The Amateur Traveler talks to Jessica from Williamsburg Virgina who traveled last Summer to the Ukraine with an ethnomusicologist from Villiage Harmony to learn how to sing Ukrainian folk music. Jessica travelled both to larger cities like the capital Kiev and Ivano-Frankivsk and small country villages. She also journeyed into the Carpathian mountains on the Romanian border. Jessica relates some of the stories about the people she met, the food they ate and scary public bathrooms. Learn why you should not whistle indoors or give someone a dozen roses in the Ukraine.

The Amateur Traveler talks to Friedel from TravellingTwo.com about their continuing bike tour around the world. Friedel was on previously talking about travel to Iran and has come back to talk about the Central Asian countries of Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan. This region of the world offers adventure travelers deserts, tea houses, camels, wild horses, yurts, tea houses, spectacular mountains, friendly locals and fermented mares milk.

The Amateur Traveler talks to Geoff Smith about his boyhood home of Nashville that he recently moved back to. What would bring a musician back to Nashville after he has lived all of the world? Geoff talks about the things that tourists come to see: the Grand Ole Opry, Honky Tonk Row (including his own piano bar the Big Bang Bar), the Country Music Hall of Fame, The Musicians Hall of Fame, The Opryland Hotel. Then Geoff tells us what he really loves about Nashville. Nashville is a place where creative and artistic people can live among the beautiful rolling hills of Tennessee in one of the USA’s big three music cities.

The Amateur Traveler talks to Sarah Menkedick about her adopted home town of Oaxaca Mexico. Sarah talks about her love for this sunny tropical city with both colonial and pre-columbian roots. Oaxaca has recovered from its political troubles but tourism is still down so this may be the perfect time to explore its markets, sample its food, marvel at its ruins, and relax in its public square. Sarah's top three reasons to come to Oaxaca are all food: mescal, mole and chile.

The Amateur Traveler talks to John from Dallas about traveling to Moscow. We talk about red square, the Kremlin, the towers of Saint Basil’s cathedral, night life, the National History Museum, Cold War Museum and Russian women in mini-skirts. John who knows only two words of Russian still finds it easy enough to both get around in and fall in love with this somewhat mysterious city. Just think how much much he would like it if he visited Moscow in Summer.

The Amateur Traveler talks to Dennis Cheatham of LoveforTexas.com about his home state of Texas. Dennis takes us on a virtual tour of the Lone Star state including some of the usually stops at Dallas, Fort Worth, San Antonio, Austin and some of the more unusual stops like a fake Prada store, a replica of Stonehenge and a haunted railroad crossing. On the way we will learn more about the history and people of this state that has been part of 6 different countries.

The Amateur Traveler talks to Anna Laura about her home city of Mexico City. We will talk about food, museums, architecture and history. We will puzzle about why the tourists stay in the Zona Rosa and we will tell you where they should go including Coyacan and Xochimilco. We will climb the world's third largest pyramid and eat street food. Discover this huge, bustling, diverse city. 20 million Mexico's can't be wrong.

The Amateur Traveler talks to Doug McConnell of OpenRoad.tv about his love for the Eastern Sierra Nevada mountains. Doug has been going to this rugged, stark and beautiful area of California and Nevada since he was a kid. He tells us about Hollywood's love of this area, the oldest trees on the planet, the water wars of California, the tufa fields of Mono Lake, the ghost town of Bodie and more. He also tells of his friends Galen and Barbara Rowell who called this area their home until their deaths in 2002. Galen was a renowned nature photographer and Barbara was his partner and pilot.

The Amateur Traveler talks to Jose from Caracas Venezuela about a recent trip to Bhutan. Learn about this remote country in the himalayas. Jose, a friend, a tour guide and a drive explored a small portion of the beautiful country on a 5 day trip. They hiked to Buddhist monasteries, watched the national sport (archery) and even saw the youngest king in the world. The flight in may be harrowing but the country itself is peaceful.

The Amateur Traveler talks to again to Chris Willis (Swimming with Whales off Tonga - Episode 38, Ethiopia - Episode 79, Mountain Gorillas in Uganda and Rwanda - Episode 80, Travel to Mongolia - Episode 111) about his cruise with Quark Expeditions from Ushuaia, Argentina to Antarctica via the Falklands, South Georgia and South Orkney islands. We talk about wildlife photography of penguins, sea birds, whales and bad tempered fur seals.

The Amateur Traveler talks to Harry Pariser about the Virgin Islands. Harry is the author of Explore the Virgin Islands which just printed its seventh edition. Harry takes about the United States Virgin islands (primarily St Thomas, St John and St Croix) and the British Virgin Islands (primarily Tortola, Virgin Gorda, Anegada and Jost Van Dyke). The Virgin Islands offer high end luxury resorts, cruise ships but also camping on a beach. They have gourmet restaurants but also local cuisine like conch salad and john cakes. They offer snorkeling, scuba, hiking or just lying on a beach. They take U.S. dollars and speak English making this and accessible island paradise. Harry is making his second appearance on the Amateur Traveler. He was also the guest on Travel to Costa Rica - Amateur Traveler Episode 116.

The Amateur Traveler talks to Ira Bernstein about why he continues to go back to Venice and the Veneto (the Italian state where Venice is) annually. Learn about other parts of Venice besides the tourist filled Saint Mark's square. We talk about the Gheto in the Cannaregio sestieri. We talk about how to get around, where you can stay for less money and why you might want to stay outside of Venice. We talk about the glass blowers of Morano and the lace makers of Borano. Then we get outside of Venice to Padua, Verona, and Bassano del Grappa. We will stand in Galileo's lectern at the university of Padua (where they paid him his weight in gold to come teach). And we will visit the (fake) balcony of Juliet in Padua where we will rub a statue of Juliet for luck.

The Amateur Traveler talks to Erik Smith (who was a guest on Travel to America’s National Parks - Amateur Traveler Episode 121) about Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks. We talk about all the different geothermal highlights of the park including Old Faithful, other geysers, thermal pools, etc. We also talk about wildlife, hiking, camping, floating down the Snake river, the grand canyon of the yellowstone, the grandeur of the Tetons (and the strange original of the name Teton).

The Amateur Traveler talks to Robin who is an expert on Hawaii about the island of Oahu. More specifically Robin is a Conde Naste "Top Travel Specialist" for Hawaii. We talk about populous and bustling downtown Honolulu and the see and be seen beach at Waikiki. We also talk about quieter beaches like Ala Moana Beach Park, Magic Island, and Haleiwa, snorkeling at Hanauma Bay, kayaking, swimming with wild spinner dolphins and scuba diving out of Haleiwa. Robin gives us tips for visiting Pearl Harbor's USS Arizona memorial, the "Mighty Mo" battleship Missouri (and the Explorer's Tour) and the Pacific Aviation Museum. We talk about the differences between the windward and the leeward parts of Oahu. We hike the extinct volcano at Diamond Head (bring a flashlight). We discuss loco moco, a plate lunch and the upscale Alan Wong's restaurant Honolulu. We talk about nightlife from Kani Ka Pila to more trendy spots.

The Amateur Traveler talks to Raul from Atlanta about his recent trip to Krakow Poland. Learn about this former capital of Poland which is a treasure trove of history. Raul will take us to the cloth hall in the old town, Kazimierz and the Wawel Castle. We will also talk about his trips to the unusual Wieliczka salt mine with its rock salt carvings. A very poignant side trip to Auschwitz and Birkenau makes us confront the unspeakable evil done in those two places. Raul also traveled to Wadowice, the boyhood home of the man who would later be Pope John Paul II, and Black Madonna, the home of the Black Madonna. In between we talk about Polish food (lard for your bread sir?), museums, transportation and history.

The Amateur Traveler talks to travel writer Jeanine Barone about Estonia. Estonia is a small forested country with picturesque islands, medieval fortifications, a thriving design community, a great restaurant scene and a young and vibrant culture. Estonia only recently regained its independence from the U.S.S.R. (1991) but is thriving and filled with innovation. This interview, like all the Amateur Traveler interviews, was recorded with Skype… which is headquartered in Estonia. We talked about hotels, restaurants, guide books, wine bars and chocolate.

The Amateur Traveler talks to Joy Dupont about taking a guided tour to visit Beijing, China. Joy talks about the Great Wall, the Forbidden City, the Lama temple, the Temple of Heaven and the Hutong area of Beijing which still looks like old China. We talk about shopping at silk factories, cloisonné factories, jade factories and the world's largest herbal drugstore. We also talk about an area of Beijing like a Chinese Greenwich Village called "798". Regent China Tours is the tour company that Joy uses. From street food, unidentifiable food to the Bai Family Courtyard Restaurant, China is a treat for those willing to try new foods and willing to try chopsticks. Although KFC, McDonalds and Starbucks can be found we recommend the tea houses instead. Great sites, amazingly large crowds, ancient treasures and the rush of modern life. All of these are China.

The Amateur Traveler talks to Jason and Janie about their trip to Bavaria and Southern Germany. Jason and Janie had perviously been on the Amateur Traveler on Travel to Barbados - Episode 109. The talk about visiting the Black Forest with its wineries, Geramany’s tallest waterfall and the world’s largest cuckoo clock. They also visited the walled city of Rothenburg ob der Tauber. Rothenburg (which may have been spared the ravages of the 30 years war by a hard drinking mayor) is the home to a wonderful Christmas market as well as a Christmas museum. The Rothenburg Nightwatchman’s tour is also something you should try. Jason and Jamie also went to Nurenburg with its wonderful market place and saw “Mad” King Ludwig’s castle Neuschwanstein. The finished the trip in the home of very large beer steins at Munich. In Munich they enjoyed the glockenspiel, the toy museum and some of the wonderful old churches.

The Amateur Traveler talks to Audrey Scott and Daniel Knoll of UncorneredMarket.com about Prague where they lived for 5 years. Audrey and Daniel are currently traveling around the world and talked to me from El Salvador. Audrey and Daniel talk about the touristy things to do in Prague like the Prague castle, the Charles bridge and Wenceslas Square. They also talk about the touristy things that they would recommend skipping like Karlova street and its souvenir stands (they even give us a shortcut through the university and the Karolinum to avoid it). They would not; however, skip drinking Czech beer in a beer garden like the Latna (but would pass on Czech wine). They tell us how to walk around the barkers in period costumes selling packaged concerts to tourists and find the real music scene in Prague from classical to Balkan. Since they have moved on you can’t crash on their couch but you can share in their expertise of how to cherish Prague.

The Amateur Traveler talks to Diana Higuera who is a native of Venezuela who worked for a number of years as a tour guide on adventure tours to see Venezuela's wildlife and natural beauty. Diana takes us on a virtual tour starting in Margarita island, then heading to the Los Roques archipelago north of Venezuela, then in an indian canoe up the Orinoco river. From there we will head to the tepuis (table top mountains) in Canaima National Park in Venezuela's Amazon basin. There we will see the highest waterfall in the world at Angel Falls. We will also go behind Sapo falls. Along the way we will see birds, monkeys and anacondas. We will fish for piranas, pet crocodiles and eat street food in Venezuela.

The Amateur Traveler talks to Carole Terwilliger Meyers the author of Weekend Adventures in San Francisco and Northern California. Carole comes on the show to talk about California’s traditional wine country of Napa and Sonoma Valleys. This episode focuses primarily on the Napa Valley and the many wineries that can be found there. We explore recreated castles, wine tasting , tours as well as other none wine related sites like mud baths, petrified forests, and the CIA (The Culinary Institute). We talk about restaurants and hotels, picnics and the wine train. Whether you are a connoisseur, a foodie or just a tourist, the Napa Valley has much to offer.

The Amateur Traveler talks to Lisa Lubin of LLWorldTour about her round the world trip which extended from a year to a two and a half year odyssey and a nomadic lifestyle. Lisa talks about her trip but also talks about the various jobs she worked along the way. Why would an Emmy winning TV producer want to work in a coffee shop in Australia, teach English in Germany, become a research assistant in Germany and do PR for a company in Spain?  

The Amateur Traveler talks to Sarah from Whitehorse in the Yukon about that corner of Canada with long winters but dramatic scenery. She tells of of Winter festivals like the Yukon Sourdough Rendezvous as well as Summer festivals like Dawson City Music fest, Atlin Arts and Music Fest and the Kluane Mountain Bluegrass Festival. We talk about sporting events like the 24 Hours of Light and Kluane to Chilkat (Haines to Haines) bike races because Sarah says you have to like the outdoors to come to the Yukon. Sarah also gives us some itineraries for road warriors like the Top of the World Highway to Dawson (and the Dempster Highway for the bold among you) and the Golden Circle route into Alaska. We walk the Chilkoot Trail but without the requirement to bring 1,000 pounds of supplies like in the Yukon gold rush. It is the beauty of Kluane National Park that you will remember but strangely enough it was something else that Sarah was looking at when she decided to move to the Yukon.

The Amateur Traveler talks to Jon Miller of the Rest of Everest podcast about his journeys in Nepal. Jon originally went to Nepal as part of a film he was shooting on an Everest expedition, but as Jon tells it you come for the mountain but fall in love with the people and the culture. Jon describes Kathmandu with is various temples or stupas like Swayambhunath (the monkey temple) and Boudhanath with crowds of people performing a kora around them. He tells us places to get a good meal in Thamel (the tourist district) and suggests a day trip to the well preserved city of Bhaktapur. After Katmandu Jon tells us about trekking and also hiking up to Everest basecamp where the altitude can be very challenging (and Jon lives up at 6000 feet at home in Colorado).

The Amateur Traveler talks to Pam Mandel of Nerd’s Eye View and the Holoholo Wale blogs about two less visited islands in the Hawaiian islands – Lanai and Molokai. Both islands are less developed than their neighbors and better islands for relaxing on a beach than filling up your time with excursions from the activity vendors. Molokai is the one of the two that stole Pam’s heart away with a more authentic Hawaiian experience. Molokai might be best known for recently sainted Father Damien who worked with victims of Leprosy (Hansen’s Disease) on the island until he himself succumbed to the disease.

The Amateur Traveler talks to Edith about the mountainous region of Austria where she grew up, the Tyrol. Edith designs for us both a winter and a summer itinerary, both of which involve getting outside and enjoying the beautiful mountains. In the winter we would ski and in the summer we would hike. When we are not hiking or enjoying one of the mountain alms then we can explore the palace at Innsbruck, a hiking museum and the Höfemuseum which is a farm museum. Edith talks about traditional foods such as Wiener Schnitzel, Kaiserschmarrn (sweet pancake dish), Kaspressknödel (fried cheese dumplings) and Graukäse (literally grey cheese). To work off that rich food (and of course beer) she will recommend we hike between the mountain huts or up her favorite hike Nochspitze.

The Amateur Traveler talks to Ira Bernstein about two lesser visited cities in Italy - Turin and Bologna. Turin has the reputation as the Detroit of Italy because of its long association with Fiat but that nickname does not express the beauty of the city, the warmth of its people nor the quality of its wine. Bologna has a reputation for good food in a country known for its good food which may be one of the reasons that Bologna is known as "the fat". The city is the home of bolognese sauce and lasagna. It also lays claim to one of the oldest if not the oldest university in Europe. Ira takes us on a tour of surprising museums (like the largest Egyptian museum outside Cairo), pivotal history and of course wonderful food. 

The Amateur Traveler talks to Eleonora about visiting eastern Germany. Eleonora grew up in Dresden and starts our tour there with a city restored from the rubble of World War II to one that boasts beautiful baroque architecture. She takes up verbally to the Master’s Gallery and also to the Green Vault in the old palace. She recommends the famous opera house as well as the recent rebuilt Church of Our Lady (Frauenkirche). We climb to the old fortress (Festung Koenigstein) which protected the area. After Dresden Eleonora directs us to the mountains of Saxon Switzerland and to the Oer Mountains with its tradition Christmas wood carvings. From there we go to Leipzig and to Bauzen (capital of a slavic minority – the Sorbs). We make a sobering stop at Buchenwald concentration camp before hiking in the Hatrz Mountains. Then we head north to Saxony-Anhalt where we stop by the oldest chocolate factory in Germany in Helle. Eleonora encourages us to visit the palace of Sanssouci at Postdam and the Hanseatic cities Rostock and Stralsund. While in Eastern Germany we should try Christstollen, Baumkuchen, and Saxon Potato Soup. Two special tips from Eleonora are to visit the Hechtfest multicultural art festival in Dresden and the medieval Christmas market.

Amateur Traveler talks to Matt Kepkes of NomadicMatt.com about his trip to the ancient capitals of Thailand: Ayutthaya, Lopburi and Sukhothai. Before the capital moved to Bangkok it was in each of these three cities as invaders came in from what is now Cambodia and Burma and then were subsequently repelled. Instead of taking the night train to Chang Mai as many tourists do, Matt and his traveling companions explored these cities on the way. In their travels they found ancient temples (some in ruins and some well preserved), wonderful night markets, troops of monkeys, friendly people and a slice of rural Thailand.

The Amateur Traveler talks to Ilana Fayerman from Project Explorer about Johannesburg, South Africa. Project Explorer creates educational videos for kids and Ilana is one of the video hosts. She traveled to Johannesburg to meet its people, experience its culture and eat something very weird (see picture). She will take us on a virtual tour of neighborhoods like Newtown where she will introduce us to the New Market Theatre. She will take us into the township of Soweto. Out of the poverty of Soweto has come some of the hope of South Africa. It boasts the only street in the world (Vilakazi Street) to have produced two winners of the Nobel Peace prize. Ilana will also tell us which game animal is the tastiest and what happens when you put too much Chakalaka on your pap. We will dance in gum boots, take a safari to KwaZulu-Natal, learn when you can join a drum circle, lunch with art and visit the cradle of Human Kind.

The Amateur Traveler travels to Geneva and experiences the Escalade which celebrates the defeat of the Savoy in 1602. Geneva is the home to many UN agencies, an old town, a cathedral and an excellent rare book collection. You can also find lots of ways to eat melted cheese and other Swiss treats on the shore of beautiful Lake Geneva. In this unusual episode Chris overcomes a technical microphone difficulty to record an episode on the road. This episode inlcudes some of the sounds of the Escalade festival.

I talk about my recent trip to Berlin and Prague in December. This trip was just after the 20 year anniversary of the fall of the Berlin wall and 20 years after my last trip to Berlin. We will look at a 3 hour free walking tour of Berlin and at a paid private tour of Prague (a gift from OurExplorer.com). We will talk about the history of World War II, Communism and even the Hussite Wars. We will talk about the Christmas markets which are everywhere in both cities in December with their booths, crafts, food and mulled wine. I will tell you of some of the sites of these cities including museums, castles, churches, memorials, and even an Art Nouveau stain glass window in a very old yet also very new cathedral.

The Amateur Traveler talks to Nancy Sathre-Vogel from FamilyOnBikes.com about their odyssey – a bike ride with two young boys along the length of the Pan-American highway from Alaska to the southern end of South America. Learn why they did this trip, how they have managed it and what they have learned along the way.

The Amateur Traveler talks to photographer Ralph Velasco about tips to keep in mind when you are taking pictures on your travels. We talk about:

    * telling a story
    * depth of field
    * giving your self assignments
    * giving a sense of scale
    * adding a human touch
    * reflections
    * avoiding the crowds
    * embracing the weather
    * seeking the unique picture
    * capturing the essence of a place

The Amateur Traveler talks to Joseph about his recent trip to Malawi in Southern Africa. Malawi is not know for its game parks like other countries in the region for for the relaxing shores of Lake Malawi as well as the lush green highlights. It is a country heavily influenced by David Livingstone and the Scottish Presbyterian church and one benefit of this legacy is welcoming church guest houses to stay in. So join Joseph and I as we talk about the people, the politics and the minibuses of Malawi.

The Amateur Traveler talks to Madeline Jhawar from Italy Beyond the Obvious about life as a tour guide for an adventure travel company. Madeline was previously on the Amateur Traveler talking about Travel to Sicily. Madeline talks about her misconceptions about what being a tour guide would be like and the reality of keeping a group of people happy (and not lost). She guided hiking and biking tours primarily in Italy. What skills do you need to be a successful tour guide? It might not be what you think.

The Amateur Traveler talks to Stefanie Michaels (better known as @AdventureGirl) about a recent trip to the Marquesas Islands which are near Tahiti (or part of Tahiti depending on who you ask). Stefanie sailed on the freighter Aranui from Tahiti out to these remote islands. She encountered a warm people living in a tropical paradise… with very nice cars and nowhere to drive.

The Amateur Traveler talks to Pauline Frommer again about tips for budget travel. We talk about booking tours and alternative places to stay instead of hotels. We talk about which travel destinations are inexpensive now and which ones have hidden fees. Learn where a travel expert takes her family on vacation.

Pauline Frommer’s London and the second edition of Pauline Frommer’s New York City were named “Best Guidebook of the Year” by the North American Travel Journalists Association (2007 and 2008, respectively).

News

Free aiport wi-fi
Travel Tip Tuesday : American Airlines Announces $8 Blankets
Dirty Hotels
This Week in Travel

Show Notes

Pauline Frommer
Pauline Frommer on Budget Travel – Episode 123
Houe of the Redeemer in NYC
UK Airports face chaos over departure tax rise
Argentina Visa Fee To Hit Tourists Starting Jan 1
ShoreTrips.com
Jamaica – Meet the People
Tlaxcala, Mexico
Oaxaca, Mexico – Felipe the Weaver (part 1) – Video Episode 46
Reciprocity in Brazil Tourist Visa Fees for American and Canadians

Internet Resources

oster.com – hotel reviews

Community

Celeste has Marquesas corrections
David has Marquesas corrections
David, “you break up the monotony”

The Amateur Traveler talks to Mike and Hillary of the SpotHopping blog about their trip to Easter Island / Rapa Nui in the South Pacific. They visited Easter Island as a stop on their round the world trip. Easter Island is a small destination and one of the most remote destinations in the world. When you are on the island the only other people within 2000 miles are the 50 people on Pitcairn island. Easter Island is, of course, known for its enigmatic Moai statues and Mike and Hillary were able to visit the quary where they were created. They also explored lava tube caves on the island.