Archive for October, 2007
From Indian philosophy to Western business
Can the ancient Indian philosophy of Vedanta be of help to high-powered modern businesspeople? Many seem to think so, at least according to this Time magazine article about Swami Parthasarathy, an 80-year-old spiritual teacher from India who has been making a living and a name for himself as a business consultant.
An excerpt from the story:
The private dining [...]
Is Nicaragua the new Costa Rica?
That’s what was suggested in this recent NY Times travel article, in which Jeff Koyen wrote about the charms of this small country, and in particular the city of Granada. Koyen beleves Nicaragua is on its way to becoming another popular Central American travel destination – and one that is, for the moment at least, more inexpensive than neighboring [...]
Cheering on the Red Sox in Rome
The Red Sox won the World Series!
That’s big news in our house and we watched all of the Series games. But what is a sports fan to do when a long-planned trip abroad happens to conflict with your favorite team’s playoff run? Alexandra Pecci just wrote an article for the Boston Globe that describes the experience [...]
Is China the land of opportunity?
Although the United States has long been regarded as a land of opportunity for immigrants from around the world who wanted a different life for themselves and their families, it seems there is increasing competition for that title. And the competition isn’t just coming from the likes of Canada or Australia, but from China. That’s [...]
Fall in New Mexico is chile season
Fall in New England means a landscape awash in colorful foliage. In New Mexico, it means that it’s time to roast that season’s chile crop. Bonny Wolf had an interesting piece recently on NPR’s Kitchen Window about chiles in New Mexico, including recipes for green chile stew and breakfast quesadillas with red chile sauce.
The second [...]
Travels in Afghanistan
Tourists are not exactly abundant in Afghanistan these days. But that didn’t stop Cassie Biggs from organizing a trip there as a single Western woman. And not only did she go to Afghanistan, but she also had an amazing travel experience there, which she recounted in this Associated Press article.
I’m at least 40 minutes into my [...]
Japanese anti-crime clothing
Only in Japan would a dress resembling a vending machine be able to double as anti-crime camouflage. The Japanese have a proliferation of vending machines on street corners, as well as a penchant for funky and innovative inventions. Hence, a dress that unfolds into a full-length sheet and enables the wearer to hide behind a [...]
The Singapore of Africa?
It’s a lofty goal, but Rwanda has begun taking steps that it hopes will lead the country to become a high tech hub for Africa — the “Singapore of Africa,” as some have suggested. The Christian Science Monitor has the story.
Sometime in the next two years, nearly every school in Rwanda from distant mountain villages to swelling [...]
The marriage of children
When asked about her engagement party this summer, little Sunam glanced blankly at her family, then fiddled with her gold-sequined engagement outfit, a speechless response not out of shyness, but because she does not yet talk much. Sunam is 3.
The toddler was engaged to her 7-year-old cousin Nieem in June, in a match made by their [...]
Finding oneself on Easter Island
Some of the better travel writing on the internet can be found in the Dispatches section of World Hum. The site’s most recent story has Catherine Watson writing about a period of time that she spent on Easter Island. An excerpt:
By the time I got to the South Pacific, I was in my early 30s, and I’d been [...]
Will women drive in Saudi Arabia?
Slowly but surely, women in the ultra-conservative nation of Saudi Arabia are beginning to gain some of the rights and freedoms that females in most other countries have long taken for granted, including the right to divorce, travel abroad without a male, and own a business. The ability to legally drive a car still eludes [...]
Rajasthan with a nine-year-old
Rajasthan has a reputation as one of the stars of the Indian travel circuit. There are vibrant colors, stunning desert landscapes, camel treks and lively bazaars. Amanda Jones recently embarked on a visit to Rajasthan, but with a twist – she made the journey with her nine-year-old daughter and then wrote about the experience for the Los Angeles Times.
Last [...]
Stay current with the Riel World
Subscribe by Email
Follow me on TwitterMeet Bob Riel
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.
Two Laps Around the World
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.
Great American Road Trips
Visit Travel Blog Exchange
