As Rodin’s famous sculpture “The Thinker” would say…well, if he could speak he might say to visit him at the
Muse Rodin (Rodin Museum) in Paris.
As recommended by the Christian Science Monitor, the
Rodin Museum is perhaps the best place in the world to understand the great master artist. He experienced the last
decade of his life at this residence turned museum and many of his original works can be found here on display. As the
Monitor put it, the Rodin Museum is often overlooked for more famous landmarks in Paris but that translates to a slower
pace and more ability to enjoy for those who do show up.
Chronicle’s Best Trips
Here’s a solid
little list of adventure travel
trips put together by the SF Chronicle. Good stuff. I got a bit giddy just thinking about doing some of these
trips. From the somewhat goofy, but none the less clever, ”experience your
favorite movie” trips I’ve posted about before (like
Apocalypse Now tours in Cambodia), to photo adventures with Nat Geo (I mean, how cool?), to Siberian whitewater, to Mt.
St Elias in Alaska. Solid, real adventure and education. This is engaged travel, folks. I would pretty much go on any
one of these trips anytime anywhere.
Turkey Bound?
Turkey is one of those places I’ve never been to but have ALWAYS wanted to visit. Everyone
I’ve ever spoken to who’s been there has said it is one of the most interesting, historically-rich countries in the
world, and
with Turkey in the news over whether it will be admitted as a member of European Community, it
may just be time to go.
In fact, there is also an interesting article in this month’s
Atlantic about turkey, that might spark your interest.
So I was looking around and found this site that will
answer many of your key questions: Is it safe? Friendly? What about women travelers in Turkey? Where should I go, what
should I see and do? (Show me a map of Turkey.) What does it cost? Can I afford it? When’s the best time to go? What’s
each month like? Any Special Offers?
The site is written by Tom
Brosnahan, an old hand at Turkey, and the guy who wrote several prominent guides to the country, as well as the
book Turkey: Bright Sun, Strong Tea. There’s some good info here and Tom is very knowledgable, so
check it out.
Open for Debate: More Vacation?
I wrote an article a few weeks ago about the sad state of the American vacation, and brought attention to a group calling itself the Take Back Your Time Day Movement. Among the numerous goals of the movement is to legislate a mandatory three weeks of vacation for American workers. This seemed reasonable to me. And it still does. Especially when we look at the vacation time given to workers in France, Germany and throughout most of Europe, our paltry two weeks (which is neither legislated, nor mandatory) seems almost obscenely limited. After all, (and this is a point Rick Steves made to me when I interviewed him), if we are expected to be good global citizens as the world’s sole remaining superpower, it sure seems like we should make an effort to know the world better. To have more time off and to travel more. In other words, it’s awfully hard to understand the world better when you don’t get out of the country much.
But I have to say that during the research I did, I discovered how new the idea of leisure really is. The notion of a company providing two weeks off is amazingly new. Even the weekend is a relatively recent phenomenon. So there is an argument to be made that we should be happy with what we have because our recent forbears got next to nothing (and they liked it! Didn�t you Spalding?) Of course, we aren�t. This is now, and ours is a modern tech-industrial society, and most of us believe that the workers in it are entitled to enjoy their lives more. I, for one, believe we are. But there are those who disagree and say that more vacation will hurt the economy. Perhaps. But I believe that whatever drop in GDP we suffer from an additional week of vacation is likely to be offset by a rise in the national happiness quotient (the NHQ, which, of course, doesn�t really exist, though it should). Yes, China and India are already suctioning off our jobs, and an intensively competitive global market makes it increasingly hard for companies to stay alive, and therefore keep people employed. Tough arguments to take on. But it is doubtful that making vacation mandatory and adding an additional week will do irreparable harm to the economy. As I say, it could help. This is, perhaps, a lame and simple argument, but I believe it is worth a try.
I�m eager to hear what others think. More vacation, or, as Little Red Riding Hood might have said, things are things juuust right?
And I’m Proud to Be and American…
…where at least I know I can pretend not to be one.
Yes, for those planning a vacation who don’t want to be egged or spat upon a New Mexico T-shirt company has come up
with the ”
Go
Canadian” package, with a Canadian flag T-shirt, a Canadian flag lapel pin and a Canadian patch for luggage or a
backpack. There’s also a quick reference guide – “How to Speak Canadian, Eh?” that will help you sound like John Candy
and Rick Moranis. The “brilliant” albeit slightly insulting and cowardly concept is the brainchild of N.M.-based
company shirtKing.com.