GADLING’S TAKE FIVE: Week of September 10

by Adrienne Wilson on

Kick back, relax and get ready for your weekly highlights of some Gadling’s favorites. There were dozens this week, but I managed to narrow it down to these five. Hope you enjoy!

5. BT Blogger Blab Post Mortem:
Sure this one isn’t really going to help you in making your next big trip plans, but I liked it. Our very own Erik Olsen had the opportunity to hang out and better yet be apart of a panel for the Budget Travel Blogger Conference. This posts highlights some of his thoughts and gives the low-down on the event. I just think it’s awesome that he went! Hi-five!

4. Theater: Dress Up (or Not):
Why something like this has never made the Gadling tops before I haven’t a clue, but I’m sure happy we have Iva writing pieces like this one. You’re on the road backpacking and all when you want to go some place fancy, like the theater. The questions now is to dress up or not? I’m with Iva on this one (dress it up a bit), but what’s your take?

3. I Eat Cannibals:
Cannibalism is beyond me. In fact, making plans to travel to places where the locals might be practicing such things blows me away, but would I be tempted. Heck yeah, so long as I’m not on the menu. Neil leads us to a fascinating find from the Smithsonian Magazine which follows Paul Raffaele in Indonesian New Guinea. Very cool read.

2. Burning Man Photo Results, Sort Of:
While it sadden me none of the Gadling readers were compelled to enter the Burning Man Photo Contest or just didn’t go I’m delighted to find these brilliant photos from elsewhere posted by Neil. I admit, I hope to head to Burning man one day and even if you think you don’t or won’t one look at these photos and I’m sure you’ll have a slight change of heart. They are…spectacular!

1. Reverse Culture Shock: Teaching the Somalians About America:
Every American should read this or maybe just everyone in general. This funny piece looks at the culture shock someone from let’s say Somalia might have when entering America and the classes they have to take before embarking into the “Promised Land.” It makes you think about how much we take for granted over here.

Burning Man Time Almost Here

by Adrienne Wilson on

Neil’s Burning Man POTD pick a few days back inspired me. Not to go, but to point Burning Man fanatics (if any) to this Miami Herald piece. I’ve wanted to attend the bizarre art show and hippie fest in the past, but I’m a little more reserved these days. Not talking about drugs either. I’m just not in the mood for thousands of topless women kicking up desert dust in bicycle parades, because you really must be in the mood for those types of shenanigans. It’s just a weird place, psychedelic and way far out.

Burning Man is an annual festival taking place in Black Rock City in the desert right outside of Reno, NV. Burners will pay an entrance fee of $185 to $280 and spend a week intoxicated or high off of life until the week end where they will dance and do whatever pleases them in the night as a 40 ft. wooden man is scorched in flames to the ground. A friend of mine went last year and had an incredible time, but like I said you certainly have to be in the mood and know what you’re getting into. If you’ve never been before and something I’ve mentioned here managed to strike a nerve you may wish to further explore this short read.

Makes me think of Ring around the Rosie… “Ashes, ashes they all fall down.”