SEE: If you walk around Central Park West, you can see some of the landmark buildings of the Upper West Side, constructed in typical heavy nineteenth-century architecture. The Dakota Building, site of John Lennon’s shooting, is on 72nd St. Visit the American Museum of Natural History on 79th St and Central Park West for an exciting look into science, including enormous dinosaur skeleton reconstructions, and the adjacent Rose Center for Earth and Space is one of the world’s best planetariums. St. John the Divine, on 112th Street and Amsterdam Avenue, is one of the largest Neo-Gothic cathedrals in the world: a beautiful and imposing structure. Be sure to eat across the street at the famous Hungarian Pastry Shop.

EAT: The Upper West Side is full of fantastic eateries. In addition to the aforementioned Hungarian Pastry Shops, which sells delicious desserts in an artsy, funky, off-beat setting, you can also eat at Gennaro, on 665 Amsterdam Avenue, a fantastic Italian restaurant with to-die-for risotto.Trattoria dell’Arte, on 57th and 7th, also serves up some of the best antipasti in the city in an interior fillde with – get this – sculpted body parts.  Or check out L’Ouest, at 2315 Broadway, for great French food.

DO: Catch a show at one of the cinemas in or around Lincoln Center. Lincoln Square has the big blockbusters,but is worth checking out for its “themed” theatres, which are named and decorated, rather than just numbered. Lincoln Plaza and the Walter Reade are both great for art-house and foreign cinema. But opera, ballet, classical music and theatre are what you came here before – if you can get tickets, go!

By Tara Isabella Burton

We arrived at the terrific 600-foot drop of Dunn’s River Falls and were led down to the bottom by our guide. Donning bathing attire and special water shoes, we stood on the beach and stared at the daunting ascent. We began the climb holding hands in a chain, which wasn’t easy, and at times the chain broke as we used our hands to scramble up huge boulders against the rushing waters. As we struggled, at times waist deep in water, we broke into peals of laughter – whether of hysteria or merriment I cannot now be sure, but the experience was great.

More sensible souls walked up the path at the side of the falls, pausing at the viewing platforms to watch others struggle up the waterfall and taking photographs. Kids loved it, but the drenching was not for everyone! It is certainly a challenging climb in places and took an hour do the whole ascent, although there were opt-out points. Once the top was scaled we had an enormous feeling of achievement as we dripped off to get changed. A happy half-hour was spent recovering as we browsed the local craft market, buying some delicious smelling Blue Mountain coffee beans to take home as a memento of this crazy day.

Definitely a beautiful location and a memorable experience, but next time I will stick to the footpath and be the one taking the photographs!

By Gillian Birch

Start in Ushuaia, Argentina where the 120-passenger M/S Expedition sails to the Falkland Islands, known for its cavoriting penguins.  From there, you get to spend five days on South Georgia—home to Shackleton’s grave—before continuing on to Antarctic. Gap’s team sails its Zodiak through the frigid waters where travelers may catch glimpses of Humpback and Minke whales along with Crabeater seals and Chinstrap penguins.

And if you decide to book by October 25th (and you have this promo code: GV241), you can get rates starting at $10,394 for triple occupancy. Granted, it’s only good for the October 31st departure, but it saves about $5,138 per person. And how many times do you get to go to the Antarctic?

By Anna Philpot

I was thinking about going on another cruise this winter. But then I started to think about it being in the middle of flu season. Making me rethink my plans. If it was just me, I’d still go in a heart beat. But I have family to consider when I plan some but not all of my trips. Last year there only a handful of flu cases by mid-October. This year, we already have thousands. Although 40,000 people die in a normal flu season, this one is the first bug in decades that has the same flu strand going around the world. It is unusual. The media glare is harsh. The numbers will be blown up, inflamed and sent up like a balloon without a boy. A thousand deaths from something with a name is more threatening than many thousands that fall under the same old yearly statistic. We need catchy names. We need dates. We need slogans. We need enemies to get excited.

Car accidents? eh. Drunk drivers? eh. Heart disease? eh. Cancer? eh. Boring. No one pays attention.

Bird flu!  Swine flu!  Death panels! Much better. Maybe just attach a animal or brand name to it.

Transformers crash! Camel drivers! Valentines disease! Crocodile bug!

This particular flu is different in that it targets younger people more so than older people. The said reason is that people who were born around 1950 and before may have antibodies from a previous swine flu outbreak. Because it’s been so long, younger people haven’t been exposed to it or developed any defense.

The flu by itself is not killing people. In most cases that have been publicized, something comes in behind the flu after it has weakened the immune system. So it is a contributing a factor but it’s not a single fatal gun shot.

Should I Get The Flu Vaccine Before Traveling?

I’m getting asked this quite a bit by email and comments on other posts so I thought I’d stick my neck out and give my take here. I also add my own twisted look at the stats and sheets put out by the US government below.

I personally don’t care for vaccines. What seems great now so often turns out to be a bad thing later. We decided that putting Mercury in our teeth was not such a good idea. Why do we still need it in our vaccines? They put things in vaccines so they last longer on the shelf and save the producers money, not necessarily just what is good for people.

I’m not going out and getting a vaccine before traveling. But I will choose where I go and who I am spending time with inside a ten foot radius. Ten feet is said to be the airborne range of this flu. This does mean that most forms of public transportation, workplaces and education facilities put you at an increased risk. If you have other health problems, you have an increased risk. But then you also risk getting the side effect symptoms of the shot and should keep that in mind.

What do I do as I travel often?

I try to get good sleep. I try to eat organic and minimize my pesticide intake. I try not to eat much junk food, otherwise known as the majority of the things in a normal American grocery store. Other countries don’t have nearly as much dangerous food on the shelves so many of you are okay. I mix up and drink Emergen-C every day. I take extra zinc every day. I use hand sanitizer after touching public surfaces. I wash my hands often but I use my very own towel. Sharing a towel with anyone else, even in your family, after washing your hands no longer makes sense to me. Germs love moisture and they live on a damp towel longer.

Enough of this junk, what about the vaccine!?

Here is what the FDA says about the approved H5N1 bird flu vaccine (pdf). There is some controversy right now on how much this was modified for the version that just came out. It is up to you how much you trust everything agencies and for-profit companies (yes there is huge money in the flu and vaccines) tell you.

Influenza Virus Vaccine, H5N1, is a clear and slightly opalescent suspension formulated to contain 90 μg hemagglutinin (HA) per 1.0 mL dose of the influenza virus strain A/Vietnam/1203/2004 (H5N1, clade 1). Porcine gelatin (500 μg/dose) is added as a stabilizer. Thimerosal, a mercury derivative, is added as a preservative. (Some people believe this has increased rates of autism. Some people don’t believe it.) Each 1.0 mL dose is formulated to contain not more than 98.2 μg thimerosal (approximately 50 μg mercury/dose). Each dose may also contain residual amounts of formaldehyde (not more than 200 μg), Polyethylene Glycol p-Isooctylphenyl Ether (not more than 0.05%), and sucrose (not more than 2.0%).

Thermosal Q & A

Pigskins are in it

Acid pretreatment is invariably used for porcine gelatin. Pigskins are first dehaired, usually by a combination of steam, rubber paddles, and flame. The pigskins may then be degreased by various methods, such as centrifuged in a rotating drum heated with steam to temperatures between 60° and 65° C. or approximately 150°-160°F.

Nonoxynol-9 is in it

This is an agent used in cleaning products, cosmetics and contraceptives. nonoxynol-9 has been shown to increase the risk of HPV cancer infection.

This is all from the CDC and FDA. (Can be fact checked here)

Signs of 2009 H1N1 can include (may last several days to a week):

• Fatigue
• Fever
• Sore Throat
• Muscle Aches
• Chills
• Coughing
• Sneezing
• Some people also have diarrhea and vomiting.

Reported reactions to the vaccine (may last a couple to several days):

• runny nose, nasal congestion or cough
• fever
• headache and muscle aches
• wheezing
• abdominal pain or occasional vomiting or diarrhea
• sore throat
• chills
• tiredness/weakness
• headache

Any similarities in these lists? I put them in purple to make the matches easier to spot. If you get the vaccine, you get the added bonuses of mercury, formeldahyde, pig skin and Nonoxynol-9. No wonder funeral home directors order a fraction of the chemicals they used to order in the 1960s. We are preserving ourselves. Maybe they can create a flu shot that clears up the wrinkles on the face at the same time. Call it flutox. Our children can have asthma, autism and Alzheimers but they’ll look great.

The media talks about flu shots, shortages, where to get them, etc but rarely do I see any in depth information about who and who should not get a shot. Instead we have CDC sheets like this that most people will never see. The shot is okay for some people but the nasal version of the same vaccine is NOT okay? Look at the following CDC sheet data.

Groups recommended to receive 2009 H1N1 shot vaccine FIRST:

• Pregnant women
• People who live with or care for infants younger than 6 months of age
• Health care and emergency medical personnel
• Anyone from 6 months through 24 years of age
• Anyone from 25 through 64 years of age with certain chronic medical conditions or a weakened immune system
• As more vaccine becomes available, these groups should also be vaccinated:
• Healthy 25 through 64 year olds
• Adults 65 years and older

2009 H1N1 LAIV should NOT be given to the following groups:

• children younger than 2 and adults 50 years and older
• pregnant women
• anyone with a weakened immune system
• anyone with a long-term health problem such as
  - heart disease – kidney or liver disease
  - lung disease – metabolic disease such as diabetes
  - asthma – anemia and other blood disorders (huge percentage of people are on this list?)
• children younger than 5 years with asthma or one or more episodes of wheezing during the past year
• anyone with certain muscle or nerve disorders (such as cerebral palsy) that can lead to breathing or swallowing problems
• anyone in close contact with a person with a severely weakened immune system (requiring care in a protected environment, such as a bone marrow transplant unit) (health care personnel?)
• children or adolescents on long-term aspirin treatment.

With a Little Cynicism Sprinkled Over the Top

Okay, you can tell I’m not a huge fan of vaccines. Maybe I’m wrong. Maybe I’m right. I’ve never had a flu shot and I’ve never had the flu. So many of today’s health issues have come to the forefront after we’ve messed with vaccines, our water and our food. As long as the shadow of soulless stock market profit is involved with our vitals of survival, there is no easy solution.

By Adam Longfellow

However if you’d like to combine your relaxation with a bit of activity and exploration, here’s a quick guide of what there is to see and do on the island:

A fun way to get around if you’re the independent type is to hire scooters.  You can find these from operators in Stonetown and will need to have a map or at least a good idea of what you want to see so that you can navigate your way around.  From Stonetown you can head out to the slave caves which stand as a monument to this tragic part of Zanzibar’s history.  Just south of Stonetown is the Josini Forest – the last remaining area of indigenous forest on the island.  Here you can view the rare Red Colobus monkeys and variety of birds. Along the coast are numerous villages with roadside stalls and street markets. Here you can find a variety of spices at good prices.

Zanzibar offers some excellent souvenir options, from quirky modern to more traditional items, its great fun to browse the markets and shops. I simply love the brightly colored Kikoi’s which are traditional beach wraps or sarongs. You can find hand painted and dyed ones with a wide variety of designs and colors.  In Stonetown there are several shops that have quirky t-shirt designs.  The t-shirts are of a good quality and if you purchase more than one you can generally pick up a good deal. Spices such as cinnamon, cloves, and curry can be found in the markets. Carved handcrafts and traditional paintings are also widely popular as souvenirs. Bargaining is common in the markets and road side stalls but is sometimes frowned upon in the shops.

If you’d like to learn more about the islands history and culture then it really is best to go on an organized tour. The local tour guides are both knowledgeable and entertaining. Recommended is a historic tour of Stonetown which takes in ancient buildings and monuments as well as the slave trade sites. Another interesting tour option is the spice tour which provides and insight into the local customs, traditions and agriculture.

Perhaps one of the most fascinating tours is the dolphin excursion. Travelling out by boat to the south of the island you get into the water with your snorkeling gear and are soon visited by some curious dolphins. The dolphins are often in the area and daily sightings are common. It’s quite an amazing experience!

Details of the tours and operators can be obtained from your hotel reception or by making enquiries at one of the local travel agents in Stonetown.

By Cherelle

How can you be isolated in a city with millions of people? On trips to New York many years ago, I noticed how people seemed to be in their own little world. People looked down or straight ahead while sailing the sidewalks and dodging the taxis. You didn’t see many smiles or laughter if at all. Everyone was rushing somewhere but no one knows where. Everyone just has to get across the street quickly. Everyone had to be ahead of you wherever that may be.

Photo by Adam Longfellow - From Hotel Gansevoort in New York City

Are things any different today?

Worse. Now everyone has mp3 players and cell phones. People have another barrier to being part of the society of millions of people that they pay so much to live amongst. We are more connected as we lose touch with humanity. We can take all of our Facebook friends with us as we walk down 8th Avenue. We can hang in a club line and read a Tweet about what the line is like thirty blocks north or three thousand miles west.

Photo by Adam Longfellow - Overlooking the Meatpacking District

Isolation in the Darkness of New York

I looked out a tenth story window of the Hotel Gansevoort the other night and watched the glow of tiny glowing lights moving across the sidewalks. I was reminded of the fireflies I used to watch at night once upon a time in my childhood. The Detroit Tigers softly playing to the symphony of radio announcer Ernie Harwells voice, just over the sounds of summer crickets and frogs. Children of Manhattan, living above the ground, finally have their own version of fireflies. The background symphony that I recall is instead now composed with traffic, horns, and sirens.

I watched as four shadows glided across an intersection from different directions. Arms extended and hugs were shared. The four shadows became one for a couple of warm seconds. I imagined the smiles and some laughter that I had missed on the faces of the tens of thousands of people that I wandered amongst that day. The larger shadow broke into four again and each turned on their small night lights that protect them from interaction. Four people came together and then went separate ways while they stayed on the same street corner. They chose to meet each other here and share the same puffs of car exhaust but spend emotional time elsewhere. They could poke a friend in person but instead they are poking someone far away. Perhaps they are now even texting the person who was with them earlier when they got the message to meet these people right here right now.

Somehow fireflies seemed to be having more fun being social.

By Adam Longfellow

Is this a sign of the times?

People want to buy the same junk wherever they go. They don’t want to try to independent place that may have the best BBQ or burger that they will ever have in their life. Instead they miss out. What if they don’t like it? There is a risk in trying new places but in reality, the risk is even greater in always going to the big cookie cutter chains. They go to the chain where the staff is paid lower wages and the money is sent out of the local economy to a big corporation that pays lower taxes. Less jobs, less money, less local healthy food and less of a reason for someone to stop in their town. It is a downward spiral for small towns and rural America.

What do you think? Do you try local places when you travel?

A narrow track that leads into the Sangre de Cristos, Canyon Road’s history is diverse and humble.  Originally a footpath used by Native Americans, burros later took over the dirt road carrying loads of split pinon back into town for the rich Spanish settlers.  By 1915, the once-sleepy rural neighborhood was home to a few professional artists.  Now, Santa Fe is the second-largest art market in the nation with visitors traversing the lane to stare, open-mouthed, at some of incredible artwork.

In some of Upper Canyon Road’s galleries, I saw brush strokes so precise that I could make out depth in each blade of grass.  The only option after such awe-inspiring mental stimulation was to eat myself into a stupor. And because this is Santa Fe, art can also be of the culinary kind: The Compound, El Farol and Geronimo are all situated between modest adobes that house fifty-thousand-dollar canvases. We’d made reservations at Geronimo, a Canyon Road institution. Our waiter explained that the menu changes daily – no additional specials – and the small wine list offered some nice boutique wines.  My husband greatly enjoyed his first course of smoked shrimp soup while I was enamored with my elk tenderloin.   I have to admit the food was slow – two large parties in the back rooms kept the kitchen busy for over an hour. To compensate, the restaurant brought out free desserts – a nice touch.  The waiter was knowledgeable about the wine list, but I was less than impressed with my Washington Cabernet Sauvignon.  However, my husband’s Pinot Noir was so well structured; I wished I’d ordered it instead.

With the bounty of food and art choices, I highly recommend a Friday evening tour of the short track.  There’s another intriguing new element to explore each time we go.

By Anna Philpot

Sam picked me up in a hired, air-conditioned car and we headed off into the jungle. In the morning sunshine, the mahouts bring their working elephants down to the shady waters to bathe and enjoy some R&R. We watched as the cumbersome giants waded into the shallow river, ponderously knelt down then rolled onto the stony riverbed. I could almost hear them sigh with pleasure. I took my coconut shell halves and approached with caution. Scooping up the river water I began to massage and scrub the elephant’s hide, gradually working across the huge wrinkled expanse. It was so quiet and therapeutic, and not just for the elephant! After a time the elephant began to rise and the mahout beckoned for me to climb on the elephant’s back. Hanging onto the rope, I clambered up as the elephant rose to stand. Everyone but me could guess what came next. The elephant began to hose up the clear river water and spray it over his back – and me! Time and again I was soaked, laughing. Now you know to wear a bathing suit for this trip!

By Gillian Birch

1) INDIAN – Yugaraj – Rue Dauphine
This dark, intimate restaurant on Rue Dauphine is an ideal romantic venue. With an eye-catching carved-wooden facade and an extensive, if also expensive menu, Yugaraj offers aromatic, flavorful Indian dishes in a tranquil setting at odds to the bustle of the 6eme arrondissement. The rice biriyani dishes are particularly good, and be warned, Yugaraj is authentic enough not to skimp on the spice.

2) MOROCCAN – Mansouria – 11 Rue Faidherbe
This Moroccan restaurant between place de la Nation and place de la Bastille is a master of understated charm, with a neo-retro take on traditional African and North African architecture: antique doors and portals, minimalist ornamentation, and space-age architecture. The food, however, is classic: this restaurant serves seven delicious varieties of cous-cous, and the aromatic tagines – savory meat slow-cooked with fragrant spices – are uniformly excellent.

3) JEWISH – Chez Marianne – Rue de Roisiers
On this street in the Marais known for its mainly Ashkenazi Jewish restaurants, this North African eatery on the corner is something of an anomaly. Serving a variety of tiny dishes from falafel to hummus, which can be served separately for a light appetizer or combined to make a satisfying feast, Marianne is adaptable for anything from a midday snack to a banquet. Its outdoor tables make it especially worthwhile in the summer or on warm days.

4) CHINESE – Chez Vong – 10 Rue de la Grande Truanderie
This spacious restaurant in the first arrondissement of Paris is known for its stunning decor – with lanterns, pottery, and bamboo screens everywhere surrounding an enormous green pagoda in the center of the room. The food, too, is splendid, with specialties being the rock lobster with ginger and the lacquered squab.

5) THAI – Blue Elephant – Rue de la Roquette
Sporting seventeen chefs, this Thai restaurant in the 11th arrondissement is one of the most authentic restaurants around. House specialties include the chicken souffle in banana leaves and the coconuts in tamarind sauce, but regardless, anything on the menu here is special, from the sweet and mild, fragrant dishes to the intensely spicy mouth-waterers.

By Tara Isabella Burton