THE INQUISITVE TRAVELER #2

Today we’re going to switch gears and find out what else has been happening this week that might interest the inquisitive heritage traveler.

Haiti is important, but it will be a while before the tap taps start to clog the roads again. By the way, if you want to see some gorgeous pictures of tap taps, click here. I don’t know the freelance photographer and media designer Jan Sochar, but a visit to his photoblog is truely “eye candy.”  According to Jan, tap-tap vehicles serve as public transportation in Haiti. They are private and operate over fixed routes, departing only when full. Tap-taps are decorated with bright and shiny colors and with a lot of fancy designed elements. Scenes from the Bible, Christian slogans, TV stars or famous football players are often painted on a tap-tap body. The tap-tap name comes from sound of taps on the metal bus body that let the driver know that a passenger wants to be dropped off. More information is available on Wikipedia.

Now on to the news of the week.

SLIDESHOWS FROM THE NEW YORK TIMES:

K2: A Trek to Danger’s Doorstep

36 Hours in Whistler, British Columbia

In Fiji, Dancing With Sharks

In Spain, a Delicacy Rooted in Earth and Tradition

Hawaii: Exotic Tastes of the Big Island

San Miguel del Monte, Argentina

FROM AROUND THE WORLD:

Travel | The pearl fishers: The waters … “World Heritage status will give the beds total protection from tanker traffic, drilling and dredging,” says Rob. “Diving for pearls won’t deplete the beds, as long as it’s done in the right way. ”

Discovering Tut – The Life of Lord Carnarvon and Lady Almina … “But he also loved travel and adventure.” “There is a bit of an Indiana Jones style to my great-grandfather, and it rather sums up his character.” But it wasn’t just the ancient world which fascinated Carnarvon. … Carnarvon has written two books on the King Tut tomb raid: Carnarvon & Carter and Egypt at Highclere: The Discovery of Tutankhamun

Homepage–Discover Our Shared Heritage Travel Itinerary The National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers Discover Our Shared Heritage travel itinerary was produced by the National Park Service’s Heritage Education Services and Federal Preservation Institute.

Books:

Interested in “time travel. ” Our book list this week features the best time travel books of all time. See the list here. You can even votes on your favorite.

See you next week!

Posted by Lisa Reynolds Wolfe

Photography courtesy of  Creative Commons.