World Hum

What We Loved This Week: ‘Up in the Air,’ Mariachi and ‘Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore’

2009-11-06T22:20:37+00:00

Eva Holland
I loved buying my first car. I’ve been plotting a trans-Canada road trip/relocation, from Ontario up to the Yukon, and now—with my tentative start date just 10 days away—I’ve got the wheels to make it happen.

Video You Must See: From Denver to Singapore in Five Minutes

2009-11-06T18:44:42+00:00

(Via Kottke)

Photo You Must See: Catching Air in Switzerland

2009-11-06T17:07:13+00:00

REUTERS/Denis Balibouse

A snowboarder performs a jump during a halfpipe event at the Snowboard World Cup in Saas Fee, Switzerland.

Photos: 10 All-American Must Sees for All Americans

2009-11-06T16:07:14+00:00

Flyover America's Sophia Dembling shares the sights that will make you swoon

‘Ivory Coast = France = Japan’

2009-11-06T15:02:13+00:00

That equation comes from a James Fallows post in the Atlantic, and he’s talking about language habits.

That is: in France and Japan, the deep-down assumption is that the language is pure and difficult, that foreigners can’t really learn it, and that one’s attitude toward their attempts is either French hauteur or the elaborately over-polite and therefore inevitably patronizing Japanese response to even a word or two in their language. “Nihongo jouzu! Your Japanese is so good!”

Travel Song of the Day: ‘Lodi’ by Creedence Clearwater Revival

2009-11-05T21:32:25+00:00

Paul Theroux Gives Advice to Aspiring Writers

2009-11-05T19:43:36+00:00

"Leave home, travel alone, and stay on the ground"

Travel Movie Watch: ‘Risk’

2009-11-05T16:13:41+00:00

Photo by hellosputnik via Flickr (Creative Commons)

News broke yesterday that a movie version of the classic board game is in the works, with Will Smith as a producer and possible star. Blogger Colin Boyd is excited about the project, but I’m not so sure.

My favorite thing about the game was always the board itself—if you haven’t guessed that I’m a map geek by now, you haven’t been paying attention—but I can’t imagine how a movie would capture that global sweep, the bird’s-eye view of people moving across the continents. I can only hope the producers care enough about that element of the game to try.

Photo You Must See: Yankee in Times Square

2009-11-05T14:51:05+00:00

REUTERS/Lucas Jackson

A New York Yankees fan in Times Square reacts to video of a play during game six of the World Series.

Travel Photography and ‘Writing With Light’

2009-11-05T14:39:46+00:00

On the problem with "trophy travel photos" -- and what to aim for instead

World Travel Watch: Protests in Nepal, Tensions in Nicaragua and More

2009-11-05T12:47:28+00:00

Larry Habegger rounds up global travel news

Photo You Must See: 32 Meters of Mao

2009-11-04T16:34:14+00:00

REUTERS/China Daily

A 32-meter (or 105-foot) statue of a youthful Chairman Mao is under construction in Hunan province, China.