Sir is that a monkey serving my hot towel.
Why yes, yes it is.
Of course, that will only be the case if you head to Japan! Yes, these cute little monkeys are helping in the restaurant of their owners.
And their tips? Soy beans!
I can already see employers’ minds already spinning!
So here’s your fun Thursday video to lead you into this three-day holiday weekend in Bermuda. Enjoy!
“I soon realized that no journey carries one far unless, as it extends into the world around us, it goes an equal distance into the world within.” – Lillian Smith
Bermuda's Halloween with a pumpkin!
There were going to be no carved pumpkins, no candy corns and definitely no costumes. Why?
Because I was in Chile for October 31 and while I might be used to Halloween traditions like trick or treating, South America had a different way of greeting me during my trip around the world: Days of the Dead.
Perhaps holidays are not something you consider when traveling, but it’s amazing how sentimental I could get while on the road. Never one for Halloween (yeah, ok as a kid when candy was the game!), when I arrived in Chile I started pondering how I would spend it.
Well, the first thing to learn is that not everyone celebrates Halloween as Bermudians, American and Canadians traditionally know it. Originating from the ancient Celtic festival of the dead, Samhain, the tradition was/is celebrated as the time when strict boundaries between the worlds of the living and dead became thin. Ghosts of the dead could, therefore return to earth.
When the Romans conquered much of the Celts land in France and England, the Roman day of the dead at the end of October became incorporated. With the spread of Christianity, there was an attempt to subsume this into All Saints Day on November 1 and the festival the night before was Alls-Hallows. Anyone see where this is going?
Well, for the country where these traditions all started, Ireland, parties, bonfires and fireworks spread through the country on October 31; while, Dublin hosts its annual Halloween Festival and parade.
The UK? Well Halloween has taken to the mainstream throughout the UK too. Yep children are asking for candy and adults get lost in outfits and parties. But what is definitely a highlight is the London Zombie Walk where hundreds moan and groan through the capital while visiting twelve pubs.
Head North to the Scandinavian countries of Norway and Sweden and you will find that Halloween is relatively new holiday and there will be a few parties and themed events around the countries.
Let them eat candy for Halloween or.....Julebukk
What they do, do in Norway that is similar to our Bermudian Halloween is run around the neighbourhood between Christmas and New Years to ask for sweets. It’s called Julebukk and it hails back to the Viking era. No dressing-up is really required….well beyond the layers of warm clothes required! I can attest to this having taken part when I visited family friends when I was 13-years-old.
Moving further East to Russia and the rise of Halloween is not welcomed by all. In 2008, in fact, lawmakers here sent a bill to their lower house to consider banning not just Halloween, but also Valentine’s Day. Why? They are worried about protecting their “conservative ways”. So in place of Valentine’s Day, Russians would be able to celebrate the Day of the Family, Love and Fidelity. No word on what Halloween would be called.
While Russia might be turning away from Halloween, other countries have never celebrated Halloween, but have ceremonies that draw from the idea that spirits of their ancestors abound. The Malagasy people of Madagascar have one of the most unique ways to honour their dead. Though Halloween (as we might know it) is little celebrated on this East Coast of African island, they do honour their dead by ‘turning the bones’. This ritual, ancient it is, requires the opening of the tombs of the dead dressing the bones in fresh clothes and passing them around to dance with friends and relatives.
Um….I think I’ll head to Cambodia now, which is my favourite South East Asia country. Here, the whole concept of Halloween does not really exist! Instead the country focuses on the lunar calendar and the tenth month which usually falls in September. During this time the Cambodian Buddhists celebrate the Pak Ben, 14 days during which they wake every morning before dawn to prepare offerings of food and other gifts to monks living in the local pagoda and to their ancestors.
On day 15, Cambodians visit the Pagoda with sweet sticky rice (the best food in the world) and bean treats wrapped in banana leaves and other special foods to mark the P’chum Ben or festival of the dead. P’chum Ben also marks the close of Pak ben.
Do you see how it all comes around? Sweet rice or candy corn? Ok it’s a stretch, but this is why I love traveling: different countries have draw on the same ideas, but it translates for cultural understanding.
Let’s stay in Asia and head to Japan! If we go now, however, we would have completely missed their equivalent to Halloween, the Obon Festival. That’s because Japan does not celebrate Halloween, but they do have this mid-August Festival to honour the deceased and often ends with candle lit paper lanterns floating down a river which symbolize the departure of their ancestors.
Heading further East (from Japan of course) to Mexico and you’re also celebrating the Day of the Dead on November 1 and 2nd. Well, that is now. When it was celebrated during the Aztec years, the festival would last two months! With the introduction of Catholicism, however, the celebrations were whittled down to two days! During these days, it is believed here that lost ones return to the earth to celebrate with their families and friends. Visits to grave sites ensue where offerings of food, photographs and drinks are offered to the dead.
Moving to the South of this world and we hit Peru, which celebrates more than 3000 festivals a year and also finds time to recognize their Day of the Dead on November 1 and All Saints Day on November 2. These are days for Peruvians to honour their dead with Mass, bringing flowers to the cemetery and sharing food with the dead. It’s a tradition that stems back pre-Hispanic years!
All dressed-up to tackle Patagonia for Halloween!
And finally what did I do in Chile? Well let’s just say I looked like one of the scary masks in the Phoenix as I tried to hike for five days through the Torres del Paines National Park without a shower. However, with the natural beauty of glaciers, bright blue lakes and avalanches, I did not miss Halloween one bit.
Which brings me to one last point: yes, our holidays are fun, but use these holidays with days-off from work (yes, even Cup Match) as a chance to see what other places do. You’d be surprised how little you miss home as you become inspired by a new culture. Ok, enough for this week, ciao ciao!
Edward Monkton says it best every time
Our wanderer Nicola turns 25 today! What better way to celebrate her birthday then navigating the world of Nicola? Well she couldn’t think of one either so here is Robyn’s Wanderings wishing her a very special birthday and a quarter of a century of Nicola’s travels:
A quarter of a century has come & gone, my friends. For me, at least.
For the third year in a row, I celebrate my birthday in Toronto, Ontario. This weekend coincides with two other big events in Toronto and throughout Canada - Scotiabank’s Nuit Blanche all-night art festival, and CIBC’s Run for the Cure.
Everyone is celebrating for one reason or another! Therefore, I deemed it appropriate to write 25 Things About Me. Birthday and travel-related, more or less.
1. I took my first flight at 4 months old and we moved to Bermuda… I slept the whole way 
2. As a child, I was little enough to sleep on blankets on the floor below my family’s airplane seats on overnight flights.
3. I celebrated my 18th birthday in France, enjoying champagne and strawberry shortcake with my host family.
4. Two plastic figurines join me on travels: a California Raisin & Simba from the Lion King [Looking at that link for California Raisins, I found out that "Ben Indasun" is my toy!]
5. The first Broadway show that I ever saw was Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.
6. Katie and I saw snow for the first time when we were visiting family in England one Christmas.
7. My first winter sport experiences include 2 middle school ski trips to Colorado, and ice skating in Rockerfeller Center in NYC.
8. I saw the movie Lion King at the cinema in Africa, while spending a summer with my grandparents in Zimbabwe.
9. …Speaking of Disney, I’ve been to Disneyland California, Walt Disney World Florida, and Tokyo Disney… I have yet to conquer Disneyland Paris, Hong Kong Disneyland & Shanghai Disney!
10. While visiting Japan for 3 weeks, I rode bicycles, developed a love for corn chowder, and dressed up as a meiko for a day [The meiko blog link is very similar to my own experience. I wish I had photos to post of Japan, but sadly they are in Bermuda, tucked away in an album... I took 6 rolls of film on that trip!]
11. Once, I fell asleep in my soup at a hotel restaurant and my parents & sister have never let me live it down.
12. While taking a home-video at the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, Katie and I danced around singing “We are space aliens, we are space aliens”. Oh, the good old days!
If you are reading this sentence, then congratulations – you are almost halfway through the list!
Your birthday: a day when you are allowed to wear the crown.
13. On my 10th birthday, I open a cereal box (nice gift-wrapping!), and dug through it to find 2 plane tickets to Oklahoma. My best friend’s family had recently relocated there, so it was my dream trip. We kept in touched, reunited in Europe & Bermuda, and are still best buddies today!
14. My week-long high school French trip to Paris served as a taster for the 3 times I would live in France as a student – in Lorraine, in Paris, and in Savoie.
15. Both sets of my grandparents moved to Zimbabwe (formerly Rhodesia) post-WWII – one half from Croatia, the other from England.
16. Give me a window seat on an airplane any day.
17. The top 3 countries that I’ve been to that hold a piece of my heart are: France, India and Greece.
18. The longest flight I have been on so far is 13hr from New York to Tokyo.
19. After graduating university, I was treated to a First Class, overnight flight – champagne included! [A rather big step-up from sleeping on the floor of the airplane seats... re: #2]
20. My dream islands to visit are the Maldives… one day, I hope.
21. My 21st birthday turned out to be an awesome surprise party, although I had planned to do homework that evening…
22. When we visit my grandmother in Croatia, we go for 6am walks including a morning swim in crystal-clear sea – much chillier than Bermuda waters.
23. … Despite my affinity for Croatia, I must hark back to my adoration for Greece. Islandy. Laid-back. European. And f-e-t-a! [In fact, I'm celebrating this weekend by going out for a Greek feast... OPA!]
24. Hurricane Felix hit Bermuda in 1995, and we got our dog shortly afterwards from the SPCA. We changed his name from Felix to Chipo.
25. Lastly: Katie and I share this birthday month (October 17th and 2nd, respectively), and we are family friends with two sisters in Bermuda who have eerily similar birthdays (October 17th and 1st). We were meant to be friends!
Here's for a sweet treat... or 6.
Who knows, perhaps if I eat my vegetables and walk everyday I will make it to 100. If we still write blogs 75 years from now, perhaps I can write my “100 best travel experiences”. For now, though, back to the cupcakes!
Taboo in Thailand
“Good Afternoon”
“Oh, Hi. Could I….”
“Good AFTERNOON”
“Oh, um….Good Afternoon. Could I please find out….”
We certainly have our ways here in Bermuda. One of those ways includes our traditional greetings, which will require a Good followed by the appropriate time of day.
Should this social norm be ignored or brushed aside (“Oh, hi” is not going to cut it) it seems an affront and you are certainly getting nothing done without it.
Other taboos? Sure there might be some turned heads, but walking around our capital, Hamilton, in bathing suits…..it’s just not appropriate. Yes, our businessmen might show a bit of calf in their shorts, but tourists in their swim suits? Wrong.
Another taboo? Questioning the sacred Cup Match! Yes, another taboo. Are you American? Then you understand Thanksgiving….same thing.
And people say Bermuda doesn’t have it’s own culture.
The problem is, other countries have their own traditions and taboos that are completely different from ours. Sure, you could argue when you visit these countries that you’re a tourist and you should be given a pass.
My question to you is: “Good Afternoon, do we, as Bermudians, give our tourists a pass?”
“Uh….”
“I SAID, Good Afternoon!”
So you get my point. Now what travel etiquette should you know before you travel? How about shaking your head? Tip One is that in many countries including Bulgaria, Sri Lanka, Albania, Macedonia and India shaking your head from left to right means “Yes” or an agreement, while up and down means “No” or disagreeing.
Tip two: In Iran raising your head and eyebrows is considered a “no”! Yep, while eyebrows raised here might be surprise or even a form of agreement, it’s not in Iran!
I will let you sit for a minute and think about it. Don’t worry your boss will understand.
Think how tired you are at the end of the day after dealing with that boss! What do you do when you get home? Tip three is: while you might put your feet up on your coffee table or lie-down on your couch with your feet over your head, that’s a massive insult in many Asian countries. Yep, the soles of your feet are considered the lowest and dirtiest part of the body.
And so Tip Four is: your feet should never be above the head or be used to point, touch etc… (fair enough, really) in Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, well most Asian countries and even Egypt. Of course on the other end, the head, then, is the container of the soul so you should never touch the head or point to the head of another person in Cambodia and other Asian countries.
You should als be careful how you do call someone over or point-out a direction. Tip Five: in Indonesia, India, Japan and China it is considered vulgar and inappropriate to scroll the index finger up to beckon someone over and you should never use the index finger to point. Instead in China put you palm downwards and make a scratching motion to call someone over and also use the entire palm to point in to particular direction. In India use your chin, whole hand or thumb to point.
Thumbs-up is not always appropriate!
Then there is trying to paying a compliment in another culture. Well Tip Six is our Thumbs-up and “Ok” signs we make with our hands (i.e. a thumb up and our thumb and index finger touching) are fine to use in France (except you will be communicating zero not “Ok”), but in other countries these signs are considered vulgar. In Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Argentina, Peru or Iran you might just start a bar fight not start good international relations.
Now of course, Tip Seven is: if you’re visiting Britain do NOT make the V sign with your index and middle fingers and show the back of your hand. You will have, again, just started a bar fight. Instead turn the palm toward whomever you are speaking to and ask for two beers.
Speaking of hands, Tip Eight is that your left hand is considered unclean (for reasons I cannot go into here. Let’s just say toilet paper is sometimes difficult to find) in India, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Nigeria. So never use your left hand to eat or receive objects.
Countries also managed to differ dramatically on the size of their…gestures! While tip nine is not to get offended in Italy, it is be careful in Japan with how loud and aggressive you are with gestures. When I sailed across the Atlantic on the Italian Naval Ship, Amerigo Vespucci, I thought the crew were always furious. I mean it was close quarters, but nope. Instead it is customary in Italy to speak loudly and make large hand gestures. In Japan, on the other hand, facial expressions are kept in check. A mere frown could be interpreted as a disagreement! So careful!!
Bali is beautiful, but don't try to argue!
Which leads to tip ten and: in many countries raising your voice to disagree with what is happening is disgracing not only yourself, but also the person you are speaking to. i.e. you will not get anywhere! Thailand is one country where this is the case. Another? Bali. No matter how much I tried, arguing was a waste of time. Smile, nod and move-on. They will never change their minds.
Want some more advice on a country you are going to? visit: www.expats-moving-and-relocation-guide.com and visit my blog www.robynswanderings.com and until next week I say as-salaamu ‘alaykum.
Walking the Amber Fort in India.....with a side-kick!
He was only four feet tall. Ok, maybe three and a half. Dressed in a dirt-stained blue shirt and blue shorts, he was ambitious. His eyes had spotted us across the courtyard of the Amber Fort in Jaipur, India and he ran over.
With his head tilted to the left, arm extended, he asked: “A dollar? Please, a dollar?”
We (my travel buddy and I) ignored him.
Does that sound harsh? Yes, Robyn, of course it does. Here was a little boy who will never have as much as you do begging for something as little as $1.
You’re right about the boy, but he was also part of a system that creates gangs out of families and businesses out of infants in India.
Indians we met regularly informed us that we shouldn’t give any money to the kids on the street or the sad-looking women pressing their faces against our car. They warned us it just kept kids out of school and reinforced begging as a way of living.
Persistence pays off: our little follower found money in his insistence.
It’s not easy, though, when you see babies carrying babies and they’re all dressed in rags, which brings us to this week’s Rock Fever Column – donating.
A better way to support a community to which you may or may not travel? Kiva.
Key…what? Tip one on donating: Kiva (www.kiva.org) a San Francisco-based organization that connects online donors with small business owners (by small I mean a peanut-butter maker with a one-room hut in Uganda) in five continents i.e. direct, micro-financing. Kiva works with local partners who approve loan applications, take photos of the applicant and the request is then posted online. These requests are not large (some need only $275 to expand their businesses), but would mean a world to supporting their families and communities. For example a carpenter in Uganda needs $1,100 to expand his business. He also supports about 20 family members after the parents died of AIDS. A direct loan to him means he may even be able to employ those family members and sustain a business that will continue to support the family. Better than my $1, no?
Sure, Robyn, but what about getting the money back? It’s only a loan. Well Kiva boasts a 98.63% repayment rate.
Helping long-term goals directly via Kiva, however, doesn’t make it any easier to know what to do when faced with an immediate and intense crisis.
Example? The tragedy of the recent earthquake and tsunami in Japan. The images of lives washing away and earth shaking the country’s core are heart-wrenching and strike at the cords of humanity much like the dirty children caught in the poverty of India.
Your first instinct (I hope)? How do I help? But again the business (because that is what is has to be) of tragedy is not an easy one for the casual giver.
So tip two is visit the charity watchdog, American Institute of Philanthropy (www.charitywatch.org). They monitor American Charities via the amount of money that they put into their programs and how little money they spend to fundraise. They have also listed 15 American charities that are considered the best practicing in Japan and the pacific region. These include (as a little sneak peek) the American Red Cross, Doctors without Borders and Save the Children.
But, as the watchdog says, tip three is: don’t rush into your donations. Unlike some places that have experienced serious devastation (the tsunami in the Indian Ocean in 2004 comes to mind), Japan is an industrialized country that has emergency plans in place. Their government and military will take care of many of the immediate problems.
Pictures of the Tsunami and Earthquake that struck Japan on March 11.
And so will tip four which is: the United States Government and the United Nations’ will be providing added support as well. Each of these organizations have money and supplies I, at least, do not have on-hand.
So make sure your donation goes to the most effective organization, which is tip five and what the International Rescue Committee (IRC) (www.rescue.org) recommends. The IRC will be partnering with local, Japanese organizations to give financial support, because as the organization states: “Our emergency team members are on standby to respond and fill in gaps as needed,” says Gillian Dunn, the IRC’s director of emergency response programs. “In the meantime, we are starting direct assistance to Japanese aid groups with better access to communities in need and survivors who have been evacuated.”
Which brings us to tip six and immediate giving versus long-term. In Japan people’s lives have been destroyed. Look at Haiti? We are more than one year on and there is still a lot to be done. These countries will need giving and support for years to come in rebuilding their lives.
So tip seven is to organize your charitable giving BEFORE you give emergency or not. Are you concerned with human rights? Do you want to give towards charities that provide disaster relief? Or perhaps your concern is with organizations that provide long-term support in a community (i.e. teaching, building homes, etc..) Allocate and then make sure you research the best charities in the area of concern. It will help when an emergency does arrive, as well. You will know which organization you feel best donating too.
But are monetary donations the best way? Well that’s a tricky one and our tip eight. A cheque is generally a better way to donate to an area of devastation. Why? Well as Bermuda’s own Red Cross (who is donating to their compatriot organization Japan’s Red Cross) explains on their website: cash donations allow the charities to buy locally or at least regionally, which helps support the disaster-struck area, but also means supplies arrive faster. Not to mention it will be cheaper to ship supplies from South Korea to Japan (for example) than Bermuda to Japan and they can purchase exactly what they need.
Hats and scarves for the coast of Sri Lanka?
Plus it saves mess-ups such as winter scarves, hats and gloves being shipped to Sri Lanka (as in the tsunami 2004). Not really helpful in a tropical climate.
Of course if you’re going to donate money, the best bet is to tip nine: donate directly to a charity. Sure you could get text messages from phone companies to donate to an event/disaster/charity, and I’m sure they mean well, but they are also putting a barrier between your money and your charity. Go to your charity’s website and donate directly.
And tip ten is for those who want to give-up their jobs, homes, lives to go to these disaster areas to help, I understand. It’s painful to watch people thousands of miles away suffering. Unfortunately, the best person to attend to a natural disaster is that person with special training i.e. a medic, engineer, etc… A writer? Not so helpful. Sure I can raise awareness, but there is little I can do to build your house again. That said, following the initial emergency there will be a need for rebuilding and if you coordinate with expert organizations on the ground with how you might help, you may soon find yourself flying into Haiti, Japan, Sri Lanka.
The key is coordination! Coordination for money and coordination of your physical presence. Chaos is never good and it will not be better in a country devastated by tragedy nor will it help if you’re supporting a system that sends small children to follow foreigners.
Unfortunately, I caved. Our three foot guide through the Amber Fort earned his keep after he followed us for 5km into the hills behind the fort. At least he earned it.
And next week? Well you earned it: how to dress when traveling!
Sayonara!
Every Monday we hear from our Robyn’s Wanderer in Hong Kong, Bermudian Emily Ross. Unfortunately this week it is not about light-hearted travels to a beach or hiking through Hong Kong’s hills.
With Japan devastated from earthquakes and tsunamis, Emily explains it has devastated many living in Hong Kong with families in Japan. Here she tells us how we can help Japan (hint: it does not mean flying to Japan):
You’ve no doubt heard of the catastrophic events in Japan: although far from Hong Kong, its effects are felt here as people worry for friends and family who they cannot contact.
Although the immediate reaction of some (myself included) is ‘get me there, I want to help’ – do not go to Japan. It is a country in crisis, facing apocalyptic challenges and unimaginable losses. It’s easy for us to look on from the safety of our computer screens and imagine popping over but unless you are a medical professional or are trained in search and rescue and disaster relief, there is little you can do other than trivialise the disaster. 10,000 people are unaccounted for in Minamisanriku alone. You may have the best of intentions, but at this point intentions are not going to be of much use.
If you are already booked to travel to Japan, particularly north eastern Japan and Tokyo – please reconsider. This applies to any traveller to any country which is experiencing political unrest or severe natural disasters – before departure, always pay close attention to news about your destination.
However, if you are looking for someone or have information about someone, Google has launched a new version of their Person Finder . It was first used for the Haitian earthquake and has proved to be effective.
A survivor
The risk of aftershocks and further tsunamis is real and high; unless travel is essential you are best advised to stay away. According to the Japanese Meteorological Association, ‘there is a 70% chance of a magnitude 7 or greater earthquake in the same region as the M9.0 quake within the next 3 days. This may trigger another tsunami and aftershocks of over M6.0’ (see British Foreign and Commonwealth Office website).
This morning there was an aftershock tremor near Tokyo of magnitude 6.2 – powerful enough to shake skyscrapers. Do not assume that because the first earthquake is over and that areas (like Tokyo) are away from the first epicentre that it is safe to travel to them. The surrounding infrastructure is severely disrupted – you may not get there anyway. There are also rolling power cuts. I’ve just glanced at BBC news and there’s a new breaking news notification: there’s been an explosion at Reactor 3 at the Fukushima nuclear plant.
Contact your airline. To the Bermudians and Brits out there: seek the advice of the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office .
If you want to do something to help, the most beneficial thing at this point would be to donate to the following organisations (in no particular order):
www.redcross.org – the Red Cross has acted quickly and contributes indispensably to emergency relief.
www.internationalmedicalcorps.org – Again, the medical assistance provided by this organisation is indispensable.
https://secure.savethechildren.org/site/c.8rKLIXMGIpI4E/b.6239465/k.544E/Childrens_Emergency_Fund/apps/ka/sd/donor.asp?msource=wenlpaqk0311 – Save the Children’s Emergency Relief fund
http://www.globalgiving.org/projects/japan-earthquake-tsunami-relief/ – The Japanese Earthquake and Tsunami Relief Fund, set up by GlobalGiving.org
http://www.salvationarmy.org/ihq/www_sa.nsf – The Salvation Army
http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/ – Doctors Without Borders
http://www.worldvision.org/#/home/main/japan-earthquake-1-1-1357 – World Vision is also mobilising.
https://www.mercycorps.org/donate/japan – Mercy Corps and Peace Winds
Tsunami pictures
I got this information from the Huffington Post and MSNBC’s Technolog. These websites will be updated with more organisations and feature a few more US based charities. The photos in this blog were provided by BBC news who are providing excellent news coverage.
Coffee in Buenos Aires
Do you know who imports more than 900 million pounds of coffee a year?
No it’s not France. No, not even the obsessed Argentines. Not even my favourite Vietnam.
It’s Japan.
Yes, it’s true. Apparently Japan imports more than 930 million pounds of it each year, which is more than France and less than Italy.
What does this have to do with travel? Well, sure you could ask, but that would mean you haven’t been to Turkey for their sticky and thick coffee that lines the cup.
Or to Vietnam when they fill the bottom of the cup, which turns out to be enough to keep you up through the night.
Coffee in Cairo
How about sipping in Cairo (when they’re not protesting) at one of the oldest cafes in Egypt? One where the Nobel Prize winning authors sit.
It’s a drink that keeps the world ticking and one that you will never be far from where ever you are. Sure there is tea, but coffee is my poison.
Tea in Turkey!
Of course, I am sad to say that my favourite is Starbucks. Yes, I have been around the world. I have tried coffee in lots of places, but my favourite coffee stop is Starbucks.
Plenty of caffeine in their regular coffee and the quality is guaranteed to some degree everywhere you go. Of course that can’t guarantee the Inca Bucks in Peru!
Inca or Star?
Stocking Stuffers!
Ok it’s not. I mean it’s not the guards coming from Berlin. I know. Silly, but maybe it’s that time of year. The absolute silly season.
I should know. I tried to complete all of my holiday shopping yesterday in the pouring rain, dodging hail and the five o’clock closing of Bermuda’s stores.
But’s that’s not what I’m talking about either. Instead it’s all about Solstice Stocking Stuffers today. Why? Because today is the Solstice.
What is that? Good question and one I had to look-up myself. To break it down: solstice comes from the Latin sol (sun) and statum (to stand still).
To make it fun, Solstice is generally celebrated throughout the world with sacrifice or prayers for fertility. Doesn’t sound like as much fun anymore, does it?
For the chinese it is celebrated with making balls of rice (to symbolize the gathering of the family) and it’s called “dongzhi.”
In Korea? No they don’t attack each other. That’s for every other day. Today, instead they worry about ghosts coming into villages to haunt them. It’s lore, but apparently dipping the rice balls in sweet red bean called pat jook helps repel the ghosts.
Pakistani men have cold water poured over their head for purification and then are forbidden to sit in a chair. Finally their heads are sprinkled with goats’ blood.
For the Japanese and the Scandinavians (two completely opposite cultures), on the other hand it’s all about fertility and they go about this with either lathering butter on doors or visit farms to ensure the land is ready. read more on the New York Times editorial.
But for most of us today is all about having only four days until dooms day or Christmas. Obviously for the Christians out there!
So what are you going to do? Well you could surrender and believe me yesterday I did, or you could find-out what The Harbourmaster store in Hamilton Bermuda has to offer.
Tag your luggage for $13.25!
The traveler in the family (i.e. everyone in Bermuda) will need to identify their bags, no? Well why not use these fantastic name-tags from The Harbourmaster to help?
Need something else? Got someone a bit more on the hipster side? How about a pom-pom? Yeah I wrote it. A pom-pom.
Pom-pom for your luggage locations for just $9.95
Perhaps you have someone with pesky keys which they can never find? Have you done that? You know left the island and come home to find….no home! Well no home if you don’t have your keys.
What a pain trying to fish them out of your bag. Well why not find these beautiful and hefty key chains which well mean your keys are never lost:
Keys for Keys for $20
or these handy leather-bound key chains:
Leather Key Chain for $30
Finally there is nothing like trying to keep hold of your blackberry. So I hear. I don’t have one, but from those who do I hear you want them at your finger tips.
So why not get your help from The Harbourmaster? They have all sorts of beautiful, leather cases that can carry your mechanical device like this one below:
Blackberry case for $54
Or maybe you’re someone who keeps their cash wadded in your pockets? Floating around your purse? Maybe you know someone who does?
Well that’s ok because The Harbourmaster can help you out! They have all sorts of wallets that are handy, leather and beautiful!
Like this leather wallet from the LAND Meridian collection. The best part, and you will understand if you’re from Bermuda, it’s in stock! No waiting for it to be imported.
Wallets!! Starting at $75
Or The Harbourmaster also has this selection:
Wallet with credit card holders on the outside for just $59
Whatever you do make sure that you visit The Harbourmaster on the first floor of The Washington Mall and get all the help you need for your travel goods from their helpful staff.
And OF COURSE mention Robyn’s Wanderings! Happy Holidays.
Nicola Arnold with her host sister Yogita
Yes. Robyn’s Wanderings is growing by one! Nicola Arnold has now been roped into writing every week about her adventures and basically anything travel related!
So you’re sick of me?! Cool. Meet Bermudian and enthusiastic traveler Nicola who will be sharing with you every Saturday. Here’s her first post:
Season’s Greetings! This is Nicola Arnold and it has been 65 days since my last travel adventure… that is, if you don’t count excursions to the local beaches and parks as being an adventure-worthy.
Living in Bermuda has its perks – as a recent graduate from the University of Guelph, Ontario, I have thoroughly enjoyed returning to Bermuda to spend my summer playing beach volleyball, walking past Johnny Barnes at Crow Lane Roundabout as he declares his love for me, and even pretending to be a tourist in Dockyard in order to sample some of the delicious rum cakes over at the Rum Cake Factory!
So who is Nicola?
My story so far is a ‘mixture’ of my family background intertwined with my travel experiences. Therefore it seems like a good idea to share these ‘ingredients’ of my life with you:
¼ cup Croatian grandparents
¼ cup British grandparents
½ cup parents from Zimbabwe
2 T. cousins in South Africa
3 T. cousins in Australia
1 pkg. of Rotary exchange in France
Whisk in some studies in Canada
4 T. summer student in Bermuda
5 oz. semester abroad in Paris
9 oz. study abroad in the French Alps
1 tsp. volunteer trip in India
Dash of travels in Japan, Greece, USA
These ingredients have led me to my path of study, encouraging my development in international education and will be the basis of my career… (yes dad, a JOB!!):
From high school at Mt. St. Agnes Academy in Bermuda to university in Canada, my ever-growing love for
France ultimately pointed me in the direction of completing a B.A. in European Studies, complete with a
Nicola in the Thar Desert in Rajasthan for our overnight camel safari... a thrilling adventure for sure
“highly recommended” study abroad for a year in the foreign language being studied (le français, bien sur).
At university, I became a Peer Helper at the Center for International Programs (CIP), so I had the joy of informing and preparing other students for studying, working & volunteering abroad.
Needless to say, I’ve been able to hone my packing skills for last-minute weekend trips, backpacking in the Indian desert on a camel safari – and learnt to be ready at a moment’s notice to dash for trains in the process.
What’s the plan now?! As I’m enjoying the mild Bermuda weather, I’m actively searching for jobs in Canada in the international education field – working with international and/or exchange students. It has been great networking with contacts both in Bermuda and Canada, while keeping my skills sharp through volunteering and getting involved in different organizations and events.
And surprise, surprise… my family and I will be travelling over the Christmas holidays to visit family and wander around Europe a bit. So far, our plans include stops in London, Rome, Cape Town, Johannesburg, Amsterdam and Paris – all in the space in 3 weeks. Sound interesting? Stay tuned for more!
Are you looking for a new job? Are you a keen cook? Do you enjoy a decent meal? Well I have found another dream travel job for you.
Yes these travel gigs are starting to look better and better with each new exciting job offer. Last week it was diving in Bali.
This week? This week the job of the hour is eating your way across Asia. No, I’m not kidding.
The Pei Wei Asian Diner has launched an international search for someone who will travel with their Executive Chef Eric Justice across Thailand, Vietnam, Korea, China and Japan and blog about it.
In two weeks you will cover five countries, eat more noodles than you ever thought possible and help find inspiration for the Pei Wei Asian Diner’s menu.
For this “work” you will receive a $10,000 stipend.
Wanna sign-up? What do you need? According to the Diner’s website you need: A talent for writing, a boundless appetite and willingness to experiment with the unknown, an eye for the unforgettable image and the ability to capture it, comfort both on-camera and behind the lens, a spontaneous spirit but a grounded work ethic, and a passion for Asian cuisine.
Sweet. But it’s not just a writing campaign. As the blogger you will also be required to take photos and video. The entry process, as you can imagine, is no easy task.
To enter you must upload a photo, bio, and sample blog post, but can also add four additional posts, five more photos, and one YouTube link. Entries will be accepted between now and December 20, 2010, and the winner will be announced during the week of January 17.
The trip will take place in late February 2011 so what are you waiting for? Food? Well why not go to the best places possible to try it! Check out the application.
That’s your Friday inspiration. Now bring-on the weekend!
