January 12, 2009
We’re Making Travel Plans for 2009!
Thanks for the positive comments about our December newsletter. We’ve made a New Year’s resolution to keep our community better informed. We hope you’ll check Slow Travel Talk and Slow Travel regularly, but our newsletter and other recent initiatives will always let you know about recent news and interesting discussions.
With 2008 and the holiday season behind us, Slow Travel has been a busy place the last few weeks! The forums been very active as travelers seek information and ideas for their upcoming trips.
In This Issue
- It’s an Open House on the Food Forum in January!
- We’re Twittering
- More Photohunts
- Slow Travelers talk (featured forums discussions)
- Elsewhere on Slow Travel (reviews, trip reports, photos and blogs)
- Write for Slow Travel
Start the New Year in the Food Forum
Our popular Food Forum is normally available only to Gold Star members, but we opened it to all members in December and January. Here’s just a taste of what Slow Travelers are talking about:
The Slow Soupers are cooking a different soup each week until mid-April and sharing the recipes and results. Coming up next: Palma’s Leeks and Asparagus Soup with Fried Leeks and Crushed Amaretti- Many Slow Travelers post or ask for recipes in this forum. Bcwired shared a good one for Hearty Lamb Stew
- t-mac asked for your favorite mushroom recipe?
We’re Twittering!
One of the latest forms of communication on the Internet is “Twitter.” Well, now Slow Travel is “twittering” too! Learn more about Twitter and how you can get the latest “tweets” from Slow Travel here and stay up on our recent publications, discussions, reviews and photos.
Already "tweeting"? You can follow us here, SlowTrav.
The Photohunts Continue
Photohunts have become one of Slow Travel’s most popular features. Every week or so moderators post different themes on various forums. Slow Travelers hunt through their digital photo files and post photos that interpret that theme in some way. The results are always fascinating! Here are a few recent Photohunts we think you’ll enjoy:
Slow Travelers talk!
The Slow Talk forums have been buzzing lately. Here are a few of the most interesting recent discussions. Feel free to participate in the conversations!
General Travel Topics – fun, sometimes provocative travel discussions
- Kathryn J wondered how do you decide where to travel next
- With 60+ posts on the Italy Forum, one of the most active discussions has been CaWino’s question How Many Times to Italy? People shared not just how many times they’ve visited Italy, but what keeps drawing them back.
- MattD asked the question what is “authentic” in Italy?—and got some very passionate responses.
- kaydee posed the question What's on your "wish list" for future travel to France?
- Sometimes old discussions reappear. Roz’s question in the Technology forum perked up again, as travelers discussed iPhone and iPod Touch 2.0 -- e-book apps and document readers
Trip Planning – requests for ideas or help on upcoming trips
- Dmae is planning her trip to Rome in May. She travels with her teen aged son and asks which of the two museums in Rome would be best for him: Capitoline or Borghese?
- JilM is planning a trip for two couples in April and asked for suggestions on Traveling to the Campania area
- Cracker asked for help planning a May trip to Northern Italy/Slovenia/Croatia.
- joywriter asked for suggestions for her May trip to Europe: Brussels/Antwerp or France Chateaux region? (See what she decided!)
- woodstock is visiting London again and is interested in suggestions for favorite London "villages" and off-the-beaten-path sites
- New member AnnBaker asked for help (and got it!) about traveling from Lisbon to Santiago?
- ellens asked for suggestions of what to do on a short trip to Amsterdam alone
- Several Slow Travelers are headed to Washington DC for the presidential inauguration this month. A new, young member KCParka asked What's Fun in D.C.?
Travel Experiences – stories from recent trips
- lesfaye shared experiences while traveling when she posted from Isla Mujeres, Mexico
- KimG talks about a trip to Austria and Germany
Elsewhere on Slow Travel: reviews, trip reports, photos and blogs
Enjoy a sample of some of the new publications on the Slow Travel website.
Travel Notes
Saints and Art, or ... Who is that guy crucified upside down? by Colleen
“When you’re wandering through churches or museums, do you ever wonder why that sad-eyed man in the painting has a sword sticking out of his side? Or why that pretty young woman is carrying a pair of eyes - or breasts! - on a tray? After too many questions and not enough knowledge about religious martyrs (who then became Catholic saints), I decided to look for the rest of the story.”
Travel Stories
La Cucina Genuina by Anne Robichaud
"When my husband Pino and I moved here to Umbria to farm in the 1970's, we both set out to learn all that we could about rural life from our farm neighbors. They taught us how to raise a variety of animals - guinea fowl, geese, chickens, ducks, rabbits, pigs, sheep, goats - and how to best serve them at table! Every winter, one of the pigs was transformed into prosciutto, capocollo, sausages, pancetta, and salami." You can see Anne on her annual U.S. cooking lessons/lecture tour this Feb/mid-March that kicks off in San Francisco - and wraps up on the East Coast. For more information, check Anne's Italy.
Trip Reports
Istanbul and Some Sights of Western Anatolia by Dennis Switzer
"We were fortunate to visit Istanbul for four days during Ramadan and then return for three days for Eid (the holiday following Ramadan.). A festive air prevailed throughout the city. In the evening, families strolled through the parks and grounds surrounding the Blue Mosque and the Hippodrome. Temporary food stalls along the street provided everything from snacks to full meals. Although many individuals we spoke with, adhered to the daytime fast, we were able to eat where, when and what we wanted."
Baguettes and Baboons: Two Weeks in Paris by Lesrosiers
“My husband M. and I spent two weeks in Paris, our first trip here during the summer, at high tourist season. Despite the crowds, it was fairly easy to enjoy a private moment strolling hand in hand along a narrow cobbled street. As this was our first trip to France in warm, summer weather, we were excited to take advantage of the parks, gardens, and riverside strolls in Paris.”
Reviews
We're always collecting and publishing reviews. Don't forget to use them when planning your next vacation. Below is a sample of just some of our more recent ones.
Vacation Rentals
Casina di Rosa, is one of our most reviewed places, and this is our most recent from Steve C.
Tekarra Lodge, member BGE always lets us know about her vacation rentals and here's one she's visited several times.
Hotels
The Boat Shed if you're looking to spend time in the lap of luxury, this property reviewed by fletch sounds like a good possibility.
Encore B&B when staying in Boston, Gloria likes this alternative to a standard hotel.
Restaurants
Antica Osteria da Giovanni, RichardLS spent some time in Rome this fall and found this well-priced (e.g., primi piatti for €3) restaurant in Trastevere.
Horizons, Philadelphia has one of the most exciting restaurant scenes in the country, and Teaberry tells us this Vegetarian/Vegan establishment is no exception.
Photo Albums
Santa Ceceila in Trastevere, Dragonpat uploaded some wonderful photos of this church in Rome
Córdoba's Magnificent Mosque, MariaI also uploaded some great photos from her recent trip to Spain; this is just one of the albums.
Blogs from Current and Recent Travelers
We love reading blogs by our Slow Travel friends; Trekcapri blogged live from Spain and shared her post trip thoughts. SlowTrav blogger Maria I, is also “post-blogging” from her trip to Spain and Chiocciola blogged from her trip to some really off the beaten path places in Mexico!
You Can Write for Slow Travel Too!
There are lots of opportunities to get involved in the Slow Travel community beyond posting on the forums. Vacation rental, hotel and restaurant reviews are always appreciated and easy to do! These are valuable resources for travelers. Think about making your own New Year’s resolution to help other travelers by submitting reviews. Honest — it’s not hard! Ready to review? Get started here.
Trip reports are one of the most popular features on Slow Travel. A trip report can be a complete travelogue (your travel journal), a short list of your trip highlights, or an essay about your trip. You can work on it over days or week, and submit it when you are done. You can even include a photo on each page or link to a photo album. In addition to sharing your trip with others on Slow Travel, you can share the link with friends and family and have a lasting record of your trip. Learn more about trip reports and get started here.
We’re also interested in more “travel notes,” like Colleen’s piece on Saints and Art. Travel notes are mini-guides to specific countries, towns or regions. Or they are detailed notes about a specific travel topic. They are published in the Travel Notes sections within each country. Travel notes do need to be well-written and organized for publication, and photos are always appreciated. They should also address a topic not already covered on the site. If you’re interested in writing Travel Notes on a particular topic, please contact Kim to discuss your idea or submit them directly here.
Happy New Year! And always—Happy Travels!
The Slow Travel Team
www.slowtrav.com - Slow Travel
www.slowtalk.com – Slow Travel Forums
www.slowphotos.com – Slow Travel Photo Gallery