|
This month we have a selection of
amazing travel options. When we came up with Historic Places as a theme, I never
dreamt of just how wide the range of offerings from our Tour Hosts is or the
variety of articles we would receive. With over 1,600 Tour Hosts to choose from and a wide
selection of travel writers, I should not have been surprised.
After nearly four years, I am still amazed
at the diversity of trips and the degree of specialization offered by the myriad
of tour companies throughout our world. However, as long as we make a positive
cultural difference for travelers, hosts and the local people they
encounter, I consider our mission a success.
Thank you to all who read and contribute to our
pages. From all of us at Cultural Travels, may you have a blessed holiday season
and remember to make a New Years resolution to experience a new culture and
expand your horizons in the coming year.
This
month's tour hosts review:
|
Fez Medina Morocco
Pick of
the Month |
|
Location: Morocco |
| Specialty: Traditional Moroccan home rentals |
| Why
We Like Them: Founder Lori Wood’s dedication to preserving the unique
architecture of the traditional houses in Fez’s medieval medina is a blessing to
the city. I have seen Fez’s fabulous houses both before and after renovation,
and the work involved to restore one of these gems to original is immense. Had I
know of Lori’s service a few years ago before my last trip to the city, I would
have rented one of these fantastic homes without a second thought! Total
immersion in the life of a city is my idea of the perfect cultural travel
experience. There is no better-suited company for this month’s Tour Host
Pick. |
|
Article: At Home in the Medieval Medina of Fez, Morocco |
| |
|
Carpe Diem Travel Limited |
|
Location: Cambodia |
| Specialty: Cambodia from the local perspective |
| Why
We Like Them: Any company who uses local transportation boats,
trains and even motorcycles, has to be truly in touch with
the community. Utilizing small guesthouses and local guides,
allows travelers who have an open mind to experience the
natural beauty of the countryside, as well as the historic
treasures and nightmares of Cambodia’s past. Experience the
beauty of the Angkor Temples, the cities, with their
remnants of French Colonization, to the horrors to the Khmer
Rouge interrogation camps. A journey through Cambodia with
Carpe Diem, will allow the traveler to meet the local people
who give this country its soul. |
| Article: Cambodia – a country with a fascinating
past and a new future |
| |
|
Mila Tours to Latin America |
|
Location: So. America |
| Specialty: Archeological and cultural tours in Latin America |
| Why
We Like Them: MILA Tours focuses on the archeological treasures
and history of the region’s native peoples. With more than 20 years experience
offering trips to Latin American countries, Mila Tours is sure to provide you
with exceptional service whether you travel independently or on one of their
scheduled group journeys. For the next few years, MILA Tours will offer a
special series of trips to Machu Picchu in honor of Hiram Bingham’s 1911
discovery. University archaeologists and professors with significant field
experience in Peru will accompany each tour, providing a truly educational
experience. Combined with visits to local artisans, shamans and the native
people of the Amazon and Andes, these trips offer the traveler an in depth look
at the local communities and their migration from pre-Incan times, through the
Colonial and Republic periods. |
| |
|
Global Research and Discovery
Network |
|
Location: Mongolia |
| Specialty: Archeological and cultural expeditions into unexcavated places |
| Why
We Like Them: Whether you choose a “Mystical trip to Mongolia”
experiencing life with the reindeer herders or a first of its kind ”Paleontology
Excavation” in the Gobi desert, in conjunction with the
University of Ulanbaatar, these hands on trips
are for true adventurers. Transportation can be via camel or horseback or under
your own power with hiking required into otherwise inaccessible places. Expect
to experience life from a local point of view, complete with ger’s,
aureg, horse dung fires and roasted marmot. Oh, there
are rumors about fantastic scenery as well. |
|
Article: Why Mongolia? |
| |
|
The Institute of Design and
Culture |
|
Location: Rome |
| Specialty: Guided walking tours of Rome |
| Why
We Like Them: Mission: To combine Rome’s
glorious past and interpret how it has influenced the art, architecture and
daily life of our time. Well IDC has done it with flair by creating a series of
themed City Courses. These guided journeys, two hours to a full day, are
available on request to fit your schedule. The courses, arranged by departments
invoking contemporary imagery, such as the Department of “If I could Turn Back
Time” and “All That Glitters” are quite inventive as are the course titles.
Tours such as “Gypsies,
Tramps & Thieves”, “Lives of the Rich & Famous” and “Rome-ancing
the Stones”, are sure to conjure images of American Pop Culture. Not surprising,
two American women living in Rome, Dr.
Laura Flusche, and Architect Susan Sanders,
founded the
IDC. If the
creativity put into the naming
conventions is any indication, the courses themselves are likely to be just as
entertaining. When in Rome, “Walk Like an Etruscan “ |
|
Article: What’s Love Got To Do With It? |
| |
|
