Cross-Cultural Smoking Etiquette

by Iva Skoch on

I witnessed an interesting cafe scene in Prague the other day.

Two local girls are sitting in a packed local cafe, drinking coffee and chain smoking. Two Americans at a table next to theirs start eating and politely ask the girls if they could stop smoking while they eat. The girls are visibly annoyed, but they do stop smoking. For the rest of the lunch hour, they talk about being fed up with foreigners who bring their healthy-living, assertive attitudes and impose them on the locals. Why don’t they stay at their smoke-free homes, they said. The American guys were thinking more in terms of “your freedom ends where my freedom begins.”

Mind you, it is virtually impossible to find a smoke free restaurant in Prague and about one half of the adult population smokes. Unlike the US, smoking is still kind of cool here.

Is it OK for a foreigner to ask a local to stop smoking in a place where smoking is allowed? Hmmm, what’s a health-obsessed, smoke-hating American to do?

Lonely Planet’s New New York Guide

by Erik Olsen on

It’s one thing to buy a new travel guide when you head to a far off destination like, say, Vanuatu. You NEED that guide to help you find your way around. The guide book is generally an indispensable component of your travel experience. I mean, how would you know where to eat, where to stay, what to see without a decent guidebook? Not to mention, of course, how the guidebook has become something of a beacon for travelers to identify each other, strike up conversations and find partners on the road. Happens all the time. Has happened to me.

But then, what about the question of having a guidebook for your own city? Does it do any good to heft one of those weighty tomes around in the place you call home? Well, I suppose it depends on where you live, but for me, having lived in an intense, bustling, complex city now for over seven years, the answer is, absolutely.

And I can’t tell you how pleased I was to get my hands on the newest edition of the Lonely Planet New York City guide. Released just a few months ago, the book is a major upgrade to the previous edition, with gobs of new information on sites and restaurants and hotels. The new edition was much needed and much anticipated by New York transplants and born-n-breds alike who enjoy having the LP guides (among numerous others) on the shelf when a quiet Sunday rolls around and you’re in need of some direction on what to do. I was very pleased to see the new guide nails all my favorite spots, like the Spotted Pig and Sapphire and the Abingdon Guest House (yes, I’m partial to the Village), but also takes on the thriving out door scene in the city with hefty mentions of biking (i.e. along the River and to the Hudson Bridge) as well as kayaking (I always recommend you come and paddle in Manhattan and check out the Manhattan Kayak Company. You will never regret this…unless you are crushed by a cruise ship, of course, then you might regret it…but htat almost never happens ;-)).

Another great feature of the new guide is the lovely and detailed pull-out map. If I have one gripe with travel guides it’s that the maps inside are usually lousy, and LP too a much-needed step by including great maps. If you’ve never been to Manhattan or don’t come often, you NEED a good map.

I could go on, but suffice to say that the new edition of Lonely Planet’s New York City guide is a must have for both visitors and locals.

Hispaniola Calling

by Adrienne Wilson on

Sometime in say, the next three months I am planning to escape to the Caribbean and this year’s pick happens to be the island in the West Indies comprised by the two countries we know as the Dominican Republic and Haiti. I want to go to both. As much as I like digging my toes into the sand on the beach while reading the latest top-selling book on all the lists, I also take great fancy in being productive, learning while touring and lending a helping hand. Haiti isn’t a place I got ignited about visiting after watching Pitt & Jolie hang around with Wyclef Jean, I’d always wanted to go. Having a few friends that are from there, but have yet to go back and wish very little to go back has always intrigued me. The political climate is no secret to me and aside from all the negative images there is an enormous amount of culture and beauty to be found. I want to find it. In fact, I’d love to have Wyclef take me on a tour similar to the one the Brad & Angelina received and see what’s happening with Yéle and Haiti combined.

In regards to the Dominican Republic, I’m looking for beach, sun, fun, dance and more importantly Larimar. Ever since my eyes laid sight on the Pectolite it has become my own “precious” of sorts and I must visit the museum and the mines. I’m told a trip to the mines might change my mind about ever owning a piece of Larimar jewelry, but there is no hiding, running, or turning back now. I want to see the mines.

Yes, my agenda seems and sounds quite set right now, but I’ve got some weeks to plan and I’m opening it up for some reader recommendations. Like Neil, before he took off for Albania and pooled for some additional ideas if anyone says “don’t go” I’ll be obliged to ignore.

Top 5 Human Gatherings Around the World

by Justin Glow on

Every time I slowly make my way through the mob on Bourbon Street in New Orleans for Mardi Gras, I look around and see what seems like millions of drunken people surrounding me. This is nothing, I’ve learned, compared to other gargantuan human gatherings around the world, of which I’ve tallied the 5 largest and presented them below:

  1. 70 million: Allahabad, India – The number one spot (along with 2, 3, and 4) go to none other than India. The most recent Hindu festival of Ardh Kumbh Mela in Allahabad (pictured) saw an estimated 70 million people gather in one spot in January 2007.
  2. 70 million: Allahabad, India – Hindu festival Ardh Kumbh Mela strikes again! This time in 2001, another 70 million showed up to kick off this famous pilgrimage.
  3. 30 million: Ujjain, India – OK, this is getting ridiculous: same festival — Ardh Kumbh Mela — but in a different town this time. In April of 2004, some 30 million people attended what is, without a doubt, the most popular festival in the world. Give someone else a chance, India!
  4. 15 million: Tamil Nadu, India – In 1969, the former Chief Miniester of Indian state Tamil Nadu, C.N. Annadurai, died and 15 million people attended his funeral. Dying sucks, but you might as well go out with a bang!
  5. 11 million: Beijing, China – Finally, we’re out of India! In 1966, about 11 million Red Guards joined together in Tiananmen Square, making it the 5th largest gathering of humans in the world.

Sorry, New Orleans — you’ve got nothing on India in terms of people gatherings. You throw a mean party though.

This list was put together with the help of Wikipedia. Thanks, Wiki!

Don George’s New Gig

by Erik Olsen on

I had not heard that Don George left Lonely Planet until just now. Some of you may know Don from being one of the co-founders of Salon’s (sadly, now defunct) Wanderlust travel section. Others may know him from his books. And yet most (here, anyway) probably know him from being the Global Travel Editor at Lonely Planet and hosting a occasional podcast. And then a very few of you may remember the podcast we did with Don a while back, which was filled with vast quantities of useful info for you, the budding travel writer.

Well, anyway, it turns out that Don has left LP. He recently launched a brand new website called Don’s Place, where he will opine on travel and travel writing. If you check it out now, you can read a story about boobies (of the avian kind) in the Galapagos. The site is actually very well-designed, with a nice big picture of the follicle-challenged George right up front.

Of course any such venture MUST have a blog, and there is one, where he will answers questions, post interviews with adventurers and writers and so on. I, for one, found Don the most charming and friendly of fellows and wish him well. And I recommend you head over to Don’s place right now and check it out.

(via Writtenroad)