var textForPages =["V<br/>Vo<br/>ol<br/>D<br/>D<br/>D<br/>l.<br/>.9<br/>9,<br/>,<br/>n<br/>no<br/>o.<br/>.2<br/>2<br/>I<br/>IS<br/>SP<br/>P<br/>A<br/>A<br/>T<br/>T<br/>C<br/>C<br/>H<br/>H<br/>E<br/>E<br/>S<br/>S<br/>fi<br/>dn<br/>fi<br/>fie<br/>e<br/>e<br/>l<br/>l<br/>l<br/>d<br/>d<br/>n<br/>n<br/>o<br/>o<br/>ot<br/>t<br/>te<br/>e<br/>e<br/>s<br/>s<br/>s<br/>f<br/>f<br/>fo<br/>o<br/>or<br/>r<br/>r<br/>O<br/>O<br/>O<br/>.<br/>.<br/>.<br/>A<br/>A<br/>A.<br/>.<br/>.<br/>T<br/>T<br/>T<br/>.<br/>.<br/>.’<br/>’<br/>’<br/>s<br/>s<br/>s<br/>S<br/>S<br/>Si<br/>i<br/>i<br/>r<br/>r<br/>rE<br/>E<br/>E<br/>d<br/>d<br/>d<br/>m<br/>m<br/>m<br/>u<br/>u<br/>u<br/>n<br/>n<br/>n<br/>d<br/>d<br/>dH<br/>H<br/>H<br/>i<br/>i<br/>il<br/>l<br/>l<br/>l<br/>l<br/>l<br/>a<br/>a<br/>ar<br/>r<br/>r<br/>y<br/>y<br/>y<br/>C<br/>C<br/>C<br/>l<br/>l<br/>lu<br/>u<br/>u<br/>b<br/>b<br/>bm<br/>m<br/>m<br/>e<br/>e<br/>em<br/>m<br/>m<br/>b<br/>b<br/>b<br/>e<br/>e<br/>e<br/>r<br/>r<br/>r<br/>s<br/>s<br/>s<br/>S<br/>S<br/>M<br/>M<br/>","Virginia Bickford, 16-time traveler<br/>“I felt like a kid again as I zipped through the foliage, getting more graceful with braking at every platform. Our Trip Leader told us that Guanacaste Province was named for a tree— which happens to be the national tree of Costa Rica. Fitting, then, that I should be doing this here, closer to the treetops than I am to the ground, and closer than ever to the natural beauty of this incredible place.”<br/>","","6 Letter from the Editor<br/>7 Correspondence<br/>Our readers share letters, photos, and more<br/>10 Where in the World<br/>Can you identify this picture<br/>11 O.A.T. Photo Contest<br/>Congratulations to our 2015 winners!<br/>12 Artifacts<br/>The artwork of John Newcomb<br/>14 World Calendar<br/>Upcoming events of interest<br/>16 Immersions<br/>O.A.T. travelers connect with local culture<br/>17 Literary Adventure<br/>Seeking Sicily: A Cultural Journey through Myth and Reality in the Heart of the Mediterranean by John Keahey<br/>24 Call of the Wild<br/>Wildlife of the Atacama Desert<br/>25 Trailblazers<br/>A conversation with John Sroysumrong<br/>26 Adventure Countdown<br/>Street food from around the world<br/>34 Field Notes<br/>Traveler Dean Straffin makes an unlikely Jeep connection in India<br/>36 O.A.T. Philanthropy<br/>Grand Circle Foundation’s self-sustaining gifts<br/>38 Moveable Feast<br/>Ceviche of Peru<br/>40 Outlook on Women<br/>The Myth of the Amazon<br/>58 Adventure Update<br/>News briefs from O.A.T.<br/>“Cuba’s culture and people weave a rich tapestry of Taíno, European, and African traditions. Arriving with the first slave ships in the 16th century, African influences in particular shine through in this uniquely Cuban heritage.”<br/>41 Special Feature<br/>Grand Circle Cruise Line Small Ship Cruise Tours<br/>Cuba PAGE 44<br/>","“Even the most modern ryokan feels like transporting back to the beginning of the Edo period, when weary travelers along Japan’s highways would stop at these establishments for rest and relaxation.”<br/>“Coming around the final bend in the road, the sight of Milford Sound laid out in front of us shattered every expectation I had. Even hyperbole falls short of capturing a view like that.”<br/>Japan PAGE 28<br/>New Zealand PAGE 18<br/>","DISPATCHES<br/>Summer 2016<br/>Vol. 9, no. 2<br/>field notes for<br/>Overseas Adventure Travelers<br/>PUBLISHERS<br/>Harriet R. Lewis Alan E. Lewis<br/>EDITOR-IN-CHIEF<br/>Laura Chavanne<br/>MANAGING EDITOR<br/>Rachel Fox<br/>CORRESPONDENTS<br/>John Bregoli<br/>Meghan Colloton Maryclaire Dugre Catherine Groux<br/>Tom Lepisto<br/>Lyette Mercier<br/>Ashleigh Osgood Danielle Ossher<br/>Paige Solomon<br/>Pamela Schweppe Jennifer Sullivan<br/>Travis Taylor<br/>Jenna Thomas<br/>David Valdes Greenwood<br/>ART DIRECTOR<br/>Maureen Crocker<br/>MANAGING DESIGNER<br/>Sukkie Pang<br/>DESIGNERS<br/>Dylan Andrews Brian Babineau Jessica Pooler<br/>PHOTO EDITORS<br/>Amanda Fisher Meredith Gausch Susan Greene Meredith Mulcahy Gregory Palmer<br/>PRODUCTION MANAGER<br/>Erica Simonis<br/>PROJECT MANAGERS<br/>Quintan Loar Anna Schneider<br/>Story ideas, manuscripts, photos, artwork, and other contributions are welcomed and should be sent to the attention of<br/>Editor, c/o Dispatches<br/>Overseas Adventure Travel<br/>One Mifflin Place, Suite 400, Cambridge, MA 02138<br/>or emailed to editordispatches@oattravel.com<br/>So that we may properly credit you, please include your name, address, phone number, and number of times you have traveled with O.A.T. The magazine regrets that we cannot acknowledge receipt of or assume responsibility for the return of manuscripts, photos, artwork, or other material.<br/>Dispatches is a publication of Overseas Adventure Travel, One Mifflin Place, Suite 400, Cambridge, MA 02138<br/>A Message from Harriet Lewis<br/>My first trip to Europe was during my hippie-dippy days in the 60s. We rented an old VW bus, and lived according to the wisdom of<br/>our bible: a tattered copy of Europe on $5 a Day. Looking back, I can’t believe how fearless we were. One night, unable to find a hotel within our budget, we slept on the floor of a bus station.<br/>I wouldn’t trade that experience for a night in the finest hotel in the world.<br/>These days, you’d have a hard time touring Europe on $50 a day, and many travelers have abandoned their dog-eared guidebooks in favor of smartphones. But every once in a while, I hear a travel story that hearkens back to my carefree days in Europe. I’m happy to share one of them with you in this<br/>issue of Dispatches. Jenna Thomas, a staff writer here at O.A.T., was smarter than my friends and I when she traveled through New Zealand in a beat-up van: She found one she could sleep in. On page 18, read about how she and her husband practically drove it into the ground on the road to Milford Sound.<br/>If anyone could fix Jenna’s poor old van, it’d be a Cuban, masters as they<br/>are of automotive ingenuity. In our section devoted to Small Ship travel,<br/>we bring you to our island neighbor, which you can now explore aboard<br/>our own M/V Clio. Learn about the African influence that permeates the Cuban port of Santiago de Cuba on page 44.<br/>On page 28, writer Catherine Groux takes us to Japan, one of my favorite places. Rules are everywhere in Japanese culture, and they can be hard to navigate—especially when you’re baring it all in a traditional bathhouse.<br/>I remembered my own struggle with Japanese rules—and how I ultimately learned to embrace them.<br/>Both Catherine and Jenna remind us that sometimes when we travel, the most uncomfortable moments become our most lasting memories—because by getting out of our comfort zone, we ultimately learn to expand it. And isn’t that what travel is all about?<br/>Happy reading,<br/>Harriet R. Lewis<br/>Vice Chairman<br/>Overseas Adventure Travel<br/>6 DISPATCHES•SUMMER2016<br/>","Correspondence<br/>Letters, photos, and more<br/>It is a beautiful yawn! Showing his tongue and all his teeth.<br/>T h e n h e r e l i e v e s h i m s e l f. T o s h o w h i s d i s d a i n f o r o u r p r e s e n c e?<br/>He meanders slowly toward the road (and us!). There is some concern in the Rover, but now we can see he has a full belly. This is a good sign. He isn’t hungry. He stops again maybe fifteen feet from the Rover and gives us his best roar. A thrilling and frightening sound from the King of Beasts.<br/>He continues toward us, but just to walk on the sandy road, lit by our headlights. We watch his hind end disappear as the scarlet sunset fades to twilight.<br/>Visitors are required to be out of the park by dark. The law is to discourage poachers, and we don’t want to be mistaken.<br/>It’s hard to explain the bullet holes when you know about the permission to shoot-on-sight after dark. We fly down the bumpy, unpaved road at faster than comfortable speed to reach Kruger’s gate in time.<br/>This entire trip is a spectacular collection of memories and friends and what a special treasure this day has been! We saw a lion in the grass and he roared for us—up close!<br/>Elaine Brennick Randolph, NJ 5-time traveler<br/>Moved by mountains<br/>There was a heavy snowfall the day before our excursion to Mount Fuji on our Japan’s Cultural Treasures trip. The view of the mountain was breathtaking. I was moved to write a Haiku poem<br/>to the mountain. I have always loved the simple beauty and imagery of Haiku, and taught it for many years to my fourth grade classes.<br/>Mount Fuji wears snow A pure blanket of white For a sleeping God<br/>Dianne Mitchell Kingerhook, NY 11-time traveler<br/>Correspondence<br/>Sweetly corrected<br/>n<br/>native Argentine, I loved our<br/>C<br/>C h h i i l l e e. . S S a a n n t t i i, , o o u u r r g g u u i i d d e e, , w w a a s s T T H H E E<br/>b<br/>b e e s s t t w w e e’ ’ v v e e e e v v e e r r h h a a d d a a n n d d A A r r g g e e n n t t i i n n a a<br/>f<br/>f e e l l t t l l i i k k e e c c o o m m i i n n g g h h o o m m e e f f o o r r m m e e. .<br/>A<br/>A l l m m o o s s t t e e v v e e r r y y w w h h e e r r e e w w e e w w e e n nt t i i n n<br/>A<br/>A r r g g e e n n t t i i n n a a, , t t h h e e A A r r g g e e n n t t i i n n e e t t r r e e a a t t, ,<br/>alfajores, were for sale—filled with dulce de leche.<br/>In your recent Dispatches article, you defined dulce de leche as an Argentine sweet or candy.<br/>It’s not really. It’s has the consistency, more or less, of lemon curd, and it’s spreadable, like jam. I didn’t read your recipe carefully because I make my own, and much more easily. Take an unopened can of condensed milk, place it in a pot, cover it with water, cover the pot, bring the water to a boil, reduce heat and cook for 2 hours. At the end of 2 hours, allow to cool, open the can and, voila! dulce de leche.<br/>Stephanie Cohen Newton, MA 26-time traveler<br/>Lion in the grass<br/>The following<br/>vignette is a<br/>miniscule piece of<br/>our wonderful O.A.T.<br/>trip to Southern<br/>Africa. Memorable<br/>for the many animal<br/>sightings, from tiny<br/>blue-tailed lizards and colorful birds, to the magnificent<br/>Big Five, all made even better by sharing the experience with ten friends.<br/>The sun is close to setting. Visibility is dwindling. The Range Rover stops again. “Lion,” says William, our sharp-eyed guide, pointing three hundred yards (three football fields) away to the right. After a chorus of “Where?” from the rest of us and much direction from William, we see the white paw raised above<br/>the tall grass. We watch, mesmerized. The paw appears, and disappears. Appears . . . and disappears. Will we see more of him?<br/>The grass moves, the lion stands up. He stretches, shakes and takes a step or two in our direction. He covers about half the distance toward us and stops again, opens his mouth and yawns.<br/>S<br/>A s s a a 2 2 6 6- -t t i i m m e e t t r r a a v v e e l l e e r r a a n n d d a a<br/>A<br/>l<br/>a<br/>ast fall’s trip to Argentina and<br/>l<br/>DISPATCHES•SUMMER2016 7<br/>","Music appreciation in Costa Rica<br/>This March my husband Gerald and I enjoyed Real Affordable Costa Rica. The trip was made even more pleasant by Liza Mora, our Trip Leader. She is not only very enthusiastic about her country, but is also very knowledgeable and at ease with us and the various local people we encountered. Our group wanted to do something special to thank her and to show our appreciation before our Farewell Dinner. Sharon Carr, a very musically talented lady, wrote the attached lyrics to be sung by us using the 1927 Side by Side tune by Harry M. Woods.<br/>Wherever we go, whatever we do We’re gonna go thru it with Liza Thru hot jungle walks<br/>And rivers with crocs<br/>We’re gonna go thru it with Liza Wherever she goes, we go Wherever we go, she goes<br/>On horseback or boat<br/>Thank God we all float<br/>We’re glad we go thru it with Liza<br/>The food was quite nice<br/>We ate beans and rice<br/>Empanadas and tacos with Liza<br/>We went back to school<br/>At Aqua Azul<br/>And got to know students with Liza The bats and the birds were amazing The monkeys and sloths entertaining And it’s all thanks to you<br/>Pura Vida, Salud<br/>To the best guide in all Costa Rica!<br/>Sylvie Gould Cumming, GA 15-time traveler<br/>South America: First Impressions<br/>Editor’s Note: We featured one of Marsha Johansen’s poems in our Spring edition of Dispatches, and enjoyed the observational way she captures a destination so much—we decided to feature another on the pulse and pause found in South America.<br/>Another world called South America where dogs roam the streets and tango’s sordid past dominate a humid, wild city street vendors, moms run the streets clutching their babies, heavy oppression immediately penetrated my senses<br/>filled with a rich history of dictators steeped in crazy political motives<br/>locals still found a culture of<br/>love and passion woven through<br/>Argentina’s tunnels of long-forgotten tragedies forged a connection with Eva Peron<br/>a cemetery for long forgotten idols<br/>surrounded by beautiful sculptures people surviving economic collapse multiple natural disasters, but<br/>Struggling for an identity apart<br/>from Bariloche’s beautiful lakeside views where Nazis found a secret haven<br/>in a town resembling the Swiss Alps<br/>Crossing the Andes<br/>a Chilean family prepared Curranto;<br/>a pit inside the ground,<br/>filled with shellfish, potatoes and vegetables while their children played so naturally without interference from modern technology<br/>Our bus ferried us onto the island of Chiloe a quiet village nestled near a rocky beach where we searched for penguins<br/>hidden within the cliffs<br/>unbelievable sunset from the deck of our hosteria<br/>I dreamed peacefully, while rafting down the Limay River traveling to Las Varas, location of volcanic ash and devastation just five years before as the people bonded together in tragedy<br/>Living happily with horses, condors and llamas<br/>all coexisted beautifully among white, billowing clouds mountains and crystal blue lakes<br/>descended into the sacred land of Torres del Paine,<br/>a destination of majestic beauty and grace<br/>Hiked far and wide until<br/>leaving for Calafate, and the Perito Moreno Glacier comfortably, crashing and reforming<br/>as we gasped together in wonder<br/>trying to collect our last discoveries<br/>Landing again in Buenos Aires<br/>motoring through a river of brown sludge<br/>viewing vacation cottages nestled among the thistles brown bodies exposed before a lunch<br/>rich with conversation<br/>we bonded one last time<br/>I found myself wrapped in a culture steeped in long held traditions,<br/>and a passion for life quickly<br/>c c<br/>o<br/>i i<br/>n n<br/>g g<br/>a a<br/>c c<br/>s s<br/>e e<br/>o<br/>o<br/>m<br/>t<br/>m<br/>t<br/>o<br/>l<br/>o<br/>l<br/>o<br/>8 DISPATCHES•SUMMER2016<br/>","colorful landscapes<br/>filled with beauty and warmth strikingly different, yet ultimately difficult to forget.<br/>Marsha Johansen Albuquerque, NM 3-time traveler<br/>Overseas political adventures<br/>Over the years, my wife and I have managed to be involved with some true political “adventures” while traveling<br/>with O.A.T. starting with the chaos in Peru in 2000—when Fujimori abdicated the Presidency (via email from Japan).<br/>Then in 2010, it was Nepal when the Maoists tried to take<br/>over the country and put a weeklong general strike into effect throughout the country. This trip had the added “adventure” of trying to get to Nepal while the volcano was erupting in Iceland, causing the airports throughout Europe to close. In 2011 it was Egypt in the spring (known as “the Arab Spring”) and Cairo’s Tahrir Square. That trip allowed us to witness both ancient history and history in the making.<br/>2015 brought us to Myanmar in November where once again we became party to a political transition. This time it was quite peaceful and a joy to behold. The authoritarian military government held a democratic election—the first in 25 years!! When the last one was held 25 years ago, they didn’t like the results so they discarded them. This time they promised to honor the vote results. Because of this the general population were out campaigning and acting like children in a candy store. Our guide voted for the first time in his life as did most<br/>of the rest of the general population. And best of all the military government actually is honoring the results. The NLD (National League for Democracy), the revered Suu Kyi’s party, won 80% of the vote.<br/>So, it was with pleasure that we have learned that a new president has taken office on April 1. He is Htin Kyaw, a member of NLD and hand-picked by Suu Kyi who was barred from<br/>the presidency herself. We wish him success with the transition to the first civilian government since 1962. And it was exciting to have been witness to it.<br/>P.S. All throughout our little adventures, we always felt perfectly safe thanks mainly to our very capable O.A.T. Trip Leaders. Of course—the riot police also played a small role.<br/>Hank Eggert Hawley, MA 10-time traveler<br/>Note from the Editor<br/>Happy summer! This year, I decided to wait out the end of a dreary Boston spring in the steamy heat of Vietnam. I didn’t make it back to write a story for press time, but I’m looking forward to sharing my experiences with you in the Fall issue of Dispatches. If you haven’t taken Inside Vietnam yet, I can’t recommend it enough. (Please ignore the fact that I’m biased.) Going into people’s homes, sometimes unannounced ... hopping aboard rickshaws, boats, motorbikes, and at one point even a water buffalo ... gaining five pounds on spring rolls, pho, and anything else they put in front of me ... in short, everything I love about O.A.T.<br/>And another thing I loved about this particular trip? For the first time, I went solo. And loved it.<br/>To anyone in my group who reads this—I’m looking at you, Lloydene—thanks for an amazing few weeks. And to all of you, I hope you enjoy this issue of Dispatches!<br/>All the best,<br/>Laura Chavanne Editor-in-Chief<br/>Editor-in-Chief,<br/>Laura Chavanne in Vietnam<br/>DISPATCHES•SUMMER2016 9<br/>","Share your travel experiences<br/>Dispatches is your magazine—and as O.A.T.’s best travelers, we know you have many stories to tell. Want to see your memories in print? Consider sending us ...<br/>• Photos from your adventure, with brief descriptions of what’s going on.<br/>• Stories, anecdotes, or travelogues—whether they’re just a paragraph or several pages in length.<br/>• Artwork or poetry inspired by your adventure.<br/>• Comments and feedback about Dispatches—and what you’d<br/>like to see.<br/>• Don’t fancy yourself a wordsmith? Send an idea for a story and one of our writers will contact you.<br/>Send your submissions via email to: editordispatches@oattravel.com, or by regular mail to:<br/>Editor, Dispatches<br/>c/o Overseas Adventure Travel One Mifflin Place, Suite 400 Cambridge, MA 02138<br/>Artwork submitted by email should be attached as a .jpeg with 300 dpi resolution; artwork submitted by regular mail should be at least 5\"×7\" in size.<br/>So that we may properly credit you, please include your name, address, phone number, and number of times you’ve traveled with O.A.T.<br/>Where in the World?<br/>Can you identify this otherworldly subterranean landscape, the home of real-life dragons?<br/>Test your knowledge of the world by identifying<br/>this feature and the country where it can be found.<br/>(For the answer, see page 59)<br/>10 DISPATCHES•SUMMER2016<br/>","Enter O.A.T.’s 2016 Photo Contest<br/>BEST IN CATEGORY 2015 WINNERS $300 in Travel Credits<br/>Scott Moats • 4-time traveler • Pekin, IL<br/>Roland Suarez-Ontog • First-time traveler • Venice, FL<br/>Herb Knopp • 16-time traveler • East Northport, NY<br/>2015 GRAND PRIZE:<br/>A FREE Overseas Adventure Travel trip for two, anywhere we travel<br/>Grand Prize Winner<br/>Locals<br/>Howard Jennings • First-time traveler • Cadyville, NY<br/>Winners of our 2016 photo contest will be announced on our website at www.oattravel.com on January 14, 2017 and also in the winter issue of Dispatches magazine.<br/>Nature<br/>How to Enter: Email a .jpeg to OATphotocontest@oattravel.com<br/>OR mail photo prints to: O.A.T. PHOTO CONTEST<br/>Overseas Adventure Travel, One Mifflin Place, Suite 400, Cambridge, MA 02138<br/>Contest Rules:<br/>• Eligible subject matter includes shots<br/>of scenery, cultural attractions, local people, a special moment with fellow travelers—anything that evokes the spirit of discovery.<br/>• Photo must have been taken by you on an O.A.T. adventure within the past 5 years.<br/>• Limit 3 entries maximum per category. • Visit www.oattravel.com/photocontest<br/>for more information.<br/>• You must include the following informa- tion on back of photo or in your email:<br/>1. Your name, address, phone number, and how many times you’ve traveled with O.A.T.<br/>2. Name of O.A.T. adventure and where and when photo was taken.<br/>3. Names of the people pictured (if you know them). Short stories about the photos are also welcome.<br/>• Entries must be postmarked no later than 11/30/16.<br/>Important Terms: All photographs become the property of Grand Circle Corporation, and may<br/>be reproduced in our publications and on our websites. First prize is an O.A.T. adventure of your choosing for you and one companion, main trip only, with a maximum value of $10,000 per couple. All applicable taxes are the sole responsibility of the winner, who will receive a form 1099 reflecting the actual retail value of the prize. Please visit www.oattravel.com/photocontest for full terms.<br/>Landmarks<br/>Travelers<br/>Marvin Derezin • 4-time traveler • Los Angeles, CA<br/>DISPATCHES•SUMMER2016 11<br/>","Artifacts<br/>By Rachel Fox<br/>Rachel is the Managing Editor of Dispatches and recently traveled to Machu Picchu and<br/>the Galápagos Islands.<br/>Top left: John uses vibrant watercolor paints to capture a toucan seen in Costa Rica.<br/>Top right: Orange, red, and golden hues were used to depict the statues of the Terracotta Army in Xi’an, China.<br/>Bottom left: While<br/>in Cuba, John painted a portrait of a man smoking a cigar.<br/>Bottom right: Some- times a photo doesn’t do scenery justice, which is why John painted his surroundings while at Lake Bled, Slovenia.<br/>The Art of Travel<br/>John will paint what<br/>he sketches in his hotel J<br/>during downtime while on a trip so it’s fresh in his mind.<br/>ohn Newcomb, a 7-time traveler from Norwalk, CT has gotten into the habit of making watercolor paintings of scenes or<br/>architecture that catch his eye when he travels with his wife, Charlotte. He uses hotel stationery<br/>to jot down composition and color notes, and then uses the couple’s down time to make the paintings. “I have a Pelikan watercolor kit and an Arches pad (7 × 10 inches). You paint on the first page, and when it’s dry, you use a palette knife to cut the heavy watercolor page free. One trip usually yields six to ten paintings,” John says. In fact, John is no amateur painter. Last year John was asked to hold a one-man show at a large local library branch<br/>in which he framed 50 of his pieces and mounted<br/>them on the walls of the main entrance hallway. Fifteen paintings were sold during the month-long run that they were shown and the local newspaper ran a special supplement and article on John’s work titled “The Art of Travel.”<br/>Growing up in the Midwest, John received a Fine Arts degree from the University of Kansas and soon after he landed in London to attend the Royal Academy of Art on a Rotary Scholarship. After<br/>his education, John returned to New York, where he worked for Time-Life Books and other various magazines for 30 years, doing editorial design and art direction.<br/>12 DISPATCHES•SUMMER2016<br/>","Top left: The La Boca Art Colony in Buenos Aires inspired John to paint a colorful city scene.<br/>Middle left: John uses silhouettes to portray a scene of African elephants by a river at sunset.<br/>Bottom left: An Aborig- inal-style painting of a kangaroo was inspired by a trip to the South Pacific.<br/>Right: John uses an array of vivid hues and contrasting colors in his painting of a Berber girl sitting by watermelons in Morocco.<br/>Years later, John hasn’t slowed down. Since retirement he has painted—mainly large acrylics on canvas—and has held several one-man shows in and around New York City. “This year I signed a one-year contract with the Agora gallery, a professional site in Chelsea. Our first big show is this July. I also furnish art images for a national picture agency: Superstock.com in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.” Over 400 of John’s works in various mediums can be found online—for sale and for viewing pleasure.<br/>His July exhibition features paintings using acrylic on canvas, and focuses on the blurred<br/>line between humans and animals. Often portraying hybrid creatures with their own distinct personalities and societal roles, John paints gorillas, chimps, walruses, toucans, peacocks, and many more, as he explore the many facets of humanity in his works. His latest installation is a vast contrast with the watercolor scenes of his travels, where John differentiates between real and surreal—though the use of vivid color and attention to detail remain a constant throughout all of his work.<br/>To view more of John Newcomb’s artwork, visit www.art-mine. com/artistpage/john_ newcomb.<br/>DISPATCHES•SUMMER2016 13<br/>","World Calendar<br/>By Jenna Thomas<br/>Jenna is a new staff writer for O.A.T. She has traveled to five continents and 28 countries, and she is always eager to add another to<br/>the list.<br/>June<br/>World Calendar<br/>O.A.T. Trip Leaders and regional staff share upcoming events of interest<br/>July 4-16 Fiesta de San Fermin (Spain)<br/>Best known for the running of the bulls, Pamplona’s Fiesta de San Fermin dates back to the Middle Ages as<br/>a religious celebration, trading fair, and bullfighting festival. It began drawing crowds from around the globe after Ernest Hemingway described the bullfights in dramatic detail in his novel, The Sun Also Rises. The main event takes place each morning of the festival, when the bulls chase dozens<br/>of daredevils through the streets of Pamplona, but less-daring souls can enjoy parades, parties, fireworks, and spontaneous outbursts of public celebration.<br/>White Nights (Russia)<br/>In June, the Saint Petersburg skies never get fully dark, and the city celebrates the return of summer with a month of midnight celebrations. The oldest tradition is Scarlet Sails, when a fleet of red-sailed ships proceeds down the Neva River accompanied by fireworks.<br/>Music and dance performances take place in the grand Mariinsky Theater, and<br/>all over town. Most popular is the raising<br/>of the bridges: at 2am every night, revelers gather along the Neva to see its massive drawbridges open, allowing large ships to pass into the Baltic Sea.<br/>August<br/>August 11-16 Obon (Japan)<br/>Every August, the people of Japan invite the souls of the dead to return to Earth. On the first day of the festival, families place lanterns outside their homes to guide their loved ones back. Inside, they make an offering of sweets, sake, and rice. In city streets, hundreds of dancers gather, elaborately dressed and made-up, and perform to traditional music. At the end of the festival, it is time for the spirits to return to the afterlife. To guide them back, their families release floating lanterns into the ocean or a nearby river.<br/>June 23 Festa de Sao Joao (Portugal)<br/>Every June for six centuries, Porto’s citizens have honored their patron saint by pelting each other with garlic and leeks. The origin of the tradition is unclear, but the festivities these days also include live music, fireworks, barbecues, and copious amounts of wine.<br/>July<br/>Highland Games (Scotland)<br/>Historically, war chieftains used the Highland Games<br/>as an opportunity to choose the strongest and fastest men for their militias. Today’s Highland Games still feature hammer throw and tug-o-war, but have grown to include competitive dancing, drumming, fiddling, and bagpiping. The events<br/>take place throughout the Highlands all summer and are set against a backdrop of stunning Scottish scenery.<br/>14 DISPATCHES•SUMMER2016<br/>","Fruit Bat Migration (Zambia)<br/>Every fall, eight million giant fruit bats converge on a small forest in Zambia to devour<br/>all the fruit in sight. It’s a<br/>far bigger number of animals than the famous wildebeest migration, and takes place in a much smaller area. The bats— all eight million of them—take flight at sunset to feed on the forest’s bounty, and return at sunrise to sleep.<br/>August 31 La Tomatina (Bunol, Spain)<br/>Perhaps the world’s biggest food fight, La Tomatina is Spain’s notorious tomato-throwing festival. It begins with the traditional placing of a ham atop a greased pole. When someone successfully climbs the pole and brings<br/>the ham down, a cannon is fired and the tomato battle begins. The mêlée, involving over a hundred metric tons of tomatoes, goes on for an hour, before a second cannon blast signals the end of festivities.<br/>September<br/>November<br/>November 8-14 Pushkar Camel Fair (Pushkar, India)<br/>A county fair of epic proportions, the Pushkar Camel Fair draws hundreds of thousands of animals and people to Rajasthan for a week of livestock trading, horse-dancing competitions and camel beauty pageants. It coincides with the fall full moon, and it is said that if you take a dip in Pushkar Lake at dawn during the last three days of the festival, you are absolved of sin.<br/>December<br/>September 7-17 Galungan (Bali)<br/>Balinese Hindus honor<br/>the creator of the<br/>universe and their<br/>deceased ancestors<br/>during the festival of<br/>Galungan. The whole<br/>island is decorated<br/>with penjor, tall<br/>bamboo poles adorned<br/>with flowers, coconut leaves, and fruit, and a religious figure called a barong performs exorcisms to restore the balance of good and evil. Because Balinese heritage is so important during the celebration of Galungan, it is a great time to try traditional food like satay, jaja (a colorful cake), and spicy pork with coconut sauce.<br/>Penguin chick hatching (Antarctica)<br/>It’s always cold in Antarctica, so the most obvious way to tell it’s summer is by the long days—and the peeping of thousands of penguin chicks. In vast rookeries of Adelie and Gentoo penguins, December is egg-hatching season. Penguin chicks emerge from their eggs covered in fluffy down feathers, and will be completely dependent on their parents for about a month. After that, they band together with other young penguins to prepare for adulthood. Within three months, they have the sleek feathers of an adult, and they are ready to strike out on their own.<br/>October<br/>October 28-November 1 Diwali (India)<br/>Diwali, the “festival of lights,” is India’s biggest holiday. It began as a harvest celebration and has evolved to represent the defeat of evil, marked by the widespread presence of clay lamps,<br/>bonfires, fireworks, and strings of electric lights. Throughout the festival, people decorate their homes, visit their family and friends, exchange gifts, and feast.<br/>DISPATCHES•SUMMER2016 15<br/>","Immersions<br/>By Tom Lepisto<br/>Tom is a freelance writer who has been contribut- ing to O.A.T. publications for more than ten years.<br/>Immersions<br/>H<br/>A photo journal of O.A.T. travelers “going native” as they connect with local cultures<br/>Brazilian Moves<br/>Students and travelers all got moving to the beat at Arte Consciente, a community center in Salvador supported by Grand Circle Foundation, as 14-time traveler Irma Gurman caught the action during her Best of Brazil: Cultural Rhythms & Natural Wonders trip.<br/>Quechua Colors<br/>Peru’s Quechua people have been using natural dyes to color their wool clothing for centuries, as Alex Conn learned while visiting a local weavers’ workshop outside of Cuzco during his Real Affordable Peru trip. Everyone had the chance to get hands-on experience with this traditional craft.<br/>H<br/>i<br/>i<br/>g<br/>gh<br/>h<br/>S<br/>S<br/>p<br/>pi<br/>i<br/>r<br/>r<br/>i<br/>i<br/>t<br/>t<br/>s<br/>s<br/>o<br/>on<br/>nt<br/>th<br/>h<br/>e<br/>e<br/>R<br/>Ri<br/>iv<br/>ve<br/>e<br/>r<br/>r<br/>During her Untamed Iceland adventure, 6-time traveler Sally Breckenridge felt that this photo really captured the spirit of her traveling companions as they rafted on the Hvita River. “This was one of the most fun trips we have taken,” Sally says, “and the group really contributed to that.”<br/>Many Memories<br/>Viewing the play of sunlight on the Adriatic Sea was just<br/>one highlight of Crossroads of the Adriatic for 3-time traveler Fran Weaver. “There were so many memorable moments it is impossible to select one,” she says, “... Plitvice Lakes, Old Town Dubrovnik, and so much more.”<br/>16 DISPATCHES•SUMMER2016<br/>","Seeking Sicily:<br/>A Cultural Journey through Myth and Reality in the Heart of the Mediterranean<br/>by John Keahey<br/>Literary Adventure<br/>By<br/>John Bregoli<br/>Who would have guessed that such perceptive insights about the Sicilian people and their rich culture would be from someone based in Salt Lake<br/>City, Utah? But author John Keahey certainly reveals so much about the history, culture, food, traditions, politics, and everyday lives of the inhabitants of the Mediterranean’s largest and most mysterious island.<br/>He takes us on an entertaining and informative journey everywhere from the historic streets of Palermo and Arab- founded Scopello to the Greek ruins of Selinunte, the smoldering slopes of Mount Etna, and a series of seriously out of the way villages where quirky local traditions have remained unchanged for centuries. Engaging with locals at each destination—while also exploring Sicilian writers and their myths—the veteran journalist and travel writer unlocks the myriad mysteries of Sicily while peering into the souls of the island’s proud inhabitants.<br/>Speaking of the Sicilian people, many share DNA with Arab and Muslim ancestors who ruled the island for some 250 years. It’s in their blood because Arabs, unlike so many other occupiers, didn’t just rule from afar but encouraged people of their homeland to settle in Sicily. This helps to explain why Sicilians claim their beloved island is located north of Africa, not south of Italy. But it’s not just geography. Sicilians do not consider themselves Italians at all.<br/>They speak their own language, of course, along with a variety of regional dialects. While pondering the Sicilian language’s curious lack of a future tense, Keahey surmises that this<br/>was probably due to its having to endure some 3,000 years of invasions and occupations—in other words, why bother with a<br/>future tense when there is pretty much no hope of ever having an independent future? Fanciful speculation perhaps, but observations like these elevate this invaluable Sicilian cultural guide well above the ordinary.<br/>Keahey traces the history of village squares once used for public burnings, regales us with tales of Sicilian myths and legends, and recounts colorful depictions of enduring Sicilian traditions— especially the islanders’ fondness for grandiose processions<br/>and religious festivals. He includes a full chapter on the origins and evolution of the Sicilian Mafia, with insights into ways<br/>the country has changed since the infamous 1992 murder of anti-Mafia judge Giovanni Falcone. His conversation with an anti-pizzo organizer—head of a group of Palermo merchants who refuse to pay protection money to the Mafia—is particularly enlightening.<br/>Keahey also reveals how Sicilians view volcanic Mount Etna as both a giver and a taker. Its rich, lava-fortified soil delivers an incredible bounty—from almonds and grapes to blood oranges and surprisingly sweet lemons—but Etna can kill you in an instant. There’s even a mouth-watering chapter devoted to the rich variety of uniquely Sicilian food—recipes included!<br/>“As outsiders,” Keahey concludes, “we will never comprehend the Sicilian psyche; perhaps many Sicilians don’t fully understand it, either.” But readers will certainly come away with a richer understanding of Sicily, and why the proud people of<br/>this gorgeous Mediterranean island “are Sicilians before they<br/>are Italians, and why no amount of time under the control of Rome will ever change that.” And that’s a good thing. For anyone seeking the ideal travel companion to tuck into a carry-on for a trip to Sicily, look no further than Seeking Sicily.<br/>Seek out Sicily’s sublime pleasures with O.A.T. on Sicily’s Ancient Landscapes & Timeless Traditions—visit us online at www.oattravel.com/bya.<br/>In the decade John Bregoli has been writing for O.A.T., he’s become our resident expert in literature. Like his favorite historical figure, John Adams, he always has a book within reach, and one of his earliest memories is getting scolded to go to sleep while reading beneath the covers with a flashlight. If you have any reading recommendations for John—especially books with settings relating to O.A.T. destinations—send him an email at DispatchesJohn@oattravel.com. He’d love to hear from you!<br/>DISPATCHES•SUMMER2016 17<br/>","Middle<br/>A journey to New Zealand’s Milford Sound<br/>ON THE ROAD IN<br/>Earth<br/>","By Jenna Thomas Photos by Ben Thomas<br/>Early one February morning, I woke up in the back of<br/>a twenty-year-old minivan to the sound of torrential rain pounding the roof. I muttered a few curses, pulled on my most waterproof clothing, and stumbled through the downpour to a rustic pit toilet on the edge of the surrounding forest.<br/>It was an inauspicious start to what would become the most beautiful day of my life.<br/>","Previous page: Arriving at Milford Sound on a cloudy day, Jenna found the landscape to be “cloaked in mystery.”<br/>Previous page, inset:<br/>Our intrepid writer and photographer with their van, Moonbeam (may she rest in peace).<br/>Right: The road leaves Lake Te Anau behind and enters a landscape of rolling hills on its way to mountainous Milford Sound.<br/>A playful kea shows off its plumage while coming in for a landing. These alpine parrots can be found only on New Zealand’s South Island.<br/>When my husband and I got married, we took<br/>an unconventional approach to our honeymoon. Three months after the wedding, we flew to Auckland, New Zealand on one-way tickets, bought a 1995 Toyota minivan from a couple of French backpackers, and hit the road. Our van, whimsically named Moonbeam, was a bit of a clunker. She had been driven around New Zealand maybe a dozen times, and was about as reliable<br/>as you would expect—not very reliable at all. She had a head gasket leak, and the engine was prone to overheating even on small hills. But she was all ours, and with a bed and kitchen already built in, she had everything we needed to live on the road.<br/>By the time we circumnavigated the North Island and reached Queenstown on the South Island, we feared Moonbeam was on her last legs. We had to stop at the top of every hill to let the engine cool down and refill water or coolant. A mechanic gave us some sealant for the head gasket leak, and told us there was no way of knowing how long it would hold. With her future uncertain, we decided to make the rest of Moonbeam’s life count—we were going to drive the winding, dead-end mountain road to Milford Sound. The most dramatic fjord out of fourteen in Fiordland National Park, Milford Sound was hailed by Rudyard Kipling as the<br/>eighth wonder of the world, and it seemed like an appropriate last hurrah for our poor van.<br/>The drive from Queenstown toward Fiordland was stunning. The road, flat along the shore of Lake Te Anau, eventually began to roll up and down on the growing hills before entering a valley surrounded by high peaks. We got as far as the Homer Tunnel, a nearly mile-long passage that separates Milford Sound from the rest of the world, before deciding to stop for the night at a roadside campground.<br/>When we woke the next morning to that awful weather, turning around was not in the cards. We had come this far, and who knew when we would be back in this remote corner of the world? Making the best of the bad weather was our only option,<br/>so we packed up and headed for the tunnel.<br/>The entrance to the Homer Tunnel is an attraction in itself. It sits at the top of a gorgeous glacial valley, populated by cheeky green kea, the world’s only alpine parrot. Kea are curious, social, and notorious for landing on parked cars and picking at any rubber they can find (they’ll destroy windshield wipers given half a chance). We spent at least an hour on the trails above the tunnel, watching kea swoop through the misty valley and land with a flash of their red wing feathers. But we were on a mission, and we eventually joined the line of cars creeping into the tunnel.<br/>20 DISPATCHES•SUMMER2016<br/>","We emerged on the other side to what looked<br/>like a scene from The Lord of the Rings. Verdant cliffs receded into the mist ahead of us, and after the previous night’s record rainfall, literally hundreds of waterfalls were cascading down every vertical surface. The road descended over three thousand feet from the tunnel to the valley floor approaching Milford Sound, and every curve of the hairpin road revealed a dozen more waterfalls, some of them thundering and wide, and some as delicate as the stream from a faucet.<br/>We eventually reached the valley floor, despite the constant inclination to pull over for a photo. I was so anxious to<br/>see the sound itself that we bypassed The Chasm, a dramatic rocky gorge,<br/>and kept driving. My expectations were high—everyone in New Zealand agrees that Milford Sound is a must-do, and all the guidebooks call it one of the most beautiful places on earth. I was nervous that the view would disappoint me, that it couldn’t possibly live up to the hype.<br/>Coming around the final bend in the road, the sight of Milford Sound laid out in front of us shattered every expectation I had. Even hyperbole falls short of capturing a view like that.<br/>As we boarded a cruise that would take us the length of the sound to the edge of the Tasman Sea,<br/>I did wonder how it would look on a sunny day. The normally vibrant trees and plants that covered every surface seemed dark and subdued in the gray light. The sound itself looked almost black. With the peaks receding into the clouds and waterfalls catching<br/>the eye at every turn, Milford Sound was cloaked<br/>in mystery. It could have been a painting, but the rain lashing my face, the smell of seawater, and the distant shriek of kea brought the scene to life.<br/>“...turning<br/>around was not in the cards. We had come this far, and who knew when we would be back in this remote corner of the world?”<br/>Left: Hunted to the brink of extinction, fur seals are now protected and abundant on New Zealand’s rocky shores.<br/>DISPATCHES•SUMMER2016 21<br/>","Right: Mitre Peak rises over 5,500 feet from the water’s edge to its sum- mit, and is named for the triangular bishop’s hat known as a mitre.<br/>New Zealand’s clear green tangiwai (or bowenite) is found only at the entrance to Milford Sound and legally belongs to the local Maori tribe, who carve it into jewelry.<br/>“...the memory of that morning’s rain was long gone, and it was easy to imagine staying at Milford Sound...”<br/>Our boat left the dock and nosed into deep water. The guide explained that the water of the sound looked so dark because it was stained with tannins from rotting plants during its journey down the cliffs. When it reached the sound, it formed a foot- deep layer of freshwater before being absorbed into the sea. He pointed out wide gashes of bare rock on the cliffs—places where the angle had proved too steep to support the weight of the forest, and entire thickets had gone tumbling into the water. Tree avalanches, he called them.<br/>Triangular Mitre Peak emerged from the mists<br/>in front of us. In fact, the rain had stopped.<br/>The clouds were lifting to reveal more jagged mountains, surrounding the sound like thousand- foot-high walls. The captain piloted the boat straight for the cliffs, until the prow (and a handful of brave passengers in heavy raincoats) sat directly under a waterfall. The guide brought a tray of glasses forward, filled them from the cascade, and handed them out—pure glacial water, fresh from the source far above our heads. As we drank the water, brown with tannins yet more fresh- tasting than any tap water I’d ever had, the clouds were breaking up to reveal patches of blue sky.<br/>Our journey continued. A small white dot<br/>appeared on the horizon, drifting closer on the water. Believing it was a small fishing boat, I was shocked to hear our guide say it was actually a mega ship from a major cruise line. The towering cliffs had completely thrown off my sense of scale, but as the ship drew alongside and passed us, I craned my neck to count the decks—there were many. Milford Sound is a mile wide in some spots and reaches depths of over a thousand feet, so it accommodates ships of all sizes. The advantage<br/>of our tiny boat was, of course, its ability to get<br/>so close to the cliffs. We passed within a few feet of flat rocks where fur seals were relaxing in the sudden sunshine, and ventured into the path of many more tumbling waterfalls.<br/>Eventually we reached Dale Point, a curve of land that juts into the entrance of the fjord<br/>and completely blocks Milford Sound from the Tasman Sea. It was because of Dale Point that the Europeans left Milford Sound untouched for so long—they literally couldn’t see it. Even Captain James Cook passed by unaware on his explorations of the New Zealand coastline,<br/>and subsequent whaling expeditions missed it as well.<br/>22 DISPATCHES•SUMMER2016<br/>","But that doesn’t mean that Milford Sound was free of people. Facing Dale Point across the water, our guide pointed out a glittering rocky beach named Anita Bay. For hundreds of years, the Maori have been coming to Anita Bay to search for tangiwai, or bowenite, a clear green stone that makes beautiful jewelry and weapons. According to Maori legend, tangiwai are the petrified tears of a woman who was stolen from her husband, and the sad history of Milford Sound doesn’t end there. The Maori name of Milford Sound is Piopiotahi, or “one single singing thrush,” named for a bird that has since gone extinct. The story goes that the mythical god Maui went on a journey to win immortality for his people, accompanied by a piopio bird. When Maui was killed by the god of death, the grief-stricken piopio flew south to Milford Sound to mourn.<br/>Ten miles from where we started, we reached the Tasman Sea and left the sad stories of Anita Bay behind us. The cliffs that had hemmed us in for the entire journey so far opened up, and we were hit with the full force of the “Roaring Forties.” This part of the world, between the 40th and 50th latitudes, is home to a westerly wind that doesn’t let up, often reaching gale- force speeds and pounding the southwest<br/>coast of New Zealand with wet and windy weather throughout the year. We had only the<br/>briefest of sojourns with the Roaring Forties. Our captain turned the boat around before we reached any actual swell, and we headed back toward Dale Point.<br/>Between the sheltering walls of the sound, the clouds had scudded away and left behind a sparkling blue sky. The boat’s deck filled up, as all the passengers left the sheltered cabin and came out to enjoy the sunshine. We waved at passing boats, and enjoyed a cup of tea. By the time we docked, the memory of that morning’s rain was long gone, and it was easy to imagine staying at Milford Sound—becoming a kayak guide, or working on a tourist boat. We managed to get an overnight spot for the van, but when<br/>we woke the next morning to pouring rain, it was easier to leave. Our time at Milford Sound had come full circle.<br/>A few weeks later, we left New Zealand. Our trip back to the United States was somewhat indirect; we meandered through Southeast Asia, trekked the mountains of Morocco, and wandered from Eastern Europe to Scandinavia and the United Kingdom.<br/>All told, we spent ten months roaming the globe and saw landscapes that will remain with me forever. Milford Sound remains the most beautiful place I have ever seen.<br/>Jenna is a new staff writer for O.A.T. She has traveled to five conti- nents and 28 countries, and she is always eager to add another to the list.<br/>Cruise through Milford Sound on your own journey discovering New Zealand’s natural wonders—visit www. oattravel.com/nzo or www.oattravel.com/ nnz.<br/>The Ngai Tahu, people of the South Island<br/>New Zealand’s Maori people are divided into tribes called iwi, with one of the biggest being the South Island’s Ngai Tahu. In the 19th century, the Ngai Tahu tribe sold millions of acres—more than half the land mass of New Zealand—to the British Crown, believing that the government would support the local population and build schools and hospitals. This never happened, and in fact, the Crown defaulted on the purchase terms after only a few years. Without their land, their food sources, and their fishing and forestry rights, the Ngai Tahu tribe was decimated and the remaining tribe members unable to survive at anything more than a subsistence level.<br/>The struggle by the Ngai Tahu to regain their rights lasted well over a century, ending with the Ngai Tahu Settlement in 1991. The tribe received a formal apology and economic redress in the form of $170 million from the Crown. They were<br/>also given ownership rights to all of New Zealand’s greenstone—including the bowenite found at Milford Sound. Today, over 55,000 New Zealanders identify as Ngai Tahu and the tribe is a significant presence in the nation’s economy.<br/>DISPATCHES•SUMMER2016 23<br/>","Call of the Wild<br/>By Tom Lepisto<br/>Tom is a freelance writer who has been contributing to Grand Circle publications for more than ten years.<br/>Right: Appropriately named Valley of the Moon, Atacama’s land- scape assumes a lunar appearance with its wind-eroded stone formations.<br/>Chile’s Atacama Desert<br/>A barren but bountiful landscape<br/>Although it’s one of the driest places on Earth, the Atacama Desert goes through a climatic phenomenon where flowers bloom.<br/>Experience the Atacama Desert on O.A.T.’s Chile: From the Atacama Desert to the Patagonian Fjords Small Ship Adventure www.oattravel. com/scc<br/>24 DISPATCHES•SUMMER2016<br/>L<br/>Desert is the most arid landscape on Earth outside of the Polar Regions. Covering about 41,000 square miles between the seacoast and the Andes, this dry expanse contains some weather stations where rain has never been recorded. It’s a desert awash in surprises, however—home to the longest river in Chile, alive with wildflowers on rare occasions, and rich in natural resources, from minerals in the ground to cloudless skies.<br/>There’s an unexpected beauty amid the Atacama’s desiccation in many places, such as the Valle de Luna (Valley of the Moon), near San Pedro de Atacama, where wind erosion has created striking patterns in stone, while accumulations of salt have taken sculptural forms. The minimal amount of vegetation throughout the Atacama exposes the rainbow of colors in its minerals and offers wide- open views across a vast landscape dotted with volcanic peaks.<br/>In spite of its supreme aridity, some of the Atacama’s most remarkable features are created by water. Brackish lagoons exist in spots where rainfall, scant though it is, has formed pools large enough to persist over time. In the midst of the desert, these are gathering places for waterfowl, including Chilean species of flamingoes, coots, plovers, sandpipers, and ducks. On rare occasions when significant rain does fall, an infrequent<br/>and unpredictable phenomenon that Chileans call el desierto florido—the flowering desert—takes place. An El Niño weather pattern caused this to happen in October 2015, when dormant mallow<br/>plants in parts of the Atacama burst into bloom, carpeting large areas with lavender blossoms.<br/>A more constant feature of the Atacama<br/>is its abundance of mineral resources, which make a significant contribution to the Chilean economy. The city of Calama exists because of the mining industry, with the world’s largest open-pit copper mine located nearby. This community celebrates the metal that has been its lifeblood with copper statues and wall panels decorating many streets, and a copper-plated spire on its cathedral.<br/>Calama is located on the Loa River, Chile’s longest, which carries water through the desert from<br/>its origin in higher terrain to the east. Fed by runoff from the Andes, the river follows a curving 273-mile-long course that forms a linear oasis. The availability of river water enables several towns along its banks to raise shrimp in the midst of the desert, and ancient pictographs show that people have been living along this watercourse for thousands of years.<br/>In modern times, the Atacama’s clear skies, absence of city lights, and open mountaintops have attracted astronomers, who have built<br/>some of the world’s most powerful sky-watching instruments here. Southeast of San Pedro de Atacama, the 66 radio telescopes of the ALMA array make it the largest scientific observation facility in the world. Near La Serena in the southern part of the Atacama region, the Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory includes mountaintop telescopes that have discovered supernovas in distant galaxies. Joining them in the near future will be a new behemoth, the Giant Magellan Telescope, which is being constructed on an 8,200-foot-high site on the Las Campanas ridge northeast of La Serena. Made up of seven mirrors, each 25 feet wide, and scheduled for completion in 2025, the GMT will have ten times the resolution of the Hubble Space Telescope.<br/>From the discoveries made in its observatories to the products of its mines, the Atacama has provided valuable resources for the entire world. Along with the surprising beauty of its arid landscapes, there’s much here that demonstrates that while this is certainly one bone-dry desert, it is far from being a wasteland.<br/>ocated to the east of northern Chile’s Pacific coastline, but separated from the ocean by a<br/>long rampart of coastal cliffs, the Atacama<br/>","A Conversation With<br/>O.A.T. Trip Leader Bunthom “John” Sroysumrong<br/>For John Sroysumrong—Trip Leader on our Ancient Kingdoms: Thailand, Laos, Cambodia & Vietnam adventure—the journey to becoming a travel guide began when he was a department store salesman. And while he may have traded window displays for a window seat to the wonders of Southeast Asia, he still exudes the easy-going charm and convivial spirit that mark the best salesmen.<br/>Trailblazers<br/>O.A.T.: How did you become a Trip Leader?<br/>John: Before I was ever a Trip Leader, I worked in the garment business as a salesman. While<br/>I enjoyed my job, what I loved most was traveling to these different regions, meeting new people, seeing new things, being exposed to new ideas. So a friend, who happened to be a travel guide, said, “Hey,<br/>if you love this so much, maybe you should consider being a Trip Leader.”<br/>O.A.T.: You pride yourself on bringing the history of the region to life. How do you do that?<br/>John: There’s a serious emphasis on ancient<br/>in the Ancient Kingdoms adventure. I try to paint an accurate picture of the various kingdoms and cultures, the wars and infighting, and the shared history—the linked stories—of Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam. And a big part of sharing a location’s history is sharing its people, which is why we make time to meet with so many locals along the way.<br/>O.A.T.: The people of Southeast Asia have lived through some very difficult times. How do you approach these topics with travelers?<br/>John: Well, sadly, the Khmer Rouge is still an ongoing controversy in Cambodia. The Khmer Rouge Tribunal, which was set up<br/>to try senior members of the organization believed to be responsible for genocide in the 1970s, has seen all sorts of delays and disorganization. Likewise, many officials<br/>in Cambodian politics today had previously held positions within the Khmer Rouge, which, as you can imagine, creates a serious conflict of interest. There’s a general feeling among the citizens of Cambodia that the government doesn’t want to deal with<br/>the trials. For survivors of the genocide, people who lost mothers, fathers, sons, and daughters, this is incredibly frustrating.<br/>O.A.T.: There are so many stories from the regions you visit on the Ancient Kingdoms adventure, what are some of the most impactful?<br/>John: Well, when we’re in Laos, we visit a rehabil- itation center that is quite memorable. Sadly, undetonated bombs and land mines from the Vietnam War are still very much a prob- lem. Today, there are still millions of un- detonated bombs and landmines along this route that injure hundreds of locals every year. Travelers have the opportunity to meet some of the victims of these explosives and see how their lives are changing through the help of the rehabilitation center.<br/>O.A.T.: What about your home country of Thailand?<br/>John: In Bangkok, I like to give travelers the opportunity to hear a different story, one that’s away from the temples and markets— the city’s vast history. So I offer them the chance to meet and converse with a woman working in the red light district. Most of<br/>the women have very little education and come from near poverty, so they work<br/>in the bars and nightclubs as a means of supporting themselves and their family. It’s an illuminating experience, juxtaposing the beauty and spirituality of the day.<br/>O.A.T.: Your travelers also experience some unique spots in Vietnam, too.<br/>John: That’s right. In particular, and again, in<br/>an attempt to push travelers outside their comfort zone, we travel past dog-meat restaurants. As you can imagine, this is very troubling for many travelers to see, but I have to remind them that Vietnam is a small country with a large population. So, any protein-rich food is going to be important, no matter where that protein is coming from. Now, we don’t stop at these places, but just seeing them tends to spark a conversation that I think is good, and, really, at the heart of travel. It’s about opening yourself up to<br/>a different culture and, in turn, discovering something new about yourself.<br/>By Travis Taylor<br/>Travis has been writing for O.A.T. since 2010. His fiction has appeared in a number of literary journals, most recently The Conium Review and Rathalla Review.<br/>“John extended himself to make our trip enjoyable and educational. He arranged things we didn’t even know needed arranging— if we asked about something, he worked it out. Truly an exceptional leader!”<br/>Aric & Mady Schichor 7-time travelers Washington, DC<br/>Tosetoffonan adventure of your own throughout Southeast Asia’s Ancient Kingdoms, visit www.oattravel. com/lvc.<br/>DISPATCHES•SUMMER2016 25<br/>","Adventure Countdown<br/>By Ashleigh Osgood<br/>Ashleigh is a writer for Grand Circle and O.A.T. and has been with the company for three years.<br/>Hitting the Streets<br/>Some of the best street food from around the word<br/>Sometimes, the best meal you’ll get while traveling can surprise you—maybe it’s at an upscale restaurant, or perhaps it comes from an unexpected location: a tiny vendor on the side of the road or in a local market. These are some of the best places to get street food around the world and the most popular dishes you can find while exploring. We hope you’re hungry!<br/>being skewered and then grilled over charcoal. To round out this dish, the skewers are served with a peanut dipping sauce and achat (a tangy cucumber salad).<br/>2. Dürüm— Istanbul, Turkey<br/>You’ll find specialty food kiosks all around Istanbul, and also this local favorite. Dürüm is a wrap made with flatbreads, which are grilled to create a crispy outer texture. After the bread is prepared, it is filled with döner kebab (spiced meats— lamb, chicken, or beef). This handheld delight is then often<br/>topped off with onions, cucumbers, tomatoes, lettuce, hot sauce, and an herb-infused yogurt. Wrap it up, and you’ve got a quick meal on the go.<br/>1. Pork satay— Bangkok, Thailand<br/>Bangkok’s thriving markets throughout the city are home to some of the best street foods in the world. Grab a skewer and indulge in this Thai staple that you just can’t miss—pork satay.<br/>Thin pork slices are marinated in coconut milk and a sweet and spicy lemongrass paste before<br/>3. Choripán—<br/>Buenos Aires, Argentina<br/>Choripán is cleverly named as a hybrid of its ingredients— chorizo sausage and pan (crusty bread). Popular throughout Central and South America, the Argentinian version of this simple sandwich consists of sausage split down the middle on crusty bread, topped with chimichurri (a garlic sauce).<br/>You can find choripán sold at sporting events or from street vendors, but be sure to line up early, because this sandwich is most popular amongst taxi drivers who gather in large crowds on their lunch breaks.<br/>4. Tagine— Marrakesh, Morocco<br/>This North African dish can be found just about everywhere in Morocco, especially in street stalls. Named after the pot in which it is cooked, a tagine is similar to a stew,<br/>but it involves very little liquid. Cooked over hot coals, the pot itself is designed<br/>to draw water from the ingredients and cooks them<br/>in the vapor. Typical tagines include sliced meats, vegetables, nuts, and spices—ranging from sweet tagines that include fruit, to spicy dishes that use chili.<br/>26 DISPATCHES•SUMMER2016<br/>","5. Jiaozi—<br/>Hong Kong, China<br/>Jiaozi are a type of Chinese dumpling, which consists of<br/>a vegetable or ground meat filling, wrapped in a thin piece of dough, sealed together by crimping the dough’s edges, and served with a soy sauce based dipping sauce. There are three types of Chinese dumplings—boiled, steamed, and pan fried—the latter of<br/>which, often referred to as guotie, is the most common dumpling sold as a street food. You may know the American version of this dumpling as a potsticker, but you’ll find the best jiaozi on the streets of Hong Kong.<br/>6. Burek—<br/>Bosnia & Herzegovina<br/>The burek is a popular pastry throughout much of Europe, and it comes in a wide variety of forms. In Bosnia<br/>& Herzegovina, the burek is a pastry that is commonly filled with meat, rolled into a spiral, and then cut into sections for serving. Other forms of the burek in this region include sirnica (egg<br/>and cheese filled), krompiruša (potato and onion filled), and zeljanica (spinach and feta filled).<br/>7. Vadapav— Mumbai, India<br/>This vegetarian sandwich originated as cheap street food in India, and although it can still be found in stalls throughout the country,<br/>it is now offered at many restaurants as well. This simple creation starts with a spiced mashed potato patty dipped in chickpea flour batter and then deep fried. It<br/>is topped off with a variety of spices and coriander then served on a bun smeared with some chutney.<br/>8. Bánh mì—Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam<br/>Some say it’s the best sandwich in the world, and<br/>it comes from the streets<br/>of Vietnam. The Bánh mì sandwich starts off with influences from France—a fresh mini baguette, slathered in mayonnaise and pâté.<br/>With the base set, the meat<br/>is added, which is usually barbecued pork, Vietnamese-<br/>style pork meatballs, or salami, followed by a heap of veggies.<br/>The usual suspects include thinly-sliced cucumber, pickled daikon (a mild white radish), carrots, and cilantro.<br/>i<br/>t<br/>u<br/>n<br/>e<br/>j<br/>9. Espetinho—<br/>Rio de Janeiro, Brazil<br/>The term “espetinho”<br/>is Portuguese for “little skewer,” so you can probably guess what this classic Brazilian street food is— that’s right, kebabs! You can find espetinhos sold from charcoal grills on the streets of Rio de Janeiro, as well<br/>as other cities throughout Brazil. Mainly, these kebabs<br/>10. Falafel— Tel Aviv, Israel<br/>c<br/>l<br/>l<br/>u<br/>u<br/>d<br/>s<br/>d<br/>s<br/>p<br/>p<br/>i<br/>i<br/>c<br/>c<br/>e<br/>e<br/>d<br/>b<br/>d<br/>b<br/>e<br/>e<br/>e<br/>e<br/>f<br/>o<br/>f<br/>o<br/>r<br/>c<br/>r<br/>c<br/>h<br/>h<br/>i<br/>i<br/>c<br/>c<br/>k<br/>k<br/>e<br/>e<br/>n<br/>n<br/>,<br/>b<br/>,<br/>b<br/>u<br/>e<br/>be skewered here is fair game—shrimp, hot dogs, fish, and even a cheese that doesn’t melt called queijo coalho.<br/>i<br/>n<br/>c<br/>u<br/>t<br/>j<br/>ust about anything that can<br/>pita. Some falafel stands offer more<br/>sauces, pickled veggies, hummus, and roasted eggplant salad.<br/>Falafel is known internationally as a street food staple, but perhaps the best falafel you’ll find is on the streets of Tel Aviv. The classic falafel consists of deep fried chickpeas combined with a variety of spices, garnished with a chopped tomato and cucumber salad and a tahini sauce, all overflowing from a embellishments, such as hot<br/>DISPATCHES•SUMMER2016 27<br/>","Like a Fish out of Water<br/>Baring it all in the name of Japanese etiquette by Catherine Groux<br/>","When I traveled to Japan, I<br/>knew I’d be forced to navigate the country’s intricate labyrinth of etiquette and customs, and fully expected that, with the blundering grace of a born-and- raised American, I would make several cultural faux pas. I just thought I would be fully clothed while I did it. But if traveling with O.A.T. has taught<br/>me anything, it’s<br/>that you need<br/>to embrace the<br/>unexpected.<br/>","Previous page: For all the challenges it might pose for the uninitiated, a relaxing soak in an onsen is the ultimate reward.<br/>Previous page inset:<br/>Writer Catherine Groux navigates her way through the customs and etiquette of Japan.<br/>Right: The dressing room of the onsen was spacious and left little to the imagi- nation by way of privacy.<br/>Clearly marked bathroom slippers were provided during Catherine’s stay in a ryokan, or Japanese inn.<br/>I arrived in the sprawling mega-city of Tokyo<br/>on a brisk day last fall—the leaves on the trees surrounding the capital exploding in a sea of crisp oranges and reds. It was my first time in Japan (and only my second time in Asia), so my knowledge of the country and its customs was minimal at best. But from talking to my well- traveled friends (and reading approximately three pages of my Lonely Planet guidebook), I knew that Japan was a country with a lot of rules around etiquette, and that breaking one of them could be deeply offensive to the Japanese people—not to mention pretty embarrassing.<br/>Some of these rules were straightforward: Upon entering a Japanese home, for example, you should always remove your shoes. This was easy enough, but other cultural norms wouldn’t come as naturally: You should always slurp your ramen; you should never blow your nose in public; you shouldn’t pour your own drink; you should always wear a special pair of “toilet slippers” when using a restroom. The list goes on and on.<br/>While I was no expert on Japanese etiquette, knowing these few facts instilled in me the unshakable fear that must strike all travelers<br/>who dread being called “tourists”—the fear of accidentally offending the local people with manners they would undoubtedly describe as “American” with a roll of their eyes. In a country like Japan, this seemed all too easy to do— especially when I left the vast anonymity of Tokyo for the tiny mountainside town of Hakone.<br/>Located about 50 miles southwest of Tokyo, Hakone is beloved as a rural getaway for Japanese city-dwellers, but is usually overlooked by foreign visitors—a fact that meant that my fellow O.A.T. travelers and I were bound to stand out. But on top of this, we were also spending our two nights in Hakone at a ryokan—a traditional Japanese inn complete with tatami-matted floors, futon beds, and cotton yukata robes. In fact,<br/>to enter even the most modern<br/>ryokan feels like transporting<br/>back to the beginning of<br/>the Edo period, when weary<br/>travelers along Japan’s<br/>highways would stop at these<br/>establishments for rest and<br/>relaxation. As peaceful as our<br/>ryokan was, however, traveling<br/>back to old Japan also meant<br/>journeying to a land that, more<br/>so than Tokyo, fully devoted<br/>itself to order and tradition.<br/>Even knowing this, when my Trip Leader, Mariko, told me that our ryokan came complete with an onsen (a hot-spring-fed bath), I was beyond excited. Images drifted through my mind of a few months before, when I leisurely sipped piña coladas in a Costa Rican hot spring, looking up at the stars and listening to the melodic croaking of tree frogs. I’d<br/>30 DISPATCHES•SUMMER2016<br/>","probably have to trade the piña coladas for a glass of plum wine, but even in a country as complex as Japan, relaxing in a hot spring is something I had long ago mastered—or so I thought.<br/>The next day, after a spending a drizzly afternoon at the Hakone Open-Air Museum, I decided to take my first soak in the onsen. As I strolled back to my room—planning to change into my bathing suit—I casually mentioned my pre-dinner plans to Mariko, who was happy (if not eager) to share some tips for using an onsen like a local. I should have expected this: In Japan, even something as seemingly simple as relaxing in a hot spring came with a strict code of conduct.<br/>“The onsen are in the basement,” Mariko said patiently. “When you go down, you should wear your yukata robe and slippers. Oh, and bring the large towel from your room as well.”<br/>I nodded obediently. This seemed easy enough.<br/>“When you get to the onsen, go to the doors on the left side. This marks the onsen for women,” she continued. “The door on the right goes to the men’s onsen. Inside, you’ll see lockers. Leave your robe and your large towel there. Then, pick up one of the smaller towels and go to the showers. Once you clean yourself off, you can enter the onsen.<br/>Leave your smaller towel on the side to dry off with when you’re done.”<br/>“Should I take my bathing suit off before I shower, then put it back on again before I get in the onsen?” I asked.<br/>Mariko laughed. “Catherine,” she said in her tirelessly gentle voice. “You can’t wear clothing in an onsen.”<br/>I blushed. Her instructions now made a lot<br/>more sense, but I was suddenly having major trepidations about using a Japanese onsen. Did I really want to be naked in front of total strangers? And what if I ran into one of my fellow travelers? Would that be really awkward for the rest of the trip? But most importantly, would I remember everything Mariko told me to do, or would I be left naked and confused in the steamy basement of my ryokan?<br/>Despite my best efforts, Mariko saw the concern on my face.<br/>“Don’t worry,” she said with an airy laugh. “It’s totally normal for us in Japan. And plus, you’ll<br/>be able to carry your small towel to the showers and to the onsen. You’ll be basically covered until you get in the water, and then you can just relax. It will be fine.”<br/>The small towel provided for women in an onsen, Catherine would come to learn, is actually a wash- cloth—and won’t cover your body.<br/>“Some of these rules were straightforward: Upon entering a Japanese home, for example, you should always remove your shoes.<br/>This was easy enough, but other cultural norms wouldn’t come as naturally ...”<br/>Left: As Catherine discovered that Japanese bath house etiquette was very real, and very confusing<br/>for a visiting American traveler.<br/>DISPATCHES•SUMMER2016 31<br/>","Right: Adhering to the Japanese custom of cleanliness, before being allowed in an onsen, you must shower.<br/>Awkwardly mumbling “konichiwa,” I passed the family and headed toward the curtained door on my left, which (hopefully) led to the women’s onsen. As Mariko had promised, past the cloth curtain was the locker room where<br/>I should place my clothing before demurely covering myself in what she called a “smaller towel” and walking to the showers. I scanned the room for what I hoped would be stacks of fluffy white towels, but saw none. Instead, sitting on a corner table, I saw tiny white squares that, at home, would<br/>be called wash cloths. These couldn’t possibly be the “smaller towels” I<br/>was supposed to cover my naked body with—right? Now, laughing, I scanned the locker room one last time. Yup. These were, indeed, the only towels. Perfect.<br/>On that note, I took a deep breath<br/>and slipped off my yukata, placing it<br/>in an empty locker with my “larger” (read, normal-sized) towel. I knew<br/>I was supposed to “cover” myself<br/>with the provided wash cloth, but<br/>now, seeing its size, it was apparent that it wasn’t going to cover much of anything. Rather than try to make the awkward decision of which thirteen- by-thirteen-inch space I wanted to hide from the world, I shoved the wash nearby hamper and headed toward<br/>As I pulled open the door, I nearly collided with<br/>an elderly Japanese woman who happened to<br/>be leaving the showers at the same time I was arriving. “Sumimasen,” I said in my best Japanese, silently congratulating myself for remembering the word for “excuse me” during such an uncomfortable encounter. The woman, dripping wet from her shower and, like me, completely naked, responded with a Japanese phrase I<br/>didn’t recognize. I paused, feeling suddenly self- conscious, and she repeated the phrase—this time saying it louder. I shook my head and, while I knew it would probably be futile, said “I’m sorry, but I don’t speak Japanese.” The woman didn’t seem to hear me and continued talking in her increasingly loud voice. Was she yelling at me? Was this because I decided not to use the small towel? Did I accidentally break some sort of social norm, or was she just loudly asking me where I’m from?<br/>I had no idea.<br/>Catherine’s fellow O.A.T. travelers enjoying a meal together in their ryokan.<br/>“Rather than<br/>try to make the awkward decision of which thirteen by-thirteen-inch space I wanted<br/>to hide from the world, I shoved the wash cloth into a nearby hamper and headed toward the showers.”<br/>I groaned, but Mariko was right. I didn’t know when (or if) I would be back in Japan, so while I was there I planned on taking it all in—even if that meant taking it all off.<br/>So I returned to my room and replaced all of my clothes with a thin, floral yukata—being careful to tie it in the precise way Mariko had taught me days earlier. With my towel in hand, I exited into the hallway, already feeling slightly exposed in what was essentially a cotton bathrobe and slippers.<br/>I pushed these uncomfortable feelings aside as I got into the elevator, hitting the button for the basement floor.<br/>Seconds later, the elevator doors jerked open and I stepped out into what looked like a large recreation room, where a Japanese family was playing Ping- Pong at a table in front of me. The couple and their young son briefly looked up, then returned to<br/>their game unfazed. “Awesome,” I thought, only slightly mortified.<br/>cloth into a the showers.<br/>32 DISPATCHES•SUMMER2016<br/>","Eventually, the woman, clearly exasperated, puttered past me, heading toward the lockers and seemingly forgetting about the interaction that had left me confused (and mildly humiliated). I stood in the doorway for a second, slightly stunned, before entering a steamy room with a large pool<br/>on the left—the onsen—and a line of showers on the right. The showerheads were low, each hanging over a tiny stool and a basket full of shampoo, conditioner, and soap. I chose the farthest, most isolated stool and sat down. Turning on the shower and letting the water flow over my body, I tried<br/>to ignore the softly chatting women sitting in the onsen on the other side of the room. Showering<br/>in front of an audience—even a seemingly disinterested audience—felt strange.<br/>I washed myself carefully with the provided soap, and, remembering the Japanese love of cleanliness, decided to shampoo and condition my hair as well. I had no idea whether this was the right thing to do, but it seemed like it couldn’t hurt.<br/>Once I was perfectly clean, I turned off the shower and headed toward the onsen, silently praying<br/>that I didn’t get scolded by one of the soaking women for not washing myself sufficiently. But, to my relief, the woman didn’t look up, and instead continued their quiet discussion in the corner of the pool. I found a spot in the opposite corner and slowly slipped into the onsen.<br/>I closed my eyes, listening to the quiet laughs of the Japanese women and inhaling the faint scent of green tea that lingered in my clean, wet hair. There, in the warm waters of the onsen, I had finally found a place of uninterrupted serenity—a place where I no longer had to think about fitting into strict cultural norms. I didn’t know it then, but in the following weeks, I would learn that this actually made perfect sense. After all, if there is anything the Japanese appreciate as much as good etiquette, it’s inner peace.<br/>Catherine Groux has been an O.A.T. contribu- tor since 2013. She has traveled from the beaches of Costa Rica to the cities of Bosnia, searching for fantastic cuisine and strong cocktails.<br/>Left: Catherine already knew Japan was a beautiful country—it was its customs and etiquette that would test her comfort-level.<br/>Discover the traditions of Japan for yourself on our Japan’s Cultural Treasures adventure: www.oattravel.com/ jpn.<br/>DISPATCHES•SUMMER2016 33<br/>","Field Notes<br/>By Laura Chavanne<br/>Laura is the Editor-in- Chief of Dispatches and knows absolutely nothing about jeeps, antique or otherwise.<br/>One for the Record Books<br/>A journey by jeep from Jaipur to America<br/>Right: Dean Straffin’s keen eye for antique Jeeps led to an unex- pected friendship in Jaipur. He and fellow Jeep enthusiast, Devendra Singh enjoy the Bantam Jeep Heritage Festival in Straffin’s home state of Pennsylvania.<br/>Be on the lookout for those Mahindra jeeps during Heart of India: www.oattravel.com/ hoi<br/>When navigating the often chaotic streets of India’s cities, not every traveler<br/>pays much attention to the makes and models of the cars going by—but Dean Straffin,<br/>a 25-time traveler from Cranberry, Pennsylvania, is not your typical traveler. He’s an aficionado<br/>of antique jeeps—which makes him look at the streets a bit differently.<br/>“While riding a bus in Jaipur on Heart of India, I noticed the streets were filled with jeeps of all<br/>ages made by Mahindra,” Dean explains. Mahindra is a popular Indian car company that has been manufacturing utility vehicles since 1947. He wasn’t sure how to distinguish the model year— and decided to ask a local for help. Little did he know the incredible consequences that would<br/>arise from his simple question.<br/>“I asked a local man, whose name I learned was Devendra, how to distinguish the model year,” Dean recalls. Devendra explained, but this wasn’t the most interesting part of the conversation— even to a jeep nut like Dean. “He concluded with the comment that he had a very old American jeep from World War II, which was manufactured by Ford in 1944.”<br/>Dean was dumbfounded. “As it turns out, I<br/>have exactly the same year and model of this now-rare jeep.” Initially, Devendra didn’t believe him—but fortunately Dean had a picture in his wallet, proving the coincidence to be true. The next day, Devendra drove his jeep to Dean’s hotel. “I left my O.A.T. group behind for a day to go ‘jeeping in Jaipur’ with a new friend who,<br/>like myself, loves antique jeeps.”<br/>34 DISPATCHES•SUMMER2016<br/>","That day was just the beginning of the story. Dean, a Pennsylvania resident, knew of an event in the town of Butler that would surely interest<br/>his new friend. Butler happens to be the birthplace of the jeep, and each year the town hosts a Jeep Heritage Festival at its fairgrounds. A highlight<br/>of the event is always the jeep parade—which, in 2011, would turn out to be extra special.<br/>Dean knew that Devendra would be interested in attending the event—but first, he’d need a visa. “It was a real trick,” Dean remembers, “and took some political string pulling.”<br/>After Dean extended the invitation, Devendra went to the U.S. embassy in Mumbai to apply.<br/>Just applying for a visa costs a lot of money—and unfortunately, his application was denied. “He learned that he would practically have to have a ‘personal invitation from the president’ before the embassy would grant him a visa,” Dean says.<br/>Dean may not know the president, but he did know that the town of Butler takes great pride in its festival and its automotive heritage—so he did the next best thing. “I emailed the U.S. congressman who lives in Butler,” Dean says.<br/>He quickly realized he would need to be relentless. “After several requests for a letter of support, Congressman Kelly’s secretary said she would<br/>look into the matter,” Dean says. “But nothing happened, so I deluged her email for about<br/>two weeks.” The event was getting closer and closer. “Finally, we received a personal invitation for Devendra to come to the U.S. So he was successful in obtaining a visa just a short time before the event.”<br/>And so it was that a former stranger from Jaipur, India, arrived in Butler, Pennsylvania to ride in the same antique jeep that brought the two new friends together. The story was published in<br/>the local news, along with a photo of Dean and Devendra in Dean’s old jeep. But something else made the news that day: the annual jeep parade, which drew more than 1,200 jeeps, was recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest line of jeeps ever assembled.<br/>It was a fitting ending to a story that—for everyone at O.A.T.—was already one for the record books.<br/>The lenient traffic laws in India make it easy for this driver to pack his Jeep to the brim—and for his friend’s to sit on the car’s roof.<br/>India’s Driving Dilemma<br/>Though it may be a point of pride for some locals, describing India’s roadways as chaotic is an understatement. Whether riding in a car, bus, motorbike, or rickshaw—or, terrifyingly, you’re a pedestrian—navigating India’s roads is an unnerving free-for-all. The<br/>strict traffic laws of the Western world simply don’t exist or are not enforced, causing major accidents on a daily basis. Half a million accidents, to be exact, are recorded each year, resulting in around 150,000 deaths and hundreds of thousands of injuries. Reasons for this melée include a lack of vehicle safety verification, maintenance, and a large surge in car ownership, with no matching investment<br/>in roads, safety education, or traffic policing. Another major reason—corruption.<br/>Drivers’ licenses can easily be bought and police are often open to bribes.<br/>To combat this driving dilemma, sweeping new reform in India is being introduced by the government, with a bill that aims to<br/>save 200,000 lives over five years and boost the coun- try’s sluggish economy. The law includes measures such as a points system that would punish repeat traffic offenders, and fines and penalties for speeding, drunk driving, and other traffic violations.<br/>While the plan is receiv- ing mixed reviews from India’s driving population, one thing is for certain— whether on the streets of Delhi or Cochin, arriving at your final destination is about to get a little safer.<br/>DISPATCHES•SUMMER2016 35<br/>","Philanthropy<br/>By Harriet R. Lewis<br/>Right: Grand Circle Foundation harnessed the entrepreneurial spirit of the women of Tin Keo Village in Laos.<br/>Gifts That Keep On Giving<br/>Grand Circle Foundation’s Self-Sustaining Projects in Laos and Zimbabwe<br/>Children of Tin Keo Village help their mothers<br/>with weaving crafts to supplement their<br/>family’s income.<br/>“Many families of Tin Keo Village subsist on less than $2 a day,<br/>so we wanted to support a means of earning income while also offering something of nutritional value.”<br/>T<br/>here’s an old saying that I’ve always liked: “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him<br/>Working with the village leader, we identified<br/>ten families whom we would help set up with a chicken farm. We then contracted a local poultry specialist to help stock the farm with 40 free- range chickens and purchase the feed for the first stage of the project. I make sure that projects such as this have clear milestones, and we set<br/>six months to a year as the timeframe for raising chickens that were ready to sell. In the meantime, the chickens would lay eggs both for consumption and to replenish the stock.<br/>Within a few months, the poultry population had grown by 15%, allowing the villagers to continue funding the poultry specialist. By June of last year, the project was so successful that the ten families involved were able not only to generate income from the project, but also to share their success by giving chicks to other families in the village. “Big thanks to Grand Circle Foundation for their kind support of the people of this village,” the village chief said to me.<br/>A similar project was undertaken in rural Zimbabwe, where broiler chicken production is popular. In October, 24 chickens were delivered to<br/>36 DISPATCHES•SUMMER2016<br/>for a lifetime.” In fact, I like it so much, I’ve made it a core principle of Grand Circle Foundation’s philosophy toward giving.<br/>We began by focusing much of our giving on schools, which are typically at the heart of a village, through our World Classroom program. We then broadened our efforts to have a bigger impact on the village as a whole as part of our A Day in the Life initiative, by supporting self-sustaining projects that provide long-term benefit—such as much- needed income or nutrition—and can be maintained by the villagers themselves. Among our most recent projects along this line are poultry farming and crafts cooperatives in Laos and Zimbabwe.<br/>With a cluck cluck here and a<br/>cluck cluck there ...<br/>In Laos, our Day in the Life experience takes place in Tin Keo Village. Many families of Tin Keo Village subsist on less than $2 a day, so we wanted to support a means of earning income while also offering something of nutritional value.<br/>","Ziga Primary School by ox and donkey carts and began earning their keep by laying eggs just about immediately. Eventually, 60% of the proceeds of the sale of the broilers will be reinvested in the business to buy new chickens, food, and antibiotics, and the remaining proceeds will be used to supplement the salaries of four temporary teachers, whose current monthly stipend is only $100.<br/>Tin Keo’s dream weavers<br/>The poultry project was not the end of Grand Circle Foundation’s involvement with Tin Keo Village. We realized that the women of the village had another issue: loneliness. Most of the women of the<br/>village took care of their children and helped their husbands with rice farming, but once the children went off to school, there was often no one to talk to, as their husbands often went off to the city to earn additional income.<br/>We also recognized that most of the women spent some time weaving—mostly at home, alone. To harness that entrepreneurial spirit and provide women with a venue to come together for companionship—and generate income—the Foundation established a weaving center in the village. Now, the women improve their skills<br/>by exchanging patterns and ideas, challenge themselves by learning new techniques, and simply enjoy each other’s company. At the same time, they also earn $70-$80 a month by selling their textiles to visitors and to a middleman in the city. “We really appreciated Grand Circle Foundation for their great support in creating more jobs for the women in our village,” a Tin Keo Weaving Center weaver named Mrs. Ngum Latsamy wrote to me.<br/>Making a business of arts and crafts<br/>Women’s crafts were also the focus of two projects in Zimbabwe, where Grand Circle Foundation supports the Ziga and Ngamo Primary Schools.<br/>We learned that one of O.A.T.’s travel partners, Wilderness Safaris Zimbabwe, was planning to hold a three-day crafts workshop for the women of those communities in January. Held at the Ngamo school, the event was developed to teach a group of 45 motivated women crafts that included sewing, knitting, beading, crochet, batik, tie-dye, weaving, and basket making. The workshop also<br/>included business management skills, so that<br/>the women could turn their craft-making into a profitable venture. We were proud to contribute the $900 needed to fund the event. Some of the women’s handmade merchandise is already being manufactured and sold.<br/>We have also been involved in a knitting project<br/>in the village of Ziga. Launched five years ago<br/>with just five members, the Ziga Women’s<br/>Knitting Group has taught community members<br/>to knit, crochet, and sew. Yarn and needles are considered a luxury in Zimbabwe, especially in rural areas, so the Foundation provided 1,200<br/>balls of yarn and 25 pairs of knitting needles,<br/>as well as instruction in reading patterns. As a result, the women in the group have been able to produce jerseys, beanies, and scarves that they<br/>can sell in order to get much-needed cash to pay for their children’s school fees. Now numbering<br/>25 members, the group has also been educated in using “plarn” (recycled plastic bags) to create bags, mats, hats, and other goods for sale, allowing them to earn income while also raising awareness of environmental issues.<br/>I am proud that Grand Circle Foundation donations are going beyond simple gifts, to provide our partners a means of support that can help sustain them for a lifetime.<br/>The Ziga Women’s Knitting Group has taught women in the community to knit, crotchet, and sew, and GCF has provided yarn, knitting needles, and instruction in reading patterns.<br/>Left: The Ziga Women’s Knitting Group has<br/>been educated in using recycled plastic bags, which creates income and raises environmental awareness.<br/>If you are interested in learning more about Grand Circle Foundation, please visit our website at www.grandcirclefoundation.org Orcontact: GrandCircleFoundation•347CongressStreet•Boston,MA02210<br/>Email: foundation@oattravel.com<br/>SM<br/>DISPATCHES•SUMMER2016 37<br/>","Moveable Feast<br/>By Paige Solomon<br/>Paige is a new Grand Circle and O.A.T. staff writer and self-proclaimed foodie. She adores Sticky Toffee Pudding from England and is determined to eat her way through all seven continents.<br/>Right: The traditional Peruvian dish alone is alluring enough to draw a crowd to this colorful Cevicheria.<br/>Peru’s Craving for Ceviche<br/>A<br/>Celebrating a native dish that swims in tradition<br/>Perfectly prepared Ceviche is the ultimate refresher course found throughout Peru.<br/>pancakes to margaritas, the U.S. loves an excuse to indulge in their favorite treats. Peru isn’t so different—and the country places one dish in particular on the highest pedestal: ceviche.<br/>Peru’s love for ceviche is so profound that the country has a day dedicated to the dish, National Ceviche Day. The National Institute of Culture (INC) acknowledged the dish as part of the nation’s cultural heritage in 2004, and in 2008, the Ministry of Production declared June 28 National Ceviche Day.<br/>The renowned dish is composed of firm, raw<br/>fish, usually cut into cubes or small slices, and enhanced in texture and flavor by marinating it in Leche de Tigre or “Tiger’s Milk”(typically lemon or lime juice mixed with onions, salt, and pepper). It’s then typically paired with peppers, sweet potatoes, corn, and other vegetables. The zest for ceviche<br/>is most notable in Peru’s capital, Lima, and the coastal town of Callao where chefs prepare their own variations of the dish. Insider tip: in Peru, this refreshing meal is typically consumed during the day—not for dinner.<br/>The national pride behind this dish stems from Peru’s deep passion for creating dramatic, distinct flavor profiles. As the third largest country in South America, Peru is brimming with fertile land—which is prime for agricultural use. The eleven ecological areas of the country make it a<br/>hot spot for cultivating a diverse array of food. Dubbed a gastronomical hub in recent years, Peru provides innovative twists on fresh ingredients and celebrates the food it cultivates.<br/>While there aren’t set events for Ceviche Day— similar to national food days in America—the holiday is celebrated in individual restaurants, local homes, and food trucks around Peru. Restaurants will serve their own take on the traditional dish, provide cooking classes, and offer specials on the acclaimed dish. There are an estimated 2,000 cevicherias (Latin American-style<br/>restaurants with a dedication to ceviche) in Lima alone, so there is always an assortment of flavors and ingredients.<br/>One distinct characteristic of Ceviche—as it is known in America—is that there are multiple spellings of the word. Ceviche is also spelled cebiche in Peru, derived from escabechar, which<br/>is cooked fish and vegetables marinated in wine, vinegar, or oil. Seviche, also spelled as sebiche, is widely used in Latin American countries including Honduras, Mexico, and Cuba, and originates from the word siwichi, meaning fresh fish. While there is no definitive way to spell ceviche, it is safe<br/>to assume use of the spelling as it correlates to whichever country you are in.<br/>The origins of the dish itself are much less muddled. The first variation of ceviche can be traced to Moche civilization (an ancient Peruvian culture) thousands of years ago when this group flourished from the first to the eighth centuries BC. The Moche people ate fish and seafood marinated in chichi, or corn beer. As the Spanish began colonizing Peru in the 1500s, they introduced foreign ingredients, such as onions and lemon, to the Peruvian people. Today, the Japanese technique of soaking the fish in citrus juice is what is widely considered to be modern-day ceviche.<br/>With influences from ancient civilizations and modern cultures, ceviche has come a long way. Whether you’re in Peru for National Ceviche<br/>Day or not, enjoying the traditional dish can be done around the world—and it’s pretty simple to make at home.<br/>38 DISPATCHES•SUMMER2016<br/>mericans love to celebrate food. From unofficial national holidays to celebrate everything from<br/>","Leche De Tigre<br/>Ingredients<br/>2⁄3 cup fresh lime juice<br/>2 garlic cloves, smashed<br/>1 tablespoon (packed) chopped fresh cilantro leaves<br/>1⁄2 ají limo or habanero chile, seeded, halved lengthwise<br/>Preparation<br/>1⁄2 small red onion, chopped<br/>1⁄2 cup bottled clam juice (optional)<br/>Kosher salt<br/>Pulse the lime juice, cloves, cilantro, chiles, and 4 ice cubes in a blender until there are no lumps. Add onion and combine until smooth. Drain the mixture into a strainer placed over a medium bowl. Add clam juice (optional) and salt. Refrigerate.<br/>Ceviche<br/>Ingredients<br/>1 small sweet potato (about 8 ounces)<br/>1 ear of corn, husked<br/>1⁄2 ají limo or habanero chile, seeded, halved lengthwise<br/>1 pound fluke, flounder, or sole, cut into 1/2-inch cubes<br/>1 small red onion, quartered and thinly sliced, divided<br/>Kosher salt Cilantro leaves<br/>Preparation<br/>1. Boil water in a large pot with a fitted steamer basket. Add sweet potato and steam for around 30 minutes or until tender. Remove the potato from the pot and let cool.<br/>2. Refill the water in the pot and boil. Place ear of corn in the pot and cook for about 3 minutes. Remove from pot and let cool.<br/>3. Cut the potato in half lengthwise and spoon out small pieces with a melon baller. Set pieces aside. Cut 1/3 cup of corn kernels from the cob and set aside.<br/>4. Cut chile in half lengthwise and wipe against the side of a large bowl. Combine fluke, 2/3 of the onion, the leche de tigre mixture, and 4 ice cubes. Let soak for about 2 minutes and then discard ice. Combine potato and corn into the wet mixture and add salt.<br/>5. Divide the mixture evenly into small bowls and pour the remaining leche de tigre over the bowls. Sprinkle onion and cilantro overtop.<br/>Serves 4-6<br/>Request a recipe—or share one of your own<br/>Do you remember a favorite O.A.T. meal that you’d like to see featured here? We might be able to find it for you. Or maybe you have a recipe of your own to share, inspired by your adventures. Email us your culinary inspiration at: editordispatches@oattravel.com<br/>DISPATCHES•SUMMER2016 39<br/>","Outlook on Women<br/>By Jennifer Sullivan<br/>Jennifer is an O.A.T. contributor whose love of travel has taken her from Italy to Africa.<br/>Right: Though they fell in battle to the Greeks,<br/>the myth of the Amazons depicts fierce women warriors.<br/>The Amazons:<br/>P Ancient Reality, Modern Myth<br/>Penthesilea, Queen of the Amazons, died in the arms of Achilles as he fell in love with her.<br/>Delve into the world of ancient Amazons on our Northern Greece, Albania & Macedonia adventure. Visit www.oattravel.com/ gre for details.<br/>icture this—you’re a woman in ancient Greece. Aside from your duties of bearing children and<br/>taking care of the household, you may<br/>find yourself being neglected and looked<br/>down upon pretty much from birth.<br/>Patriarchal societies of city-states like<br/>Athens catered to men, of course. And if<br/>you imagined yourself as a man living<br/>in ancient Greece, you’d probably enjoy<br/>things just as they were—in fact, you<br/>couldn’t even fathom the possibility of<br/>things being any different. But then,<br/>rumors start to circulate of a far-off<br/>people. Traders, merchants, and explorers<br/>tell larger-than-life tales of nomadic<br/>tribes inhabiting huge swaths of land on the outskirts of the known world—a place where men and women are equals. The land is known<br/>as Scythia. And there is one part of these rumors that you simply can’t get out of your head—not only do these women fight alongside their men in battle, but they do it equally well. We know them as Amazons.<br/>Fast forward 2,500 years. The stories of Amazon women are still alive and are just as captivating today. What we know about this mythical tribe of fierce warrior women comes from what we have found in ancient Greek art and literature—much of which has been lost over the centuries.<br/>The echoes of the Amazons<br/>The earliest reference to Amazons in known Greek literature is in Homer’s epic The Iliad. It mentions them briefly twice, almost in passing. But other contemporaneous writings about the Trojan<br/>War offer rich depictions of grand and glorious tales of the Amazon women’s courage, prowess, and defeats. One story, of which we have only fragments, sings of the great Queen Penthesilea, who came to help Troy in the city’s moment of despair. As the Amazons arrived, Troy rejoiced, their hope renewed. Trojan armies fought fiercely beside the women warriors, who slaughtered countless Greeks. Then, one by one, the Amazons were killed as well. At last, the mighty Queen meets Achilles on the battlefield and calls him out, brazen enough to curse him and promise him death. Dumbfounded and angered at how a woman could possibly say such things to him, he engages in a deadly clash with her. She is astounded when all her blows fall without imparting any harm.<br/>Finally, he spears her. As she falls, he spears her again, killing her. Achilles removes the helmet from her body and is immediately full of regret because, upon seeing Penthesilea’s beauty, he falls in love with her.<br/>Even though our first archaeological evidence of Amazonian legend is from around the 8th century BC, the stories were circulating long before. As is made clear in art and literature of the time, the tales of the powerful and relentless female soldiers became more and more important to the Greeks as they consolidated power.<br/>Which is the more “enlightened”<br/>civilization?<br/>In the regions the Amazons are said to have lived—the Scythian lands—kurgans, or burial mounds, have been excavated for years. But before the advent of DNA testing, it was assumed that<br/>all skeletons found with weapons were male. In recent years, that assumption has been challenged. Archaeologists have found that up to 30%-40%<br/>of the graves found with weapons in these areas are the remains of warrior females. They have the same battle scars as the men, some healed, and other wounds that were fatal blows. They were buried with the same weapons and clothes as men. Interestingly, both men and women were found holding babies.<br/>The heroic accomplishments of the Amazons in Greek literature may have been fiction—but the stories and characters are rooted in actual historic events—and the mythology of the Amazons continues to live on.<br/>40 DISPATCHES•SUMMER2016<br/>","Spotlight on Small Ships<br/>Why O.A.T. travelers should consider Grand Circle Cruise Line<br/>In some parts of the world, small ocean ships are the best and most adventurous way to explore. We’ve heard, however, that many O.A.T. travelers aren’t familiar with our Small Ship Cruise Tours—which is why we decided to include this special section in Dispatches.<br/>In 2017, Grand Circle Cruise Line will be exploring Cuba for the first time in its history. Cuba’s Cultural Treasures: A<br/>TABLE OF CONTENTS<br/>42 Cuba by Small Ship<br/>Announcing our NEW Small Ship Cruise Tour:<br/>Cuba’s Cultural Treasures: A Coastal Voyage<br/>44 Santiago de Cuba<br/>Discover the city’s influence on Afro-Cuban culture<br/>Coastal Voyage is a new Small Ship Cruise Tour that will<br/>sail on our recently acquired, 89-passenger M/V Clio over<br/>12 days. Travelers will have the option to sail in one of two directions: from Miami to Cuba or from Cuba to Miami, and dock in remote ports that delve into everyday Cuban life.<br/>Within these pages, you’ll find just a brief introduction to the places you can discover by small ship. If you like what you see, you can explore more at www.gct.com.<br/>49 At the Helm<br/>Meet Dubravko Basic, Senior Vice President of Grand Circle Cruise Line’s Nautical/Technical team<br/>50 Voyages of Discovery<br/>Pillage between two seas in Panama<br/>52 Cultural Moorings<br/>The beauty and history of the Istrian Peninsula<br/>54 Setting Sail<br/>Travelers reunite with old friends overseas<br/>56 Stepping Ashore<br/>Meet Program Director Pablo Naldi<br/>57 In the Know<br/>How well do you know your nautical knots?<br/>“Four hundred years<br/>of colonization under Spanish rule left an indelible mark on Cuba’s culture and people, slowly weaving a rich tapestry of Taíno, European, and African traditions.”<br/>DISPATCHES•SUMMER2016 41<br/>Cuba PAGE 44<br/>","Cuba by Small Ship in 2017<br/>New regulations bring a sea change Wfor American travelers<br/>Right: In Cienfuegos, the colorful dome of City Hall faces Parque Marti at the geographic and cultural heart of the city.<br/>e’re excited to announce that for<br/>the very first time, Grand Circle Cruise Line will be exploring Cuba by small ship<br/>on a new People-to- People journey: Cuba’s Cultural Treasures: A Coastal Voyage. In 2017, our newly acquired, 89-passenger M/V Clio will be plying the waters of the Cuban coastline, visiting parts of<br/>the island that few Americans have ever seen.<br/>New regulations: What’s changed?<br/>While we’ve been offering land-based People-to- People journeys in Cuba since 2011, regulations from the U.S. government prohibited us from operating a ship on the island. Now, thanks to easing restrictions, we’re finalizing arrangements with the Cuban authorities to operate departures aboard the M/V Clio beginning in January of 2017. (As of this printing, we’re awaiting government approval and hope to have it soon. We’re accepting reservations—but if we don’t receive approval<br/>and are unable to operate, we’ll fully refund your deposit.)<br/>As regulations have relaxed, other American companies are already offering cruises in Cuba aboard larger ocean liners—but the number<br/>of travelers onboard limits both access to certain ports and the discoveries you can make once<br/>you get there. Not only will the Clio cruise with just 89 passengers, but we’ll divide into groups<br/>of no more than 25 travelers, each with its own dedicated Cuban Program Director. (Please note that as government regulations haven’t relaxed completely, your Cuban Program Director can only sail in Cuban waters. Therefore, you’ll meet your Program Director once you arrive in Cuba. A Grand Circle representative will meet you in Miami.)<br/>The 89-passenger M/V Clio can navigate Cuban ports that large cruise ships can’t reach.<br/>Itinerary highlights<br/>Most cruise itineraries currently offered in Cuba focus on the west and south coasts. Our Cuba’s Cultural Treasures itinerary also visits the north and east coasts—including the Oriente province in Eastern Cuba, where few Americans have ever been. In addition to lesser known gems, we also include can’t-miss highlights—including, of course, the capital of Havana.<br/>Depending on your departure, you’ll travel in one of two directions: Miami-to-Havana or Havana- to-Miami. Beginning in Miami, you’ll embark<br/>the Clio and cruise to Cuba, arriving in Varadero (departure point for Matanzas). After your cruise, you’ll disembark in Cienfuegos and complete your trip with a 3-night hotel stay in Havana, followed by a return flight to Miami. Conversely, if you begin in Havana, you’ll fly to Cuba, where you’ll start your trip with a 3-night hotel stay in Havana before embarking the Clio.<br/>Regardless of your direction, you’ll experience these highlights:<br/>Matanzas: This provincial capital boasts a vibrant culture with strong ties to Africa—the legacy of thousands of slaves brought here to support the sugar industry. But Matanzas is much more than this. The first Cuban baseball game was played here in 1874, and the city has long been a creative hub for poets, writers, artists, and musicians.<br/>42 DISPATCHES•SUMMER2016<br/>","Santiago de Cuba: Like Matanzas, Santiago de Cuba was a center of the slave trade, and this is where the mingling of African and Spanish culture evolved into unique Afro- Cuban traditions. (You can read more about this in our story on page 44.) The area was also a hotbed of revolution—from Teddy Roosevelt’s 1898 charge up San Juan Hill with his Rough Riders, to Fidel Castro’s 1953 assault on Moncada Barracks that launched the Cuban revolution.<br/>Trinidad: When the sugar boom went bust<br/>in the mid-19th century, its golden age<br/>lived on in Trinidad, where the mansions of<br/>the wealthy sugar barons and other elegant examples of Spanish colonial architecture remain intact. Amidst the old world charm, you’ll delve into the lives of the people today, including the Santander family, which has run a ceramics studio here for a century.<br/>Cienfuegos: Situated on the southern coast of Cuba, Cienfuegos boasts one of the Caribbean’s most lovely natural bays and enduring French colonial influences. Cultural exchange is the highlight here, including a meeting with members of the Union of Writers and Artists in Cuba and a choral performance by the Cantores de Cienfuegos.<br/>Havana: This is one of the most exciting cities<br/>in the Caribbean, as you’ll discover through encounters with its people. Yes, you’ll explore the city’s history at the Museum of the Revolution and the 18th-century La Cabana fortress, but your meetings with dancers, musicians, and other local people will bring Havana to life—in the true spirit of People-to-People travel.<br/>New horizons, new challenges<br/>Given relaxed travel restrictions, restored diplomatic relations, regularly scheduled airline service, the first visit by a sitting U.S. president in 88 years—even a Rolling Stones concert—one thing’s for sure: More Americans are on their way to Cuba.<br/>For many Americans, the mystique of Cuba borders on the legendary, and there is serious pent-up demand to visit this long-forbidden land of rum and cigars, pulsing salsa rhythms, and people with a passion for baseball, music, and dance.<br/>But is Cuba ready for us? Already, the strain<br/>is being felt. Havana hotels are full, seats are getting hard to come by in paladares—Cuba’s<br/>new privately-owned restaurants. And while the island’s golden rum is plentiful, a recent news report told of Cuban breweries unable to keep pace with an influx of beer-drinking Americans.<br/>Left: A cultural shift occurred in March 2016, when the Rolling Stones performed a historic concert in Havana, Cuba.<br/>A big part of the problem, of course, is the<br/>U.S. trade embargo (which is unlikely to end<br/>with a Republican-controlled Congress). While capitalism slowly creeps into the Cuban economy, the embargo—Cubans call it “el bloqueo,” or<br/>“the blockade”—makes it difficult for private businesses to get supplies. Yet the entrepreneurial spirit is somehow managing to flourish. In a country where Fidel Castro once stood defiantly on the steps of Havana University vowing to expel all commercial enterprise, it is estimated that between 20 and 30% of the Cuban workforce is now privately employed.<br/>A Cuban perspective<br/>So how do the Cuban people feel about all this? We spoke with Allan Siegelbaum, our Grand Circle Cruise Line representative in Cuba, for his thoughts on the extraordinary changes taking place in his homeland. “First of all, Cubans love Americans,” he said, “Cubans have never blamed the American people for the policies of the U.S. government—so we’re greatly looking forward to welcoming more Americans.” But he cautioned that not all Cubans are on board with unfolding events. “Those working in the tourism industry are reaping benefits,” he said, “but prices are rising. Remember, in Cuba there are no wholesale markets. People who own paladares get their food from the same farmers’ markets as everyone else—so when prices go up, it is the families<br/>that suffer.”<br/>But all in all, Allan said the people of Cuba are thrilled at the opportunities within their grasp due to the long overdue thaw in U.S./Cuba relations. “Cubans are proud of our past,” he says, “but that doesn’t mean we want to continue living in it.”<br/>A half-century of isolation may have left Cuba’s colonial splendor frozen in time, but it hasn’t dimmed the optimistic spirit of Cuban people. To witness it yourself—with change on the horizon— is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.<br/>Grand Circle Cruise Line representative Allan Siegelbaum remains cautiously optimistic about the changing Cuban-American relations and what that will mean for the citizens of Cuba.<br/>Learn more about our NEW Cuba’s Cultural Treasures: A Coastal Voyage itinerary— including videos and independent film highlights—online at www.gct.com/cef.<br/>DISPATCHES•SUMMER2016 43<br/>","Cuba’s Most<br/>by Maryclaire Dugre and Pamela Schweppe<br/>","Caribbean City<br/>Santiago de Cuba’s Unique Contributions to Cuba’s History & Culture<br/>","Previous page: The Spanish colonial heritage of Santiago de Cuba, seen here in the architecture of its beloved cathedral, is just one facet of a rich cultural tapestry.<br/>To the American consciousness, Cuba is practically synonymous with its modern capital, Havana. There is a city 540 miles to the southeast, however, that has played an equally vital role<br/>in shaping the unique history and culture of Cuba: Santiago de Cuba.<br/>Cuba’s second-largest city, Santiago de Cuba was founded in 1514 by Spanish conquistador Diego Velázquez de Cuéllar and served as the capital of the colony until the late 16th century. Throughout its long history, Santiago de Cuba has been a city of revolution. Hernán Cortés served as mayor here before sailing to Mexico in 1518 as the commander of an expedition that conquered the Aztec Empire and claimed Mexico for Spain.<br/>Santiago de Cuba was also a stronghold in the Spanish-American War of 1898. It was in Santiago Harbor that the USS Merrimac became the only American Navy vessel scuttled by Spanish forces in the war. Battles were fought in the neighboring villages of El Caney and San Juan. And Teddy Roosevelt and his “Rough Riders” led their famous charge up nearby San Juan Hill.<br/>The city is also credited as the birthplace of the Cuban Revolution. When Fulgencio Batista seized power in 1952, an outraged Fidel Castro selected Moncada Barracks, a military barracks in Santiago de Cuba, as the target of a July 26, 1953, attack by his ragtag band of revolutionaries. Although that first uprising was unsuccessful, it led to Castro’s 26th of July Movement and ultimate overthrow of the Batista government.<br/>Slavery: The past’s indelible mark<br/>on the present<br/>Much of the city’s importance was garnered from its strategic location on a large harbor leading into the Caribbean Sea, surrounded and protected by the Sierra Maestra mountain range. Set in the geographic heart of the Caribbean and acclaimed by many as the most Caribbean city in the country, it remains a major Cuban seaport.<br/>This location also made Santiago de Cuba a<br/>vital gateway for the slave trade. In eastern Cuba, slavery represented a cheap yet hard-working labor force for the coffee and sugar plantations that were becoming a mainstay of the region’s economy, along with the nearby El Cobre copper mines. In 1789, Spain granted Santiago de Cuba<br/>a license for the unlimited importation of slaves from Africa. Closer to the island of Hispaniola than to Havana, the city also became the point of entry for those fleeing the 1791 slave uprising in Saint-Domingue (now Haiti).<br/>The success of the Haitian Revolution had a profound effect on slavery throughout the Americas. France emancipated all slaves through- out its colonies in 1794, and the U.S. and Britain abolished slavery on the island of Cuba in 1807 and 1808. Still, Cuba continued to be a regular stop on the route through the 1860s. It wasn’t until 1886 that slavery itself ended on the island. Today, Santiago de Cuba has the largest number of people of African descent in the country, and—adding the combination of Spanish colonists, settlers from Haiti and other Caribbean nations, and an influx of immigrants from Great Britain and France during the late 18th and early 19th centuries—it boasts a multiethnic population that has played an essential role in shaping the music, literature, architecture, and religious practices of Cuba.<br/>Religion: The mystique of Santeria<br/>Among religions, the most uniquely Cuban practice is that of Santeria. When African slaves began arriving in Cuba in the 16th century, they organized themselves by ethnic group into cabildos (councils) on the plantations. Socializing was one function of the cabildos, but they served another purpose, too: to congregate and practice their religious traditions in secrecy.<br/>Right: A dancer uses fire to symbolize Shango, one of the most popular Orishas in the religion of Santeria.<br/>At a Santeria altar, offer- ings honor ancestors— both departed relatives and guardian spirits.<br/>46 DISPATCHES•SUMMER2016<br/>","Many Africans were forced to convert to Catholicism when they arrived in Cuba, but within their cabildos, they continued to per- form their rituals under the leadership of a babalawo. In the lan- guage of the Yoruba people from Nigeria, babalawo translates to “father of knowledge,” denoting a status similar to that of a priest. From the intermingling of these Yoruba traditions<br/>with the Catholicism of the Spanish plantation owners came the practice of Santeria.<br/>Santeria, or Regla de<br/>Ocha, centers around forging a relationship<br/>with the Orishas, semi-divine, saint-like representations of Olodumare (God) with whom humans can communicate. Each Orisha has a distinct personality and the power to help or hinder, which is why worship and sacrifices are necessary to earn favor and good luck. Common rituals in Santeria include dancing, drumming, chanting, and making offerings of animal blood.<br/>The faith began to take hold at the end of the 19th century in the western provinces of Cuba, but today it is the principal Afro-Caribbean religion<br/>in the eastern part of the island, too. As Santeria has emerged as a mainstream religion, it has been embraced by people of all walks of life and become an integral part of daily life. Followers of the faith often wear red, white, or yellow beads, each of which color is associated with a saint, and many welcome the opportunity to discuss their religion’s tenets and practices with visitors to their land.<br/>Music: The rise of son and trova<br/>Like Santeria, music is entwined in Cuba’s identity and arguably the most widely recognized facet<br/>of Cuban culture. And much of it is rooted in the streets of Santiago de Cuba.<br/>Among the contributions of Santiago de Cuba are some of Cuba’s most iconic forms of dance—most notably, son, the precursor to salsa. Perhaps the dominant musical genre in Cuba, son is steeped in<br/>African roots. Featuring a call and response chorus and heavy bongos, it rose to popularity in the 1920s, eventually modernized with the addition<br/>of the trumpet and other horns.<br/>In 1925, President Antonio Machado is said to have hired a son band to play for his birthday, elevating the musical style from its association with poorer urban areas to a popular mainstream genre. This was an important moment for Afro-Cuban culture, as it symbolized that the country was beginning to celebrate its diverse heritage.<br/>Son is rarely performed in its traditional style today, but has continued to evolve and influence various other styles of music. Nearly all Latin styles of music—salsa and mambo, for example— are derivatives of son.<br/>Cuba’s bolero also originated in Santiago de Cuba. Unrelated to the Spanish music of the same name, it developed in the 19th century from itinerant buskers who made their living singing and playing the guitar. The Cuban version of the bolero was greatly influenced by another indigenous musical genre: the trova, a storytelling song style performed by traveling troubadours. The genre is attributed to the composer Pepe Sanchez, a native of Santiago de Cuba. A natural musical talent, Sanchez was never formally trained, so he never wrote down his compositions. Although most have been lost, a few were transcribed by his followers, and his influence continues to be felt.<br/>Left: The word “mambo” means “conversation with the gods” in the Central African language of Kikongo, and the rhythm of the music<br/>is derived from African folk songs.<br/>“Imagine Cuba and chances are high your thoughts will go to a man in a wide-brimmed hat with a guitar, salsa dancing on a hot Havana night, or the beat of the bongo drums.”<br/>A leader of the Afro- cubanismo movement, poet Nicolas Guillen published a series of eight poems in the style of son music.<br/>DISPATCHES•SUMMER2016 47<br/>","Maryclaire has been writ- ing for O.A.T. since 2013 and most recently trav- eled to Vietnam.<br/>Pamela served as the Copy Director for Grand Circle Travel before becoming a full-time freelance writer.<br/>Explore Santiago de Cuba on our NEW Small Ship Cruise Tour, Cuba’s Cultural Treasures: A Coastal Voyage: www.gct.com/cef.<br/>Sanchez was not the only composer whose creations transformed the musical landscape of Cuba. Several members of Havana’s famous Buena Vista Social Club—including Compay Segundo, Ibrahim Ferrer, and Eliades Ochoa—have roots in the Santiago de Cuba area, and trova artist Ñico Saquito was born in the city. Even earlier native sons include 18th-century priest/composer Juan Paris and his mentor, Baroque composer Esteban Salas y Castro.<br/>Carnival: Cuba’s birthday bash<br/>Music is an integral part of something else the city is famous for: its exuberant street celebrations. Santiago’s Carnival is not only the most important celebration of its kind in the country, it is one of the oldest, largest, and most authentic in all of Latin America. Characterized<br/>by throbbing music, drumming, dancing, joyous parades, and elaborate costumes, Carnival has been observed in the city since the mid-16th century and has evolved over the years to embrace not only its African heritage, but also the rich contributions of Santiago de Cuba’s many other ethnic populations. It is timed to coincide with the country’s modern birthday, July 26.<br/>And, of course, drinking is an inescapable aspect of the party atmosphere of Santiago de Cuba’s famous festival. Perhaps it’s not a coincidence that Don Facundo Bacardi founded his first rum distillery here!<br/>A taste of Africa in Cuban cuisine<br/>Along with the physical labor needed to produce several crops, African slaves introduced the Cuban palate to new flavors, too. Taro root, malanga, and plantains are a few of the vegetables brought across the Atlantic and featured in many Cuban dishes. The presence of dense root vegetables in Cuban dishes is an African contribution, and it’s said that Cubans learned to mix white rice with other foods and sauces from African culture.<br/>In Cuba, okra is called quimbombó, which in name alone alludes to its African roots. Learn how to make Cuban quimbombó, a popular, versatile dish that showcases the country’s diverse culinary influences with this recipe.<br/>Quimbombó is a great example of the many culinary influences in Cuba.<br/>INGREDIENTS<br/>1 pound okra, caps and tips trimmed off 1 cup vegetable oil<br/>1 large onion, minced<br/>2 tomatoes, chopped<br/>6 cloves garlic, minced<br/>1 ají (pepper), minced<br/>4 strips bacon<br/>1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds 1⁄2 cup ham broth<br/>Salt and freshly ground black pepper<br/>DIRECTIONS<br/>1. Slice the okra and place the pieces in cool water until ready to cook. Be sure to dry the okra well before cooking.<br/>2. In a medium-sized pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat until sizzling. Add the onion, tomatoes, garlic and ají. Cook, stirring often.<br/>3. Add the bacon to the sauce. Using your spoon, break the strips of bacon up into smaller pieces.<br/>4. Add the okra and toasted sesame seeds. Stir the ingredients well and add salt and pepper to taste. Pour in the ham broth.<br/>5. Lower heat and cook until the okra is soft to the touch but not falling apart. Spoon over white rice and serve.<br/>48 DISPATCHES•SUMMER2016<br/>","Coming Back to Family<br/>Making our small ships feel like home<br/>At the Helm<br/>By Laura Chavanne<br/>Laura is Editor-in-Chief of Dispatches and awaiting her invitation to report firsthand from the Clio.<br/>Right: Thanks to Dubravko’s expert guidance, the M/V Clio is ready and waiting for her inaugural season—which includes Grand Circle Cruise Line’s very first de- partures to Cuba in 2017.<br/>Dubravko displays the less-than-glamorous underbelly of nautical life: drydock.<br/>“On the small ships, there’s a personal touch that travelers feel at every single moment. It’s as simple as being addressed by name rather than being a number aboard a large cruise ship.”<br/>Learn more about the Clio—and our entire small ship fleet—at www.gct.com.<br/>FFor Dubravko Basic, accepting the role<br/>of Senior Vice President of Grand Circle Cruise Line’s Nautical/Technical team was<br/>a bit like coming home. “Years ago, I was the<br/>Chief Engineer aboard a Grand Circle ship,” says Dubravko. “So I feel as though I’m coming back to family.” He spent nine years working as a technical superintendent and ship manager for a large cruise line before finding his way back to Grand Circle<br/>in the fall of 2015. Today, he’s responsible for the nautical and technical operation of our five ocean vessels and 11 river ships.<br/>When he returned to Grand Circle, Dubravko’s familiarity with our ships would prove extremely helpful—because one of his first responsibilities involved making the M/V Clio, which we acquired in 2015, feel familiar to our travelers. “Many of our travelers have been on our other ships, and love the style and atmosphere,” says Dubravko. “We sought to keep that touch and feel on the Clio so that everyone feels at home.”<br/>The refurbishment of the Clio involved everything from small details—like linens and light fixtures— to major renovations that literally changed the layout of the ship. “The most challenging aspect was enhancing the dining area,” says Dubravko. “We needed enough room to accommodate a full buffet and a single seating, and wanted the option of al fresco dining.” Other enhancements included a new cabin for solo travelers and additional tenders and Zodiac boats.<br/>Technical aspects are just one facet of Dubravko’s responsibilities.<br/>“The most important<br/>part of my job is the selection, training, and development of the onboard team,” says Dubravko. “This starts with the captain, whom I personally interview and select.” On a Grand Circle ship, the job requires more than just navigation and operational skills. Each captain must also enjoy interacting with our travelers and sharing<br/>their experiences—which is an important part of creating a convivial onboard atmosphere.<br/>It’s this special atmosphere that attracted Dubravko to the world of small ship cruising. “I’ve sailed aboard various vessels, from bulk carriers<br/>to large cruise ships,” says Dubravko. “On the small ships, there’s a personal touch. It’s as simple as being addressed by name rather than being a number aboard a large cruise ship. Plus, we can explore small ports with limited draft, and have flexibility in day-to-day operation. This is the magic of the small ship experience.”<br/>In addition to the onboard atmosphere and crew of our ships, Dubravko is also concerned about things the traveler doesn’t see. “I’ve researched how to operate our fleet as environmentally friendly as possible,” says Dubravko. “We recently changed the fuel on the Corinthian from heavy fuel oil to marine diesel oil, which reduces engine emissions and environmental impact.”<br/>While Dubravko does feel like he’s among family here at Grand Circle, he dreams someday to share<br/>a very small ship with his actual family. “I live<br/>in Rijeka, Croatia, and my dream is to take a<br/>small sailboat with my family along the amazing Dalmatian Coast—which is among the very best in the world. Right now it’s just a dream, but one that will come true!”<br/>We don’t doubt that he has the knowledge and the passion to make his dream a reality.<br/>DISPATCHES•SUMMER2016 49<br/>","Voyages of Discovery<br/>By Lyette Mercier<br/>Lyette has been<br/>writing for O.A.T. and Grand Circle since 2007. She has also written for websites including The Hairpin and The Toast.<br/>Right: Explorer Vasco Nunez de Balboa talked his way out of trouble with Spain for years— that is, until his beheading in 1519 for trying to usurp the newly minted governor.<br/>Pillage Between Two Seas<br/>The heroes and villains who shaped Panama’s history<br/>I<br/>between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans attracted and tormented explorers, rulers, and pirates the world over. The battle for control of the isthmus gave rise to larger-than-life stories of heroes<br/>and villains like Vasco de Balboa and Henry Morgan, whose exploits had lasting effects on Panama’s history.<br/>Although Christopher Columbus is often remembered as the first westerner to visit the Panamanian coast, that honor actually goes to Rodrigo de Bastidas, a Spanish notary who traveled to Venezuela in search of treasure in 1499. Bastidas sailed from Venezuela to Punta Manzanillo, halfway up the coast of modern- day Panama, before being forced to turn back by dangerously leaky ships. He is credited as the first explorer to claim the isthmus for Spain.<br/>But Columbus has better name recognition, and he did dedicate his fourth and last voyage to North America in 1502 to finding the area described to him by natives as a “narrow place between two seas.” He hoped to find a strait between continents; but after nearly two years exploring the coastline of Panama, he returned to Spain disappointed.<br/>Vasco Núñez de Balboa, another explorer whose name is closely associated with Panama’s history accompanied Bastidas on his voyage to Venezuela and Panama, then settled in Hispaniola (modern Haiti and the Dominican Republic). He attempted life as a farmer and failed, winding up deep in debt. In 1509, to escape his creditors, he stowed away on a ship bound for the Panamanian coast. When discovered, Balboa talked his way out of being stranded on a deserted island by pointing out that he knew the coastline from his expedition with Bastidas.<br/>Balboa proved persuasive and popular among the sailors and soldiers and after arriving in Panama (through a series of legal maneuvers, coups, and<br/>at least one ship conveniently lost at sea) wound up as governor of the Spanish Panamanian territory<br/>of Veragua in 1511. He embarked on expanding Spanish territory through battling some native<br/>n the four centuries between its discovery<br/>by Europeans and the opening of the Panama<br/>Canal in 1914, the narrowest point of land<br/>Balboa, bolstered by 1,000 men, reached the Pacific coast where he raised a cross to mark the land in the name of Spain.<br/>tribes and creating alliances with others. It was from one of these tribes that he first heard of the closeness of “the other sea.” Because of the country’s dense rainforests and swamps, plus hostile natives, the Spaniards hadn’t had a clear idea of just how closely the oceans bordered each other.<br/>Balboa requested men and supplies from both Hispaniola and Spain, but word of his unapproved rise to power had reached Spanish leadership<br/>by then and Balboa realized that he’d have to undertake an expedition with what he had at his disposal. So in 1513, Balboa and 190 Spaniards<br/>set off. They were bolstered by 1,000 men from a tribe with which Balboa was aligned.<br/>The group battled through untamed jungle,<br/>fought unfriendly tribes, and scaled a mountain range before reaching the Pacific coast. Once there, Balboa waded into the water with a sword in one hand and an image of the Virgin Mary in the other and claimed the ocean and all the land that touched it for the kingdom of Spain. He named it Mar del Sur, the South Sea.<br/>50 DISPATCHES•SUMMER2016<br/>","Balboa’s good fortune failed upon his return to Veragua, when a group from Spain arrived. Among them was a new governor, this one approved by the king. Balboa ceded his position, but pushed to continue his explorations of the new ocean, which led him afoul of the new governor, Pedro Arias Dávila. In 1519, Balboa was tried and convicted of trying to usurp Davila’s power by claiming the South<br/>Sea for himself, a charge Balboa denied right up to his death by beheading. Davila went on to found Panama City, the first permanent European settlement on the Pacific coast, that same year.<br/>While the Spanish conquistadors were fighting<br/>for power in their newly settled outposts, the native tribes of Panama, who had lived on the isthmus for millennia, were being decimated by European diseases against which they had no immunity. While there is no hard data on Panama’s pre-Columbian population, estimates range from 200,000 to 1 million with most of the inhabitants belonging to three tribes—the Chibchan, Chocoan, and Cueva—who showed a wide range of cultural and commercial activity. Post-colonization, many remaining natives fled to the country’s jungle and coastal islands, remaining independent thanks<br/>to their isolated locations. The Spanish called the locals “indios de guerra” (war indians) because of their consistent rejection of attempts to conquer or missionize them.<br/>So while Spain officially controlled the shortest span between oceans (and all the gold and valuables plundered from the Pacific Coast that was transferred through the isthmus), it remained vulnerable to attacks from pirates and privateers collaborating with the native population. The most successful of these was Henry Morgan,<br/>who terrorized the Spanish throughout the mid- 17th century.<br/>In 1665, when Morgan began his privateering career in the Caribbean Sea, relations between colonial superpower Spain (who claimed what<br/>is now Florida, California, Mexico, all of Central America, the islands of Cuba, Puerto Rico and Hispaniola, and all of South America except Brazil) and upstart England (whose biggest holding was Jamaica) were tenuous at best.<br/>Although not officially sanctioned by the crown, Morgan was given permission by the governor of Jamaica to plunder Spanish ships in exchange for a cut of his earnings. After finding success attacking Spanish ships and looting their ports, Morgan<br/>and his fleet of nine ships and 500 men decided to invade one of Spain’s crown jewels in the New<br/>Left: The ruins of<br/>Old Panama City still stand today and have become a popular site among visitors and history enthusiasts.<br/>World: Porto Bello in Panama, where all the gold pillaged from Peru passed on its way to Spain.<br/>In 1668, Morgan and his men landed south of Porto Bello and marched through the jungle, surprising the city’s defenses by attacking over land. After fierce fighting, they overwhelmed the Spanish defenses and occupied the port for two months, stealing all the gold and treasure they could find before adding insult to injury and ransoming the entire city back to the governor of Panama for 100,000 pieces of eight.<br/>Morgan returned to Panama in 1671 to undertake one of the most ambitious acts of piracy North America had ever seen: nothing less than a frontal attack on Panama’s capital, Panama City, which was heavily fortified and located on the opposite side of the isthmus from where Morgan would<br/>be starting his campaign. Morgan and an army<br/>of 1,200 pirates, every one of whom had been promised a share of the riches, marched through the Panamanian jungle towards a city set to defend itself with more than 5,000 troops.<br/>When the pirates met the Spanish cavalry in<br/>a battle outside the city, they were aided by swampy ground that put the cavalry’s horses off their footing. Both sides took heavy casualties, but the Spanish were forced to retreat. The pirates then attacked the city itself and in one day captured the capital, looting it and setting it ablaze before loading up pack animals with all the treasure they could carry and marching back to the fleet along the coast.<br/>Panama City was so thoroughly sacked that<br/>the entire thing had to be rebuilt 3 miles to<br/>the southwest. Today, the ruins of the original settlement are known as Panama Viejo and are a popular spot for visitors. Morgan gave up pirating and retired to Jamaica, where he served as governor from 1680 to 1682. He died in his bed in 1888.<br/>Notorious buccaneer, Henry Morgan, sacked and burned the city of Panama to the ground in 1671.<br/>Follow in the steps<br/>of the explorers and pirates who shaped Panama’s history on Panama Canal Cruise & Panama: A Continent Divided, Oceans United. Visit www.gct.com/ pma.<br/>DISPATCHES•SUMMER2016 51<br/>","Cultural Moorings<br/>By<br/>Pamela Schweppe<br/>Pamela Schweppe served as Copy Director for Grand Circle Travel before becoming a full- time freelance writer. She is also a novelist, a playwright, and a semi- professional singer.<br/>Right: The terracotta rooftops that pepper Croatia’s Istria region glow in the late after- noon, just before the sun sets.<br/>Three Countries, One Culture<br/>How history shaped Istria’s unique identity<br/>Istria is renowned<br/>for its white truffles— here served over creamy polenta.<br/>The region of Istria is something like a jack-in-the-box: There’s a lot compacted in a small area, but once you begin to unpack it, you may be surprised by how much delight<br/>pops out.<br/>Wedged between the Gulf of Trieste and the Kvarner Gulf, Istria is a heart-shaped peninsula— the largest in the Adriatic Sea—and a world unto itself, set off from the mainland by the high<br/>massif of the Učka River. Covering roughly 1,340 square miles, it slopes southwestward to the sea. The interior of the peninsula, sometimes called “Green Istria”—a largely untouristed rural region of rolling countryside, carpeted with forests, vineyards, and orchards, and dotted with walled hilltop villages—has sometimes been compared to Tuscany and Provence. “Blue Istria,” the coastal region, hosts the major urban centers, where ruins attest to centuries of conquest and turbulence. This blend of fascinating history, 267 miles of stunning coastline, scenic interior, and a unique culture, have earned Istria the nickname “Terra Magica” (Magical Land).<br/>A product of its very colorful history<br/>Because of its strategic location, Istria earned a place in history as a meeting place of nations, each of which has contributed to its culture today. Evidence indicates that Istria was inhabited as early as the Bronze Age of the second millennium BC. The peninsula is named for the Histri, a prehistoric tribe whose roots in the region have been traced to the 11th century BC.<br/>In 178-177 BC, Istria was conquered by the Romans, who transformed coastal Pula into a major city<br/>and whose influence continues to linger. The Ostrogoths, Byzantines, Slavs, Franks, and Germans followed. In 1145, major cities including Pula fell under the control of the Venetian Empire, whose reach continued to expand through the eastern part of the peninsula throughout the<br/>13th century, while the Habsburgs held sway over the west.<br/>The Venetian-controlled territory fell to Napoleon in 1797 and again in 1805. Eleven years later, all of Istria became a separate territory within the Austro-Hungarian monarchy. But by the second<br/>52 DISPATCHES•SUMMER2016<br/>","half of the 19th century, struggles emerged among Istria’s Croatian, Slovenian, and Italian populations. These struggles intensified during World War I, culminating in the Kingdom of Yugoslavia’s ceding Istria to Italy in 1920.<br/>As Mussolini gained power in Italy, the Croatian language and Slavic surnames were outlawed—even though most of the population was Croatian. In 1945, after World War<br/>II, Istria was returned to Yugoslavia, and Italians were marginalized. Today, Istria is shared by Croatia, Italy, and Slovenia.<br/>A culture so unique,<br/>you can taste it<br/>A blend of Croatian and Italian influences continue to dominate the peninsula. Italian is the second language here, and bilingual signs are commonplace. This embrace of multiple cultures has given the Istrian people a renewed sense of cultural identity.<br/>Perhaps nowhere is this more evident than in the region’s acclaimed culture of food and wine. Wine in particular has been tightly woven into Istrian history since the beginning of its history. Ancient records show that winemaking flourished during the Roman era, with one author, Pliny the Elder, suggesting that the empress Livia lived to the ripe old age of 82 because of Istrian wine. Muscat wine from Istria was served to royalty during the Middle Ages, and local Malmsey was a source of trade in the Venetian era.<br/>To many Istrians today, wine is not just a beverage, it is a necessity and a lifestyle, representing their embrace of life’s pleasures.<br/>The peninsula is best known for the aromatic white wine, Malvasia, while fruity Teran and Refošk are the premier native reds. Golden Muscat wines are popular with dessert.<br/>Of course, every great wine is meant to be paired with local specialties, and Istrian cuisine is justly celebrated as exceptional. Through history, many Istrians were either shepherds or fishermen, and seafood and smoked meat remain prevalent. They are not always the star of the plate, however. Istria is renowned for its white truffles, as well as wild asparagus, fruit, nuts, and excellent olive oils.<br/>An artistic heritage all its own<br/>Istria’s joie de vivre is also expressed through the renowned festivals that abound throughout the peninsula, particularly during the summer<br/>Left: Traditional Istrian music often features the sopile, which is a type of oboe, played here at a Barban festival.<br/>months. Dance, theater, and music festivals<br/>are popular, and the city of Pula is home to one of Croatia’s most important international<br/>film festivals.<br/>The film festival is held in Pula’s Roman amphitheater—the sixth-largest and one of<br/>the best-preserved in the world. In fact, a rich cultural history is expressed through architecture throughout the peninsula. In addition to its Roman ruins, Pula’s cityscape features 19th- century Austrian fortifications and Italian buildings constructed between the World Wars. Rovinj boasts beautiful Baroque architecture, including the Church of St. Euphemia, a national symbol. And in the peninsula’s interior, you’ll find another national symbol: unique structures call kažuni, or field huts, built from stone without the use of mortar. Distinctive stone work can<br/>also be seen in rural drywalls that resemble small sculptures, as well as the use of stone and iron in decorative details on walls and doorways, farming tools, and wells.<br/>A distinctive flair can also be seen in Istria’s vibrant artistic scene. Most famous is Istria’s traditional music, which is based on the “Istrian scale.” This untuned style of chant, usually performed by two singers, can also involve instruments that are native to the region such as the sopile (a type of oboe) and tambura (a fretless lute), and has been inscribed in the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.<br/>Tradition also inspires the artists and writers of Istria, who adapt to today’s ever-globalizing world while still celebrating the history and the legacy of cultural diversity and acceptance in this magical land.<br/>Unique structures called kažuni are field huts built from stone without the use of mortar. These national symbols are found within the penin- sula’s interior.<br/>Discover Istria on<br/>our new Small Ship Cruise Tour—Voyage to Istria: Italy,<br/>Slovenia & Croatia. Visit www.gct.com/mve for inspiration.<br/>DISPATCHES•SUMMER2016 53<br/>","Setting Sail<br/>By Mary Ellen Goldsmith and Susanne Blatt<br/>Mary Ellen is a 10-time traveler from Garner, North Carolina.<br/>Susanne is a 3-time traveler from Worcester, Massachusetts.<br/>Right: Mary Ellen Goldsmith with fellow traveler and newly found friend, Mary Coleman on Antarctica’s White Wilderness.<br/>Chance Meetings Around the World<br/>How travel brought together two sets of friends in unlikely circumstances<br/>Chilean Program Director, Carlos Segura, who would have a chance encounter with travelers Mary Ellen and Mary halfway around the world from where they first met.<br/>Perhaps you’ll have the pleasure of meeting Carlos on Antarctica’s White Wilderness: www.gct.com/atc<br/>Mary Ellen<br/>I signed up as a single looking for a roommate on Grand Circle’s not-to-be-missed Antarctica’s White Wilderness trip. My “potluck” roommate, Mary, and I began getting to know each other and found we had<br/>so many things in common it was unreal. Truly a match made in heaven!<br/>The leader of our group was<br/>Carlos Filipe Segura Chuchi. He<br/>was absolutely wonderful! It<br/>turns out that his wife’s name is<br/>Maria Elena, so naturally, with<br/>me being a Mary Ellen myself,<br/>he ended up calling me “Maria<br/>Elena” throughout the trip. Our<br/>group jelled beautifully under<br/>his leadership. He quickly became the favorite of all my guides. The trip ended with Mary and me vowing to once again travel together.<br/>We decided on Grand Circle’s Dubrovnik & Beyond: From the Adriatic to the Alps vacation and booked it in great anticipation of another adventure of learning and discovery.<br/>We met our local guide in Dubrovnik and attended the orientation with eight fellow travelers. After getting the lowdown on the area restaurants,<br/>we all headed out to dinner. Mary and I had left our sweaters back in our rooms so the others went on without us. We dilly dallied and finally left the hotel.<br/>Just as we were leaving, a taxi pulled up and I noticed a gentleman emerging. I only saw about one-third of his profile and I thought, “Boy, that sure looks like Carlos!” He turned towards me and I almost fell over! There, standing in the hotel driveway, in Dubrovnik, Croatia, stood my favorite guide! I called out, “Carlos!” He turned and his eyes got huge and he said, “Maria Elena?!” We both said in unison, “What are you doing here?!”<br/>Here was a resident of Chile, who had guided us through Antarctica, coming together with two residents of North America while standing in the European city of Dubrovnik, of all places! What are the odds of that happening? Four continents had to come together. And to top it all off, he was supposed to be staying at another hotel but they were overbooked, so they sent him to our hotel instead!<br/>The next three mornings we all ate breakfast together and caught up on things, always marveling at the chance meeting. Finally on the last day, I told him that I was a firm believer that there are no coincidences in life and there was some reason that we had come together again. I felt that I was meant to travel with him again.<br/>He told me the trips he was scheduled for, and The Wilderness Beyond: Patagonia, Tierra del Fuego & the Chilean Fjords with a pre-trip to Easter Island caught my fancy. I took down the dates and called O.A.T. as soon as I returned from Croatia.<br/>I ended up taking a trip that was not in my travel budget for that year, and it wasn’t even on my “places to visit” list, but I took the plunge and booked it. I had a wonderful time again with<br/>54 DISPATCHES•SUMMER2016<br/>","Carlos as my guide and saw yet another corner of the world. Once again the trip exceeded all of my expectations and Carlos was a big part of that happening.<br/>Susanne<br/>We sat in a circle, fourteen of us, ready<br/>for Overseas Adventure Travel’s Chile & Argentina: The Andes to Patagonia adventure. On that first day in Buenos Aires, we introduced ourselves, mostly just by first name. Across the room from me sat Ros Carol. She said she lived in California. Later in the day, I asked her where in California she lived, “San Carlos,” she said. “It’s<br/>about 30 miles south of San Francisco.”<br/>“I know where San Carlos is.” I said. “I used to live in the Bay Area. I taught elementary school in Newark and Palo Alto.”<br/>“Really?” she said. “I taught elementary school, too—in Menlo Park.”<br/>We left our conversation dangling there. But my head started to spin:<br/>I knew a Ros once who taught in Menlo Park many years ago, back in the early 1960s. We were in the same post-graduate program at San Jose State University working toward teaching certification. We car-pooled every day. We were both newly married, in our early twenties. Both our husbands were studying at Stanford University, mine in physics, hers in psychiatry. We had become fast friends. We each had our first babies around the same time. We formed a play group and a book<br/>club, and went to the beach together with our husbands and babies. I moved in 1964 while she remained in California. Over the years we lost track of one another. Could she possibly be the same Ros I knew more than<br/>50 years ago? If so, was she thinking the same of me? Not likely, I thought. Yet, there was something about her... especially the eyes ...<br/>During breakfast on the third day, Ros mentioned that she was originally Canadian and that when she became an American citizen her parents<br/>had been so upset that they sat shiva, the Jewish mourning ritual. There was my “aha” moment. The improbable had just become probable. The Ros I knew was from Toronto and Jewish.<br/>In the afternoon, we stood in line in the crowded Buenos Aires airport waiting to check in for our flight to Bariloche. I moved up the line to be closer to Ros, and I asked her what prompted her move from Canada to California.<br/>Left: Friends reconnected after 50 years, Susanne Blatt and Ros Carol on their Chile & Argentina: The Andes to Patagonia adventure.<br/>In my heart I knew her answer. My mind had already silently formed the words she would speak. I need only to hear them. “I was 21, just married, and my husband was a resident in psychiatry at Stanford University.”<br/>“And your name was Ros Newton?”<br/>She stared at me for a long moment. “Yes! How do you know that?”<br/>“I’m Sue Blatt,” I said, as the shock of recognition suddenly hit her.<br/>“Oh, my God! Sue Blatt! You were my best friend,” She cried.<br/>For everyone within earshot, and especially for Ros and me, this improbable scene felt more like a tableau of the surreal.<br/>For the next two weeks, we recounted much of our life’s journey over the past 50 years and delighted in discovering how alike we still were. We vowed to remain in touch. We got a chance to philosophize over our adult lives. We talked about our successes and what still remained as dreams. How precious this time was!<br/>O.A.T. promised adventure and discovery through travel. O.A.T. did well on this trip! So did Ros and I! She said it best: “What a wonderful gift we were given!”<br/>The newly reconnected friends enjoyed two weeks of exploring Chile and Argentina together, taking in the natural won- ders and philosophizing over their adult lives.<br/>Reconnect with the natural marvels found throughout South America on Chile & Argentina:TheAndes to Patagonia. Visit www.oattravel.com/ aca for details.<br/>DISPATCHES•SUMMER2016 55<br/>","Stepping Ashore<br/>By Meghan Colloton<br/>Meghan has been writing for O.A.T. and Grand Circle for six years and has been to six conti- nents. The last one on her list, which she hopes to tackle soon: Antarctica.<br/>“Paolo was the<br/>best PD that we have had on our<br/>10 trips. He was enthusiastic, caring, knowledgeable, available, humorous, prompt, and attentive.”<br/>—Cheryl & William Hohman, 10-time travelers from Marietta, Ohio<br/>Explore Paolo’s homeland by small ship on The Rivieras: Italy, France & the Isles: www.gct.com/frv<br/>A Conversation With<br/>Grand Circle Program Director Paolo Naldi<br/>Grand Circle Cruise Line Program Director Paolo Naldi wasn’t always interested in guiding travelers through the French and Italian rivieras. In fact, he was very nervous the first time he left his home to travel internationally. But since then, Paolo has traveled all over the world, and it was that first adventure away from home that helped foster his love of learning—and sharing that love with travelers when they join him on The Rivieras: Italy, France & the Isles.<br/>Grand Circle: Tell me about that first time leaving your home in Florence to study English in Scotland.<br/>Paolo: When I got the chance to study English at Edinburgh University, I was extremely proud and excited. But I was scared at the same time. I had never been far<br/>from home for so long, and I would be<br/>on my own in a completely different environment and completely immersed<br/>in a new, different culture. I needed to find my way through the people, habits, places, and language! I did not know what to expect, and although I was confident<br/>I would make it, I felt scared about failing at the same time.<br/>Grand Circle: So how did you do?<br/>Paolo: I had no idea I could feel so free, inspired, curious, and unexpectedly confident with every new thing, person, tradition, or event I faced! I guess I was starving for new experiences and ideas, so nothing scared me anymore. I felt much stronger than I did at home. I let this flow of life overwhelm me ... I let it go freely, filling me up with knowledge and new ideas. That was the very first time I realized how important and crucial traveling, discovering, and sharing would be in<br/>my life.<br/>Grand Circle: You were a musician before you became a Program Director. How did you make a living doing that?<br/>Paolo: Since I started playing music when I was 17, I was good enough to make a living with that. Everything was new, and through the wonderful people I met, I opened up my heart and mind, getting rid of all barriers and prejudice. That helped me a lot in my future life. I was also able to get rid of my terrible shyness. Nobody<br/>I knew when I was younger would ever believe I can spend the whole day in front of 25 travelers now. Thanks to music, I could discover my own country—every corner of it, north to south. And since I was working, I did it from an insider’s perspective, not a tourist one!<br/>Grand Circle: What made you stop playing?<br/>Paolo: I stopped playing after about twelve years. I realized I was playing music as if it was any other job on the planet. My passion was still there, but I could not feel it and put it into what I was doing anymore. I was not enjoying what I was doing. And that was too much for me. I owed my passion much more than that. I felt I needed a change. I felt I should be more honest with myself and the people that came to see me—so I quit.<br/>Grand Circle: What finally made you return to Italy?<br/>Paolo: My wife! There’s always a lady involved<br/>in an Italian man’s big changes in life!<br/>In a minute, we decided to live together in the beautiful Chianti countryside. It was time to go back home, settle down, and share my life with my beloved profession and my beloved other “half.”<br/>Grand Circle: What do you want your travelers to take home with them from their trips with you?<br/>Paolo: They should see and experience what it is to be Italian. Our culture and tradition is in everything we see and visit—but not only in museums, charming buildings, and beautiful panoramas. It’s in the way we drink coffee, the way we talk with our hands, the way we drive. We are the real beauty of our country, no matter if you like us or not.<br/>56 DISPATCHES•SUMMER2016<br/>","Nautical Know-how<br/>Quiz<br/>No matter the charted course, seafaring jaunts and voyages would never see past port without a selection of knots. Essential nautical knots, which have a hand<br/>in nearly any shipboard task, span ages and complexities and fall into three categories: loop knots (forming a loop in a rope), bends (joining separate ropes) and hitches (connecting ropes to objects). See how well you’ve mastered the most common and useful variations by matching the knot to its description.<br/>In the Know<br/>By Danielle Ossher<br/>A<br/>B<br/>C<br/>D<br/>E<br/>F<br/>____ 1. Sheet Bend<br/>Known as a weaver’s knot in knitting, the nautical application is ideal for combining two lines, especially if materials<br/>or diameters vary between them.<br/>____ 2. Bowline<br/>This fundamental and versatile knot, often<br/>the first learned and considered the most useful, will not slip or jam, and is easily untied no matter how tight it becomes.<br/>____ 3. Cleat Hitch<br/>While seemingly random to the naked eye, a specific order of moves must be followed to properly form this method for tying, ensuring it’s both secure and easily released.<br/>____ 4. Monkey’s Fist<br/>Its practical function may have sailed away on the ships of yesterday, but this knot is now prevalent in decorative accessories for those inclined to a maritime styling.<br/>____ 5. Clove Hitch<br/>Quickness and ease outweigh security for this technique, which comes together in a flash to temporarily tie things up and maintains a readily adjustable length.<br/>____ 6. Anchor Bend<br/>Known to some as a fisherman’s bend, this fastening knot’s main moniker is apt, as it primarily serves one core function—securing to an anchor.<br/>Find the answers on page 59.<br/>DISPATCHES•SUMMER2016 57<br/>","Adventure Update<br/>News Briefs from<br/>O.A.T. and Grand Circle Cruise Line<br/>New 2017 O.A.T. adventures and Grand Circle<br/>Cruise Line Small Ship Cruise Tours<br/>While there’s still plenty of time to reserve your next trip<br/>in 2016, we’re now opening our 2017 departures for sales— including both O.A.T. adventures and Grand Circle Cruise Line Small Ship Cruise Tours—and we’re announcing new trips<br/>for 2017 to add to your list.<br/>Journey to The Stans of Central Asia—Turkmenistan & Uzbekistan. You’ll journey from Turkmenistan’s white-marbled capital of Ashgabat to Uzbekistan’s historic Silk Road cities of Khiva, Bukhara, Samarkand, Tashkent, and much more. And if you take our trip extensions, you’ll be able to explore all five of the Stans—Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan—making this a truly epic journey through one of the most ancient and mysterious corners of the globe.<br/>Join us on the Adriatic,<br/>as we set off on our Voyage<br/>to Istria: Italy, Slovenia &<br/>Croatia Small Ship Cruise<br/>Tour. After a three-night<br/>stay in Venice, you’ll follow<br/>this storied coastline<br/>to the cultural hub of<br/>Trieste, Italy, aboard our<br/>50-passenger M/V Arethusa.<br/>Along the way, discover<br/>lesser-known gems like<br/>Piran, Slovenia, known for<br/>its medieval architecture<br/>and love of classical music; Pula, Croatia, home to one of the world’s largest Roman amphitheaters; and the stunning fjords of Croatia’s Lim Valley.<br/>For an updated list of trips that are available to reserve, visit www.oattravel.com/2017 or www.gct.com/smallships2017.<br/>You can also call your Sir Edmund Hillary Priority Line toll-free at 1-877-220-2610 and talk to an Adventure Specialist about availability.<br/>Grand Circle Cruise Line named Travel + Leisure’s<br/>Top 5 “World’s Best” for 2016<br/>We are pleased to announce that<br/>Grand Circle Cruise Line has been<br/>ranked among the Top 5 (#4) in the<br/>World’s Best Small-Ship category in<br/>Travel + Leisure’s annual World’s Best<br/>Awards. Thanks to all our travelers<br/>who voted for us in this year’s poll. We know you have many options when it comes to cruise ships and itineraries, but you continue to travel with us—and fill out surveys like Travel + Leisure’s—because you understand the value and excellence Grand Circle Cruise Line offers. We appreciate your loyalty, and look forward to another excellent year.<br/>NEW: Share your travel moments<br/>Revisiting photos and videos shot during our travels can evoke vivid memories of our most meaningful moments—from<br/>a grand scenic<br/>panorama to a shy<br/>smile from a local<br/>child. For you,<br/>those moments<br/>might spark<br/>nostalgia—but for your fellow travelers, they spark inspiration.<br/>Now, we’ve made it easier than ever to share your travel memories right on our website. We invite you to upload your photos and videos, see what your fellow travelers have been posting, and hear a message from David Conover about the power of visual storytelling. We’ve even included some creative tips from our photo department and frequently asked questions to help you post your best shots.<br/>Visit www.oattravel.com/traveler-moments to share your moments, and to get inspired by your fellow travelers.<br/>58 DISPATCHES•SUMMER2016<br/>","Where in the World?<br/>Continued from page 10<br/>ANSWER:<br/>Postojna Cave, Slovenia<br/>Under a peaceful landscape of rolling hills<br/>and emerald forests, an eerie world unfurls. This underground maze is the Postojna Cave, a twelve-mile-long system of tunnels, galleries, and caverns. Visitors descend into the bowels<br/>of Postojna via electric train, as they have since 1884, and are treated to a wealth of geological art forms: stalactites as narrow as spaghetti noodles and as wide as a pipe organ, translucent mineral curtains that appear to wave in a nonexistent breeze, and a sparkling, snow- white column called the Diamond. Gaps appear in the floor to reveal the Pivka River gushing underfoot, still at work carving the cave system ever deeper into the Earth.<br/>The Postojna Cave enters the realm of myth<br/>thanks to its native residents: colorless, blind<br/>salamanders called olms. Resembling a pale,<br/>foot-long snake with short legs and ruffled pink gills, olms were mistaken for baby dragons by the first people who saw them. They can live for up to ten years between meals, and breed only once during that time. Today, a handful of olms live in an aquarium in Postojna Cave so visitors can see them; their tank was the center of a media flurry this year when one of the female olms laid 60 eggs.<br/>In the Know<br/>Continued from page 57<br/>ANSWER:<br/>1) Sheet Bend, E; 2) Bowline, D; 3) Cleat Hitch, F;<br/>4) Monkey’s Fist, A, 5) Clove Hitch, B; 6) Anchor Bend, C<br/>Have you been published?<br/>Did you experience a life-changing moment during an O.A.T. adventure? Now, when you write a story about your discoveries and have it published on select travel websites or blogs, travel magazines, or in a local paper, you can enjoy a $100 travel voucher towards your next O.A.T. adventure. To claim your voucher, your story must:<br/>• Be published online so that we can share it instantly with other interested travelers • Mention O.A.T.’s website (www.oattravel.com)<br/>• If published in a local newspaper, have a circulation of at least 25,000 readers.<br/>Limit one voucher per trip. Guidelines subject to change. For more information or to participate, please contact Priscilla O’Reilly at poreilly@gct.com or 617-346-6841.<br/>DISPATCHES•SUMMER2016 59<br/>","398-0001<br/>"];