Category Archives: Travel

New Photography Books: “The Coral Triangle” By Chris Leidy (May 2020)

The Coral Triangle by Chris Leidy Assouline May 25 2020Comprising the most biodiverse ecosystems on our planet, oceans are humanity’s life-support system, processing more carbon dioxide than rainforests. Featuring a passionate text by Fabien Cousteau, The Coral Triangle presents the underwater world as a complex realm filled with vibrant life, inviting readers to fall in love with its majesty, and inspiring deeper understanding of the fragility of coral reefs and the unparalleled importance of taking action to protect our oceans.

Take a breathtaking plunge into the colorful world of the Coral Triangle, the waters that cradle Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands and Timor-Leste.

The Coral Triangle by Chris Leidy Assouline May 25 2020

One of the world’s most mature reef networks, home to 30 percent of all the world’s coral, this magnificent marine expanse boasts the highest diversity of coral and fish species on the planet. Underwater photographer Chris Leidy beautifully captures a vision of this wonderland through his lens and conveys the inherent complexities of each singular, fleeting scene, illustrating the vital magic of the Coral Triangle.

Christopher P. Leidy is the great-great-grandson of the newspaper publisher Joseph Pulitzer and the grandson of fashion designer Lilly Pulitzer Rousseau. Over his career, Leidy has established his own legacy as one of the world’s foremost underwater photographers, finding inspiration in the depths of the world’s oceans.

The eldest grandson of Jacques-Yves Cousteau, Fabien Cousteau is an aquanaut, ocean conservationist, and documentary filmmaker devoted to furthering our understanding of the underwater world. An active member of multiple cause-driven and charitable boards, Cousteau works with local communities and children worldwide to help restore local water ecosystems. He dedicates much of his time to the Fabien Cousteau Ocean Learning Center, a nonprofit founded in 2016.

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Top Travel Videos: “Sounds Of The Pacific Northwest” By Aidin Robbins (2020)

Filmed and Edited by: Aidin Robbins

Exploring the dense forests and vast mountains of the Pacific Northwest- through sound.

This film began as a seemingly simple idea- to create a travel film driven by sound. In film, creative decisions are almost always made based on visuals, with sound being added in accordance to what is seen on screen. So, what if we flipped it? Choosing the PNW for its auditory density and character, I set off to create a travel film driven by audio.

Through planning, shooting, and editing, creative decisions were made based on sound- what do you need to hear to understand the story? Which sounds characterize the Pacific Northwest? This approach to filmmaking was unique from any other I’ve experienced, and after 9 months I couldn’t be more proud of the result. I hope this film inspires you to consider sound design with intention and listen closely the next time you travel.

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Travel: RV Vacations Just Might Be The Safest Option This Summer (WSJ)

From a Wall Street Journal article (May 16, 2020):

Wall Street JournalOriginally, we were going to make it a six-day trip,” said Mr. Goble, “but we were honestly having such a good time we extended it four times into an 11-day trip.” Normally, rental companies’ full calendars preclude such spontaneity. Thanks to the motorhome’s self-sustainable features, they stayed overnight at a campground just twice on the trip. Most of the time they’d “boondock”—that is, stop at places without water or electrical hookups, or nightly fees. Say, creekside clearings off fire roads deep in the forest.

RV Vacations - Wall Street Journal - Steve Scott Illustration - May 16 2020

“We have been flooded with new inquiries, and an unusually high number of longer rentals (lasting from one to three months in duration),” said Mr. Ward. “I think this is going to be the trend for the remainder of 2020 and 2021, at a minimum.” One couple, he said, just booked their RV for a three-month loop around the deep South on short notice. “Neither have work to do right now due to the virus, so they’re like, ‘There’s no better time. We’ve always wanted to travel in an Airstream. This works for us now.’”

In a season when the urge to escape home will only be matched by the need to be flexible, getting lost in America in an RV works for a lot of people right now. Mr. Rybak and Ms. O’Hara are still hoping to tick at least one national park off their list in the next few months. They even have a campsite reserved. If you see them, say “Hi.” From a safe distance.

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New Travel Videos: “Faroe Islands” By Oleg Fles (2020)

Filmed and Edited by: Oleg Fles

The Faroe Islands is a self-governing archipelago, part of the Kingdom of Denmark. It comprises 18 rocky, volcanic islands between Iceland and Norway in the North Atlantic Ocean, connected by road tunnels, ferries, causeways and bridges. Hikers and bird-watchers are drawn to the islands’ mountains, valleys and grassy heathland, and steep coastal cliffs that harbor thousands of seabirds.

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TOP NEW TRAVEL VIDEOS: “AERIAL AMERICA – KANSAS” (SMITHSONIAN CHANNEL)

There’s more to Kansas than its wide-open spaces and endless skies might indicate. From aviation pioneers to civil rights heroes fought back. and from Laura Ingalls Wilder documenting life on the prairie and a fictional young girl dreaming of a life “Over the Rainbow”, enjoy this soaring tour through the Sunflower State.

From the Series: Aerial America: Kansas https://bitly.com/2vXnKyU

Italian Wines: “Gaja – The Next Generation Of Winemakers” (Monocle)

Monocle FilmsFive generations after Giovanni Gaja founded his eponymous winery in the Piedmont town of Barbaresco, the family continues to produce some of Italy’s best vintages. Their uncompromising commitment to quality is helping to maintain one of the world’s finest vintners.

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OVERVIEW

The Gaja Winery was founded by Giovanni Gaja in 1859 and has been owned and operated by five generations of the Gaja family. Giovanni Gaja was the great-grandfather of Angelo Gaja, the Winery’s current owner.

In 1994, GAJA acquired its first wine estate in Tuscany, Pieve Santa Restituta in Montalcino. This estate produces three Brunello di Montalcino wines- including the single vineyard Sugarille- from vineyard holdings totaling sixty five acres.

In 1996 Gaja acquired a second property in Tuscany, Ca’Marcanda, located in Castagneto Carducci in Bolgheri. Of the property’s 200 acres, 150 have been planted with new vineyards: primarily Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, as well as Cabernet Franc and Syrah.

Currently, the Gaja Winery owns 250 acres of vineyards in Piedmont, located in the Barbaresco district (Barbaresco and Treiso) and the Barolo district (Serralunga d’Alba and La Morra).

Since its inception, the Gaja Winery has continuously evolved in ways that have always focused on meticulous care of and attention to the quality of its wines.

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Travel: “The New York Times Style Magazine” – The Silk Road (May 2020)

For years, Silk Road travelers made the grueling trek past towering mountain ranges and ancient cities now lost to time. Centuries later, one writer attempts to retrace the journey.

T Magazine - The New York Times

 

This year, T’s spring Travel issue is devoted to just five stories, each an account of its writer’s journey along a different section of the Silk Road — the ancient network of trade routes that until the 15th or 16th century spanned some 4,000 miles of the globe, from Central Asia across the Middle East to Southern Europe, and formed a vital conduit for both new commodities and new ideas. While venturing to faraway places might seem like a distant possibility now, a year after this issue began to take shape, as we reckon with the global pandemic, these pieces are a powerful reminder of our innate desire to move and explore.

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History: “Travels With A Curator: Westminster Abbey, London” (The Frick)

In this episode of “Travels with a Curator,” we visit the world-famous Westminster Abbey in London, with Xavier F. Salomon, Peter Jay Sharp Chief Curator. Xavier shares connections between Westminster Abbey and the Frick through an examination of the life of General John Burgoyne, a playwright, parliamentarian, and military officer buried in the Abbey’s north cloister. Sir Joshua Reynolds’s portrait of Burgoyne was acquired by The Frick Collection in 1943.

To see this painting in detail, please visit our website: https://collections.frick.org/objects.

Timelapse Travel Videos: “Kyrgyzstan” In Central Asia By Mattia Bicchi (2020)

Filmed and Edited by: Mattia Bicchi

With this video, I want you to explore in ultra-high definition and through the technique of Timelapse, the incredible and variety of landscapes in this almost unknown country in Central Asia.

During the first part of the trip I explored with Visit Karakol and landscape photographers, Albert Dros, the south region around Lenin Peak, Arslanbob and Sary-Chelek, in the second part I hiked few days around Karakol Valley, visiting Ala-Kul an alpine lake at 3.500m and Sary-Jaz Valley close to China’s borders. My goal with this film is to inspire you to visit and explore this beautiful country, so I hope you will enjoy it as much as I enjoyed working on it.

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Kyrgyzstan, officially the Kyrgyz Republic and also known as Kirghizia, is a country in Central Asia. Kyrgyzstan is a landlocked country with mountainous terrain. It is bordered by Kazakhstan to the north, Uzbekistan to the west and southwest, Tajikistan to the southwest and China to the east.