For every chilled passer-by here wrapped in woolen scarves and fleeced ear muffs I think of the locals walking the inner streets in the town of Mykonos, dressed in their traditional island attire, making their way to the local baker for their loaf of bread.

For every chain restaurant franchisee I pass by from the metro station to the office, I think of the local Greek cafe’s, serving local delights, lining the edges of the islands small inner harbor, in which the colorful local fisherman’s boats bob up and down in the warm Aegean waters.

For every chunk of rippled ice I see float by in the Potomac along the shores of the Mall, I think of warm breezes blowing across our ship bow as we sailed out of the caldera cliffs of Santorini.  The white-washed towns along the caldera’s edges almost appearing like snow-capped peaks rising against a deep blue sky.

Sitting at my desk, occasionally peering out the window over the street below takes me back to walking atop the Acropolis in Athens, and being both amazed of the view and absorbing the historical background of the fortified perch I stood upon.

It’s the brisk winter days like these in Washington, DC that make my mind wander back to Greece and the amazing vistas, warm sun upon my back, and the cultural richness that is,… well,  one of my favorite places to be.

Kalispera!

www.authenticitytravel.com

“You never want a serious crisis to go to waste. And what I mean by that is an opportunity to do things you think you could not do otherwise …” – Rahm Emanuel

When Rahm Emanuel uttered these words in late 2008 at the height of the financial crisis, we were watching the travel industry go into a dramatic free fall, as consumers faced great uncertainty and cancelled or postponed their travel plans.

We braced ourselves for a tough 2009 season as we had done many times before during times of volatility. But this time, we took a bigger step. We innovated! Over the course of several months, our team of incurable explorers traveled, researched, brainstormed and finally conceived of a fresh, immersive travel concept for an independent-minded, well-traveled traveler called AuthentiCity!

We kept hearing that travelers wanted to experience an international destination as authentically as possible, but they were missing the tools to do so. Now, we have solved that with AuthentiCity!

In 2011, AuthentiCity programs will debut in Athens, Beijing, Cairo and Siena with over 15 departures. Travelers will be sure catch their breath and have their breath taken away over the course of 12 to 14 days. They will live like the locals in their neighborhoods, markets, and squares. They will enjoy unhurried itineraries where they’ll have unprecedented access to places and people not found in any guidebook, learn some language, and savor deliciously-prepared cuisine—the very essence of AuthentiCity and the heart of our motto, “Travel Deeper.”

Please visit www.authenticitytravel.com to read about the details of these new trips!

Chase Poffenberger

Executive Vice President
Academic Travel Abroad

The highlight of our weekend in Venice was by far the Festa del Redentore and I might add it is what shaped our itinerary this summer. The church of the Redentore on the Giudecca was built by Palladio to give thanks that the Venetians had been saved from the Plague. Every year – on the third Saturday of July–a bridge of boats is traditionally built across the canal of the Guidecca. Today the bridge is a more solid construction that is set up temporarily for the feast and connects the Zattere to the Giudecca.

Venice lays on the most spectacular firework display in the Bacino di San Marco as part of the festivities. All terraces, restaurants and vantage points are booked up. We decided to do it the Venetian way and hired a water taxi with our friends. Having feasted

on a seafood extravaganza we boarded our boat. Our driver, a Redentore veteran, told us it was early at 9:30 pm to head to the bacino and so gave us a beautiful tour of Venice by night. There is something special about cruising down the Grand Canal in your own boat with hardly any other boats around. We were overwhelmed upon arrival in the bacino – it was filled with boats of all shapes and sizes. I had expected a lot but not the party atmosphere. We moved from the small family boat gatherings to the pirate ship. Then there were the disco ships to the fishing boats partying away and finally the seriously rich yachts moored up near the Giardini. I am not sure if it was the heat or tradition but there were also people taking a dip in the water.

It was still too early to hang around so we paid a visit to a gelateria. At 11:20 pm we were racing down the Grand Canal with all the last arrivals to the party, including a few gondolas. A few moments later a couple of warning shots were fired and total silence and darkness descended on the city. Venice was ready for the show to begin. And what a show we were treated to. Forty minutes of pure magic.

There is something amazing about being in such an open space with fireworks raining down on you. The scene was Turneresque: the foreground was filled with the silhouettes of people and boats and then bursts of light and color beyond. There were loud cheers and applause as the effervescent sky faded to night, and the boats started to file home – priority given to the gondolas, followed by the smaller boats. The party boats and fishing vessels disappeared out into the lagoon, perhaps to party on, take a dip in the cleaner waters of the Lido or head off for tomorrow’s catch. What a night. Truly memorable!

Academic Travel Abroad

The tale of the Egyptian Prince Tutmosis III and his encounter with the Sphinx of Giza fascinates me. On a hunting trip in the Valley of the Gazelles some time before his reign, Tutmosis III decided to take a nap to escape the midday sun. He chose the shade below the head (the only visible section) of the Great Sphinx of Giza. While he slept, the Sphinx spoke to him and told him that, if he dug the Sphinx out of the sand that covered it, he would be assured the throne of Egypt. So Tutmosis III set to work and excavated the Sphinx, the very first restoration of this site, undertaken circa 1400 BCE. The story of this dream is recounted on the stelae at the Sphinx’s feet.

What captivates me about this story is the fact that, even in 1400 BCE, the Sphinx and the Pryamids of Giza were already ancient, having existed since 2650 BCE, and that the protective layers of desert sand had already buried all but the Sphinx’s head over the preceding 1200 years.

Egypt’s ancient wonders abound, but it is not until you stand within inches of the deeply carved cartouches of Ramses II in Karnak or the stunning turquoise of painted vulture wings on Hatshepsut’s Temple, or the intricate delicacy of King Tutankhamen’s jewelry, that the impossibility overwhelms you. How can such beauty have survived 2000, 3000, 4000 years?

Entering the imposing structure of Ramses III Temple, there is a series of chapels to the left. Little color remains, and the carvings seem simplified, unremarkable. It turns out, these chapels date to Alexander the Great’s time—circa 332 BCE. Modern, by Egyptian standards! Yet paling in comparison to the elaborate scenes of battle and power depicted on Ramses III’s own temple walls.

Deep in the Temple of Luxor (circa 1400 BCE), past the small area that once served as a chapel for Roman soldiers during the 3rd century CE, there is a shrine built by Alexander the Great, depicting the Greek king as a pharaoh. Here, you can stand between the outer wall built by Amenhotep III and the inner wall of the Greek shrine. Within a couple feet of each other, the contrast is sharp: over a 1000 years pass from the time the Egyptian outer wall was carved to the time the Greeks erect their shrine. Yet, Alexander the Great’s craftsmen lose this contest: their work appears amateurish at best.

It’s not often that Alexander the Great comes across as lacking accomplishment. Yet ancient Egypt puts many more modern cultures to shame. Even the Romans, who seemed to lack the respect and interest Alexander showed Egyptian culture, appear boorish and uncultured in comparison. The Roman chapel within the Temple of Luxor is made of scavenged temple stones, betrayed by the upside down body parts and images carved on their surfaces.

Reflecting on all the perfection that bears tribute to Egypt’s royal ancestors, I can’t help but wonder what we have lost over time in sophistication, technique, and ambition. And I rejoice in the protective benefits of the sands of Egypt—without them, what treasures would have been lost to humankind!

Kate Simpson
ATA President

Click here to join Smithsonian Journeys on an amazing adventure to Egypt

Read more of Kates blog here

Arcetri observatory

Entering the round observatory room, we immediately gazed up at the enormous dome above. As the main door closed, one section of the dome slowly slid over another creating a large open window to the outside. We gazed up at the clear shot to the sky – a black blanket smattered with bright white stars. This was our introduction to the Arcetri Observatory in Florence Italy where AMNH Expeditions will be traveling this Fall - http://www.amnhexpeditions.org/expeditions/show/54 – an unparalleled opportunity to see the stars and planets like you have not seen them before.

Inside Arcetri's dome.

The process begins by climbing a 10 foot ladder and placing one eye on the lense of the telescope which extends the length of the dome and trumpets out of the room and up towards into the sky. I remember the moment that I saw Jupiter so distinctly with 2 elegant rings circling it. It was magical. To think Galileo gazed up from this very same location with about 30-40% less visibility than this and still formulated such major brilliant theories sent shivers up our spines. Away from the hustle and bustle of the cities, for this one moment we had a vision of clarity and stillness and savored the wonderment of our universe.

Academic Travel Abroad

Over the weekend, the Wall Street Journal posed the question, “Is Travel Insurance Worth the Cost?” ( read more here )

This is a timely question, as American travelers are now assessing the unexpected additional costs they incurred. If they were traveling with a group, they are also assessing how their tour provider cared for them while they waited in limbo for the skies to clear and the runways to reopen.

For its part, Academic Travel Abroad kept its tour staff in place in two countries to ride out the delay with travelers, even though the tours had ended. ATA and its partners picked up the cost of some additional hotel nights, meals and additional activities. Travelers, understanding that they would also need to contribute to the costs, made the most of their additional days in London and Amsterdam.

Izabella Van Raalte, a long time ATA tour manager, summed up her feelings in a recent e-mail to Senior Program Manager Emma Impavido, who coordinated the company’s response and efforts to re-book travelers quickly with the help of Whitney Kulesz, Director of Travel Services:

“Thank you very much for being such a wonderful support on my recent tour. At all times I felt that I could bank on you 100 % and that you would come through which indeed you did. I looked forward to your daily “check in” phone call. ATA’s response to my request for help in getting hotel rooms at the eleventh hour was amazing. As I already told you it gave me great pleasure to be able to announce that ATA had managed to procure hotel rooms so quickly.

Emma, could you please also thank the whole team involved in back stopping for the great job they did. It takes a team to make a tour a success and I certainly felt as part of one and a great one at that.”

Academic Travel Abroad and its partner organizations actively promote the benefits of travel insurance to customers to protect their investment when the unexpected happens. Those travelers who purchased trip cancellation and delay coverage for their tours will be able to make substantial claims for reimbursement.

While none of us ever imagines ourselves the victim of a travel delay or mishap, the volcanic ash situation has reminded travelers how important it is to pick all of their travel partners wisely—from the tour company that makes the safety and well being of it customers its top priority, to the insurance company that stands by its coverage, and to the travel agent who swiftly and efficiently re-books passengers while airline websites and help lines crash through overuse.

Academic Travel Abroad

The last week has been a test for all of us who had passengers stranded by the volcanic ash covering much of Europe’s skies. Tour operators and travel agents have been working around the clock to get passengers home as quickly as possible. ATA staff and our trusted partner, Premiere Travel, have been working to bring home groups in London and Amsterdam. Our passengers are among the first who departed Europe once the skies cleared.

Katie Schwartzstein, an ATA Tour Manager, gave us a sense of how the Smithsonian Journeys’ Tudor Tapestry group was spending its extra days in London:

“Eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow we fly.” That’s how I opened Tuesday’s dinner at the Ebury Wine Bar Restaurant (before I knew airspace was reopening), and my message was that we should have fun during our extra time in London and that we would likely be home before long. The evening was a great morale boost and we enjoyed the company of two of Smithsonian Journeys Tudor Tapestry’s historians. One of them, Siobhan Clarke, gave us a wonderful talk at the Banqueting House yesterday morning–her idea, a generous and thoughtful gesture. Participant reactions to being stranded in London varied as days passed, and depended upon how anxious they were about work or missing husbands, children or pets. The Rubens Hotel has been great. Now our numbers are down by more than half, and the saga is coming to a close.”

We believe the silver lining in this otherwise unfortunate situation will be that travelers will appreciate the value in working with travel professionals (vs. internet booking sites) when the unexpected happens. It is a prudent investment to have a skilled advocate working tirelessly for you when loved ones are depending on your timely return from a vacation.

Academic Travel Abroad

Well, welcome to a new market!  A market of boomers seeking out unique travel opportunities in which their sense of independence, desire for immersion, and quest for a deeper sense of cultural education and awareness is in focus. Although boomers may not identify themselves by their given name, they are a distinct market segment that those in the travel industry will want to take heed of.  Those within the designated birth dates between 1946 and 1964 fall into the market-derived name of “Boomers.”  The indicators stress that they are more independent both in thinking and in action.  They seek travel opportunities that offer a unique angle, more cultural immersion, and meet their high demands for value and experience.  Many boomers are already well-traveled and now seek unique destinations, possible “voluntourism” opportunities where their sense of community and altruism can be met with rewarding results.

Our friends at myitchytravelfeet.com , heatheronhertravels.com, and holeinthedonut.com have recently expressed how boomers seek travel opportunities in a more frugal way then the preceding generations. Focusing more on the value of travel (where cost in not a focus), but where amenities should provide rewarding results.  They seek upscale accommodations, but no longer see the value in extravagancy. Their focus has now shifted to real value.  Instead of just enjoying a rare bottle of wine, they now wish to meet the owners of the vineyard – even have dinner with them even.  Instead of donating their money to a cause, they now seek tangible interaction with those they seek to help.

All this parlays into the fact that those in the travel industry should rekindle their understandings and interpretations of adding true value into their offerings.  Strong amenities, well-appointed accommodations, interaction with locals in given destinations and an educational element can offer a resounding value and mental enrichment to those seeking a true experience abroad.

Group travel can render significant rewards for those seeking to meet new people while absorbing cultural experiences.  This often translates to new friendships among boomers of like interests, further enhancing their desire for connecting with others. Adding an educational element, via an accompanying  tour expert or location historian can bring new appreciations to otherwise mainstay destinations.  These elements remove the “tourist” aspect to travel and brings a deeper focus to interaction and participation while abroad.

So, we at Academic Travel Abroad are eager to hear more!  What do you seek in your travel experiences?  What destinations entice you the most and why?  Tell us more about your travel aspirations and where you find specific value when traveling.  What has been your most rewarding experience so far?

Academic Travel Abroad

Professionals Abroad works with top U.S. and international professional associations to facilitate professional exchange between counterparts around the globe. In both urban and rural settings, doctors, lawyers, educators, social scientists, environmentalists, and others gain valuable perspective about their own profession through counterpart meetings where they can share common challenges and connect on a one-to-one level.  All Professionals Abroad programs include briefings with government representatives and content specialists, as well as visits in the field with practitioners at their facilities.

Professionals Abroad is led by Dawn Davis. With over 20 years experience in the field of professional exchange, Dawn has arranged for teams of professionals representing Medicine, Law, Education, Technology, and the Social Sciences to meet with their counterparts around the globe. Dawn’s partners have included The American College of Physicians, American Bar Association, National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, Water Environment Federation, and the American Association of University Women. These teams have visited Rwanda, The People’s Republic of China, Russia, Vietnam, Cambodia, South Africa, Israel, Jordan and many, many more destinations.

Delegation leaders are nominated and selected by their peers; leaders guide the content of the professional meetings. The content and depth of the professional exchanges often qualify the participants to receive continuing education credits contingent with the requirements of their field. For US residents, participation may also be tax deductible, based upon ones individual tax guidance. A journal of the proceedings will be published following the delegation.

Bakers making fritelle

What does it mean to have a truly authentic travel experience?  How does one assimilate into a culture if even for a short time?   My colleague, Emma (Impavido) and I are in Siena Italy this week to explore these questions and will write daily blogs on our findings here.

Siena is the perfect Tuscan town.  Set among the rolling hills of Tuscany, it is a town seeping with civic pride.  The town boasts 17 contrades, or neighborhoods, each embodying its own character and each vying for the prized honor of representing their neighborhood at the famous Palio.  This horse race occurs twice a year and turns the town upside down in sheer passion and competition.  Siena traces back its roots to medieval times; you can feel that its rivalries with other neighboring towns shaped its contemporary civic pride today.  Its main square, Piazza del Campo is the joy of the city where you will find wonderful cafes overlooking the Palazzo Pubblico and children playing soccer while Sienese families warmly greet each other.

Today inside Piazza del Campo Emma and I enjoyed a treat offered only during the Lenten season.

Fritelle stavelle, fried rice balls topped with powdered sugar, these treats are celebrated only for a few weeks of the year and in recognition of the life of Saint Guiseppe.  There were 10 workers behind this stall selling fritelle and while they were so busy keeping up with the demand of visitors wanting them by the dozens, each worker seemed to know all the locals and families who stopped by the counter.  For the Sienese, these are a tradition – something that cant imagine not having during this very religious period before Easter.  Taking part in this passage is an authentic, and delicious, experience unto itself.

Aside from holiday traditions and cuisine, authentic travel means doing things you might not necessarily get to experience as a tourist.  Tomorrow we will leisurely bike the hills of Tuscany with our local CET study abroad Resident Director and stop along the way to visit a vineyard.  While the orange Tuscan sun gently sets in the evening, we may stop off to listen to the hyms of Gregorian chants in a local abbey.

We will keep you posted as to what other gems we discover this week.  Buona giornata!