The Yosemite National Park in California is one of the many gems of the American National Park System. Yosemite National Park is a World Heritage Site known for its giant granite cliffs, waterfalls, clear rivers and streams, ancient Giant Sequoia tree groves, large meadows, and a wilderness that supports a variety of wildlife. The passing of the 1864 Yosemite Land Grant by President Abraham Lincoln was the first instance of park land being set aside specifically for preservation and public use by the United States, and set a precedent for the 1872 creation of Yellowstone as the first official national park and the beginning of the National Park System. While this giant park encompasses over 750,000 acres of land, most people only spend time in the popular 7 acres known as the Yosemite Valley. Ethan and I just visited Yosemite National Park for the first time last week and we share a… Read the rest
Archives for December 2013
Travel Research: Slum Tourism in South Africa
Today I would like to focus on the topic of slum tourism in South Africa, also known as township tourism. Slum tourism is defined as the practice of travelers visiting poor urban areas of the Global South to view its impoverished conditions and understand more of the lifestyles of local inhabitants. Organized slum tourism tours exist around the world in cities such as Rio de Janeiro, Mexico City, Cape Town, Johannesburg, Cairo, and Mumbai. Slum tourism is a controversial issue and I have written about the different viewpoints and potential pros and cons of this practice in a previous article that focused on research about slum tourism in Cairo, Egypt. This post will specifically focus on the research of a fellow researcher and blogger, Jeanett Andrea Søderstrøm who runs a blog called The Gipsy Giraffe, writing about her travels, passions, life, and research. Although born in Norway, her holiday travels… Read the rest
Philosophers’ Walk in Heidelberg, Germany
The Philosophers Walk in Heidelberg, or the Philosophenweg, is a path located on the northern banks of the Neckar River in Heidelberg, Germany. Historically, this was just a simple rough path through the vineyards; however, it would later be renamed Philosophenweg during the Romantic Period because of the many professors and philosophers of Heidelberg who enjoyed the path for its solitude, natural beauty, and great views of the town. Today, this path is still there, complete with gardens and informational plaques, offering lovely views of the Neckar River, Old Town of Heidelberg, and Heidelberg Castle. These views of Heidelberg from along this path are said to have inspired the famous German poets Joseph von Eichendorff and Friedrich Hölderlin in their writings. On our recent trip to Germany, we stopped in Heidelberg specifically to see the views along this path and see if we could indeed find some of that solitude and beauty… Read the rest
Fontaine-de-Vaucluse: A Little Town in Provence with a Giant Spring
Fontaine-de-Vaucluse is a small Luberon town in Provence France. It is most famous for being the town where the source of the Sorgue River is located, which gives the town its name. The Fontaine-de-Vaucluse is the largest spring in France and one of the most powerful resurgent springs in the world. The main reason it is a tourist attraction is that the spring happens to be located in an enclosed valley at the mouth of a cave, surrounded by high cliffs with a ruined castle located high above, making it quite a picturesque site. The area is also famous for being the place where the Renaissance Italian poet and scholar Petrarch wrote about his love for Laura de Noves. Most travelers, like us, come here before or after a visit to nearby L’Isle sur la Sorgue to examine the source of all the water that runs throughout the pretty town…. Read the rest
Fun & Wacky Museums: Our Visit to California’s PEZ Museum
This weekend Ethan and I visited the Burlingame Museum of PEZ Memorabilia—that’s right a PEZ Museum! The one-room museum is dedicated to the history of this iconic candy and displays over 800 unique PEZ dispensers. It was voted one of the “top 50 American roadside attractions” by TIME.com and has the world’s largest PEZ dispenser on display! In addition to PEZ, the museum also includes exhibits on classic toys and banned toys. After hearing that this quirky museum was located so close to us, we had to stop by and check it out. We grabbed our PEZ dispenser (Batman) and headed to Burlingame, California to learn about PEZ candy. Basic Information about the PEZ Museum Here is some basic information for planning your visit to the PEZ Museum. Location? The Burlingame Museum of PEZ Memorabilia is located at 214 California Drive, Burlingame, CA 94010. It is located in San Mateo… Read the rest
Market Days in Provence: Visiting the L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue Sunday Market
The L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue Sunday market is the largest outdoor market in the idyllic Luberon area within the Provence region of France. The large Sunday market at L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue is a food market, flea market, and antique market rolled into one so you can buy everything from olives to fine art here. The town itself stretches across the Sorgue River—earning it the nickname “Venice of Provence”—and makes a very lovely backdrop to this large market with its shade-providing plane tress, babbling river, historic waterwheels, and flower-filled riverside cafés and restaurants. The town is famous for being a big hub for antique dealers and is the second largest antique center in France (after Paris). Interested in visiting this famous Sunday market? We’ll share everything you need to know to plan your trip to the L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue Sunday market and tell you about our own experience visiting L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue. Basic Information on Visiting the Sunday Market at Isle… Read the rest
Secret Sweater Cardigan: A Perfect Travel Accessory for Women who Layer their Clothing
The Secret Sweater cardigan may be the perfect travel accessory for women looking for a way to layer their clothing without the bulk. It is a lightweight but durable sweater that works well as a hidden middle layer of warmth or as a fashionable outer layer. While not created exclusively with travel in mind, the Secret Sweater cardigan can help keep you warm on your travels, whether it involves exploring ancient ruins, perusing air-conditioned museums, or sipping coffee at outdoor cafés. I was excited to try out the Secret Sweater cardigan over the past several weeks and I share my experiences below. I have found the Secret Sweater cardigan to have a number of uses and it has become a valuable addition to my wardrobe. NOTE: Since this article was written Secret Sweater has closed and it appears the last Secret Sweater products were sold in 2018. Basic Information on… Read the rest