Squatting in New York

by Erik Olsen on

When most people in New York hear the term squatter,  they think of the annoying scarcity of public bathrooms
in the city. Too true (and thank God for Starbucks). But as Robert Neuwirth
points out in this fascinating
article, New York used to be home to thousands of squatters of the old-fashioned type: those who claimed a piece of
land simply by squatting, er living, on it. To be honest, I wasn’t sure how to file this entry. History? Um, business?
So I did both. But more than anything it is just an interesting read about a place that we are all familiar with, but
whose history sometimes is lost.

Give it a
READ.

Bullish on Bhutan

by Erik Olsen on

The Times Sunday travel section (sometimes it’s great to live in New York where it comes on
Saturday) runs a piece on the allure of Bhutan
which has recently eclipsed Cambodia as the Asia destination du jour. And why not? I love Cambodia, but man, is can
get hot there. Especially around Angkor in the summertime. Whew. And so instead, hit the high road and go up to
the atmosphere, up where the air is clear, oh let’s go…to Bhutan!

The article hails Bhutan as the place to go “in search of a spiritual journey, a hiking adventure – or just a chance
to experience a place before the rest of the world gets there”. Well, if it’s the cover of the NYT, it’s probably too
late for that, don’t you think?

I’d love to hear opinions about Bhutan. I’ve never been there, but it is easily in my top 5 places to go in the next
few years. What’s it like? Is tourism already ruining the place? Are the people there jaded by Americans yet? Is it as
beautiful as it seems? Come on, people, inquiring minds want to know!

Disasters R Us

by Erik Olsen on

The tragic tsunamis in Asia have had a dramatic effect on travel and tourism not just in Asia, but everywhere.
How can you book your next flight to a tropical destination (or even a mountaintop…can you say avalanche?) without
first thinking about whether some horrific disaster will occur? Well, Simon
Winchester of Krakatoa fame has got a piece in the
Guardian that takes a look at
natural disasters and adds some interesting perspective to how we perceive ourselves in the world, and how we perceive
and react to disasters that affect us.
Take a read. It’s pretty good.
 

Michigan Paddling Reveals State History

by Nino Marchetti on

There is a noteworthy effort under way in Michigan to trace the state’s history through its waterways,
according to an AP
story carried in the Courier-Journal. The Michigan Heritage
Water Trails project marks places (some in ruins) which are set alongside rivers and that can be paddled to as well
as, in some cases, put in from. Water trails have so far been opened in St. Joesph County and there is an eventual goal
of establishing trails throughout the state.

Heading to the Holy Land

by Erik Olsen on

Did you get a chance to catch Mel Gibson’s Magnum Opus The Passion? Not me.
Haven’t even Netflixed it yet. No interest, really. I prefer to experience my history for real. I like to BE THERE, if
you know what I mean. And so as we glide ever so swiftly into the Christmas/Hanukkah/Kwanzaa season, I was thinking
about trips to the Holy Land. But I got to wondering, with the all bad news coming out of the region and the suicide
bombers and all, whether the Holy Land was safe. Nothing ruins a good bowl of hummus like some as#hole who wants
to blow himself up next to you.

Well, the Independent runs this very fine
Complete Guide to the Biblical
Lands, telling you everything you wanted to know about your favorite Holy Site. It also answers a few questions you may
not have thought to ask. For example, you might never have pondered this: did Jesus spend much time in Jordan? Well,
yes sir, he did, but not much. In his latter years, Jerusalem was really his main hood. Another questions a typicasl
American might ask: Was Jordan named after Michael Jordan. No, Billy, it was not. No go eat your bag of Cheetos by the
Wailing Wall and leave us alone.