Hodgepodge of European dance moves

by Neil Woodburn on

Here’s a fun little video that shows the universality of travel and the commonality of music. The concept is simple: a team of Samsung employees traveled to ten European cities in ten days (London, Paris, Berlin, Rome, Prague, Ibiza, Barcelona, Moscow, Edinburgh and Galway) and asked strangers to dance a little jig for their camera.

20 years ago it probably would have been easy to pinpoint the location of each clip based strictly on the dancers photographed. Today, Europe has morphed into a multicultural soup where it’s now refreshingly impossible to distinguishing a “Spaniard” from a “German” based on just looks and dance moves. It’s only by looking beyond the dancers at some of the iconic European backgrounds that one can tell where these shots were taken.

Sure, “United Europe” is a promotional bit for a Samsung phone that plays music, and yes, I’ve fallen victim to its viral marketing goals by forwarding it on. But nonetheless, it still remains a short, happy clip of Europe in a nutshell.

One for the Road: London – A Life in Maps

by Kelly Amabile on

Let’s close out the month with one final map book selection. London: A Life in Maps, similar to yesterday’s book, is the result of a collaboration between an independent scholar and a major research library. In this case, Peter Whitfield teamed up with the British Library to produce this history of the city through the plans and maps that have represented and shaped it — over 200 maps spanning the last 500 years. The book was released earlier this year, in conjunction with an exhibit at the British Library.

A recent New York Times article highlighted this book, as well as additional cartographic titles that have been published lately. As the author notes in his piece: “Unlike calendars and telephone books, maps combine form, function and fantasy, a potent blend that might explain a recent surge in books on cartography and the continuing effort to humanize the contours of the earth.” We’ve mentioned several of these map books already — a plethora of grids and lines that have directed (or misdirected) explorers, city dwellers and nomads through the years.

Next They’ll Be Banning Snakes On Planes

by Brett Atkinson on

European low-cost airline Ryanair has a pretty good reputation for being friendly and laidback, but the inflight latitude doesn’t stretch to allowing a metre-long fluffy (and inanimate) crocodile to sit beside the emergency exit door. A passenger on a recent flight from Rome to Milan was asked to leave the flight when her plush reptilian pal became the subject of a heated debate between her and the flight crew.

In other crocodile-related world news, a crocodile which escaped from a circus in the Ukraine was finally captured after six months on the run.

There’s no truth to the rumour he was on his way to the Ryanair counter at Kiev airport.

Thanks to KnifeJuggler on Flickr for the pic.

* Actual crocodile may differ from one shown.

Iceland: best place to live. Or die, depending on which you prefer.

by Iva Skoch on

The U.N. has published their annual Human Development Index and guess what, a Scandinavian country won. I know what you are thinking. NO WAY, a Scandinavian country? That never happens.

It’s true. Iceland is officially the most desirable country on the planet. Norway, the former winner is now, sadly, number two. Let’s hope the gloomy result does not increase their suicide rates. The UN would probably not like that.

Honestly, can Scandinavian countries actually win all the world’s surveys? From lowest infant mortality rates to highest standard of living, they got it. Meanwhile, the US keeps slipping, from 8th place last year down to 12th this year.

What about introducing the category “sunshine” or “warmth” into the mix? That might push Sierra Leone, currently dead last, up a few notches.

One for the Road: Red, White and Drunk All Over

by Kelly Amabile on

Until I spent a month in Spain, red wine was something I generally steered clear of. I stuck to pinot grigio and the occasional chardonnay, even though I often didn’t enjoy them. But extended travel through Spain, and then Italy, and then Slovenia and Croatia too — and I was hooked on both colors of the wine rainbow. I attribute my growing amateur love of wine to the experience of tasting while traveling — besides meeting local folks, there seems no better way to discover a place than through the wine (and food) that defines it.

Natalie McLean’s book details her own wine love affair and how traveling played a part: Red White and Drunk All Over – A Wine-Soaked Journey from Grape to Glass is a wonderful introduction to the world of wine, from a journalist and sommelier who started out simply as a curious fan. She writes with experience, but also with honest passion and an engaging interest in all aspects of the industry that is as addictive as the wines she samples. McLean visits France to uncork Burgundy and celebrate Champagne, lingers in wine shops with global appeal in both New York and San Francisco, works as a sommelier in Canada and explores California’s Sonoma Valley. I gathered countless tips and useful insight from her investigative travels, but what sticks with me most is a renewed appreciation for the role that location plays in wine production. The French word terroir refers to the characteristics of geography that make individual wines so unique — it can be loosely translated as a “sense of place”. As a traveler, I’m drawn to what this word stands for — it entices me to set out on fantastic vineyard voyages of my own.

Is there another wine-soaked journey in Natalie McLean’s future? The only disappointment I had with her book was that McLean’s travels did not include visits to Mediterranean countries, or further afar, to places like South Africa, South America or Australia. I’ll be sure to check in at her impressive wine website, Nat Decants, to see if she’ll be embarking on future journeys. In the meantime, consider kicking back with a bottle of red and this truly enjoyable read — it’s a nice gift for all your wine-lovin’ pals…or to quench your own thirst for global grape goodness.