped the Condé Nast friendliest cities in Europe list, while EPIC The Irish Immigration Museum has been awarded Europe’s Leading Tourist Attraction by the World Travel Awards for the second year running.

Meanwhile, Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel experts were wowed by the Burren Ecotourism Network’s community effort, naming them one of ten winners in the new ‘Community’ category of Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel 2021. Ireland’s Burren Ecotourism Network has been named one of ten winners in the new ‘Community’ category of Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel 2021.

What Americans Abroad Should Not Expect

Pancakes

The fluffy flour-based pancakes that American’s have come to love at breakfast time (or for brinner) just aren’t found abroad. French crêpes are too thin. The Japanese version (okonomiyaki) is too thick and most often topped with savory things like meat, seafood, and cabbage. Australian-style pancakes are too eggy and have sugar in the dough.

MORE

The Radical History of Corporate Sensitivity Training

By Beth Blum

During these turbulent months, American corporations have responded to demands for racial justice by straining to showcase their sensitive sides. They’ve pledged, like Quaker Oats, to change offensive product names; they’ve scrambled, like Prada, nascar, and Delta, to implement emergency sensitivity workshops; and they’ve opted, like most of the major publishing houses, to hire sensitivity readers to vet new manuscripts for racist representations. Not so at the Donald Trump White House.

MORE

The Future of History in the Pandemic Age

By Michael Creswell

Historians need to consider and prepare for changes to the profession that will follow the COVID-19 pandemic.

Attempting to predict the future is always perilous, and events frequently humble those who dare to try. Making predictions is especially hazardous for historians, who often struggle to explain the past. Peering into the future is not part of their professional training, and their efforts to do so are likely to fail.

MORE

The Pentagon is Missing the Big Picture on “Stars and Stripes”

By Mark T. Hauser

The Pentagon’s plan to scrap funding for the Stars and Stripes newspaper isn’t just an attack on a historic military institution. It’s ignoring the lessons the paper’s history offers for efficient operation and integrating military operations with the economic life of the nation.

MORE

The post Travel Path to Recovery, 12 Days of Christmas appeared first on Traveling Archive.

Curated by Ed Boitano

Letters to Santa Reveal the Toll the Pandemic is Taking on Kids

Courtesy Faith Karimi, CNN

Jonah wants nothing from Santa this year except for a cure for coronavirus.

Anthony told Santa he wants a magical button he could press to transport him away from the weary reality of the pandemic.

Jasmyne’s Christmas list is short and to the point. “This year, I would like end of Covid-19, world peace, climate control, new Xbox,” it reads.

In their letters to Santa Claus, kids across the US are still asking for toys, clothes, Legos and video games. But in a year filled with illness and uncertainty, a review of letters addressed to the North Pole and collected through the Post Office’s Operation Santa program reveals the pandemic is weighing heavily on children.

Some are imploring Santa to make coronavirus go away. Others are asking for masks for Christmas. Still others write about the challenges of going to school online or how their parents can’t afford to buy presents this year because they lost their jobs.

“Dear Santa,” Jonah wrote. “I don’t want anything for Christmas, but I would like to ask you if you can do me a favor: Can you please find a cure for Covid-19 and give it to us to save the world. Thank you.”

MORE

Eight Elaborate Christmas Displays Across America — And the People Behind Them

In her new book, photographer Danelle Manthey captures a distinct type of American folk art: Christmas light decoration.

READ ON

Happy Holidays and a Good and Healthy New Year to Us All

By Susanne Servin of Herzerl Tours

ADVENT – is the quietest time of the year (line of an Austrian poem).

Advent time (which is usually the four weeks in December and translates to expectant waiting) in a non- religious way is very meaningful for all us right now – as we are expectantly waiting for a relief of this awful pandemic that ravages our country and the world – for a vaccine to come.

But there is HOPE!!!

And to cheer us all up or to take our mind of things – lets bake!

My most favorite Christmas cookie recipe is Vanille Kipferl (vanilla crescents) – it’s a family recipe going back to my great grandmother, Emilie Zimmermann.

I have featured it on my website but let me send it to you again.

MORE

Best Cities for New Year’s

Courtesy Diana Polk, WalletHub Communications Manager

With New Year’s around the corner but the scale of celebrations limited by the COVID-19 pandemic, the personal-finance website WalletHub released its report on 2020’s Best Cities for New Year’s.

MORE

Dublin & Galway Selected Friendliest Cities in Europe

It’s travel award season on the island of Ireland! In recent weeks, the island has been awarded a number of exciting accolades. Both Dublin and Galway have topped the Condé Nast friendliest cities in Europe list, while EPIC The Irish Immigration Museum has been awarded Europe’s Leading Tourist Attraction by the World Travel Awards for the second year running.

Meanwhile, Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel experts were wowed by the Burren Ecotourism Network’s community effort, naming them one of ten winners in the new ‘Community’ category of Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel 2021. Ireland’s Burren Ecotourism Network has been named one of ten winners in the new ‘Community’ category of Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel 2021.

8 Immune-Boosting Smoothies We Want to Sip All Day Long

Courtesy Mary Nunes

Whether it’s flu season, allergy season, or you’re just in the mood for a refreshing, flavorful drink, an immune-boosting smoothie is always a good idea. By snacking on something as easy and convenient as a smoothie, you can jam-pack your body with antioxidants, vitamins, and more superfoods that kick-start your immune system into gear. Smoothies are (rightfully) all the rage these days, as they are easy to make, totally filling, and can give your body a plethora of health benefits.

READ HERE

You Might be an American Traveling Abroad if…

Inspired by Jeff Foxworthy with assistance from the Alot Travel Team

If you wear a Baseball Cap while traveling abroad you might be an American tourist.

Baseball is the American pastime, right? At least, it was at one point, and it’s still thought of that way, even though we watch more pro football than baseball at this point.

Still, we love the caps, and we carry them around with us everywhere — including overseas, where they immediately mark us as Americans.

MORE

5 Things Science Says Will Make You Happier

Research-backed habits that will improve your outlook and positive attitude

By Nataly Kogan
Medically reviewed by Daniel B. Block, MD

It’s easy to assume that things like money and a luxurious lifestyle lead to happiness, but research shows that it’s the more simple experiences — like practicing gratitude or spending time with friends — that promote a sunny outlook.

Whether you need to shift from negative thoughts or want to continue a streak of positivity, here are five ways to boost happiness every day.

MORE

The Pentagon is Missing the Big Picture on “Stars and Stripes”

By Mark T. Hauser

The Pentagon’s plan to scrap funding for the Stars and Stripes newspaper isn’t just an attack on a historic military institution. It’s ignoring the lessons the paper’s history offers for efficient operation and integrating military operations with the economic life of the nation.

MORE

 

Ireland’s Voices Stream Christmas Hope to the World

The home of Guinness in Dublin will be the location for a unique Christmas concert that will connect the heart of Ireland with the world.

One of Ireland’s most respected musical events, Other Voices, is staging a special Christmas show in the Guinness Storehouse, which will be live streamed around the world on 16 December.

Featuring a wide range of Irish talent, ‘Other Voices: Home at the Guinness Storehouse’ will see this iconic building in the heart of Dublin come alive with an eclectic programme of Irish music, stories and songs.

MORE

How an Ancient Revolt Sparked the Festival of Lights

By Amy Briggs

It’s time to celebrate Hanukkah, the Jewish Festival of Lights that lasts for eight days and nights. This year Hanukkah starts on Thursday, December 10, and ends Friday, December 18. The holiday’s popularity has surged in modern times, but its origins date back to the turbulent centuries following the death of Alexander the Great, the ancient Macedonian leader who conquered the Persian Empire.

READ ON

The Grinch That Keeps on Grinching

A new television special hearkens back to the nearly 50 years of Christmas thievery from the Dr. Seuss classic

Courtesy Patrick Sauer, SMITHSONIANMAG.COM

The first time readers young and old laid their eyes on the Grinch, he wasn’t green. He wasn’t on television, on stage, or even in a book. He didn’t even debut amidst the Jing-Tinglers of the season, but rather during the dog days of summer. In 1955, a 33-line illustrated poem “The Hoobub and the Grinch” ran in Redbook magazine. In it, Dr. Seuss introduces the Grinch as a con artist selling a piece of string for 98 cents to a yellow-furred galoot out catching some rays. It’s “worth a lot more than that old-fashioned sun,” says the Grinch. (A scam to be sure, but the Grinch is right about the broiling damage that can be done without proper UV skin care.)

MORE

No Two Alike: The First Photos of Snowflakes

Courtesy of Brian Clark Howard, National Geographic

Published in 1923, these vintage images highlight the beauty and mystery of snow crystals.

In the late 1800s, a self-educated Vermont farmer by the name of Wilson Bentley made the first successful image, or “photomicrograph,” of a single snowflake. He used a bellows camera attached to a microscope.

Here are some of the very first photos of snowflakes.

SEE THE PHOTOS

WNPA Recently Announced the Recipients of its Annual Awards

Western National Parks Association (WNPA), a nonprofit education partner of the National Park Service (NPS) since 1938, recently announced the recipients of its annual awards. For over 30 years, WNPA has recognized individuals and organizations who make exceptional contributions to national parks and increase awareness of WNPA’s mission.

MORE

What Americans Abroad Should Not Expect

Pancakes

The fluffy flour-based pancakes that American’s have come to love at breakfast time (or for brinner) just aren’t found abroad. French crêpes are too thin. The Japanese version (okonomiyaki) is too thick and most often topped with savory things like meat, seafood, and cabbage. Australian-style pancakes are too eggy and have sugar in the dough.

MORE

The Radical History of Corporate Sensitivity Training

By Beth Blum

During these turbulent months, American corporations have responded to demands for racial justice by straining to showcase their sensitive sides. They’ve pledged, like Quaker Oats, to change offensive product names; they’ve scrambled, like Prada, nascar, and Delta, to implement emergency sensitivity workshops; and they’ve opted, like most of the major publishing houses, to hire sensitivity readers to vet new manuscripts for racist representations. Not so at the Donald Trump White House.

MORE

The Future of History in the Pandemic Age

By Michael Creswell

Historians need to consider and prepare for changes to the profession that will follow the COVID-19 pandemic.

Attempting to predict the future is always perilous, and events frequently humble those who dare to try. Making predictions is especially hazardous for historians, who often struggle to explain the past. Peering into the future is not part of their professional training, and their efforts to do so are likely to fail.

MORE

“Heroes of Our America”: Reading a “Patriotic” History of the United States

By Alan J. Singer

Not long ago, history textbooks were written as patriotic fables. Examining one offers a warning about the cost of putting mythmaking ahead of historical learning

Heroes of Our America (1952) was a history book for fourth graders published by the Iroquois Publishing Company of Syracuse, New York. Its co-authors were Gertrude and John Van Duyn Southworth. John Southworth, with Harvard and Columbia University degrees, taught at a number of schools in the New York metropolitan area and was president of the publishing company. Gertrude Southworth, his frequent co-author, was also his mother.

I picked it off my office shelf after Donald Trump called for teaching “patriotic history” in American schools as a defense against a mythical radical “left” conspiracy and to ensure that  “our youth will be taught to love America.” Heroes of Our America is an example of the kind of “patriotic history” Donald and I were both exposed to as children in the 1950s. I grabbed the book when it was discarded from the Hofstra University Curriculum Materials Center only a couple of years ago.

MORE

The post Kids’ Letters to Santa, Jewish Festival of Lights appeared first on Traveling Archive.