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IT—Inside Traveler
By Jessie Johnston and Emily King

November 9, 2006:

IT's Wonderful

Ever wish you'd seen the Colossus of Rhodes? Or the hanging gardens of Babylon? IT sure has. And whether or not you've ever shared in this desire, you've probably heard of these long lost marvels, while other monumental victims of history never cross your (or IT's) mind. Not that we're calling you (or ourselves) callous. Heavens no! It's just that 2,200 years ago a fellow by the name of Philon of Byzantium made a list of the seven wonders of his (ancient) world—including our friend the colossus, the Egyptian pyramids, the lighthouse of Alexandria, and Babylon's gardens—thereby burning them forever into Western civilization's collective memory, while other great statues, gardens, and lighthouses were lost for all time.

With the exception of the pyramids, none of Philon's wonders are still in existence today. Which is why a fellow by the name of Bernard Weber has decided it's time for a New Seven Wonders of the World, one that reflects humanity's remaining heritage and spans the entire planet, not just the greater Mediterranean region. Unlike Philon, Bernard doesn't want to pick the wonders himself. His N7W Foundation assembled an expert panel of seven eminent architects and heritage experts (IT's single quibble: only one woman?), who chose 21 possible world wonder candidates, including Petra, the Great Wall, and the Statue of Liberty. Until July 7, 2007 (07/07/07), members of the public can vote online for their seven favorites. (You can vote as often as you want over the phone, but it'll cost you—$1 per vote in the U.S.) Online voters only get one shot, but you can check on how your choices are faring on the weekly results page.

The goal of the project is to focus public attention on the need to preserve the planet's "monuments in jeopardy, perhaps in a dangerous state of decay." Which, incidentally, is the pretty much the same goal as the World Heritage Destination Scorecard in National Geographic Traveler's November/December issue. More than half of N7W's 21 world wonder candidates were evaluated during our recent scorecard survey, and only three of those (the Alhambra, Easter Island, Kyoto) ranked above the "in moderate trouble" category. Two more (Angkor, the pyramids) were among the ten worst managed, so N7W isn't being melodramatic. If you haven't had enough voting for the week, or maybe even if you have, pop over to their site and pick yourself some wonders. This vote actually counts.

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Senseless (and Signless) in Seattle

It hurts us to say it, but we're starting to think that your faithful bloggers are better at writing about travel than we are at actually navigating the world outside our offices. Jessie recently returned from Seattle, where she attended a conference intended to improve her blogging savoir-faire. She really enjoyed both Seattle and the conference—where she met, had interesting chats with, learned a lot from, and befriended the blogosphere's old hands, leading lights, and up-and-comers—but a series of experiences led her to think she probably should have been at a conference called Traveling for Dummies. If they have such a thing. Which they should. We need it:

"As IT's intro so kindly noted, I loved Seattle. It reminded me a lot of my beloved Vancouver, but with new-to-me quirks and corners to explore. What stands out from my trip, though, are my sojourn's disasters and disappointments. I'll document them here (with blame appropriately apportioned) so you don't duplicate them.

"Biggest disappointment: The Experience Music Project. Before I get EMP fans up in arms, I must clarify that I didn't actually tour the museum. As far as I'm concerned, it may very well be fabulous. What disappointed me was the building. I'm a bit of an architecture geek, and I'd seen models of Gehry's design at an exhibit. I was excited to see the real thing both from the air as I flew into Seattle and across Lake Union as I bused downtown from Northeast every morning. So when I looked up one afternoon and saw that (EMP neighbor) the Space Needle was walking distance from my conference center, I thought I'd pop over and see the full-sized version up close. What I didn't bank on was just how close I would be. The building is unique, no doubt, but the planners have wedged it into so tight a space that you can't step back to take in the whole thing at once. Clearly no one can do anything about it at this point, but boy do I wish they'd orchestrated some Bilbao-style vistas. My suggestion: If you just want to see the building, do it from home.

"Worst near disaster: finding King Street Station. After my conference ended, I planned to spend the weekend with some West Coast relatives before heading back to D.C. To get there, I needed to catch a bus at the Amtrak station. I looked it up on a map, figured out which bus to take, and even asked the driver for directions. I got off when instructed, and walked toward what, from a distance, appeared to be my station. As I approached, the building looked increasingly dark and boarded up, and I began to second-guess myself (and my bus driver). I realized there was another, shinier station just up the street, so I altered course. I asked a local to confirm my new direction, and he told me my initial assessment had been correct—the boarded up station was mine after all—but I needed to enter from below. Once back at the first station, I couldn't figure out how to access the lower level. Another local man pointed me to an unmarked walkway at the end of which was an unmarked stairway to the lower station entrance. I made it just in time to print my ticket and board my bus. It wasn't until penning this entry that I found out the station is under renovation until next year. I'm all for renovating historic train stations, but would it have hurt anyone to make a 'We're renovating, walk down these steps to catch your train' sign?

"Worst actual disaster: changing terminals at Sea-Tac. On my way home I found myself on the lower level of Seattle Airport's concourse D with a ticket for a flight departing concourse B. Sea-Tac has an excellent system of shuttle trains connecting their more far-flung concourses, but unless you're in one of the satellite concourses (S and N), you can also walk between them. As I was going to be sitting most of the day, I figured I would walk over to B rather than wait for the train. I stop over in Seattle pretty frequently, so I also knew I would pass through the food court on my way from D to B. I followed a sign reading "To Terminal," and found myself promptly…in baggage claim. I had exited the security-cleared area of the airport, and, instead of grabbing lunch, I had to line up, stomach growling, and submit to security for a second time. I'd like to blame the airport's poor signage for this debacle, and I do a little. But, unlike the two previous incidents, this snafu was pretty much of my own thoughtless doing. Next time I'll take the train."

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November 7, 2006:

Wired Wanderlust: Top Travel Blogs

The days of recording your travels in a worn leather journal in a sidewalk café on the streets of Amsterdam are not obsolete; it's just that you'll likely be typing away on your MacBook instead. As cyber cafés continue to sprout up all over the world, travel blogs have become a staple for keeping in touch with those stranded at home, posting a picture of that Seattle coffee shop's frothy cappuccino, and recording the name of the oh-so-cute bed-and-breakfast in the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Let IT be your guide to a few travel blogs that have caught our collective eye by being inspirational, informative, or just too interesting to ignore. And keep your eyes peeled for future Wired Wanderlust updates. We'll be back.

A Taste of Europe: Tammy and David, a thirty-something wanderlusting couple sold their house and decided to spend a year in Europe "slow traveling"—spending two to three months in each country. Tammy writes, "As a last fling by ourselves, the conversation began as an idea to go to Europe for a two-week vacation. Where to go? England? Ireland? Italy? …The idea turned from spending two weeks in Europe to six months to possibly a year." This extensive travelogue is filled with beautiful photographs, local history, and personal experiences. By the end of each posting, you will begin to wonder why you are still sitting at your desk.

Jeremy Wang in Taiwan: Jeremy Wang of Brooklyn, New York, took a ten-day trip to Taiwan, the birthplace of his father and the destination of his mother's medical mission trip as a young nurse. As a 24-year-old, his perspective on the country and his family are vastly different than his hazy memories of visiting as a curious five-year-old. Follow Jeremy as he musters the courage to try "stinky tofu," navigates the Taipei subway, and comes to the conclusion that family transcends language.

Notes from the Road: Erik Gauger has combined his love of journal writing and photography with blogging technology. "Notes from the Road" is a collection of entries taken from his handwritten journal and photographs taken with a traditional print film camera that he layers together to create evocative place descriptions of the West Indies, the Iberian Peninsula, the Great Plains, and more.

What travel blogs do you love? Send them to assistant online editor Mary Beth for inclusion in future Wired Wanderlust posts.

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Snap, Crackle, Croatia!

Last week, chief researcher Marilyn Terrell tantalized us with her stories of swimming in the Adriatic Sea and wandering down the narrow streets of Zadar. We wanted more, and so did our readers—one e-mail in IT's inbox (which may have been from Marilyn's brother) read, "What a wonderful description. I was transported. Give me more!" So, this week, we post more of Marilyn's insights into Croatia, its thriving capital, Zagreb, and the highlights that have her jonesing for a return. (Be sure to click on the underlined links to see Marilyn's Flickr pics.)

"A 15-year-old country with a 5,000-year history, Croatia's popping with the exuberance of youth. Skaters are jumping their skateboards blithely over Roman antiquities and Austro-Hungarian opera house steps. Artisans are rebuilding castles and churches, and archaeologists are uncovering Greek and Roman antiquities. Streets and plazas overflow with tables and chairs and convivial coffee drinkers who would disdain the cardboard cup. Streets are for people (and dogs), not cars. Wherever you look, there are kids in the streets, chasing balls, exploring, riding bikes, walking home from school, and playing with their grandparents.

"Zagreb, the capital, is home to the country's largest university (50,000 students), and the entire city feels like a college campus. Art, poetry, theater, farmers markets, public sculpture in whimsical places, soccer, music in the streets—it's all here—and everything looks freshly painted (sometimes with graffiti). On an ordinary weekday evening, Jelacic Square, the great central plaza in Zagreb, reverberates with sound, but it's human, not automotive: All you hear are people talking, children chasing each other, plates and glasses clinking, and the occasional clack of an approaching blue tram. Unlike much of Old Europe, where children seem oddly missing, Croatia feels very much alive and happening, with an irresistible, pulsing energy. A Croatian cabdriver in New York told me wistfully that Croatians know how to enjoy life. From what I could tell on a recent trip from Zagreb down to Split, he's right."

How Marilyn enjoyed life in Croatia:

1. Drinking a latte in Zagreb's main Jelacic Square on a sunny Sunday morning as rock music blared from giant speakers and hordes of young athletes gathered to run a marathon.

2. Buying walnuts and apples in Zagreb's Dolac Market.

3. Eating decadent kremsnita (cream cake) at an outdoor café in the pastel-colored town of Samobor.

4. Waking up in the World Heritage site of Plitvice Lakes National Park, with its 16 interconnected lakes of otherworldly green, and listening to the distant roar of waterfalls, which a suburban brain (or at least Marilyn's) might initially mistake for highway traffic.

5. Walking the streets of the tiny walled town of Trogir, another World Heritage site.

6. Taking a ferry from tantalizing Split— with its medieval city built within the still-standing walls of Emperor Diocletian's palace (yet another World Heritage site)—to the dreamy, lavender-scented island of Hvar.

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E-mail your feedback and tips to InsideTraveler@ngs.org.

Bookmark IT! www.nationalgeographic.com/traveler/extras/blog/blog.html

Emily King, Traveler's assistant to the editor, wants to visit the pyramids of Giza before they're just a suburb of Cairo. Researcher Jessie Johnston hopes to see Machu Picchu before it becomes an Angkor-style jungle gym.

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