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.

Photo of the Day (6/11/2006)

by Erik Olsen on


I’m departing a bit from Gadling protocol to take a photo from a place other than the Gadling Flickr group. Further, I’m actually posting a photo that’s not entirely travel-related. But I just thought it was such a lovely, cool photo, I had to do it.

The shot comes from NASA, of all places, and is a shot of the Moon Over Haleakala. There’s a handy explanation of the photo by an astronomer below, also worth reading.

Sightseeing in New York

by Erik Olsen on

Those making the trip the the Big Apple any time soon will find this list of things to do and tours to take very useful. Put together by new York Magazine, the list here puts you places you might not otherwise see if you are just here hoofing it on your own. One recommendation here I can vouch for personally (and I LIVE here) is the Watson Adventures scavenger hunts. These are really fun and interesting and a great way to learn about the city. They are also a superb way to learn more about the city. Basically, you go out with a group of friends to places like the Met or the Museum of Natural History and solve clues based on the location. You end up working together as a team and running all over the place. Sure, it can be a pain for those who are at such and such museum just to spend the day and hordes of scavengers are running around. But screw them, it’s fun.

Beyond Bangalore

by Erik Olsen on

When I was in India two years ago, I spent a couple of days in Bangalore, partly to do some work, but also just to see this city that was so well known in America for being the place that steals American jobs. I was told Bangalore was a kind of high-tech Mecca, and I imagined the cleanliness and efficiency of Silicon Valley. I was wrong. I found Bangalore a mess. Lung-wrenching pollution, astounding traffic, and typical Indian urban crowds made me wonder what people were talking about…I mean, this place was not ready for prime time. But after a day or two, I started to move to the city’s rhythms and came to enjoy Bangalore. Many people spoke English and it was wonderfully friendly. And despite the complaints lodged above, I could actually find a nice strong cup of coffee there.

All this is to say that Bangalore is nice and OK and all that, but also to show you an article about places outside of Bangalore that might be worth your time should you be fortunate enough to visit India in the near future. This LA Times piece written by Bangalore native Vani Rangachar (who happens to be an LA Times travel Editor) on what to find once you get outside the rattle and hum of Bangalore is quite good. Written from the perspective of someone who knows the place well, you’ll find her perspectives informative and compelling. Check it out.