A view of the Prague Christmas market.

Twinkling lights. The smell of Christmas pine trees. Artisanal holiday crafts. Gingerbread houses. Hot chocolate and mulled wine. And, of course, a chilly night spent traipsing through a city square. What could be more festive than a visit to a Christmas market? The most famous ones are in central Europe, where the tradition goes back centuries in some places, but a few other cities have developed popular Christmas markets of their own. Here are some of the more interesting Christmas markets, selected from a few recent news articles about this holiday tradition:

Reuters (with the help of cheapflights.com) published an article on the top 10 Christmas markets around the world. Seven of their picks were in Europe, including:

Prague, Czech Republic – A giant Christmas tree in the Old Town Square is the focal point for Prague’s festive fun. The main markets are to be found at the Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square and there are smaller ones at Namesti Republiky and Havelske Trziste. All feature beautifully decorated stalls that sell everything from Bohemian crystal and Czech marionettes to braided pastries and gingerbread. While shopping from stall to stall it’s customary to grab a mug of svaree vino (sweet mulled wine) to sip along the way.

Strasbourg, France – Strasbourg’s Christmas market takes pride of place in front of the sublime, towering Cathedral of Our Lady of Strasbourg. It’s the largest and oldest Christmas market in France. For more than 400 years the city has welcomed visitors to its Christkindelsmaerik. Beautifully made Christmas decorations, Nativity figurines and traditional delicacies (spiced bread, mulled wine and foie gras) fill the stalls. Each year, a different country is celebrated; in 2011, it’s Switzerland’s turn. Place Gutenberg will host a Swiss market featuring authentic delicacies, concerts, dancing and exhibitions from its cantons.

Nuremberg, Germany – Nuremberg’s Christmas market was first held in 1628 and is one of the best known in Germany with more than 2 million visitors annually. Candy-cane striped stalls serving glühwein and bratwurst fill the Old Town while live music is performed late into the night. The must-buy souvenirs are the Nuremberg Plum People, tiny figures made from prunes.

Away.com and BootsnAll published a similar story on the best Christmas markets. An excerpt:

Chicago, Illinois - Chicago’s Chriskindlmarket is the largest traditional German market outside of Germany, a must-do to kick off Christmas season in Chicago. On November 26, it sprang to life in the Loop’s Daly Plaza with the annual Christmas tree lighting ceremony. Nosh on Bavarian pretzels and grilled bratwurst, or pick up some hot wine in a souvenir cup, and browse the small village of shops beneath the lights of city skyscrapers.

Munich, Germany – Like many large cities in Germany, Munich offers several Christmas markets, but the largest and oldest is in Marienplatz, in the old center. More than 140 stalls in the shadow of a giant Christmas tree sell decorations, art, jewelry, and traditional German fare. The market opens on the first Friday in December, and every evening at 5:30 Alpine choirs perform in the Town Hall’s balcony.

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania – Philadelphia’s four-week Christmas Village is just about the closest you can get to a traditional German Christkindlmarkt without getting a new stamp in your passport. Inspired by Germany’s most popular market in Nuremberg, the Philly version takes place downtown in Love Park and offers live music, a recreation of Santa’s house, more than 50 market stalls and timber houses beautifully lit at night, and all the German fare you would expect including gingerbread, bratwurst, and mulled wine.

Bolzano, Italy – Like its European neighbors, Italy has its share of Christmas markets as well, though they are predominantly located in the northeast, especially the Trentino-Alto Adige region. The market in Bolzano was one of the first Christmas markets in Italy, known for the South Tyrol cuisine served and the massive advent calendar, made from the windows on the facade of a nearby building. The Italian spin on the German Christmas market can be seen in other areas of Italy, but this one stays true to its roots.

Check out both articles for a more extensive list of wonderful Christmas markets.

And here’s wishing one and all a Merry Christmas and a happy holiday season!

Photo credit: Hynek Moravec via Wikimedia Commons.

The French colonial influence left a mark on Southeast Asia, most notably in Hanoi. The Old Quarter of the city is an ancient and charming maze, filled with people, produce peddlers and motorbikes. Relax with a coffee and watch the buzz of Vietnamese life. If it’s too hot for a coffee, try a fresh fruit shake, which are delicious and available throughout Vietnam.

And then I came across this article not long ago by Karin Esterhammer in the Los Angeles Times about cafe oases In Ho Chi Minh City (or Saigon), which summed up the situation this way:

My husband, Robin, son Kai and I lived in Vietnam for a little more than two years. At first we found all the sounds of Ho Chi Minh City charming. Then annoying, as motorcycle engines, bus horns, loud karaoke music and construction noise erupted endlessly.

Just before our nerve endings short-circuited, our Vietnamese friends introduced us to some of the city’s coffeehouses where patrons can escape the sounds of a city of 7 million people (10 million if you include the outskirts). Cafes that serve iced coffees and ice cream are so popular in this hot, muggy city that such venues sit on nearly every corner ready to cool off weary tourists.

After Brazil, Vietnam is the second-largest exporter of coffee, in particular the robusta and arabica beans, which have a dark, rich flavor that the southern Vietnamese temper with sweetened condensed milk and then pour over ice. This combo is called ca phe sua da and is Ho Chi Minh City’s most popular beverage. I never liked coffee until I moved here. Now I’m addicted to it.

Eight coffeehouses in particular top my list of favorites because they are unusually peaceful oases. Each is tucked away in a tiny alley off a busy street. Some sit under a canopy of flowering trees with tables set next to waterfalls, koi ponds and sleeping Buddha statues. Some have soft couches with pillows and teddy bears to hug. In the evening, candles are lighted, greenery is draped with strings of miniature lights and soft music is performed. Best of all, the prices are low, and no one rushes you out.

Check out the full article for a list of the author’s eight favorite cafes in Saigon. And don’t be afraid to consider Vietnam as an Asian destination where you can get your cafe needs filled.

Photo credit: Kirk Siang via Creative Commons.

Food is a wonderful window into a country’s culture. If you enjoy learning about a place through its cuisine then you’ll love this Frommer’s piece that takes a look at popular dishes in Mexico by region. Here is a sample:

Mole poblano in Puebla - You can eat mole poblano — a mysterious sauce made of spices, nuts,  and chocolate — all over Mexico, as it’s practically considered the national  dish. But it gets its name from the state of Puebla (poblano = “from  Puebla”). Typically served with turkey, this is by far the richest and thickest of the moles, getting its body from raisins, ground almonds, and sesame  seeds). It’s also the most symbolic sauce, representing the melding of  indigenous Mexican tradition and European influence, allegedly invented by nuns  at the Convento de Santa Rosa but incorporating ingredients unique to  Mexico.

Tlayudas in Oaxaca - Oaxaca gets two slots on the list because it’s perhaps Mexico’s most food-centric state. The signature snack here is the Mexican equivalent of pizza. The base of a tlayuda is an extra-large, extra-thick corn tortilla that’s cooked on a dry griddle or a grill. While the bottom is getting a black-spotted chewy  crust, the cook smears on a layer of refried beans (liberally seasoned with lard), then scatters on crumbly white cheese, avocados, and other toppings of  your choice: grilled cactus-paddle leaves (nopal), spicy beef strips (cecina enchilada) or even that Oaxacan favorite, fried grasshoppers.

Carnitas in Michoacan - Pork is braised for the better part of a day, until the meat is near-melting, then the braising liquid is boiled away until the meat is sizzling in its own rendered fat. This creates an outer layer that’s  addictively crispy, chewy, and slightly caramelized. Once the meat reaches the perfect texture, it’s served up on platters with tortillas for make-your-own  tacos. Garnish with cilantro, radishes, guacamole, beans, and more. The savvy carnitas eater can request particular parts of the pig.

Fish tacos in Baja California - Nothing complements beach-bumming like this most delish fish, fried in a light  beer batter and wrapped in a warm tortilla. The best versions let the fresh fish shine through, with only a garnish of crispy shredded green cabbage, diced tomatoes, and a creamy sauce that’s usually nothing more than thinned-down mayonnaise. Add a squeeze of lime, and you’re good to go … right back to the  beach.

See the entire article for other examples of traditional Mexican cuisine.

Photo credit: AlejandroLinaresGarcia via Wikimedia Commons.

Vietnamese cuisine.

You’re a foodie and a traveler. You love to eat, you love to sample new dishes, and it’s difficult to imagine travel without food being an integral part of your experience. So which countries should be on your travel list? Italy? Without a doubt. France? Definitely. But what about Turkey, Ethiopia or Vietnam? Yes, those countries and others are included in this Tripbase piece about 10 top foodie travel destinations. I love this article for its diversity and its inclusion of under-the-radar food destinations. Here’s an excerpt:

Vietnam - My memories of Vietnam were untouched beaches on a Saturday and sailing into the arms of morning mist on a bus ride through the mountains. And the food. It’s not just all pho, but bánh bao (steamed bun stuffed with meat, mushroom, onion) or rice with clams, commonly served in Hue. My faves had to be the seafood hot pot I devoured in Nha Trang or sticky rice soaked in coconut milk found anywhere.  That’s a lot of yum factor.

Turkey – After witnessing a call to prayer at dawn or so, breakfast might include olives, tomatoes, bread and kaymak (slow boiled milk turned into a cream). A portal for civilizations, many cultures have made their mark on Turkey, but the one that lasted is the Ottoman Empire.  The Ottomans enjoyed fresh vegetables, nuts and yoghurt…My recommendations: eat a meze (an assortment of food served as an appetizer) or gorge on rice pudding at the Lale in Istanbul.

Check out the full story here and then, if you don’t have a trip on the docket in the near future, perhaps you should go get dinner at your favorite international restaurant.

Photo credit: Josh-n via Wikimedia Commons.

The New York Times reports that Facebook is having difficulty finding a foothold in Japan, despite its stunning popularity in many other parts of the globe. Only two percent of Japanese currently use Facebook, compared to 60 percent of the U.S. population. Part of the reason is the existence of other popular social networking sites in the country, but there are also some cultural differences that make the Japanese less likely to opt for a public Facebook profile – namely that they prefer to remain anonymous online.

Japanese, until now, have flocked to various well-entrenched social networking sites and game portals — like Mixi, Gree and Mobage-town…One trait those sites have in common is crucial to Japan’s fiercely private Internet users. The Japanese sites let members mask their identities, in distinct contrast to the real-name, oversharing hypothetical user on which Facebook’s business model is based. Japanese Web users, even popular bloggers, typically hide behind pseudonyms or nicknames.

Yes, while Americans put details of their everyday lives online for all to see, the Japanese do the opposite – use the online world as an escape and perhaps as a chance to create a separate identity.

People like Maiko Ueda, 26, a Mixi devotee, see little reason to switch…She has heard of Facebook but says she is suspicious of “how open it seems.” “I don’t want to give it my real name,” Ms. Ueda said. “What if strangers find out who you are? Or someone from your company?”…

Specialists say that while Facebook users in the United States tend to recreate real-life social relationships online, many Japanese use Web anonymity to express themselves, free from the pressures to fit into a conformist workplace…In Japan, more than half of all respondents said that not one of their acquaintances on social networks was a close friend.

Meanwhile, there has been no shortage of news stories of late about the remarkable achievements of the Chinese educational system, with its students consistently placing at or near the top in international standardized tests. The columnist Nicholas Kristof is well acquainted with China and, in a recent column, noted: “In my Chinese-American wife’s ancestral village — a poor community in southern China — the peasant children are a grade ahead in math compared with my children at an excellent public school in the New York area.”

What’s interesting, however, is that the Chinese agonize over their educational system and its cultural differences with an American system that is worse in some ways but better in others. As Kristof writes:

Many Chinese complain scathingly that their system kills independent thought and creativity, and they envy the American system for nurturing self-reliance — and for trying to make learning exciting and not just a chore.

In Xian, I visited Gaoxin Yizhong, perhaps the city’s best high school, and the students and teachers spoke wistfully of the American emphasis on clubs, arts and independent thought. “We need to encourage more creativity,” explained Hua Guohong, a chemistry teacher. “We should learn from American schools.”

I’ve had previous posts about education across cultures and it’s an interesting conundrum, this battle between knowledge and skills, on the one hand, and creativity and inventiveness, on the other.Hmm, is there any way to meld the two cultures?

Polar bears approach a U.S. submarine in the Arctic.

We don’t usually think of the Arctic region as much of a factor when it comes to geopolitics or economic development. But that could change dramatically in the future. A new book, The World in 2050 by Laurence Smith, posits that the Arctic region will become a significant global force in the decades ahead, driven both by its untapped natural resources and its impact on climate change.  One result of this will be to increase the geopolitical power of Arctic nations – not only the United States and Russia, but also Canada and the Nordic countries of northern Europe.

Seed Magazine just published an interesting review of The World in 2050. Here is an excerpt:

While this book is partly about such global forces, it has a more specifically geographical remit:  the Arctic and the far north.  These regions have been the focus of much of Smith’s academic research.  He has important work to his name on how Arctic ecosystems will be transformed by climate change and how this may feed back to impact the rest of the world – for instance through methane bubbling out of the melting permafrost and adding to global warming.  Now he posits that the far north will become the cockpit of wider global change. 

This is important.  We have for decades focused our global angst around the teeming tropics.  We fear that economic development there is wrecking the rainforests and releasing their carbon into the air.  And we worry that the poor billions in the hottest region of the planet will suffer most from global warming.  But Smith’s “thought experiment” switches to events in the high latitudes of the north. 

His argument is that there will be winners as well as losers from climate change and the other forces shaping our future.  The Arctic rim will be transformed by climate change into a new economic powerhouse.  As the ice recedes, ecosystems extend and minerals and fossil fuels are discovered and exploited, the Arctic will become a place of “great human activity, strategic value and economic importance.”  The eight nations of the Arctic rim – the US, Canada, Russia, Greenland, Iceland, Finland, Sweden and Norway– will become increasingly prosperous and powerful, he says.

Smith does not just crunch numbers and peer into his crystal ball, however. He has been traveling across the Arctic, bringing stories of how his global forces are playing out on this new front line.  While he was writing, Russia placed a flag on the sea bed at the north pole, in anticipation of tapping the mineral and hydrocarbon reserves beneath the ice.  Meanwhile, Pentagon types have been predicting future wars over Arctic resources. 

Smith finds miners moving north.  He discovers that western Siberia, rather than Saudi Arabia, is now the world’s leading producer of oil and natural gas.  And he remembers that the Arctic tundra has as much water flowing through it as the tropical rainforests.  For many years, the Soviet Union planned on tapping Siberian rivers to refill the shrinking Aral Sea in central Asia and to sustain its vast cotton plantations.  California once craved the waters of the Canadian north.  In a water-scarce world, such madcap megaprojects may seem increasingly vital…

In future, Smith suggests, the Arctic could cease to be a vessel for other peoples’ ambitions and develop a political dynamic and economic clout of its own.

The rise of the Arctic north is a thought-provoking idea and, if nothing else, is a reminder of how geography, politics and economics are constantly shifting when seen from the perspective of history. If you’re interested in the topic, read the entire review for a more in-depth overview. Or, even better, check out the book.

Photo credit: Public domain photo via Wikimedia Commons.

But the Spaniards, at least, are not taking the decline of the siesta lightly. In an effort to promote the importance of the siesta as a cultural tradition, a group called the National Association of Friends of the Siesta recently staged a national siesta championship in Madrid.

“The mission of the championship is to spread the idea that the nap is something of ours that must be defended and practised, because it is healthy and good for everyone,” said Andres Lemes, spokesman for National Association of Friends of the Siesta.

“The modern pace of life makes it difficult to take siestas any more,” he added. “But studies show it’s a healthy practice that recharges your batteries.”

Long live the siesta!

Photo credit: Hector Garcia via Wikimedia Commons.

The necessity of human ingenuity is undisputed. A recent IBM poll of 1,500 CEOs identified creativity as the No. 1 “leadership competency” of the future. Yet it’s not just about sustaining our nation’s economic growth. All around us are matters of national and international importance that are crying out for creative solutions, from saving the Gulf of Mexico to bringing peace to Afghanistan to delivering health care. Such solutions emerge from a healthy marketplace of ideas, sustained by a populace constantly contributing original ideas and receptive to the ideas of others.

The article notes that creativity scores in this country have slipped as teachers have increasingly been tied to a standards-based curriculum, although it’s not clear that the decline is entirely due to a changing educational system.

It’s too early to determine conclusively why U.S. creativity scores are declining. One likely culprit is the number of hours kids now spend in front of the TV and playing videogames rather than engaging in creative activities. Another is the lack of creativity development in our schools. In effect, it’s left to the luck of the draw who becomes creative: there’s no concerted effort to nurture the creativity of all children.

What is interesting, however, is that other countries are now trying to replicate the old U.S. model and are “making creativity development a national priority” at the very time that Americans are going in the opposite direction. That is somewhat ironically illustrated in this anecdote about a meeting between U.S. and Chinese education officials.

Plucker recently toured a number of such schools in Shanghai and Beijing. He was amazed by a boy who, for a class science project, rigged a tracking device for his moped with parts from a cell phone. When faculty of a major Chinese university asked Plucker to identify trends in American education, he described our focus on standardized curriculum, rote memorization, and nationalized testing. “After my answer was translated, they just started laughing out loud,” Plucker says. “They said, ‘You’re racing toward our old model. But we’re racing toward your model, as fast as we can.’ ”

It’s a fascinating cultural topic and one that has implications far beyond education. The entire story is worth checking out.

Photo credit: Public domain photo via Wikimedia Commons.

A spice market in India.

One of the best ways to experience a country’s culture is to eat its food. And, of course, explore its food markets. But what are the best places in the world to experience some of these culinary delights? There are the usual suspects, of course, but Gadling recently decided to come up with a list of 20 of the world’s greatest food cities that are not named Paris or New York. It’s a diverse and interesting group, stretching from Australia to Argentina and from Italy to India. Here is a sample of their selections:

Melbourne, Australia- The Botanical, the Koko, the Vue de Monde… some argue that Melbourne is the food capital of Australia, and for good reason. Melbourne is host to some of the most fantastic dining establishments in the world, and might just have more restaurants than any other city on the continent. Its strong fashion sense and sharp clientele demand a classy dining experience and only the tastiest cuisine can last in a city with such competition. Award winners abound in central Melbourne, so any visit here is unlikely to disappoint.

New Orleans, Louisiana, USA- If you love gumbo and jambalaya, take a trip to New Orleans for a traditional delight. In addition to the cajun food, make sure you try the fried pastries (beignets) paired with a cup of coffee while you’re in town. If you like to bar-hop and need a bit of liquor to cool your mouth from the jambalaya, try the French Quarter to move between establishments.

Buenos Aires, Argentina- Argentina’s capital is awash with cafes and shops, many specializing in just a quick bite to eat and many others capable of bringing the full bodied Argentinian flair to your plate (a new experience for many, a regrettable one for none). What really makes Buenos Aires’ kitchens worthwhile is their infusion of Spanish and Italian influences that form unique nuances derived from both, but brought to full potency only here, in Argentina.

Mumbai, India- Any foodie looking for a taste of truly authentic India will be satisfied (and stuffed!) here. No matter what variety you’re looking for, be it coastal cuisine or seafood, a good kebab, or just some hot tandoori, it doesn’t get any better than this. The unique spices and flavors native to India offer a festival for the palate you’re unlikely to find anywhere else. Stop in to any one of the “innumerable restaurants” in the area and be prepared for something spicy! You won’t be able to say “naan” to these choices!

Check out Gadling’s 16 other food cities in the full article. What would you add to the list?

Photo credit: Deepak via Wikimedia Commons.

Here is one example:

Zheng Yue, a young woman from China who is teaching her native language to students in this town on the Oklahoma grasslands, was explaining a vocabulary quiz on a recent morning. Then a student interrupted.

“Sorry, I was zoning out,” said the girl, a junior wearing black eye makeup. “What are we supposed to be doing?”

Ms. Zheng seemed taken aback but patiently repeated the instructions.

“In China,” she said after class, “if you teach the students and they don’t get it, that’s their problem. Here if they don’t get it, you teach it again.”

And another:

Ms. Zheng left her teaching post at a provincial university south of Beijing two years ago to come to Lawton. She is out of her usual element in this city of strip malls and car dealerships surrounded by cattle ranches and an Army base. The culture of American schools is also different.

“My life in high school was torture, just studying, nothing else,” said Ms. Zheng (pronounced djung). “Here students lead more interesting lives,” partly because they are more involved in athletics, choir and other activities.

“They party, they drink, they date,” she added. “In China, we study and study and study.”

In interviews, several other Chinese teachers said they had some difficulties adjusting to the informality of American schools after working in a country where students leap to attention when a teacher enters the room.

There is a lot more in the full article. Check it out.

Photo credit: P.Morgan via Wikimedia Commons.