How can tourism improve the world?

Posted by Júlíana Björnsdóttir - 09/11/09 at 08:11:38 am

Eight years ago I passed through the beautiful coastal city of Beirut in Lebanon. It was perhaps the most powerful experience of a city visit I have ever encountered in my short life. As we drove into the city, half-ruined apartment buildings seeminlgy one step away from total collapse were all around me. Occasionally we would hear a thundering noise from distance; we were told it was the city’s attempts to clean up the destructions made to the city in the war in 1983.

As we got further into the city, I remember rather vividly a striking reminder of the human consequences suffered from war-situations; a man maybe in his forties or early fifties past us as we were stuck waiting for the green light at a cross road. He had lost both his legs below knees. He had made himself a wheelchair out of a skateboard. It was a sore sight but one that has remained with me since then.

We finally arrived at our destination, Planet Hollywood for a burger meal. Planet Hollywood is (might have changed following the war in 2006) located on the beach front. What striking change there was to the cityscape: a young woman running along the pavement aligning itself along the beach wearing shorts and running top, and a young man running topless.

What phenomenal oppositions co-existing in the same city!  We had the chance to walk along the area by the coast and a little bit further into the city centre; we found the people of Beirut were warm and welcoming.  Earlier in the day we had been driven to West-Beirut where the fighting had been at its worst.  Nearly twenty years later pillars of broken bricks were still spread on the streets of West-Beirut and the only semi-intact  building was a two-floor house, caged up entirely by bars.  The interior was covered with bricks and sticking out among the brick was the sight of a teddy bear.

At that moment the atrocity of war struck me; I was a young adult from a priviledged background, and although I had heard of the war in Lebanon in the eighties, I had never been exposed to the devastating consequences of it.  Still in 2001 people were living in the half-destroyed high-rises awaiting their benefits from the insurance companies.  I wonder  if perhaps tourism can come to aid countries recovering from catastrophic events such as wars and natural disaster. What if tourists would pay a small amount to support the reconstruction of the cities and countries in return for the pleasure of visiting?

As travellers we subconsciously expect to have more good times than bad times, to be visually stimulated by stunning landscape rather than monstrous piles of blown-up bricks. The gift to travel can also be means to physically experiencing the presence of past atrocities. Westerners are often fenced off and protected like children in day-care centres from the horror of war, but perhaps it would do us good to remove the protective circle and expose ourselves to sorrow. I myself think I am a better person for having seen the duality of Beirut, I at least am able to apprehand how lucky I am, with or without the financial crisis!

Damascus – a historical wonder

Posted by Júlíana Björnsdóttir - 20/10/09 at 10:10:16 am

When I was 21 years old I had a sense of being invincible! I wanted to experience a proper adventure, and found my solution in an overland trip.  4 months of camping, driving all the way from London to Cairo, and from Nairobi to Cape Town.  The purpose of the trip for me was to get to know the continent I had dreamed of seeing since I was a little five year old, looking at pictures from the dark continent (as Afeica was once called).  I did not want to be staying in hotels away from the nature; I wanted pure exposure to the elements.

Prior to arriving in North Africa, the trip took us through an enchanting part of the world, the Middle East.  Ten days prior to the departure date two planes flew into the World Trade Centre, changing the world as we knew it.  My plan of going to the Middle East certainly concerned my family a great deal, but I was determined to go.  And so I did, along with an equally adventurous friend of mine!

We passed through Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Jordon, and Egypt.  My favourite city in this part of the world, is without a doubt Damascus.  Damascus is the city in which I felt utterly miserable health-wise but the one city that fascinated me the most.  It is a wonderful city.  Unlike other cities I had visited, the buildings and the narrow streets told a story of a great city; first sign of inhabitation can be dated back as far as 8-10.000 years.

But what I loved the most was the people, the Damascene.  Syrian people are the friendliest I have ever encountered.  Being an olive-skinned brunette I did not feel like an outsider wearing my shawl to cover my hair, a long skirt to cover my legs, and a long-sleeved shirt to cover my arms and middle section.  I remember a conversation I had with a store-owner in the market by the Umayyad Mosque where he asked me why I was not married.  I was not offended in any way, I understood that in their culture that is simply a tradition.  He even offered me tea, and I politely accepted.

But I was not invincible! This city is so remarkable that yours truly, suffering from a nasty case of diarrhea, walked around on a hot day, all covered up, until I had no choice but to go back to the campsite.  Imagine looking for toilet facilities every 15 minutes!  The diarrhea part was my fault, but it was worth it… The street vendors do after all make the best kebab!

Soaking in the Zambezi!

Posted by Júlíana Björnsdóttir - 02/10/09 at 08:10:43 am

In my last blog I wrote about my bungee over the Zambezi-river. In this blog I want to introduce to you, my reader, another activity in which to partake while near Victoria Falls.

At the time of my trip my love for water was not quite as intense as it is today. So the thought of doing a river rafting down a grade 5 river, made my tummy do a couple of back-flips while walking down the narrow pathway to the riverbanks where the two boats awaited us. I was also incredibly excited for the experience to come as I had done river rafting before in a smaller river in Iceland. This time I was facing the forces of nature in its most powerful form!

The trip itself down the river began quietly, but got more intense as we got further up the river. For some reason, my friend Eva and I bring out the lunatic in each other, so we wanted nothing more than for our boat to flip over and actually soak ourselves in the river. Crocodiles or no crocodiles, my God it had to happen!

Luckily for us, the guide seemed to be of the same opinion, so we got what we bargained for. Not only did our boat flip once but twice; and once my friend Eva drifted up the river for a bit. This is where my love for water begun, and since then water has become my passion.

I have included a link to the website for the company in charge of most, if not all, organized activities in the vicinity of Victoria Falls. Whether you are in Zimbabwe or Zambia, the options are the same.

I would fully recommend with trying at least one activity that makes you tremble. In the end of the day, you might just surprise yourself!

Face your fears!

Posted by Júlíana Björnsdóttir - 29/09/09 at 09:09:11 am

Some of my fellow-bloggers have been writing about mountains and mountaineering recently. To me mountaineering is a rather scary activity in which to participate, but about 8 years ago I faced my greatest fear, my fear of altitude.

When I was 21 I signed up for an overland trip for a period of 4 months; the purpose was to expose myself to the great continent of Africa and the Middle East countries.  It was a life-changing experience in more than one way.

I faced my fear of altitude in the most extreme way possible: by doing a bungee of the bridge connecting Zambia and Zimbabwe.  My friend Eva and I had decided to do a tandem-bungee together but she changed her mind to do a trip on a canoe instead.

On the day of my jump, I woke up with a knot in my stomach, I was petrified of what I was about to do but knew in my heart that I had to do this for myself.  I got in the van taking us to the bridge and the no-man’s land separating these two breathtakingly-beautiful countries.

I was accompanied by two other fellow travelers from the truck in which we travelled; they were doing the tandem-jump.

I was to be the first one of us to do the bungee.  I remember my entire body was shaking from fear, and it didn’t get any better when the instructors told me to not look down into the river below me; an impossible task as the rail-platform has an excellent view over the river floating below!  When I was all ready, I found myself overlooking a view to die for, in the distance I saw Vic Falls and the extraordinary miracle of landscape Mother Earth has produced in this remote corner of the world.

I knew the only way to jump was to ask the instructor to push me, and so he did.  That was the best shove anyone has ever given me.  I was afraid for no more than 2 seconds.  There are no words strong enough to explain this feeling of rejoice, and sublimity one experiences during a bungee.  I felt ALIVE!  My screams came from a happy place

Today I have come to terms with my fear of heights and I am proud of myself.  My husband and I are planning to do the tandem next time we travel to Victoria Falls…and this time we might even do the second jump!

An OUT of London day out!

Posted by Júlíana Björnsdóttir - 18/09/09 at 09:09:17 am

A weekend getaway to a city like London sounds pretty good to most adults. For those of you with children, wanting to go to London and take the kids with should not be a problem.  Even though your kid absolutely hates the idea of sitting in the tube or walking on crowded streets with mum and dad, there is a way to put a big, fat smile on a child’s face.

Until I started working for a travel agency in London a few years ago, it did not cross my mind that in less than an hour’s distance by train one could become the enthusiastic child we all once were.  Friends of mine from Brazil invited me to join them on a trip to one of Britain´s best theme park (personal opinion). The first visit then led to a second visit.  We had in fact begun planning a day trip to the third park but unfortunately it never happened.

These are the three parks in question:

Thorpe Park: is located in Chertsey, Surrey.  Directions are given on the website.  It is the most ‘dangerous’ of the three parks and not designed for the faint-heartedor young children.  A place for adrenaline-junkies!

Alton Towers: is located in Alton, Staffordshire.  Again directions are given on their website.  It is a park catering to all age-groups, thus a good park to visit for families where the age gap is wider.

Chessington world  of adventures: A good park to visit both for all ages.  There is also a zoo within the park. An ideal place for young families and the faint-hearted.

Information on ticket-purchase is accessible on the the DiscountLondon website.  You can also check the websites for the parks themselves.  If you live near enough you can even buy the Merlin Annual Pass (named after the company that owns the theme parks).  It gives you access to all three parks for one year.  Ideal for the Adrenaline junkie!

HOT spots for Dirty Dancing fans: In memory of Patrick Swayze

Posted by Júlíana Björnsdóttir - 16/09/09 at 09:09:59 am

You don’t need to be born before 1987 to know the name of the greatest love-story ever told, Dirty Dancing.  The 14th of September  2009 was a tragic day for any fan of the movie.  Patrick Swayze passed away after years of battling with pancreatic cancer and the reaction to his death has been one of sadness and sympathy for his family and friends.

Now I am a fair person, and feel obligated to mention that his co-star, Jennifer Grey, did a fantastic job as Baby. Patrick Swayze, as Johnny, said it himself: ´Nobody puts Baby in the corner!´

By now you are asking yourself what an eighties-movie has to do with traveling.  Well, I thought it would be interesting to find out where the film was shot 22 years ago.  When I finally get around to do a road trip around North-America (if not all of America!) I  will be visiting some, if not all, of the locations in which the film was shot.

I went imdb.com to find the answer to my question.  All of the locations are in the United States:

The state of Virginia:

Appalachian region:

Catskill Mountains

Pembroke

Mountain Lake:

Mountain Lake Resort – 115 Hotel Circle

State of North Carolina:

Asheville:

Grove Park Inn – 290 Macon Avenue, Asheville

Lure Woods, Lake Lure:

Rutherford County

I was not able to find decent information on some of these locations but I hope these links are good enough links to start with.  You might even work out where your favorite scene was filmed…

I  do realize some of you are of the opinion Dirty Dancing was just another crappy ‘chick-flick’ and that’s fine with me.  Even if you are not a fan of the movie, some of these places seem well worth a visit.

Personally, I can’t wait for the road trip á-la-Dirty Dancing!

The curse of compulsive travelling

Posted by Júlíana Björnsdóttir - 10/09/09 at 10:09:13 am

Ever since I can remember my dream has been to see every corner of the world.  At the age of eleven I wrote a list of at least 30 places I absolutely, with full certainty, had every intention to visit and inhabit.  So far I have managed to tick quite a few boxes although I am far from finished.  After all, the list only contained 30 countries!

When I began my career of serious traveling I belonged to a small minority of backpackers in Iceland.  In the last five years or so, backpacking and travels to more exotic locations, i.e. not a hotel resort in Spain, has become more popular among Icelanders in general.  I celebrate this change but at the same time I feel a lot less special.  In the last three years or so I have not been able to travel as extensively as I would  have wanted.  I almost feel disappointed in myself for not being successful in what I have always believed to be my calling.

My husband often tells me that I have no reason to feel this way but then again he is more down to earth than me. While he lived in London I moved eight times between Greece, France and England. Obviously our backgrounds are quite different yet we get along like a house on fire.

What is it with us compulsive travelers that makes us feel utterly useless if we are not on the road? Why do we long for the days when we roamed the world in flip flops carrying backpacks and sweating while running to the train station five minutes prior to departure?

I have found my cure. I am very lucky to have a husband who is more than happy to support me in fulfilling my dreams; having someone like that is fantastic. In terms of career advancement I adjusted my studies to my dream job of being a travel writer.

The last thing I do is to always believe that even though I am not traveling now, I will be traveling when I finish my degrees. Best of all, I will be traveling with my husband so it will be an even better experience.

So, if you love traveling as much as I do, work at it!  Make it happen

The Parisian local (upper) East-side

Posted by Júlíana Björnsdóttir - 12/08/09 at 08:08:42 am

Paris, France is quite possibly Europe’s best known city; not only for its romantic image but also for its wealth of artistic wonders, such as the Mona Lisa. But there is more to Paris than museums!

I roamed the crowded halls of Louvre to see Mona Lisa, but I did not enjoy it as much as my night out with friends at a local bar in the 20th arrondissement, on the East side of Paris.  This particular bar was not the kind where you sit in groups conversing.  On the contrary, our goal was to be quiet and listen to poetry performed on a little stage by local artists of any kind.

Drinks were cheap and in our liquid state of slight intoxication, we exhailed every word spoken by the performers in question.  They demanded our attention and we obeyed, but with the condition of being satisfied with good performances!  Unfortunately, my liquid-state resulted in complete lack of attention in terms of precise location and name.  All I remember is that it was on Blvd Menilmontant, between metro stations Menilmontant and Pere Lachaise on line 2.

The purpose of my tale is to encourage you to take the time to look up interesting events, such as a poetry night, when staying in Paris. If you want to experience the local side of Paris, find a hotel in the 11th or the 20th arrondissement and get information on local events.  The area is still quite bohemian, even though it is progressively becoming popular among wealthier yuppies.

In Belleville (metro station: Colonel Fabien, Line 2) there is a little bar on the corner of Rue Vicq d’Azur and Blvd de la Villette with cheap drinks and laid-back atmosphere, both day and night. Another place of interest is a little cafe where you can play chess of all games, the name of which I again cannot remember.  It’s located on the corner of Rue Louis Blanc and Quai de Valmy.  Look to your left when you cross the bridge, nearest metro is Louis Blanc on line 7.  If you want to explore the area further, walk along the Quai de Valmy and become part of the parisian East-side lifestyle (just ‘frown-up’ if you are a female walking by yourself).  I would discourage you from taking solitary walks at night in the area, female or male.

To find out what is happening in Paris during your stay, pick up the latest Pariscope at the nearest newsstand!

Music for your ears in good ole London

Posted by Júlíana Björnsdóttir - 06/08/09 at 10:08:08 am

London is probably one of the most visited cities in the world.  It is a city that draws curious travelers from all corners of the world, both for a visit and to start a new life.

The city has so much to offer, not only the traditional sightseeing tours, but also from a cultural perspective.  Not only are there numerous musicals and plays from which to choose, but London is also a hotspot for music talents to perform.

The biggest and most popular venues are:

Brixton Academy, Brixton:  211 Stockwell Road, London SW9 9SL.  Nearest tube stations are Brixton (Victoria Line) Stockwell (Northern Line)  http://www.o2academybrixton.co.uk/

Hammersmith Apollo:  45 Queen Caroline Street, London, W6 9QH.  The nearest tube station is Hammersmith, on the District and Piccadilly line.  http://www.hammersmithapollo.net/whatson/whatson.aspx

Kentish Town Forum:  9-17 Highgate Road, London, NW5 1JY.  Nearest tube station is Kentish Town on the Northern line.  http://www.kentishtownforum.com/whatson/whatson.aspx

The Shephard Bush Empire:  Shepherd’s Bush Green, London, W12 8TT.  Nearest tube stations are Shepherds Bush (Central Line) and Shepherd’s Bush Market (Hammersmith & City Line).  http://www.o2shepherdsbushempire.co.uk/

One of the smallest Venues is:

The Electric Ballroom, Camden Town: 84 Camden high Street, Camden Town, London NW1 8QP.  Nearest tube station is Camden Town on the northern line.  http://www.electric-ballroom.co.uk/

My husband moved to London in 2003.  He would regularly attend concerts in these venues and others as well, and still today keeps the tickets as a reminder of all the concerts he attended.  In a way I regret not having taken a little overdraft once in a while to see some of the bands passing through London and performing. The music scene in London is one of the best in Europe and it is a shame for any music lover not to track down an interesting band playing while staying in the city.  If you are just passing through and do not have to worry about paying for your monthly oyster-card then you have no reason not to attend a performance to your liking!

And if you have more time to spare, I have put together a little list of things to do:

• Brick Lane in East London has a wonderful selection of mostly cheap yet mouth-watering Indian meals.  The nearest tube stations are Liverpool Street and Aldgate East.
• Starbucks in North-Finchley serves the best coffee in all of London (my personal opinion of course).  Take the Northern Line to Woodside Park and walk up to the High Road.  Turn to your right and you´ll see it in no time.  The area is residential and very quiet.  If you turn to your left rather than right, you´ll end up in the richer part of town where there are some beautiful homes to see.
• If you come during summer do a picnic in a local park (don´t forget the sunscreen!)
• Camden Town is full of quirky little shops and not to mention the famous Camden Town market.  Last year in February there was a blaze that caused a great deal of damage and I have not been there since 2006.  I am not sure how much it has changed, but I actually found the heels I wore in my wedding in one of the market stall for a bargain! http://www.camdenlock.net/camden.html

Mont St.Michel – Passage to the Past

Posted by Júlíana Björnsdóttir - 30/07/09 at 10:07:13 am

Recently I spent a week in the city of Caen, in Normandy, France.  The city is quite small, with less than 150.000 residents.  I choice to visit Caen because a good friend of mine invited me to stay with her while working on a travel-log for my BA-thesis.

During my week my friend organized a day trip to a monumental village by the name of Mont St. Michel.  A place I recommend all visitors of Normandy NOT to miss.  My friend was able to rent a car for a day, for the budget-fee of roughly 55 Euro.  In addition to that we paid 20 Euro for petrol.  Between the four of us we paid under a 20 Euro (all inclusive) for the whole day.   As a bonus we passed through the beautiful Normandian countryside on the way to Mont St Michel, as well as charming, old-style villages.  There´s a selection of inns, guesthouses and campsites, even hotels, for those interested in exploring the area further.

Seeing Mont St. Michel for the very first time at a distance , across fields of vegetation, I was speechless.  Mont St. Michel is an image straight out of the Middle-Ages.  I would imagine King Arthur´s Camelot to look quite similar.  As sensible budget-travelers, before heading to the village we decided to take a break and do a picnic at a nearby field with a marvelous view of Mont St. Michel.  As I was traveling with French nationals only, rather than bringing butter for the bread, they brought 3 different types of cheese!  A proper french picnic it was.

Although we came on a cloudy day, the parking lot was quite full of vehicles registered in Germany, Spain and several other bordering countries.  In addition there were at least 5 buses full of tourists coming from various locations.  To me that was a bit of a spoiler, but nonetheless we had a splendid day

The village itself reminded me of a film-set, such as the one created for The Knight´s Tale with Heath Ledger.  For me the experience of walking the streets of this medieval village was rather surreal; the crowds of tourists with cameras and sun hats clashed with the ancient walls and diminished the realism of being surrounded by actual history.  For my next visit I will choose an off-season period to explore the architecture without being rushed in any way.  If you are keen to spend a night in the village there is a charming hotel in which to stay, although prepare to pay a fee and a half due to location.  I imagine the narrow roads and the little courtyards in the village to be more mysterious and romantic under the dark evening sky lit up by stars and the moon.

The day we visited, the beach was wide open as the tides were at bay.  It was a strange sight to see the occasional pool of sea, spread out and about, almost blend in with the white shaded sand.  The young lovers we encountered on one of the Artoise roof tops certainly seemed to be enjoying their view in-between intimate interludes.

If you fancy a visit to Mont St. Michel my recommendation would be that you find a way to do it yourself.  Ask the staff at your accommodation if they can help you find a good car rental.  The parking fee is 4 Euro for a regular car.  For organized tours to Mont St.Michel you can check the following website:  http://www.francetourisme.fr/uk/mont-saint-michel-excursion.html?gclid=CLvKssP53JsCFYYU4wodLW2__g

The Lonely Planet website is great for updated information on the history of Mont St. Michel:  http://www.lonelyplanet.com/france/normandy/mont-st-michel

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