Something about historical re-enactments that has always kind of creeped me out. I think it’s the re-enactors
themselves, who often commit themselves to the whole re-enactment thing with a fervor once reserved for D&D players
and Star Wars fans. I suppose if I were to check out any particular reenactment, it might be the Boston Tea Party. That
was one event in American history that seems like it would have been really cool to be part of. No mass slaughter like
Pickett’s charge. Just a gaggle of drunk proto-Americans heading down to the wharf to dump tea into the harbor.
This year on December 11, the good folks in Boston will get together to re-enact the famous tea party, dumping a couple
boxes of the stuff into the harbor to the thrill of many and the shrill of a fife. Want more details?
Check out this site. And remember, you get to go for free if you
wear colonial dress. So break out those buckled shoes and head down to the harbor.
Bangkok is Bustling
Years ago, in my more idealistic years, I was all about saving the environment. The catch-phrase of the day was
“sustainable development” and I wanted to be a part of it. And I wanted to live abroad, to experience Asia, and
Thailand in particular. So after a bit of searching and letter writing, I found myself a job in Bangkok. The city blew
me away. It is, as I once said to a friend, NOT a place for the undisciplined. No matter. It was still one of the most
intense experiences I’ve ever had. I lived out from the center of the city and took a tuk tuk to work. Bangkok at that
time (about ten years ago) was dirty and chaotic. There was a nary a hip Western feel to the place. But all that seems
to be changing. I read Matt Gross’ article on Hip
Bangkok with rapt interest. The city that I remember so well (and have since visited once) is now a booming,
bustling cultural center in Asia. This makes a LOT of sense to me. I’ve always thought the Thais are kind of like the
Brazilians of Asia. Much more fun-loving, relaxed, creative, that the rest of the continent. From architecture to art
to music to film, Bangkok is buzzing. I have to say, reading this piece stirred a desire in me to go back to Bangkok. I
am still fascinated with the place…and I’m a lot more disciplined now, too.
Best Ethical Travel Destinations
While on the subject of responsible travel, I want to be sure to mention the fascinating report released this week by the Ethical Traveler. Executive Director Jeff Greenwald worked with Stanford University researchers to compile the World’s Best Ethical Travel Destinations. The thirteen names that appear on the list ranked high in each of three categories reviewed by the team: ecotourism practices, environmental standards, and social development indicators.
The report starts off by clarifying its interpretation of the terms “ecotravel” versus “ethical travel”, which is helpful to understand before diving into the details of their findings. Thankfully, the results are presented in clear and simple language, providing thoughtful reasons why they think these are the best places for Americans to visit. The big winner here was Latin America: eight developing countries from the region make the list. I was delighted to see two European nations – Croatia and Slovenia – mentioned too. I’m already excited about spending time visiting each of these countries next spring, and will now pay special attention to how I can best respect the natural habitat and people of these countries while traveling through them.
Responsible Tourism Award Winners
Here’s some more travel awards to complete the week: Like the
World Travel Awards, the
Responsible Tourism Awards come from the UK and are
sponsored by The Times, Geographical Magazine and the World Travel Market. The awards seek to commend
tourism operations that respect and benefit destinations and local people around the globe. Tourists submitted over 700
nominees and the winners have now been announced:
The overall winner and best tour operator is Tribes Travel, known for their
longstanding reputation of promoting fair trade travel. Eleven other winners in a variety of categories (including:
best hotel, best transport, best guide in mountain or marine environment, etc.) can be found
here. There is a glossy PDF to download too, packed
with lots more info.
Problems on Inca Trail
Somewhat nasty news from a place that attracts a lot of tourists. Looks like the porters of a
bunch of British tourists were beaten up
and the tourists’ stuff was ripped off as they were camping along the trail. I did the five-day trek years ago and had
absolutely no problem at all, but you never like the whiff of crime in these places. But truth be told, I find it a bit
odd that this is a story, since travel crimes are so common, and in the end, the Brits didn’t suffer a scratch.