World Time Zone

by Erik Olsen on

Ever sat in Starbucks and thought it might be cool to call your friend Chuck over in
Germany…but then you couldn’t remember how many hours difference there was between you and him…and heck, what if it was
like nine hours and he was asleep. That would be uncool.

Well to answer that question and many others associated with time zones, you should go to
worldtimezone.com, which has got every city and spot on the map broken out
by time zone. There is also a very handy and cool sunclock
feature that lets you see if it is light or dark on some spot on the globe. I couldn’t find whether this site would
be available on cell phones yet, but it should be. My guess is they’re working on it.

Travel + Leisure on Iran

by Adrienne Wilson on

Despite more negative news surrounding the Middle Eastern country of Iran and the President-
elect
Ahmadinejad,
those of us forever dreaming to visit the country can click into
Travel + Leisure
for a more pleasant piece on the land known for it’s poets, pomegranates, and palaces to keep those dreams alive. 
The lengthy article by Peter Jon Lindberg follows he and his wife, a native of Iran on his first go in the mysterious
land of extremely and sometimes overly hospitable people. A glimpse at the culture blended with constant
underlying political dramas and look at how life goes on even with its limitations, the article is a
splendid positive read.  Taking us through Tehran, Shiraz, Persepolis, and toasting to Hamadan and it’s
bagh (garden), which the author failed to get to during his own travel, anyone who is dying to
go will be toasting to them all. 

 

They also have some

superb links for places to eat like the famous Nayeb located in tehran as well as places to sleep like the popular
five-star Abbasi Hotel located in Esfahan.

Calgary Stampede

by Erik Olsen on

Although I’ve never been, I have been told by several friends that the Calgary
Stampede is one of the coolest events of the summer.

This is the real deal. Hard-core cowboy types competing in vicious man v. beast contests, broncos are broken, steeds
are lassoed. Oh yea, and there is an agricultural show (I know, sounds lame, but it’s cool), featuring some of the most
massive livestock on the face of the planet.

This year’s Stampede happens soon (I blogged about it earlier so don’t complain about the late notice), July 8 – 17.
If you’re a Deadwood fan, this is the event you don’t want to miss. And for poker players, oh yeah, there some great
opportunities for you, too, with the 1st Annual Stampede Classic Texas
Hold ‘Em Tournament offering $250,000 is prize money.

Don’t even think about hiding that ace up your sleeve. This is the old West, and you might just get some lead in
your belly.

Ear Nourishment: the Teaching Company

by Erik Olsen on

I’ve been an advocate here for a while of spoken word content for your iPod or other MP3 device. As a traveler, I’ve
now taken my iPod with me on a few trips, and listening to a book or a course or a language guide while hoofing it up a
mountain slope or riding a train is a great way to pass the time. Audible.com has improved my quality of life by 6.324
percent (you’ll have to trust me, the math is complex). And now a company whose audio goodies I’ve mentioned here
before are finally available for download. Sort of.

The Teaching Company has got scads of lectures and courses in their catalog, and
for the longest time (too long) they were available only on DVD, CD and transcript. But now they are making some of
their stuff available for download, and they have knocked their prices down considerably. This is great stuff. The only
problem is that you have to hunt and peck to find what’s available for download because only a select few are.
Hopefully, they are addressing this issue.

I have the Science of Life set and have really enjoyed it. I have also listed to lectures on the Civil War, the
history of electricity and more. All the lectures are very high quality…they are not recorded as if in a big lecture
hall, but rather nicely into microphones. For people with long commutes and an interest in a particular subject – from
Renaissance Painting to Civil War
battles, this is a nice addition to your ipod library.

By the way, I have some samplers that came with an order, and I will send them to anyone who wants them. I have them
for the Civil War, Beethoven’s Fifth and a few science ones. Post a comment with your email address and I’ll send them
first come first served.

Europe on Motorbike

by Erik Olsen on

Slate, who it seems to me has not had a very good travel feature in a long while, has finally got one. Elisabeth Eaves hits Europe on two wheels, rumbing through its open roads on a motorcycle as she clutches the leather-clad back of her riding partner and boyfriend, the mysteriously-named L.

Eaves ruminates on the virtues and mundanity of motorcycle riding (a motorcycle on the hiighway is little more than “a very uncomfortable car”…apparently because she’s not driving), as she passes through France, Slovakia, Poland, Germany (um, not in that order). Some of Europe’s small towns pass in a blur, while in others she stops for a much-needed break. Eaves sits astride a Suzuki Bandit GSF 600 S, and we get to hear about some of Europe’s woes and wonders, as well as her thoughts on recent newsy items like the Polish Plumber fiasco.

A fine way to travel. One wonders if Rick Steves has ever done Europe by motorcycle.