Viva España

August 30th, 2010 by Buzz

For visitors and locals alike, Spain drips with history, culture and food. Roman and Moorish ruins stand in the midst of narrow city alleyways and in rural villages across the country. No matter how, where and when you approach this country, there is something for you, whether you want to laze on the beach, drink sangria and eat fresh seafood or if you want devote time to amazing museums with more Miro, Picasso, Goya and Dali (just to name a few masters) than you can imagine.

I’ve been to Spain before, but I’m here for the next several weeks, spending a good deal of the time in Granada. But before arriving at our temporary home away from home, my wife and I landed in Barcelona for a quick couple days of indulgence before heading down the eastern coastline, from Valencia to Granada, via Alicante.

Once we stowed our bags at the hotel, straight off the overnight flight from New York, a walk was in order, and we knew exactly where we were headed: Mercat be la Boqueria. This enormous and wonderfully overwhelming covered market contains aisles and aisles of vendors hawking the freshest and best of Spanish foodstuffs. Fresh figs from the south, salty, rich jamon from the high plateau, a dizzying variety of cheese, seafood, bread and so much more will get you hungry, even if you just ate. But when you’ve been on a flight overnight and your body thinks it’s the wee hours of the morning, tapas is the answer, and this market has countless bars to cozy up against for food and drink (beer for me). We went for some semblance of breakfast with a potato omelette, but then mixed it up with some grilled squid and the most amazing mix of wild mushrooms, spiked with garlic, asparagus, scallions and sea salt, dressed with olive oil, of course. Fortified, we spent the rest of the day checking out some of the major sites. The next day, after I went to a meeting, we did much of the same, walking, eating and drinking off our jetlag. On a local’s recommendation we ate dinner at Taller de Tapas, a restaurant with a few locations in the city. The place was packed and well worth the wait. The next morning we were on a train to Valencia.

Neither of us had been here, and we went because my friend, the photographer Luz A. Martin, is a local. Nothing better than letting a local show you around! Walking around the cathedral, we were filled in on the city’s history and how it related to different stages of building. As the bells chimed and night approached, Luz explained how the city had been walled and the rings were timed to alert travelers that soon the only open entrance to the city would demand a fee. We ate at Luz’a favorite tapas place, which she made me promise I would not reveal. Opened in the very early twentieth century, the rustic feel matched the food perfectly. Leaning up against the bar, throwing napkins, olive pits and shells on the floor, we ate and drank and ate and drank. The highlight was a special type of seasonal mussel much fleshier and less briny than a typical mussel. We had them steamed in a spicy tomato-based broth and in a croquette. After some more wandering of the city, which was besieged with more tourists than usual because of La Tomatina (a festival in nearby Buñol during which participants more or less swim in overripe tomatoes), we parted ways with Luz, well past 3am. We were tired, but Luz and her friends were just getting started.

We were psyched to spend two days on the beach in Alicante. It’s a short train ride from Valencia and we were on the beach by the late afternoon. Summer vacation is in full swing over here so the beaches are crowded, but pleasant enough, especially if you swim out past the folks standing around close to shore. We did check out Castillo de Santa Barbara, a sixteenth-century castle perched above the city, which offers amazing views. After a late-night tapas tasting menu at La Taberna Del Gourmet it was an early morning bus to Granada . . .

Memorable Hostels

August 22nd, 2010 by Buzz

The film Bagdad Café tells the fictional story of America’s loneliest motel stuck out in the Mojave Desert, and the guests it attracts. For travelers, these sorts of spots support the idea that a journey can often be more rewarding than the destination. Scores of blogs and message boards make it seem like there aren’t any secrets left out there on the road and that no place has gone undiscovered. While the fact that The Guardian published a story about Syria’s Bagdad Café means it’s not a secret, it certainly is isolated enough, and close enough to the Iraqi border, to make it seem like a fabled oasis that may or may not actually exist. But in this case, it does exist. As Matt Carroll explains it, “The menu consists of just one dish: omelette and sheep’s cheese served with flatbread, and though it’s all tasty, organic and accompanied by coffee strong enough to run your car on, the real reason backpackers flock here is because, as far as travellers’ outposts go, this place is the real deal. It is isolated and exposed against a backdrop of sandstone mountains and has a never-know-who-you-might-meet kind of feel to it.”

Thinking back on my own travels, two hostels always come right to mind. In terms of isolation, and stunning beaches, the Abdul Chalet on Malaysia’s Besar Perhentian Island can’t be beat. A motor boat delivers you to the island and as you wade onto the shore the chalets are right behind a stand of palm trees. This island is surrounded by some of the world’s most amazing coral reefs and once served up the best banana pancakes I’ve ever had.

I also have incredibly fond memories of Pension Gimmewald in Gimmewald, Switzerland. My friends and I were lucky to score some mattresses in the attic as we were there in summer. But in the Swiss Alps, it isn’t about hanging around your room. You spend the day hiking. Returning to the pension you bask in the neck-craning views as you fortify yourself with fondue and beer, which ensure that you sleep like a baby.

What are some of your most memorable hostel experiences? Anyone out there been to the Bagdad Café? Adventure Center offers several trips to Syria, so maybe some of you have been there. If so, tell us about it!

The New Frugal Traveler

July 31st, 2010 by Buzz

Seth Kugel, recently appointed by The New York Times as the new Frugal Traveler, has been filing reports from a thirteen-week budget-minded ($500 per week) adventure from Brazil to New York City. So far he has hit Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, briefly, and Colombia.

Of these five countries, Colombia attracts the least foreign visitors. But, according to Kugel’s most recent report, the country seems ready to overhaul its image. For years, guerrilla factions have menaced Colombians, deterring most travelers from visiting the country. But a tempered political climate has filled locals with optimism that natural beauty and indigenous and local cultures will soon be what people think of when they think of Colombia. To paraphrase one of the people interviewed, it is time to create a new perspective of Colombia.

Adventure Center offers a handful of trips to Colombia, which just goes to show you that it is not yet overrun with those looking for the next great destination.

Speaking of the new Frugal Traveler – Any opinions out there about how the new guy measures up to Matt Gross? I’m still getting used to the new tone. Gross had, for lack of a better word, a folksiness to him that I would guess helped him endear himself to strangers. That’s not to say that Kugel isn’t friendly, but he seems a bit removed. But maybe he’s just overwhelmed. Covering all the ground can be work enough, but having to also document it and meet deadlines must be an added stress (one I’d happily take on, by the way). It will be interesting to follow the rest of this trip through the Americas.

Fete de la Musique in the Loire Valley

June 27th, 2010 by Buzz

In the US, a three-day weekend and storewide sales mark the unofficial start of summer, otherwise known as Memorial Day. The actual summer solstice garners very little recognition in terms of a national happening. But in France, where I was lucky enough to be on June 21, the entire country rings in the solstice with Fete de la Musique, a nationwide free music festival that begins just before sunset and runs long into the night, well past midnight.

Conceived by Joel Cohen and first executed in 1982 by Maurice Fleuret the event has spread to countries worldwide, including the US. But its birthplace remains the epicenter of this musical ritual, with musicians, emcees and DJs setting up shop in all the nooks and crannies of towns and cities. Paris receives much of the international attention, but all of France really does sing, play and dance along.

Does anyone have stories about being in a country that observes Fete de la Musique?

I was in Tours, a stunningly beautiful city in the Loire Valley. My girlfriend and I knew about the Fete but hadn’t realized the extent to which locals dedicate themselves to this celebration of the year’s longest day (and remember, in this part of the world the sun doesn’t set until after 10pm). Working up Rue Nationale from the downtown area close to the train station, anyone with the wherewithal, ranging from full-blown amplified rock bands to lone minstrels, can set up and kick out the jams. Now, I’m no stranger to the celebratory power of music; I saw the Grateful Dead and have danced through the streets at Carnival in Salvador, Brazil, but this was such a pure and unadulterated expression of community and fun that it was on par with any other musical joyride I’ve ever experienced.

Don’t get me wrong – some of the music was awful and much of it was mediocre. But it was worth wandering through the crowded medieval streets and alleyways to discover the good stuff – like an acoustic Celtic/Turkish fusion band and a killer funky slap-bass outfit. The ancient architecture and swifts weaving through the sky enhanced the festive atmosphere, as did all the great street vendors hawking merguez sausage, crepes, pakora, shawarma, pizza and loads and loads of buttery sweets, not to mention being able to walk about with open containers of alcohol.

Even if you can’t make it to Tours for the Fete de la Musique it’s a great destination to use as a home base for exploring the Loire Valley, which is rich with majestic chateaus and gardens, as well as vineyards. The flat river valley is also ideal for cycling. Adventure Center offers several trips to this region of France, and they all serve as a great reminder that Paris by no means encapsulates the country.

Leave Your Passport At Home

May 31st, 2010 by Buzz

National Geographic Adventure has a great multimedia feature about “America’s Best Adventures.” All the arresting photographs remind you that the US is one huge patchwork quilt of geographic variety. And should you want to leave your passport at home this summer vacation, you’re bound to find some great ideas.

Click here for even more ideas for US adventures.

Seeing the World on Two Feet

May 24th, 2010 by Buzz

Here’s the thing about The New York Times – it’s pretty good about reporting and responding to the events that make the world go round, and it certainly scores its fair share of scoops, but it’s rarely ahead of the curve in terms of trends. The paper’s travel section really drives this home. Yet wanderlust is an addictive pursuit and if you aren’t actually out on the road, it’s hard not to read about being out on the road.

Matt Gross, the Frugal Traveler, filed his final piece for the Times this past weekend, “Frugal Europe, On Foot.” This guy has been kicking around the world for four years, covering all sorts of ground without ever breaking the bank, and doing it with the panache of a true adventurer. If you visit the Frugal Traveler blog you can find some of his greatest hits, but the feature in the paper is about walking from Vienna to Budapest, approximately 180 miles.

Gross planned his itinerary after a route navigated by British travel writer Patrick Leigh Fermor, who walked from Rotterdam to Istanbul back in 1933. Leigh Fermor wrote two books about his adventure (I bet Gross will write a book in the not too distant future). But, for the time being, Gross’s articles will have to suffice. This final one is a perhaps a bit nostalgic, though I suppose I’d cue the mood music if I were leaving the job of a lifetime.

Adventure Center has long advocated seeing the world using your two feet, just check out all of these Hiking and Walking trips. There is no better way to meet locals and experience all of the sites, scents and tastes of a destination.

Europe This Summer

April 17th, 2010 by Buzz
Arni Saeberg/Bloomberg News via NYT

Arni Saeberg/Bloomberg News via NYT

I know; it’s hard to think of Europe right now without a high-altitude, far-reaching smear of ash clouding your thoughts. I was supposed to go to London from New York this weekend for the London Book Fair – no dice. It’s a shame, but I’m lucky because at least I’m “stuck” at home. Any readers have stories to share about travel woes, or the unexpected joys that can result from a change in plans?

Doubtless, cancellations and the backlog of travelers will cause problems in Europe for the next couple of weeks. But so long as the Eyjafjallajokull volcano simmers down, travel will revert back to normal.

Interestingly, according to this New York Times article, there has been a significant increase in European bookings for summer travel. This means a few things. For one, it shows that this year people are more willing to take a vacation, which bodes well for the global economy at large. It also means that last-minute flight deals might be a bit harder to score. The good news on that front, however, is that the strengthening of the US dollar against the euro and pound means that once you touch down in Europe, your dollars will get you further than in recent years.

Of course, Adventure Center offers you myriad European adventures. It’s just a question of what strikes your fancy. An Eastern European odyssey? Cycling Provence? A child-friendly family adventure?

Don’t let the ash ruin your plans for a European summer vacation!

Worth More Alive: What You Can Do To Help Save Tigers In India

April 2nd, 2010 by Buzz

“If you happen to see pictures of a Bengal tiger jogging adjacent to London’s Houses of Parliament, don’t be surprised or alarmed. It is merely a training run for the London Marathon as well as a shameless promotion of the tiger’s plight,” says award-winning UK wildlife photographer, Paul Goldstein.

The cost of a single tiger pelt can go for as much as $140,000 in China, Indonesia and Sumatra. Their bones and penises are used in “traditional medicine” to inflate the flaccid libidos of the rich and the misguided. Buyers for the body parts, whether teeth, penises or bones, come from various cultural circles, and they believe the tigers’ symbols of strength, charisma and power can be replicated by digesting these body parts. This delusion leads to rampant poaching.


Giving local people in successful reserves a protective ownership of their four-legged neighbors means there is light at the end of the tunnel. “I want to raise thousands with my marathon attempt,” says Goldstein. “The money will go to helping ensure Bandhavgarh remains a tiger stronghold for years to come. As I train on wet, cold pavements in south London there is not a moment that I do not think of crossing that finishing line, suited and delirious, not only with fatigue but also with the thought of just what this money can do.”

“Tigers need tourism,” he continues, “and most importantly our projects need money. They do not need d-list celebrities crying crocodile tears over them in gushing documentaries. They need passion and payment, which is what hundreds of adventure travelers, like Adventure Center, clients have already shown. The generosity so far has been overwhelming. This money will buy solar lamps for the park, more patrol vehicles and crucially, if there is enough, a new bus to enable “buffer-zone” villages to make regular excursions into the park, so they do not feel disenfranchised. This will all have a benefit for the local population, the tourists and by default the tiger.”

If you would like to sponsor Paul’s marathon effort, please visit his Just Giving page.

You can also learn about adventures that support India’s national parks by scrolling down to the list of the trips on this page.

Myanmar: One Country, Many Sides

March 28th, 2010 by Buzz

Lonely Planet co-founder Tony Wheeler has traveled recently to Myanmar, formerly Burma. He writes about the Shwe Oo Min Caves, its Buddha-covered walls and the myth of a heroic prince who saved a woman from a giant spider.

Sharing borders with India, Bangladesh, Thailand, Laos and China, the country has a rich, storied history but suffers from contemporary political woes. The ruling military junta exercises censorship and sponsors human rights abuses (as do many other countries to varying degrees), but over the past few years has been encouraging tourism.

Pagodas and temples populate regions of rice paddies and green, densely forested hills, evoking scenes of bygone eras. And while the country has been renamed, in many places very little seems to have changed in generations. But, change is inevitable, as this March 26 New York Times article about Myanmar’s underground music scene attests. It seems that today’s Myanmar can make you feel like you’ve stepped back in time 1,000 years, or remind you of a rave.

These Adventure Center trips to Myanmar will let you see such contrasts up close and personal as you explore the ruins of ancient cities, enjoy unspoiled beaches and meet locals like Intha fishermen and the Shan people. Plus, you spend money that goes to locally-run businesses.

Any readers ever been to Myanmar? Is it a place you would visit?

The Annapurna Circuit On Two Feet

March 21st, 2010 by Buzz

The March 21 New York Times includes the article “Last Footfalls in Nepal,” a first-person narrative about walking the entire Annapurna Circuit. Written by Ethan Todras-Whitehill, the piece is well worth reading for the descriptive prose and what it reveals about how new roads in the region are changing this legendary trek.

Traditionally, the entire circuit has taken about 17 days on foot. Standing at 17,769 feet (higher than Everest base camp) Thorong La Pass is the geographical and emotional climax of the trek and is reached by approaches from one of two river valleys, Marsyangdi and Kali Gandaki. A road already runs up Kali Gandaki, making it very easy for visitors to find a ride rather than hoof it. It is anticipated that a road through Marsyangdi will be completed by 2012.

Over the past 17 years approximately 60,000 people have visited the Annapurna region so it is not as if a lack of roads has dissuaded the adventurous. But the presence of roads and the motorized amenities they allow promises even more visitors. More visitors mean more business for locals, but some people see the influx of travelers as compromising the trek’s off-the-beaten-path qualities.

No matter what side you take in the debate, there is no question that the region boasts some of the world’s most astounding scenery, as Todras-Whitehill makes clear:

[A]fter a week of walking, my head is swimming with images seen close up: swaying footbridges over thunderous gorges; rocky footpaths jammed with goats, donkeys and water buffalo; terraced rice paddies thrusting green shoots against the olive hillsides; narrow stone Gurung villages filled with shrieking children, chatty shopkeepers and the low hum of chanting monks seeping out of brightly colored Buddhist monasteries.

For Todras-Whitehill, using your two feet to explore the region exposes you to the landscape and local culture. Of course, such authentic and intimate adventures are what we pride ourselves on at Adventure Center and we offer several trips to Annapurna. If you don’t want to compete with jeep traffic, best to make plans soon.