When I was twelve years old I asked my mother to enroll me in after school French lessons. Already at that age I was in love with the idea of exploring the world but knew the best way to do that from small town America was through language. I continued my education in all things French throughout high school and college and even spent a month in Paris living with a family. Still today Paris is my favorite city in the world and I have been there several times, each time falling deeper in love. For as long as I’ve loved all things French and for as many times I’ve been to Paris, I have never been further outside of the city than Versailles. That’s all going to change next week when I finally get to explore France on my own when I travel throughout the Southwest of the country on a great French escape.

The trip is a solo blog trip, sponsored by several tourist boards and cities in France. I’ll be there for a week, during which time I’ll travel from La Rochelle along the coast all the way down to Provence in the south. I’m excited not just to see this gorgeous part of the country for myself, but I’m extremely excited to share it all with you. I suspect that these areas of France are perfect and easy escapes and am looking forward to hearing what you all think.

I’ll be exploring three main regions and several small towns throughout the adventure.

Poitou-Charentes

The adventure starts as I fly into Paris and promptly take the train to La Rochelle, located in the Poitou-Charentes region of France. La Rochelle is an important seaport that has played an key role throughout history, especially during the Medieval era. Today it remains a vital maritime city and the Old Harbor is one of the top sights in town. I’ll be exploring the town on my own as well as by boat, one of my favorite ways to see a new city.

I’m excited because the next day I get to drive from Rochefort to Cognac, stopping at small wine producers along the way. I love trains, but I always love the opportunity to drive and explore new areas on my own. I can’t think of a better place to do this than in the heartland of France. The rest of my time in the region will be spent exploring its important culinary side and I even get to mix my own Cognac.

Midi-Pyrenees

When I leave Angouleme for Cahors I will leave Poitou-Charentes and enter the Midi-Pyrenees region, best known for its capital city Toulouse. While in Cahors though I will delve into the city’s past and explore medieval streets with their secret gardens and fortified bridges.

Toulouse will be a good balance of activities including grandiose mansions, churches and ancient fortifications all teaching me about the history of this mighty city. I may be most excited though by a promised visit to the Victor Hugo marketplace, which is celebrating its 120^th anniversary this year. The covered market is one of the most prestigious in France and the idea of strolling along stalls featuring fresh food and wine makes me salivate at the mere mention. A must stop is apparently the Philippe Four ice cream shop famous for their salt ice creams made with foie gras, truffle and even Roquefort cheese. I’m pretty sure that will deserve a separate post in its own right.

After I leave Toulouse I journey next to nearby Albi, as famous for its ancient past as it is its more recent history. A World Heritage Site, Albi was built around the original cathedral, although people have been living in the area for much longer. It’s also well known as the final stand for the Cathars who were essentially wiped out by the Pope in the 13^th century. On a lighter note, Albi is home to the recently renovated Toulouse-Lautrec Museum. After more than ten years of work, the museum has been completely transformed and is now a cutting edge museum designed specifically to showcase the work of the great artist Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec.

Photo courtesy of CDT13/Aix-En-Provence V.Formica

Provence

The stuff of daydreams and thousands of calendars, Provence is the final leg on my brief tour through France. One of the first songs I learned as a young French pupil was ‘Sur Le Pont d’Avignon’– On the Bridge in Avignon and finally – FINALLY – I will get to see this damned bridge for myself.

In addition to the famed bridge of my youth, I’ll explore the rest of this picturesque town as well as nearby Arles, another key city in the beautiful southern region. The final two stops on my whirlwind trip are Marseilles and Aix-en-Provence.

In Marseilles I will be guided around town in a unique way, not by a professional tour guide but by a local. Sure, I’ll see all the famous sights, but I’ll also learn more about the town through the honest eyes of someone who lives in, and loves, Marseilles. Why don’t more cities do this? Finally, Aix-en-Provence is the perfect spot to finish my tour.

The city was founded by the Romans a century before the birth of Christ, although it wasn’t until much later in the 12th century, when, under the houses of Aragon and Anjou, it became an artistic center and seat of learning. I’ve seen enough beautiful travel photos of the town to know that I love it already. Meeting it is just a formality.

So that’s a brief sketch of my travels through France, discovering what makes it a great place to explore. I will be sharing my adventures as much as possible, as technology allows, through social media and of course this site. Be sure to follow the hashtag #FrenchEscape on Twitter and check back here everyday for new photos of some of the most beautiful areas of France.

Is there anything you want to know about these areas of France or think I should do?

Very special thanks to:

Poitou-Charentes Tourist Board: www.holidays-france-atlantic.com

Midi-Pyrenees Tourist Board – www.tourism-midi-pyrenees.co.uk

Toulouse Tourist Office – www.uk.toulouse-tourisme.com

Lot Tourist Board – www.tourisme-lot.com

Tarn Tourist Board – www.tourisme-tarn.com

Provence-Alpes Côte d’Azur Tourism Board – www.52sunsations.com

Vaucluse Tourism Board – www.provenceguide.com

Arles Tourist Office – www.arlestourisme.com

Aix-en-Provence Tourist Board – www.aixenprovencetourism.com

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Our trip to Iceland was a surprise, probably the best birthday surprise I’ve ever received. But because of that, I wasn’t able to plan and instead my partner was in charge of our schedule. Luckily he did an amazing job putting together a fun and well-rounded schedule including the popular first-time tourist tour of Iceland’s Golden Circle.

In its simplest terms, the Golden Circle is a 300 km loop into central Iceland that includes three primary stops: Þingvellir, the waterfall Gullfoss and the active geyser region. But of course it’s so much more than that. Instead of trying to find the words to piece together the three sites themselves, I decided that the best way to share them is through photography.

Just as interesting as the main sites themselves, the drive across the Icelandic terrain is stunning and dynamic, changing from green valleys dotted with horses to barren lava fields. The first stop is usually at Geysir, home of the geysers. The active geyser field is smoky and smelly, the hallmarks of geothermal activity. The real star of the show is watching one of the geysers erupt every five minutes. It may not be the largest in the world, but its consistency guarantees a show for every visitor.

Gullfoss, or the Golden Falls, are the next stop and rival any waterfall you’ve seen around the world. The massive falls are beautiful any time of year, but in winter there is a special stark elegance to it that’s hard to resist.

The final stop is Þingvellir or Thingvellir, designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site because it marks the spot of the world’s first parliament in 930. The site is so much more than that though, it holds a special cultural spot in the hearts of all Icelanders and has been elevated to more than just a physical site, but one of intense emotional importance.

The Golden Circle tour lasts all day, but it is the perfect way to get out and enjoy the natural beauty of Iceland for yourself.

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Canals Bruges Belgium

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More Americans plan on summer travel
‎MiamiHerald.com

Americans plan to travel in slightly higher numbers this summer, according to surveys, starting with the upcoming Memorial Day weekend.

But many will hold the line on spending for items such as hotel stays and entertainment because of high fuel costs and rising airfares.

An annual survey by the American Automobile Association released Tuesday predicted that 34.8 million Americans will travel by all modes at least 50 miles from home during the holiday weekend, a 1.2 percent increase over last year.

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European travel groups prepare for Greek euro exit‎
BusinessWeek

European travel companies are planning for a possible Greek exit from the eurozone, as the country’s political leaders gave up trying to forge a government Tuesday and announced fresh elections for June.

British travel firm Thomas Cook Group said Tuesday that while Greece remains a “great value” for holidaymakers, the company is working closely with hotels and other suppliers to position itself for a possible euro exit.

“We believe there are positives and negatives for the travel industry in the event that Greece were to leave the Euro,” it said.

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Paramount Pictures plans movie-themed hotels and resorts
‎Boston.com

The production company that brought you the “Mission Impossible” series, “Shrek” trilogy and “Titanic” is getting into the hotel business.

Movie firm Paramount Pictures announced plans to launch a chain of luxury hotels with ‘elements of the California lifestyle’, Paramount Hotels & Resorts boss Thomas Van Vliet told Bloomberg.

Initial talks have up to 50 hotels located in Brazil, the UK, the Caribbean, Russia, Qatar, Oman, South Africa and Indonesia, reports Bloomberg.

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Airline OKs cell phones while flying
‎OCRegister

In a harbinger of a noisier, more confrontational future in the skies, Virgin Atlantic Airways on Tuesday said it has started allowing passengers to use cell phones to talk and text during a transatlantic flight.

“It’s also quite fun to call home and say ‘Guess where I am?’ Not many people would think you’re travelling at 35,000 feet above the Atlantic Ocean,” said Steve Griffiths, chief operating officer at Virgin Atlantic, in a press release announcing the move.

At first the airline said the service is only on a new Airbus 330 that flies between New York and London, which is fitted to handle the calls. But eventually the airline plans to expand the service to 20 flights around the world, using the A330 or some Boeing 747s.

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I love animals and wildlife experiences are amongst my most favorite whenever I travel. Of course I always make sure that the experiences are done in as a sustainable way as possible and more than anything else that the animals aren’t hurt. Besides zoos, another wildlife related activity I’ve been known to engage in is to visit aquariums whenever I travel. I still have great memories of visiting the National Aquarium in Baltimore as a young child and marveling at the giant tanks and the rainforest recreated on an entire floor of the massive institution. But the more I visit these sights, the more I realize how similar they all are to each other. No, not just similar, but almost the same.

The Largest, Bestest in the Whole Entire World!

It seems like every aquarium I’ve ever been to has had some superlative attached to it. The largest tank, the biggest building, the most impressive squid – you name it, they all seem to feel the need to impress with size. You don’t see this in the zoo world; the National Zoo doesn’t advertise by saying it has the world’s largest camel enclosure. (It doesn’t, I made that up)  I don’t understand why size has to play into it at all actually. If an aquarium is well curated with interesting exhibits, I don’t care how big it is. In fact, the larger it is the greater the risk of them screwing something up.

Every aquarium is exactly the same

Yes, that’s right, every aquarium is the same; each and every one features the same general displays. There’s the ‘indigenous’ section where local fish and small mammals are displayed in a sometimes awkward but usually boring fashion. The Georgia swamp exhibit at the Georgia Aquarium was just painful. So while yes, this section changes by the location, its very presence is entirely predictable and you know what, it’s usually not all that interesting.

Then there’s the cute animal section, usually populated by manatees, dugongs, dolphins, river otters or the like. This is when the kids and those with fancy cameras get all excited, even though it in no way differs from any other aquarium in the world. There’s also usually a freaky or scary fish section with piranha, things that light up and a few poisonous things, preferably dart frogs.

To shock and amaze, every aquarium also has one of those water tunnels, under which not really surprised visitors pass in order to see the underbellies of rays or sharks.

Horrible shows

I realize I’m not the demographic towards which these are geared, but they’re there so I’m going to talk about them. When is the last time you went to an aquarium show without someone under the age of ten? Try it and let me know how long you last; I bet it won’t be long. First, there are some ethical concerns about putting on entertainment shows using hyper intelligent dolphins or snappy looking seals, enough of a concern that I refuse to participate. Even if the institution can prove the animals are fine, unless you are the aforementioned toddler you only need to see one in your life. Just make sure to take a lot of photos so that you’ll remember it and you’ll be fine.

Children

And that brings me to the last point. Children, in a far greater ratio than zoos or other similar experiences, heavily populate aquariums. That’s fine, but I think that’s also why I won’t be visiting any more aquariums. I just don’t think I’m their demographic any more. I think that for children the idea of seeing animals, any animal, in action isn’t only a great learning opportunity; it’s a lot of fun for them. They haven’t been jaded by visiting far too many of these watery wonderlands and instead will hold that day in their memories for the rest of their lives, just like I have.

And maybe that’s the real issue here, maybe in reality aquariums really are for kids, for families. Maybe that’s why I’ve grown apart from them, even though I still love exploring new (reputable) zoos. Yes, I do think every aquarium is pretty much the same. They all have a couple of small, unique exhibits that separate them from others around the world, but even those don’t matter. Do you think kids care who has the largest tank or the most impressive whale sharks? Naw, they don’t care. The parents don’t’ care. Most visitors don’t care. Other scientists care though and I’m sure it’s a nice fundraising tool, but in the real world of deciding whether or not to visit an aquarium, such thoughts don’t enter into the equation.

What does enter the mind of prospective patrons is what the experience will do for them and their families. You SHOULD visit an aquarium if you’ve never been to one before. You SHOULD visit an aquarium if you have kids. But, if you’re like me simply looking for new and fun animal experiences, then this is an entirely avoidable stop on your travel itinerary.

So aquariums, while I do love you (I really do) you and I are done, and I think I’m ok with that.

What do you think about aquariums? Do you visit them when you travel?

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Sea Lions Galapagos

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Allegiant Air is rapidly expanding its presence in Hawaii, announcing this morning that it will add five new routes to the state this fall.

To Honolulu International, Allegiant will add nonstop service from four cities. They are Bellingham, Wash.; Eugene, Ore.; Santa Maria, Calif.; and Stockton, Calif. To the Kahului Airport on the island of Maui, Allegiant will add nonstop service to Bellingham, Wash.

All five routes will launch between Nov. 14 and Nov. 18.

Allegiant will offer two flights a week on both Hawaii routes out of Bellingham. The carrier will fly one round-trip flight per week on the other routes.

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Tranz Alpine Tourist train numbers could take years to recover
‎New Zealand Herald

Passenger numbers on the Tranz Alpine tourist train are not expected to fully recover until more hotel rooms become available in post-quake Christchurch.

With most of the major multi-storey hotels in the city either coming down or condemned for demolition, that could be up to two years away.

A week ago, the Tranz Alpine pulled away from the Greymouth Railway Station with just three carriages.

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Underwater Hotel to be Dubai’s Latest Extravagance
BusinessWeek

Skylines are so passé. In an attempt to give travelers better—or at least closer—ocean views, Dubai-based construction company Drydocks World and Swiss consulting, engineering, and brokerage firm BIG InvestConsult will build the Water Discus Hotel, a luxury underwater hotel in Dubai.

Poland’s Deep Ocean Technology designed the hotel, surrounded by a coral reef, to have 21 two-person rooms with huge windows and an underwater diving center. Rooms will be as deep as 10 meters below the surface, and diving training will be offered. The hotel can also rotate. A large disc-shaped structure above the water will have a spa, garden, and upper-terrace swimming pool—presumably for guests at an underwater hotel who don’t actually want to be in the ocean.

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Alaska Airlines Wins Approval for Portland, Ore.-Washington, D.C.
Sacramento Bee

Alaska Airlines will offer a daily nonstop flight between Portland, Ore., and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport by Sept. 8, following U.S. Department of Transportation approval today of the carrier’s application to fly the new route.

“Providing residents of the greater Portland area with convenient nonstop service to the closest airport to our nation’s capital has been a priority for us for a long time and we’re delighted this day has come,” said Brad Tilden, Alaska Air Group’s chief executive officer-elect. “We thank the DOT for their vote of confidence in Alaska Airlines.”

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While there are some similarities with other Southeast Asian countries, Lao cuisine definitely has its own unique qualities. To best share them with you, here are some of my favorite meals we found while exploring Luang Prabang.

Appetizer

Dried Mekong River Weed with Sesame

This local specialty is made from a type of algae found along the nearby Mekong River. The plant is harvested, dried and in Luang Prabang it is served with sesame. It was pretty common to find around town and this particular portion was delivered to us unprompted as an appetizer. River weed is definitely not the type of thing I normally eat, but I had to try to once. It actually didn’t taste that bad, the sesame influenced the taste more than anything. But the more I ate of it, the more chewy it became at which point I’d reached my limit. Still, where else are you going to eat something called river weed?

Main Courses

Night Market Fare

If you can’t decide what to eat for dinner, there’s a virtual buffet available every night in a side street off of the main night market. Here you can choose from a variety of vendors selling snacks, homemade desserts and yes grilled meats. This man may look grumpy, but he was actually very patient with me as I tried to identify the meats and then decide what I wanted to eat. Fish was a popular choice given the city’s proximity to two rivers, but I opted for something simply called “grilled pig.” How can you go wrong with a name like that? There are also vendors that offer an all-you-can-eat Laotian style buffet with a variety of dishes. This was especially popular amongst backpackers given how cheap the meals were.

Sticky Rice

Sticky or glutinous rice is a staple of Laotian cuisine and is found at every meal. The rice is cooked by soaking it for several hours and then steaming in a bamboo pot. The rice is then rolled out with a wooden paddle to release the steam resulting in sticky rice balls. The rice is common with meals, but I also saw it as a popular dessert when added to fruit, especially mango.

Bowl meals

I’m sure there’s probably a better term for this, but most of the traditional meals I ate were served in large bowls. That’s because much of the cuisine in Laos is a combination of meat, noodles, lemongrass, vegetables or fruits and broth. These are all examples of the typical meals you can find in Luang Prabang and while they may look similar, each was a completely different experience. The most common Lao dish is laap, a spicy mixture of marinated meat and/or fish with a variable combination of herbs, greens, and spices. While laap was ok, my favorite dish was a sweet and sour chicken served with rice noodles.

Dessert

Who doesn’t love dessert? Ok, there are probably a few heathens among us, but thanks in great part to the French influence dessert is alive and well in Luang Prabang. Most of what we saw was for tourist consumption, but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t good. The overwhelming favorite item was the shake, made fresh in front of your eyes from any one of a number of street vendors. You can choose from a myriad of fruit combinations, or you can opt for a coffee or even Oreo cookie shake. I had at least one every day in Luang Prabang and it quickly became a favorite treat. A large shake for $1.25 after all is a great deal. The fruit shakes were good but since no ice cream or sugar is added, it doesn’t have the sweet taste one necessarily expects. The Oreo shake though was my personal favorite featuring whole cookies thrown into the blender.

There’s more to Luang Prabang than street vendors though; there are a number of quality restaurants if you know where to look. Fortunately one such restaurant was at our hotel, La Residence Phou Vao, who prepared this sweet treat for me. Featured is a banana and chocolate spring roll with caramel sauce and vanilla ice cream. And yes, it was as good as it looks.

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Ochre Pits Northern Territory

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South Africa Pushes For Sustainable Tourism‎
Bernama

South Africa needs to decide now where it wants to be in 2020 in terms of sustainable tourism, says Tourism Minister Marthinus van Schalkwyk.

Speaking at the opening of the annual Tourism Indaba (gathering) here over the weekend, he said the country’s tourism sector needed to take decisive action in joining the Green economic revolution which was underway in order to avoid being an industry which “raids our natural resources for short-term profit”.

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American Airlines Agrees To Consider Merger Options‎
Huffington Post

American Airlines says it is agreeing with creditors to consider potential mergers while it is still under bankruptcy protection.

American parent AMR Corp. says that the company and its bankruptcy creditors agreed to develop “potential consolidation scenarios,” but that didn’t mean it would pursue a deal with any particular party.

Still, Friday’s announcement suggested that events could be moving faster than AMR had expected since US Airways turned up the pressure for merger talks.

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Family Guy tours take in show’s real-life sights in Rhode Island
‎Daily Mail

Not many tourists head to Rhode Island, in the New England area of the United States, but fans of the comedy show Family Guy could soon be boosting the state’s popularity.

The local tourist board has sponsored a new tour which takes in the sights that appear in the animated cartoon about the dysfunctional American family, the Griffins.

Family Guy may be set in a fictional town called Quahog, but it takes a lot of its influences from real places dotted around the state, where producer Seth MacFarlane attended the Rhode Island School of Design.

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InterContinental Hotels Group Announces Vacation Pay Promotion

U.S. residents planning their fun in the sun between May 14, 2012 and Sept. 3, 2012, will receive a $75 prepaid card when they stay two consecutive weekend (Friday, Saturday or Sunday) nights at any of IHG’s 4,400 hotels worldwide. The promotion is an effort to arm traveling families with some extra cash during their vacations to pay for gas, attractions, or whatever they may need. IHG’s “Vacation Pay” promotion is valid for U.S. residents only and redeemable via rebates for a maximum reward of $300 per traveler.

For more information about “Vacation Pay” and to book accommodations, visit www.ihg.com/get75.

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