The magic of place: Silvio Sirias’s expansive portrayal of Nicaragua in Bernardo and the Virgin

June 13th, 2010 | By Joshua | 21 Comments »

The Tranquilo Traveler is proud to host Silvio Sirias’s book tour today. FREE GIFT: Leave a comment below and you’ll be entered to win crafts by Panamanian Kuna artisans [[gift is closed, congratulations monica!]]
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The first book I ever read about Nicaragua was Blood of Brothers, by Stephen Kinzer. It was 1997 and I’d just received my invitation from the U.S. Peace Corps to work in Nicaragua as a forestry volunteer. All I knew about Nicaragua was that it was in Central America, it sounded exotic, and I would be living there for the next two-and-a-half years, little else.

Kinzer gave a sharp, alluring portrait of a country during its hottest hours (the Sandinista revolution of 1979 and subsequent social experiment and civil war that lasted till 1990); but I was looking for more. The second book I read about Nicaragua was also non-fiction, by a Nicaraguan this time, also about the war. And the third. You get the picture. It took some digging to find other periods of Nicaraguan history, and still I found few descriptions in the literature about the life in store for me, about modern-day, small-town Nicaragua. (more…)

A la Carte Maps combines map, guidebook, and art in one foldable package

March 31st, 2010 | By Joshua | No Comments »

Five years ago, while traveling in Thailand, I discovered the beautiful hand-painted maps of Nancy Chandler, an American artist who found a unique, mappy niche for herself. Her Bangkok map was not only nice to look at, but extremely practical as well. For example, I didn’t learn from my guidebook about using the city’s klongs, or canals, to get around and avoid the street traffic; instead, I figured this out from the drawings on Chandler’s map—no guidebook necessary, just a map in my pocket. (more…)

Three-for-one book review on Perceptive Travel

March 1st, 2010 | By Joshua | No Comments »

In this month’s Perceptive Travel book review, I take a look at three new titles: Chuck Thompson’s follow–up to Smile When You’re Lying, a bizarre collection by Andrew Zimmern, and an epic, long–gone journey written to a lost son by Bill Raney. I laughed the most during Thompson’s To Hellholes and Back, in which the author marches out to single-handedly combat the “pussification of America” (and I cheered him on as I read, scratched my belly, and sipped a beer)…. Enjoy->

Travel Blogger Caravan continues…!

December 9th, 2009 | By Joshua | No Comments »

Congratulations to Patricia Ramirez de Cunningham, winner of an autographed copy of Moon Belize and a personal trip consulting session with the author! Paty’s name was selected at random from the other comments on this contest post and will be receiving her book shortly.

In the meantime, the Travel Bloggers Caravan continues and there are many more prizes to be had. Go to the following sites on the appointed days to learn how to win, and good luck!
December 9: What a Trip (Nancy D. Brown): Two Otterbox cell phone cases ($50 value each) and one Briggs and Riley Baseline 20” Carry-On Expandable Wide-Body Upright ($369 value)

December 10: JtheTravelAuthority.com (Jeanine Barone): Mountainsmith Tour FX Camera Bag ($99 value)

December 11: CruiseDiva.com (Linda Coffman): Fodor’s The Complete Guide to Caribbean Cruises and a World Grounding Set (courtesy of Magellan’s Travel Supplies)

December 12: EllenBarone.com (Ellen Barone): Day pack from First Ascent, a new extreme adventure line of gear and clothing by Eddie Bauer and partners ($79 value)

December 13: MyItchyTravelFeet.com (Donna L. Hull): $50 Barnes & Noble gift card, which may be used at all Barnes & Noble stores and online at BarnesandNoble.com

December 14: EuropeUpClose.com (Terri Fogarty): Fujifilm FinePix J28 10MP digital camera with 3x optical zoom

December 15: LuxurySafariExperts.com (Andrea M. Rotondo): Folding noise-cancelling headphones courtesy of Magellan’s Travel Supplies

Magellan’s Travel Supplies is a sponsor of this event. Check out the unique gifts available at Magellan’s website for all the travelers on your holiday shopping list.

Tranquilo Traveler meets Where Am I Wearing

December 7th, 2009 | By Joshua | No Comments »

Muchisimas gracias to the original touron himself, Kelsey Timmerman, for having me over for a beer and a guest spot on his blog, Where Am I Wearing? which is also the name of Kelsey’s excellent book, Where Am I Wearing? A Global Tour to the Countries, Factories, and People that Make Our Clothes.

As I point out, you don’t see many “Made-in-Belize” labels (there is no garment industry there, unlike the rest of Central America), but if you know where to look, there are some wonderful cottage industries to explore. Kelsey’s next book is Where Am I Eating?, and I offer some suggestions for what I think would be a great chapter on the Fair Trade–certified cacao trade of southern Belize. Enjoy:

Joshua “You Better Belize It!” Berman

Countdown to 2010 Travel Bloggers’ Caravan & Giveaway

November 24th, 2009 | By Joshua | 1 Comment »

I’ll be participating in this first annual Travel Blogger’s Caravan. During the first half of December, it should be an interesting daily smorgasbord of travel bits and prizes (anyone who tweets about the Travel Bloggers Caravan between December 1 and 15 will be entered to win a Lingo 16-Language Translator from Magellan’s Travel Supplies). Click here and scroll down to see the full schedule of bloggers. I’ll be giving away some Moon Belize books on December 6, so stay tuned.

MOON BELIZE book giveaway! Deadline is Wednesday to leave a comment about your personal Belize must-see

November 16th, 2009 | By Joshua | No Comments »

Next stop on my blog tour: the esteemed gadling.com, a fun and sharp travel blog I’ve been bookmarking for years (and I’m not just saying that because they liked my book). In any case, they are following up their book review with a giveaway. To win a copy of Moon Belize, read the rules and add a comment at the bottom of the giveaway page by Wednesday, identifying “the one activity/place in Belize that you would absolutely not want to pass up when you go there.”

Three sentence max. Go.

The Practical Nomad on FTC’s new blogging rules and what it means for travel writers

October 29th, 2009 | By Joshua | 1 Comment »

Edward Hasbrouck, aka The Practical Nomad, weighs in on how the Federal Trade Commission’s new rules on blogging will affect travel writers:

New FTC rules on diclosure of sponsorships, freebies, and discounts

“…For most travel writers, photographers, and publishers these regulations will require changes in business practices, changes to Web sites and blogs, and possibly changes to work already in press but scheduled for publication after 1 December 2009.”

I don’t do much product writing on this blog, only the odd book or CD review (usually from free review copies), and I don’t consider my guidebook listings of hotels and restaurants to be “reviews” per se (a hotel deserving of a negative review simply doesn’t go in my books - I’d rather use that space to more adequately describe deserving properties). So I don’t know if I need to sign the Blog with Integrity pledge. In any case, Edward gives a clear, concise, and thorough overview of the new rules. Enjoy.
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Spotlight on MOON BELIZE contributors and very tranquilo travelers: Rosey Goodman and Joni Miller

October 23rd, 2009 | By Joshua | No Comments »

The worst error I made in the new edition of MOON BELIZE (at least, the worst one I’ve found so far) was omitting my two research assistants from the acknowledgments. This was purely an accident and my sincere apologies go to Rosey Goodman and Joni Miller. These two women helped with the enormous amount of legwork and pavement-pounding that went into updating this guidebook and they deserve recognition.

You’ll find Joni Miller at the Caye Caulker Ocean Academy, the tiny island’s first high school, which she helped found last year. Before that, Caye Caulker’s teens had to commute by boat to the mainland. Joni has a Masters in International Education from the University of Alberta and 10 years high-school teaching experience in British Columbia. Read about how you can help the school with donations, school supplies, or by volunteering in the new Moon book, and check the school’s wish list before your trip to Belize to see what you can bring.

From Antigua to Zagreb, Rosey Goodman, a.k.a. DriveGoddess, has been adventuring and exploring since her teens. Writer, photographer, broadcaster, and chef, Rosey is known for her irreverent style and lust for life. She loves nothing better than taking to the open road or being out at sea. From pristine, deserted beaches to the war zones of the Balkans, Rosey has learned that moments are meant to be savored, experiences to be shared. She is currently working on her road trip tales and is plotting the next great adventure, which she will be posting on her Facebook page: R.m. Goodman. Her other sites are:

http://www.ourbelize.net

and

http://www.flickr.com/drivegoddess

Spotlight on a MOON BELIZE contributor: Tony Rath, Photographer

October 18th, 2009 | By Joshua | No Comments »

This is the first in a series of blog posts about the people who contributed to the 8th edition of MOON BELIZE. Writing this book is by no means a one-man show and, over the next few weeks, I’d like to acknowledge a few of the talented people whose work appears in my book.

First up, Dangriga-based photographer Tony Rath, who took the cave-tubing and giant turtle shots in the front color section of MOON BELIZE. His website TonyRath.com just got a remarkable facelift — sit back and enjoy a fascinating assortment of Belizean people, animals, and scenes. Tony also keeps the IMAGES OF BELIZE PHOTO BLOG and a VIDEO archive — worth bookmarking for you Belize-watchers out there. Bueno. That should be enough to keep you busy for a while, enjoy. And thank you, Tony.