Admit it. You’re envious of Susan Orlean, that well-known and well-traveled New Yorker writer. She had the luminous Meryl Streep play her in a movie. In the film of your life, you’ll probably have Corey Feldman. She’s been to Khao San Road, Thailand — the backpacker’s best worst kept secret; as for you, the closest you’ll ever get is that bowl of moldy pad thai in your fridge. But indulging in a pique of misplaced envy is one thing, reading 304 pages of kick-ass prose is quite another. Admit it. She earns her keep, and her newest book, My Kind of Place: Travel Stories from a Woman Who’s Been Everywhere, showcases her entertaining — and dare I say it — the best travel writing this side of the hemisphere. Full Story »

Epiphany celebrations are a wonderful way to end the holiday season. Below is a brief explanation of the symbolism associated with this Christian holy day and descriptions of Epiphany celebrations that are annually held at some of my favorite winter destinations.

The Epiphany is on 6 January, and marks the last day of the 12 days of Christmas. The word epiphany comes from the Greek and means “appearance or revelation.”

“Epiphany is celebrated by both the Eastern and Western Churches, but a major difference between them is over precisely which historical events the feast commemorates. For Western Christians the feast primarily commemorates the coming of the Magi, while in the East the feast celebrates the Baptism of Christ in the Jordan. However, in both cases the essence of the feast is the same: the manifestation of Christ to the world (whether as an infant or in the Jordan), and the Mystery of the Incarnation.”
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epiphany_(Christian)

ATHENS, GREECE
In Greece, since this day symbolizes many things including the baptism of Jesus Christ, the celebration involves the blessing of the waters. In every port city and town a procession carries a blessed crucifix to the water into which it is then thrown. Each Greek port town has its local variation of this age-old tradition. I once spent the Epiphany in Athens. The procession took place in the Piraeus, the port of Athens. The ferries that transport thousands of travelers each year to the Greek islands and the Greek naval fleet were lined up in the harbor for the blessing. Priests in full regalia carried a large crucifix followed by marching bands and Athenian notables. Loud speakers made the blessing audible to the hundreds that had gathered for this annual ritual.

Added bonus: on the Epiphany, as on other holidays, most archaeological sites and museums have free admission.
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Planning to visit Greece or Italy or some other destination to see their ancient treasures? Well, you may need to visit London, Paris, or some city other than you’d expect.

To learn more about why the national treasures of some countries are dispersed around the world and about “Elginism” visit the links below: Full Story »

This excellent post by Renee A. James is about the ‘EPL backlash’ - the growing backlash in reaction to the phenomen “EAT, PRAY, LOVE” - the book Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman’s Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia, by Elizabeth Gilbert.

Renee writes ” From what I’ve read about Elizabeth, she is engaging, smart and curious. But, this chronicle of her year spent ‘’searching for everything” felt so indulgent. I’m just so weary of this entire genre of books. I’m tired of privileged, market-savvy women enjoining me to reinvent my life, go look for answers, seek my inner goddess, and ”attract” only the good so that without fail, I’ll become a better person.

I can’t check out of my life just like that. I find my inner goddess on my pillow at the end of the day and reinvent myself by drinking unsweetened iced tea instead of diet coke at lunch. And by the way, most women — and men — who endure a painful divorce or another difficult life change do not emerge from that experience with a book deal.

I’m not opposed to learning from someone who is wiser and willing to share her insight. But for me, it doesn’t take a new, exotic setting every four months to do that, or a story about how someone lived on her boat for a year while she rediscovered herself, or how someone escaped to Colorado to find a new life. (These last two examples are summaries of two other recent books by women telling the rest of us how to ”rediscover ourselves.”)

I prefer the simple lessons, gently offered, in Anne Morrow Lindbergh’s ”Gift from the Sea,” published more than 50 years ago. Lindbergh’s thoughts are perhaps not dissimilar to those of Gilbert et al, but the vital difference to me is her approachability. She discusses what I think of as ”achievable self-discovery” in order to live ”in grace.”

I am with you Renee - thanks for putting it into words! Read the whole article