Category Archives: Uncategorized

Endangered Places, Historic Places, Historic Preservation, Uncategorized

National Trust Issues Appeal to Help Save America’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places for 2019

National Mall Tidal Basin, Washington, D.C. is on the National Trust for Historic Preservation list of America’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places for 2019 © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com

By National Trust for Historic Preservation

Each year, the National Trust for Historic Preservation puts out an emergency call to protect the most endangered historic places. This year’s list of America’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places sheds light on important examples of our nation’s heritage that are at risk of destruction or irreparable damage. Over 300 places have been listed in its 32-year history, and in that time, fewer than 5 percent of listed sites have been lost.

The 2019 list includes a diverse mix of historic places across America that face a range of challenges and threats, from climate change to inappropriate development to neglect and disuse.

Find out what you can do to support these irreplaceable sites:

Tenth Street Historic District, Dallas, Texas

ADD YOUR NAME

Primarily settled by formerly enslaved people after the Civil War, Dallas’ Tenth Street Historic District includes a collection of buildings dating from the late 19th to early 20th century. A 2010 change to a local ordinance allowed the city to obtain demolition permits for houses less than 3,000 square feet without Landmark Commission review, which is substantially increasing the rate of demolition. To date, at least 70 of the district’s 260 homes have been demolished.

To challenge this local law, a local preservation group filed a lawsuit against the City of Dallas. Add your name to our petition telling the City of Dallas to amend or repeal this unjust city ordinance.

Nashville’s Music Row, Nashville, Tennessee

ADD YOUR NAME

Nashville’s Music Row is a world-class musical mecca that harbors more than 200 music-related businesses, making it unlike any other place in the world. Out of its modest homes and large commercial buildings has emerged an unmatched canon of music recordings across a wide variety of musical styles, which has delighted music fans for generations.

Despite its critical role in the identity, economy, and culture of internationally renowned “Music City,” Music Row is on pace to becoming a thing of the past. Since 2013, 50 buildings—the majority serving music-related functions—have been demolished to make way for new development. With a new plan to guide Music Row’s future under development, now is an important time to urge Nashville lawmakers to preserve and protect this epicenter of America’s musical heritage.

James R. Thompson Center, Chicago, Illinois

ADD YOUR NAME

The James R. Thompson Center is Chicago’s best example of grand-scale Postmodern architecture. But Governor J.B. Pritzker recently signed legislation allowing for sale of the building within two years to help fill a state budget gap. Without preservation protections, the Thompson Center could be demolished. Add your name to our list urging Governor Pritzker to require retention and reuse of the Thompson Center when the building is sold.

Industrial Trust Company Building, Providence, Rhode Island

An iconic part of the Providence skyline, the 1928 Industrial Trust Company Building is under threat due to deterioration and deferred maintenance after six years of vacancy. While this site is located within a qualified “Opportunity Zone” (an area eligible for capital gains tax incentive benefits), there is no redevelopment plan for the so-called Superman Building, and its future is in question. Read More.

Ancestral Places of Southeast Utah, Southeast Utah

SEND A LETTER

Archaeologists believe this area to be one of the country’s most culturally rich but unprotected landscapes open to oil and gas extraction. In the last two years, the Bureau of Land Management dramatically escalated leasing activity in the region, despite concerns from the National Trust, affected tribes, and our regional partners. Send a letter to the Department of the Interior urging them to recognize the cultural significance of these lands.

The Excelsior Club, Charlotte, North Carolina

Listed in the Green Book, the Excelsior Club was a leading private African American social club in the Southeast, hosting artists like Nat King Cole and Louis Armstrong during its heyday. The Art Moderne building needs significant investment. The property is currently listed for sale for $1.5 million, but even if a buyer is found, a reuse plan and significant investments are necessary to ensure a strong future. Read more.

National Mall Tidal Basin, Washington, D.C.

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This iconic cultural landscape comprises some of our nation’s most renowned monuments and famed cherry blossom trees. It’s estimated that as much as $500 million is needed to upgrade and maintain one of the most popular and visited sites in the National Park System. Join our three-year campaign to ensure the Tidal Basin is preserved for future generations.

Hacienda Los Torres, Lares, Puerto Rico

SIGN THE PETITION

Hacienda Los Torres—built in 1846 during the height of Puerto Rico’s coffee industry by Jose Maria Torres—is one of the last historic coffee plantation houses on the island and one of the oldest remaining structures in Puerto Rico. It’s also associated with the “Grito de Lares” revolt and the Spanish-American War.

Long-term deterioration and the effects of multiple hurricanes, including Hurricane Maria in 2017, threaten this historic site. Support saving Hacienda Los Torres.

Willert Park Courts, Buffalo, New York

ADD YOUR NAME

This complex, a unique example of early Modernism with bas-reliefs depicting scenes of everyday life, was New York State’s first housing project constructed specifically for African Americans. Today, the site is vacant and many of its structures are open to the elements. The Buffalo Municipal Housing Authority has proposed demolishing the complex to construct replacement housing.

Ask the Buffalo Municipal Housing Authority to preserve and redevelop rather than demolish this important site.

Mount Vernon Arsenal and Searcy Hospital, Mount Vernon, Alabama

ADD YOUR NAME

This arsenal was held by the Confederacy during the Civil War and housed Geronimo and approximately 400 Apache prisoners of war during the 1880s and 1890s. The hospital complex served as a segregated mental health facility for African Americans after 1900. The complex closed in 2012 and is currently vacant and deteriorating. Tell the Alabama Department of Mental Health that you support the site’s preservation and economic revitalization.

Bismarck-Mandan Rail Bridge, Bismarck, North Dakota

ADD YOUR NAME

The Bismarck-Mandan Rail Bridge connects Bismarck and Mandan, North Dakota. Constructed in 1883, it was the first rail bridge built across the upper Missouri River. The iconic bridge has been recognized as an International Site of Conscience for the role it played in opening the western United States to white settlement—and the resulting profound impacts to Native American communities—but it has been proposed for demolition by railway company BNSF.

The Coast Guard is in consultation with BNSF and other parties under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act. The Coast Guard has proposed a conditional permit that would require BNSF to retain the historic bridge until after an adjacent new bridge is constructed, in order to allow time to identify a preservation solution for the Bismarck-Mandan Rail Bridge. Tell the Coast Guard not to allow demolition of this iconic bridge.

For more information, follow us on Twitter and join the conversation using the hashtag #11Most.

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Active Travel, bike trips, cycling trips, Responsible Travel, Sustainable Travel, Uncategorized

Rails-to-Trails Conservancy Unveils Routing for ‘Great American’, a 3700-Mile Rail-Trail from Washington DC to Washington State

Biking the Great Allegheny Passage rail-trail, Confluence to Adelaide, PA. The GAP would be part of the proposed 3,700-mile Great American Rail-Trail © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com

How fitting that during May, National Biking Month, Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (RTC) has just unveiled its preferred route for its visionary Great American Rail-Trail™—or the “Great American”— a 3,700-mile biking trail that would link Washington DC with Washington State.

The proposal underscores the organization’s long-time commitment to creating an iconic piece of American infrastructure that connects more than 125 existing trails and fills 90 trail gaps to create the cross-continental recreational trail.

“Since the 1980s, RTC has understood the potential of a trail like the Great American Rail-Trail that could connect the nation. That vision has been a guidepost for the organization for 30 years. Now, we have the chance to create from that vision a national treasure that unites millions of people over thousands of miles of trail,” said Ryan Chao, president of RTC. “This trail is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to provide—together—an enduring gift to the nation that will bring joy for generations to come.”

The preferred route of the nation’s first cross-country multiuse trail is detailed in a comprehensive report released by RTC today. The Great American Rail-Trail Route Assessment Report outlines RTC’s recommendation for the route, developed in close partnership with states and local trail planners and managers.

“When defining the preferred route of the Great American Rail-Trail, we sought a cross-country route that would provide the highest-quality experience while delivering significant economic and social benefits to the communities it connects,” said Liz Thorstensen, vice president of trail development at RTC. “This route achieves those things and more, in large part thanks to the input, support and leadership of state agencies and local partners who have built the existing trails that will make the Great American Rail-Trail possible, and whose ongoing collaboration is vital to its completion.”

The route assessment was developed over 12 months with input from RTC’s GIS analysis of more than 34,000 miles of multiuse trails; review of state and local trail plans; and discussions with hundreds of local trail partners and state agencies representing the trails along the route. The preferred route aligns with RTC’s and its partners’ criteria that specify the Great American be one contiguous route that is initially more than 80 percent, and ultimately entirely, off street and separated from vehicle traffic; comprises existing trails to the extent possible; is the most direct route possible between Washington, D.C., and Washington State; is amenable to the state and local jurisdictions that will host it; and will serve as a catalyst for local economic development, including providing services for long-distance trail travelers.

Traveling through 12 states and the District of Columbia, RTC and its partners have defined the Great American Rail-Trail as more than 3,700 miles, comprising more than 1,900 miles of existing trails—those trails already developed that will help carry the route across the country—and more than 1,700 miles of “trail gaps,”—sections of trail in need of development to fully connect the Great American into one contiguous route.

As the nation’s first cross-country multiuse trail, the Great American will connect people of all ages and abilities with America’s diverse landscapes and communities. Nearly 50 million people living within 50 miles of its route will be able to call this iconic American infrastructure their own as the trail delivers new access to the outdoors and new opportunities for physical activity and recreation. Hundreds of communities along the route will experience new opportunities for business development and tourism thanks to the Great American Rail-Trail, all while contributing to the growth of the country’s burgeoning outdoor economy—one of the largest sectors in the United States.

“We believe the Great American Rail-Trail will be a transformative project for the nation, as it magnifies on a grand scale the benefits that trails have delivered to communities for decades,” said Chao. “Whether bridging gaps within and between communities, creating safe walking and biking access to jobs, transit, shopping and green space; or serving as recreation for cyclists, runners and casual daily explorers, this will be America’s trail.”

While completion of the Great American Rail-Trail is a significant undertaking and several decades away, 52% of the path is already complete and available for public use, with plans for RTC to work in partnership with states and local jurisdictions and organizations to bring new segments online year after year.

RTC and its partners view the route assessment as a blueprint for the trail’s development that is based in the reality of existing plans and priorities. To spur trail completion, RTC has identified initial catalyst initiatives—projects or challenges that would most benefit from RTC’s national breadth of resources. Through these initiatives, RTC will directly support local and state partners, investing time, expertise and organizational resources in specific projects that are critical to catalyzing the completion of the Great American Rail-Trail. RTC is also enlisting the support of trail lovers across the country to demonstrate national enthusiasm for the Great American’s development.

Setting a goal to reach 1 million pledges in support of the cross-country trail, RTC is asking the public to pledge at greatamericanrailtrail.org.

“We know that it will take a significant investment of time, resources and energy to complete the Great American Rail-Trail—but it will be worth it. It will take the help of trail lovers and leaders to bring this vision to life,” said Kevin Mills, RTC’s vice president of policy. “Federal, state, local and private investment will all be needed to complete this project. To support the ongoing advocacy necessary to secure critical public resources, we hope everyone will be inspired to proudly pledge to show the widespread desire that exists for this trail.”

The Great American Rail-Trail is a signature project of RTC and the most ambitious in its portfolio of TrailNation™ projects—the organization’s initiative to encourage the rapid replication of regional trail networks across the country. The Great American was first envisioned at RTC in the late 1980s, and for decades has been an underpinning of the organization’s strategy to create a nationwide network of public trails.

Separately, New York State, which already offers a 353-mile long Erie Canalway from Buffalo to Albany, is in the process of filling the gaps for a bikeway that will extend the entire north-south expanse, from New York City to the  Canadian border.

To learn more about the Great American Rail-Trail and RTC and to view the preferred route, visit greatamericanrailtrail.org and follow @greatamericanrailtrail on Facebook and Instagram.

It will take public and private support to complete the Great American Rail-Trail. To learn more about how you can support the project and RTC’s national leadership to plan, organize and advocate for the trail, contact Alisa Borland, vice president of development at RTC, at [email protected] or 202.974.5126.

Rails-to-Trails Conservancy is the nation’s largest trails organization—with a grassroots community more than 1 million strong— dedicated to connecting people and communities by creating a nationwide network of public trails, many from former rail lines. Connect with RTC at railstotrails.org and @railstotrails on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

See also:

Biking the Delaware & Lehigh Trail, Showcased on Rails-to-Trails Conservancy’s Last Sojourn BikeTour

Rails-to-Trails Sojourn on Delaware-Lehigh Trail Showcases Repurposed Canal Towpath & History of Industrial Revolution

Rails-to-Trails Sojourn on the Delaware-Lehigh Trail: America’s Revolution Comes to Life at Washington Crossing

Rails-to-Trails Conservancy To Focus on TrailNation Advocacy for New Biking/Walking Trails

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Active Travel, bike trips, cycling trips, European travel, Uncategorized

Tourissimo and Ride & Seek Announce New Cycling Tour Exploring Italy’s ‘Boot’ – Puglia

A new cycling tour being offered by Tourissimo and Ride & Seek as part of their PLUS Tours series highlights two UNESCO sites – Alberobello and Matera

(Turin, Italy) – Situated between the blue waters of the Adriatic Sea and the forests and mountains of Basilicata, Puglia offers a landscape of beguiling views, ancient olive groves, and UNESCO sites. This new cycling tour being offered by Tourissimo and Ride & Seek as part of their PLUS Tours series highlights two of these UNESCO sites – Alberobello and Matera. The former is known for its trulli, whitewashed stone huts with conical roofs, whilst the latter for its cave dwellings built into the calcareous rock. Guests will cycle the road-less-traveled with average daily rides of 40 km, and spend evenings dining on gourmet cuisine and fine wines.


“From the Adriatic Sea to the stones of Matera, this Puglia tour explores the most beautiful riding destinations in Southern Italy,” said Ride & Seek Founder Dylan Reynolds. “We will cycle rolling landscapes carpeted with olive groves, vineyards, whitewashed hill towns, fishing villages, and thousands of trulli.”

The trip starts in Savelletri with fig trees, blooming cacti, and herb gardens offering delightful fragrances. Guests will ride through one of the gems of Puglia: the Valle D’Itria. Its wooded slopes, vineyards, and endless olive groves are punctuated by the coned roofs of trulli.

“While many regions of Italy boast of having the best food in the world, Puglia could claim this title due its simple preparations that allow the true flavors of the food to stand out,” said Beppe Salerno, Co-Founder of Tourissimo. “But the charm of Puglia is rooted in the people themselves. Their hospitality is renowned throughout Italy.”

Tour Highlights:

  • Touring Matera where the 2016 remake of Ben-Hur was filmed
  • Discovering the white-washed town of Ostuni and the beaches near the fishing village of Savelletri
  • Visiting two UNESCO World Heritage Sites: Alberobello & Matera
  • Riding among the orchards and trulli of Valle d’Itria
  • Attending a demonstration by a master cheese maker
  • Exploring the Greek Ruins of Egnazia 
  • Lodging in the award-winning Sextantio Hotel 

The trip is scheduled for October 10-17, 2019 and starts at $4,195.

For more info, visit  https://www.rideandseek.com/tour/puglia-the-best-of-southern-italy/.

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Cuba Travel, Cultural Travel, Uncategorized

US Tour Operators and Educational Travel Organizations Urge State Department to Lift Punitive Travel Advisory Against Cuba

John McAuliff, Executive Director & Founder of the Fund for Reconciliation and Development, fields questions from interested travelers at the Cuba-US People to People Partnership booth at the New York Times Travel Show. © Karen Rubin/ goingplacesfarandnear.com

WASHINGTON, D.C., MARCH 1, 2018 — A group of 28 leading U.S. tour operators and organizations specializing in educational travel and exchanges with Cuba is calling on the U.S. State Department to re-staff its Embassy in Havana and change Cuba’s travel advisory from a Level 3 (“reconsider travel”) to at least a less intimidating Level 2 (“exercise increased caution”). The request comes on the eve of the State Department’s decision about whether or not to return the U.S. diplomats to the Embassy, expected to be announced on March 4.

(The US State Department said it would not restore the diplomats.)

Beginning in late September 2017, after reports that 24 U.S. Embassy employees in Havana had suffered unexplained health ailments, the Trump Administration withdrew 60 percent of its Embassy staff from Havana, issued a Travel Warning urging Americans not travel to Cuba, and expelled 15 diplomats from Cuba’s Embassy in Washington, D.C. In January 2018, the State Department issued a new global travel advisory system, which ranks Cuba as Level 3.

“A Level 3 rating is not justified for Cuba since there are no confirmed causes of private citizens or travelers contracting symptoms similar to the diplomats,” says Andrea Holbrook, President and CEO of Holbrook Travel, one of the companies that signed the petition. (The list of signatories is provided below). “This inappropriate travel warning has caused fear and confusion and has sharply reduced the number of U.S. citizens traveling to Cuba,” Holbrook adds. “It has also affected travel businesses in the States and in Cuba, including those small businesses, like B&Bs and home restaurants, which depend so heavily on American tourists.”

A survey of 42 tour operators and educational travel organizations conducted in late January 2018 by the Center for Responsible Travel (CREST) found that not one of their travelers reported suffering from health issues similar to those of the Embassy employees. Collectively, those surveyed sent more than 42,000 U.S. travelers to Cuba in 2016 and 2017. In addition, there have been no confirmed cases of similar illness among the estimated 700,000 private U.S. citizens who visited the island nation in 2017.

A lengthy ProPublica article, published February 14, 2018, provides the first detailed chronology of the diplomats’ afflictions and the subsequent official — but, to date, inconclusive — investigations by the United States, Cuba, and Canada, and makes clear that the general public is not threatened. In fact, in January 2018, Cuba was voted the safest place to travel at the International Travel Fair in Madrid.

During a meeting on January 12 with State Department officials, a group of American tour operators, travel associations, and Cuba experts were told that a Level 3 rating is automatically triggered by a “drawdown” of U.S. Embassy personnel as a result of the “No Double Standard” policy articulated in the Foreign Affairs Manual.

According to the State Department, this policy originated after the terrorist bombing of a passenger airliner over Lockerbie, Scotland, in 1988, in the interest of sharing information publicly about potential threats against U.S. citizens. That policy, however, also states it is “not intended to prevent the limited distribution of information about threats to specific U.S. citizens/nationals or U.S. organizations.”

“The ‘No Double Standard’ policy leaves the option for the State Department to report threats only to those parties that might be affected by similar incidents,” says Kate Simpson, President of Academic Travel Abroad, Inc, a Washington, D.C.-based educational travel company. “So why was this more limited approach not employed in the case of Cuba, given that the affected group consists only of diplomats, many of whom are known to be intelligence officers and their families?”

Simpson adds, “The fallout from the State Department’s actions has negatively impacted not only U.S. companies and institutions sending travelers to Cuba for educational purposes, but the lack of Embassy staff in Havana has also made it extremely difficult for Cuban citizens to attain visas for visits to the United States.”

On March 4, the State Department faces a mandatory deadline requiring that, six months after an Embassy drawdown, staff must either be reassigned or sent back to their original post. The draw down in Havana began in early September 2017 as Hurricane Irma hit the island and was increased to 60 percent of staff later in the month, in the wake of media revelations about afflictions to the two dozen U.S. diplomats and a handful of staff in the Canadian Embassy. Canada has launched an investigation but has not downsized its Embassy or issued any travel warning to its citizens.

The 28 tour operators and organizations specializing in educational travel to Cuba are calling for the State Department to return more consular officers to the U.S. Embassy in Havana. Ambassador Barbara Stephenson, President of the American Foreign Service Association, the union that represents U.S. foreign-service officers, and some diplomats who were interviewed for the ProPublica article indicated that this is also their wish — to return U.S. diplomats to Cuba. This would, the group hopes, eliminate the trigger that has categorized the country as a Level 3.

The group further questions how Cuba can be rated as a Level 3 while countries with known security risks — such as Israel, Egypt, Algeria, Mexico, and Ethiopia — are rated as Level 2. In addition, the State Department advisories for some countries include alerts pertaining to particularly dangerous parts of their countries. Mexico, for instance, while rated Level 2 overall, is given ratings of Levels 3 and 4 (“do not travel”) for certain states.

“While the new travel advisory system is a welcome improvement, in terms of clarity and organization,” says Ms. Simpson, “it is disappointing to have the Cuba rating starkly reveal political bias, undermining the credibility of the State Department’s consular services.”

A more acceptable alternative, Simpson and the other signers suggest, would be to rate Cuba at least Level 2 overall and designate the parts of Havana where the health incidents took place as Level 3. “Until it’s discovered what caused these ailments, a Level 2 rating, at least, would more accurately reflect the situation in Cuba,” explains Ms. Holbrook. “And it would help encourage those considering traveling to Cuba to do so.”

To read the full petition, click here. The list of tour operators and educational travel organizations who have signed the petition are:

 

Johann Besserer, Executive Director, Intercultural Outreach Initiative

Reid Callanan, Director, Santa Fe Photographic Workshops

Karin Eckhard, CEO & Co-founder, Espíritu Travel, LLC

Michael Eizenberg, President, Educational Travel Alliance

Malia Everette, CEO, AltruVistas

Michele Gran. Co-founder and Senior Vice President, Global Volunteers

Bob Guild, Co-coordinator, Responsible and Ethical Cuba Travel (RESPECT)

Kendra Guild, Director, Marazul Charters, Inc.

John Haffner, President, Cuba Trade and Travel

Marcel Hatch, President,Cuba Explorer Tours

Richard Hobbs, Esq., Executive Director, Human Agenda

Andrea Holbrook, President and CEO, Holbrook Travel, Inc.

Martha Honey, Ph.D., Cofounder & Executive Director, Center for Responsible Travel (CREST)

Adriana Isaza-Mohring, Founder, Elite Tennis Travel

Tor D. Jensen, President, Jensen World Travel, Ltd.

Gabrielle Jorgensen, Director of Public Policy, Engage Cuba

Collin Laverty, President, Cuba Educational Travel

Lee Marona & Aja C. Napolis, President & Administrative Coordinator, Vaya Sojourns, Inc.

John McAuliff, Executive Director & Founder, The Fund for Reconciliation and Development

Janet Moore, President, Distant Horizons

Tom Popper, President, insightCuba

Bill Robison, Director of Expedition Development, Lindblad Expeditions

Melisa Riviere, Ph.D., President, Son Dos Alas: Cultural and Educational Travel

Peter Sanchez, CEO, Cuba Tours and Travel

Kate Simpson, President, Academic Travel Abroad, Inc.

Mark J. Spalding, President, The Ocean Foundation

Ned Sublette, Founder & President, Postmambo Studies

Kristen Tripp, Program Director – Cuba, Yellow Dog Flyfishing Adventures

The Center for Responsible Travel (CREST) is a policy-oriented research organization dedicated to increasing the positive global impact of responsible tourism. CREST assists governments, policy makers, tourism businesses, nonprofit organizations, and international agencies with finding solutions to critical issues confronting tourism, the world’s largest service industry.

See also:

New York Times Travel Show: Despite Trump Policy, Americans CAN Travel to Cuba!

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Uncategorized

Backyard Travel Introduces ‘Best of Malaysia in 9 Days’ Tour

Backyard Travel’s new tour is an odyssey of highlights across the Malaysian Peninsula.

Bangkok, Thailand–  Backyard Travel, an online boutique tour operator specializing in insider tours throughout Asia, has introduced a new tour for 2018, The Best of Malaysia in 9 Days,  an odyssey of highlights across the Malaysian peninsula: urban safaris, cave expeditions, foodie discoveries, cultural encounters and plenty of time to relax and soak up the sights.

The tour sets off from Singapore, where travelers get a chance to learn some local history and delve into the sophisticated city-state’s colonial past. Next, it’s off to the former trading port of Malacca, to explore its colorful streets and markets, before heading to the capital of Kuala Lumpur for a look at its architecture and hawker food scene. The tour also includes a jaunt to the Cameron Highlands for some locally grown tea, a visit to the famous Batu Caves, and time in Penang, where travelers embarking on a cycling tour through the countryside for a glimpse of local life.

“Peninsula Malaysia is often overlooked when it comes to travel in Southeast Asia, and we think it’s about time people got to know this diverse and dynamic country,” says Maeve Nolan, General Manager of Backyard Travel. “We’ve created this tour to meet demand for a Malaysian experience that showcases its rich culture, stunning natural scenery and world-famous foodie scene.”

Visit www.backyardtravel.com.

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Adventure Travel, Cultural Travel, ecotourism, Environmental Activism, Expeditionary Travel, experiential travel, Responsible Travel, Uncategorized, Voluntourism

andBeyond Launches Philanthropy-Focused Itineraries in Tanzania, Kenya, South Africa

 

andBeyond travelers on the “Travel With a Purpose in Tanzania” program visit Ololosokwan Clinic, primary school, and Meirowa School, and can join a group of school children on a game drive and conservation lesson.

andBeyond, a leading luxury experiential travel company,  has launched philanthropic-focused itineraries in Tanzania, Kenya, and South Africa to give guests a first-hand look at its core ethos of caring for the land, wildlife, and people. The activities range from adopting an elephant at the David Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage in Kenya to participating in local school conservation lessons in Tanzania to visiting the Grootbos Green Futures College in Cape Town, an organization that provides educational training to unemployed young adults in the city.

Tanzania: Travelers on andBeyond’s 9-day Travel with Purpose in Tanzania tour start the adventure off in Arusha before heading to andBeyond Lake Manyara Tree Lodge to explore the Mayoka and Moya communities by bike, and the new science labs at Kilimamoja School, funded by the Africa Foundation. The excursion continues to andBeyond Ngorongoro Crater Lodge, perched above the edge of Tanzania’s Ngorongoro Crater, before ending at andBeyond Klein’s Camp on the Serengeti. Here, travelers will visit Ololosokwan Clinic, primary school, and Meirowa School, and can join a group of school children on a game drive and conservation lesson.

Kenya: andBeyond’s new Travel with Purpose in Kenya 12-day itinerary weaves travelers through the Kuku Group Ranch at the foot of the Chyulu Hills in Nairobi, Lewa Downs Conservancy in Laikipia, and the Masai Mara to learn about and engage in various conservation projects. Highlights include a private visit to the David Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage in Nairobi to adopt an elephant, feeding giraffes at the Giraffe Centre, and a Maasai community visit led by the African Foundation Program Manager, in which travelers can interact with a Maasai family and visit a traditional boma.

South Africa: andBeyond’s Travel with Purpose in South Africa journey is a 10-day excursion spanning from andBeyond Phinda Private Game Reserve to Cape Town to the Cape Whale Coast. At andBeyond Phinda Private Game Reserve, travelers take an excursion with Africa Foundation to visit projects in the Mduku and Mngobokazi communities, and assist in an exclusive rhino notching experience. Travelers then head to Cape Town for a half-day tour of Uthando, a non-profit that supports various community projects (day care, urban agriculture, environmental, and youth development programs), followed by a half-day tour of the city to explore Table Mountain, Greenmarket Square, and Company Gardens. The tour continues on to the Cape Whale Coast (known for its prime whale watching location), where travelers will have the option to explore the Grootbos’s Green Futures College or the Siyakhula Organic Farm, visit the African Seabird and Penguin Sanctuary, and of course enjoy a whale watching excursion.

In addition to these opportunities for travelers to engage in voluntourism, andBeyond offers Small Group Journeys  affording the opportunity to explore Africa, Asia’s and South America’s extraordinary landscapes in the company of an intimate group of like-minded safari enthusiasts, on a set itinerary. The newest is Land Rover Expeditions around Patagonia Lakes, and another around Chile/Argentina Wine & Country. Snow Leopard Expeditions (India) is on many travelers’ bucket lists and Botswana Mobile Camping Expeditions is THE way to see Botswana for the adventurous.

Also, andBeyond owns and operates lodges and camps in Africa. New lodges opening in 2018 include Bateleur Camp in Kenya, Tengile River Lodge in South Africa, Phinda Homestead in South Africa, Phinda Vlei also in South Africa.

Guests travelling to &Beyond lodges in Africa can take advantage of “Fly Me” offers where the entire package price, including flights, is known; others who build an itinerary lodge by lodge, can benefit from long stay discounts. And for couples who have recently celebrated their nuptials, there is a Honeymoon Offer where a partner only pays 50%.

Asia travelers also can take advantage of long stay and “Fly Me” offers on some Indian itineraries, showcasing the best of the region at great deals.

Established in 1991, andBeyond is one of the world’s leading luxury experiential travel companies, designing personalized high-end tours in 15 countries in Africa, five in Asia, and four in South America. andBeyond also owns and operate 29 extraordinary lodges and camps in Africa’s iconic safari and island destinations. In addition, andBeyond operates small group, set-departure expeditions throughout Africa and Asia. This enables us to positively impact more than 9 million acres of wildlife land and 2,000 kilometres of coastline.

For information, visit www.andBeyond.com.

 

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Uncategorized

2018’s Best Places to Find a Job – WalletHub Study

San Francisco, one of the best places to visit, is also one of the best cities for jobs, according to the personal-finance website WalletHub © Karen Rubin/ goingplacesfarandnear.com

With the unemployment rate at a 17-year low and employers expecting to hire 4 percent more college graduates from the Class of 2018 than from the previous graduating cohort, the personal-finance website WalletHub today released its report on 2018’s Best Places to Find a Job.

To determine the strongest local job markets in the U.S., WalletHub compared more than 180 cities across 26 key metrics. The data set ranges from job opportunities to employment growth to monthly average starting salary.

Best Cities for Jobs Worst Cities for Jobs
1 Chandler, AZ 173 Mobile, AL
2 Scottsdale, AZ 174 Montgomery, AL
3 San Francisco, CA 175 Fresno, CA
4 Peoria, AZ 176 Hialeah, FL
5 Gilbert, AZ 177 New Orleans, LA
6 Plano, TX 178 Birmingham, AL
7 Portland, ME 179 Columbus, GA
8 Irvine, CA 180 Newark, NJ
9 Madison, WI 181 Detroit, MI
10 Boston, MA 182 Shreveport, LA

Best vs. Worst

  • Columbia, Maryland has the highest median annual household income (adjusted by cost of living), $89,013, which is 3.4 times higher than in Hialeah, Florida, the city with the lowest at $26,352.
  • San Jose, California has the highest monthly average starting salary (adjusted by cost of living), $5,441, which is 3.1 times higher than in Brownsville, Texas, the city with the lowest at $1,778.
  • South Burlington, Vermont, the city with the lowest unemployment rate, 2.1 percent, which is 5.2 times lower than in Detroit, the city with the highest at 10.9 percent.
  • Plano, Texas, the city with the fewest number of part-time employees for every 100 full-time employees, 37.63, which is 3.6 times fewer than in Burlington, Vermont, the city with the most at 134.34.
  • South Burlington, Vermont is the city with the lowest share of workers living in poverty, 1.90 percent, which is 10.1 times lower than in Tallahassee, Florida, the city with the highest at 19.28 percent.

To view the full report and your city’s rank, visit:
https://wallethub.com/edu/best-cities-for-jobs/2173/

More from WalletHub

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Historic Places, Historic Preservation, Uncategorized

23 Sites Recommended to New York State and National Registers of Historic Places

NYC-5BoroBike 050612_403e2 (c) Karen Rubin-Alice Austen House SI
Already on the National and State register of historic places: Alice Austen House, Staten Island: Originally listed in 1970, the National Register listing for the 17th century Staten Island house where Austen lived did not reveal the full extent of Austen’s significance as an artist living an openly non-traditional life and how she dealt with gender and social norms in her photography. The expanded National Register listing details that between 1917 and 1945, Austen shared the house with her companion, Gertrude Tate, with whom she had an intimate, fifty-three-year, same-sex relationship. Austen was what has become known as a “New Woman,” breaking from contemporary societal strictures on feminine behavior. Austen and her friends were among many middle- and upper-class educated women of the late 19th century who did not feel that they needed a man to live a successful life. Austen’s non-traditional relationship with Tate and her exploration of gender and societal norms were illustrated in her photographs. The designation of the Alice Austen House is part of the broader New York City LGBT Historic Sites Project, which is working to highlight LGBT history from the founding of New York City through the 20th Century. For more information about documented LGBT historic sites in NYC and to view the organization’s interactive map, visit https://www.nyclgbtsites.org/. © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo  announced that the New York State Board for Historic Preservation has recommended adding 23 properties, resources and districts to the State and National Registers of Historic Places. The nominations reflect the striking diversity of New York State’s history and include the home of historic painter George Bellows in the Mid-Hudson Valley, a pocket park in Manhattan, one of the oldest tool and machine manufacturing facilities in Buffalo, and an 1855 eclectic Catskills retreat once home to “The Soda Fountain King” John Matthews.

“These nominations will help communities across this great state preserve the historic landmarks and sites that shaped New York’s rich heritage,” Governor Cuomo said. “By recognizing the very fabric of our cities and towns, New York is shining light on important sites and resources in every region, while supporting community development and encouraging residents and visitors alike to experience the diverse history and culture found in every corner of the state.”

State and National Registers listing can assist property owners in revitalizing buildings, making them eligible for various public preservation programs and services, such as matching state grants and state and federal historic rehabilitation tax credits. Since the Governor signed legislation to bolster the state’s use of rehabilitation tax credits in 2013, the state and federal program has spurred $3 billion of investment in historic commercial properties.

“This designation is an important step in helping the owners and caretakers preserve and improve these assets,” said Rose Harvey, Commissioner of the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation. “The preservation of these diverse places will help bolster prosperity and quality of life across New York State.”

The State and National Registers are the official lists of buildings, structures, districts, landscapes, objects and sites significant in the history, architecture, archeology and culture of New York State and the nation. There are more than 120,000 historic buildings, structures and sites throughout the state listed on the National Register of Historic Places, individually or as components of historic districts. Property owners, municipalities and organizations from communities throughout the state sponsored the nominations.

Once the recommendations are approved by the state historic preservation officer, the properties are listed on the New York State Register of Historic Places and then nominated to the National Register of Historic Places, where they are reviewed and, once approved, entered on the National Register. More information and photos of the nominations are available on the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation website.

Capital Region

Dunix, Cornwallville – The 1855 Catskill Mountain farmstead was purchased and transformed into a fanciful summer retreat for the family of “The Soda Fountain King” John Matthews (1808-1870), whose fortune was derived from pioneering soda fountain apparatus.

Whitehall Fire Station, Whitehall – The station was completed in 1913 to house the village’s first mechanized, gas-powered fire engine and moved by a team of horses to its present location in 1932 after its original site was claimed for the relocation of railroad tracks. 

Central New York

Lipe-Rollway Corporation Building J, Syracuse – Constructed 1920-21, the building is a key site in the city’s diverse manufacturing heritage, known for round-the-clock production of transmissions for tanks and heavy equipment such as the 600-pound transmission for the M-4 General Sherman Tank.

Wampsville Presbyterian Church, Wampsville – The edifice of the first religious organization in Wampsville was built in 1830, altered in 1878, and expanded in 1891 and 1912-1915 while retaining many of its original architectural features.

Finger Lakes 

The Lyons Downtown Historic District, Lyons – The district includes 256 resources that reflect the long history of Lyons from late 18th century settlement to early 19th century canal town and later as a governmental and industrial center that lasted well into the 20th century.

Long Island 

The Japanese Bridge, Shelter Island – Built c.1905, the ornamental landscape feature designed by engineer and inventor Ernest L. Ransome is one of the only surviving traces of the estate of Francis Marion Smith, the owner of the Pacific Coast Borax Company.

Mid-Hudson Valley 

George W. Bellows House, Woodstock – The house was built in 1921 as a summer residence by George Bellows (1882-1925), one of the most prominent young members of the “Ashcan School” of art, who was best known for this early work – typically of boxing matches and urban life painted in a rough, energetic, and bold style. 

Kingston City Almshouse, Kingston – Constructed between 1872-1874, the Italianate style structure provided a home for Kingston’s aging and impoverished residents until 1948.

John H. and Sarah Trumbull House, Kingston – Built in 1876, the home was designed by noted architect Arthur Crooks, who blended Gothic features with the Stick style to create an impressive house nestled into the large rocks and ledges in the landscape.

New Guinea Community Site, Hyde Park – The archaeologically significant historic site within Hackett Hill Park was the location of an early free black community, active from ca. 1790 to ca. 1850 during the prolonged process of emancipation in New York, when rural settlements on or near established towns attracted recently freed black migrants who were looking for work, searching for family members separated during slavery, or hoping to find havens away from their former masters.

The Vernooy-Bevier Stone House, Wawarsing – The property includes a limestone house likely dating to the mid-point of the 18th century, as well as a remarkable collection of later 19th century farm outbuildings. 

Mohawk Valley 

The Upper Genesee Street Historic District, Utica – The buildings in the city’s commercial core embody the history of the community from 1825 to 1972, representing its years of economic success, subsequent decline, and efforts at rejuvenation as a pioneering project of the Urban Renewal program.

The Oneida Downtown Commercial Historic District, Oneida – The district reflects the historic evolution of the city, which emerged as a regional transportation hub and industrial center after the Civil War thanks to the Oneida Feeder Canal and the Utica-Syracuse Railroad. 

New York City

Earl Hall, Manhattan – Completed in 1902, the building was among the earliest structures erected on the Morningside Heights campus of Columbia College; it is also an important work by preeminent architecture firm McKim, Mead & White. Earl Hall is also important in LGBT history as the home of the Student Homophile League, officially recognized by the university in 1967, making Columbia the first university in the United States with a gay student group. Beginning in 1970, regularly scheduled gay dances in Earl Hall became one of the most important gay social events in New York City.

Greenacre Park, Manhattan – The 6,360-square-foot park on East 51st Street exemplifies the mid-20th century vest-pocket park movement, which promoted the creation of small urban parks to celebrate urban life after decades of urban renewal and the destruction of vast swathes of urban fabric.

Old Town of Flushing Burial Ground (Martin’s Field), Queens – The burial ground is the final resting place for approximately 1,000 individuals buried between 1840 and 1898, most of whom were Flushing’s poorest citizens, with a large percentage of African American and Native American descent.

The Ridgewood Reservoir, Brooklyn/Queens – Constructed beginning in 1865, the main distributing reservoir for the City of Brooklyn provided water to allow Brooklyn to become the third largest city in the country by 1890, supply the steam engines that made Brooklyn an industrial powerhouse, and become the largest beer producing city in the United States.

The Saxe Embroidery Company Building, Bronx – The 1904 factory building was initially constructed for a family-owned business specializing in embroidered medallions and monograms and ultimately housed a range of small-scale local manufacturing enterprises.

LANAI, Manhattan – Built in 1911, LANAI (now known as ARGO) is the oldest known surviving example of a shallow draft luxury houseboat designed by renowned built builder John Trumpy, built at the Mathis Yacht Building Company. 

Western New York

Ingleside Home, Buffalo – Erected in 1929, the Colonial Revival building was designed to serve the institution that provided social and psychological counseling services as well as health care exclusively to women in need through 1976.

Niagara Machine & Tool Works Factory, Buffalo – The 1910 factory is one of the oldest and most important tool and machine manufacturing facilities – specializing in presses, punches, and rotary sheets for government defense contracts – built and operated in Buffalo in the 20th century.

Westminster House Club House, Buffalo – The 1909 building is one of the only remaining buildings in the city affiliated with the Settlement House Movement, whose social workers conducted extensive community outreach within the surrounding neighborhood, as well as offering educational and recreational programming at the club house.

The West End Historic District, Springville – The intact enclave of residential and religious architecture that grew up west of the village center during the 19th and 20th centuries, spurred by the 1878 opening of the Springville & Sardinia railroad.

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Historic Preservation, Hotels, Uncategorized

Lark Hotels to Re-open Maine’s Historic Whitehall Inn

Lark Hotels, the innovative hospitality brand renowned for its “mischief-meets-modern” inspired properties, is adding another New England gem to their growing collection of boutique hotels, with the historic Whitehall Inn in Camden, Maine.

The reinvigorated Whitehall, which originally opened its doors to vacationers in 1901, will drop the “inn” from its name and welcome guests back onto its rambling front porches in May 2015. The award-winning design firm Rachel Reider Interiors, the talent behind many of Lark Hotels’ distinctive looks, designed the 36 guest rooms and suites with Camden’s unique location in mind.

In addition to the hotel’s signature oversized porches, an outdoor lounge with a fire pit, shuffleboard court, and extensive common areas and lounging spaces, the hotel will feature a revolving collection of art by local Maine artists. All will pay homage to the motto of Camden — “where the mountains meet the sea.”It was important to incorporate Maine artists and tradespeople into the design, such as Angela Adams, Sister Parish fabric and other New England craftsmen,” Reider said. “Texture plays a large role in the look. I’ve tried to bring in the natural environment with materials such as highly textured grasscloth, weathered woods, aged metals, rope and wood textured wall coverings.”

Anchoring the property will be Pig + Poet, a restaurant whose vibe and menu will be crafted by nationally acclaimed chef Sam Talbot. A collaborative venture, Pig + Poet embraces Chef Talbot’s focus on a simpler way of cooking and celebrates thoughtful modern American food.

Focusing on Maine’s farmland, fisheries and game, the restaurant will feature a raw bar, signature roast pork dishes, Sam’s fresh take on lobster rolls, chowder and blueberry-sweet corn cobbler just to name few items. A charcuterie bar will offer sausages and cheese selections. The “poet” in the name is a nod to the chef’s role in the creative process, as well as a subtle wink to Edna St. Vincent Millay, a Pulitzer-prize winning poet who was discovered at Whitehall Inn in 1912.

“I’ve always loved the great outdoors and having a real connection to the food that comes out of my kitchen,” Chef Talbot said. “It’s become a bit of a cliche to say that my food is farm-to-fork, but that’s truly what it will be. Being in Camden is an inspiring opportunity for me to work with new local vendors, flavors and experiences. I have always been drawn to the water and waterfront towns and I’m excited to join the amazing food movement going on in the MidCoast, Portland and throughout Maine.”

Chef Talbot has worked in top NYC restaurants, and is a cookbook author and television personality. He was featured as a semi-finalist on season two of Bravo’s acclaimed series Top Chef, which included him becoming the viewers-choice “Fan Favorite” on the show. He was also featured in People Magazine’s “Sexiest Men Alive” issue in 2012. Diagnosed with juvenile diabetes at a young age, Sam has a profound understanding and appreciation for the intimate relationship between life and food, which has served as a driving force for his cooking style and recipes, which were the main focus of his cookbook titled The Sweet Life: Diabetes Without Boundaries.

A Charlotte native, Chef Talbot began his culinary training at Johnson and Wales University in Charleston, South Carolina, where he worked under acclaimed chef, owner and mentor James Burns of J.Bistro. At 24, he made the move to New York City to become Executive Chef at Black Duck Bistro in Manhattan. Two years later, he opened Williamsburg Café, which was then nominated for best brunch restaurant in Brooklyn by the New York Post. Sam is also the former Founding Executive Chef of the uber popular Surf Lodge in Montauk, NY and the Michelin-recommended Imperial No. Nine in New York City. While at the helm at the Surf Lodge, the restaurant garnered national acclaim as a premier dining destination in the Hamptons and was named one of the world’s 20 Sexiest Bars and Restaurants by The Travel Channel.

Together, Chef Talbot and Lark Hotels are thrilled to breathe new life into Whitehall by showcasing modern American cuisine at its finest and freshest.

Whitehall Inn, 52 High St., Camden, ME 04843, 207-236-3391, www.whitehallmaine.com.

Lark Hotels Expands

This year, in addition to The Whitehall Inn, Lark Hotels is also opening

Gilded, where 1890s opulence meets modern amenities, will open in Newport, Rhode Island in May 2015.

The Break, opening in New England’s long board surf capital of Narragansett, RI in June, will be the area’s first designer hotel, complete with casual beach-style bistro.

And an as-of-yet unnamed properties in Mendocino, CA; Napa, CA; and Stowe, VT

Lark Hotels are located in seven coveted New England seaside locations: Camden, ME, Whitehall; Kennebunkport, ME, Captain Fairfield Inn; Nantucket, MA, 76 Main and 21 Broad; Newport, RI, The Attwater; Portland, ME, Pomegranate Inn; Portsmouth, NH, Ale House Inn; and Narragansett, RI, The Break.

“Lark Hotels embrace the locations they are in, but in playful, unexpected ways. Think “sense of place” with imagination and a touch of mischief. Each Lark Hotel invites guests to experience modern luxury in the heart of an iconic destination, to feel the pull of a nostalgic getaway while surrounded by today’s amenities and to find attentive service when they want it and privacy when they don’t.”

For information on Lark Hotels, “On a Lark Club,” and the hotel collection visit www.larkhotels.com.

 

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Sustainable Travel, transportation, Uncategorized

Norwegian Air Flies First Flight with Biofuel, Reducing Carbon Emissions 40%

Norwegian Air has just carried out Norway’s first ever flight with biofuel. Norwegian’s flight DY631 from Bergen to Oslo took off with almost 50 percent biofuel; a flight that emits over 40 percent less than an average flight with regular fuel.

The aircraft was filled with sustainable biofuel and emitted a total of 3178 kg – or 40 grams per passenger kilometre. Older aircraft with traditional fuels emit 5786 kg, which is 74 grams per passenger kilometre on the same stretch. In other words, this flight, with 50 percent biofuel, has over 40 percent less emissions than an average flight with normal fuel.

Norway’s Minister of Climate and Environment, Tine Sundtoft, was among the passengers on board this milestone flight together with Norwegian’s CEO Bjørn Kjos.

“At Norwegian, we are keen to make aviation more environmentally friendly. We have a clear goal to reduce CO2 emissions by 30 percent per passenger in the period 2008 to 2015. The most significant improvement is our new aircraft, and Norwegian’s fleet is among the newest and most environmentally friendly in Europe. But this is not enough. Sustainable biofuel is also an important measure. This biofuel flight from Bergen to Oslo is an important milestone in the industry’s shared commitment to make sustainable biofuel more easily available for airlines,” says Norwegian’s CEO Bjørn Kjos.

Through the development of new technologies and frameworks, Norwegian is seeking to help make aviation carbon neutral by 2050.

Norwegian Air Shuttle ASA, commercially branded “Norwegian”, is a low-cost airline listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange. Norwegian is the second largest airline in Scandinavia and third largest low cost carrier in Europe. More than 20 million passengers fly on its network per year. Norwegian has a route portfolio that stretches across Europe into North Africa and the Middle East, as well as long-haul flights to the US and Southeast Asia. The company has a total of 417 routes to 126 destinations and employs approximately 4,500 people in Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Estonia, UK, Spain and Thailand. The company has 258 undelivered aircraft on firm order.

Norwegian was founded in 1993 and its headquarter is in Fornebu, Norway. In 2013 and 2014, Norwegian was voted Europe’s best low-cost carrier of the year by the renowned SkyTrax World Airline Awards. Norwegian offers better leg room than most competitors, in-flight WiFi, world-class punctuality and a fleet of 100 aircraft with an average age of only 4.8 years.

 

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