World Hum Acquired by Travel Channel

Congratulations to the World Hum guys on getting acquired by the Travel Channel. Since 2001 I have been a fan of World Hum and its great writing. I am glad to see that all your hard work may finally put some cash in your pockets. Fortunately the guys will still be working at WH full time; here is a clip from the site.
As for us, we’re not going anywhere. Thanks to the Travel Channel’s commitment, we’ll edit the site full-time, publishing the kinds of stories you’ve come to expect from World Hum. In fact, we’re going to publish more of them. You’ll see some changes to the site in the months to come. We’re going to experiment with audio, video and other ways to tell travel stories.
Thanks for your support over the years. We hope that you’ll join us for the next leg of the journey.

Johnny Jet and Outside Magazine

I’ll catch up with him soon when we both head to Southern France early June but I did see my buddy the Jetster’s write up in Outside magazine’s May issue. The piece was about 37 Dream Jobs and he represented all of us trucking around the world. I travel but I got to wonder why Johnny Jet even needs a home? I love getting the occasional email from him, many I read in foreign capitals. He received three stars on the magazine’s Dream-O-Meter. I know I wouldn’t trade my job, Province anyone.

Memorial Weekend in Ulster County

It was a great Memorial Weekend here in the Hudson Valley and a great start to summer. I headed on the back roads to Woodstock for a deep tissue massage at River Rock this morning and the ride was as relaxing as the massage. After a weekend filled with gardening, picnics and parties a massage felt just right. On the way home I passed the Country Inn in Krumville where last night two of my favorite actors were having dinner, Adian Quinn and Steve Buscemi. Both have homes in the area and are loved by locals. It brings to mind the summers I worked in the Hamptons and all the bs crap going on at a-list clubs, thankfully not up here.

I also gave myself a break from email and blogging this weekend, I live for that stuff on the road but this weekend was a welcome break, but it is back to the real world tomorrow. Tonight local produce from the farm stand down the street and some Maine lobster cakes.

Flocking Seagulls

The long holiday weekend begins and AAA predicts over 30 million traveling the nations highways this weekend. I personally am staying put and going to several parties, the rest of the time I will be finishing serveral travel pieces. Have a great weekend all.

Paul Bocuse and Be Our Guest

Every once and awhile I Google myself to see where articles of mine end up, it is a common practice for writers. Today I found a pleasant surprise when I found my blog about famed chef Paul Bocuse on a foodies blog. The man is a legend and a famed Michelin Stars earner. Bocuse took the famed Escoffier’s classics and made them lighter and with a better punch. I recently enjoyed a meal at his place in Veyrat near Lyon. It was a dream come true for this one time restaurateur!

Frommer's Budget Travel Magazine, Great Issue

I am a big fan of Frommer's Budget Travel magazine for the simple reason that they give great travel advice. This months issue has a piece with 105 How to Travel Now tips. Even someone that is constantly traveling needs some reminders sometimes. The topics covered are Trip Planning, Loyalty Programs, Booking, Packing, Flying, Lodging, Cruises, Car rentals, Tipping and On the Ground. This is an issue I will file and use, congrats to Erik Torkells and Brad Tuttle for a piece even travel editors can use, check out Budget Travel online.

Everyone is a Local Someplace

Hurling up the highway to High Falls is a trip after you have been moving daily throughout Scandinavia over the last few weeks. The stillness of Route 213 in the dark is welcome and familiar landmarks seem to greet you. It is as if nothing has changed, except maybe yourself. Memories of Sweden, Finland and Iceland keep popping up as if to anchor memories in your brain, but the pull of home overcomes that. There will be a lite dinner and glass of wine waiting with family and three cats needing attention. In the morning the grass will need mowing and emails to be answered. For a few days you are a local, and not just passing through. After travel writing for years the guys at the corner store and farm stand will expect a few stories and a general update of the world’s condition. I have got a few days to savor my home and life here in Ulster County.

Reykjavik Goes to the Dogs

Reykjavik is filled with trendy and expensive restaurants. I followed Bill Clinton’s lead and had two hotdogs from Baejarins Beztu stand near the harbor. This little stand might just be the city’s busiest place. Learn the phrase, Eina meo ollu (one with everything) and you will get a dog covered with mustard, ketchup, onions and remoulade. Fine dining at its best.

Bobbing in the Blue lagoon, Iceland

Set in a black lava field is Iceland’s Blue Lagoon, the hot milky blue hot water cures your aches and pains. The water comes from the nearby Svarsengi geothermal plant that heats most of Reykjavik’s homes. Over crowded, maybe, must see, yes!

Reykjavik, Love it or Leave it

The sun seems to have super power and the wattage is amped up, all at 10:00 PM. I am not sure if Reykjavik and I are headed for a long term love affair or a quick break up. Like any mistress this city is expensive and demands attention. Just when you are ready to give this place up a glimpse of magic appears in the distance, sheer cliffs leap from blue waters or a geyser of steam rises. With a grimace you later order a coke and the bill is $12 and you look for an escape. It is Friday and the beginning of runtur, a weekend long pub crawl has seemingly started yet again. The government has tried to curb excessive drinking with a high tax on alcohol but here weekend rituals die hard.

Coolest Kid in Finland

I am in Iceland and at 9:30 PM the sun is still blazing adding to my travel confusion. We are down to only 2 people and we are both travel dazed. Figuring out the exchange rate is even tough. Still the vistas of stark snow capped mountains and sea are amazing. My first impression is that this place isn't cheap, the ride from the airport 50 clicks away is $160. Tonight is pizza or pasta but that fits the bill. Yet I feel some what like this picture of a young tot, dazed and confused.

Finland's Prettiest Village

We ended our busy day in SW Finland with a visit to the pretty town of Naantali, the sunshine town. True to its nick name the sun was bright and the air clear. This was a great town on the sea, lively and pretty. Across the bay was the summer residence of the President of Finland. After a very busy week I am heading to Iceland for the weekend. Then on home!

Lenin in Finland

Lenin had a powerful pull on our lives today and Finland is a part of that history. It was in Finland where Lenin hid from the Russian transitional government in Helsinki in the early 20th century. It was in the city of Tampere however where Lenin first met Stalin, at the Tampere Workers” Hall. The city was an industrial city and a perfect breeding ground for Lenin’s Marxist master plan. In the hall where they met is the fascinating Lenin Museum, a comrade’s paradise. Mementos, pictures and displays follow his career from revolutionary to first leader of a socialist state. Leave the over popular Che behind and get a Lenin tee shirt on the museum’s shop online.

Riding the Rails in Finland

Riding the rails through Sweden and Finland has been a great experience, no hassles, comfortable and fun. If you add good company it is down right unbeatable, and Jeff, the guy plowing through the sandwich gets us laughing non stop. There is nothing better than a writer who is upbeat and interesting and this guy is both. The lady hard at work is Maarit Haavisto-Koskinen from the VR (Finnish Railways) and as was all those that put this trip together a sheer delight to meet.

We also had the pleasure of having Rachel Young from Eurail Group G.I.E join us for the rest of our trip. We all agree that train travel is tops.

Spying in Finland

I am proud to announce my graduation from the Spy Museum as a Mossad Agent, the second best score. Here at the museum in Tampere Finland after taking the tour you can take a test that is like a scavenger hunt to see where you rate as a future spy, putting on the dark shades.

Finland, East Meets West

Last night we had a great Helsinki experience when we took a small ferry over to Suomenlinna Island and fortification for a hike and dinner. The Island is a UNESCO site and the fort was built by the Swedes and French for protection from the Russians in the 18th century. Finland has always been the meeting point between East and West and that has caused it heartbreak throughout its history.

Expanding on that theme will be a visit today to the Lenin Museum and the Spy Museum, both outside Helsinki. So its time to pack up and head to the train station, ultimate destination, Turku for the night.

Cruising the Baltic Sea, a Winner

Last night we crossed the Baltic Sea from Stockholm to Helsinki, Finland on the Silja ship Serenade. She was big and beautiful and the cabins fantastic. There was much to do aboard and we did it all. After a fantastic dinner I went and had a massage that was perfect after lugging bags around for the last few. I then met up with some of the other writers for drinks and a floor show. The casino was nearby so I took twenty Euros and sat at the Blackjack table. I left with fifty six Euros after feeling my lucky vibe melt. Soon we all were leaving and I had a strong feeling to give it one more hand at the table. I put it all down as my new buddies cringed. Lady luck held and I doubled my money, a profit of 82 Euros my prize. With the strength of Euros against Dollars, I was quite happy. A few extra bucks for Finland!

Foggy Thoughts From Stockholm

It is a foggy morning here in Stockholm and the mist is shrouding the harbor view from my room at the SAS Radisson Strand. The hotel was finished in time for the 1912 Olympic Games and has been home in Stockholm to such luminaries as Frank Sinatra, Audrey Hepburn, Mariah Carey and Pavarotti. Last night was a great seafood dinner at Sture Hof, a lively place that is run by Chef Stig Ostman who also happens to be an artist.

I also got an email from Max this morning with great news getting finalized, possible inclusion at the NY Times Travel Show this year for GN. That made me think about a question that came up at dinner, the NY Times travel writer’s contract. A writer stated that the terms of the contract about press trips wasn’t in effect. According to the online guidelines, they are indeed still in effect, like I said a foggy morning.

Stockholm, so Sweet

Stockholm is sweet, you can tell immediately. The city spreads over 14 islands and the sea is its glue. Visually stunning with its architecture and layout, magnificent theaters and palaces can be found looking in any direction. The people look so very healthy and happy and café culture blooms amidst the streets. Each island has its own personality and I like them all. We had a quick tour around and then went to the Gamla Stan or old town to head our own way. Our Guide Christina gave us a funny story about the King at the entrance to the Palace; the king is know for his lead foot and constantly gets stopped for speeding. That’s a monarchy I could live with!

Stockholm, Gamla Stan

Internet Service in Sweden

As I write this I am zipping down the steel rails towards Stockholm and with a first class ticket internet connection is included. In fact in the last two hotels internet connection has been good and free. In alot of Europe connecting is very expensive, up to $30 for a twenty four hour link. This is such a great suprise connecting in Sweden for free!

Sweden's Glass

It wasn’t till I had a glob of molten glass on the end of a steel pipe did I realize how hard glass blowing is. Since 1746 glass has been made at Kosta Boda, and it is well crafted. This area of Sweden is call the Kingdom of Crystal and a stop at Kosta surely explains why.

After we stopped at master craftsman Jan-Erik Ritzman’s studio out in the Swedish countryside, the shop was filled with amazing glass figures. We ended the day in the small town of Vaxjo where one of Sweden’s best new restaurants is located, PM & Vanner. All in all it was a great day in the Kingdom.

Craftsman in the Crystal Kingdom

Kosta, Blowing my Glass

Royalty in Malmo Sweden

It has been a long haul getting to Malmo Sweden but well worth it. This city is both quaint and sleek, the shop windows display such modern designs and displays yet the building may date from 1562. Today the royal families of Denmark and Sweden are meeting here in the city. This young lad is getting a view of them entering the city hall for a state dinner.

Summer Starts in the Hudson Valley

I am sitting out on the deck after a day of cleaning the yard and prepping for summer, tommorrow I headout. Last night we lit the outdoor fireplace lit the lamps and enjoyed the night. Lawn is mowed and I almost feel like I rented a place in the country. Being home sometimes feels like a vacation! The cherry tree above is filled with buzzing bees and hummingbirds visit the newly filled feeders, still the biggest thrill is reading an email from my son Chance who is on a press trip in Madrid with two other writers. One crapped out after landing and missed the city tour. the other faked dinner illness and was caught BSing. He had dinner in the city's football stadium last night and loved it. Tonight he has free time and heading to a bullfight, sounds like an email I wrote many years ago.

Suite Francaise, Must Read

I just finished a book called Suite Francaise by Irene Nemirovsky that I really enjoyed, especially since I started it in France where the novel takes place. The novel follows several characters during the fall of France during WWII and after. More amazing is how the manuscript for the book was kept in private for over 64 years by the author’s daughters.

Nemirovsky was an immigrant to France who became a successful writer of fiction. She unfortunately was sent to Auschwitz in 1942 and there perished. As a reader of mostly non-fiction this book really brought emotion to turbulent times and her letters at the end are real and touching.

St. John Boys Heading to Europe

Lil will have both her guys trucking around Europe this week, I will be in Sweden,Finland and Iceland. Chance, my son will be exploring Madrid and all its splendors. This will be his third GoNOMAD piece and his excitement is contagious, even to a guy who has been lugging bags around the world for what seems like ages.

Heading to Sweden, Finland and Iceland

Home for a week and heading out Thursday for Sweden, Finland and Iceland, the trip will be done on trains and ferries. I will get to explore three new countries for me having only passed through their airports and that is always exciting. Besides the cities of Reykjavik, Stockholm and Helsinki we will be visiting some smaller ones such as Vaxjo, Turko and Alvesta. One night is aboard the Silja Serenade, a revisit to my trip up the Norway Coast. We will end up for two nights in Iceland to explore Reykjavik on our own. Ah, life on the road!

France, Right or Left

Like Max I am fascinated by the presidential elections in France this year, perhaps in part because the last few weeks I have had the candidates faces staring at me. Their posters are everywhere in France. It is really a right or left toss up though both candidates are racing to the center. This time the election isn’t going the way of fringe parties as was the case in recent past years. Sarkozy represents the right and Royal the left and the run off in May is a dead heat. I caught Royal campaigning by bicycle in Paris last week.

Mise en Bouche, France and its Food

I arrived home last night from France with extra baggage, about 5 pounds worth. It was unnoticed till I stepped on the scale this morning.I am willing to bet that without those 10 mile hoofs around Paris my last three days it could have been far worse. In France bouche means mouth and every meal started with a Mise en bouche or a, "little taste for the mouth". I am not a dessert person but when they come looking like a painting it is hard to turn down besides who wants to miss out on France's national sport, great dining.

Love in Montmartre

In the Montmartre Quarter love is all around and in the small garden of Place des Abbesses it is written on the hidden wall is many languages. Near by is the Au Lapin Agile, one of the oldest cabarets and a hangout for Picasso.

Beaujolais,and Chateau De Bagnols

One of the standouts of my trip to the Rhone-Alpes was a stay at the Chateau De Bagnols a castle located in the midst of the vineyards of Beaujolais. The twenty rooms are done with antique furniture and stunning. The Salle des Gardes or dining room is centered around the largest Gothic fireplace in France and the coat of arms marks the visit of King Charles VIII in 1490.

Kosher Pizza, Only in Paris