Using Art to Enhance Your Travels

There’s a certain kind of traveler that loves art and beauty. She seeks it out and spends hours trolling through museums, wandering around cathedrals and looking, seeing so much that she may develop a sore neck, or worse, Stendhal’s Syndrome. Stendhal, a 19th century French novelist, was so overcome with the beauty of Florence that he developed symptoms of disorientation – dizziness, sweating, and overwhelm. Over the years, others have reported similar symptoms when faced with so much beauty. The lover of art and beauty is forced to take refuge in café breaks and deep naps at the hotel. Art, however, can provide the solution for too much beauty. Not viewing it, but doing it.

Simple art exercises provide a way for a traveler to absorb the splendors of travel in a deep, meaningful, and lasting way. Quick sketches done as a drawing or a brief writing of details offer an opportunity to slow down and really soak up a setting. Artist Frederick Franck, in his book The Zen of Seeing, encourages drawing as a way to turn overwhelm into depth an intimate way. “Atmospheres build themselves up out of a million imperceptible micro details, elements often too minute, too fleeting for the conscious mind to pick up. The eye-heart-hand reflexes notes down, so that the buildings, and even the faces that form themselves on the paper become unmistakably Roman, Indian, Parisian, or Japanese.”

By pausing to capture impressions, a traveler becomes more than a sponge, absorbing paintings, sculptures, and dramatic buildings. When you pause to create something in the moment, you are able to connect from the deep well of yourself to the thing you are drawing. A Provencal place, an array of vegetables from the local market, and a crumbling pile of Roman ruins come alive under the gaze of an artist. The world becomes more vivid when you look to see what you can draw or capture in a paragraph. Everything can be interesting, when you are willing to truly see it.

Franck’s books on the subject of seeing more through drawing are delightful. His drawings are expressive and well wrought. The sketches leap off the page and bring the viewer into the scene. It may be intimidating to the novice artist to see such craft. People often claim that they ‘can’t draw a straight line’, meaning that their artistic talents are nil. The same is true for writing. Postcards home often don’t stray from the formulaic recitation of events. Franck insists that ‘seeing’ rather than ‘looking at’ is the key not only to better art, but richer life experience. Capturing the essence of a place or a moment doesn’t require great artistic talent or extensive polishing. Simply slowing down, paying attention, and releasing expectations of ‘good’ drawing or writing is the recipe for expressing something that months later will recall a special experience from a trip.

Natalie Goldberg, author of Writing Down the Bones, applies similar concepts to writing. Her technique, ‘free writing’, invites the writer to choose an object or a subject and write without stopping. No editing, pausing, crossing out or judgment is allowed in the process. When using this as a travel tool, you are able to engage with the details of a place. Your verbal snapshot of the bartender at the local café, or of the taxi driver who zoomed you through the streets of Paris become vivid reminders of a moment. Rather than write about a day in which you took in a thousand new impressions, you can zero in on one or two experiences and chronicle them in a deeper way. Like Franck, Goldberg insists that the work be allowed to unfold without judging it. The point is not to produce ‘art’ or ‘writing’ but to engage in the world through art and writing. The process, not the product, is what is valuable here.

What’s the result of all this paying attention? When we slow down, connect to our creative core and really see, we are more present. The whirl of impressions doesn’t tug at our senses, clamoring for attention. A reflective peace settles us deep in the scene, allowing us to become part of the landscape, rather than skimming over or passing through. It is no coincidence that both Franck and Goldberg are Zen practitioners. And while we don’t need to become Zen masters to experience the world deeply, adopting the method of slowing down and seeing can enrich our travels and our lives at home.

Using art as a means to engage with a place empowers you, not just as a witness, but as someone who is involved in the creative act. Journey of the Senses, an American tour operator, leads tours that focus not on a stream of sights, but on engaging profoundly with a few experiences. The trip to Provence includes a visit to a goat cheese farm, an olive oil tasting and a wine tasting. In California, participants are invited to connect with the landscape. Redwood forests, beach coves and grassy hills become the guides for slowing down and seeing. Alongside the visits are lessons in gesture drawing and free writing. Using these creative tools, participants get closer to the experience and take home not only a guidebook of their own design, but a memory that holds them more deeply. Drawings and free writes provide a more personal chronicle than photos. Looking over a notebook from the trip that includes your art and words is a visceral reminder of place and atmosphere.

Cooking instruction is another branch of art that can deepen a traveler’s experience. Dozens of cooking abroad programs can attest to the power of food as a way to explore a region. The palette of a region is a reflection of its unique history, art and heritage. The French call this ‘gout de terroir’ or taste of the earth. A participant in Arles bemoaned the fact that her bakery in California couldn’t make baguette with the same crunchy texture. The gout de terroir, which includes the method of growing, cultivating and cooking foods, provides a unique and regional flavor. Through market tours and a gradual building of palette of flavors, techniques and local ingredients, travelers literally take in the sense of a region.

A fun art exercise is to have participants wander a city’s streets, choosing one detail to draw. In a Journey of the Senses tour in Arles, participants sketched the doors found on one street. This allowed them to gain a deeper understanding not only of the architecture of the city, but of themselves. “When I stopped to draw the doors, I saw so much more. I thought I had a perceptive eye, but it was only when I slowed down to draw did I realize that I could see more detail, and get closer to what was around me,” said Sherell, a 2005 participant.

In a world that constantly calls for more, more, more, using art as a travel tool is an invitation for deeper, deeper, deeper. We travel to escape our normal routine. We refresh our spirits in the face of great beauty and achievement. By bringing ourselves into the creative dance, we give ourselves a richness that surpasses the photos we take and the treasures we buy and bring home. A renewed sense of confidence, a more sharply honed eye and an appreciation for the simple things are treasures that we can use again and again in our own town and on other trips.

Save California’s State Parks!

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is proposing to cut funding to 80% of California’s State Parks. We live in Southern California and regularly enjoy the State Parks. We head to them to surf, camp out and go hiking. We plan numerous vacation trips around visiting these State parks and would hate to lose any of them.

California is in a budget crises, a big part of which is because of reduced sales tax revenue. People are buying less, as they try to save more and therefore the state is losing money from sales tax. Most of those people who used to spend their money at the shopping centers are most likely spending more time at the California State Parks. In a study published in 2008, the University of California-Berkeley found that for every in public money spent on state parks, .35 is returned to the state in taxes from tourism and other revenue they generate.

It therefore seems to us, that California can only gain tax revenue by keeping the State Parks open and funded. With more Californians taking vacations at home this year and other US State residents also cutting back on their holiday travel, we suspect that the State Parks will be even more popular this year than ever before. Even without funding, visitors will come to the parks anyway and enjoy the beaches or redwoods or hiking trails. They will park on the roads outside and walk in. However without funding these parks may need to reduce the number of rangers on duty and these rangers will have a wider area to patrol. This could lead to environmental damage such as fires, vandalism and erosion because of the difficulty the rangers will have in covering a park.

Of course we hope that we can all restrain ourselves from damaging property or causing environmental damage on purpose. But the rangers are there to guide all visitors to the park and are prepared to take the correct action to prevent or reduce problems when they arise.

There must be a better way for California to save money and solve their budget problems. Eliminating funding for the State Parks does not seem to be a good solution and may result in increased spending in the future. You can send a message to the governor and other state legislaters through the Surfrider Action Network at http://actionnetwork.org/campaign/caparks05_09 and tell them not to cut funding to our State Parks.

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Ideas for Winter Vacations

When it comes to winter vacations, you have many options from which to choose. Some love to partake in winter activities like skiing or snowboarding during the winter months, while others like to get away from it all and head off for sunnier climes. No matter what you want to do, there are packages available for all types of winter vacations and shorter getaways. All you have to do is decide where you want to go, and then shop around for the best price.

When winter comes, many people get the winter blues, and winter vacations are often a great cure for this. Some people like to take vacations exclusively in the winter months because they know this is when they need it the most. Christmas is a popular time. Some like to visit family and sneak in a vacation all at the same time. This is a great time to do it if your job will allow you to take off during this hectic time.

January is another great time to take winter vacations. Usually many businesses slow down during this time, and it’s easier to get time off. This is also a great time of year for winter sports like skiing, snowboarding, sledding, and tubing. You may find great deals on winter vacation packages to any number of ski resorts throughout the northern part of the US. For many, this is their peak season, and they will offer deals to get you to come and enjoy their facilities.

You may also find great deals on tropical getaways. For many, winter vacations are when they take the time to visit the warmer parts of the world. They may just take a short trip to Florida or California, or they may go to the Caribbean. When it is cold in the US, it is summer in Australia. If you ever wanted to go visit Australia, this may be the perfect time to do so. Australian Christmas is warm, sunny, and usually celebrated with a barbeque. That may be the most memorable of all of your winter vacations if you choose to go.

Lastly, another good spot for winter vacations might be Europe. It is still cold over there, but there are far less people traveling. This will give you smaller crowds when seeing sights, and in most cases, a chance to find great deals on airfare and hotel reservations. Look for package deals, and talk with a travel agent about winter vacations if you aren’t sure which way to go.

Family vacation in Northern California

South Sea Dreams, A Vacation Of A Lifetime

Pacific Islands, otherwise Oceanus, is a constellation of more than 25,000 islands as well as atolls of more than 20 nations and territories that are spread across the central and western Pacific Ocean. Sprawling over millions of square kilometers, Pacific Islands’ total land area is about four-fifths of the size of Alaska. Significant of the members of the Pacific Islands are Australia, New Zealand, Federated States of Micronesia, and Republic of the Marshall Islands.

Based on the culture, geography, and ethnic backgrounds of the inhabitants of the islands, Pacific Islands are categorized into three groups: Melanesia, Polynesia, and Micronesia extending towards the north across the Equator.

Located on the south western region of the Pacific Basin, particularly north and north-east of Australia – Melanesia, literally meaning ‘black islands,’ is truly a region of remarkable contrasts. Despite its strong Polynesian cultural background, Fiji Islands, one of the most charming destinations on the planet, forms a part of Melanesia. Papua, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, and New Caledonia are the other Pacific Islands that are included in this region. A specialty of Melanesia is that it boasts of larger islands, which constitute about 99% of the total land area of all Pacific islands as well as about 85% of overall population of Pacific Islands.

The largest area in the South Pacific – Polynesia, meaning ‘many islands,’ stretches about 7000 kilometers from Midway Island and Hawaii in the north to Easter Island in the east and New Zealand in the south. Polynesia consists of more than a dozen of the central and south Pacific’s prime island groups. Among the Polynesian territories and nations are French Polynesia, located halfway between Australia and California and consisting of five island groups such as the Society Islands, the Tuamotu Archipelago, the Gambier Islands, the Marquesas Islands, and the Tubuai islands; Easter Island – a territory of Chile which is located halfway between Tahiti and South America; Cook Island, a stunning island situated in the Pelican Archipelago; Niue, Tonga, American Samoa, Samoa, Tokelau, Wallis and Futuna, and Tuvalu.

Many of the Polynesian islands are a much favored destination for newly weds, honeymooners, and people vacation with large families. South Pacific’s island destinations such as Tahiti, Moorea, Bora Bora, Rapa Nui, Rarotonga, Aitutaki, Tongatapu, Vavau, Tutuila, Upolu, and Savaii, are much popular among the vacationers.

Additionally, some of the Polynesian destinations such as Tahiti and Bora Bora in the Society Islands of French Polynesia (Tahitian Islands) are considered a great destination for weddings. Many hotels and resorts located in this area provide superb facilities for weddings as well as for a memorable honeymoon. However, unlike wedding destinations such as Fiji and Cook Islands, French Polynesian islands such Tahiti and Moorea entail the couples to comply with certain requirements prior to the wedding.

Lying between Hawaii and Philippines in the northern region of the Pacific, Micronesia (small islands) contains more than 2000 islands. Located north of the Equator and the Melanesia Islands, Micronesia is made up of seven distinct units, including Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Republic of Kiribati, the Territory of Guam, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of Palau, and Nauru. An interesting thing regarding the islands in the Micronesia region is that majority of them were formerly German, Japanese, or British colonies.

Depending upon the size of the islands, Pacific Islands are further categorized into two main groups: low islands and high lands. The low islands primarily include coral reefs and islets that are spread across the Pacific. Further, most of the low islands rises more than one meter above the sea level, and some of them are the islands found in the Phoenix, Tuvalu, Gilbert, Marshall, and Tuamotu groups. On the other hand, the high islands mostly consist of rugged mountains, hills, and few active volcanoes, where earthquakes are common as well as severe. Among high islands are Papua New Guinea, the Marianas, New Britain, Hawaii, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Fiji, Samoa, the Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu.

Pacific Islands are home to some of the most exquisite beaches in the world, such as, Samoa beach, Ofu Beach, and Tonga beaches. Some of the islands in the Pacific including Tahiti and Easter Island have excellent hiking trails. For activities such as scuba diving, surfing, and sailing, Pacific islands like Vanuatu and Bora Bora offer superb options. In short, each of the Pacific Islands is unique, and is noted for its amazing culture, history, and cuisine.

People across the globe consider islands in the Pacific as remote area. It is often seen that Pacific Island vacation is mostly focused on destinations including Australia and New Zealand. But, the truth is that these islands are among the most romantic and loveliest on the earth. Pacific Islands can be easily reached from Los Angeles through two hours fly to Tahiti.

So visit these amazing islands and see your South Sea dreams come true!

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I live in downtown SF, and am looking to go to a really beautiful woodland/mountain area for 3 days in January. I would like to have a hostel or small bed & breakfast/cottage. I was going to go up to the Redwoods, but unfortunately since I do not drive I have to abide by the greyhound bus schedule, which does not work for that location. (the times do not match to local transit to get to the only hostel there!)
Is there any place that I can get to through transit that is similar or comperable to that sort of scene that I could go to? or, any other possible situation that is similar? I just moved here from Ohio, and am not extremely familiar to the area!!!

I mean is it like a lounge where you have to be a certain age to go in or can anyone go because I’m 17 and I’d like to go there.