February 6, 2011
Tags: Chavez, democracy, dictator, Egypt, elections, Germany, Hitler, Iran, power, tahrir square, Venezuela
One of my favorite places in the world is in deep turmoil. On the outside, for the last thirty years there has been stability in Egypt. There has been a successful encouragement of tourism, moderate religious behavior, a beacon of peace in the region, and for the most part safety. Of course, however, we are not looking from the inside.
The people have begun to revolt in what seemed to come out of left field for most experts and pundits. Crowds began filling Tharir Square in a peaceful protest against the Mubarak regime, and until pro government protesters appeared there was little violence. All said, the protests have gone very well, and even the hard-line Muslim Brotherhood has been a very small part of the scene. What are they asking for? Democracy. And as Americans we always get behind people protesting for Democracy. We want people to have what we have, but the warning is out to both Egyptians and Americans. Our form of Democracy was hard won and is long standing, but is also part of our basic make-up. We have been well steeped in democracy for over 230 years, and we know the ropes in keeping democracy strong. But, let the warnings now be heard for both Egyptians and Americans. Beware of what you wish for…
Fighting for democracy is what we as Americans value almost above all else for the people of the rest of the world, and we stand beside you in your fight for self rule. What people too often forget, however, is history. The rocky road of democracy in the world is something we should not forget. We must remember how many theocracies, dictators, and otherwise frightening regimes were elected via democratic processes. The list is long.
Hitler was elected Chancellor of Germany. Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe was elected democratically. Hugo Chavez of Venezuela was elected democratically. And we all know what happened in Iran after an overthrowing of the Shah by pro democracy protesters. Yes, democracy is a good thing, but only when it operates in a lateral fashion and not in a typical top down fashion as most do. The history books are full of oppressed people demanding democracy only to end up with a dictator destroying their lives and the country they love.
So the lesson here for Egypt is to tread lightly. We applaud your desire for democracy, but be careful not to put all your faith in a single person to lead you into utopia. Democracy is not easy. By its very nature it is subject to the dangers of “electing” the devious, power hungry, and self serving. Let us not forget Lord Acton’s prophetic words from 1887 “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men.” So do not walk away from the fight thinking you have won and the party can begin. NOW is when the real work begins or you will send your historic nation into the abyss.
October 30, 2008
Tags: Africa, elephants, family and herds, Masai, mzungu, primitive tribes in africa, white masai, wildebeest
I have met a lot of interesting cultures over the years, but the Masai seem to stick out in my mind. They are one of the last remaining primitive tribes in Africa, and despite having some very curious traditions, they are very warm and welcoming.
My first meeting was an invitation from the women of the nearby village. They had been taught how to grow vegetables, and the garden they created in only one year was remarkable. Everything from tomatoes to cabbage, corn and onions were being nurtured into colossal proportions in this fertile land, shielded by sturdy fences from elephants, wildebeest and many other typical neighborhood creatures. As I arrived, the women greeted me with a welcome song and when I demonstrated my talent at creating some of the same vocalizations, they rushed at me with laughter and screams of “mzungu masai,” or “white masai” – for those of you not fluent in Swahili. It was an incredible morning punctuated with the women wanting to give me a gift of a giant head of lettuce. One I had to unfortunately decline, but the moment was extraordinary none the less.
After leaving the garden, I headed to one of the family corrals, where I had the chance to meet some warriors and go inside a manyatta. The small, smoke-filled hut had me instantly claustrophobic yet still fascinated, although I was not going to drink the chai tea with goat’s milk being offered. The entire village had turned out to meet the visiting mzungu, and I was overwhelmed with their welcome, but the finishing touch was when I was presented with a traditional beaded bracelet as a gift. 
These are uncomplicated people. They do not measure time with a watch or show much emotion. They are content with their existence and fiercely proud of tradition and customs. They live a meager existence and yet are some of the most resilient people on our planet. Most importantly perhaps, they measure success not by bank accounts and big houses, but by family and herds of cattle and goats.
Reprinted from my blog at a national travel magazine
October 13, 2008
Tags: Great Migration, Ngorngoro Crater, Serengeti Under Canvas, Tanzania, Ultimate Africa Safaris
The great migration
I just came back from Tanzania in East Africa, where I had the chance to check off one of the items from my “bucket list” (if you remember back to a blog I did earlier this year). What an amazing sight! The Great Migration of wildebeest and zebra is absolutely breathtaking, and the people are so warm and friendly.
My first lodge was the Serengeti Under Canvas, owned and operated by CCAfrica. This was a first-class experience with butler service and gourmet meals, but the best part was sleeping in my luxury tent (and I mean LUXURY!) while hearing the Great Migration taking place not too far away. I have been in the African bush before, but this was different. It is something I recommend that anyone who loves wildlife do at least once. It is something that you will never forget.
My second abode was the Ngorongoro Crater Lodge, which sits right on the rim of the crater. The crater itself is a World Heritage site and is believed to actually have been higher than Kilimanjaro before it erupted millions of years ago. This is a completely different landscape from the Serengeti, but it is actually still part of the Serengeti/Mara ecosystem. The lodge itself is stunning, and each 5-star chalet is well-appointed. The coup de gras for me was a lovely touch – after spending the entire morning on the crater floor, we returned for a fabulous lunch in the lodge, and upon returning to the room, I found the free-standing tub full with a bubble bath and rose petals. Talk about room service!
I want to give a shout out to my new friends, Asheri and his team from Under Canvas and Beata and her team from the Crater Lodge. I miss you all terribly! I also want to thank the fabulous Ian Procter from Ultimate Africa Safaris in Washington for his help with all the last-minute plans. If any of you get the chance to visit the wonderful country of Tanzania, give Ian a call! – he is my hero
at the river
Reprinted from my blog at a national magazine
May 16, 2008
Tags: Mexico City
I have been in Mexico City this week and I am very surprised at how much I am enjoying this city. Before coming here I was told by many that it is dangerous and to be very careful, but that is true in any city. I don’t see Mexico City as any more dangerous than New York or Los Angeles and as for pollution, again no different. Maybe I just don’t trust air I cannot see anyway.
Last night I was in a cantina and got swept up in the excitement of a soccer game on the television screens. Every time the Mexican team scored I found myself high-fiving the waiter and clinking beer glasses with other patrons. It was a chance encounter, but I was an honorary Mexican for the evening and I felt completely welcome. One never feels like an outsider here.
I am here on business and must tell you that I will be back soon. The people are lovely, the cuisine is top-notch and the city itself is very nice. I have not encountered one resident without a smile or a happy greeting. The old adage of “Don’t drink the water” has me wondering if it is because the pleasant attitude of the city is in the water! They want to keep it for themselves perhaps?
Reprinted from my blog at a national travel magazine
May 1, 2008
Tags: Airlines, flying, travelers, United Airlines
The way passengers are loaded on an aircraft has always been a mystery to me despite having worked for airlines. For example, United Airlines boards passengers based on the window-seats-first principle. While this is effective and sounds logical it sometimes defies the very chaos it was designed to avoid. During business trips I prefer to be in an aisle seat. I also suffer from mild claustrophobia so if the aircraft is small or prone to be a packed route, I will sometimes opt for an aisle even on a long pleasure trip. Most business travelers prefer the aisle seats for a variety of reasons and this is where the trouble starts.
Passengers are instructed that one bag only may go above in the storage bins and if there is a second bag, it must go under the seat. This is repeated every two to three seconds over the public address system and yet most leisure travelers refuse to pay any attention to it and then claim they didn’t know when you frustratingly try to find space. The people seated in the window seats stuff the overhead bins to capacity so that by the time the aisle seats get on the aircraft there is no room whatsoever. This not only creates more chaos, but takes up valuable time as people jockey for space. The flight attendants do their best to remind people, but are unable to actually stop them from stuffing everything they own in the bins.
Other airlines board passengers based on the back to front system. This seems to be a little more effective with regards to getting people boarded quickly and making sure they do not take all of the space around them. This often works better than the window seat method, but I have been on flights that still end up having the forward bins full when some passengers decide they would rather put all their bags in the front so that they can just grab them on the way out rather than carry them down the length of the plane.
What this all amounts to is a lack of consideration. Have we truly become a society that just does not care about our fellow travelers? There is not much we can do to bring back the “joy” of flying anymore, but at least a little thoughtfulness would go far. Acts of random kindness are always appreciated.
Reprinted from my blog at a national travel magazine
April 24, 2008
Tags: Africa, Argentina, Brazil, China, Egypt, Iguazu Falls
There are a lot of places in the world that should be on every traveler’s list of things to see. Some are more famous than others, and some are more off the beaten track as well. Some of my personal favorites can be classified in all of these categories.
The Iguazu Falls, from the Argentina and Brazil sides, are one of the top places on any list. I am a sucker for natural wonders so I could have spent more time there than the couple of days that I did, but they are truly spectacular. Since I am on the natural wonders track, I would also not miss the Grand Canyon. Although I have been there on dozens of occasions I still stand in awe every time. Now, from canyons to mountains, the sight of the Himalayas with the naked eye gives me shivers and not from the cold. However, I must admit that I prefer them from a bit of a distance and am not about to do any climbing! I am adventurous, not suicidal.
The next two are combined natural and man-made wonders. On this part of my list are the amazing Nile and Yangtze rivers in Egypt and China respectively. It may sound corny and touristy, but taking a cruise up or down both of these rivers is absolutely memorable. The natural aspect is breathtaking, but to combine that with the historical structures in the banks of both rivers just can’t be beat if you are trying to add a little culture to your trip. Despite never having been a major fan of cruising, this is the best way to experience Egypt from Aswan to Luxor and everything in between.
The last on my list for this edition is going to be my absolute favorite – a safari anywhere in Africa. There is just something so special about being close to creatures in their natural habitats that we spend our childhoods dreaming about, and yes, hyenas do really laugh. I always say the best way to get me out of bed before dawn is to put me in a safari camp, which if you knew me well would really be a testament to the excitement of being on safari.
There you have it. More to come next time.
Reprinted from my blog at a national travel magazine
April 3, 2008
Tags: India, Indiana Jones
Many years ago I had the opportunity to spend some time in India, and one of the most interesting aspects of the entire trip was local perception of tourists. Now I must admit that I was there prior to the tech boom and outsourcing, but I imagine much of it to still be the same in many areas. The level of poverty cannot be imagined, which of course reduces the traveler to becoming a possible source of financial gain to much of the less fortunate, and fending off hordes of begging children becomes the norm.
Let me take you back a bit first of all to let you know that I was not exactly traveling in style. I was much younger then and saw the opportunity to travel by truck and camp in tents as an adventure not to be missed. In fact, it almost gave me the sense of being a female Indiana Jones. It was wild and adventurous, and I would never do it again. At least not at this age and not in India, but looking back I’m glad I experienced it. I still advise everyone to go and see this amazing region, but I will tell you now that you must stay in a top notch hotel to at least have a bit of a respite in the evening to absorb what you have experienced during the day’s events.
Back to the perception aspect; it is difficult, in the best of circumstances, to comprehend and experience the enormity of poverty in the country and yet after a while it becomes the norm in one’s mind. You are a representative of the rich west and it cannot be ignored, but there is more to the country than this overwhelming attack on the senses.
One of the best ways to describe this is what happens when you pass through the gates of the Taj Mahal. The poverty of the India of the masses is slowly left behind as you enter a world of grandeur, history and romance. The opulence is apparent at first glance; the history intensely obvious. But the romance in the story of its creation is spellbinding; the love of one human being for another leaves you breathless. In an instant I was mesmerized and had left behind the tragedy of abject poverty less than one hundred feet behind me. I sat for hours taking photographs of the great monolith from every angle and every shade of light, all the while sensing the devotion with which it was created.
All this being said, one does have to reenter reality beyond the gates of fantasy, and no where else in the world places blunt realism before you so starkly as does India. My one piece of advice is to go with open eyes. Understand that you can find beauty in anything; the grandeur of a palace or the pleading in the eyes of a child trapped in an environment of utter destitution. Whatever you take away from this experience, understand that you will likely not change their perception of you as a rich western visitor, but they just might change your perception of the world as you know it.
Reprinted from my blog at a national travel magazine
March 27, 2008
Tags: China, Great Wall, Southern California
About 10 years ago, I had the chance to visit the Great Wall of China. Now, most people go during the spring or early summer when the weather is nice and the crowds are abundant. I, however, am not “most people.” I chose to go in the dead of winter.
I have been to many frosty places during the winter months, such as Russia, Scotland and Japan, but have never been quite as cold as I was standing on The Wall. Granted, I am from Southern California, where 50 degrees is a cold snap, but this was beyond artic. Luckily, I had chosen to take the cable car to the wall rather than climb from the bottom, because I’m sure hypothermia and frostbite would have set in early.
My sister, who had never been outside the US, was with me because I’d decided it would be fun to watch a green traveler in a culture so harsh and different from ours. I was right about that, but it ended up being a lifesaver having another warm body. Despite two pairs of long johns, wool pants, ski outerwear, gloves and boots, we were still freezing. My little ski cap was in fact much like wearing a paper hat, for all the warmth it was providing, so before making the trek up the piece of wall we were dropped off at, we noticed a few Mongolian men selling fur hats. Being the conscientious person that I am, I asked what they were made of, and to my horror, they eeked out the word ”cat”. I happen to be quite the cat lover, so I indignantly refused. That is until I walked about 50 yards on. Teetering on an impending sub-zero demise, my sister reminded me that the cat was already dead and I should take advantage of its sacrifice. Growing up I rarely agreed with my sister, but at that very moment she seemed to have the wisdom of Confucius, so I ended up bringing new meaning to the Dr. Suess story of The Cat in the Hat.
All the icy weather and bone-chilling cold aside, it was one of the most magnificent sights to behold. I have been to many world wonders, and each one was awe-inspiring, but there was something unique about the wall. Perhaps it was the sheer size of the structure or the history that went along with it, but whatever it was, when we stepped foot on it for the first time the cold seemed to dissipate. It was as if it had a life of its own; or perhaps when one is standing in the presence of such an astounding human feat, it takes your breath away enough that you forget about your extremities turning blue. Whatever the case may be, it was indescribable.
Reprinted from my blog at a national travel magazine
February 21, 2008
Tags: cactus, California, desert, Joshua trees, Southern California
It isn’t often we get the chance to take a moment and enjoy the beauty that surrounds us. We spend far too much time running from place to place, attending meetings, taking kids to school, and everything else adulthood convinces us is necessary. I have spent most of my life, being the “Type A” personality I am, always trying to fit more and more into my already busy day. For me, it is a challenge, and yet, sometimes something happens in our life that forces us to hit the brakes suddenly and see what we often miss.
Yesterday, I hit those brakes, and I happened to have the opportunity to drive through the California desert just after doing so. I am from Southern California and have driven these roads hundreds of times. I rarely think about how striking it is because it is something to be driven through in order to arrive at one’s destination. This time, however, I took the time to notice things I hadn’t really paid close attention to before.
It was raining in the desert yesterday and the Joshua trees were such a deep golden green against the wet sand. In fact, whenever the sun would peek out the remaining droplets could be seen shining on their sturdy branches. And for those of you that have never been there, Joshua trees are unique to this part of the world. Not so much a tree as a cactus actually, but a stunning addition to what would otherwise be a barren landscape. Had they always been this beautiful?
Beyond the desert floor you could see the snow covered mountains with their white powder tops begging to be part of a fun winter’s day, and topping it off was the double rainbow; one hovering on either side of the highway as if to guide travelers through the storm. Mountain snow against the desert floor. Rainbows glistening in the sun. It was dazzling, a dream almost, but hadn’t it always been this way?
I suppose it is really nothing new. Things I have seen throughout my life I’m sure but never really paid much attention to. The California desert is really such an amazing place, and I highly recommend a jaunt through it, especially in winter, but I also urge you to stop and look around today wherever you may be. Whether something makes you stop in your tracks or not, take a minute or two and try to catch a glimpse of some things you may have been missing. They’ve probably been right in front of you all along, but never quite as beautiful as when you take the time to enjoy them.
Reprinted from my blog at a national travel magazine
February 14, 2008
Tags: Antartica, autobahn, Bucket list, Lamborghini, Machu Picchu
A few weeks ago I went to see the movie “Bucket List“, and although I enjoyed it very much it really did have a much deeper meaning. For those of you that have not seen the film it is about two older men facing terminal illnesses and how they become friends and decide to see and do everything they can on their list before they ‘kick the bucket’; hence the name of the movie.
So this got me thinking – I have been to most, if not all the places visited during the movie, but what would I put on my list? If I was told I had six months to live I certainly wouldn’t spend it waiting to die. I would do just as Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman did and try to accomplish everything I could on my list before my departure. What a better legacy to leave than having really enjoyed life right to the end?
Because I have traveled extensively throughout my life it took me quite some time to come up with exactly what I would do. With that in mind, for now some of the things on my bucket list would be, and not in any specific order, the following:
1. See the great migration in the Serengeti
2. Win the lottery just so I could have the fun of giving it all away to those that are less fortunate
3. Drive a Lamborghini on the Autobahn
4. Go to Antartica
5. See the polar bears in their natural habitat
6. Climb Machu Picchu
7. Find out who my father’s birth parents are
It’s a pretty short list for now, and I’m sure I would think of a lot more if I really did only have six months. How about all of you? Anyone want to share their list?
Reprinted from my blog at a national travel magazine
