Experience the Sea without Going to the Sea

by Josh Lew on

The Great Lakes are among the most underrated tourist destinations in the US. Take Lake Superior, for example. Today I walked along the Lake in Duluth, Minnesota and watched gigantic ships come into the harbor. In certain ways, it felt more like the Pacific Northwest than the Midwest.

Of course, there are some aspects of this area that remind you of where you are:
1. Most of the conversations you overhear are about hockey, even though it’s not hockey season for another few months.
2. People here think that the best way to prepare freshly caught fish is to dip it in batter and deep fry it.
3. The guest services people at the hotels often refuse tips, responding to your gesture as if you have just offered them a bribe to help you remove a body from your room.

Other aspects of Duluth and Lake Superior are more sea-like and cosmopolitan. The lakefront area of downtown is filled with cool bars and live music venues. Students from UMD (University of Minnesota Duluth) give this strip a youthful vibe. And then there are the cruises, sea gulls, the port, the brick buildings, and all the other things that you might find in a mid-sized port town on either of the coasts. I’ll have more from this freshwater sea later in the week.

More U.S. passport regulations coming soon

by Justin Glow on

Are you one of the many Americans that still don’t have a passport? Shame on you. But being shamed by some random travel blog on the Internets is the least of your worries, especially if you plan on re-entering the U.S. by land, ferry, or small boat.

According to USA Today, those re-entering after January 30th “must carry either a passport or a government-issued photo ID plus proof of citizenship such as a birth or naturalization certificate.”

I’m surprised this is just now happening. You’d think having the correct documentation is common sense, but I’m sure they’ve had people show up with things like a Macy’s card and a picture of their uncle in front of the Statue of Liberty trying to get across. What? This doesn’t prove anything?

Turnaround time for passports ranges from four to six weeks, so get a move on it.

How Far Would You Go For a Beer?

by Brett Atkinson on

How about delivering a fully functioning pub all the way from New Zealand to London? By boat. That’s the sublime task currently being undertaken by a group of intrepid Kiwis.

In New Zealand Speights beer is immensely popular – so much so that it’s also a favourite of homesick New Zealanders living in London. Hence the decision to load a traditional ale house onto a boat and set sail for the Thames. The team has just left Samoa, and now face a three week journey across the Pacific to the Panama Canal. From there it’s a hop across the Atlantic, ideally getting in by early October. Why then you ask? The final stages of the Rugby World Cup are happening just across the Channel in France and New Zealand fans in London will need lots of liquid sustenance. You can follow the The Great Beer Delivery online with regular video updates. At the top of the page is where they’re headed in a few weeks. Negotiating the canal promises to be very thirsty work.

Viking Ship Of Popsicle Sticks Sets Sail

by Jamie Rhein on

On Monday night I heard a story on CNN about the Viking ship made of popsicle sticks that recently set sail across IJesslmeer lake in the Netherlands. One of our sister sites, Engadget covered this story when the ship was first completed. The hope for this ship is that it will be seaworthy enough to follow the Viking route to North America. An accounting of the project was also covered in last Saturday’s The Gazette, a Montreal paper. There is a photo of the ship as well. (This photo is a popsicle raft featured in garretsbridges.com. Maybe a post idea for our newest sister site DIYLife?)

The story behind the popscicle Viking ship story is intriguing. Robert McDonald, the man in charge of this project, was badly burned as a child and his family killed in an explosion. Afterwards, because of his injuries, he was told that he wouldn’t be able to do what other kids can do. Ever since he has gone on to prove the naysayers wrong. He writes about his life and projects on his Web site, OB Viking Ship. Come to think of it, it does seem that McDonald, an American, is unable to do what most people do which is to buy a normal ship instead of building a replica of a Viking ship out of 15 million recycled popscicle sticks with the help of 5,000 school kids. His aim is to show that what people think is impossible is possible and intrigue kids to manifest their dreams. Here’s a TV report from the Netherlands on this latest undertaking to cross the Atlantic. There are English subtitles. I love this story.

GADLING’S TAKE FIVE: Week of June 3

by Adrienne Wilson on

Another adventure awaits me and so I must pack, but before running off to do so let me point you to some of this week’s fun-filled and informative posts touching on food, islands, business travel and one of the best Talking Travel interviews yet!

5. Haiti Part 6: A Few Last Words:
My quick weekend trip to the Caribbean land of Haiti in summary can be found by visiting the link above along with other links packed with pictures of Port-au-Prince and Jacmel, Haiti. Check out the lesser explored Carib nation.

4. Hey Americans! Take a Vacation:
It is so true – Americans vacation the least compared to the rest of the world. What gives? Read Gadling’s cry out for more Americans to start taking time off and start planning your own escape.

3. Combining Business and Pleasure and how to Write it Off:
As someone who does a lot of travel for work related purposes it can be both enjoyable and a pain. The painful part if the expense reporting and keeping track of every single receipt. For those that experience the same kind of write-off and tax issues check out this how-to Neil does a fine job pointing us all to. Hopefully, this will help decrease some of the headache.

2. Top Ten Restaurants You Can Take a Boat To:
Ready for a hot, but cool dinner date? Taking a boat to a restaurant might just be the spice or icing (whichever you prefer) your dinner date is in need of and with that we present you with some of the top ten restaurants to make it happen.

1. Talking Travel with Conor Grennan:
If you haven’t been acquainted with Conor Grennan yet – NOW is the time! In this amazing and touching Talking Travel piece we learn that Conor is doing more than just hanging out in Nepal. He has been trekking through the Himalayas, reuniting trafficked children with their parents… WOW. How is that for meaningful travel? Read the full scoop for yourself!