Archive for June, 2008
The character of cities
I’ve always been intrigued by the character of different cities. Every urban environment, it seems, has a different vibe, a unique feel. The coffeehouses of Seattle, the universities of Boston, the Latin beat of Miami. Each place has such unique traits that it’s not possible to mistake one for another, and individuals who love one [...]
Old World meets the new in Bulgaria
Few people think of Bulgaria when contemplating a European vacation, but Tim Jones found the country to be an intriguing mixture of the old and the new. He reported on his experiences for the Chicago Tribune.
This is a dark, fascinating and, unfortunately, forgotten country, an Iowa-sized Balkan beauty with snow-capped mountains and lush green fields. [...]
A moving skyscraper in Dubai
There is a lot of money being thrown around on development projects these days across the Gulf kingdoms of the Arabian Peninsula, and no place is more emblematic of this construction frenzy than is the city of Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. Nevertheless, some projects still boggle the mind, like Dubai’s proposed “moving skyscraper” [...]
Medical tourism highlights disparities in heath care
I’ve posted previously on the topic of medical tourism, that growing health care field where people travel to a country such as India or Thailand for medical treatments because the care is both excellent and inexpensive. But while it’s a great deal for Westerners or others who get quality care for less than it would cost [...]
Eating scorpions with your kids
Yeah, I know, not a likely activity. Unless you’re like Matthew Forney, who lives with his wife and two children in Beijing – where they have acquired tastes for decidedly non-Western cuisine. Forney wrote an amusing story about his family’s culinary adventures for the NY Times.
In Beijing, where my family lives, I once returned home [...]
Biking Vietnam
It’s not a vacation for the faint of heart, given the chaotic vagaries of Vietnamese traffic, but Margo Pfeiff had an exhilarating time during a biking tour of Vietnam. She wrote about her experiences for the San Francisco Chronicle.
Sucking in a deep breath, I launch myself into one of the most exhilarating and terrifying adrenaline sports [...]
Cultural insights from Egypt
I came across some interesting cultural insights in a recent article about Egypt in the International Herald Tribune. Although the story, on its surface, is about Egyptian perceptions of the U.S., just begin reading and you’ll discover some anecdotes that shed light into Egyptian and Arab culture.
My favorite, at the start of the article, describes the local penchant [...]
Improve your health, take a vacation
Americans work more hours and take fewer vacation days than pretty much anyone else in the industrialized world. Now, though, comes evidence that vacations are more than a fun perk – they may actually help you stay healthy and live longer.
Here are the vacation stats:
A global study by Expedia.com found that about a third of [...]
Riel World photo – Nile River, Egypt
Nile River, Egypt
Sunset over the Nile River near Luxor, Egypt.
Is Copenhagen the world’s most liveable city?
According to a global survey sponsored by the British magazine Monocle, the Danish city of Copenhagen has the highest quality of life in the world, edging out Munich and Tokyo. The U.K. Independent published a story about the survey.
For many it conjures up little more than beer and Lego, but Copenhagen has been crowned the best [...]
Cultural miscues in health care
A new study is out with evidence that cultural differences and misunderstandings often lead to disparities in medical outcomes. According to this story in the NY Times, patients and doctors who have different cultural backgrounds are often on different wavelengths when it comes to dispensing and following medical advice.
… a new study of diabetes patients has found stark [...]
Thai business, European football & culture clashes
What happens when a prominent Thai businessman takes over a British football team that is managed by a Swede? Perhaps a clash of cultures was inevitable.
Regardless of your interest in sports, there is a fascinating recent article in the Financial Times that illuminates many of the cultural differences between Thailand and northern Europe. The story [...]
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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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