The Sounds of Travel 3: “The Lakes of Pontchartrain”

Here at Gadling we’ll be highlighting some of our favorite sounds from the road and giving you a sample of each — maybe you’ll find the same inspiration that we did, but at the very least, hopefully you’ll think that they’re good songs.

Got a favorite of your own? Leave it in the Comments and we’ll post it at the end of the series.

Week 3 – “The Lakes of Pontchartrain,” performed by Paul Brady

I first heard this Civil War-era song when the bluegrass band Nickel Creek played it at one of their concerts several years ago. Since then, I’ve tracked down several versions of it, including a cover by Bob Dylan and a fantastic one by the Be Good Tanyas.

The song itself is old, sure, but the themes it deals with are timeless: the strange, indescribable feeling that new places bring, the hospitality of complete strangers, the memories of life’s finished chapters, and the thoughts about what could have been.

Here are the opening lyrics, discussing (in my mind, anyway) the homesickness that travelers often feel when they leave home:

It was on one bright March morning
I bid New Orleans adieu
And I took the road to Jackson town
My fortune to renew
I cursed all foreign money
No credit could I gain
Which filled my heart with longing
For the lakes of Pontchartrain

And here’s a verse about the generosity and hospitality with which travelers are so often met:

I said my pretty Creole girl
My money here’s no good
And if it weren’t for the alligators
I’d sleep out in the wood
“You’re welcome here kind stranger
Our house is very plain
But we never turned a stranger out
On the banks of Pontchartrain “

Here are the rest of the lyrics, in case you’re interested.

Click here for previous Sounds of Travel.

David Sedaris with Rick Steves: Funny travel incidents and observations like when flight attendants pass gas

Two of the things I remember from an interview I heard with David Sedaris on Travel with Rick Steves is that Business Class is known as ICU because passengers are in need of attention and flight attendants pass gas as they walk up the aisles because the sound covers the noise.

A flight attendant told Sedaris that. Not, Heather, our Gallery Gossip gal, someone else.

Here are two travel tips during the conversation that Sedaris passed on in his sardonic m wry wit sort of way.

  • When staying in a hotel, you don’t put your clothes in drawers because that’s how you lose things.
  • As a matter of fact, don’t let your belongings wander more than two feet from your suitcase.

And here’s a bit of irony that Sedaris has noticed when staying in high end hotels. He pointed out that these hotels have half-hearted attempts at going green. He points out that they may tout going green with missives like:

Save the earth. Don’t make us wash these towels, save the earth.

Then with the turn down service, they turn on the radio and the lights.

He also says that, “Sometimes, I turn on the radio and I think, “Who the hell was in this room?” . . .like if the music is heavy metal.

Both Sedaris and Steves talked up travel in Japan which our own Matthew Firestone who lives in Japan could verify.

About Japan, Rick Steves says, “People were so unbelievably kind. In Japan, ordering was terribly fun. Japanese are so gracious. Only country I’ve been in where people regularly stop me and ask, ‘You look lost, can I help you?'”

Living in Japan helped Sedaris quit smoking. He wanted to quit smoking because so many hotels don’t allow smoking anymore.

To listen to the Podcast between Steves and Sedaris, click here. What I’ve passed on are only tidbits of the wealth.

Raoul’s travel adventures: The world through a pug’s eyes

Raoul, the traveling pug may have a future as a dog travel consultant. “I love to travel, enjoy napping on anything wool or with down feathers, and I adore brussel sprouts!” he writes in his profile that also highlights his interests and favorite books.

This dog’s blog “Raoul’s Travels” is utterly charming and a breezy read, chock full of pictures with captions that highlight Raoul’s world travels. Just this week, he visited Zurich where the pig’s ears were every dog’s dreams. Raoul has lived in Geneva for the past three years.

Travel from Raoul’s life is the pace we might all enjoy. Visits with friends in parks, taking delight in the simple things–like a hole, or that great nap in a seat to ourselves. Then there are those dogs (or people) that make our heart skip a beat with a casual chat on a sidewalk. Raoul’s heart pitapat came from meeting up with a poodle who he describes as “foxy.”

As for the people Raoul travels with, I’d say they’ve discovered an excellent way to reduce stress during their own adventures, much better than taking a fake baby around. [Thanks to Darren Cronian who posted a link to Raoul’s blog on Twitter.]

Mansfield Reformatory: Haunted place with scary stories and a bridal fashion show

Happy Halloween! This video clip of Mansfield Reformatory, a former prison in Ohio, is of a documentary that highlights the prison’s paranormal activities. It’s creepy whether you court the idea of the paranormal or not. When I was walking around the grounds a few weeks ago, it was daylight and sunny, but the massive building is an imposing sort that has a definite thrills and chills factor. It’s the perfect setting for the haunted house that continues through tomorrow night.

Although, it is possible to visit the reformatory at night when its not Halloween, even stay there overnight to search out the paranormal for yourself–or tour during the day, there are other events with a more lighthearted touch.

“Glamour in the Slammer Bridal Expo” a bridal fashion show, is held here each year. This year’s is scheduled for November 9, and it’s free. After watching the video clip, and finding out about the bridal show, it seems like a showing of Corpse Bride would be a perfect fit.

Play this free, on-line, animated travel game to compete for prizes

Never mind the prizes you might win by playing the interactive, animated game Race for the Sky at iloho.com, a travel Website. It’s a fun way to while away time, even if you don’t win.

Ever since Emma Torry, a blogger at iloho sent us the link to the game, I’ve played it six times, trying my darnedest to get Marcos to his flight on time.

See, he has slept through his alarm, and with a couple other mishaps, he’s hoofing it to the airport by running down the highway dodging cars, tire spikes and bananas peels. I think those are banana peels. Along the way, he can pick up a key which puts him on a motorcycle for a brief while, and pick up “S’s” which put in a cape so he can fly. Watch out for the cars, though. Hitting a car puts him in bandages, and on crutches.

I’m not very good at this game.The first attempt was pitiful. Marcos was in bandages in half a second. Other people playing are great, though. There’s a leader board that lists the top 10 scores. Currently, the highest is 16870 points.

When the competion ends January 31, 2009, the top winner will win two round-trip business class round-the-world tickets. The next top two winners will win a Canon camera. Other prizes include USB sticks and iPod speakers.