Are you dreaming of tropical climes? Wondering to yourself what it might actually be like to live out in the South Pacific? Wonder no more. The South Pacific blog takes you there, with posts about island life and even a dose of history. For example, take a read of this post about the Banabans of Fiji. No idea who the Banabans are? Me neither. But the writer of the blog, David Stanley, talks about them and many other island-related things in this excellent little blog. The style of the writing is clear and informative, as I guess you would expect it to be coming from a guidebook writer. Yes,
First Descent Connection
So Adrienne gave a nod to the new
snowboarding movie out
now called First Descent, which is very high on my list of films to see
in the next few weeks. The movie is sort of the snowboarding version of
Dogtown and Z-Boys, a superb film about the advent of skateboarding.
I had a deep personal connection to that film since I grew up just a few years after all that skate culture emerged,
and was a hard core So Cal skate rat myself for many years. I’ve still got the banged up shins to prove it.
And it turns out I also have a connection to First Descent, although I
profess I am a rather lackluster snow boarder. One of the stars of the film, Nick Perata, who was an early pioneer of
snowboarding, is an old high school friend of mine. In fact, he was just picking up snowboarding in Tahoe when I was
living and barely making ends meet as a photographer at Squaw Valley. I’m psyched for him that this film is out,
chronicling a very serious and important cultural sports revloution. And I for one can’t wait to see the film. Perata,
by the way, has since gone on to great things in the snowboarding world, and is now soemthing of a legend. Anyway, see
the film. I’m sure it will be enjoyable to both boarders and non-boarders alike.
Luzon’s Mountain Tribes
We don’t give the Philippines or some of its people and cultures nearly enough props here at
Gadling. I was born on Luzon in Angeles
City somewhere around the now extinct Clark Air Base which was destroyed in the 1992 volcanic eruption of
Mt. Pinatubo. My memory won’t allow me the simple pleasure of remembering one single thing about the Philippines
from the first five months of my existence which has imbedded a deep-rooted desire to go back. Perhaps I’ll even be
able to visit all of the 7,000 plus islands, but for now I’ll focus on Luzon.
For many the Philippines has long been associated as a destination with numerous beautiful, sandy beaches,
beautiful women (sometimes cheap prostitutes), and delicious foods like lumpia, pancit, chicken adobo, and
almondigas to name only a few. Metro Manila is
the bustling capital area which after a few days could potentially become overwhelming and tourists looking for an
escape tend to head north. To the north there is a culture and people quite different from those residing in the city.
This web site is one of the better featuring some pretty awesome photos and info on the different
regions, especially Luzon.
The mountain tribes of Luzon are made of many groups, the
most notable being the Bontocs and the Ifugao. Little has changed in their tribal communities as they hold on to old
traditions and skills like woodcarving and weaving clothes. The homes of the Ifugao are built on piles and the
bedroom, kitchen and storeroom are all used in the same space. A sacrificed pig’s skull is placed outside the home to
please the gods. During funerals the tribes celebrate the passing into a better life and six years later dig up the
bones to do it all again. Defintely a culture worth visiting and if you’re lucky enough you may bump into someone
willing to show the bones of their grandfather.
Yahtzee!!
I’ve played a bit of
Yahtzee in the past few
weeks, and during one game over Thanksgiving weekend, someone asked what the name “Yahtzee” even means. We guessed that
it had something to do with yachts, and indeed, my aunt researched it and sent me an email explaining that the game has
a connection to travel that dates back to when it originated in 1954. A wealthy Canadian couple invented the game to
play aboard their yacht and called it the “Yacht Game.” Two years later, game manufacturer Edwin S. Lowe bought the
rights and changed the name to Yahtzee. I’d love to know how long it took him to brainstorm that name?! According to
Wikipedia, Yahtzee is very similar to the traditional Puerto Rican
game Generala played with five dice and categories like poker hands and triples or quads. Yahtzee is a legend among
classic games, and will celebrate its 50th anniversary next year. Start planning your Yahtzee parties! Now you the
history of how
Yahtzee came to be. Your life is complete. You can thank me later — I’m off to catch a plane. You know, come to
think of it, the last time I flew I played travel chess —
maybe this time it will be travel Yahtzee? I wouldn’t mind actually…
The Wakhan Corridor
Mark Jenkins’ tale on what he calls a ‘Short Walk in the Wakhan Corridor’ are the kind of tales I
breathe, live, and dream to experience one day of my own. I’ve been known to
want to go places no young lady or person should want to venture. Places the average tourist would dare never to step
foot on due to the history of war and a fable or two creating complete stories or lies about the country and people
have always been top on my travel list. The Wakhan Corridor has suddenly worked its way on after reading this
feature on Afghanistan in the November
issue of Outside.
The Wakhan Corridor as Jenkins’ describes it is “the thin, vestigial arm of northeastern Afghanistan that extends
eastward to the border of China, separating Tajikistan from Pakistan.” For sometime now it has been regarded as one of
the most forbidding sections of the Silk Road. Back in 1271 Marco Polo successfully traveled through the Wakhan
Corridor, but since that time few Westerners have managed to go the entire length. The piece is certainly a bit long,
but quite worth the read if you can afford it. Jenkin’s does an amazing job taking you there and making you believe
you’ll want to journey there in the future. Filled with tons of historical information, land mines,
opium, and sheep-ass fat for dinner a read like this shouldn’t be missed.
In addition to the story, check out these
amazing photos by documentary
photographer Teru Kuwayama.