Archive for March, 2008
Baseball, poetry and Nicaragua
I came across an interesting recent blog entry on Blog Critics Magazine in which Terence Clarke reminisced about a two-decade-old journey to Nicaragua and what he learned about that country and its love affair with baseball. “Baseball is a poem,” my companion said. I looked out the bus window….My companion’s sentiment was similar to one [...]
Can women leaders move beyond war?
Interesting story in the Christian Science Monitor about female leaders from 45 countries who met in India last week to mark International Women’s Day and to discuss a feminine style of leadership that they believe could help move the world beyond war. She is one of several hundred prominent female leaders from 45 countries who [...]
Two views of Obama and the Islamic world
Consider the following two quotes. Does one strike you as more likely to be true than the other one? First, these thoughts from U.S. Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa): “When you think about the optics of a Barack Obama potentially getting elected President of the United States — I mean, what does this look like to the [...]
“Gap year” comes to U.S. universities
It has traditionally been more common among Europeans for students to take a year off between high school and college in order to travel or gain other real world experience. This has been popularly termed a “gap year.” Now, it seems, the option is becoming more popular in the U.S., as well, so much so that Princeton University [...]
Family-style spring break in Zihuatanejo
When Brigid Schulte’s sister suggested a family beach vacation that involved 12 people, ranging in age from a five-year-old child to their seventy-something parents, she wasn’t very enamored with the idea. But a week in Zihuatanejo, Mexico, cured her skepticism. She wrote about the family’s experiences for the Washington Post. Zihuatanejo is an old fishing [...]
Riel World photo – Sydney Opera House
Sydney, Australia Another travel photo for you. The Sydney Opera House at sunset. I love the way the orange colors of dusk play off the angles of the Opera House.
A new life for the Oxford of ancient India?
Interesting story in Newsweek about efforts to rebuild an ancient Buddhist university in India. Centuries before Oxford University even opened its doors, a school in northeast India attracted thousands of the brightest minds from China, Persia and Turkey. Deeply influenced by Buddhist teachings, it was known as Nalanda—the “giver of knowledge”—and its vast campus included [...]
McDonald’s goes feng shui
A Los Angeles McDonald’s has given itself a face lift. And — in deference to the fast-growing Asian population of the area — the restaurant was redesigned with the help of feng shui consultants, according to this story. On a busy commercial strip in this Los Angeles-area community is a quiet place where the walls are [...]
Why does Finland excel at education?
That’s what the Wall Street Journal asked in a recent article, which noted that Finland placed first overall among 57 countries who recently tested their 15-year-olds in reading, math and science. This despite the fact that there is little standardized testing in Finland and very little in the way of assigned homework. High-school students here rarely get more [...]
Working with the Japanese
It’s always a challenge for an individual to fit into the work culture of a new country. The NY Times recently profiled Heidi Manheimer and asked about her experiences as an American working for the Japanese cosmetics company Shiseido. Here is some of what she had to say: Shiseido is a large, old, conservative Japanese company [...]
History of chocolate
If you like chocolate, you might want to check out this recent feature in Smithsonian Magazine called “A Brief History of Chocolate.” There are quite a few delectable facts about the history of this incredibly popular treat. A sample: When most of us hear the word chocolate, we picture a bar, a box of bonbons, or a [...]
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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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