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SOCIAL MATTERS

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Browse our latest articles and discover stories to fuel your travel passion.


This Month, Social Matters, Arts and Culture Lisa Anderson This Month, Social Matters, Arts and Culture Lisa Anderson

Multilingualism: The Gift That Keeps on Giving

Like most Americans, I did not learn to speak a foreign language until I was a teenager. My first attempt, German, was a disaster. I managed to somehow eke out a passing grade during my two years of German, and can confidently count to twenty, say ja und nein, please, and thank you. I can also order a beer, but that was not part of our middle school curriculum: I learned to do that while traveling in my 20s.

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Arts and Culture, This Month Susan Brown Arts and Culture, This Month Susan Brown

Women Artists inspired by Nature and Their Native Scotland

For my third installment on the theme of artists and artisans, I’m introducing some of  my favourite artists whom I have been following on social media for a few years now. They range across a variety of media, but perhaps unsurprisingly for a Scottish Blue Badge guide, all of these artists are Scottish. Indeed they are all based on the west coast of Scotland—two in the county of Argyll and two on the Isle of Harris in the Outer Hebrides. 

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Local Flavors, This Month Fran Glaria Local Flavors, This Month Fran Glaria

Truffles: Mother Nature’s Artisanal Creation

If there is a fungus that deserves to be in all history books, it should be the Truffle. We have records from the Mesopotamian Empire (3000 BCE) where the Sumerians would eat truffles. In Egypt, there are hieroglyphs the depict the offering truffles to the deities. Greeks and Romans loved them—Emperor Nero said “Truffles are a delicacy of gods.''

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This Month, Arts and Culture, Travel Tips Liz Lister This Month, Arts and Culture, Travel Tips Liz Lister

Unlocking the Story of Scotland through its Architecture

Over eons, Scotland was situated at the intersection of colliding continents, creating an unrivalled geological diversity that is reflected in the stone of our buildings. Before the advent of transport links, materials were sourced locally, giving rise to regional variations that are very much a part of today’s landscape…Stone-built buildings were substantial and able to withstand the test of time, leaving us a rich, architectural heritage.

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Can a Building Reshape a City? The Guggenheim and the Transformation of Bilbao

In the 1980s, the city of Bilbao in Spain was a total disaster—not the kind of city you wanted to visit. It suffered incredibly high unemployment rates, street violence, drug dealing on every corner, and to top all of these, ETA (Euskadi Ta Askatasuna or “Basque Homeland and Liberty,” the now extinct Basque terrorist band) embraced Bilbao as its unofficial headquarters. There was no trace of the glorious past of the city. 

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Balinese Dance Education

The island paradise of Bali exerts a marvelous, almost magnetic aesthetic appeal for western visitors. Much of that allure is due to the island’s richly diverse artistic culture. Among the many splendid forms, I think Balinese dance is the most compelling. Perhaps it is better called dance-drama as it is an art that cannot be separated from theater.

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Roads Less Traveled: Cameroon

So many of the stories we hear about travel in Africa are focussed on the Eastern and Southern parts of the continent, including Kenya,Tanzania, Namibia, and South Africa. I was based in West Africa for just over two years in the early 2000’s and had some great experiences, both with work and for leisure.

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Arts and Culture, Social Matters Anna Savino Arts and Culture, Social Matters Anna Savino

Will The Future in Italy Be Better or Worse: An Ode to What Is and What Was

Italy is moving on with the rest of the world at a fast pace. I remember when I arrived in Italy 16 years ago, and no one knew what sushi or WiFi was. It may have been frustrating at the time, but in retrospect, it was refreshing to jump back into the past. My nostalgic personality yearns for an Italy that preserves its traditions, which is almost frozen in time.

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Arts and Culture, GC Faves Lisa Anderson Arts and Culture, GC Faves Lisa Anderson

The Big Bench Community Project

The joy of exploring new places in good company is my idea of a good time: winding country roads where you come to a crossroads and take in the lay of the land before deciding which way to go, sometimes on a whim and sometimes with intent. The region of Piemonte in the northwest corner of Italy is the perfect place for a wanderer, and one of my favourite pastimes over the past few years is finding Big Benches. 

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Social Matters, Arts and Culture Trish Feaster Social Matters, Arts and Culture Trish Feaster

Filipino Roots and Bamboo Poles: Celebrating Asian-American/Pacific Islander Heritage Month

My mom and dad emigrated from The Philippines to the United States in the late 1960s to work as as chemists/researchers at the University of California, San Diego. A few years later, I was born in La Jolla, California. I’ve been fortunate to travel to my parents’ native land with them three times, and on our last visit, we were treated to a cultural experience that had a deep impact on me. Re-watching a video of the event recently has brought up some strong memories and feelings about my ethnic patrimony.

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Social Matters Fran Glaria Social Matters Fran Glaria

Auzolan: The Basque Way of Community Work

Here in the Basque country, the sense of community is very strong. We say we do things in the auzolan way. It doesn't have an exact translation, but it kind of means that everybody who can help in the community, does. We construct houses, clean the forest, fix the church’s ceiling or take care of our elderly in the auzolan way. You volunteer to do whatever you do best.

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Arts and Culture, GC Faves Ben Curtis Arts and Culture, GC Faves Ben Curtis

How to Geek Out on the Habsburgs

If you want to do a deep dive on the most important family in European history—or, heck, even if you don’t want to go fully down the rabbit hole, but do want to learn a bit more—then I’ve got some resources for you. These are a few websites, movies/tv series, and books (besides the one I wrote) that are all worth exploring. Enjoy—I’d be interested to hear if you have any favorites!

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Women's Travel, Social Matters Roberto Bechi Women's Travel, Social Matters Roberto Bechi

Empowered Etruscan Women

The high level of economic wellbeing in Etruscan society meant that, already in the Archaic period (from the 6th century BC), women began to "leave" the home to participate more actively in public life…Unlike a Grecian Penelope and Andromache, Etruscan women were not satisfied with waiting patiently at home for their spouse to return but rather legitimately took part in all the pleasures of life.

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Arts and Culture Liz Lister Arts and Culture Liz Lister

Say It With Flowers

When it comes to expressing love, and the emotions associated with it, sometimes words just simply aren’t enough. From a simple hand-tied posy of wildflowers to an explosion of exotic blooms; a dozen red roses to a corsage or boutonniere on Prom night—flowers can speak so eloquently on our behalf.

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