Monday, June 6, 2011

Smithsonian Journeys – of a Lifetime

The Rocky Mountaineer Train in the Canadian Rockies
~ Recently, I was asked if I regretted selling my house back in 2008, and using the proceeds to travel on extended journeys around the world. My answer was an immediate, "No.” To which I added, “My only regret is that I was not able to sell the house for twice as much.”

Because if I had sold my house for twice as much as the price I got, I would be able to afford to travel even more than I have been – not in terms of the length of my journeys, but in terms of the number of destinations I could afford to visit and the quality of some of those visits. Which brings me to the Smithsonian Institute.

The American Smithsonian Institution was founded in 1846, and has become the world’s largest museum and research complex consisting of 19 museums and galleries, the National Zoological Park and nine research facilities. In 2009 there were approximately 30 million visits from around the world at the Smithsonian, with more than 188 million visits (including a few of my own) to the Smithsonian websites. It is estimated that the Smithsonian houses 137 million objects, works of art and unique specimens.

Clearly this is a massive Institution any way you measure it!

Which brings me to Smithsonian Journeys, the Smithsonian Institution’s travel program. Smithsonian Journeys aims to provide a meaningful experience with genuine insight into the culture and history of all their chosen destinations.

Recently, the organization released information about some of their major tours for the second half of 2011, and I thought I’d highlight a few of the North American ones today. Ordered by date, the destinations are:

Grand Canyon (June 17-20 and July 15-18)
You will need to be quick to join the June tour to Grand Canyon – certainly one of the highlights of my North American visit last year. The Grand Canyon is considered the most spectacular gorge in the world and consequently Grand Canyon National Park merits listing as a World Heritage site. Smithsonian Journeys has taken Americans to this breathtaking site for nearly 40 years. “Grand Canyon Weekend Adventure” (June 17-20 and July 15-18) offers an in-depth weekend experience of the park, which features an overnight rafting trip down the Colorado River and a day at a nearby ranch.

The Great Lakes (July 25-Aug. 3)
This region of North America has been on my ‘bucket list’ for a long time, and I am determined to see some of it on my next trip to the United States. Situated between Canada and the United States, the Great Lakes are the largest inland lake system in the world. During “Canadian Splendors” (July 25-Aug. 3), travellers can take a cruise in Canada that features notable cities and charming towns, engineering marvels and the history and natural beauty of Lakes Ontario, Erie and Huron.

Canadian Rockies (August 5-12)
Like the Great Lakes, Canada is another place on my list of must see travel destinations, and again, I hope to see at least some of it on my next trip to North America. Travellers from all over the world are drawn to the magnificence of the Canadian Rockies, which are celebrated for the region’s pristine alpine lakes, majestic snow-capped mountains and plentiful wildlife. During “A Canadian Rockies Adventure” (Aug. 5-12), Smithsonian travellers get to stay at top accommodations in Banff and Jasper as they explore the landscape, then enjoy panoramic vistas on a two-day train trip aboard the luxurious Rocky Mountaineer (see image above) before arriving in Vancouver.

And just because I can, here is one non-North American destination for you to consider:

Istanbul (August 5-16)
Ok, I’ve got a confession to make. I’m a slacker! The last time I saw Istanbul was in 1971, and despite the fact that I had plenty of opportunities to visit Turkey and Istanbul during my extended four month stay in Greece over the winter of 2010/11, I didn’t take advantage of any of them.

Istanbul is the only city in the world situated on two continents, and features a fascinating history of both western and eastern cultures, as reflected by its magnificent monuments. Smithsonian Journeys travellers interested in visiting Istanbul do so on the popular “Black Sea” luxury cruise (Aug. 5-16). Also “Legendary Turkey and the Turquoise Coast” and “Ancient Worlds of Anatolia” are two small-group, air-inclusive tours that travel to Istanbul before moving south to different regions of Turkey. Both have multiple departures in the spring and autumn.

Which finally brings me full circle. Because the quality of the small-group tours Smithsonian Journeys organises are exactly the types of tours I would join if I had sold my home for twice the price I got. As it now stands, I travel solo, on the cheap, and organise every aspect of my own journeys. Not that this is bad, and not that I don’t enjoy my solo adventures. It’s just that sometimes it would be good to let others do the organising and just go along for the ride (so to speak).

NOTE: Information about Smithsonian Journeys contained in this post was correct at time of publication. Please check the Smithsonian Journeys website for the latest information pertaining to any of the destinations mentioned above. Full details and prices for all Smithsonian Journeys destinations can be found online at their website.

-o0o-
And again, just because I can, here is a tiny selection of books and CDs put out by the Smithsonian Institution which you may like to check out. As always, these are available direct from Amazon.Com simply by clicking on the images below.
Official Guide to the Smithsonian, 3rd Edition: Third Edition Official Guide to the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum 
Classic Mountain Songs from Smithsonian Folkways Classic Appalachian Blues from Smithsonian Folkways Classic Bluegrass From Smithsonian Folkways

Saturday, June 4, 2011

World Trade Center Panorama

Click image to view the panorama
Really enjoyed this panorama of the World Trade Center site via the New York Times website. The panorama allows you to look around the construction site (from a fixed point) within the location.

You can see newly planted white oak trees, and 1 World Trade Center beyond the South Memorial Pool that marks the site of the former South Tower.

Make sure you click on the ‘Full Screen’ button to view the panorama at its best. Also you can speed up or slow down the rotation by using your mouse to manoeuvre the panorama to all points of the compass: up, down, backwards, forwards, and every direction between.

Amazing stuff. All they need now is a permanent 360 degree camera providing the same panoramic view in real time, and you could watch the complex being built from anywhere in the world.

Since the panorama can’t be embedded on this page, you will need to go to the New York Times site to view it, but it is well worth the trip!
-o0o-

Here are a small selection of books and DVDs that mark the passing of the Twin Towers and commemmorate the momentous events of September 11, 2001. All are available directly from Amazon.Com. Simply click on one of the images to go to that items page on Amazon where you will find independent reviews and ordering information.
...
102 Minutes That Changed America The World Trade Center Remembered World Trade Center - In Memoriam
City in the Sky: The Rise and Fall of the World Trade Center 9/11 - The Filmmakers' Commemorative Edition Last Man Down NY City Fire Chief Collapse World Trade Center

Friday, June 3, 2011

Travel Journals as Books


Click image to view full size

Recently I started playing around with the idea of compiling a book sourced from two travel journals documenting my 2008 and 2010/2011 round the world trips. The book would also use updated content that has appeared on this blog.


As an interesting side note, despite many attempts, I have never been able to sustain the habit of maintaining a daily journal – or diary. I have made numerous attempts at this, but always failed dismally. However, I have never had trouble writing daily entries in my travel journals. These journals, by the way, are all written straight onto my computer. On those rare occasions when I do not have access to my laptop, I write the old fashioned way, with pen and paper, and retype my handwritten notes as soon as I can get to my electronic notebook.

But back to the idea of a book.

As an experiment, I copied and pasted both travel journals into one MS Word document, and to my amazement, found that the total length of the unedited ‘book’ comes to 426 pages. Formatting the document to reflect as close as possible a standard paperback book size of around 130mm x 200mm, the size of the unedited manuscript blows out to a massive 796 pages!

Clearly, I’ve got a lot of editing to do – but who knows? Cutting the number of pages down to around 300 might result in something resembling a real travel book.

I don’t know if anyone will be interested in reading my musings or observations, or even if I could find a publisher for it. I suspect not. Find a publisher, that is. Hopefully though, one or two family members might at least be interested in reading about my ramblings, but I can’t even be sure of that.

Never the less, I’ve decided to start chipping away at the manuscript before I embark on another major journey. The prospects of adding several more hundred pages of new notes to an already bloated document will only make the job of editing the larger work even harder, so the sooner I get started the better.

As for a title – I’ve got a couple of ideas I’ve been toying with – Travels With Myself or maybe, Travels With My Self, which reflects my propensity to travel solo, but that might be too twee. The other, which I like a lot more is Of Such Small Pleasures. I used this title in a short blog post I wrote back in May, 2009, which described a scene as I walked along a local suburban beach. This title ultimately led me to write the following poem which pretty much sums up my approach to life and travel.

Of Such Small Pleasures

The wind that plays with the golden leaves,
The fire that warms a mid-winter freeze.
The snow that melts, and the dancing foal,
Of such small pleasures are my days made whole.

The plaintive call of the newborns cry,
The look of love in a mothers eye.
The sounds of laughter without control,
Of such small pleasures are my days made whole.

The open road, and the chance to roam,
The parting glass, and the welcome home.
The morning frost, and the evening stroll,
Of such small pleasures are my days made whole.

The ageless heart that will always play,
The galaxies of the Milky Way.
The gift of love as the days unroll,
Of such small pleasures are my days made whole.

The autumn sun, and the harvest moon,
The joy of children; the songbirds tune.
The words I sing to enrich my soul,
Of such small pleasures are my days made whole.

The wish to give, and the strength to fight,
To carry on into the fading light.
To stand up tall when I reach my goal,
Of such small pleasures are my days made whole.

Of such small pleasures do I fill my days,
The thanks I offer - let me count the ways.
When each day starts with a flowing bowl,
Of such small pleasures are my days made whole.
© 2009, Jim Lesses. All Rights Reserved.

I’m not going to get all hung up on titles at this early stage of the game. Besides, something more appropriate may present itself during the editing and rewriting process – and I have plenty of that to be focussing on in the foreseeable future.

I’ll keep you posted on my progress.
Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...