Despite droughts,  fires and floods, America celebrates bountiful autumn harvests

America, Asia, California, Culture, Europe, North America, Travel

It’s the first Saturday in October at Bauman’s Harvest Festival in Gervais, Oregon and dozens of children have broken free from their parents and are running for the petting zoo. Petting zoos are probably the most popular attractions at autumn harvest celebrations now occurring across the U.S. and Canada. On the other side of a tent selling hot coffee, apple tarts and pumpkin scones more parents and kids are scrambling up a hay bale pyramid or crowding expectantly around an above ground pool to watch local farmers weigh their pumpkins. In a few moments some of the biggest pumpkins will be sacrificed.

Lan Ha and Friend Cropped

The Áo Dài’s Flowing Elegance Mirrors Vietnamese Femininity

Asia, Asia Pacific, Culture, Travel

What images come to mind when you think of Vietnam? A peasant in the conical nón lá hat, harvesting rice from the fields? Colorful lanterns dancing from the masts of river boats or the corrugated eaves of Taoist temples in ancient Hoi An? Perhaps you dream of karst peaks that erupt from the placid waters of deep-blue Ha Long Bay?
All are part of the visual culture of the country I now call home. But I believe nothing says “Vietnam” more than the áo dài. The sleek silk gown is as much a statement of Vietnamese fashion and femininity as is the kimono in Japan, the sari in India or the cheongsam in China. At once draping and clinging, accenting the Asian woman’s natural curves, the áo dài teases with restraint and decorum, promising nothing but implying everything. As worn by Vietnamese women, who learn to walk gracefully at a young age, it is at once marvelously modest yet incredibly provocative. A man who isn’t stirred is either dead or recently divorced.

Airport Lounges Are More Numerous, Increasingly Opulent And Often Overcrowded

Business, Travel, Uncategorized

Airport lounges are now an essential part of travel. Virtually every major airline opened clubs around the world in the mid-1970s. The battle continues today. But access can cost as much as $845 a year and once peaceful retreats often are crowded. Today, travelers are confronted with an often confusing array of airline-operated lounges and credit card/bank-owned sanctuaries, plus independent operators, all with varying admission rules and levels of luxury.

E-bikes – The Anyone Can Do It Adventure That’s Healthy, Affordable and Fun

America, Business, Travel

Nearly half of all American vehicle trips are under three miles, according to the Federal Highway Administration. Most people consider five miles a reasonable distance to travel on a bike. But thanks to their motors, e-bikes make even ten-mile errands easy.There’s no doubt the switch to e-bikes is picking up speed. According to the Light Electric Vehicle Association (LEVA), which tracks e-bike imports to the U.S., 880,000 e-bikes came into the country in 2021, up from about 450,000 in 2020. Data from Bloomberg and Deloitte show that e-bikes outsold electric cars in the U.S. and in Europe in 2021. Indeed, U.S. e-bike sales are expected to reach three million annually by 2025.

The Future of Air Travel is Here

Business, Travel

Modern trends in airport design focus on passenger experience more than ever before. The pandemic prioritized passengers’ mental and physical health. New terminals today are being built with high ceilings, skylights and outdoor decks where travelers fresh from the gym can rest on reclining lounge chairs.

Ottawa: From Timber Town to Canada’s Capital of Cool

North America, Travel

It’s been said that Canadians speak like Americans, spell like the British, and throw in an occasional French word to confuse people. Not quite true, that last bit, since Canada has two official languages, English and French. Although Canadians love little more than arguing about their identity, they mostly agree about their four biggest cities. Montreal is “ben fun,” French/English slang for a good time. Toronto is the nation’s business center while Vancouver is a wonder of natural beauty. As for Ottawa? Well, it may be the best place to discover the Canadian soul. There’s a lot of northern history packed into this city of a million or so, which loves its festivals and bars.

Relics, Miracles, and Faith Light the Way Along Spain’s Camino de Santiago

Culture, Europe, History, Travel

It was pure good fortune that enabled me to arrive in Santo Domingo de la Calzada on the feast day of Saint Dominic. I was hiking west along the Camino Frances, en route to Santiago de Compostela, when I saw people gathering in front of the cathedral for a procession that gradually wound its way through the old town on streets lined with spectators. Young men in medieval costumes performed traditional folk dances at points along the route. Young women in period dress marched together.  Men wearing red berets played traditional melodies on flutes. The music and the dances were little changed from medieval times.  I felt as if I were observing a cultural tableau dating back hundreds of years.

Summer Travel 2022: Pay Your Money and Take Your Chance

America, North America, Travel

Count me among the droves of disappointed summer travelers whose vacations were devastated by long airport lines, canceled flights, indifferent travel agents and lost luggage. My intention was to become acquainted with port wine and fado music in exotic Portugal. Instead, I settled for the intimacy of small-town charms in Iowa, a welcoming Midwestern state that has more attractions than I ever imagined.