Archive for June, 2007
Friends or enemies?
Earlier this week, I linked to a NY Times story about traveling in Syria. The writer had noted how incredibly friendly the Syrian people were. Now, there is a guest column in the Arizona Daily Star saying much the same thing about an individual’s visit to Iran.
It’s not such a surprise, really. Lisa and I [...]
A Kashmiri wedding
Ever wondered how wedding celebrations differ among cultures? The Washington Post has a colorful report from a Kashmiri wedding in India.
Somehow, the wedding procession — in theory, groom first, then his father, followed by close relatives and friends — makes it to the Cardoba Hotel, where lights strung around bushes and gates make the neighborhood [...]
On the road in Syria
Perhaps the most famous religious conversion in history happened on the road to Damascus. Yesterday, the NY Times published a travel article entitled “The Road Back to Damascus.” The gist of the story by Seth Sherwood is that the Syria seen by travelers is actually an interesting and incredibly friendly country, in contrast to the general [...]
Visiting the end of the world
Ushuaia, Argentina, is the southernmost city in the world, sitting at the tip of South America, just 700 miles from Argentina. Hence, the city gets a lot of tourist mileage out of its claim to be situated at “the end of the world.” The Los Angeles Times just ran a story on Ushuaia and its growing [...]
Are Europeans growing taller?
That is the interesting question posed recently by columnist Paul Krugman, who investigated the evidence that Europeans have been growing taller whereas Americans (who used to be the tallest people in the world) are not.
Traveling through Europe recently, I’ve been able to confirm through personal experience what statistical surveys tell us: the perceived stature of Americans [...]
Diplomacy and culture
In the most recent edition of Newsweek, there is a story about Ryan Crocker, the new U.S. ambassador to Baghdad. In the middle of the article are some excerpts which indicate that Crocker takes the role of culture seriously and that he goes out of his way to learn about the country he is working [...]
Global behavior tips
Thomas Swick, travel writer for the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, just published a column with a humorous but factual collection of international behavior tips. A sampling:
In South America, don’t tell people you’re from America. (They are, too.)
In Italy, don’t order cappuccino after 11 a.m.
In Greece, don’t say, “I didn’t order this,” when your ouzo arrives with [...]
Challenges for single women in India
There is an intriguing article in the Christian Science Monitor about some of the challenges faced by single women in India, particularly for those who are independent enough to want to live on their own. It is apparently still somewhat rare for individual females to move out of their family home, so those that do often discover [...]
The best croissant in Paris?
The International Herald Tribune recently debuted a travel blog called Globespotters, in which the paper’s foreign correspondents provide news, tips and advice from six of the world’s most traveled cities – Paris, Rome, London, Berlin, Hong Kong and Bangkok. An entry a few days ago speculated about the best croissant in Paris.
One of the great [...]
Accent reduction for business
A number of international businesspeople who work in the U.S. or with Americans have apparently spurred the development of a new consulting industry – that of the “accent reduction” coach. There is an interesting article about it in the International Herald Tribune:
It was not what Sergei Petukhov said. It was how he said it. “The [...]
Expats in Krakow
From early 20th century Paris to late 20th century Prague, there is a long history of trying to discover cheap, trendy international outposts for expatriates. Some regard Buenos Aires as a hip and contemporary expat haven, and now the NY Times has labeled Krakow, Poland, as a popular international city for young Westerners.
“There’s a lot of creative [...]
Food and culture
There is a very interesting story in the most recent issue of Time Magazine, called “How the World Eats.” The writer, Bryan Walsh, discusses the connection between food and culture.
Food and diet are the cornerstones of any culture, one of the most reliable symbols of national identity. Think of the long Spanish lunch followed by the [...]
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Bob Riel is a writer and a traveler. Go here to read more about Bob, his work and the Travels in the Riel World blog.
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My travel memoir - Two Laps Around the World: Tales and Insights from a Life Sabbatical - is about two round-the-world journeys with my wife.
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