BlackTravels.com Blog

Seeing Amsterdam: An Interview with Renee James.

2012-01-18T01:37:00.002-09:00

Renee James in Amsterdam with new travel friends from the US, Ireland, England, and Morocco.

So tell us a little about about your trip. Was this your first visit to this location? What was your "First Impression"?

It was my second trip to the "Land Of" Amsterdam! It is a fascinating place and the people are really the nicest I've ever encountered. I've traveled a few places abroad prior to this but even when I compare it to Paris (another nice place to visit)-- there is really no comparison. Why do I want to write about Amsterdam vs. Rome, for example? Rome was EXTREMELY prejudiced towards Blacks. There are several races and nationalities that live in Amsterdam and somehow, they all live among each other with very little racism, hate crimes and violence. As a black woman, I found it totally refreshing. In addition, they are among the healthiest people too. A huge population ride bicycles and walk instead of filling the air with emissions from cars.

For people who wish to visit the city, two tidbits of caution-- there appears to be a problem with pick-pocketers (although I never came remotely close to encountering that, but signs are posted throughout the city), and moderately priced hotels are not hotels at all. If you decide to stay at the Marriot (for example) it will be hugely overpriced and the beds are very hard. I opted out of the traditional hotel names we in the U.S. are familiar with and stayed at the other local hotels instead. Those hotels are like bed and breakfast residents, and the stairs are OMINOUS! If you haven't climbed stairs like these, they are breath-taking and the actual steps are very tiny but hold on to the railing and you'll be just fine!

Tell us a bit about how and why you decided to take this trip to Amsterdam. Did you travel in a group or did you decide to travel solo? How did you go about planning your trip?

On this particular 8 day trip, I decided to go alone. I simply wanted a break from my day to day grind, and needed this vacation to be completely stress-free and I got exactly what I wanted. It's funny that I could not think of one place in the U.S. where I could experience that for my important "stress free" vacation. I spontaneously "planned" each day (waking when I wanted and visited where I wanted). There were actually 2 nights that I was out from 1pm, until the following day arriving back at the hotel around 1pm! Every single place I ventured, the people (including the locals) were exceptionally kind. From Anne Frank's House, Van Gogh Museum, The Diamond Museum (yes, there is a diamond museum there) and even Madame Tussaud-- I met new people and made new friends every single place I went.

As mentioned before, I had visited once, but it was just short of 48 hours so I knew I wanted to go back one day. After this current visit, I'm certain that I will make this an annual birthday vacation from here on. I needed a vacation that would be "stress-free" and met people from Lebanon, Israel, Cairo, Ireland, South Africa, America, United Kingdom, Morocco, Finland, Pakistan (yes, Pakistan), China, Japan, Argentina and Sudan. Every single person was incredibly kind, generous and warm. There was no nationality that looked at me as a Black woman from the U.S., I was only HUMAN to them! And oddly, I did very little research prior to this trip and found everything I needed on the internet (without a travel agent).

Over all, how would you rate your experience? How would you describe the treatment you received as a Black American or as an American in general? Would you recommend Amsterdam to other Black travelers?

My overall rating for a trip to Amsterdam would be 10 out of 10! It was one of the greatest examples of a non-racist experience. While it is slightly more expensive than the U.S., you can absolutely budget a week and spend less than $395 U.S. dollars aside from your hotel, (I did have frequent flyer miles to use plus hotel points). But you can visit several museums, including taking a daily canal boat trip too. I really didn't do the "shopping thing", because that's not me. But they do have the finest designer shops too. Gucci was just around the corner from where I stayed. I was very near their fashion district. I would completely recommend this location to any traveler (group or single).

Another interesting fact; at 2am, I ran out of Euro, but I was still having fun. I was directed to an ATM and there were about 3 others that were there to obtain cash. That would never happen in the U.S.! Two of the three were single women. I also walked and took the Tram, Trains and buses everywhere. I really got lucky, because the one time I needed a cab, I asked a waiter at a restaurant about a cab and was charged very little (25 Euro to be exact-- it could have easily have been 45+ Euro had I called a cab on the phone).

One final note; the freedom to smoke marijuana does not dictate drug heads throughout the city. As a matter of fact, they approach it totally different than the U.S. so you won't really find people on any drug soliciting anyone or harassing you for cash. And the "Red Light" district is tamed at best-- it is not on every corner. The people of Amsterdam are just like every hard working person I know... the only difference is that you don't have to fear for your life when just want to have a fun and relaxing time.

What was your favorite "Must See" location or activity that you would definitely recommend to other Black travelers?

This is a hard one to answer definitively, but if I must chose, I'd say the boat rides on the canal. It is a very small location so you really can walk everywhere, but the boat rides on the canal at night was just spectacular! There is also the Square-- they have street performers who are very talented too.

What would you say was the biggest cultural difference you experienced during your trip? Did you have any instances of "culture shock"?

The biggest cultural difference was no racism or discrimination. I mean, literally, I experienced no problems in terms of race or gender. It was the safest I’ve ever felt!

How would you describe the treatment and service you received in your hotel, area restaurants, and stores? Were there any areas where you felt un-safe or threatened? Were there any places where you were treated especially well?

Well, the hotel (an American based name that we all know) was slightly more snotty. The local hotels (or bed and breakfast) was much more friendly. I never had a problem at a store (tourist shops or high end locations either). And it would be difficult for me to name the places were I was treated especially well, because everywhere I went, I was treated so nicely. I assume there would be an exception in the U.S., but I found every public place I went in Amsterdam to be the same which was extremely inviting and warm.

What suggestions or advice about Amsterdam would you give to other Black travelers who will read this? What do you wish you had known about this country before your visit?

As a suggestion to Black Americans who visit this city, don't be loud or abrasive-- they are not that sort of people. The atmosphere is not of that kind. The people (of all races) are very relaxed and attend to their daily activities there. If you approach anyone and need help or directions, a normal tone is most effective. I gained free train and tram fares and people would often help carry my bags for me while walking to each platform. I found that when you need help, a soft tone is best. I did witness only once that an American couple were a little "over the top", and the local people simply walked away from them instead of offering any sort of help or confrontation. And if I had to single out one thing that I wish I'd known prior to my trip there; it would be "shower slippers". The bathroom only had a shower-- I would have preferred to have shower slippers (thongs/flippers) during my daily bathes.

That said, I really had the best time while there so I hope your readers will enjoy my commentary. I'm glad I found your site! We should all travel more to appreciate other places and cultures.

Cool Website Find: African Diaspora Tourism

2011-12-11T22:23:00.000-09:00

If you haven't already stumbled upon it, you should definitely stop by AfricanDiasporaTourism.com.

"African Diaspora Tourism (ADT) is an online magazine dedicated to exploring the culture, heritage and influences of people of African descent, past and present. The ADT web site will highlight information on how people of color, living all over the world as a result of the transatlantic slave trade and modern-day migration, are continuously shaping the cultures of North, Central and South America, the Caribbean, Europe, as well as Africa.

ADTs major objective is to enlighten and inspire cultural and heritage tourism through up-to-date information, compelling first-person travel articles, candid images, and scholarly research. In addition to bringing you a first-rate travel journal about the people and places of the global African Diaspora, ADT is committed to supporting sustainable tourism and preserving the culture and heritage in the places we explore."

ADT also encourages submissions from writers.

Vote to Send Lola to the North Pole.

2011-01-08T06:00:00.002-09:00

If you’ve been around BlackTravels.com for any amount of time you know that

Lola Akinmade is one of the most dedicated and involved travel writers to frequent our neck of the woods. At the moment Lola is competing for a chance to win a $54,000 expedition to the North Pole from Quark Expeditions. We’re asking for everyone’s vote and help in spreading the word.

Here’s what you do:

1. Go to www.lolagoesnorth.com

2. Create a register to vote, or login using your facebook account.

3. Click on “Vote For This Entry” to send our Lola to the North Pole!

For obvious reasons, Lola’s beautiful short essay titled “Homecoming: A Childhood Dream” is currently in second place. She’s an amazing writer and photographer, so I know she will do us proud when she wins this opportunity.

Lola is currently in 2nd place and the top 5 essays qualify to go on to the final judging round, so every vote counts.

Let’s see if we can get her to number one!

1st Independent Festival Of Black-American Jazz Musicians In Paris.

2010-02-10T02:23:00.002-09:00

Last week I received an e-mail from Mra Oma who was kind enough to pass on this information about this. I love the flyer which features the 369th infantry hell fighters, Jim Europe's Jazz Band in French Uniforms, taken in Brest France in 1917.

The festival will present an International series of concerts by Black-American Jazz Musicians(both men & women)in Paris, who pay hommage with their music to the contributions of Jazz Musicians in France from past to present.

This event will be presented by Black-American Jazz Musicians in Paris, with the Association (1901) Maison Internationale pour la Musique, les Art & la Danse, also participating with the BAJMP are, all Americans, French & International Jazz Musicians that are local Parisiens & from the Ile-de-France communities.

The Musician Line-up:

Bobby Few, Sunny Murray, Kirk Lightsey,
Rasul Siddik, Steve Potts, John Betsch,
Ricky Ford, Wayne Dockery, Harry Swift,
Katy Roberts, Darryl Hall, Chris Dailey,
Simone Goubert, Jerry Edwards, Richard Raux,
Slyvia Howard, Eric Breton, Micheal Felderbaum,
Jack Gregg, Steve McCraven, Mra Oma & many
others......

Date: Saturday March 13th, 2010.
Time: 7:00pm to 10:30pm
Tickets: 20 euros (Elders over 75 & children under 10 Free)

For more information contact:
Association 1901
Maison Internationale pour la Musique, les Arts & la Danse
64 rue du Cherche-Midi
75006 Paris
Tel: (+33) 01.45.44.07.27

E-mail:
Bobby Few / ahbobmusic@hotmail.com
Mra Oma mraoma@gmail.com

Ticket locations: Fnac and Carrefour in Paris

To listen to Mra Oma and The Brotherhood, head over to their MySpace Page: http://www.myspace.com/mraomaandbrotherhood

"The Beauty of Vancouver." by Samuel Ratcliff

2010-02-02T02:04:00.000-09:00

I will begin by stating that Vancouver is truly an international destination. This city stands as unassailable proof that if you maintain a low crime rate, offer a gorgeous skyline, combat the rigors of pollution, and choose the most dynamic geographical locale possible, such a place will walk away with the trophy for most livable city year after year. Vancouver is a well-dressed lady, steeped and overflowing with cosmopolitan flair and exuberance.

The city itself is majestically framed by the coastal range and the shimmering Pacific waters of English Bay. It’s no surprise that the birthplace of Greenpeace would support a natural playground that’s larger than Manhattan’s Central Park. This emerald shrine is called Stanley Park. Stanley Park clings to the notion that an urban existence can, and should, remain in touch with nature. Within the park, visitors will discover 1,000 acres of lush rain forest, a five kilometer wraparound seawall, which offers excellent walking and biking opportunities, and the city’s premier aquarium. Visitors can also enjoy breathtaking views of the downtown skyline, the North Shore area, Lions Gate Bridge, and the mountains beyond.

If one intends to follow the lead of the average Vancouverite, a daily itinerary might include shopping on Robson Street, savoring a tasty and delectable seafood lunch at either The Sandbar or Bridges, on Granville Island, and perhaps winding down with an eclectic stroll through Yaletown.

The city offers a variety of attractions and activities, including the Grouse Mountain Skyride, kayaking, hiking, the Lynn Canyon Park Bridge, windsurfing, and whale watching. I am inclined to mention that it would behoove those who are concerned about rapidly depleting funds to avoid the expensive Capilano Suspension Bridge, and opt for the Lynn Canyon Park Bridge, which is free of charge.

Sheltered by Vancouver Island and the coastal mountains, the city is normally warmed by the Japan Current, which creates a moderate climate throughout most of the year. However, Vancouver and Seattle share the same propensity for rain, especially during the fall and winter seasons, so it’s always best to dress appropriately.

Vancouverites are quite proud of their city, and they seem all too happy to receive intercontinental, as well as continental, guests. Vancouver is picture postcard perfect, and after multiple visits, I often contemplate the necessary number needed to complete the experience. I am compelled to believe that such an endeavor might require more than a single lifetime.

"SEE YOU IN PAMPLONA! " by Lola Akinmade

2010-01-19T01:11:00.001-09:00

Those were the last words I heard from some Italians I had befriended in Barcelona the day before I was heading down to Pamplona. The odds of that happening were literally 1 in 1.5 million people expected to be reveling during San Fermin.

The San Fermin Festival (“Running of the Bulls”) is held every year on the exact same dates – July 6th to July 14th – come rain or shine. As I stood in an overcrowded bus from the train station heading down to Plaza Castillo, eager anticipation could be felt in the air. Strangers stealing glances at each other yet sitting quietly on that bus, knowing we were all going to be experiencing something we’d be talking about for years to come.

I was meeting the lady who I was renting a room from in Plaza Castillo. Hotels in Pamplona sold out 6-9 months in advance of the festival, and so, locals opened their homes to strangers, renting out rooms at prices comparable to 3-4 star hotels. I couldn’t have asked for a better location – On the fourth floor along the world-famous Estefeta Street which was the final stretch towards the bullring! My roommates ranged from young Mexican ladies to young Englishmen donning white Elvis suits and white Marilyn Monroe dresses. Later on that night, I ventured out to Plaza Castillo where Pamplona’s infamous nightlife thrived with my camcorder in tow. Needless to say, it was just the precursor to what I was going to be experiencing in the upcoming days... (click here to read full trip report)

India: An unpredictable, never boring, crazy, amazing place.

2009-08-24T00:13:00.002-08:00

An Interview with Tameka Porte from Astoria, New York.

Please tell us about your trip to India. How long was your stay? Was this your first visit to this travel location? Do you speak the local language?

This was my first visit to India. Although I traveled to many places in the country I spent the longest period of time in New Delhi. Also, even though it is stated that English is an official language in India most people in Delhi speak Hindi only and I do not speak Hindi.

Was this trip for business or leisure? Did you travel in a group/solo? How did you go about planning your trip? Did you use a travel agent or the internet?

I was doing an internship, so I went to India solo. Since I was doing an internship I did most of my planning when I got to India. I did seek out a lot of information from Indian friends and the internet.

Over all, how would you rate your experience? How would you describe the treatment you received as a Black American or as an American in general? Would you visit again? Would you recommend this country to another Black traveler?

On a scale from 1-10 I would rate my experience in India as a whole an 8, as a Black person traveling in India I would rate it a 3. Eventhough Indians themselves are a people of color I think this greatly adds to the amount of racism a person of color will face. Indians have a color divide among their own people. You can see it from there cast system and Indian society as a whole. The lighter Indians are of higher casts then darker ones. Women in India spend hours lighting their skin and staying away from the sun.

Just to give you an idea of how much color is an issue among them. Being Black in India you are automatically considered African. Most Indians have no idea Black Americans exist. Since you are African some Indians will consider you dangerous or a drug user-- especially in the big cities like Delhi and Mumbai. This is due to a small African (mostly Nigerian) population that has made an undesirable name for themselves.

On the other hand not all Indians will think this way. Many will stare and follow you due to fascination. The reason I gave my experience in India an 8 and being Black in India a 3 was because being Black in India is not necessarily a good thing. That being said, Indian people in general are very friendly and even though they may find you strange at first, eventually they will look beyond the color and look at the person.

I wouldn't recommend India to just any Black traveler. Especially if you dark skinned like myself. I would recommend India to a Black person that is open-minded and confident about their nationality and history, or to a person that was interested in Indian culture and seeing beautiful sites. I would recommend India to someone who at the end of the day could over-look the stares and occasional following and see the country for what it is. An unpredictable, never boring, crazy, amazing, place.

How would you describe the treatment/service you received in your hotel, area restaurants, and stores? Were there any places where you were treated especially well? Were there any areas, cities, neighborhoods in which you felt un-safe or threatened?

The safest thing for a Black traveler to do is to stay in tourist spots. When I left tourist spots while on train rides men did surround me and that was threatening, but if you stay within tourist locations and travel with people you should be fine. I was denied entrance into a night club in Delhi because I was mistaken for a Nigerian. It was a kind of discrimination I never faced in America, but I then realized that ignorance is to be ignored and I did not let that ruin my trip. All the other clubs in Delhi and in India were great and treated me extra well most of the time for being foreign. Some clubs waved admission in order to get a cool foreign presence in their establishment. Never travel at dark alone if you are a women but Indians are very helpful and will go out their way to provide assistance if you are lost.

What suggestions or advice about this country would you give to other Black travelers? What do you wish you had known about this country before your visit?

I wish I knew that most Indians are ignorant about Black American culture. Also, it is important to let Indians know you are American and not from the continent of Africa in order to make them aware of our great culture. Also, educated Indians will try to deny these facts because Indians do not like to admit shortcomings so do not press the issue with your Indian friends if they are denying racism in their country, it is not personal.

Walking the Spirit of Paris.

2009-08-05T23:17:00.007-08:00

An interview with traveler Kim Jones from Silver Spring, MD.

Kevin and Brett at the Louvre.

Please tell us about your trip to Paris. How long was your stay? Was this your first visit to this travel location? Do you speak the local language?

In 2000 and again in 2007 I took a Family & Friends tour of Paris, France. The program was 9 days long and for some it was the first time visiting Paris. While only one person on each trip spoke French, we all got along fine in the city and on day excursions to the countryside with limited French or language guidebooks.

The group was traveling to explore Black Paris. We put together notebooks with facts about Black history around Paris, cafe/restaurant listings, we had a gospel brunch or moroccan dinners and met with local Black business people. We found little community based groups and also had a soiree with locals hosted by an African American woman living in Paris. We planned the basic part of the trip with a travel agent and then added our own itinerary. The 2000 program had 8 participants and the 2007 program had 14 participants.

Over all, how would you rate your experience in Paris? How would you describe the treatment you received as a Black American or as an American in general? Would you visit again? Would you recommend Paris as a travel destination to another Black traveler?

Paris is a must see location and a great time was had by all. We were well received and there were no conflicts, problems or difficulties due to the general diversity of Parisians. In my experience over the years, there are always isolated situations but they are minor and I've never felt they were directed globally at Blacks. As in much of Europe, conflict derives more from class than race but conflict can always arise from racial and ethnic differences.

What was your favorite "Must See" location or activity that you would definitely recommend to other Black travelers?

Everyone should try to book a walking or mini-bus tour with Walking the Spirit Tours. In both instances, I was able to contract with my friend Julia Browne who runs the company. The tours are scheduled as the Intellectuals or the Entertainers segment of Black Paris history. Getting a chance to walk and ride through the various districts, hear the extent of Black history in Paris, see the sites where such luminaries as Richard Wright, Josephine Baker and many others lived and worked was the highlight for everyone. (http://www.walkthespirit.moonfruit.com/)

What was the biggest cultural difference you experienced during your trip? Did you have any instances of "culture shock"?

The biggest cultural difference was watching the French eat mayonnaise on their french fries.

How would you describe the treatment/service you received in your hotel, area restaurants, and stores? Were there any places where you were treated especially well?Were there any areas, cities, neighborhoods in which you felt un-safe or threatened?

Treatment, service and safety were not problem areas. If any of us decided to venture out at night to small neighborhoods, rather than larger urban areas we went as a group. For some poorer districts on the outskirts of the city we also traveled during the day or in groups. We treated safety as we would in any major city worldwide.

What suggestions or advice about this country would you give to other Black travelers? What do you wish you had known about this country before your visit?

Get out to the neighborhoods, get off the beaten path, live like the locals and use an organization like Walking the Spirit to give you the history you need to explore further.

Exploring Victoria, BC.

2009-01-16T01:47:00.003-09:00

I have enjoyed the privilege of multiple trips to Victoria, as I am a resident of the Seattle area. And, I would like to assure you that Victoria offers a charm and enigmatic splendor that is available nowhere else upon the North American continent.

Let us begin with the spectacular stage that is composed from Victoria’s Inner Harbor, which is centrally located in the downtown area. This shimmering body of liquid sapphire is teeming with life and activity. The harbor supports a broad variety of transport ferries, seaplanes, whale watching boats, privately owned yachts, kayaking enthusiasts, and water taxis. As these vessels actively navigate through this very busy inlet, we are entertained by a colorful assortment of street performers who are situated along the perimeters of the harbor itself. As we (my wife and two boys) strolled the area, the sound of public applause, associated with an endless succession of acts, resonates through the warm summer air. The endless drone of Scottish bagpipes joins the fray, and that helps me to achieve a “James Bond” moment without leaving North America.

There are three modes of travel that allow you to reach Victoria, which is situated on the southern tip of Vancouver Island: The seaplane, which requires the least amount of travel time, and provides the most dramatic views. A passport is necessary when selecting this option. The second option is the Victoria Clipper, which consists of a 3-hour boat ride from downtown Seattle directly to Victoria’s Inner Harbor. Passports are recommended, but a birth certificate will suffice for this mode of travel. The third option is the Washington State Ferry that launches from Anacortes for an incredible scenic cruise through the San Juan Islands to deliver you (and your car) to Sydney BC. This ferry route allows for the possibility of spotting one of the three resident orca whale pods that inhabit the San Juans. After arriving in Sydney, and clearing the Canadian customs station, it’s a short drive on Highway 17 to Victoria. (I should mention that the Coho Ferry also operates between Port Angeles WA and Victoria, but personally I don’t care for the haphazard way they tend to load the vehicles.)

As a black male, the Canadians greeted me, and my family, with a great deal of enthusiastic hospitality. I can recall a friendly encounter with a local, who expressed concern about our president’s foreign policy, specifically pertaining to the Iraq War. He desperately wanted to know how we (U.S. citizens) could support George Bush in a bid for a second term. I could only reply by stating that I didn’t vote for him. As I struggled with a wave of shame, during our lengthy conversation, he seemed to sympathize, and identify that my demographic, as a whole, is not responsible for the current circumstances in America. It was a very good discussion.

In closing, I must include that Victoria is not a good vacation destination to consider for children or for an extended stay. It doesn’t host a broad variety of appropriate activities for kids, and it functions best as an “add on” or supplemental destination when exploring Seattle or Vancouver.

Two to three days are enough to experience the following highlights: Butchart Gardens, the Fairmont Empress Hotel, Chinatown, and the Victoria Bug Zoo. I recommend avoiding the Royal BC Museum. Admission is rather steep, and the exhibits don’t really measure up with other museums in the states. Nonetheless, I am confident that most black travelers will find Victoria socially inviting and visually delightful.

Wanted: Tour Guide for Historical and Contemporary Black Paris.

2008-10-14T01:41:00.004-08:00

A well-established black owned and run tour company is seeking a guide to conduct walking and bus tours that focus on historical and contemporary Black Paris. The series of tours was created in 1994 by a former student of the late Sorbonne Professor Michel Fabre, author of From Harlem To Paris: Black American Writers in France 1840-1960.

The tour guide is expected to have prior knowledge of some aspect of the historical and contemporary African-American, African, and/or Caribbean presence in Paris. More than just reciting facts, the guide will engage the minds and enthusiasm of tour participants with insightful analysis of the social and political climate that conditioned the experiences of Black writers, artists, intellectuals, musicians, and entertainers. Full training and materials will be provided.

The ideal guide has experience in public speaking or working directly with the public, communicates with warmth and in a professional manner, and possesses strong storytelling skills. As the tours can be scheduled at short notice, a certain availability is required, although we do try and book well in advance and we will work with your schedule. Most tours take place in the morning and can be scheduled any day of the week, summers and holidays included.

A student of Black Studies/African Diaspora in France or related studies will gain from this guiding/research position through the continual updating of their knowledge base as well as having the opportunity to discuss many aspects of the Black Paris experience with various audiences - from department chairs and subject experts to students, business people, general interest tourists, young people and children.

Interested candidates are invited to respond with a letter and resume to Julia Browne at : walkthespirit@netscape.net Please visit our tour website (http://www.walkingthespirit.com/) for further information on our company.
Thank you,

Julia BrowneFounder & CEO,Walking The Spirit Tours
Web: http://www.walkingthespirit.com/

Email: walkthespirit@netscape.net

Dispatch: On a traditional junk

2008-07-23T07:26:00.000-08:00

Black Travels community member, Claire Garcia is currently traveling through China and Vietnam, and has been sending us dispatches along the way.

Our boat was a traditional 19th century junk, a replica of a pirate ship cleverly designed to look like a small commercial boat. I will send a photo in a separate e-mail. It had three feather-shaped sails and was made completely of wood~ even the sail mechanisms. There were 8 passengers (two couples of the Hong Kong variety of gilded youth, and a loud and enthusiastic Australian couple, in addition to Mateo and me), our guide and translator, and a crew of about half a dozen, in gold-braided brown uniforms and bare feet.

Ha Long Bay gets its name from a legend that a magic dragon spewed up a belly of jewels (the thousands of abrupt, weirdly shaped islands in the bay) to stop the ever-land-grabbing Chinese from making another assault on Vietnamese territory. As of a few years ago, it is now illegal to go on to most of these islands, as they are environmentally protected. But even in COnrad's time, landing on most of them would have been impossible, as they are sheer mountains and cliffs rising up directly from the sea. The sea itself is so placid that our guide says that it is referred to as "the world's largest swimming pool."

Here, from the opening of The Secret Sharer, are some of Conrad's words, which are more beautiful than my own. The young captain is leaning over his taffrail, waiting to embark on his first command:

"To the left a group of barren islets, suggesting ruins of stone walls, towers, and blockhouses, had its foundations set in a blue sea that itself looked solid, so still and stable did it lie below my feet; even the track of light from the westering, sun shone smoothly, without that animated glitter which tells of an imperceptible ripple."

"On my right hand there were lines of fishing stakes resembling a mysterious system of half-submerged bamboo fences, incomprehensible in its division of the domain of tropical fishes, and crazy of aspect as if abandoned for ever by some nomad tribe of fishermen now gone to the other end of the ocean; for there was no sign of human habitation as far as the eye could reach. And when I turned my head to take a parting glance at the tug which had just left us anchored outside the bar, I saw the straight line of the flat shore joined to the stable sea, edge to edge, with a perfect and unmarked closeness, in one leveled floor half brown, half blue under the enormous dome of the sky."

However, we at the dawn of the following century, on our replica tourist ship, put up for the night in a cove where a water village of houseboaters live as they have done for generations, fishing and not going to school. Their voices and music came to us across the dark water as we sat on the deck in the evening, and finally the captain moved our ship a little farther off, as there was a very agitated baby who was ruining the atmosphere for the westerners.

Most of our hours on the first day were spent eating wonderful fresh seafood dishes and swimming off of the side of the boat. The young men went off in sea kayaks (and of course, as young men do, went farther than they intended, so a search party was sent out just before dusk. As the sun slipped below the horizon and the beautiful golden 3/4 moon became more prominent, I tried to quell my anxiety about three young men with no map, no guide, in a sea of a thousand unlandable islands. I later told Mateo, who has also read the Secret Sharer, that I thought he, as the Sharer does at the end of the novel, had disappeared toward one of the many "towering black mass[es] like the very gateway of Erebus" -- and become "a free man, a proud swimmer striking out for a new destiny" in the South China Sea. But they did all return safe and sound. While Mateo and Hong Kong princes kayaked, I went with the guide for a closer look at the water villages.

The next day, we heaved ho (is that the past tense of this expression) and sailed to one of the many spectacular caves that have formed around the bay. And, after more hours of fresh fruit (I kept trying to identify breadfruit, which figures large in the nautical tales of the South Pacific that I read, but that I have never seen or tasted) and fresh fish and swimming, we returned to port, and the harrowing ride back to Ha Noi.

Dispatch: On the Way to Ha Long Bay

2008-07-23T07:25:00.001-08:00

Black Travels community member, Claire Garcia is currently traveling through China and Vietnam, and has been sending us dispatches along the way.

My children have often told me that things that I see always remind me of books. Well, Ha Long Bay reminded me of my second-favorite novel in the world, Joseph Conrad's The Secret Sharer.

As I leaned on the rail of our classic junk (such a precise replica of the traditional boat that all the various mechanisms that would now be made out of iron or steel were wood), gazing out over the placid seascape of still water and jutting islands, lines of Conrad's kept coming back to me during our 2 days and a night at sea.

For Conrad, this northern part of the South China sea was part of the Gulf of Siam; to the French colonists and later the American military forces, it was the Gulf of Tonkin. Now, to the recently (in their long history) unified nation of Viet Nam, it is Ha Long "Descending Dragon") Bay.

To get to Ha Long, one must go 3 hours north of Ha Noi along a very exciting highway. I now know that my husband's opinion that three vehicles going in two directions can pass each other if no one loses their head is true~ and add a multitude of scooters and bicycles, water buffalo and chickens and goats and you can imagine that it was better not to look out of the front window of
the mini van.

There is an average of 3 motor scooters per household in Vietnam. Most people do not have cars. Among the more startling things I have seen on the backs of motor scooters:

a brand new washing machine;
a cow;
four porcelain vases, each about 5 feet tall;

Of course, it is routine to see families, including infants, who would have taken up a whole minivan on one scooter, and mountains of various produce.

We also passed several Vietnamese houses, most of which were extremely narrow (one room wide), three or four stories high, with wide verandahs on each story, with elaborate pagoda style roofs. They are usually colored in "bright pastels"-- a term I would have considered an oxymoron before seeing the yellows, blues, pinks, and greens of the houses in the towns along the highway.

Dispatch: Ha Noi

2008-07-23T07:25:00.000-08:00

Black Travels community member, Claire Garcia is currently traveling through China and Vietnam, and has been sending us dispatches along the way.

The hotel was in the Old City, but don't think that that moniker connotes some carefully tended quaintness and charm aimed at tourists. The Old City, like all the rest of Ha Noi that we have seen, feels like an old village~ uneven and cracked cobblestones, very narrow and tall buildings with shops and workshops (motor scooter repair, locksmiths, hodgepodges of plasticware, some stores selling "designer" clothing-- made in Vietnam-- such as the $3 Gucci swimtrunks we bought for Mateo), and the sidewalks teeming with life and work, most of it performed by people squatting.

There are many sidewalk restaurants~ squatting women cooking wonderful smelling food in woks over little fires, selling plates of food and beer to people who sit on little plastic chairs around 6 inches high. The women wash the dishes and chopsticks and glasses the customers use in plastic basins of soapy water sitting right there on the sidewalk. Needless to say, lovely as it
all looks and smells, I don't dare try to eat at these curbside restaurants.

Adding to the village atmosphere are the women, many of them in the iconic conical straw hats, who move through the crowds with the double basket carriers slung over their shoulders. They all seem very small, and many are very old, but they carry all sorts of things, including live animals, in the baskets. Other women carry huge piles of things on their heads, like African women. There's a constant tinge of motor scooter fuel in the air, mixed with the aroma of street cooking, cinnamon (sp), incense burning at sidewalk shrines. . . .

Locksmiths working out of little boxes on the sidewalk~ young men spraypainting motor scooter parts on the sidewalk~ old men crouched over beers on the little plastic seats~ the narrow shops opening straight on to the sidewalk (traditional Vietnamese architecture seems tall ~ 3-6 stories~ and one room wide)~ the absence of skyscrapers, the old and heavy-leafed trees, the broad avenues and former colonial buildings~ all contribute to the sense that this is a unique place~ not just another itiration of a major, post-modern city.

I didn't realize that Vietnam is one of the poorest countries in the world, with a national per capita income of $500 ($1000 in Ha Noi), but a long and rich history. Today Mateo and I spent the morning in the Vietnam Fine Arts Museum, which had exhibits that traced Vietnamese creativity from 2500 BC, through various dynasties, through modernism, the revolution, and ethnic and contemporary art.

The galleries meander through a wonderful French colonial mansions. In the afternoon, we visited the Temple of Literature, the first university in Vietnam, founded in 1076. The campus is a series of embedded gardens, quiet pagodas, and flowering trees. Students still rub the heads of the turtles bearing the steles carved with the names of all the successful doctoral students (like a perpetual, and very public, registrars' office) for good luck on exams. The temple is still a functioning Confucian temple, with people lighting incense sticks and praying
among the tourists.

On our first day, we visited the Vietnam Military History Museum, which gave fascinating insight into Vietnam's war-torn history. It's clear that their struggle against the Americans was only one relatively brief chapter in struggles with China, France, and among themselves. The courtyard exhibited, disturbingly, wreckage of fighter planes which Vietnamese had shot down (several brought down by women), as well as a statement about the suffering-- through napalm, dioxin, and carpet-bombing- that Americans had inflicted on Vietnamese non-combattants.

But overall the tone of the museum was very welcoming, emphasizing that this military history was all part of Vietnam's struggle for liberation and self-determination, and that now they want to have positive, respectful relationships with "dear visitors" from all nations. Our visit earlier in the morning to the notorious "Ha Noi Hilton"-- the Hoa Lo Prison, which was actually built by the French to

deal with Vietnamese political prisoners from the start of the 20th century. Again, the curation was straightforward and respectful of both the suffering and causes of all those who had been imprisoned there, including John McCain.

We needed a break from cities, document anxieites, and the weight of history, so spent two days on a classic wooden junk in Ha Long Bay.

Dispatch: Shanghai

2008-07-23T07:15:00.010-08:00

Black Travels community member, Claire Garcia is currently traveling through China and Vietnam, and has been sending us dispatches along the way.

Somehow, "Shanghai" seems to warrant an exclamation point. It is city life on a mega scale. The "American Century" is definitely over~ this is what the future looks like. This country is producing the only thing that keeps a drowsy American emperor awake: cheap goods.

I have never seen so many super-skyscrapers (even the apartment buildings). The streets are always teeming (Shanghai's population is 14 million) with humanity, buses, cars, bicycles. Never have I seen so many "gimungus" electronic billboards, or every single space devoted to advertising or selling. Never have I seen so many huge loads on bikes or motor scooters, or people splayed out in the street taking an afternoon nap. Every block has at least one major construction project on it. It is sweltering here. I'm not a big sweater, but I have ended every day drenched.

Of course, the first thing I did was stroll along the famous Bund, lined by European architectural imperialism: the street, the commercial center of old Shanghai (Customs house, the Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank - now the ubiquitous HSBC, etc)~ even a replica of Big Ben reminding the thousands in the street below 4 times an hour that the sun once never set on England. The HBSC has an astonishing domed mosaic in its lobby (it is still a working bank, amid all the glorious British neo-classical architecture) depicting the cities of its major branches: Calcutta, Hong King, New York, Paris, London, Shanghai, and one I'm forgetting. Unfortunately, photographs are not allowed.

Opposite the Bund is the very proletarian riverside promenade park, where once "Chinese and dogs were not allowed," though these two prohibitions appeared separately in the municipal code, not on a sign at the entrance, as legend has it. The Bund is just over the creek from our hotel, the funky historic Astor House which is trying to make the transition from a backpackers' hotel to 3-star tourist hotel, accompanied by often-comical ESL and bellboys in plaid a-line skirts which management apparently mistook for kilts.

Drenched, I found a secret little cafe tucked up in the rear of the second floor, guzzled one San Pelligrino in one gulp then tried to savor the second bottle while enjoying the coolness and the silence emanating from the courtyard below.

The next day, while waiting for my son Mateo to arrive, I headed over to the former French Concession to find the house, now museum, where the first Chinese Communist Party meeting was held. Of course, I first had to do the inaugural Garcia longer-than-it-looked-on-the=map-there-must-be-a-metro-around-the-next-corner death march for almost 90 minutes before finally jumping into a cab (cabs are cheap and plentiful).

At the site, I was the only foreigner in a sea of Chinese tourists, including masses of shrieking school kids wearing red neck kerchiefs. It was very interesting, and included a wax figure display of the 13 youths, including Mao, gathering excitedly around a table, setting out the vision and goals of the CPC. Fleeing the secret police who were trying to track them down, the revolutionaries held the final stage of their initial meeting on a junk in the river.

The museum also played homage to the "bourgeois revolutionaries," of the 19th and early 20th centuries who hadn't been able to succeed in over-throwing the imperialist oppressors because they didn't have the power of the proletariat behind them.

My next stop was a wonderful museum in a crown jewel urban renewal project, the Sichumen Open House. Many of you know of my interest in town houses. This museum reproduced a typical bourgeois town home, or sichumen, in 1920s Shanghai. It was an intriguing insight into how ordinary people lived and worked in pre-liberation Shanghai.

The top floor detailed the urban renewal process of the neighborhood~ saving the now decrepit architectural treasures of the sichumen while providing affordable housing and luxury housing and pedestrian-friendly commercial development in a neighborhood that had been going downhill for decades. The neighborhood is called "Xin Tiandi"-- heaven and earth. It's in the former French Concession, and where I would live if I ever end up in
Shanghai.

My son Teo arrived from Beijing on the bullet train on Saturday night. Yes, he speaks Chinese: enough not only to navigate this amazing, overwhelming, and often wild city but also to joke with people and give directions to (Chinese) people who ask him. He is very disciplined and focused about learning Chinese~ does set lessons everyday on his mp3 player, though he mentioned this afternoon that he is "behind."

He has been to Shanghai a couple of times before, and I'd be literally lost without him.

Asia Trip Report - Jonathan Martindale

2008-06-10T16:09:00.009-08:00

Jonathan Martindale shares with us a few highlights from his last whirlwind business trip to Singapore, China, Malaysia, and Indonesia

Jonathan's Preface

Hi all

I have a couple quick trip reports I want to put out here. These trips were all business related so they may read a little different than some others. Also since I was on business I had limited time for tourist activities so I usually utilized a city tour that was offered by whatever tourist agency was in the lobby or could be organized for me by the concierge. I found them really good if you have a short amount of time in a city. They allow you to quickly hit all the major spots of a city in just an afternoon.

The downside is they always take you by several merchant shops to "witness" local craftsman. But in actuality you are just being fed to some shopkeepers to be fleeced on some overpriced goods so that your guide can get their kickback. Also a common odd experience was being in an office or meeting and have people light a cigarette.

I can't even remember a time when you could smoke inside.

Singapore

Very international city and centrally located to so many countries it is no wonder why it serves as an excellent port and business center. Other than that I didn't find much else to the city other than shopping. I quickly visited Sonesta Island which was overcrowded and not much more than a tourist trap. I stayed at the Singapore Marriott on Orchard which was one of the nicest hotels I have ever had the pleasure to stay in. The staff was extremely helpful and polite the food was outstanding though pricey.

Beijing, China

Level of pollution was disturbing. Most days you could hardly see the sun for all the smog. I feel for the marathoners come August. English was pretty well spoken probably thanks in part to the upcoming Olympics. To

ugh city to do some kinds of business I came to find. Normally you can pitch a client saying hey spend X amount of dollars with me and I'll help you save 5X dollars over time. But in a country where labor cost are so low the response is hey you would have to save me 20X before I'd really care as I can just double the workforce for pennies. I was taken to what I was told is THE place for Peking duck and quite frankly I was not very impressed. Now I'm far from being a health nut but that duck had to be the greasiest I've ever seen. And the worst part is you have to eat the skin dipped in sugar as part of the eating ritual. I could hear my arteries begging for mercy throughout the meal.

I've seen a lot of thins traveling that I've, either overbuilt up in my head and then found them to be a letdown or see something that is all the rage and just not be impressed but I was just taken aback by the Great Wall. It was outstanding to visit partly on its scale and how it must have been just a struggle for an invading army to attack as it was such a defensible position. It really is an engineering marvel. A word to the wise: if you are planning a trip to see the Great Wall spend a few weeks on the Stairmaster leading up to it. Your legs will tha

nk you for it.

I really enjoyed the Silk Market where your thirst for crappy counterfeit goods can be quenched. I had strict orders by some ladies in my life to bring back purses. I'm proud to say I know next to nothing about purse shopping but I did find that whatever price you are quoted counter with about 10% of that price and never settle above around 20% in the end. The quality was the same as the fakes you get in the states but the prices were substantially lower. I came to find that the purses I acquired would run about $60 - $100 in the states cost me about 5 to 10.

The Forbidden City was very nice. If you go bring the good walking shoes it seems to go on forever. I always think how big someone's ego must be to build things like this or similar structures like the Pyramids to themselves.

I stayed at the Courtyard Marriott New World Center in the Chongwen District. It like many other facilities is still in the renovation process for the Olympics. It was nicely located near a train line. My advice is if you can get to your destination via the train

take that route. The roads are so congested and the driving is beyond erratic that your best hope for sanity is to close your eyes in the car until you get where you are going. It easily the worst driving I've witnessed since Cairo. I flew in from Singapore via Singapore Air 747 in coach. I had not flown them before but they had a very good reputation which they lived up too. The new Beijing airport terminal is very nicely done but when returning to the airport make sure you know which terminal your flight is leaving from as the old terminal is a 15 minute bus ride away.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Petronas towers are very beautiful buildings especially at night. If you have the chance to go take note that to do the Skybridge visit you must get there early like no later than 0900 at the latest as tickets are free but limited to the first 1000 or so people. That said it is not that impressive as the bridge is midway up around the 43rd floor so the view is not that spectacular. I wish there was an observation deck at the top.

Oddest Incident: Standing at a street corner waiting to cross street a guy on a motorcycle pulled up to me and reached in his pocket. I thought he was going to rob me but instead handing me a card that said underage girls and then a phone number.

Had a cab driver try to run game on me by not turning on the meter for a quick trip then asking for 15 Malaysian ringgit for a ride that I know is normally 5. Now sure he was only trying to get 5 dollars out of me instead of the 2 I owed him but I just can't let anybody ride like that, in the end we settled on the equivalent of 3 dollars.

I thought the concierge was organizing my city tour that I pointed to in the brochure but when the guy arrived I realized he just called his homeboy to drive me around the city. Tour was still pretty good. I figured it was a normal tour guide working off the books.

I stayed at the Renaissance which of all the Renaissance I've stayed at over the years it had to be the least kept up. Now it wasn't bad mind you and the staff was excellent but they usually do way better.

Jakarta, Indonesia

Walking around this city in a business suit should be made criminal. It is just too darn close to the equator. My office had a great A/C unit but every local that came in complained I had it too cold. I guess they are acclimatized so it wasn't feeling like the 9th circle of Hades to them like it did to me. Perhaps it is liberal guilt but it is always off-putting to witness crushing poverty. I really didn't like when kids as young as 7 or 8 were working as street vendors and such. You want to feel like they should be somewhere being a kid. Crime and terrorism is a serious issue in the area. I've had easier times getting into embassies than I did the hotel with all its security. The food was quite excellent but I hate when the exchange rate is so large that a simple meal could be 200,000 of the local currency. My minor in math be darned I'm always afraid I'll wrongly convert in my head and put the decimal in the wrong spot as I witnessed when I thought I paid 6 bucks for some bad Chinese food only to later realize I paid 60. Big win of this trip was the 4 Seasons hotel was only 83 dollars a night! I didn't take the commuter train but I could see it constantly go by my office window and man it was a site. That train would be stuffed to the seams with people hanging on the outside and the side doors just wide open.

Report by Jonathan Martindale

Blogs by Black Travelers

2008-06-05T13:40:00.011-08:00

Beauty in Baltimore compiled a fantastic list of blogs and websites that are maintained by black travelers who travel, study, and live abroad.

I have categorized and expanded them below (with new links)

Asia

Europe

Middle East

Carribean

Rhemy

Latin and South America

World Travel

Elaine Lee (Travel Writer)
Lola Akinmade (Travel Writer)
Terah Shelton (Travel Writer)
My World Tour

Am I missing a great blog or website by a fellow black traveler? Please post a link under comments below or email augustgreen [AT] hotmail [dot] com and I will update this list.

Paris in the Springtime.

2008-05-16T02:17:00.003-08:00

I don't plan on any traveling until later this summer, so for now I'll just leave you with a few photos from my last weekend trip to Paris.

Black Boaters Summit 2008.

2008-03-17T07:22:00.002-08:00

With ten successful Summits in the books, Captain Paul Mixon, a Richmond California event planner and creator of Black Boaters Summit, is headed back to the BVI once again August 1-10, 2008. " It's been a labor of love", laments Cap'n Paul as he is known to his participants. I just can't seem to get to that fifty boat flotilla needed to make this hobby a business.

"Introducing African Americans to sailing, a long time a minority in the sport, has been a real challenge. But I thought since the industry is 'missing the boat' , not targeting African Americans, why don't I give it a try", Cap'n Paul continues.

Black Boaters Summit tested the waters ten years ago after Sun Yacht Charters, now SunSail asked Cap'n Paul if he would help them sell chartering to African Americans. "We sailed with ten boats back in 1997. Not a bad start. Our best year was 2006 when 280 participants sailed on 24 yachts"

For the past ten years Black Boaters Summit has targeted the forty two billion dollar annual African American travel market as its niche. This year Cap'n Paul has plans to sell his event to US Yacht Clubs and Sailing schools. "We have created the best adventure vacation in the world. BBS is more a party than a sailing vacation. Our non boating non swimmers tell us they love the event. But getting folks to come and give us a try has been the root canal of all sales;" tells Cap'n Paul. "Thank God for our loyal returning clients, we could not produce the event without them."

Both Captain Paul and Captain Pinkney were very surprised one day last July when both men received a call from National Geographic saying that Cap'n Paul and Captain Bill Pinkney, the first African American to sail about the world solo, had been chosen to be one of three Life Dreams stories that would be featured in the December 2007 issue of National Geographic Magazine. A film team went to the homes of both sailors to interview them. Then followed the pair down to the BVI for a four day shoot during the 10th Annual Black Boaters Summit August of last year.

"National Geographic and Ameriprise Financial paid us a great honor", says Cap'n Paul. "They did an excellent job of telling our story."

To find out more about Black Boaters Summit go to:

BBS VIDEO ON NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC (five webisodes)
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/lifedreams/mixon_pinkney/webisode1_1.html

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC LIFE DREAMS PROFILE
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/lifedreams/mixon_pinkney/profile.html

BLACK BOATERS SUMMIT 2008 ITINERARY
http://www.blackboaterssummit.com

PHOTOS
http://www.honeyletstravel.com/Photos.html

For more Info on BBS 2008 contact:
Captain Paul Mixon
http://www.honeyletstravel.com
pmixon@honeyletstravel.com
(510) 222-6308

Blog Addiction!

2008-03-06T23:03:00.003-09:00

I don't know how many of you are as addicted to blogs as I am, but here is a list of Blogs (and a few websites thrown in for good measure) that I've been reading lately:

http://cafedelasoul.com/

http://blackwomenineurope.blogspot.com/

http://www.squidoo.com/blackwomenineurope

http://ibwc.collectivex.com/main/summary

Do you know of others that should be added to the Black Travels Blog roll? Post links in comments!

Expat Connections.

2008-02-18T07:38:00.005-09:00

Saigon Market. Photo by Jenise Holloway.

I don't know how many of you have ever considered living abroad or maybe perhaps you are currently an expat, but I was just nosing around a bit and came up with this interesting list of links. It's only logical that lots of travel could eventually lead to living abroad at some point so I thought I'd list a two good sites here:

http://www.ExpatExchange.com/ - Has discussion forums and a pretty extensive resource guide.

http://www.Expatica.com/ - "Find a job or a house, check out business in our English-only listings, and get the information you need in the areas of education, health and finance."

If you have any links that might fit in on this list, feel free to post links in comments.

Free Travel! Application deadline: February 18th, 2008.

2008-02-04T07:14:00.000-09:00

Looking for a way to take an all expense paid trip? Checkout The Experiment in International Living. Basically it's a chaperone opportunity in which you take a group of students overseas for the summer.

"The Experiment in International Living offers dynamic summer programs for high school students in 27 countries around the world. For 75 years, Experiment programs have provided transformational learning experiences to tens of thousands of young people. These groundbreaking summer abroad programs help students develop a profound understanding of a different culture, language, and world view, as well as the capacity to see their own lives and country in a much broader perspective."

How to Apply to Become a Leader:
Those interested in becoming group leaders should do one of the following:
Call us at (800) 345-2929 (toll free in the US) or (802) 257-7751
Download a PDF of the Leader Application and mail it to us
Apply Online

The application includes:
* a personal profile
* short essay questions
* a case study
* a brief Leader biography
* a "Dear Family" letter (written in the language(s) of the country(s) to which you are applying)
* Three (3) references

The Group Leader application deadline is Monday, February 18, 2008.

Completed applications will be reviewed through March and early April. Those who qualify will be scheduled for an interview. The process of making final decisions will begin in May.

Special thanks to Elaine Lee at http://www.ugogurl.com/ for this great trip tip!

"The People Could Fly Project".

2008-01-22T05:04:00.000-09:00

I've been meaning to post about this project for ages, but time just got away from me. If you've never been to their blog--go now! The project is so amazing and inspiring. And best of all you can contribute to help them complete their documentary!

Project Description:

The People Could Fly Project is a documentary arts project focusing on the dreams of young people across the African Diaspora. It follows the adventures of five sisters, ages of 7 to 21 as they travel across the US, Africa, and South America talking to young people about their dreams and visions for themselves and the world. Their work will culminate in a docu-narrative film about the journey.

As the daughters of an airline employee they've been able to fly many places, but felt it was imperative to share their experiences with others and to talk and engage with young people around the world about the power of their own dreams, their own abilities to make them reality, and thus their own ability to fly.

They have traveled to New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, St. Louis, Jena, LA, Connecticut, Detroit, Virginia, Nashville, TN; Washington, DC; and Mississippi talking, filming, photographing, and interviewing people of all ages about their dreams and are on the way to many other places.

They were inspired by a folktale told in the Americas about Africans enslaved who sprout wings and fly away. The story is found in children's book author Virginia Hamilton's "The People Could Fly".

The online segment of their journey with photos, video clips, and writing can be found at:

http://thepeoplecouldfly.blogspot.com/

Contribute to help pay for their travels and the completion of their documentary! Contributions of $50 or more receive a signed and matted 8x10 photograph from Djibouti taken by Intisar Abioto.

Summer Vacation in Costa Rica?

2008-01-08T01:21:00.000-09:00

The good folks over at Costa Rica Tours are at it again! They were kind enough to send me an email update that included information about their next BLACK HERITAGE TOUR IN COSTA RICA which is scheduled for August 27-September 2, 2008.

"Explore this rich heritage as we savor all the sights, sounds and flavors that are uniquely Black Costa Rican."

HIGHLIGHTS:
-- Participate in the annual Black Heritage celebration on the Caribbean coast;

-- Meet members of local civic organizations for dinner and a cross-cultural exchange in Limon.

-- Attend a special presentation on Black History in Costa Rica and the role of Marcus Garvey, the UNIA (Universal Negro Improvement Association), and the Black Star Line Steamship Company.

-- Enjoy two nights at a mountain lodge in Turrialba where you can take a moderate hike in the rainforest to Guayabo National Monument, Costa Rica's most important archaeological ruin dating to 1,000 BC, or learn how to prepare traditional foods from Costa Rica's best-known African-Caribbean chef.

-- Visit the Tayutic Hacienda - a coffee and sugar cane plantation with historical significance as part of traditional Hispanic culture. It also has some of the most beautiful scenery in the county;
-- Relax at a beach resort on the Southern Caribbean Coast, named by Outside Magazine Travel Guide as "one of the seven best beaches in the world."

-- Have a lobster dinner at the area's most popular beach restaurant and take a Canopy Tour (optional) on a zipline through Gandoca-Manzanillo National Park.

-- Shop for crafts in Puerto Viejo and Moravia, and enjoy a traditional Costa Rican dinner at a popular entertainment center in San Jose.

I've never taken their tour, but this last e-mail was very tempting. And at under $1600 for a week long adventure, it really does sound like something to consider. Maybe it's time to dust off my passport and head for warmer weather!

Seeking Black Travel Bloggers!

2007-12-20T03:34:00.000-09:00

It's so strange. I've been scouring Blogger for other blogs by Black Travelers and oddly enough I haven't really been that successful, so I'm calling on you for help. If you're a Black Traveler with a blog, or you regularly read a blog that would be of interest to black travelers, why not send me a link?

Goofing around by the Toronto Space needle. May 2007.

For 2007 my goal is to connect to more Black Travel bloggers and to add them to this blogs blog roll. So let's get started! Feel free to post your links in comments or drop me an e-mail at info@blacktravels.com. Don't be shy. I love to hear from people to drop my the BlackTravels.com website and blog.

And in the meantime, Happy Holidays and Happy Travels!

Seeking Black Women Travel Writers.

2007-12-09T23:25:00.000-09:00

I found this "call" on SkyeView-A Sistah’s View Of The World.

If you're interested, drop them an e-mail. Maybe it's not to late to contribute!

BLACK WOMEN TRAVEL (edited volume)

Dear Colleagues,

Travel writing traditionally has been a white male genre - white men writing about the rest of the world, often their colonies, or ex-colonies. Over the last fifty years, men of color have joined this fraternity: V.S. Naipaul, Richard Wright and Caryl Phillips are prominent examples, challenging its traditional Eurocentrisim. The catalog of women’s travel is also growing, with works by such authors as Robyn Davidson, Rosemary Mahoney and Mary South. But the voices of black women travelers remain largely unheard. Black women travel, and this volume aims to give voice and visibility to their travels and to their experiences and interpretations of the world. Contributors’ are invited to recount their experiences with humor as well as creative and incisive analysis.

The editors of this volume are two black women - one an African American woman from Ohio and the other an African woman from Nigeria - who have traveled extensively, learning and having adventures along their journeys. Sometimes their experiences were dangerous, sometimes hilarious, sometimes they felt that they were witnessing history. Sometimes they were students, sometimes researchers, sometimes practitioners and sometimes just plain tourists. They combine humor, incisive social and political commentary and more traditional travel journaling.

The goal of this volume is to present snap shots of the world, as different late twentieth century historical moments, from the perspective, and through the eyes of black women from around the world.

If you are interested in participating in this exciting venture, we invite you to submit an abstract to the co-editors, Lynette Jackson (lajackson@uic.edu) and Anene Ejikeme (Aejikeme@trinity.edu).

Abstracts are due November 3 and completed papers March 28, 2008.

Please feel free to circulate this call for abstracts/essays.

Best wishes,

Anene Ejikeme

Department of History

Trinity University

San Antonio, TX 78212

(210) 999-7897(210) 999-8334

Aejikeme@trinity.edu

Morocco is a Rainbow - A Poetic Reality.

2007-11-15T02:15:00.000-09:00

An excerpt from BlackTravels.com written by Linda Fletcher.

Traveling to different parts of the world or to different parts of the country broadens our scope of reality. If we are open minded and receptive we can experience the spiritual dimensions of travel in that not only does our physical body travel but also our soul. As I grow older I find myself adding up remembered events, places, people and experiences that remain in the recesses of my mind. I conjure up these past pleasures, enlightened insights and lessons that have enhanced, changed or moved my life further into being who I am. I have been thinking a lot about travel and realizing its depth and importance in that not only does ones perspective broaden but that also new dimensions are opened.

Lately I have become aware that I remember my travel experiences the most as if they were yesterday and in vivid details. Many years ago I traveled to Morocco and it was a beautiful soul awakening experience. This experience remains permanently in my gaze of remembered pleasant experiences. Morocco is a place where for centuries the East has met the West. I enjoyed meeting people that are living within their own tradition dating back thousands of years before the West came into existence.

The spiritual experience of the Sufis was everywhere - a visual presence, and I could see how Rembrandt was inspired by this part of the world. I could see the rainbow everywhere within my gaze, and it reminded me of Rembrandt's hidden rainbows beneath his famous paintings that influenced Europe's enlightenment.

Many of the experiences that I had while in Morocco are not easily described within a western cultural context; mainly because Morocco is ancient and predates Europe. It is a very spiritual reality - where souls are not static from consumerism, and the population has evolved as a unit; as a genetic pool of gradual variation.

I remember vividly the rich vibrant colors that were constantly set in motion in many shades of orange, reddish earth tones, blues and browns. I can still remember the henna dyed palms, hands and fingers as Moroccans went through their daily activities. Also I remember the many smells of tangerines and spearmint. The rainbow was apparent everywhere and it seemed to be a part of the culture as a reminder that life is light and that color is reflected in many dimensions and enters into our very collective being. I could see everywhere within my gaze the shifting flow of colors reflected from the sun's radiant light and the Moroccan people interacting with colors, shape, light and forms in their environment that was enhanced by songs, chants, callings and prayers.

I can remember riding on one of the local busses and looking out the window and seeing people wearing colorful clothes that looked softly meshed that blended into the terrain. The people looked as if they were softly painted into their environment as if painted by a painter as they wore coral and onyx jewelry. Their hands and hair were dyed with henna in beautiful patterns of art. I saw sheepherders blending into the terrain. I did not want to speak English because I felt that it would be an intrusion upon this sacred space and moment.

I can remember an old Arab man stretching out as if he was stretching out to God, the open spaces around him, relaxing and smoking hashish. I walked through the Atlas Mountains and I saw stars in the sky that seemed so close but yet distant. I felt ancient wisdom all around me as an old Arabic man said to me when I told him that I was an African American that, "the African American was the soul of America", as he laid stretched out under the stars.

I can still feel the aura of Tangier, Marrakech, Rabat, Tifni and the many veils of serenity in shades of black and deep blue indigo. I can never forget the smiles of the Berbers and dozing off on a bus ride and waking up and seeing an Arabic man smiling at me as if he had been guarding my sleep with prayer and meditation.

I learned the art and the many lessons of seeing each other softly and with warm contentions. I learned that our eyes can teach us about life and the many truths that lay before us waiting to be unfolded through ones' gaze upon the horizon and within ones soul and the soul of others. We can witness life through vision aided and enhancement by sight and smell.

I met people that communicated starting from a place of similarity rather than from differences. I felt the embrace of Islam in its splendor and that there was poetry to its existence. I saw poetry as the women and men worked. They moved like sculpture gliding in union with the physical environment. Through the display of cultural, beauty and art the culture of the Moroccan people touched my soul with their flow of gentle meditative energy that moved from one person to another like a gentle sea.

I looked into their eyes and I saw a unity of similarity flowing through time and that genetics had united them through the soft glow in their deep dark eyes. Reality seemed to be laid bare with no pretenses. I feel honored in experiencing this culture and this place in time. I felt a glimpse of their spiritual haven. It made me feel the indefiniteness of time, space and spirituality and that Morocco is a place to rest ones soul indefinitely in time.

Marketing to Black Travelers.

2007-10-18T06:38:00.000-08:00

Photo of Kalin Thomas while visiting CapeTown, South Africa.

I recently ran across this old article from Black Enterprise Magazine. The first sentence reads:

"African American travelers, with an estimated $25 billion in travel spending power, are a rapidly growing market that is increasingly gaining the attention of the $440 billion U.S. travel industry."

I would love to see the updated statistics on how many Blacks are traveling each year and where they choose as their destinations. It's a 1997 article but, a decent one that worth the read. I wonder how much of that $25 billion is spent on international travel. If anyone runs across statistics on Black international travel, please post a link in comments.

Black Travelers Join the Club.

2007-10-07T01:58:00.000-08:00

Members of Black Ski Inc., a travel group, gather after biking in Maryland.

I found this interesting article over at the Washington Post about Black travel clubs:
"Black Travelers Join the Club. African Americans Looking for Great Adventures -- And a Sense of Family -- Find Both in Organized Groups." It's definitely worth a read if you are interested in group travel or tours.

Crazy Tours of Krakow, Poland.

2007-09-30T22:17:00.000-08:00

This morning I clicked over to yahoo, and imagine my delight and surprise when I saw one of the main headlines: Poland's Showcase of Communism Becomes Offbeat Tourist Draw. I knew right away it could be none other than Crazy Guides Communist Tours. Most people don't think Poland when they think of planning a European vacation, but the history and architecture alone is worth the trip.

Since my husband and I very much enjoyed the tour we took with them, I thought I'd repost here write-up from our weekend trip to Krakow in July:

So eventhough I should have been home finishing stuff for my show that opens on Thursday, my husband and I spent the weekend in Poland of all places. Krakow to be exact....or Cracow.

We met up with Kasia and Kelly my pals from NYC and later we were joined by their friends from Berlin, Timo and Franka. Kasia was in Poland visiting her family and of course we were more than happy to all meet up. And what a time we had!

Friday night we got in late after taking 2 different buses and a very bumpy flight. We were too late to join everyone for dinner so FrenchBoy and I headed to Rynek Glowny to check it out. We soon realised that "Krakow" means "party" in Polish.

The square was absolutely packed with revelers of all ages drinking enormous Polish beers at one of the hundred or so terrace cafes. I could have sworn I even saw the Virgin Mary do a shot of Żubrówka .

After dinner and a few very affordable cocktails we stumbled back to our hotel room and drifted off into a deep sleep only to be awaken at 3 AM by the group of drunk hooligans singing in the hotel hallway. One of many early morning impromptu sing-alongs to take place over the course of the weekend.

Saturday morning we headed over to meet Kasia & Kelly at their swank hotel. And since our free breakfast looked like this:

we decided that the buffet breakfast in their hotel restaurant was a better option.

After I finished my 2 glasses of Prosecco we were off to the famous Salt Mines of Wieliczka which was just bizarre and quite hilarious. But if it's good enough for the Pope, Copernicus, Goethe, and Chopin ...well then I guess it was good enough for us too.

Salty Mary:

Salty Gnomes:

Salty Jesus:

About 1.5 hours into the tour we couldn't take it anymore so we escaped the mines. In my humble opinion, you an only look at salt for so long.

Later that evening we all met up again for the annual Wianki Festival which used to be based on a very charming ancient Polish celebration on St. John’s Day that involved young girls floating wreaths of flowers and magic herbs with lit candles down the Vistula (Wisla) river. But apparently that was too old fashioned so the whole thing got upgraded to performances by 80's popstars and a mind-blowingly long fireworks display upon the riverbank opposite the Royal Wawel Castle.

Yes folks---I saw Bananarama live in concert in Krakow. And those Poles can really shake it!

After about 2 hours of sitting on wet grass watching a few musical acts we headed up to Kasia and Kelly's swank hotel room which had a panoramic view of all the events.

Sunday was our last day in Krakow, so French Boy and I made the best of it by taking a "Crazy Communist Tour" of the Nowa Huta district of Krakow.

Our guide Jacob picked us up at the hotel and wisked us away to the historic communist district that was originally gifted to Krakow by Stalin himself. It later came to be one of the centers of revolution and resistance within Poland, leading to the eventual overthrow of the communist government.

The Crazy Guides is run by a group of young guys who really know their history. We met up with another group led by Bartek and so we actually had the advantage of hearing two very different perspectives on the history of Communism in Poland. (If I remember correctly, Bartek studied Economics and Jacob studied Sociology.) The whole thing was just a real treat.

After our crazy tour we headed back to the hotel to change for our fancy dinner reservations at Wierzynek Restaurant which has been in business since 1364. (No that is not a typo.) It was crazy old-fashioned fancy. The hostesses wore ball gowns and the waiters brought us our main courses wearing white gloves.

Then just when you thought it couldn't get any better the four waiters revealed our dinner entrees by by lifting the sterling-silver plate dome thingies in one perfectly choreographed motion.

After dinner we headed over to the very un-touristy Kazimierz neighborhood to hang out at a local bar----where apparently drinks are free. We each got a glass of something and the total came to $7.

I love Krakow.

Americans Don't Travel.

2007-09-23T22:27:00.000-08:00

I found this interesting editorial about Black Americans, travel, and "Creating Legacy" on The Coup Magazine blog, so I thought I'd give it a reprint here:

Americans don’t travel. Currently less than 30% of Americans have a US passport and even fewer travel outside of the American continents. If experience is a master teacher, then the American public has fallen behind.

While considering the 30% of passport holding Americans I began to wonder, how many black Americans were a part of that percentage. It seems that when it comes to international travel, black travelers are few and far between. There are a number of factors, of course, that contribute to this reality. Social standing and income as well as the experiences of those around you—a legacy of travel experience—are some of the most obvious issues.

According to the U.S. Census Bureauthe median income of black households is a few thousand below that of the American average. And while many people who travel develop the habit in college the bureau also reports that less than 20% of black Americans hold a bachelor’s degree. However, the U.S. Census also reports that black Americans make up a large part of American entrepreneurship, and black investors are making waves in the financial market. It is important as we make strides forward that we also consider the wealth of experience.

According to Black Meetings and Tourism magazine, African-Americans are developing more of an interest in domestic travel. The magazine reports that there has recently been a boom in what they refer to as “heritage tourism.” It’s a step in the right direction.

International travel not only provides insight into the past and various communities but it is an equalizer of experience. Traveling internationally, familiarity with different cultures translates into varied understanding; a point of view that is valued not only in the work of philosophers and social reformists but from marketing and industry standpoints. No matter how “globalized” the world becomes, how readily available cultures are made from our own homes, it remains true that nothing beats a face to face.

-Ashleigh Rae

Soul of America International Guides.

2007-09-12T23:37:00.000-08:00

You might not know this, but over at SoulofAmerica.com there's a whole section dedicated to Black International Travels. There you can find international travel tips on Europe, Canada, Mexico, and Brazil--just to name a few. I particularly enjoyed reading more about Monique Wells, owner of Discover Paris, and her experience cooking with the Chefs at Coconut Lagoon in Kerala, India!

If you haven’t already, stop by to read up on your next destination, or just stop by to read what other Black international travelers. And of course, if your considering Paris as a future travel destination, definitely stop by and visit Monique Wells at DiscoverParis.net for Afrocentric walking tours and custom-designed travel itineraries of the City of Lights.

Globetrotting Soul Sisters!

2007-08-14T23:55:00.000-08:00

I am always trolling the web for anything new related to Black travelers. This week I stumbled upon a great blog podcast on Blog Talk Radio:

Black Women's Round Table: Globe Trotting Soul Sisters! Black Women and Traveling.

It's a 60 minute segment on Black International travel with the folks from Soul Planet Travel.

It's a pretty good segment that addresses some of the issues and questions that many people have about traveling internationally---including the biggest questions such as "Is it safe?" There is also plenty of information included that could be beneficial to any traveler, not just Black women.

Soul Planet Travel also has it's own channel called Black Traveler where you can take A Stroll Through Black Paris and get other travel tips and passport information.

¡Viva Venezuela!

2007-07-29T02:14:00.000-08:00

We landed in Caracas in January of 2005 and stayed for three weeks. I travel on business a few times a year, usually to Latin America, but this was my first trip to Venezuela and I was looking forward to it. Traveling on business presents me with a set of people to get to know and with whom I immediately have something in common: we have work to get done.

As anyone who travels knows, the natives of a place are usually ready and willing to show you their country. This group was no different, but I’ll get to that in a minute. I found the business culture in Venezuela really interesting.

We usually got started at 9 A.M. each morning and by 10:30 we were breaking for ‘un cafezito’. While my co-worker thought this a frivolous waste of time, I found it extremely civilized and a lot more effective than the moronic ‘team-building’ we regularly find ourselves subjected to at the home office.

Enjoying a "cafezito".

During these coffee breaks (there was another one between lunch and quitting time) therewas time to talk and exchange information about each other. Be prepared for what will seem very personal questions by North American standards. This is pretty common in Latin America and you are expected to ask the same questions of them.

Venezuelan people run the gamut of phenotypes. You have your natural blondes, but they are in the minority. This is a country of color. And since I insist there is more than just Black and White in the world I use this term. They are comfortable with people of colorand the immediate affinity they expressed toward me was not only because I am Latino and speak Spanish. It was also because of my brown skin and curly hair, something familiar. I was pleased to be in a place where everyone does not aspire to be blond (that gets really tiresome) and the standard of beauty is not taken from Vogue or Marie Claire.

Caracas is intensely urban and the ‘feel’ of the place reminded me of São Paulo or Miami. The malls, Centros Comerciales, are vertical skyscrapers, instead of the sprawling one story kind we’re accustomed to in the States. Sambil and San Ignacio are the two we became familiar with. When you enter a restaurant in one of these places you forget completely that you‘re in a mall. The elevation (more than 10 stories) is taken advantage of and there is al fresco terrace dining with incredible views over the city.

Caracas is also very cosmopolitan, so don’t expect to be stared at because you are a foreigner. There are world class Vietnamese, (European) Spanish, Italian and Portuguese restaurants here. Try the Paella, you won’t be disappointed! Venezuela has Italian and Portuguese populations numbering in the millions, so it is common to hear these languages spoken alongside Spanish.

I always chat up the cab drivers when I travel. They know everything there is to know about their city and they’re usually great ambassadors, wanting to show you the best of what it has to offer. Caraqueños are very friendly and if you speak even a little Spanish they will gladly spend time talking. If you are a native English speaker, trust me, once the word is out you will become everyone’s tutor. Nearly everyone seems to be in school studying English.

Nationality is an interesting subject in Venezuela. On any Sunday you can stroll through the Plaza Simon Bolivar and hear President Hugo Chavez haranguing for hours on end, courtesy of the loud speakers set up almost everywhere. He rails against the Colombians and the Americans and the list goes on.

On January 22nd there was a half day parade, complete with effigies of Condoleezza Rice and George Bush, slamming live salsa music and plenty of megaphone. This is the occasion of President Chavez’ coming to power and there was plenty of anti-American rhetoric to go around. Later that day people who realized we were Americans turned out to be very curious about the States. They plied us with questions and said how glad they were that we came to their beautiful country. If you are Colombian, now that is another matter. There is a lot of tension between these two countries and this is the subject of some pretty heated café talk on Sunday afternoons.

This is a beautiful country, despite the grinding poverty in the slums above and around Caracas. The northern limit of the city is defined by a mountain known as El Avila. Our hosts were anxious to show us the recreation facilities at the top and so we planned a trip up via Teleférico (cable car). Five of us easily fit into a car and we were off into the clouds. During the ride up (and down) there is a point at which you can’t see the city below or the peak you are rising toward. Clouds surround you and there are glimpses of the carpet of jungle below. It is a sight so sublime and beautiful and humbling these words fall far short of what I want to communicate.

At the top there is an extensive entertainment complex, with restaurants, gardens, even an ice skating rink. Go figure! La India, one of my favorite Salsa singers happened to be performing live that day. Venezuelans don’t miss an opportunity to dance and we all partied for a while with the rest of the crowd. The ride back down was just as hypnotic, especially when the car came out of the clouds into a brilliant tropical sun with Caracas waiting for us down below.

The same day we were driven to a colonial town east of Caracas called El Hatillo. I am NOT a shopper! But I couldn’t prove it that day when I saw all that El Hatillo has to offer. Woven grass baskets from the Amazon, pottery from Colombia, hammocks from Brazil, this place had it all. El Hatillo has been preserved from colonial times by ordinances that prohibit changing the exterior of the buildings, although every manner of business occupies the brightly painted shells. I strongly recommend getting to El Hatillo and El Avila if you do nothing else in Caracas. Believe it or not one of the biggest treats for me was running from one customer appointment to another, eating at outdoor stands on the way and moving around and among the people. This is the whole point of traveling for me.

Caracas is a big city, with all the problems of a big city, and third world to boot. But a healthy dose of common sense, an open mind and even a little Spanish will ensure a great time among these generous and big hearted people. ¡Viva Venezuela!

The Music of Japan. By Roderick Ross

2007-07-14T02:39:00.000-08:00

I live in Tokyo Japan where I have been residing for about 7 years. I came to Japan when I was 25 years old, and, aside from yearly trips home and a few excursions to some Asian countries and once to Brazil, I've been here the whole duration.

Upon moving here I didn't speak the language, but have gotten a good grasp of it now. Japan is still a fairly insular country where many people have still never seen anyone of any other races than Japanese. One aspect of living here is that I have become, obviously, very comfortable with the word "foreigner." Even when referring to myself, it has become natural for me as I think it has for everyone visiting here.

People have for the most part been fairly kind to me and people do go out of their way to try and speak to you in English to accommodate you. Japanese people do seem to try hard to make things as easy as they can for foreigners and you feel very little anti-foreigner sentiment. I think you really have to live and work here for a while to really notice any. The younger generation is much more open minded and often excited to meet foreigners.

Japan is a very customer oriented society. They are very much into intricate packaging of products, services and what not. But the culture of the society itself is so filled with ceremony that it is not surprising that extra time and care is given to even the smallest of things. However the detail oriented side of living here is as helpful as it is frustrating. Everything, including the simplest of things, is steeped in details that make it all a ceremony.

The attitude toward Blacks varies. First of all there are more Africans than African Americans so many have been influenced by them as much. However the American movie industry has done much to erode our credibility as intelligent people deserving of fair treatment and a great deal to promote the stereotype of a race of violent people. Sometimes the fear is evident but at times difficult to know if it is based on being Black or just a foreigner. Stereotypes are often in effect here, especially sexually and musically. But at least the stereotypes for music have created a booming field for African American musicians such as myself.

Combined with an extremely safe environment, a very high employment rate, and high standard of living, it is easy to make a living here at this time. Definitely the variety of people that one comes into contact with here (all seeking the better living that is a part of the economy here) makes it a lively and entertaining place to live.

Even so, you will learn that racism, whether it be toward African Americans, people from other countries, or even indigenous people is a part of life no matter where you go.

Moscow Then & Now

2007-06-04T03:01:00.000-08:00

It’s been a few years since I was last in Moscow, so I was really pleased when the general manager of our network’s Russian media agency asked me to fly over to conduct some workshops for his staff. I had almost forgotten about all the paperwork involved in getting the visa, of course, but was quickly reminded once we set the dates and put the process into motion.
Although there was some initial doubt as to whether my visa would be back in time, everything worked out fine and in good time. On the morning of august 10th I was sitting in a German taxi wheeling my way to Düsseldorf airport.

The agency must have booked me super-duper-economy, because my seat was almost the last one on the plane. I guess I’m lucky they don’t seat passengers on the wings yet! The flight was fairly empty, though, so I had the entire row to myself. The flight itself was totally uneventful, so I concentrated on tackling the Russian entry forms.

When we arrived at Sheremetyevo, I was glad to see that there has been some renovation done since the very first time I landed here in 1975! I can still remember my feeling of discomfort following my initial look up at the ceiling fixtures to see the dust and grime of the ages precariously dangling off them. I remember being afraid to actually touch the grungy banisters on the stairs as I went down the steps one at a time weighed down by baggage as part of the slow-moving queues at passport control. This time the queues were filled with lots of foreign tourists which moved just as quickly (or as slowly) as they would have in Philadelphia or London. If anything, the only leftover from former ‘soviet glory’ was that the people behind the counter acted as though simply smiling would be high treason!

There was a girl waiting with my name on a sign on the other side of the barrier, but she was only there to inform me that – due to heavy traffic – the taxi that had been ordered for me would be late. After wading through a crowd of taxi drivers eager for a fare, I got a seat in the waiting area. Why wait for a taxi when there are crowds of drivers waiting for a fare, you ask? Because it’s safer! At best, you may get stiffed by a driver (who may not even be an official taxi driver, but a family man trying to earn a few extra bucks to make ends meet) who takes you to your hotel in central Moscow the long way via Siberia. That’s why most Western companies either work with a specific taxi company on a regular basis or simply have one or more drivers on their company’s payroll.

Eventually I called Sean, my contact in Russia, to let him know I’d arrived safely. Of course when my driver finally arrived he spoke NO ENGLISH! With sign language he impatiently signalled for me to sit in the back. Although I usually prefer to sit in the front seat of a taxi, I quickly complied and we set off into the city at break-neck speed.

Driving in Moscow is certainly not for the faint-hearted. The Russians not only zip from lane to lane with little attention to signalling, they also have no problem sidling right up alongside another car who doesn’t make room for them to change into the lane they need quickly enough!

Eventually we reached central Moscow. It is an absolutely stunning, heaving metropolis. Where New York reaches for the sky, Moscow spreads itself along the ground. Where New York moves forward in squares and rectangles, Moscow circles around and around itself. The architecture is mind-boggling, and much of it is fortunately being restored. There are also many of the ‘amenities’ of modern Western life, of course, like new advertising billboards and expensive Western shops.

As we turned one corner I caught my first breathtaking glimpse of the Kremlin walls and St. Basil’s cathedral, and I knew that we’d be reaching my hotel soon. When the driver pulled into the parking lot at the hotel Rossija, he looked around at his papers again, then signalled for me to stay seated and ran inside. He then came back and tried to ask me something in Russian. He then signalled for me to follow him into the hotel.

Apparently he had lost the paper that told him which hotel I was in! The women at the reception desk proceeded to say that there was no room reserved for me, but my trusty palm pilot knew better, and I was quickly given a key and directed to my room on the 12th floor.

The hotel Rossija is located just across from red square. It is one of the true landmarks of the city and boasts a grand total of 2700 rooms. And let’s just say that it – and its staff – have lost none of their peculiar ‘Soviet charm’. The hotel apparently hasn’t been updated or renovated since Brezhnev was in office. Although I didn’t stay here in the 70’s, I do remember many of the same ‘institutions’ from the hotel I did stay in, which was right across the Moskva river – like the ‘floor person’ who is in charge of all things large and small on ‘her’ floor.

For those of who’ve been to Europe before, just imagine a French concierge who’s served 15 yrs. in the Soviet army and 5 yrs. in the KGB, and that’ll be about right. There is always some dire-looking guy to check your I.D. before you head for the elevator. Even at the agency office they have some guy hanging out in the reception area to ‘filter’ unwelcome visitors. Let’s just say that all the women visiting a hotel aren’t exactly ‘ladies’, and all the ‘businessmen’ visiting your company aren’t necessarily “businessmen”.

When I unlocked my room I realized it made a double at your local motel 6 look like a complete suite in the Plaza Athenèe on the Riviera. Last time I was in Moscow I was travelling for a client, and was booked into a suite at the très ritzy ‘Baltshug Kempinski’ right across the bridge at over $400/night. However my present room was quite clean, the water pressure was good, and the bed had fresh sheets on it. There was also a café of sorts at the end of the floor, so having a snack or light meal would still not be a problem. And from the huge picture windows I had an absolutely stunning view of the Moskva river, one corner of the Kremlin.

A couple hours after I arrived, the general director from our media agency arrived to take me to dinner. Gavin took me to a Georgian restaurant not too far from the center of the city: “at Pirosmani’s”. It was really quite quaint and cosy, and I was happy to hear that people like Bill Clinton and Gerhard Schroeder had already wandered in to test the food for me. Gavin and I had a big plate of fresh parsley, purple sage, tomatoes, cucumbers, scallions and radishes along with our entrees and some assorted Georgian cheeses. We had Georgian bottled water (heavy on the sulfer) and a cool Russian ‘baltika’ beer to wash it all down.

Although I found the normal Russian-on-the-street about as aloof and brusque as most people consider New Yorkers to be, the colleagues I met at both offices were anything but! They were eager to work with me, had lots of questions, and were genuinely friendly and helpful. The first two workshops were held in a beautiful outdoor location – a kind of café-restaurant in the middle of a huge park near the center of the city. There are concerts held in the park in the summer, and part of the park is flooded for ice skating in the winter. The food was good, too, though I didn’t know what all of it was and some of it was unusual. For example, one day we had a kind of Russian soup specialty that was served with a small bowl of sour cream on the side. But at least there was no ‘mystery meat’ included in the recipe. Even as far back in the mid-90’s I can remember coming to Moscow and being served something that didn’t look quite like it could have been made from any animal naturally created by God!

Because we were having 3-course lunches during the workshops, I limited my dinner the first few nights to a small bag of chips and beer from the little café on this floor. Finally I got adventurous, though, and decided to grab a book and actually have a sit-down meal there. The whole place looks like it was preserved from the early 1970’s, right down to the dull plastic plants, dusty upholstery on the chairs and vinyl tablecloths. The young ladies working there were an anomaly for the hotel. Both ladies were modest and friendly, and surprisingly unafraid to smile. Although on the same floor as my room, even the view from the cafe was astonishingly retro. With very few and exceptions, the huge picture windows afforded a view over the rooftops of Moscow virtually without advertising. If it hadn’t been for the obvious warmth of the waitresses, I could have sworn I’d been sucked back into a pre-glasnost time warp!

Sunday was my only day off on this trip, so after catching up on my sleep I got dressed and headed off to Red Square. I was again overwhelmed at just how much had changed – not only since 1975, but even since the late 90’s! Again I felt the same sense of wonder and awe as I looked at the exotic, brightly colored façade of St. Basil’s, and my personal favourite, the seemingly snow-capped edifice right behind it.

Although I stopped to take a few quick photos, I knew exactly where I was headed: ‘GUM’! ‘Gum’ (pronounced: ‘goom’) is the old Soviet shopping complex. I first went there in 1975 and wandered around both perplexed and fascinated. There were stalls full of deep-piled fur hats and ankle-length fur coats. Anyone who’s ever braved a Russian winter knows exactly why these are so popular, and the main reason isn’t fashion! Of course there were also the endless rows of ‘matruschkas’, along with enamelled boxes and pins. Other shops had caviar and sparkling wine and Russian vodka.

My most tangible memory of ‘gum’ from 1975? Wandering through the main aisle from ice cream stand to ice cream stand. It was an unseasonably warm April, so ice cream was just what the doctor ordered! But coming from the land of Baskin-Robbins, how was I to fathom a country where you could only buy one flavor of ice cream?

Needless to say, my latest excursion was a totally different affair! ‘Gum’ is now a honeycomb of fashionable and very expensive) Western shops bursting with almost everything capitalism has to offer. Oh, the stackable ‘matrushka’ dolls are still there, as are the enamelled boxes as well as other handcrafted articles by entrepreneurial ‘new’ Russians. There were even the infamous cow sculptures painted brightly by local artists and posed all through the mall to look at and pose beside.

In the end, I sat at a table in a little alcove overlooking a fountain in a central and wrote some postcards while I mused about what all has happened, both in my own life as well as in the life of this historic city, since I was first here.

Submitted by T. Roach-Raschke

Váyanse a Guatemala! by Eboni Bailey

2007-03-23T02:46:00.000-08:00

We finally made it! Against all odds: a teacher-led strike, coupled with missed flights, political unrest, and family and friends against us. It did not forecast a positive experience. Nonetheless, the trip was full of silly moments, and life-changing experiences, which have better equipped me as a world-traveler in the years to come.

We were five, from all different backgrounds and experiences, but we were all ready to embark on a new type of Spring Break challenge.After meeting my Guatemalan friend, Alejandra, in Italy some years prior, we had been planning my visit to her homeland. Finally it came to pass. I have always been up for a new and unique travel experience, especially if it involved my beloved Spanish language. I had been studying Spanish prior to my trip to Guatemala, but with discouraging grades on my Spanish grammar tests; I was in need of a boost in self-esteem, and what other way than to put it to use than in a Spanish speaking country!

Due to various flights, three out of the group arrived Friday, and of course without me! They were to meet my friend, Alejandra, in Guatemala based on my physical description. Much to my surprise, however, there were many Guatemalans of African decent, most commonly residing on the east coast of the island. In spite of this, due to my keen descriptions, they were able to meet up and spend the first night with Alejandra in the artistic city of Antigua, 45 minutes west of Guatemala City. Another friend and I arrived the following day Saturday, anxious to hit the ground running with only 6 days vacation remaining...(click here to read full trip report)

Welcome to the BlackTravels Blog!

2007-02-26T07:59:00.000-09:00

The BlackTravels.com began four years ago at a kitchen table in upstate
New York. The idea was born out of simple necessity. After searching the
library, the local bookstore, and finally scouring the internet, I was still unable to find a travel guide written for the Black international traveler.

BlackTravels.com is an interactive website created for the more independent-minded Black traveler with a desire for knowledge and adventure. All the contributors are travelers who share a common passion for travel and live by the maxim that half the enjoyment of travel is in the vital lessons we learn about ourselves along the way.

The site itself uses a number of sources for its content, and links to other travel sites that hopefully you will find useful in planning your travels. But the best resource of all is the chance to meet other Black travelers who are the real experts that keep this site going.

Your ideas, comments, and questions are always welcome. I hope to hear from you soon!

Happy Travels,