A la Carte Maps: My review on the New York Times travel blog

August 30th, 2010 | By Joshua | 1 Comment »

I love the new line of travel maps from A la Carte, featuring gorgeous watercolor artwork and handwritten advice. From my new review on the New York Times Intelligent Travel Guide:

“The company was founded in 2009 by a pair of Swiss entrepreneurs and self-described ‘flashpackers’ (backpackers with some extra flair — and cash) who were tired of lugging overweight, out-of-date guidebooks around on their travels.”

Read the original piece here–>

Sometimes people travel and they don’t come back.

August 22nd, 2010 | By Joshua | No Comments »

From the count-your-blessings department:

Aubrey Sacco, a young backpacker from Boulder, CO, is still missing, last seen on a solo trek, while traveling in Nepal. Elephant Journal reports that she was “traveling through Nepal, India and Sri Lanka to help further her yoga skills while volunteering at schools and teaching English.”

I’d never heard of Aubrey before yesterday, (more…)

LOS MOKUANES: The hardest working fiesta band in Nicaragua

August 12th, 2010 | By Joshua | No Comments »

MO-KUAN-ES! MO-KUAN-ES! MO-KUAN-ES!

Every show begins with this deep-voiced recorded announcement, as the smoke machines are turned on and the crowd gathers. At the fairgrounds in Managua last week (Microfer 2010), thousands started walking toward the stage when they heard the cue, chanting along and preparing to dance. (more…)

Travel Writer Julian Smith follows Mark Twain’s path across Nicaragua—in today’s Washington Post

August 7th, 2010 | By Joshua | No Comments »

Like Mark Twain? Like Nicaragua? Here’s a story you probably did not know:

“I’ve arrived 100 years after the great American writer’s death to retrace one of his lesser-known journeys. In 1866, Twain crossed Nicaragua on his way from California to New York. He was fresh off his first lecture tour, and his writing career was just starting to take off…. Today, the route he took runs through a country not in revolution, but in evolution. Tourism is growing faster in Nicaragua than anywhere else in Central America; safety-wise, it’s second only to its tourist-magnet neighbor, Costa Rica.”

In Nicaragua, following in Twain’s footsteps - and his dreams

On assignment in Nicaragua, first stop: León

August 4th, 2010 | By Joshua | No Comments »

Hola amigos! I’ll be blogging about my trip to Nicaragua this week from the official author blog at my publisher’s website: MOON.COM.

Also, when possible, I’ll be tweeting from @tranquilotravel–>

See you in the heat….!

MOON.COM: AUTHOR BLOG JOSHUA BERMAN

Prime-Time Nicaragua: loud, proud, and still rough around the edges

July 23rd, 2010 | By Joshua | 1 Comment »

The CBS hit show Survivor is currently filming two seasons of their reality show in southwest Nicaragua, the first of which will premiere on September 15, 2010. I’ve never watched Survivor; I have no idea how important the actual setting is behind the drama and Darwinian democracy. I suspect not so much, besides providing viewers with wild, dripping greenery and providing Survivor’s producers with the opportunity to attach their brand to such a gritty-sounding place-name as “Nicaragua.”

Originally a Nahuatl word alluding to majestic waters, “Nicaragua” has a different connotation for most of the modern world, a picture best captured, I believe, by Dave Eggers: “Nicaragua sounded dangerous … like some kind of spider. There it goes, under the table—Nicaragua!” (more…)

Colonial homes walking tours of Granada, Nicaragua, proceeds go to library and school projects

July 20th, 2010 | By Joshua | No Comments »

A friend asked me to share this, sounds like an excellent opportunity for anyone visiting or living in Granada, one of the most beautiful cities in the world (and the oldest on the North American continent!):

Enjoy a morning walking tour of some of Granada’s most beautiful and historical colonial homes. Learn about the history and the Spanish colonial architecture while viewing  the city’s private homes. Proceeds benefit the children of Nicaragua by providing books, education and other activities through Biblioteca Puedo Leer and Sacuanjoche Kindergarten. (more…)

Power to the People mixes renewable energy, voluntourism, on La Isla de Ometepe in Nicaragua

July 18th, 2010 | By Joshua | 1 Comment »

This short film abut a solar energy installation in rural Nicaragua was produced by Brad Allgood, an independent filmmaker, and Jenean Smith, founder of Power to the People, both of whom, I’m proud to say, are fellow Peace Corps Nicaragua brethren (I love hearing about RPCV compas who have found creative ways to stay connected to their host countries … but I digress).

The video opens with a wonderful, marimba-filled tribute to Nicaragua, then follows a group of volunteers as they travel to La Isla de Ometepe to assist with a solar panel installation. Beautiful scenery, interesting story, worthy cause. Enjoy.

My new tranquilo tarp hat, made from road-ravaged Brazilian truck canvas

July 17th, 2010 | By Joshua | 35 Comments »

I tend not to accessorize much when I travel, but in the tropics, everyone needs a hat. Not entirely happy with the nylon mesh hat I’d been sporting the last few years, it seemed like destiny when this beauty from Brazil landed on my dome. After only a day of filling it with sweat on a 100-degree Colorado day, the material has already begun molding to my head, the rim already curving toward perfection.

These canvas hats also come with a story, from Brazil, where The Real Deal has created a micro-industry of family hat-stitchers. No two hats or bags are alike, each is patched together from discarded pieces of cross-country cargo truck tarpaulins. Sure, the intentionally roughshod look is a bit hokey, but I don’t care. They still look good. (more…)

“Strap ‘em on and hit the road!”—Tranquilo article on adventure vacation with young children

June 22nd, 2010 | By Joshua | 3 Comments »

My family and I make an appearance in this article about voluntourism and family travel. It was written by Amy Hatch for aol.com’s parenting website:

Not Your Ordinary Summer: Taking A Family Adventure Vacation

I’m quoted about what age is appropriate to take a child abroad (I aimed low), but I especially like this line by Richard Webb, co-founder of ProWorld: “No matter what kind of adventure travel experience you decide on, the effect it has on your family will be immeasurable. There is so much learning that we get when we expose ourselves to others.” READ THE ARTICLE->