There’s nothing like stretching out on a Sunday with a stack of reading material. The local paper, or perhaps the joy of the home delivered Sunday New York Times, a good mystery, or an electronic reading device full of articles from the week.

I’ve chosen some of my favorites travel reads from around the web and hope you enjoy them as much as I do. Happy Sunday reading!

Do we really need to travel?

The act of travel is generally seen as overwhelmingly positive. Travel broadens the mind. It exposes us to different cultures. It teaches tolerance. To quote one of the most over-used travel clichés, “the world is an open book and those who do not travel read only one page.”

But are we too quick to accept the supposed virtues of travel? And what constitutes travel in any case? Are the valuable lessons we attribute to the act of  travel accessible only to those who go to another corner of the world and have to get by in a place where the language is foreign, the food is alien and the culture is wildly unfamiliar?

Click here to view full article Do we really need to travel?

Would you care to hold that plane?

Holding a plane for a passenger is an iconic customer service gesture.

In a different era of commercial aviation, before on-time arrivals became so important that aircraft doors closed 15 minutes before departure, planes were almost routinely kept at the gate for passengers who were trying to make a connection or who were just late.

Click here to view full article Would you care to hold that plane?

Strawberries + Homemade Limoncello = Summer Bliss

Fresh picked strawberries from the garden with homemade limoncello – a simple dessert that is sheer summer bliss!  This delicious dessert, perfect for a hot night, may have only two ingredients but if you want to make it from scratch you are going to need about 2 weeks.  You can always cheat and buy a fancy bottle of limoncello or limoncino but if you have a little patience you will be great rewarded!

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In Uganda, The Lion Sleeps Tonight

I’d always felt that the wildlife of Africa got far more attention in travel publications than the people of Africa. For this reason, I eschewed going to Africa. But I’d never been on a safari and felt like it was time I see what it’s all about, to do some wild animal gawking that wasn’t in a zoo. For the most part, I was enjoying myself. I saw mountain gorillas and chimps and everything else such a safari has to offer – everything except a lion.

Click here to view full article In Uganda, The Lion Sleeps Tonight

Vegas Restaurant Will Suspend Diners 180 Feet In Air

In a city like Las Vegas, dreaming up new gimmicks to attract visitors is no easy task. Adrenaline-seekers can already bungee jump off the Stratosphere or drive a racecar around the Las Vegas Motor Speedway, but soon a new thrill will come to town: the ability to eat dinner at a table suspended in the air.

Click here to view full article Vegas Restaurant Will Suspend Diners 180 Feet In Air

Family Friendly Things to Do in Pittsburgh

Did you know…Pittsburgh has more bridges than Venice, Italy? Spend some time in the City of Bridges and you will see how this city earned its nickname…bridges here, bridges there, bridges everywhere. In the evening the downtown bridges are lit-up, stealing the attention of the high-rise buildings. But, parents, once you realize the bridges will only hold the children’s attention for so long you will be relieved to find that there are plenty of family friendly things to do in Pittsburgh.

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Summer travel advice? Try being nice

Are you still forgetting to pack your manners when you travel? If you are, then please meet Grace, a flight attendant who recently turned to me for some career advice.

She’s had it up to here with her job, and she wants to know what to do next.

“I’m very aware that I’m in a service position,” she told me. “I am polite, not surly or rude.” But passengers rarely return the favor.

Click here to view full article Summer travel advice? Try being nice

Traditional Balsamic Vinegar, 150 Years of Passion

In Emilia Romagna, it’s all about the people. The food that they make and eat and taste all history to it. Every place we visited had a story and every person we met had large personalities. The people of this region are people you’ll never forget. And that is what it was like when we met the folks at family owned and operated Acetaia Pedroni in Rubbiara near the ancient town of Modena. This Balsamic producer  is one of the oldest in the province, dating back to 1862. It has been operating for 150 years of uninterrupted service by the same family passed down through generations. And they are very proud of that distinction.

Click here to view full article Traditional Balsamic Vinegar, 150 Years of Passion

Postagram — Send a Postcard Direct from your Smartphone

It’s easy to forget in our hyper-connected world that some people we care about just aren’t online. They don’t see our Facebook statuses, Twitter messages or read our blogs. A physical postcard can mean the world to then.

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10 companies in the tourism industry doing great things on Instagram

Many tourism companies have already jumped on the Instagram bandwagon and have been busy building communities and sharing visual experiences with their audience. Here’s our roundup of 10 companies who are doing greats things and can serve as examples.

Click here to view full article 10 companies in the tourism industry doing great things on Instagram

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A week in Toronto for TBEX, followed by a couple of days to rest up and do some sightseeing and tasting. More posts to come on my stay, so a postcard will have to do for today.

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May was a fairly typical travel month for me. Nothing major, just routine travel.

Let’s take a look:

• HNL/SEA – Returning home from Travel Weekly’s Hawaii Leadership Forum at the Royal Hawaiian Resort – 2,680 miles
• SEA/OAK/LIH/SEA/SAN/SEA – 7,939 miles
• SEA/SJC/OGG/OAK/SEA/ORD/SEA – 9,513 miles
• SEA/KOA/SJC/SEA/SFO/SEA – 7,134 miles
• SEA/ORD/YYZ – 2,154

Total miles flown in May:  26,740

Total hotel nights in May:  13

Year-to-Date

• Miles flown 2013:  115,961
• Hotel nights 2013:  57

Photo credit: personal collection

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A year in the planning, months in the stressing, and now it’s happening – I’m boarding a plane in the wees hours of today to head to Toronto and TBEX 13.

I’ve been to Toronto before. For an arbitrators’ conference a over 15 years ago – although I did get to enjoy a side trip to Niagara Fall, the wine road, and a baseball game at what was then the Skydome – and last year for a site visit in preparation for TBEX. Those were two different experiences, a bit of a whirlwind look at the city, and while this trip looks like a whirlwind one as well, I’m hoping to see a little bit more of the city.

Although I’ll get into Toronto a few days before things kick off with TBEX, most of that time will be spent working and getting things ready for the nearly 1,200 travel bloggers and industry representatives that will be attending. There are gift bags to stuff, registration to help get ready, rooms and other operations to assist with, and many deep breaths to take before everyone starts arriving.

I hope to grab some good food and drink, maybe spend an evening in the Distillery District, and wander a neighborhood or two before festivities begin. Evenings will be spent at a reception at the Fours Seasons Toronto’s new presidential suite, an evening at  Roy Thomson Hall in the Entertainment District for the TBEX opening party, a fery ride for a party at Shopsy’s on Centre Island, and a whole lot more.

One of the things I’m really looking forward to, is some relaxation and personal time when it’s all over. Monday I’ll have the entire day free, although don’t be surprised if I sleep in and have a leisurely breakfast, but I’m looking for suggestions as things to do. Perhaps an afternoon of art at one of the museums, a walk in the park or exploring some neighborhoods if the weather is nice, maybe a quick trip out to Niagara Falls with a stop for some wine tasting along the way? So many choices, but so little time.

On Tuesday, I have a busy day planned for me by one of my favorite food bloggers, Andrew of Dobbernation Loves. Andrew has planned a day of food touring for me. A stop here for brunch, there for an afternoon nosh, and somewhere else for some time on the patio. You can bet there will be plenty of tastings – food and beverage – giving me lots to talk about and write about. Be sure to follow me on Twitter and Facebook for photos and the play by play throughout the day.

Have you been to Toronto? What’s your favorite thing to do there?

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I rolled into Antwerp by train, like many visitors to the city, arriving at the city’s ornate Central Station. I’d heard that the station was impressive, it makes the most beautiful list often enough, and the stone, iron, and glass architecture didn’t disappoint. I’ll let the architectural community argue over the appropriate style of the station, and I’ll just appreciate the dome and the turrets, the marble and the glass, and the gold.

The Central Station was completed in 1905, and although it has been refurbished and expanded a couple different time, the station’s opulence has not been diminished. Today the station has four levels and 14 tracks that connect Antwerp with the rest of the country and the rest of Europe. Does it look somehow familiar? Perhaps you’ve seen the Sound of Music flash mob video

If you find yourself with time to kill, there’s plenty to keep you occupied besides marveling at the architecture – you’ll find over 30 diamond and gold shops at the station. If that doesn’t provide you enough to choose from, just wander into the diamond district, adjacent to the station. Although the Antwerp diamond trade has had its share of bad press lately, nearly 85% of the world’s rough diamond business still passes through here. Most diamond businesses are closed on Saturday and Jewish holidays; window shopping will definitely be easier on your budget.

With tastes more budget inclined, you can pop next door to the Antwerp Zoo. Established in nearly 170 years ago, the Antwerp Zoo is one of the oldest in the world. Admission will set you back about $30, depending on the exchange rate, but it’s a cheaper afternoon than shopping for gold or diamonds.

There was snow on the ground, although in was heading into the middle of March, and although the blue skies did little to stave off the bitter cold, it did make everything just a little bit prettier.

As the story goes, and you can choose to believe it or not, Antwerp got its name from a giant who charged a toll to anyone who wanted to cross the Scheldt River. You dared not refuse to pay the toll as the penalty was to have one of your hands cut off and thrown into the river. There would have been a lot of one handed people were in not for our hero – who cut off the giant’s hand and threw it into the river. The name evolved from the Dutch word for hand, “werpen” and the Old English word for “throw.”

If you don’t like that story’s version, there are plenty of others, but the bags of chocolate hands available in the local Antwerp chocolate shops help me decide which story I want to believe.

If you don’t like the giant and the hand story,there’s another giant story that may capture your heart and imagination.

It may look like just another romantic castle, but Het Steen is a medieval stone fortress built along the Scheldt River by the Vikings during the Middle Ages. The fortress is the oldest building in Antwerp, and has served time as a prison, a church, museum, and a war memorial.

Now, as for the giant reference. At the entrance bridge to the Het Steen is a statue of a giant and two humans. The giant represents one who used to terrorize the city dwellers during medieval times. Antwerp has serious giant envy.

Take a roll around the Antwerp by bicycle, located at rental racks around the city. Reasonably priced, reasonably located, and the most convenient way to get around this medieval city.

Pedaling into the city’s town square, you’ll find rows of guild houses lining Grote Markt. Guilds were associations of tradesmen, sort of a cross between a modern day union and a fraternity, and guild houses and guild halls were their meeting places.

The city’s original guild house were destroyed by fire, the presents ones having been built in an elaborate Flemish renaissance style. Take a close look at the roofs of the guild house – you’ll see a variety of statuary depiction on the top.

The Antwerp City Hall is located along Grote Market, and is an impressive example of Flemish and Italian inspired Renaissance architecture. When it was built in the mid-1500s, the ground floor of the building was occupied by small shops whose rent payments helped to pay for the construction of the building.

In the center of the town square is a fountain with a statue of Brabo – the hero who fought off that toll-demanding giant – depicting our hero throwing the giant’s hand into the river. While it’s easy to chalk up the statue to the legend, there’s also a not-so-subtle political message to the statue – a reference to Dutch politics of impeding free access to the Scheldt River.

The interior of Antwerp’s City Hall is filled with art, most of which dates to the 19th century. Official and ceremonial offices are located in the building.

The Gothic-styled Cathedral of Our Lady, a Roman Catholic cathedral, was completed in 1518. It is on the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

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The ornately decorated interior of the Cathedral has four works by Baroque painter Rubens. The Cathedral is open to visitors for a fee (approximately $6.50) and is also open for traditional worship services. It’s worth the time to explore the various artistic styles, take in the Rubens, and take a moment to take in the religious significance of the location.

The main sanctuary, as well as the smaller worship areas surrounding the main worship area, are full of art, some impressive and significant, other more local and traditionally focused.

After a busy day of touring Antwerp, stop off at one of the many chocolate shops in the city for a tasty treat – or enjoy a refreshing beverage at one of the local bars. While many of the local beers were unfamiliar to me, I did recognize this Stella Artois sign. The Belgian Stella can be found in the U.S.

I may have rolled into Antwerp, but I sailed out in style – onboard the River Splendor, one of two new ships launched by Vantage Deluxe World Travel. The inaugural sailing of the River Splendor included the christening of the ship, a stop in Bruges, and ending up in Amsterdam. Be sure to check back for upcoming features on the ship itself, as well as my time in Bruges and Amsterdam.

NOTE:  My time spent in Antwerp was as a guest of Vantage Deluxe World Travel for the inaugural sailing of the River Splendor. Most, but not all, of my expenses were covered by Vantage. As always, the opinions expressed in this post are my own. You may refer to my disclosure policy for further details about my policies regarding accepting sponsored travel.

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I’ve lived in the greater Seattle area most all of my life, and during that time I’ve seen a lot of changes in the downtown skyline. No matter which direction you’re looking, there’s always something to catch your eye.

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Last week I joined the This Week in Travel team of Chris Christensen, Gary Arndt, and Jen Leo to talk about all things travel – and, of course, TBEX (Travel Blog Exchange) coming up June 1-2 in Toronto, Canada.

Take a look.

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April’s travel plans were sidelined a bit by a nasty little allergy attack. I’m a chronic allergy sufferer, and although I usually manage to keep my sinuses clear and my ears unblocked, I know better than to fly when I can’t do it. Pain or a blown eardrum just aren’t worth it.

So here’s where I did go this month:

• SEA/SAN/BOS/SAN/SEA – 7,183 miles
• SEA/ORD/SEA – 3,436 miles
• SEA/HNL – 2,680 miles (Headed off to Honolulu to speak at Travel Weekly’s Hawaii Leadership Forum at the Royal Hawaiian Resort)

Total miles flown in April:  13,299

Total hotel nights in April:  5

Year-to-Date

• Miles flown 2013:  89,221
• Hotel nights 2013:  44

Photo credit:  personal collection

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(l to r) Bhama Roget, Richard Nguyen Sloniker, Angela DiMarco, and Cheyenne Casebier in Boeing Boeing, 2013. Photo: Andry Laurence.

Fasten your seatbelt, sit back and relax, and enjoy your trip back to the glory days of flying with Seattle Repertory Theater’s production of the French farce, Boeing Boeing. This last production of the season has been around the block a time or two, it was originally staged in 1962, but in a city known for its relationship with the aerospace industry, Seattle-ites embraced the retro, overlooked the camp, and enjoyed a laugh at the silliness – and it is silliness – that played out on the stage.

The plot line is agonizingly simple.

Bernard (played by Richard Nguyen Sloniker) is a suave man about town, the town being Paris, with a penchant for engagements to stewardesses. Three stewardesses. All flying international schedules, who somehow manage to never be in Paris at the same time. There’s Gloria (played by Bhama Roget), his fiancee from the Unites States, and Gabriella (played Angela DiMarco), his fiancee from Italy, and Gretchen (played by Cheyenne Casebier), his fiancee from Germany. One might be forgiven for getting them and their schedules all confused, but Bernard keeps everything straight with the help of a master listing of flight schedules. Which he needs so he knows when to switch out photos to the right loved one.

Life goes along swimmingly for Bernard, wining and dining three attractive, sexy women, until Boeing ups it game in the aerospace world and develops faster planes. This means, somehow, that all the stewardesses have more time to be in Paris with Bernard and, to Bernard’s distress, his carefully laid plans go awry.

(l-r) Anne Allgood and Mark Bedard in Boeing Boeing, 2013. Photo: Chris Bennion.

On hand to witness the mayhem and the maneuvering required when three women are in the same place at the same time, is Bernard’s long time pal Robert, nimbly played by Mark Bedard in a fine turn of physical comedy. And helping Bernard try to keep everything straight, despite it falling apart all around him, is his long time housekeeper Berthe, played by Anne Allgood in one scene stealing moment after another. These two

There are no complicated back stories, no subtle political message, no ridiculous red herrings balling up the eventual boy-gets-the-right-girl ending. It’s silliness through and through, and if the production can manage not to take itself too seriously, so can you. This fond look back at an era that can only be resurrected on stage provides an evening of silly laughs and “if only” kinds of comments. Not a bad way to spend an evening at all.

Boeing Boeing was written by Marc Camoletti, and translated from French by Beverley Cross and Francis Evans. It was directed by Allison Narver.

Location:  Seattle Repertory Theater, 155 Mercer Street, Seattle Center Campus

Run Dates:  April 19th – May 19th, 2013

Tickets:  Start at about $25

Photo credits:  Courtesy of Seattle Rep

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While I was at ITB Berlin last month, I sat down for an interview with Gary Bembridge of the Travel Bloggers Podcast. Along with me, was Rick Calvert, CEO of TBEX and the CEO and co-founder of New Media Expo.

Set in the midst of the world’s largest travel trade show, it was a busy and noisy time, but I always welcome the opportunity to talk about TBEX, to talk about travel blogging and its future, and to talk about travel.

Take a listen.

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