Where Have You Been? At Bluestockings

by Kelly Amabile on

Back in January, writer Marie Javins and I met up on the Lower East Side to attend a monthly travel event at Bluestockings, a radical bookstore and activist hangout on Allen St. We were treated to live storytelling from three travelers, who shared tales about clowns in Africa, artists in Amsterdam and tall bikes in Thailand, which seemed to be the crowd favorite that night (because of the monkeys…but I digress…)

Where Have You Been? is a monthly storytelling event that was started last year by Jeff Stark, interviewer extraordinaire and “dork” behind the Nonsense NYC newsletter (pictured above in the hat). He created this monthly venue for travelers to share personal stories of adventure and activism with other globally-minded folks, as well as those who may just not get the chance (or have the desire) to go very far. Stark’s style definitely reminded me of Ira Glass, and I liked the way he introduced each guest, moderated the Q & A, and connected the three unique stories around a common theme. (Which I can’t quite remember now, but it was clever…)

No matter, the important news to share is that the next Where Have You Been? is coming up this Wednesday, and one of the three featured guests will be the one and only Marie Javins, just back from Cairo, with a huge arsenal of personal travel tales to choose from. Maybe she’ll share something from her African adventures? Or her epic 2001 World Tour? She’s currently pondering this exact question. Feel free to weigh in and help her decide. And be sure to stop by Bluestockings on April 18th at 7 pm to hear Marie and the other storytellers. A parting tip: arrive early if you want a seat, the place was packed when we attended in January.

One for the Road (04/14/07)

by Kelly Amabile on

Although we focus lots on travel for leisure here at Gadling, we definitely look at it from other angles as well, and recognize that not all journeys are for fun. Or for real, for that matter — Today’s book choice is a fictional adventure about an unemployed schoolteacher in Bolivia on a desperate quest for an American visa. Journalist and author Juan de Recacoechea was born in La Paz, Bolivia, and after almost twenty years working as a reporter in Europe, returned to his native land, where he has focused instead on fiction. American Visa is his first novel to be translated into English. In this recently released thriller, former high school teacher Mario Alvarez’s dream of emigration leads him on a series of mysterious and corrupt twists and turns as he tries to escape his past and chart a new course to America, with hopes of a reunion with his grown son in Miami. Although fictional, this book touches on many of the issues surrounding the immigration debate, as seen from the Latin American perspective. The author is appearing at D.C.’s Politics and Prose today at 3 pm and will then quickly make his way to Florida for an event at Books & Books in Coral Gables tomorrow at 6 pm.

GADLING’S TAKE FIVE: Week of April 8

by Adrienne Wilson on

It was an interesting week here at Gadling with two very notable moments here. First we reached our 10,000th post! (Come one everyone – Golf claps, por favor!) Then there was our “Official Honoree” award in the 2007 Webby Awards, but most importantly it was a week filled with fun, informative and interesting travel related posts. Let’s look back at a few you may have missed.

5. Pocketed Security Sock:
Anyone who has ever endured the discomfort of stashing their cash and values away in the very same shoe they’re using to tour the city has probably placed an order of at least a couple pairs of these Pocketed Security socks. Designed to protect your small valuables and provide peace of mind and a happier sole who wouldn’t want to own some of these? Sometimes that nifty money belt isn’t enough.

4. Whogoslavia Means Traveling With Kids:
While I don’t have children I found this plug particularly inspiring. For those who think kids will bring a complete halt to travel and a social life all together this is one to check out. Have the best of both worlds and take your children to as many places as you can afford or have the time and make them apart of your social life. It might be a small world at Disney World, but it is a big world outside of those theme parks. Tackle it together!

3. The Extreme List:
I’d like to think I’m a bit of an “Extremist,” but after looking at this list of extreme things to do on your vacation far off and away the truth is I’m more of a wimp. If you are ready to not only follow the off-the-beaten track trails and wish to speckle it with a bit of danger and daring feats try climbing, swimming, diving, biking, or hiking some of these spots.

2. A Canadian in Beijing: Walls and their Greatness:
Anyone following Ember Swift’s time spent in Beijing is probably green with envy. This week she has left us with a slew of dispatches from the Asian city on the changing of the leaves to bathroom squatting instructions to pics of her standing at the Great Wall and even her landing her first gig! All I can say to that is two words: Rock On!

1. “Naked Sushi” Arrives on the Shores of America:
Ever dream of picking your spicy tuna or hamachi off a beautiful naked woman’s body? Well you don’t have to go to Japan or join a gang for this one. Instead you can take a trip right over to Sunset Blvd in Hollywood and feast away. Like Neil, I think I’ll pass

A Canadian In Beijing: Piddly-Squat

by Ember Swift on
I know squats are good for me. They’re assigned in most aerobic workouts and they’re apparently my ticket to a more shapely behind. Still, I had forgotten that I’d be practicing this movement several times a day in China.

In 2001, Lyndell and I spent five days in Hong Kong on a stopover from Sydney to Toronto. That was my first introduction to the “squat-and-pee” style latrines in Asian countries. I didn’t mind them then and I don’t mind them now.

My knees mind them.

I’m hoping that after three months of this activity, I will no longer hear the crunch of my cartilage against bone as I squat to relieve my jasmine-tea-filled bladder.

Urinating in this position is actually healthier for your body than the western toilet. I learned this many years ago and understood squatting to be better for the bladder’s optimal drainage versus sitting which doesn’t enable one’s bladder to fully empty itself. This then puts more strain on the body to relieve itself more regularly, hence keeping this organ working overtime on a perpetual basis. (This company bases its whole product on these findings. Check out this image for a good laugh!)

I must say that they take some getting used to, however. Remembering to bring your own toilet paper is a must and no paper is deposited into the holes but instead is placed in the uncovered wastebasket provided. Sometimes this can be a smelly collection and I’ve found that holding one’s breath is the best solution. All in all, I’m then working my squats AND my lungs. Surely that’s exercise!

My room at the university and most modern hotels and shopping centres also offer western-style toilets. As Beijing continues to grow and accommodate travellers, more and more western-style toilets are available. Still, the toilet paper rule applies. In this way, they are keeping miles and miles of sewers free of foreign material and just filled with organic waste.

Now if Beijing would only start a humanure project! With this massive population, I’m sure the city’s many coal-driven energy systems could be replaced by the methane, combustion or fertilization possible via human waste.

But, I won’t hold my breath for that one!

Thai Cooking Classes: Eat Your Way to Bliss

by Jamie Rhein on

When Brian Battjer went to Thailand (see Justin’s post), he did partake in one of the fine aspects of this country, the Thai massage. Even a half-hour hand or foot massage is bliss.

While massages transport you to heaven through the sense of touch, a Thai cooking class will bring you there through your taste buds. Besides that, it’s fun and a way to meet fellow travelers. And, if you happen to be traveling with kids, it’s one of those things to do as a family where everyone is happy. Our daughter was 8-years old the first time we took a class. We returned the next year for course number two.

Cooking schools have several options ranging from one day to several day courses. We did the one-day option, signing up at the travel agency stand at our hotel the day before the class. All travel agencies in Thailand seem to have a big book filled with tour options and will point you towards a class that suits your needs. Cooking classes will list the menu items. We headed to the one that had green curry chicken for our first class.

Our cooking school class in Chiang Mai involved meeting at the cooking school to eat tropical fruit from Thailand before taking a trip to the market where the instructor lead us from stall to stall to tell us about each of the ingredients that makes Thai food so delectable. Afterwards we became chefs and worked in pairs to cook five different dishes from salads to main courses to dessert. Our daughter was paired with John, another participant who was there on his own. We figured John would let her chop and dice more readily than we would. She chopped away with a very large knife at the cooking station next to us.

After we cooked each dish we ate it before cooking another. This is one way to cook your way through breakfast, lunch and up to dinner. Here is a link that lists cooking classes in Chiang Mai. One of the schools, Chaing Mai Thai Cookery School looks like the one we went to, although it’s not. Ours was run by a guy named Tim, but I don’t think they have a website since I haven’t come across it. Here is another interesting option. Chiang Mai Kitchen also offers a “stay in a countryside village” and the fare is organic. From the website photos you can see what dishes you’ll be cooking and it looks like a lot of the ingredients are grown on-site.