Saving Chile’s Natural Beauty

by Erik Olsen on

When I was living in Chile, there were frequently stories in the paper about a “deranged” and “dangerous” American who lived down South of the country. This American, suggested various op-eds in the paper, was determined to buy up the natural bounty of Chile – its forests, rivers, mountains – and to prevent Chileans from enjoying or using them. He was also considered a threat to national security since his land-holdings supposedly bisected this narrow country. Of course, these were the types of opinions caterwauled in conservative papers, and they came mostly from developers who were jealous or angry that the American was actually setting aside his property from them so they could not cut down its trees or build factories there. The American, who still lives down in the South of Chile, is named Douglas Tompkins, and he is as controversial as ever.

It’s interesting, though. I’ve seen enough pieces over the years even in US press, that I didn’t think Mr. Tompkins held much interest in American minds. That he was an OLD story. I guess I was wrong. This piece in the LA Times examines the Tompkins mythos.

Tompkins is a counterculture veteran who left his job running the clothing company Esprit with a reported $150 million in 1990. He bailed on his then-wife and longtime business partner and remade himself in South America as a “patron of preservation”. Regardless of your politics, you do have to admire Tomkins’ spunk and dedication. Apparently he has lots of friends who are eager to help him in his quest, including Harrison Ford and other Hollywood types. I say good for him. The part of Chile he seeks to preserve is one of the loveliest spots on earth, and even if he is seen by some as a demagogue, I think we need the occasional rich demagogue to take on these issues. Or not?

Czech Pano of US Soccer Team Loss

by Erik Olsen on

Well, the American soccer team didn’t fare particularly well against the apparently much better Czech team, and that is sad. Don’t know what I was hoping for exactly. I mean, it’s not like the US team was going to get very far, anyway…but the FIRST game? I mean, shucks. So much for world domination. At least we still have smart bombs.

Well for those who like their noses stuck into the poo poo of defeat, you might very much enjoy this panoramic photo shot in Prague of Czech fans watching the annihilation of the US team on a big screen. A buddy of mine who’s in Prague sent this to me and I just found it really, really cool….even though I am sad for the US team. Of particular note in the shot is the raggedy, homeless guy who seems to be directing the team to victory with his mind, and the shot down the cleavage of the woman sitting. Of course, this being Prague, we would have expected a slightly better-looking young woman, but I suppose that is the nature of spontaneity.

Indian City, USA

by Adrienne Wilson on

I confess – I’m pretty whipped on seeing every attraction roadside America in every small town the country has to offer, yet when I saw Indian City, USA I couldn’t pass up the chance to check it out. After all, It’s not everyday you find yourself in Anadarko, Oklahoma.

Indian City, USA is found on the very site of the massacre of the Tonkawa Indians by the Shawnees and other mercenaries during the Civil War. Specifically for the visitors interest and the reason Indian City, USA is titled such, are the various authentic American Indian (Cadoo, Pawnee, Apache, Navajo,Witchita, & Plains) dwellings on the grounds. The villages were planned by and constructed under the supervision of the Department of Anthropology, University of Oklahoma which according to my guide, Dominic played an important role in the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian.  After soaking in the ways of the past along the village trail, head into the cool air conditioned gift shop to pick up additional literature or some Native American handcrafts.

Being a true sucker for dance, my favorite part of the tour was the very end when a young man demonstrated three different tribal dances. I’d have to say it’s a tie between the eagle dance and the extremely fast paced fancy footwork seen in a Pawnee style dance. Unfortunately, there were no rain dances which Oklahoma could use considering the state’s been having a huge drought. In the meantime I’ll keep my fingers crossed.

Indian City, USA is located 2 1/2 miles southeast of Anadarko, Oklahoma. Ph. 405.247.5661. Hours of operation are 9 AM – 5 PM daily. Tours are 45 minutes each with the first starting at 9:30 AM and recommended as it is the coolest part of the day. Admission is $8.50 for adults and free of charge for active duty military personnel.

Da Vinci Code Paris

by Erik Olsen on

OK, I saw the Da Vinci Code this weekend and let’s just say I was underwhelmed. Sure it’s a fine yarn, and there’s nothing like some good religious-based controversy to keep your interest piqued. But overall it was rather slow and, well, confusing. I like the notion that people must confront certain taboo topics like the true nature and history of Jesus, but as a movie, well, it just kind of sat there. And what do we have against albinos in our society? Why are they always so evil? OK, there was Powder, but otherwise albinos are always the bad guys. They need a better PR person, me thinks.

Anyhoodle, back to the Da Vinci Code movie. I have to say it did kindle in me the desire to get to Paris. Not to see all the Da Vinci code sites, per se, certainly not the Mona Lisa, but just the beauty and culture of the City of Lights, that was something that I enjoyed in the film.

So all that said, though I have no desire to advertise the film, I did see this rather interesting full-color guide to the Da Vinci Code Paris that might be worth a look for Da Vinci fanatics. The book examines the mysteries and symbolism of Paris, retraces the footsteps of Dan Brown’s characters, and takes you through the streets of Paris all in a fun, happy, Jesus-was-just-a-man kind of way.

Tourists Taken by NYC Cabs

by Erik Olsen on


New York cabbies are a notoriously tricky bunch. Maybe because I’ve now been here over six years they seem to want to take less advantage of me than before, but in the early days I was always suspicious that their routes were longer than they had to be. Or maybe that’s just me. I know for a fact I was always getting taken for a ride when I briefly lived in Bangkok. I’d tell a friend the route the cabbie took and they’d laugh about how it was about ten minutes longer than it had to be. Well these days I know the streets of New York well enough that if a cabbie decides to give me a bogus ride, I question him about it. Right away and with certain aggressiveness.

So I’m quite sure I would have bee alert if a cabbie tried to overcharge me for the trip from JFK. But ,alas, that is NOT what is happening to most people. According to this story in the LA Times, more than half of taxi drivers overcharged their prey, um passengers, for trips from John F. Kennedy International Airport into town.

The sting operation was conducted by undercover agents posing as foreign tourists, and they discovered that 13 out of 24 cab drivers over-charged passengers traveling from JFK International to Manhattan and Brooklyn. The flat rate is legally fixed at $45, not including tolls, and several were charged more than $100 for rides to Brooklyn, which is over two times the real cost. Also, some eleven other riders were overcharged by at least $20.

The lesson? When you come to New York, a) do your research for what a ride is supposed to cost (they’re supposed to give you little sheets at the cab stand anyway) and b) don’t look like a big dumb foreign tourist…which could be hard if that’s what you are.