Archive for the ‘Life in the World’ Category
How geography can become destiny
How much influence does geography have on a nation’s culture? Quite a bit, actually, and not only for the reasons you might initially consider…While pivoting off the current Greek debt crisis, he suggests that Greece’s geography has, in many ways, determined its destiny.
What are the best destinations for wine drinkers?
Now, here is a nice collection for your bucket list. If you enjoy wine, that is. The staff of Gadling recently produced a list of the 25 best cities in the world for drinking wine. It includes some of the more obvious destinations in Italy, France and California, as well as some not as well known sites [...]
If you like architecture, here are some cities for you
Architecture is fascinating, particularly as you make your way around the world and take in the shapes, colors and functions of buildings in different cultures. A great thing to remember as you travel, in fact, is to look up periodically and to absorb the details of the buildings around you. The architecture of our lives [...]
Dreams of Cascadia
Ever heard of Cascadia? Or Ecotopia? This is the geographical and cultural region – both real and mythical at the same time, it seems – that stretches from the Pacific Northwest up through British Columbia and includes such cities as Seattle, Portland and Vancouver. The NY Times recently published a story on the region. And, [...]
Ways to keep the Olympics buzz going
So the Winter Olympics are over. After two weeks of marveling at the physical feats of some of the world’s best athletes, it’s time to say goodbye to the skiers, snowboarders, speedskaters and bobsledders for another four years. Unless, that is, you happen to take in some World Cup or X-Games competitions. But fear not, for [...]
A love affair with France and French cuisine
Maybe you’ve seen the movie Julie and Julia, or have even actually tried Mastering the Art of French Cooking. But have you ever considered moving to France in order to learn how to cook French cuisine? Lynda Balslev did just that one day, in search of adventure and on an unexplainable whim. And so began what [...]
Are Costa Ricans the happiest people in the world?
That’s the opinion of a number of studies, all recently quoted by NY Times columnist Nicholas Kristof in an interesting piece that explores some of the possible reasons for why Costa Ricans are generally pretty content with their lives. One reason, of course, may be the luck of their geography. Maybe Costa Rican contentment has something to do with the [...]
The food temptations of Syria
Do you enjoy food? Are you a traveler who likes to experience a culture through its cuisine? If so, then Syria should perhaps be on your list of future countries to visit. Yes, Syria. There was a great piece recently on NPR about the rise of Aleppo, Syria, as a destination for food lovers. Aleppo, [...]
Christmas foods and traditions from around the world
In two days, families around the world will gather to celebrate the Christmas holiday. The traditions that they share will vary by country, region and culture. This includes the foods that they’ll enjoy for a holiday meal. For a glimpse into a few of these holiday dishes, check out this article about Christmas treats and traditions from [...]
The Mexican cuisine of Michoacan
Mexican food we know. But how many of us are familiar with the cuisine of the different regions of Mexico? Just as in the U.S., each region of that country has its own unique tastes and dishes. If you’re interested in knowing more about these regional differences, you might check out Patricia Jinich’s essay for NPR’s [...]
Food that is quintessentially American
Tomorrow is the Thanksgiving holiday in the United States, and families from Maine to California will be sitting down for a traditional family meal of turkey, potatoes, stuffing, corn, cranberries, and other such food staples of this holiday. But this is an interesting time to take a look at other quintessentially American foods that have [...]
Is Venice dying?
It certainly seems that way to the Venetians who recently staged a mock funeral for their city. They were protesting the fact that the local population continues to shrink, while the cost of housing and the number of tourists continue to rise. A NY Times article reported on the event: Part photo opportunity, part political theater, [...]
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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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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.
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