Thank You All (2)

First published May 18, 2005

Ingrid would like to thank :

Kadi : for keeping us company and solving the puzzles that Frank asked us

Natalia (Natachuela) and Zuza : for showing us what Modern Art is in Poznan

Magda (FlyingPig): for introducing herself in English !

Aneta : for inviting us to her birthday, for letting me sleep in
her bed, for introducing me to her parents and for the Turek cheese !

Ulisses : for the way he made a group of Polish people lose all
inhibitions and have them sing along with all the songs

Gosia (Cinnamon): for her father's clocks ;-) and the great tea house

Mintaute : for making me feel at home in her appartment. It was
maybe the smallest of all flats, but I felt good there.

Milda (Rrabbit) : thanks for taking us to the Belmontas ! The Zeppelins were delicious !

Regita (Coconut) : for taking me to the Candle shrine and sharing her time to take us to the Hill of Crosses

Rafael (Yarpi) : thanks for trusting me at the wheel of your boat

Anna (Angella): for the wonderful kotlety schabowy

Krystyna : thanks for the hot-dog

Kinga's father : thanks for the delicious beer

Kinga : for signing my book

Anna (Salata) : for the wonderful chocolate cake

Tomek : for the strong drinks

Mirjam (Struppek) : for a delicious breakfast even though she just came back home

I would like to thank my family and husband for giving me the opportunity to make this trip. Not only did I get the chance to see Berlin, Poland and Lithuania but I also learned some valuable lessons. On the Hill of Crosses I felt very close to Nick and I received lots of support from Frank and Regita.
I learned that friendship doesn't care about colour, language or age.

My last "thank-you" goes to Frank. Without him I would not have made this trip. I don't know how to thank him, words fail me. He organised everything and put our adventures on this travelpod in two languages so everybody could follow our trip. He drove 4800 km and even listened to my music and "whining".

No doubt about it : he deserves the Nobel prize !

Thank You All (1)

First published May 17, 2005

Frank would like to thank :....

1. Kadi : for being herself and keeping us company. I hope to meet her in
Tallinn in the summer. Tänan !

2. Natalia (Natachuela) : for showing us what Polish hospitality really means.

3. Zuza : for introducing us to the Proletarian Café and showing us the Father of All Polish Children ! Dziekuje bardzo !

4. Magda (FlyingPig) : for showing us the future of Hospitality Club

5. Aneta : for inviting us to her birthday party in the Art Café

6. Ulisses : for 2 great concerts : one in the Art Café, the other at Aneta's place. El condor Passa will never sound the same again.

7. Gosia (Cinnamon) : for introducing us to two great institutions : Polish
sausages and bread

8. Mintaute : for being a real friend and for consoling me when I was a
bit down

9. Milda (Rrabbit) : for giving us as much of her time as possible and the wonderful dinner at Belmontas.

10 Regita (Coconut) : for being even nicer than her mails indicated. it was great to finally meet you, and i'm sure it's not going to be the last time.
The night at the bungalow is also one to remember

11. Rafael (Yarpi) for being the perfect skipper. And your jokes made me laugh so hard !

12. Anna (Angella) : The best tourist information manager this side of the world, and a wonderful cook !

13. Krystyna : the meeting was again too short but your enthousiasm and hospitality were wonderful. Good luck with the Odyssey of the Mind !

14. Kinga : a wonderful walk on the beach, some great food and above all true friendship. Thanks for sharing it with us.

15. Anna (Salata) : Nice company, lovely chocolate cake, and some great news...I hope you'll have a wonderful baby !

16. Tomek : mmmh, these vodka drinks are too good...and the cherries really made my head dizzy. Thanks for your hospitality and congratulations on become a father !

17. Mirjam (Struppek) : she just came back from travelling herself but still she opened her house and her heart for us. Sorry that I was not so talkative and more concentrated on my computer than on you ! I'll make it up to you, I promise. Anyway, let's do this again, but this time in Belgium. You're always welcome.

18. Ingrid (Miech) : Thanks for being there Ingrid, I had a great time and even if you are not the best navigator, we almost never got lost and only once did we get stuck in the sand...;-) Thanks for sharing this trip with me, it was very emotional and not really relaxing, but I think everybody should do a trip like this once in their live. I'm glad I did it with you

Home Sweet Home

First published May 16, 2005

Our last day !

Mirjam served us a delicious breakfast with different kinds of German bread, tasty honey and a selection of special homemade jams and preserves (pumpkin !).

Then we wanted to visit the Dome of the Reichstag but there were too many people so we decided to drive slowly back home. But first we made a small detour to Kasse to pick up Frank's girlfriend, and then it was straight home where Ingrid's husband had prepared us some prawns with chips/french fries. Thanks Patrick !

And now we are back in Belgium, tired but satisfied. It was a tough trip, we saw a lot, we had many new experiences, many emotions as well, even some minor fights...

This is where our travel log normally ends, but we have a little bonus :

Over the next few days we will publish some more pages with thoughts and thank-you's...so we hope to see you all in a few days.

We will also publish some more photos.

Ingrid and Frank

Ich Bin ein Berliner!

First published May 15, 2005

Our final destination

After leaving Szczecin we paid a short visit to the local supermarket. It was the first time that Ingrid had some time for shopping, I hope she found what she needed. Frank bought some DVDs, a CD of Kayah, a Polish singer, and some chocolate and cookies for the rest of the family.

Then it was a short trip to Berlin, where we visited the following monuments :
- Checkpoint Charlie and the Wall Muur
- Reichstag
- the Dom
- Alexanderplatz
- The new Holocaust memorial

In the evening we had a great spicy dinner in an Ethiopian restaurant and we slept at Mirjam's, Frank's first Hospex/BW host ever (and very fiting that she should also be our last host on this trip). The circle is complete

Szczecin (try to pronounce it !)

First published May 14, 2005

In the morning Kinga took us for a healthy walk through the woods north of Gdansk. She lives in a residential area, in one of those grey block of flats which you may remember from the old documentaries during the Cold War, but the forest starts only 5 minutes from her house.
And when we left the forest, we were in the middle of dunes and then the Baltic Sea ! Such a surprise, and it was beautiful.

I took 10 copies of Kinga's book, so if somebody needs one : for only 15 euro it can be yours.

After that we left in the direction of Szczecin through one of the slowest roads I have ever seen (ok, we are exaggerating, the road from Mexico City to Tenochtitlan is even worse). But it was not our lucky day : road works, detours, road blocks, .... 300 km took us more that 6 hours effective road time, not really very fast. But the slow pace also worked to our advantage : we could take a picknick and try one of the Polish national dishes : Bigos...a dish made with sauerkraut.

In the evening we arrived at Anna and Tomek's in Szczecin (very difficult to pronounce - we are not responsible for any damage to your tongue), and they served us wonderful chocolate cake and cherries with alcohol. After that we visited the city and had a beer in a film café.

Kinga

First published May 13, 2005

After visiting Gdansk we went to Kinga's mother, Krystyna.

Krystyna is a wonderful person, and it is easy to see where Kinga gets here love for travelling from.

For those who don't know it yet : Kinga is a young Polish woman who has been hitch-hiking for 5 years everywhere in the whole wide world. She did this with her friend, Chopin, and wrote a book about it called Led By Destiny, which is also the name of her website : www.ledbydestiny.com

And now she travels all over Europe in her red 'led-by-destiny' car, trying to get her books sold so she can leave on another adventure, this time to Africa.

Her mother, Krystyna, is something of a celebrity herself, since she is a driving force behind the "Odyssey of the Mind", a creative competion for young children. If you want to find out more : www.odysseyofthemind.com

Kinga's father let us taste some good Polish beer from Gdansk (Kaper) and after that we drove to Kinga's place where her flatmate had some vegan food for us (Lentils and spinach salad).

We had a great time at Kinga's place and she showed us her pictures of her latest trip to Rumania.

Gdansk, where the Van Den Block's are well-known

First published May 13, 2005

We started the morning with a visit to the Boyen Fort, a fortified castle from the Napoleonic wars, which reminds me of the Casemats like the ones you can find in Luxembourg, Dinant, Huy or Diest.

After that we drove to Gdansk by some small routes, a real experience...but more about that later.

Gdansk is one of the most beautiful cities in Poland, maybe even in the whole of Eastern Europe. And it has 2 special meanings for Frank : first of all it is the City of the Van Den Blocks, and secondly a good friend of him lives there, Kinga.

First something about the Van Den Blocks. When I looked up my name "Van Den Block" a couple of years ago in the Google and Yahoo search engines, I received almost only websited in Poland. This was very strange, since my name is a very Flemish name which is now only used in the region of Grimbergen, Zemst and Brussels.

According to the websites there was a whole artistic family in Gdanks under the name of Wilhelm, Izaak, Jacob and Abraham Van Den Block, descending from Flanders (probably the area around Mechelen or Zemst). They were painters, architects, sculptors. And everywhere in Gdansk you can find monuments with their name on. I hope to go to Gdansk in a couple of years and study this for a longer period. It is one of the reasons why I want to improve my Polish.

More about Kinga in the next article.....

The Mazurian Lakes

First published May 12, 2005

Captains Frank and Ingrid on the Mazurian Lakes

Sorry if you haven't received any messages for a few days...first we were stuck on an isolated piece of land without electricity, and then we were so busy that it was impossible to find a computer with an internet connection.
But here we are again...this time in Gizycko, a nice holiday resort on one of the many Mazurian Lakes.

First we went to the Tourist Information where a friend of ours, Anna, is in charge. Together we made a boat trip with her husband Rafael on their own boat Miski (sounds like Miischki). It was gorgeous, a bit chilly but dry and they even let us take control of the boat for a while !

After that we still had time for a walk round the harbour and to taste home-made vodka from Rafael's cousin, together with Lituanian liquor, a combination that you should try at least once in your life.

The Curonian Spit

First published May 12, 2005

After the emotional visit to the Hill of Crosses, we went to a little piece of Paradise : the Curonian Spit.

The Curonian Spit stretches from the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad to the Lithuanian coast, and offers a remarkable mixture of dunes, pine trees and birches.
The peninsula is 100 kilometres long and Nida, a quiet village on the Russian border is surrounded by dunes.
To the left is a lagoon, to the right the open Baltic Sea.
It is easy to get lost in these moving dunes, and one part is even called The Valley of Death because French-Prussian prisoners of war were guarded there.

In the evening Regita rented us a wooden bungalow, but since she didn't know which houe it was, we had to try all the doors of about 50 bungalows...luckily we found the right one after about 15 minutes. The only thing we didn't find was : water or electricity ...back to the dark ages !

Our Most Important Day

First published May 11, 2005

The highlight of our trip

this is it : the reason why Ingrid and I are travelling together, and our main goal : the Hill of Crosses.

For those of you who don't know the story, here a brief overview...

Early September 2004 Frank left on a trip to the Baltic States. When he arrived in Kaunas he heard the terrible news that Ingrid's son, Nick, had been killed in a car accident. Frank put a small cross on the Hill of Crosses, an impressive location where millions of crosses remind you of those who won't be forgotten.

When I told Ingrid about this place last year, she took the decision to visit the Hill of Crosses one day. I promised her to help her and one year later we are standing there...

We found the small cross back and placed a larger one near the river. It was an emotional moment, and the three of us (Regita was there as well) were very much impressed.

Trakai, Pride of Lithuania

First publishes May 10, 2005

Today we have 2 big projects :
1. a visit to the castle island of Trakai
2. a meeting with Regita in Kaunas

1. Trakai : the pride of Lithuania, one of the most pictoresque places and an ideal spot to enjoy the panorama. Unfortunately we could not visit the island because they were making a movie, but after some negociations we were allowed to go up to the bridge.

2. Kaunas : last year Frank was supposed to meet Regita te ontmoeten (BW username : Coconut) but because of some turn of fate it didn't work. But these time there was no obstacle... the meeting was warm, we visited a shrine where Ingrid received exceptionally the authorisation to place a candle herself in the chapel. But more about that tomorrow...
We also visited an airplane museum (the history of Lithuanian air travel in 15 minutes...I have never visited a museum in such a short time) and afterwards Regita made us a wonderful meal : cold beetroot soup with potatoes.

And then off to bed : why is it that Ingrid can always sleep with our female hosts, but I have to sleep on the floor ? :-(

Vilnius, city of 70 churches and 100 hairdressers

First published May 9, 2005
Some short impressions about Vilnius

- more than 70 churches on such a small surface, it looked like the Vatican
- beersnacks made from fried bread, cheese and garlic
- potatoes
- trolleybusses, some older than the others
- the hills round the city, ideal for climbing and panoramic views
- potatoes
- Uzupió, an artistic 'republic' with cozy pubs and art galleries
- did I already mention 'potatoes'?
- on every corner you can find a 'Kirpykla (hairdresser's).

Tonight we are going to eat Lithuanian Pizza (Pica) and tomorrow to Trakai !

I've been driving all night, my hands on the wheel...

First published May 8, 2005

Today will be the toughest day for me : 10 uur driving without much distraction. That's why I planned a route that will bring us at least some nice things to see : driving through part of the oldest forest in Europa (there are still bizons living there, unfortunately we only saw them on a bottle of Wodka).

The second kind of entertainment was paying my ex-mother-in-law a visit. Ok, ex-mother-in-law is not the right term, since Barbara and I were never married. Anyway, she was very happy to see us, and Ingrid and I received Ponczki, a kind of donut but without a hole...

We had no problems at the Lithuanian border and when we picked up a hitchhiker, it turned out she was going to the same street where our friend Mintaute lives ! What a coincide !

Mintaute and Milda are two friends I met last year, and this will be the third time we met. In the evening we went to a traditional restaurant where they served typical Lithuanian food like ox tongue, smoked pig's ears and lamb slumgullion !.
Ingrid took a Zeppelin, I tried the potato sausage. Delicious !

Warsaw Calling

First published May 7, 2005

Before leaving Turek we received a private concert from Ulisses. After that we left for Warsaw, and the trip went surprisingly fast, so we had some time to walk around town and eat a traditional Zapiekanka, a sandwich covered with mushrooms, cheese, ketchup and mayonnaise.

Afterwards we met Gosia, a fellow BeWelcome member I met at Hospex Spring Camp. She showed us the old town, the walls and took us to a nice tea room where we had one of the 50 different kinds of tea on offer.

Then we went to her place where we received a warm welcome from her parents, and we tried several kinds of bread and Polish sausages.

In the evening a friend came over and together we watched some pictures of my travels and I also gave a slideshow of Kinga's trip around the world.

And tomorrow we hope to arrive in Vilnius around 8 pm to meet my good friend Mintaute.

Back in the USSR - The Beatles

Every week we will publish the lyrics to a travel song. If you want to share some of your favourite songs, those that accompany you while traveling or that inspire you or make you think of a memorable trip, please share them with us.

oh, and in case you don't know what BOAC means in the song text : It was the former British state airline, which later merged with British European Airways to become British Airways.

BACK IN THE USSR - THE BEATLES LYRICS
(Lennon/McCartney)



p.s. the girl in the picture is Danah, a dear friend from BeWelcome

Tourists in Turek

First published May 6th, 2005

This morning we went back to another Art Fair, this time in an old converted brewery in the centre of Poznan. We are not pretending that we have suddenly become art experts, but it was very interesting and impressive. There was even a Polish gallery owner who spoke Dutch !

After that we drove on to Turek where we would spend the night with Aneta and Ulisses. I had met them twice before, but for Ingrid is was the first time. And what a first time : it was Aneta's birthday, there was Mexican soup, a fantastic concert in a nice pub...

You see, Ulisses is a street musician from Oaxaca, Mexico, and he has an impressive collection of panflutes and other traditional indigenous instruments fron Central America. "El Condor Pasa" in a Polish cellar, it certainly has a nice ring to it.

It won't strike you as a surprise when I tell you we went to bed very late...and now we must rise and shine early to leave for Warsaw.

Travel Quotes (9)

Travel and change of place impart new vigor to the mind. ~Seneca

Vagabondish: probably the best backpacker's site in the universe

Bargain-seeking tourists have long flocked to Lisbon, typically among the most affordable of European cities. But now the Portuguese capital is also emerging as a cultural force. The new Berardo Collection Museum, in the historic Belem district, boasts a major trove of modern and contemporary art. Designer hotels like Fontana Park and Jerónimos 8 are attracting style-savvy travelers. And the Design and Fashion Museum, scheduled to open in late 2008, will go a long way toward cementing the city's avant-garde status.

More can be found on Wikipedia

We are Off!

First publishes May 5, 2005

This is it, we have finally left Belgium behind us : Ingrid, Frank and Kadi on their way from Hasselt to Poznan in Poland. Normally the drive is very boring, but 3 happy travellers enjoyed it very much thanks to a good combination of travel stories, games (thanks Rrabbit for the "it's my birthday-game") and puzzles.
Time flew by fast and suddenly it was time for us to leave Kadi on a parkplace in de direction of Berlin where she was going to spend the night.
35 minutes later Ingrid and I drove over the Elbe and into Poland, where the real adventure could begin.

Ingrid's Impressions

- Hospitality at Natachuela's, Zuza's and their parents's place with fresh soup and a delicious main course;
- the old market in Poznan at night;
- the green surroundings in West-Poland;
- the many accidents on Polish roads;
- the alpinarium in the Botanical Garden.

Frank's Impressions

- my meeting with one of the richest people in Poland, who invited me for a delicious strawberry milkshake;
- an exclusive dark beer in a Proletarian cafe amidst statues of Stalin and Lenin;
- finally meeting Natachuela and Zuza and Flyingpig after hearing so much about them;
- a visit to an exhibition about modern art in an ancient slaughterhouse.

Tomorrow we have been invited to a second artgallery, followed by a drive to Turek, cheese capital of this part of Poland.

Top Destinations: Lissabon

Bargain-seeking tourists have long flocked to Lisbon, typically among the most affordable of European cities. But now the Portuguese capital is also emerging as a cultural force. The new Berardo Collection Museum, in the historic Belem district, boasts a major trove of modern and contemporary art. Designer hotels like Fontana Park and Jerónimos 8 are attracting style-savvy travelers. And the Design and Fashion Museum, scheduled to open in late 2008, will go a long way toward cementing the city's avant-garde status.

More can be found on Wikipedia

Top Destinations: Miami South Beach

Not to be outdone by Mid Beach or North Beach, Miami South Beach will also welcome a red carpet of designer hotels: the Angler’s Boutique Resort by Gianni Versace’s former decorator Wallace Tutt; the Tides South Beach, revamped by the design star Kelly Wearstler; and the Mondrian South Beach by the Dutch design superstar Marcel Wanders. Meanwhile, Nicky Hilton’s much-hyped dreams of running a hotel has ended up in bankruptcy court — and the auction block.

Last Day before our Departure

First published May 4, 2005

Ok, this is it ! Tomorrow at 6 a.m. the wheels will start turning and we'll be off for Poland. But first there are some other things to take care of.

First of all, we have a passenger on board : Kadi from Estonia has decided to join us for our first part, hitching a ride with Ingrid and me to Berlin.
After that we drive on to Poznan where we'll meet Natachuela who likes colourful socks, looking at bats and the smell of coffee. She doesn't like waking up early, shopping and writing sms's, so we'll get along fine !

Secondly, I've been busy updating pictures I took at the Hospex Spring Camp and there are thousand-and-one things still to be done at home. I hope I can leave on time tonight to meet Ingrid and Patrick. Patrick promised to make his world-famous spaghetti, so Kadi and I are looking forward to that !

Travel Quotes (8)

No one realizes how beautiful it is to travel until he comes home and rests his head on his old, familiar pillow. ~Lin Yutang

Top Destinations: Mauritius

Flying to the sugar-white shores of Mauritius is about to get easier. Virgin Atlantic just began nonstop flights from London to this tiny coral-ringed island off the coast of Madagascar, and it also recently became a hub port for Indian Ocean excursions by the Italy-based Costa Cruises. Meanwhile, new hotels are opening up, including a Four Seasons resort, Anahita Mauritius, that features four restaurants, three beaches and an ayurveda spa.

Wikipedia has a comprehensive entry about Mauritius

Queen's Day

First published May 1, 2005

Message from Frank

Saturday was Queensday, and Queen Beatrix was riding the tram between The Hague and Scheveningen. I was also there, but my attention was directed towards the Freemarkets they were having in the streets.
It seemed like the whole of Holland was trying to sell its stuff, from little vases and boxes to real jukeboxes and tandems.
Everybody was out to make some money. At one place you could even buy an egg for 2 € and throw it to the sales person. ('Get rid of stress and agression').
We bought ice-creams and biscuits (which served as spoons) and in the evening drank Polish vodka and Dutch beer. I can strongly recommend 'het Kanon', a beer with an alcohol percentage of 11,6% !
At night we had fireworks (nothing extraordinary) and at Mark's place we watched a movie...

On Sunday I gave a lift to some of my friends, and when we arrived in Utrecht Kadi from Estonia asked me if she could join me for a ride to Brussels.
But first I had to pay a visit to some friends in Zeist, whose weddingparty I unfortunately had missed when I went to Valencia. Anyway, it was great seeing them after 3 years, and we took a nice stroll through the woods.

Travel Quotes (7)

Wandering re-establishes the original harmony which once existed between man and the universe. ~Anatole France

Rough Guide to Travelpod

Any traveler who wants to share his stories should have heard about Travelpod. Travelpod is one of the best travelblogs available on the internet...and it's totally free. It lets you chart your trips on a map, share unlimited photos and videos, and stay in touch while you travel.

It's very easy to use, maybe a little bit tricky at first but a breeze once you get the hang of it. It even guarantees you that your blog will NEVER expire.

Here are some of the features they offer for free:

Preserve your travel memories
• Drag and drop upload unlimited photos and videos
• Save time at Internet cafes, our uploader is super fast and reliable
• Your blogs are safe with our state-of-the-art servers and backups
• Chart your trip with travel maps
• Easily weave photos directly into your stories

Get inspired for your next trip
• Meet other travelers near you
• Participate in our travel forums

Share your experiences with family and friends
• Quick setup with easy email import tools
• Send email updates to family and friends
• RSS feeds and email notifications for new entries

Advanced features
• Collect donations to fund your trips
• Use our spellchecker to fix typos
• Update your travel blog from your mobile phone
• Track how many visitors check out your blog
• Show off your photos in cool slideshows
• Map where users are visiting your blog from
• Show your travel blogs on your MySpace, Facebook and other sites
• Send update notifications to your Facebook friends

Hospex Parties are the Best!

First publishes April 30, 2005

Only a few more days before my trip to Lithuania, and I'm travelling again, this time to Scheveningen, the beach near The Hague.
It's a short trip by car, less than 2 hours.
In the back of my car are Major Phil and Andrea, two Canadian friends (from Montréal and Quebec) who speak a language that challenges me : Canadian French. The accent, the words, even the grammar are different from the French we speak here in Brussels. After a while I got used to it, however.

The music that accompanies our trip is by The Red Hot Chili Peppers and Kate Melua. A strange combination at first but time passes quickly.
Without any big traffic jams we arrive in Scheveningen and register at the Hospex check-in. The party, which will take about 3 days, is being organized in an alternative vegetarian squatters' place which hosts a group of very different and interesting people : anarchists, vegans, vegetarians, squatters, hitch-hikers, Wwoofers (bio-organic farmers), animal-welfare activists, anti-globalists, green boys & girls, backpackers and many more.
We just arrived too late for dinner, but since I knew about 25% of the 70 people that participated at this event, I had plenty of time to talk to them and I forgot I was hungry..

In the evening we went in little groups to the centre of The Hague for 'Queensnight'. The city was nicely lit, everywhere were thousands of people laughing, drinking, smoking grass (this is Holland after all). Rockbands on every corner, food stalls, fun fair attractions : it looked like everybody had a reason to party.
There were so many people that we couldn't avoid being separated from the main group, so in the end we just remained with three people : Auste, Asia and myself. Together we walked back to our bed in Scheveningen, which took us about 90 minutes !
The other members of BeWelcome slept in the "Curse of Scheveningen", but I had found a sleeping place at the house of a Canadian, Mark, and his Australische friend Hew. A house with a sauna, garden, shower...just our luck !

Recipe from the Caribbean - Black Bean Cake

Today we have a recipe straight from the Caribbean : Black Bean Cakes with Salsa Roja and Cilantro Yogurt Recipe

These spicy cakes are perfect as an appetizer -- or even as a bite-size hors' d'oeuvres. Top with spicy Salsa Roja and a dollop of Cilantro Yogurt.

RECIPE INGREDIENTS


For Black Bean Cake:

2 cups cooked black beans

1/2 cup finely chopped onion

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 tablespoon finely chopped jalapeno chile

Cornstarch, as needed

2 tablespoons olive oil, for frying


For Cilantro Yogurt:

1 cup yogurt

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1 teaspoon ground cumin


1 cup Salsa Roja (see recipe)

RECIPE METHOD

FOR BLACK BEAN CAKE: Pulse black beans, onion, cumin, and jalapeno in food processor until smooth. Add 1 tablespoon water to help blend. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Form bean paste into small cakes using 2 tablespoons of bean mixture for each, a one ounce ice cream scoop ensures uniformity. Line baking sheet with plastic wrap; dust with cornstarch. Heat small amount of oil in large nonstick skillet. Add black bean cakes and cook until crisp and brown, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to platter and keep warm.

FOR CILANTRO YOGURT: Mix yogurt, cilantro and cumin in small bowl. Cover and refrigerate.

TO SERVE: Top black bean cakes with yogurt and Salsa Roja.


Recipe provided by Chef David McMillan, Executive Chef at An Original Occasion.


Serving size = 2 bean cakes

Recipe from Turkey: Börek - Borek - Burek

One of our Turkish travelers (and her mum) would like to share a typical delicacy of their country : Börek.

Börek (also burek, boereg, and other variants on the name) is a kind of pie popular throughout the former Ottoman Empire. They are made of a thin flaky dough known as phyllo or yufka, and are filled with salty cheese (often feta), minced meat, potatoes or other vegetables. Börek may be prepared in a large pan and cut into portions after baking, or as individual pastries. The top of the börek is often sprinkled with sesame seeds.

Here is her recipe, based on a meat & spinach filling:

1. the Main Ingredients:

4 sheets of round Phyllo Pastry
1 tea glass of extra virgin olive oil
1 glass of milk
4 eggs
40 x 40 cm pyrex casserole dish

2. the Spinach Filling:

1 kg fresh spinach
1 onion, chopped
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Salt
Black pepper

3. the Meat Filling:

150 gr minced meat
1 small onion, chopped
1 tea sp of water
Salt
Black pepper

4. Preparation for Spinach:

Put the salt, pepper, olive oil and onion in a pan. Cook on medium heat for two minutes. Add the spinach and continue cooking until all liquid has evaporated. Put aside and add the meat.

5. Preparation for Meat: Put the salt, black pepper, meat and onion in a pan. Cook on medium heat until the beef is done and add it to the spinach.

Now we can move on to the main ingredients. In a bowl, mix the eggs, add olive oil and milk while continuing to mix with a whisk. This liquid mix will go between every layers of the pastry, and will complement the filling. The filling will go in the middle only.

Grease the casserole dish. Place one sheet of the pastry untidily in the bottom and over the sides of the dish. Spread 2-3 tablespoons of the liquid mix on top. Take another sheet of pastry, do the same. Then, spread all of your main filling. Place the 3rd sheet of the pastry untidily and spread 2-3 tablespoons of the liquid mix on top. Take the last sheet of pastry, do the same. Cut into pieces

Leave the casserole dish in the fridge for 2-3 hours, this way it will be more crispy and tasty. Bake until golden brown at 200 C, for approximately 25 minutes.

You can have it as a main dish (6 servings) or with afternoon tea as a snack.

Going to the Hospex Spring Camp

Message from Frank

I'm leaving for Holland today, to participate in the Dutch Spring Camp from various Hospitality Exchange communities. It's a great way to meet old friends, make some new ones and even more importantly : encounter people that Ingrid and I will meet on our way to the Hill of Crosses.
Some of their BeWelcome names sound promising : Globetrotter_tt, Cynamon, Demorganna...yes, I admit you might think they are members of a Hardrock Band ! ;-)

The planning looks interesting (it's Queensday !) :

Friday :

Evening out - Party in Den Haag "QueensNight"

Saturday :

9am - People going to Amsterdam for Queensday

7am - 5pm Freemarket

StreetGames

1-4pm - The Dutch Queen will be around Scheveningen and Den Haag (around the corner of our meeting place)

9pm Fireworks around the corner at Scheveningen Beach

Sunday :

10am - People going to Utrecht for a Day of
.SightSeeing
.Workshops
.Dutch Meal
.and many more things

Travel Quotes (6)

A good traveler has no fixed plans, and is not intent on arriving. ~Lao Tzu

12 Amazing Things to do with your Camera

Most of us just use their camera to take pictures. But the intrepid traveler can also use it in many interesting ways.

Your digital camera can be a lot more useful than you might think, especially while traveling. If you’re not a flashpacker like me who doesn’t mind lugging around a cellphone, watch, PDA and laptop, your digital camera can easily pull double-duty and really help you out in a pinch. Here are twelve novel uses you probably never thought of for your digital camera:

#1 - Post a Digital Reward Flyer
Draw up a reward flyer on with a standard piece of a paper and magic marker. Include your e-mail address and a reward amount, if applicable. Take a picture of it with your camera and use your camera’s options to “lock” this file and prevent accidental deletion. It’s a small precaution, but if your camera’s ever lost, its finder will at least have a way to contact you.

#2 - Subway Map
Find a large, complete map of the local subway system and snap a picture of it. It’s like your very own Google Maps for the subway. You can zoom in and out of it. And, if you get lost, you can easily find a local bystander, zoom in on your destination station and point it out to them on the screen. Oftentimes, it’s easier, especially in Asia, to be able to point to the symbol of where you’re trying to go rather than enunciate the name of your destination.

#3 - Stadium and Arena Map
When we arrived in Montreal on a recent trip and found that U2 was in town, we knew we had to pick up a pair of tickets on the streets. We used our digital camera to capture the complete seating chart of the Bell Centre. We felt much more at ease talking to ticket scalpers outside the arena because we knew exactly where the seats were for the tickets they were trying to sell us.

#4 - Mirror
Traveling with a mirror is a quick way to wind up picking glass fragments out of your travel gear and, more importantly, your hands. And forget those plastic travel mirrors that warp, fog, and crack. Just get that funky stuff out of your teeth in the morning with your digital camera. Depending on the ambient lighting, you can either use the blacked-out LCD to check out your reflection or simply take a picture of yourself and review it

#5 - Keep You Company
If you’re traveling alone for any length of time, you’ll no doubt experience bouts of loneliness. Before you leave, take pictures of your loved ones, pets, car, XBox … whatever conjures pleasant memories of home. You also might want to lock these photos to protect against accidental deletion.

#6 - Snap Your Luggage
Face it: your luggage probably looks just like 90% of the luggage out there. Let me guess: it’s black with a few zippered pockets? Snap a few pictures of the bags your toting around before you leave. If they wind up in Tahiti when you’re headed to Taiwan, it’ll be much easier to show the airline clerk a photo rather than trying to explain how “It’s big and black with zippers.”

#7 - Recalling Where You’re Staying
With a digital camera, you can take a picture of your hotel and the nearest street sign, as well as any nearby landmarks, and then show those pictures to your taxi driver or to anyone from whom you might need to get directions. For English-speakers this is especially helpful in Asia, India, and any country where the language may be difficult to pronounce and read. It’s also a heck of a lot easier than asking your hotel clerk to repeat the hotel name fifteen times while you struggle to convert a twenty-two syllable word with no consonants into something legible on a folded sheet of paper.

#8 - Photograph Your Child
Perhaps the quickest, easiest precaution you can take while traveling with children is to take their photo everyday. If they get lost, you’ll have an instant visual of exactly what they were wearing to show local law enforcement. (Hat tip: Budget Travel)

#9 - Avoid Rental Car Scams
Search Chris Elliott’s site and you’ll find no shortage of car rental company scams. Use your digital camera to take your own photos of your rental car the minute you pick it up. As an added safeguard should you ever wind up in court disputing when any damage occurred, you might want to get your cell phone in the photo too since the date and timestamp is difficult to fake.

#10 - Remembering Where You’ve Been
This may seem obvious, but I personally admit to taking a dozen or so pictures of newfound friends while traveling and then having no idea where I met them or where the photo was taken. Oddly enough, this happens most often at bars and pubs. Hm.

As mentioned above, this is also particularly useful far off the beaten path, where English is not likely to be spoken. You may have only symbolic signs to show where you’re eating and visiting. And the pronunciation of locals may be of little help. Snap a photo of the outside of your favorite restaurant, club, etc. and later you can show someone where you’d like to go back to or where you’ve been. One traveler noted:

I live in Japan and have been hopeless at learning the writing system. Now I take pictures of signs/shops etc that I’ve been looking at for years but still don’t know what they mean. I take the pic, get on the train, pull out my electronic dictionary and look-up the ‘kanji’ and am starting to learn a lot faster now.

#11 - Photocopy Flyers
Urban centers are riddled with flyers promoting club goings-on and events at local bars and pubs. If you see one you like, snap a photo of it rather than carrying the tattered remnants of a flyer in your pocket.

#12 - A Backup Light
If you find yourself waking up in the middle of the night in a dark hostel somewhere, use your digital camera as a makeshift lantern.
Flick through your recent travel photos to a nice, bright outside shot or simply keep a photo you’ve taken of a washed-out, sunlit sky. The light from the LCD screen on most digital cameras is bright enough to work as a backup flashlight/lantern in a pinch.

The flash is also a nice, bright light source, albeit a bit more difficult and, in the case of hostels, rude and inconvenient to use.

Aside from taking plain ol’ photos, what clever uses do you have for your digital camera while traveling?

Source : www.vagabondish.com/clever-uses-digital-camera-traveling/

Top Gay Destinations: Puerto Vallarta

Maybe it is the lasting memory of the gay icon Elizabeth Taylor's scandalous affair with Richard Burton during his filming of “Night of the Iguana” in the early 60's, but Puerto Vallarta is becoming gayer by the year and is now poised to overtake Acapulco as Mexico's leading gay beach. There are now some dozen gay-friendly hotels and a glut of bars and clubs clustered along the aptly named Zona Romantica.
More info on Wikipedia

Travel Quotes (3)

When preparing to travel, lay out all your clothes and all your money. Then take half the clothes and twice the money. ~Susan Heller

Photography Competition

Consider yourself a decent photographer? A cut above the happy-snap tourist? This is your chance to get recognised for your superior photography skills.

Every month, Travellerspoint runs a travel photo competition, giving the winner a $50 Amazon voucher. We also increase the monthly photo upload limit of the winner and runner-up to 200MB.

Current competitions

You can currently nominate your photos on the theme of water. Nominations are open until April 13.

Music on the Road

First published April 25, 2005

Message from Frank

Since we are travelling by car, we have the luxury of a sound system in the car. Nothing exceptional, just a CD player with MP3...good for 150 songs on one little CD.

I know that Ingrid and I have very different musical tastes...so it will be quite a challenge for both of us to listen to the preferences of the other.

This is what we are bringing along :

Frank

Red Hot Chilli Peppers
Art Blakey
John Coltrane
Eels
The Cure
R.E.M.
Herbert Grönemeyer
Genialistid

Ingrid

Clouseau
Natalia
Blondie
Madonna
Michael Jackson
The Beatles
Bonny M
Joe Cocker

Hospitality of the Poor

The hospitality of the poor (by Jared Sacks)

The poor (the lumpen proletariat, the peasants, the traditional villagers, the wretched of the earth, the uneducated masses, the uncivilized tribes – or any number of names we, as privileged individuals, call them) have been stereotyped and continue to be spoken about by those of us who are considered more fortunate.

Instead of speaking to them, we speak about them. Instead of asking their opinion on their oppressive conditions, we assume we actually know what is best for them.

And among travelers (we are travelers not tourists go the progressive mantra) is a pervasive belief that the only benefit a poor person can receive from hospitality exchange is something financial. Why would they want to host a relatively wealthy backpacker for free? It’s too much of a burden for them, say many.

However, these generalizations ignore the fact that, in many ways, the poor have a lot to teach us about hospitality. In fact, whether one is speaking of an urban slum or a traditional rural village, openness and hospitality are often defining characteristics of these communities.

My own experience staying in impoverished communities all over the world is a case in point. As long as I was willing to follow the right channels, I was always fully welcome in any community I stayed. In January 2008 for instance, I stayed in the Kennedy Road Shack Settlement of the social movement Abahlali baseMjondolo in Durban, South Africa. The people there deeply appreciated my desire to learn about their community and their struggle for a better life. To South Africa’s poor, hospitality is an important concept that forms part of the philosophy of Ubuntu, a person is a person through other persons. While it strengthens the way communities work together as a collective, it also recognizes the interconnectedness of all human beings – the founding basis of any hospitality exchange program. So, while I stayed in Kennedy Road, I never felt out of place or unwelcome.

Likewise, I have quite recently been embraced by a new community of evicted residents of the Delft Township in Cape Town. While fighting for their constitutional right to housing, the Delft Symphony Pavement Dwellers (as they proudly call themselves) have, in the space of only a month, created a deeply interconnected and cooperative community. Although at least 40 families have invited me to come stay in their hokkie (shack), I chose the neutral ground of their communal kitchen/office/bedroom. In the past few weeks, the pavement has become like my second home. My nights are usually spent in front of a bonfire where residents tell stories, talk about their challenges and struggles, confide in personal issues, or ask me about America. In the mornings, I’m always greeted first with coffee and then with tea when they remember I don’t like coffee. This is followed by a porridge of mealie-pap – not quite the most nutritious breakfast but they only thing the communal kitchen can afford to provide to residents. And when I am not around for more than a day, I’m always greeted with the common maxim: you’ve been scarce! (Implying the unsaid: do you no longer care about us?).

To me (though many others may see it differently), this is the true meaning of hospitality. Ubuntu hospitality: the unconditional acceptance of others into a community based on our common humanity. No matter the financial strain, people of poverty (not understating their faults and not idealizing their oppression) understand that the non-economic benefits are by far more important.

There is no place I feel more welcome, more valued, more human, than in the company of those who have so little but still share it all. And this is why I am so excited about BeWelcome’s unique new initiative: the community profile.

Travel Quotes (5)

I think that travel comes from some deep urge to see the world, like the urge that brings up a worm in an Irish bog to see the moon when it is full. ~Lord Dunsany

Ingrid's Preparations

First published April 24, 2005

Ingrid's Version

In the past, my travels have always been organised through a travel agency. The hotels had several stars and my time was divided between going to the pool or going to the beach.

But this time things will be different.

First of all Frank explained me about the way BeWelcome works. I had to look for my English dictionary in the attic and became a member. Pretty soon my free evenings were filled with surfing on the BW site and it didn't take long before I got addicted to their way of travelling. I even invited my first guest from Indonesia.
When I showed him the city I realized that I didn't know a lot about my own city. From that moment onwards I have been keeping a book about Hasselt on my bedside table.

Frank gave me a list of things that I HAD TO and things that I COULDN'T take with me. Most things I didn't own, so I started looking for a sleeping bag and a camping mat. In every shop I asked about the different qualities of sleeping bags and I bought one that guaranteed up to + 4°.

In the meantime I had my hair cut short and filled my toilet bag (not a beauty-case) with mini-versions of deodorant etc.
I'm still thinking about what clothes I should bring. This time I can't bring a suitcase filled with 7 pairs of shoes, skirts, blouses and shirts. Instead I need to make a realistic choice.

Travel Quotes (4)

Thanks to the Interstate Highway System, it is now possible to travel across the country from coast to coast without seeing anything. ~Charles Kuralt, On the Road With Charles Kuralt

Short Introduction to Ecorates

People who like to travel, have certainly come across the concept of economical inequality. The actual cost of living is often very different from country to country, and this leads inevitably to certain travelers being discouraged from participating in gatherings and even from participating in local life.

Organizations like BeWelcome can of course contribute to this by bringing travelers into contact with local communities (and vice versa) and by offering free accommodation, cheap local meals (as opposed to expensive restaurant visits) and tips to save on your traveling budget. But it would still be better if travelers could calculate the real cost of living.

Luckily there are is the ecorate system. The aim of the Ecorate system is to enable EYFA and those organizations which share the concern of economical inequalities between countries, to use a fair exchange rate. It is an alternative 'currency' based on the actual cost of living in each country.

The Ecorate system is necessary to create alternative frameworks for our economic relations (paying participation fees, subscription prices...) that break the profit guided and socially careless dynamics. Differences in the prices levels, exchange currency rates, purchasing power... might financially discourage or even impede groups and individuals from some countries from participating in gatherings and seminars or from subscribing to magazines. We should empower ourselves through creating mechanisms to include social concerns in our ways of functioning.

Ecorate system is a fully grassroots and participatory system. The fact that EYFA's research to have their own rates rather than using official institutional ones is one of the most important characteristics of the system. They have made a survey among activists to collect information about the cost of life in each country [see questionnaire] through looking at the prices of different basic products, which is subsequently used to calculate the Ecorates and the value of the eco for each country.

Ecorates Questionnaire

How can you help?

The ecorates system is based on trust, solidarity and altruistic collaboration. To take part in updating the ecorates, please fill in the online questionnaire.

The online questionnaire is for prices in euros, but if you don't have time to recalculate prices just send me the questionnaire as an attacment with prices in local currency. If you need help with converting, check out the universal currency converter.

Extra note: The list is made up of items that you might not purchase or use in your daily life but you will find these items in most countries taken up in the survey. We know that also within a country the prices of a single item can vary so we ask you to take the average price of the product or item in the country you live in.

Cities we want to Visit

First published on April 22, 2005

During our trip we well travel approximately through the following towns :

- Hasselt (B)
- Düsseldorf (D)
- Poznan (PL)
- Turek (PL)
- Warszawa (PL)
- Vilnius (LT)
- Kaunas (LT)
- Trakai (LT)
- Hill of Crosses (LT)
- Gizycko (PL)
- Gdansk (PL)
- Sczcecin (PL)
- Berlin (G)

More details about these different places will be posted when we get there.

And even more important : in a few days we will create a similar collage with the people we are hoping to meet. Because like a Lithuanian friend of mine used to say : "it's not about the places you visit, but about the people you meet".

Top destinations: Tunisia

Tunisia is undergoing a Morocco-like luxury makeover. A new wave of stylish boutique hotels, often in historic town houses, has cropped up alongside this North African country's white-sand beaches and age-old medinas, drawing increasing numbers of well-heeled travelers.

The Villa Didon in Carthage, for one, has a restaurant originally run by Alain Ducasse. Indeed, TripAdvisor ranks Jerba, a resort island off Tunisia's southern coast, as the No. 1 emerging spot in 2008.

If you want to find out more about Tunisia, check this Wikipedia article.

List of Best Beaches in Brazil

When you think of Brazil, depending on what decade you were born, you think of Rio, maybe Carmen Miranda, the beautiful mountains right next to the sea. There was always the Samba, and the South American Way, and that Girl From Ipanema.

According to our sources, the beaches haven't changed, at least in beauty - for centuries.

Plans are for Architects!

First published on April 07, 2005

In about one months' time I will start on a short trip through Eastern Europe. Almost an exact copy of a trip I did last year, only much shorter and I will only travel through 4 countries instead of the 6 states I saw during my Baltics' trip.

The idea for this trip came from a friend and colleague of mine, Ingrid. We are both members of BeWelcome (www.bewelcome.org), a great website that allows people to find (free) accommodation all over the world and still feels like a big family where everybody knows each other. During my last trip to the Baltic, I met many people there and even made some friends for life. So that was one of my main reasons : seeing some old friends. But Ingrid gave me a second reason to go there : In Lithuania there is a place called Hill of Crosses. And it is a kind of pilgrimage for her. But more about that later.

The title of this entry is "plans are for architects", a term that I first heard from Kinga, a good friend and amazing hitchhiker who has travelled around the world for 5 years with her friend Chopin, and which inspired her to write a book called Led by Destiny. Because you see, I am a real architect when it comes to travelling. Of course I'm not so stubborn that I will not change my plans when there is a nice opportunity along the way, but to tell you the truth i LOVE to plan. I will always read lots of books before leaving, I will print out road maps and I will calculate how much money I can spend a day. My name is Thorgal67, and PREPARATIONS is my middle name !

So far this kind of travelling has always impressed people, because most of the time I arrive at my place of destination on time.

Next week I'll post some more.

Top Destinations: Mid-Beach Miami, Florida

Move over South Beach. The iconic Eden Roc Resort and Fontainebleau Miami Beach — faded glitterati hangouts designed by Morris Lapidus — will reopen in 2008 after multimillion-dollar renovations, returning Mid-Beach to its former glory. Future neighbors include Gansevoort South, a W Hotel and a Mid-Beach outpost of the members-only Soho House.

Everything you always wanted to know about Miami can be found on Wikipedia

Travel Quotes (2)

I travel not to go anywhere, but to go. I travel for travel's sake. The great affair is to move. ~Robert Louis Stevenson

What is Hospitality Exchange?

Is Hospitality Exchange only free accommodation? Hospitality Exchange, also known as accommodation sharing, Hospitality services, and home stay networks, often refers to centrally organized social networks of individuals who trade accommodation without monetary exchange. While the concept of free accommodation could also include house swapping or even time share plans, it is associated mostly with travellers and tourists staying with one another free of charge. Polish sociologist Paula Bialski even calls it "emotional tourism", because meeting locals indeed involves a lot of emotions and maybe this is exactly how it differs from the mainstream package tour.
Since the 1990s, these services have increasingly moved away from using printed catalogues and telephone lines, but members often use Internet websites. These have grown exponentially since 2000 and as of March, 2007 over 500,000 people are registered users of these networks, which vary in operational structure, layout and geographic focus.
However, Hospitality Exchange offers much more than just free accommodation. Some members do not offer a place to stay, but instead provide dinner, a guided tour, tourist information or will help find a cheap hostel or alternative means of accommodation. Also those travellers who face most difficulties - like handicaped people - find great opportunity and help in networks like BeWelcome, where members can both invite travellers with wheelchairs (according to the accessibility of their place) and use the search function to find the very same hosts.

Motivation and quality of social networking
Basic Motivation
Why do people join social hospitality exchange networks? The basic motivating factors for membership - and they very much influence the quality of later social exchange - include:

- to meet interesting, open minded, people
- to meet locals and to gain an insider view
- to save money through the offer of free accommodation
- the wish for flexibility and freedom of choice when travelling
- to get contacts, pursue effective networking
- to improve language skills


Factors influencing the quality of exchange within Hospitality and culture exchange networks
Based upon those motivations the main factors which influence the quality of exchange have been identified to be:

- the need to be ready and willing for interaction with other members
- a friendly approach of members resulting in interest and curiosity
- the mutual seriousness and effort put into the process of establishing contact between two members
- an open and positive atmosphere within the network
- an un-judgmental approach towards other cultures
- A common ground facilitating successful communication


Opportunity, risk and limitations
But what are the opportunities, risks and limitations of how Hospitality Exchange Networks can influence the quality of social exchange between host-guest relationships?
The opportunities include:


- to discover culture and traditions through the eyes of a local
an understanding of cultures which can remove stereotypes and misunderstandings
- broadening of education
- promoting peace
- make people care about situations and conflicts in other cultures
- make them realize differences and help overcome them


The risks include:

- incomprehension, misunderstanding and stereotype thinking based on individual experiences with members
- generalization of culture according to experience
- ‘Black sheep’ abusing the network (burglary, spam or dating)
- failure to cope with confrontation of different habits and customs

The limitations include that:

- Hospitality Exchange networks mainly address open-minded and curious people
- a high level of tolerance is needed
- members are not representative for entire culture
- access may be excluded to some part of the community : lack of technical equipment, financial resources, old people, social prejudices


BeWelcome: one project, many target groups

BeWelcome is a project open to many different interest groups and backgrounds. Leisure travellers, expats and business travellers, scientists, local communities and the tourism industry as a whole - all take advantage of BeWelcome.

You want to know more?

BeVolunteer Mission Statement
BeWelcome - a new way of travelling?
Wikipedia about Hospitality exchange

Travel Quotes

Every week we will publish a quote connected with travel.

The World is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page. ~St. Augustine

Camels in Falmouth, Cornwall

Here on BeTraveler.org we publish travel stories from all around the world. Here is what happened to Beyyan when she went for an educational exchange to Falmouth.

"It was my first year at university in 1993. The school had sent us on a student exchange program. It was an exchange between the Middle East Technical University Architecture Department in Ankara, Turkey and the Falmouth School of Art and Design in Cornwall, England. Everything had been organized by two professors from my school and the school in Falmouth. We were 3 Turkish girls and with only the address of the school we went for a once-in-a-lifetime experience!"

"After landing in Heathrow airport, we went to the information desk to find our way to Falmouth and we realized that we had to hurry to catch the last bus going to the train station from which we “might” catch the last train arriving somewhere in the region of Falmouth! So we ran to the bus, took the last train on the very last second from the train station and we arrived to a place still far from Falmouth."

The Best Places to Go in 2009: LAOS

The New York Times published a list of 53 places to go this year. We will publish our personal pick here on BeTraveler, one destination every week.

Today: LAOS

Vietnam and Cambodia are no longer hot. Now, Laos is shaping up to be Indochina's next hot spot. Ancient sites like the Wat Phou temple complex and the capital city of Vientiane are drawing culture seekers. Luxury teak houseboats are cruising down the Mekong. And global nomads are heading to Luang Prabang to sample the Laotian tasting menu at 3 Nagas or hang out by the infinity pool at the seriously upscale Résidence Phou Vao.

More information about Laos can be found on Wikipedia

Sleep in Style in an Art Hotel in Amsterdam

CNN recently published a list of art hotels: Places where budget travelers can stay in rooms designed by artists.
One of these hotels can be found in Amsterdam's Red Light District : The Winston.

Located in the Red Light District on the oldest street in Amsterdam, the Winston, now owned by the English hotel group St. Christopher's, has quite a past. The previous owner, the late Frans Verlinden, cultivated a bohemian atmosphere in the 1980s and '90s, with "hookers, journalists, filmmakers, but most of all, artists" as frequent guests, explains manager Donald Kauwoh. Verlinden spearheaded the art-hotel trend and hired artist Aldert Mantje to select colleagues to decorate rooms and install temporary exhibits. While it started out being fairly avant-garde -- guests may have encountered dead leaves and even, possibly, an animal corpse on display -- the hotel has mellowed somewhat in recent years.