Here is a great article on Croatia for anyone thinking about traveling to there. It is from Outside Magazine from July.

http://outside.away.com/outside/destinations/200507/croatia-1.html

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Did you know that next to the U.S., France has the highest number of hip hop records sold? Actually, hip-hop has been a vibrant and culturally relevant art in France that has been growing and evolving since the early eighties, around the same time the genre took a foothold here. Over there, the artists don’t have issues of abject poverty as severe as those from American inner-cities. Still, many of the artists do come from tough backgrounds and the music is reflective of that. The artists in France have stayed more true to the political and societal issues of the original Zulu Nation movement of social responsibility, culture and peace. Though, recently the scene has started to resemble the American vibe with similar messaging, like rappers Ol Kainry and Disiz la Peste.

Typically the artists come from the poor suburbs of cities such as Paris, Strasbourg, Toulouse or Marseille. A suburb outside of Marseille called Saint-Denis is apparently a major hotbed for the medium. The rap music scene is dominated by descendants of African immigrants, but some pioneers like Lionel D and DJ Dee Nasty are not.

The first major hip-hop star from over there was MC Solaar, who had a break out hit in 1991 with Qui see le vent recolte le tempo. Don’t get intimidated by the language barrier… it’s widely noted that the French’s love for words and the language itself is well suited for rap. Actually, if you don’t understand French, I think it’s fine because their language just sounds good with the medium.

Some other hip hop artists from France are:
Alliance Ethnik is a less hard-core rapper.

Assassin, Supreme NTM and Ministere AMER are sort of a French equivalent to American gangster-rappers and have been the subject of much controversy over there.

Popular electronic music groups from the country include Dimitri from Paris and Daft Punk.

References:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/french_rap
http://www.icce.rug.nl/oger-bin/contents/print.cgi
http://www.uri.edu/news/releases/html/02-1024-03

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With all of the terrible news that has come out of New Orleans lately, I thought it would be nice to talk about how great that place is… I can’t wait to see the city come back to life after everything it has been through.

My best roadtrip ever was to New Orleans in 2000, to celebrate the millineum new years. Not only that, my 21st birthday was on the 2nd, so it was perfect. The reasons that I enjoyed the trip so much is because I was with friends I knew my whole life, and our group also included some acquaintances that were good peoples. We stayed in Slidel and took the bridge over Lake Ponchatrain to do our daily/nightly debauchery and celebration. I remember liking the “uptown” area a lot, because it was around Tulane and I like the college vibe. Apart from a couple of my group’s near of run-ins with police down there (Give me a break… It was my 21st and the millenium) - I am happy to say, that only one out of 15 of us ended up getting into real trouble… and we all chipped in to make bail so no worries

The seafood is amazing there, between the oysters and the po-boys… The bourbon street scene was a little rough around the edges. It was cool though, there was this slightly spooky feeling about the place. It’s a beautiful city, with old architecture… really hot and humid though.

The best moment was my 21st, we went to a bar with my really good friends and it was actually a really relaxed night where we all just sat around and talked and laughed all night. It’s crazy to think that some of those memories have been literally washed away…

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If you are planning on traveling out of the US, check out the links below and add them into your favorites… maybe in a folder entitled “travel info websites.”

Between the ongoing war in Iraq, global terrorism, and the world’s increased animosity to American policies, it is safe to say that the overseas traveling environment has changed for us. Unfortunately, nowadays we have to be cautious and aware of our environment, because there is probably going to be someone that is ready to take out their strong opinions about recent global events on you… be ready to debate!

Its a good idea to keep up with the news; at least pay attention to a couple of front page stories as they develop before or during your travel date. Remember, people overseas are looking from the outside in; if you get a chance let them know about our political parties and the nature of the constituencies.

This article provides interesting information on the traveling environment in France for Americans. Needless to say, the political climate between the two countries can lead to issues that travelers should be aware of:

Here is a funny-lighthearted advice article from the Canadian perspective.

Here is a cool blog reminding readers why they shouldn’t be afraid to travel, despite current global issues

General travel advice site on how to avoid terrorist acts, what to do if you’re a hijacking victim etc… (I guess in this day and age these are things we should know if traveling - crazy):

Great article highlighting travel issues in Europe:

Here are some sites where you can get travel advisories and warnings:

U.S. State Department
fco.gov.uk
smartraveller.gov.au

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Here is guest Entry from our Food Blogger, Mie Nakayama. This same entry can also be found on MyCity’s food blog, the Culinary Corner. Since she gave such great tips on where to find the best oysters in the Bay Area (San Francisco, CA), I thought it’d be a good entry to share with travelers who might be heading in that direction.

Enjoy!

Oysters: the sweet, succulent pearls of the sea
by Mie Nakayama

It’s always sad to see Summer flee, but the coming of Fall does have its advantages: the changing color of leaves; the crisp, smokey breeze; Trick-or-Treating in silly costumes; candied yams and pumpkin pie; and my favorite – Oysters.

Now, you can get oysters anytime of the year. However, the old general guide for eating oysters advises consumption only in the “er” months – September, October, November and December. Some say this has to do with overall water levels in the ocean, and the concentration of sea-borne toxins contaminating oyster beds. Another theory contributes this to previous inadequate refrigeration techniques when transporting oysters. Fortunately, thanks to sophisticated and improved oyster farming and transporting techniques, select oyster farms can safely provide these sweet succulent gems all year round.

Some may squirm at the sight of them, others may kindly pass. I tend to hog them with little self-respect or dignity. Admittingly, I nearly upchucked my first oyster at a not-so-swanky Japanese sushi bar. I was 14, a late bloomer and just coming out of that “euw, cooties!” phase. Didn’t realize at the time, how similar and disappointing my first french kiss would be to that slippery, slimey sucker.

Nevertheless, with a little more practice and experience (no, I’m not still on the subject of kissing), I soon grew to love these creamy, succulent and soggy delicacies. Now that I’m back in the Bay Area, I can fully indulge my newfound obsession with oysters and use the cooler winter months as an excuse to slurpe one after another with girlhood glee!

My San Francisco favorite – Hog Island Oyster Co. The farm is located in Tomales Bay, just North of San Francisco, across the historic Golden Gate Bridge, and through the majestic Muir Woods. Their oysters are consistently fresh and irresistibly delicious! For us City folks (and yes, us San Franciscans think of our city as The City), we’re lucky to have these slimey suckers delivered to our doorsteps. Served in nearly every seafood and high-end restaurant in The City, Hog Island Oysters are a treat to be enjoyed all year long. Hog Island Oyster Co. also has a restaurant in the newly renovated Ferry Building, where you can buy raw, freshly shucked oysters for only $1 a pop on Mondays from 4-7pm. Sit at the bar and witness the efficiency the shells are ripped apart and laid on ice for your pleasurable slurping! Every now and then, you’ll see a little hermit crab that hitched a ride from the farm, and crawl across the bed of ice.

On designated oyster happy hour nights, I leave work early and save our group a seat before the 5:30 post-work Financial District crowd arrives. We typically consume 15 oysters each, and share a Cowgirl Creamery triple grilled cheese sandwich with a crisp glass of Pinot Grigio. Oysters are highly acidic (especially with all fixin’s mixed in: lemon, champagne vinegar sauce, Tobasco sauce and horseradish), so be careful when consuming mass amounts and be sure to feed your stomach some bread sticks to help absorb the acidity.

Go further North, and you find Stinson Beach – a quaint, hippy beach town. The scenic drive from San Francisco includes the winding road used in the car chase scene in the film “Basic Instinct.” The two restaurants in Stinson Beach both offer barbequed oysters. Not my favorite – I’m a traditionalist & oyster nudist and prefer them in their raw, naked state. Go a bit further North to Bolinas, and you can find raw, barbequed, and butter-garlic oysters. Similar to the barbequed oyster, the butter-garlic oysters are cooked over an open grill, and topped with generous amounts of butter and garlic. Mmmmm… you can never go wrong with butter and garlic. Throw in bacon, and I’m in Hog Heaven!

Whether raw, barbequed, drowned in butter, or classy Rockefeller-style, these creamy, sweet, succulent gems are the true treasures of the sea! Don’t forget to explore other oyster varieties: Kumamoto, Steamboats, Pearl Bay, Malaspina, Samish Bay, and Royal Myagi.

Rule of thumb: Don’t go cheap with oysters, you’ll pay for it later when you’re praying to the porcelin god for salvation.

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Nice is a beautiful Mediterranean city with pebbled beaches, the most galleries and museums in France outside of Paris, and has a tumultuous, diverse cultural history. Tourists can explore the city’s numerous attractions, including the Cours Saleya Flower Market, the Matisse Museum, Old (Vieux) Nice, Promenade des Anglais, Rue de France Pedestrian Zone, Theatre de la Photographie et de l’Image, the Russian Cathedral, Nice Archaeology Museum and Roman Ruins, Nice Port, and Le Chateau.

The city has a famously wild nightlife, but for those of you who prefer a quiet getaway, there are numerous mountains and villages a short distance outside of this bustling and busy town.

Due to its rich history of culture, the city has strong Italian and Corsican influence. There are also many immigrants that have come to the city in recent history from Africa and Asia, making it even more eclectic. There is significant transportation within the city and ferry companies conveniently can take you to the beautiful towns of Corsica.

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Tokyo is a massive metropolis with a population of over 12 million people that make up a fascinating, fast paced and very financially successful city. The city has the highest GDP of any metropolis in the world, at $1.315 Trillion, which surpasses the economic production of Canada, Mexico and South Korea.

The city is known for its beautiful springtime, when cherry blossoms bloom all over the city. It is a bit crowded, loud and traffic laden, so the hot and muggy Tokyo summer may not be the best idea for one who wants to travel Japan.

The people of the city are famous for their highly energetic, active lifestyle, and also for their ability to look at life in a tranquil and introspective way, which leads to a level of balanced productivity and leisure that is unlike that of western urban cultures.

Getting around the city is very easy for tourists as the city has one of the most effective rail systems in the world. Rail is the best way to get around.

The nightlife in Tokyo is very entertaining and the numerous clubs in the city include Castillo, Velfarre, Tokyo Dome, and Blue Note. The club scene has actually exploded in the city and has turned it into an international hub where fashionable young professionals unwind busy workweeks to beats blasted out by highly-paid, world class DJs.

According to an interesting article entitled “The night is still young: Tokyo’s club scene pulses with recession-beating energy - Industry Overview - Cover Story”: AgeHa is a club that has meshed the underground youth culture of the country with complete content interconnectivity with record labels like Sony. Womb was opened by a former NYU advertising student that has mastered the idea of lifestyle marketing through the club scene.

Another club, Cube, is a six level extravaganza in Tokyo’s Tamachi district.

For those interested in a more relaxed vacation, museums within the city include The Tokyo National Museum, the National Museum of Western Art, the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum, and the Museum of Maritime Science.

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Copenhagen, Denmark is a relaxing European getaway location that is known for its classic architectural beauty and lively club scene. The city is extremely picturesque and has a low skyline.

The city is over 1,000 years old and boasts many popular landmarks, one of the most famous being the statue of the little mermaid. Built by Hans Christian Anderson, a famous Danish fairy tail writer, the little mermaid is a statue of his prolific literary character. It was also the inspiration for the Disney film, The Little Mermaid. Aside from literary and cinematic fame, she is also known for being vandalized numerous times.

This Scandinavian hub of culture and history is lined by old medieval streets. The Danish speak good English, which adds to the remarkable accessibility and convenience for tourists. Copenhagen is a laid-back, open-minded city, which also adds to the calming element of this getaway. Regardless, for those that are interested in more than just relaxing, the city is known for its sizzling nightclub scene and boasts numerous hip and exclusive clubs.

Copenhagen has been the capital of Denmark for over 600 years and is by far the largest city in the country (approx. 1.7 million). Despite its size, it’s really easy to get around Copenhagen on a bike, because there is a public transit system where you can rent bikes. You just put a deposit into the lock at the parking areas and take the bike to your destination. When you find another one of the numerous parks and town squares that house the bikes, you just have to lock the bike back up to get your deposit back. If cruising around the urban landscape makes you long for nature, you can get away from the city streets by exploring one of the numerous quaint parks that are in and around the city.

Once all the cruising around gets you into a party mood, you can check out the great clubs in the city like: Vega, Discotek IN, RUST, Stereo Baren, Copenhagen JazzHouse, Zero Nightclub & Lounge, Hardrock Café, and Mojo Bluesbar. Remember, the party starts and ends late in Copenhagen, as club-goers don’t get out until midnight.

Shoppers can enjoy the Strøget and Købmagergade, which are known for being convenient areas to go on foot and purchase the Dane’s well-designed products. They’re famous for their great design abilities for clothing, furniture, glassware, ceramics and jewelry.

Copenhagen is a scenically beautiful, old city that has a rich and storied history that spans into ancient Europe and is the home of the oldest monarchy in Europe. This combination old spirits, and the city’s youthful thirst for life, creates an unforgettable experience visitors.

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Rio de Janeiro, Brazil is a travel destination that is not for all. The humidity, the traffic problems and the crime rate are factors that only savvy travelers can deal with.

Despite the challenges, this is a tourist hotspot. Between the beautiful beaches, the club scene and attractive people; there is much to soak in. Guanabera Bay, for example, is a world famous beach that is a great place to see landmarks as well as a place to party.

Other famous beaches include the Copacabana and Ipanema. Tourists can view the beautiful statue of Christ at Corcovado. The famously beautiful people of the city are a sight to see also, as they dress very lightly to remain comfortable in the formidable heat of the city.

The humidity causes the smells of the city’s repugnant pollution to carry, and at times that can be unappealing. Other downsides to this destination include the high crime rate; tourists are best off taking taxis and traveling in well lit areas. Many have been robbed in broad daylight by armed men, at times in front of crowds of people that included unresponsive police!

The downsides are all offset by the locals’ thirst for living, and their love of sports and fitness. Rio is a popular destination for surfers trying to catch waves and soak up the festive atmosphere.

Speaking of festive atmospheres, have you heard of Carnaval in Rio? It is widely recognized as the world’s largest Carnaval celebration, a pre-Lenten party that takes place in Catholic countries. The atmosphere is more than festive, closer to a roman orgy, with many half dressed people in limited space during the parade. The actual celebration starts at the beginning of January and ends in February on Fat Tuesday.

The beautiful locals of Brazil enjoy a vibrant and active club scene in the city, and tourists can join in if they can get into the clubs, which is not always easy. The clubs are dispersed throughout the city, unlike other popular tourist destinations that typically have a main cluster of touristy bars.

To find out more about the clubs there, just click on the following links:

Toursgonewild
New York Times Travel

So whether you go to surf, party, or to sightsee, we recommend that you be careful at night, travel with friends and watch what you eat, drink… By being a savvy and smart traveler, you can mingle and mix in and soak it in with your companions and the local cariocas.

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Toronto is a business and cultural center in Canada that boasts over 20,000 retail shopping centers and restaurants. The city is known for being a well designed, low stress, powerhouse business center that has a robust and growing film industry.

This impressive metropolis boasts a population over 4.4 million but is extremely safe and clean. It doesn’t have the blatant touristy attractions of many cities - the attraction here is the city itself.

The summer festivals and local music scene fortifies this city’s cultural ambiance, which can be found around the corner at the downtown eateries, on the beach-front boardwalks and in the theaters of its entertainment district. There are also numerous artificial and natural ice rinks, a pro NBA basketball team, the Raptors, and off course the city’s beloved NHL hockey team, the Maple Leafs.

Some Sights:
Casa Loma is a beautiful castle complete with 5 acres of gardens, underground tunnels, secret passageways and other attractions to make it a romantic and unforgettable experience for tourists.

The Princess of Whales Theatre is an amazing theatre that is the staging area of huge production musicals, and will be hosting a extravagant Lord of the Rings production for an unlimited time starting February 2006.

The Art Gallery of Toronto – See works from world class artists exhibited at this major art gallery, which is currently undergoing major architectural renovations.

Greektown is an area with European flair that is great for shopping, eating and strolling around. The area stays open late, and is vibrant and cosmopolitan in nature.

You can see the largest indoor Gorilla exhibit in North America at the Toronto Zoo.

Toronto is extremely culturally diverse, and the Chinatown area is a great contributor to this colorful pallet, being one of the biggest enclaves of Chinese culture in North America. Here you can indulge yourself with the shopping, the food and the sights and sounds of Chinese culture.

The Bloor-Yorkville Business Improvement Area is high class shopping for those who have deep enough pockets to enjoy the finer things in life.

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