Travels

Last week, I came across the website of Eat Your World, a relatively new concept that merges two of my favorite things: wanderlust and essenlust (that’s right Germans, I’m inventing new words in your language!). So I tossed them five questions by e-mail. (Also known as a pentaquery. Yes, I’m neologizing up the wazoo.) 1) How and when did EYW get started? Where are you based? What’s been the best thing you’ve eaten since you started this? Most surprising? Scott:…

I first discovered hidden europe in mid-2011, admiring the ethos, voice, and style of the magazine, which touts: “Welcome to hidden europe. We promise a fresh perspective on well trodden trails, and a cool look at undiscovered corners.” I sent over a few questions by e-mail to the magazine’s founders and editors, Nicky Gardner and Susanne Kries, the two Berlin-based women behind the organization. CF: How did the magazine get started? How do you get the word out? NG: Looking…

I first encountered Marie Javins (@mariejavins) online sometime back in December of 2005. I was totally impressed by her 2001 solo trip by land and sea around the globe. We met up for breakfast in New York once, and have traded messages as we’ve moved on to live in Europe (me) and the Middle East (her). As she describes herself on her site: Marie Javins is an award-winning writer, comic book creator, traveler, and blogger who alternates between roaming the…

The Economist: DANES faced the fewest restrictions on travel in 2008: they were able to visit 157 countries or territories without a visa according to an annual report by Henley & Partners, a consultancy. The Irish, Finns and Portuguese were only marginally less welcome abroad, with visa-free travel available to 156 countries. Those with the least freedom were citizens of countries suffering from war, terrorism or repression. South Koreans could visit 144 countries, whereas North Koreans could visit just 29…

Our first round of photos from our Germany trip are up.

My cousin Amir, who I visited while on my Iran (I still need to upload the rest of the photos!) trip in March 2008, just sent me a link to Rick Steves’ hour-long documentary on Iran, which just aired on PBS stations around the country this week. (You can watch it on Google Video here.) Steves and his film crew visited in May 2008 (just two months after I was there), and they hit Tehran, Isfahan and Shiraz — taking…

Written: November 3 2008 Bastia, October 25 2008 Once we got off the boat in Bastia, we were supposed to meet “Felipe” — “In front of the port across the road there is a tourist office, very well known place.” Um, ok. Our ferry was late, and with the rain, it took us that much longer to get out of the port and find the tourist office (obviously closed on a Saturday night). Once we got there, I called Felipe,…

I spent all day Friday watching the 13th day of the Sumo Grand Tournament in Nagoya. It was pretty sweet. More to come soon, but for now, here’s a little taste:

I’m going to visit my brother in Tokyo this week. See y’allz on the flip! Any recs for the Land of the Rising Sun? Email me!

After basically 24 hours of traveling from Breda –> Schiphol (Amsterdam) –> CDG (Paris) –> SFO, I’m finally, and thankfully, home. More coming soon.