Tripwolf Blog

The fourth Thursday in November is coming up, and if you’re in the U.S., you’re probably starting to salivate from anticipation.  Thanksgiving began as a lesson in sharing – Native Americans taught the clueless Pilgrims how to grow corn that would help them survive the harsh winters, and after the harvest, they celebrated together with a huge feast.  But we all know how Pilgrim-Native American relations eventually turned out, so these days, Thanksgiving is all about gorging on food and spending time with your family (who else would be okay with your elastic-waistband pants?), and in the U.S., it actually rivals Christmas as far as scale and anticipation are concerned.  When I was living in London, I made sure to end my stint there in time to celebrate Thanksgiving with my family in Chicago, and as I was traveling through Asia last year, whenever backpackers asked me when I was going back home, my reply would be, “In November, in time for Thanksgiving.”  But this year, I’m cooking my first Thanksgiving dinner in NYC with my husband, Michael, and we’re having a bunch of our fellow stranded friends over for dinner.  Sure it’s sad to not be my family, but the prospect of cooking and eating a fourteen-part meal is pretty awesome in its own right.

Would the Pilgrims laugh or cry if they could see how we’ve immortalized them?

I always figured that most of the world would have a good grasp on what Thanksgiving’s all about, considering how much it’s referenced in TV and movies.  But many of my friends from traveling are shocked when they hear what actually happens at a Thanksgiving meal. 

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Have you truly utilized our trip planner yet? I know we’ve heard a bit about Andrew Hickey’s trip to see the soccer games at Tintagel – but now you can see how he did it. He has laid out his trip step-by-step how to get to Tintagel, England, starting in Brooklyn, NY.

GOAL!

See some more pictures of sleepy the Tintagel town, and the professional soccer players who entertained a crowd of fans, travel writers and professional photographers – on a tiny field among the ancient stones.

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Launched this year, The India Tube offers travelers, expats and locals a discerning guide to India. Pooling content from a range of writers and photographers, this online magazine suggests offbeat and exciting ways to experience the country.

I caught up with Annalisa Merelli, the online magazine’s editor to see what the Tube is all about and also, what India means to this Italian expat.

To start, what is The India Tube?

It’s an online magazine through which we try to make the India experience more accessible and authentic.

How does it differ from other travel publications and websites?

All our contributors share things that they find very exciting so there are no bad reviews.

We also try and go to the places that are off the beaten track and we rely on local expertise.

We have stories that would be interesting anywhere in the world and not necessarily connected to the idea of the exotic that one might have of India.

For someone new to India, what can The India Tube offer them?

The magazine is constantly updated with suggestions for things to do and there are a lot unusual stories, for example one story about the ‘Bullet Baba’.

The article is about a Baba or Hindu saint who died after crashing his Royal Enfield Bullet motorbike in a Rajasthani village. After his death, villagers swore they could hear the bike revving up at night.

So they moved the bike back to the site of the accident and started venerating it. There is now a pundit, or priest, who makes sure the bike, is worshiped.

If you’ve been to India you know that this type of thing can happen and nobody makes a fuss about it. If you want to venerate a bike [in India] then it’s fine.

What’s the idea behind the balloon?

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Like Guatemala itself – a country nicknamed “Land of Eternal Spring” – Guatemala City has experienced constant rebirth. Since replacing Antigua as Guatemala’s seat of power in 1773, it has weathered earthquakes, political scandals, and daunting crime rates to become one of the largest and most cosmopolitan cities in Central America and the Caribbean. Troubles aside, Guatemala City’s architectural beauty and rich history make it an intriguing place to visit.

Guatemala City is located in a mountain valley, its borders dotted by four volcanoes. For thrill seekers, the active 2552m high Volcan Pacaya is 50 km Southwest of the city. Guides are available for hire and make the hike look simple, though some might prefer renting a burro. The terrain, streaked with dried lava, turns to rocky ash and, finally, to craters of glowing lava and a breathtaking valley view.

Back on Earth, the capital hums with activity. Traffic seems ceaseless as commuters flood the streets, often en route to beautiful colonial Antigua. Urbanites are busy but laid back. Few walk – public transport includes taxis and the new Transmetro bus system, though the colorfully tricked out “chicken buses” are perhaps better known. The military presence is strong in the capital; armed troops are a common sight.

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Many travelers undertake religious pilgrimages – dusty hajis to Mecca and reverent strolls through the Vatican. I enjoy literary pilgrimages myself. I’ve paid respects to Thomas Hardy’s “Wessex,” Margaret Landon’s Siam, and Jonathan Swift’s Trinity College Dublin. Nothing whets my appetite for exploration like exotic literature; the original travel writing. Why not let a favorite story shape your next trip?

Some trip suggestions:

• Go back to school: Anne of Green Gables (Prince Edward Island, Canada), The Catcher in the Rye (New York City), To Kill a Mockingbird (the deep American South), Grimm’s Fairy Tales (Germany), Oedipus Rex (Greece).
• Stop letting fiction satisfy your historical passions and head to the scene of the crime. Love Le Morte d’Arthur? The castles of the British Isles await, my lord. Into the American Great Depression? Follow Steinbeck to California’s Central Valley. World War II buff? Make like Michener and dive into your own tales of the South Pacific.
• Visit a favorite author’s stomping grounds. Tours are available of places like Edgar Allen Poe’s basement in Philadelphia, William Faulkner’s office in Mississippi, and Shakespeare’s birthplace in Warwickshire, England. Revel in the moveable feast of French scenery that inspired Ernest Hemingway.
• Ditch your cultural comfort zone. Think novels like King Solomon’s Mines (Africa), One Hundred Years of Solitude (Colombia), A Passage to India, and The Joy Luck Club (China).

Once you’ve picked your destination, get psyched by rereading the tale. Thumb the pages on the plane or reread the story in the actual locale itself, when you can literally see the images coming alive.

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Welcome! We are beginning a new series in which we will regularly highlight lesser-known regions in Europe’s popular tourist destinations like Italy, France and Spain!

The northwest region of Italy, Piedmont, is in many ways Tuscany’s big sister. A culinary queen, Piedmont’s Old Europe charm seems even grander in the absence of hordes of tourists. Sick of the ol’ Rome, Florence, Venice route?  Beat the crowds and still taste the best of Italy.

Piedmont is known for quaint, family run hotels and restaurants that provide personality and local gastronomic glamor at the base of the Alps. Appropriately, Piedmont is home to the Slow Food movement founded in the town of Bra. The legendary Barolo is produced here, as well as Barbaresco and the heavenly white, Gavi.

Tour the beautiful Cagliero S.S. Agricola estate in Barolo, which produces Barbera d’Alba and Nebbiolo da Barolo, as well as providing a Bed and Breakfast on their property. Homemade cheeses, locally gathered truffles and unlabeled house wine are just a few of the everyday surprises in this region. For a more luxurious tour and wine-tasting, visit the Barbaresco Regional Wine Cellar. Read More »

If you love bathing in Japan’s beautiful hot springs, you’re not alone. Welcome to Yamanouchi Town; famous for the monkeys who’ve made a habit of taking refuge from the biting cold by basking in the region’s naturally hot waters.

Japanese Macaques – popularly known as “snow monkeys” - are indigenous to Japan. Red-faced, squat, and covered with thick tan fur, they fight, forage, and soak in Yamanouchi’s Jigokudani Monkey Park. Yamanouchi itself is located in mountainous Nagano Prefecture. More than a dozen hot springs bubble here, but Yudanaka and Shibu springs are the best known. Yudanaka can be reached by train or bus from Nagano Station in 45 minutes, offering connecting buses to Shibu that take 5 minutes. Jigokudani Monkey Park is 6 kilometers from Yudanaka Station, but once there, explore the hot springs yourself before paying your respects to the monkeys.

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Viareggio is a small seaside city in Italy where you can experience another face of Tuscany. It’s only a 45 minute (6 Euro) train ride from the heart of Florence and only about 30 minutes from Pisa, so its easy for both locals and tourists to reach when that Tuscan sun gets hot!

Viareggio is known as a sort of resort town, yet it’s small and easily navigated by foot.  It’s also do-able for travelers on a budget – even though it’s close to Florence, prices are reasonable! If you decide to stay over night, try the Burlamacco Gold Bed & Breakfast for an inexpensive, and romantic place to stay.  If you want to be right on the beach, the Lukas Hotel Viareggio is still reasonable and also has single rooms.

The golden sand beach runs along the whole city.  You may have to pay a couple of Euros to get to the beach, and it’s a few more if you want a chair and umbrella.  There are certainly ways to sneak in, though…just keep you eye out.  Two things you should do (even though they may seem touristy); rent a paddle boat, complete with a slide, and don’t be afraid to get a Thai massage at sunset!

This is the place for great seafood, of course…

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If you’re lucky enough to get to the French Riviera this weekend, here are a few travel tips for enjoying Cannes during the festival.

The festival runs from May 13th through the 24th.  This event is synonymous with celebrities, champagne and red carpet parties along the Mediterranean.  Going to the Cannes festival is often times seen to be reserved for the chic.

There are many options for that won’t require a stars budget!  Avoid staying directly in Cannes, and try neighboring Antibes: at the Hotel Résidéal you will find double rooms from 100 € per night.  For another budget idea, try the Hotel Mexicana in Juan-les-Pins and find double rooms from 55 Euros per night.  Otherwise, why not try camping out in the beautiful weather!

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