REPOST: 5 Days of Mother-Daughter Bonding in New York City

Traveling might be the perfect bonding moment for you and your family. Read about a mom and daughter adventure in NYC from this Escape Travel article. 

Image Source: escapisttraveller.com

I hadn’t been away with my mother in a long time, and New York City seemed like the place for some family-friendly female bonding with its exciting department stores, quirky cafes and countless museums and art galleries to explore. New York had always appealed to me, with its wide avenues lined with soaring sky-scrapers and beaming lights that never dim in the ‘city that never sleeps’. I had previously read a lot about the Big Apple, not to mention watched countless television shows and films set in the city, but had never yet been. I felt that New York was the perfect city in which to spend some quality time with my mother for a city break packed with endless things to see and do.

Getting our bearings on the first day, we collected our CityPASSES at the tourist information centre on Seventh Avenue. These passes are a great way to see some of the top attractions of New York City at a lower price, from the Museum of Modern Art to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. Unfortunately, the latter was closed when we were visiting due to the effects of Hurricane Sandy but has since been reopened. There are other ways to see the iconic Statue of Liberty, however, and one of them is hopping aboard the Staten Island ferry. Departing from Lower Manhattan, this completely free of charge very gave us fantastic views of the symbol that everyone associates with New York and is a great option for those on a budget.

Image Source: escapisttraveller.com

Our first day also led us up to the highest point of New York City, the Empire State Building which has a fantastic observatory. Included in the CityPASS, ascending to the peak of this towering structure and peering down upon the panoramic views of New York below is a memory I will never forget and one that I am glad I shared with my mother.

As we are both Beatles fans, we took a stroll through Central Park later that sunny afternoon to stop off and pay our respects at the John Lennon memorial, Strawberry Fields, before heading to a little bistro for risotto and a chat over coffee. Soaking up the fast-paced atmosphere of New York City, we reflected on our first day in the Big Apple and were eager to see more of it.

The morning of our second day took us to the 9/11 Memorial which is a tribute to remember those killed during the terror attacks in 2001 and 1993. The memorial was truly moving and standing at the site of the twin towers, watching the water rush into the gaping holes that used to be where these towering buildings once stood, I felt an unspoken bond with my mum as we stood in silence and paid our respects to the tragedy that shook the whole world, let alone New York.

Image Source: escapisttraveller.com

After a spot of shopping in Century 21 for some bargains and later, Macy’s and Bloomingdales (we’re girls, it has to be done!), we made our way over to the Broadway Theatre that evening to see Rodger’s and Hammerstein’s fantastic production of Cinderella, a classic show which had previously not been seen on Broadway until now. Laura Osnes was incredible in the lead role with strong vocals in many of the brilliant songs of the show, and Santino Fontana as the Prince brought humour into this magical tale due along with Ann Harada as one of the ugly stepsisters.

With gorgeous sets of enchanting woodlands and elegant castles and incredible costume changes that sees Cinderella dress from her working rags to opulent gowns in less than a blink of the eye, it was a great show in which to take my mother to sample the delights of what a Broadway show has to offer. We were even treated to an ‘after show’ of a man proposing to his girlfriend on stage once the performance had finished. There were plenty of squeals of delight and a few shed tears all around the auditorium once his girlfriend replied with a ‘yes’!

Our third day took us out of Manhattan and into Coney Island which sits on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean in the borough of Brooklyn, to get a different taste of the Big Apple. We were visiting New York during Memorial Day weekend which is the official start of the public beach season of the city – perfect timing for a beach day and only 45 minutes on the subway. With amusement parks, fairground rides, candy floss galore and of course, miles of white sandy beaches merging into the ocean, it is worlds away from the ‘concrete jungle’ of the city and I couldn’t quite believe how quick it took to get to. After a couple of hours of sampling rides from bumper cars to the Cyclone rollercoaster, we decided to explore a little bit more of Brooklyn and headed out to the Smorgasburg Flea Food Market.

Image Source: escapisttraveller.com

Lovers of gastronomy will adore Smorgasburg and its countless market stalls selling delicious cuisine from sources from New York City and beyond. We went on the Sunday where the market is based on the DUMBO waterfront in Brooklyn Bridge Park, but every Saturday it can be found on the Williamsburg waterfront at the East River State Park. Both my mum and I are big food lovers and purchasing fantastic cuisine from mini cheesecakes and marble ice cream to noodles, pizza and refreshing slushies was definitely an afternoon well spent!

On our fourth day we decided to venture into the borough of Queen’s which was easily reached by the East River ferry from Midtown Manhattan. The largest borough of New York City is extremely diverse with restaurants serving ethnic food from around the globe from the immigrants who have settled here over the years. We explored the gorgeous neighbourhood of Astoria which has a large Greek community and stores selling vintage-chic items of clothing. The Athens Square Park is lovely for a mid-afternoon stroll and after a lunch of fresh seafood, my mother and I made our way back to Manhattan to experience another Broadway show.

Image Source: escapisttraveller.com

The Winter Garden Theatre is home to one of the world’s most successful musicals, Mamma Mia!, and because of the theme of this feel-good show I thought it was the best way for me and my mother to spend our last evening together in New York City. Telling the story of a 20 years-young bride-to-be and her search for her father, Mamma Mia! uses the songs from popular Swedish group ABBA in this fantastic musical.

Felicia Finley played the role of Tanya with wonderful humour and the right amount of sexy vulgarity as she stole the show, but both Judy McLane as Donna and Laurie Veldheer as Sophie were excellent in their mother-daughter roles of the performance. Having seen the West End production of the same show in London, I can say that both were equally filled with the same volume of vigour and life that a show such as Mamma Mia! needs, and we left the theatre feeling happy to have experienced the musical together. ‘Does my mother know’ I love ABBA – she sure does now!

After four days of exploration, discovery, relaxation and soaking up the history and culture of New York City and some of its boroughs, we decided to spend our last day visiting a couple of places we hadn’t had the chance to see. We started off the day with a tour of the magnificent Grand Central Station and then made our way over to the neighbourhood of Greenwich Village in Lower Manhattan. After a quick (okay, long!) stop in Bettie Page Vintage and Retro Clothing, we had a lovely stroll through Washington Square Park and then embarked back to the hotel and to our journey onwards from New York.

Image Source: escapisttraveller.com

New York City is truly one of the greatest metropolises in the world, and exploring it for the first time with my mother, soaking up the history, shopping, architecture, food and fun of the Big Apple was a trip I could easily (and probably will!) repeat.

Louis Habash is currently a freelance travel writer based in Los Angeles, California. Log on to this Facebook page for more updates.

REPOST: The Ultimate Pool with a View - Jongomero Camp, Tanzania

Would you fancy a pool with a view? How about a view of the safari? Then, you will surely love this amazing place in Southern Tanzania featured by EscapistTraveller.com.

Image Source: escapisttraveller.com

Love safaris and wildlife? Try relaxing by a pool with a difference! Experience Africa’s beautiful creatures simply by chilling out in the sunshine, relaxing after a day’s exploring.

Here at Jongomero Camp, in Southern Tanzania (part of Ruaha National Park) guests can take a refreshing dip in a private pool which overlooks a large, dry sandy river-bed. A typical wildlife playground, guests can witness baboons and elephants in a natural habitat while enjoying all the lush African bush scenery from the pool.

Cazenove+loyd, a luxury safari travel company, are offering a fantastic seven night safari holiday including a three night stay at Jongomero Camp and a four night stay at the exclusive beach retreat, Ras Kutani.

Prices from £3,530 (a saving of £540 per person). www.cazloyd.com/africa-and-indian-ocean/luxury-safari-tanzania

Fly with British Airways from £454 per person .www.britishairways.com

Louis Habash has published some travel and literary anthologies over at his blog site.

REPOST: Let’s Play: Making Travel a Game

This article from the New York Times shares how mobile apps have changed the experience of travel for some people. Read about it here: 


IT WAS A SUNDAY AFTERNOON in SoHo and while most New Yorkers were having brunch, Makeda Peters and her boyfriend were on a street corner craning their necks at a seven-story art installation called “The Wall,” about to embark on what’s known among travelers who love puzzles and prizes as a “gamified city tour.”

For the next three hours the couple would explore the area and learn about its history by tackling trivia questions and accepting benign dares — challenges that came not from a tour guide, but from an app called Stray Boots that Ms. Peters had downloaded to her iPhone.

The first question seemed like a test to ensure that they were in the right spot: “What color is the wall painted?” Ms. Peters typed “blue” on her iPhone. Up popped the verdict: “Correct!” That earned her 10 points from the app, which then provided some history about the 1973 artwork by Forrest Myers. The couple spent the rest of the afternoon racking up points for each riddle and dare they polished off, striving to achieve a perfect score of 240. At the Hollister store they were told to snap a photo of themselves with the shirtless greeters who flank the doors like naughty cousins of the toy soldiers outside F. A. O. Schwarz. Near Greene Street they were asked how many “real” glass windows were above the first floor of the trompe l’oeil public artwork by Richard Haas.

“As we answered questions correctly, we were high-fiving in the middle of the street,” said Ms. Peters, a program coordinator in Brooklyn for a national nonprofit organization called Playworks. “You learn so many cool things.”

Stray Boots, which sells $2-to-$12 tours of more than a dozen cities including New Orleans, Philadelphia and Miami, was introduced last year, though the company began testing the concept in 2009 using only text messages. Since then, it has sold more than 85,000 tours, roughly doubling sales each year, said its chief executive, Avi Millman. (Stray Boots is also available in Britain, where it’s known as UK: The Game.)

I decided to take a tour in Times Square to see if even I, who work there, could learn a thing or two. I rolled my eyes when the app sent me to Toys “R” Us and the M&M’s World store. And I was disappointed that it didn’t explain the evolution of Father Duffy Square. I did, however, pick up a few factoids including how in the 1840s New York Police Department officers wore badges made of copper, which may have inspired the nickname “coppers” and later “cops.”

Yet the app is merely one product in a wave of new travel programs and promotions that are using game theory to win over customers, particularly those under 30 (so-called millennials). Today online tour operators like Expedia are incorporating avatars and trivia contests into the browsing and booking process. Tourism offices in Pennsylvania and Illinois are proffering exclusive Foursquare badges to those who check in at sites in their states. Museums are using portable multimedia players to make walking through their collections feel a bit like being in a multiplayer video game. And the America’s State Parks Foundation is rolling out a new app by ParksbyNature Network called the Pocket Ranger — available in 40 states by the end of the year — that enables users to earn points and win prizes by signing up for GeoChallenges, outdoor quests that require players to use the app’s GPS feature to navigate to sites like dams, trails and reservoirs.

It may sound like play, but it’s part of a broader business trend known as gamification. Gabe Zichermann, author of the new book “The Gamification Revolution” and chair of the annual Gsummit in San Francisco, describes it as the process of using the best ideas from games, loyalty and behavioral economics to engage people and solve problems (or both). It generally involves the use of motivational techniques and psychological triggers, like being alerted to a challenge or offered an opportunity for higher status, often in combination with digital candy like badges, points and leader boards. (Some of the fundamental ideas are derived from research by the social scientist BJ Fogg at Stanford University; you can learn about gaming your own behavior at Behaviorwizard.org.)

Mr. Zichermann, himself an avid traveler, said that things elemental to travel are also elemental to gamification. Hard-core travelers like to keep score: they know how many countries they’ve visited and how many miles they’ve flown. They take pleasure in accumulating badges, like stamps on their passport (and, in bygone days, stickers on their luggage). They check off must-see landmarks like the Eiffel Tower and the Parthenon as if they are levels in a video game. Even the act of traveling from one place to another becomes a personal challenge: to do so with ever more speed and status.

On a deeper level, though, great gaming experiences speak to our inner desire for mastery, autonomy and purpose, Mr. Zichermann noted. The same can be said of travel. “Why do we travel?” he said. “It’s all about creating memories and discovering ourselves. Gamification is perfectly aligned with that.”

But a common misperception is that it’s strictly about competition, Mr. Zichermann said. Gamification can engage people simply by making travel more playful and social, like Virgin America’s new seat-to-seat delivery feature that encourages fliers to “get lucky” by sending one another cocktails and messages through the entertainment system touchscreens on seatbacks. Or KLM’s Meet & Seat program, which allows passengers to view one another’s Facebook and LinkedIn profiles before the flight and then pick a spot next to an intriguing stranger. Even acquiring travel skills has become a game with language-learning Web sites like Duolingo and MindSnacks. And photo-sharing apps like Instagram and Flickr, while not pure gamification, borrow elements of the practice, making travel feel more communal.

Thanks to the ubiquity of smartphones and big data, gamification is now prevalent in practically every industry, though some of its roots are in travel, going back to the early 1980s, when American Airlines introduced its AAdvantage frequent flier program to create brand loyalty. Despite gamification’s popularity, there are many poorly designed experiences. In fact, the technology research company Gartner is predicting that by next year 80 percent of gamification projects will fail to meet business objectives. When done right, however, gamification can garner brand loyalty while also helping travelers interact, learn, share opinions and explore the world.

To achieve the latter, companies that specialize in gamification say they are trying to design experiences that are emotional, that delight or surprise, unlike early loyalty programs, which Mr. Zichermann described as “transactional systems that are trying to get as much out of consumers as possible while giving as little as possible.”

Even airlines whose longstanding loyalty programs are transactional, are testing new kinds of perks and fresh ways to earn them. Last month American Airlines teamed up with Klout, the company that measures the digital influence of people using Twitter and other social networking sites by assigning them a score from 1 to 100. People with Klout scores of 55 or higher (the average person has a score of 40) received a day pass to one of nearly 40 American Airlines Admirals Clubs around the world.

It was not the first time an airline partnered with Klout: last year travelers in San Francisco International Airport who used the Klout iPhone app and had a score of 40 or higher were granted access to the Cathay Pacific First and Business Class Lounge. Other travel brands, like Airbnb, Legoland California and Virgin America, have also dangled perks to people whom Klout deemed high-ranking influencers.

Ken Comée, the chief executive of Badgeville, which specializes in gamification for brands like Samsung and NBC, said first-generation loyalty programs are expensive to manage and have become too complicated. “I think people have become numb to it,” he said. “That’s really the problem that exists that we’re trying to solve.”

One of the ways Badgeville says it’s doing that is with a game it created for Expedia.com called Around the World in 100 Days, which Expedia plans to introduce in the coming weeks. Designed to get travelers more engaged with the Web site and Expedia’s loyalty program, the game begins with an introductory video. Then, players are asked to choose one of eight avatars and to select the type of travel experience that most appeals to them (city slicker, adventure addict, escape artist or culture buff).

The final step is registering for the game with your Expedia account information (or creating an account if you don’t have one). Tokens finance your avatar’s virtual trip to up to 20 destinations around the world. There are several ways to earn tokens including answering trivia questions (which might also get your name put on a leader board), downloading the Expedia mobile app and, of course, booking travel through Expedia.

The more cities your avatar visits, the more Expedia Rewards points you receive. A map of the world shows players where their avatar is on its journey, and an Indiana Jones-style graphic line between cities enables users to track their progress. There is also a weekly sweepstakes, where five players are randomly selected to earn 100,000 points. “A lot of people are surprised that Expedia has a loyalty program,” said Julius Lai, the senior director of loyalty marketing for Expedia.com. He said that games like Around the World in 100 Days are just the sort of thing a digital company like Expedia would use to “engage people in a very entertaining way in order to achieve what is a very standard goal of a promotion.”

Yet of all the gamification infusing the travel industry, some of the most playful experiences can be found in the hallowed halls of museums.

To appeal to younger generations, many, like the American Museum of Natural History in Manhattan, have kiosks that enable visitors to send images of themselves to friends or social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter. The Cleveland Museum of Art has a “Rembrandt Yourself” application on its Facebook page that allows visitors to put their face into one of four 17th-century Rembrandt portraits.

At the Museum of Old and New Art in Hobart, Tasmania, instead of the usual artwork wall labels, there is the O, a device loaded with information about the art on display. The O picks up your location in each gallery and shows you images of nearby works. Click on one for details like information about the art, an interview with the artist or music that references the piece. You’re invited to play the role of critic by tapping a button to indicate whether you “love” or “hate” the artwork. At the same time, the O spits out stats culled from other museumgoers, like “35 percent of women hated this” or “two out of three Americans love this.”

You can also save your tour, so that when you’re back home you can revisit your path through the museum — along with the works you loved and hated. It shouldn’t come as a surprise that there is an option to share those images on Facebook and Twitter, too.

As for Ms. Peters, she and her boyfriend liked their first gamified city tour so much that they tried another one. Also from Stray Boots, it led them through the West Village, from the “secret” garden of St. Luke’s Church to New York’s oldest continuously running Off Broadway theater, the Cherry Lane. The tour was called The Perfect Date.

And it was. “We were able to see New York landmarks that we never really knew existed,” Ms. Peters said. “It gave us the opportunity to open our eyes and see things differently.”


Hello! I'm Louis Habash, a travel writer. Follow me on Twitter to find more travel stories.

REPOST: Still hatin’ on the airlines? J.D. Power says they’re getting better

As a frequent flyer, I give credit to traditional airlines since they have most nods as the most improved players in the industry.  This Today news article provides details:  

If airlines were athletes, low-cost carriers would get the nod as fan favorites but traditional airlines are earning kudos as the most improved players on the field.


That’s the gist of the latest J.D. Power and Associates North American Airlines Satisfaction Study. Released on Wednesday, the annual report shows overall satisfaction with the industry climbing to 695 (on a 1,000-point scale), an increase of 14 points over 2012.


“A lot of what’s driving the gain has to do with technology, innovation and people,” said study director Jessica McGregor. “Those are the areas where there’s been a lot of strong performance.”



The gain was also driven by traditional carriers, which posted a 16-point increase overall, to 663, over last year. Alaska Airlines topped the list for the sixth consecutive year, with a score of 717 (up 39 points), followed by Delta (682, up 23 points) and Air Canada (671, down 6 points).



By comparison, overall satisfaction with low-cost carriers rose just 1 point, to 755. JetBlue took top honors for the eighth consecutive year with a score of 787, followed by Southwest (770) and WestJet (714).



“They still have much higher performance levels than traditional carriers but the traditional carriers are beginning to close the gap,” McGregor told NBC News.


The study measures passenger satisfaction based on carriers’ performance in seven factors (in order of importance): cost and fees, in-flight services, boarding/deplaning/baggage, flight crew, aircraft, check-in and reservation.


According to McGregor, satisfaction improved across all seven factors, with the largest year-over-year increases occurring in the boarding/deplaning/baggage (up 17 points), check-in (up 15) and aircraft (up 15) factors.



Smile!Passengers like it
Improvements notwithstanding, bag fees remain a hot-button issue — scores for those who paid a fee were 63 points lower than for those who didn’t — although even that shows signs of cooling off. Two years ago, the difference between the two groups was 100 points.


“Bag fees are still a point of contention for people,” said McGregor. “There’s no getting around that but we see (their dissatisfaction) becoming less pronounced. People have begun to expect it as part of the cost of air travel.”



And airlines are unlikely to give them up. On Tuesday, the Department of Transportation announced that the 15 largest U.S. carriers collected $3.5 billion in bag fees last year, an increase of 3.8 percent over 2011.



As for other factors that posted significant improvements, such as check-in and aircraft, McGregor suggests the former saw a boost due to the proliferation of self-service options while the latter benefited from increased availability of Wi-Fi, more entertainment options and seating upgrades, even when those services entailed a fee.



“Self-service is appreciated as long as it makes the process more efficient such as during the reservation process and checking in,” said McGregor. At the same time, she says, the accompanying decrease in personal interaction means that the fewer “touchpoints” passengers do have with employees take on added significance.



“The airlines have been performing well in terms of flight crews and gate staff being more courteous, smiling and making eye contact,” she told NBC News. In fact, both carrier segments achieved an 8-year high for passenger satisfaction with flight crews in 2013.


And sometimes, all it takes is a smile. According to the study, satisfaction scores for passengers who were greeted with a smile by airline staff, even if only some of the time, were 105 points higher than among those who never received a smile and 211 points higher among passengers who were greeted with a smile consistently, compared with those who did not receive a smile at all.



“If employees are smiling and making sure people are having a pleasant trip, it leads to an instant improvement in satisfaction,” said McGregor. “It’s easy for airlines to incorporate — it doesn’t cost millions and millions of dollars.”

Hello! I'm Louis Habash, a travel writer. Follow me on Twitter to get updates on my travels.

REPOST: I Heart My City: Julia’s Glasgow

I have always loved artistic walkways, sprawling parks, and interesting eateries, like those in Glasgow. This National Geographic blog entry provides details about this Scottish city:  

Image source: Intelligenttravel.nationalgeographic.com

Glasgow Is My City


The stairs inside the Glasgow lighthouse. (Photograph by Martin Burns, Flickr)


When someone comes to visit me, the first place I take them is the vibrant West End area. With large sprawling parks, international eateries, boutiques, and museums, there’s something for everyone.


Summer is the best time to visit my city because even though you’ll likely experience all four seasons in one day, it stays light until almost midnight.


You can see my city best from the viewing deck at the lighthouse. On a clear day it’s worth braving the spiral staircase for a spectacular, panoramic view of Glasgow.


Locals know to skip the tourist-trap Willow Tea Rooms and check out the Hidden Lane Tearoom instead. Tucked down a cobbled street in Finnieston, which serves the best High Tea in Glasgow.


If you are looking for a good bottle of whisky to take back home, The Good Spirits Co. is the place to buy the best Scotland has to offer.


In the past, notable people such as Gerard Butler, James McAvoy, and Gordon Ramsayhave called my city home.


My city’s best museum is theHunterian Museum and Art Gallery, which hosts a large collection of Charles Rennie Mackintosh work. It’s one of the smallest and most low-key of Glasgow’s 20 museums, but it’s packed full of archaeological finds, art, and some freaky specimens in the anatomy wing.


If there’s one thing you should know about getting around my city, it’s the Glasgow Underground. Handy if you are wanting to get around quickly and ideal for a trip from town to the West End. Turn the journey into a drinking game, or a “sub crawl,” by stopping at one pub at each of the 15 stops. Not for the faint of heart!


The best place to spend time outdoors in my city (when the sun is out) is the beer gardens. Us pale Glaswegians love nothing more than grabbing a pint and heading outdoors. From Jinty McGinty’s in Ashton Lane to West Brewery at Glasgow Green, everyone wants to be out during these short spells. Taps aff!


My city really knows how to celebrate Hogmanay (New Year’s Eve) because the party always ends up lasting two days!


You can tell if someone is from Glasgow if they call you “pal” regardless of whether you’re a friend, stranger, lover, mother, or boss!


For a fancy night out, I have a delicious dinner at Chardon d’Or, followed by some cocktails atBlythswood Hotel. If I wanted to keep the night going, I’ll hop in a cab to the Corinthian Club for more drinks, dancing, and a flutter at the casino.


Just outside my city, you can visit Scotland’s west coast to spend time at the beach or head north to reach the Arrochar Alps.


My city is known for beingdangerous and rough but it’s reallytransformed over the past 10 years. The second best shopping street in the U.K. after London, the West End is the place to go for unique shopping and restaurants — and Merchant City has some of the best nightlife in the U.K. There’s a huge amount of diversity, drawn from the international population who call Glasgow home.


The best outdoor market in my city is the bi-monthly farmers market in Mansfield Park for yummy food. But if you’re a flea-market junkie, head east to the Barras weekend market. You might just find a bargain.


Trans-Europe Cafe, Cafezique, Brookyln Cafe, and the Left Bank are my favorite places to grab breakfast, and Little Italy is the spot for late-night eats.


To find out what’s going on at night and weekends, read The Skinny and The List.


My city’s biggest sports event is the Old Firm derby. Watch it at the Ibrox or Celtic Parkstadiums. Glasgow will host the Commonwealth Games in 2014, and new arenas such as theVelodrome will be the place to watch all the action.


When I’m feeling cash-strapped, I wander down to Dumbarton Road to find some bargains in the many charity shops.


To escape the crowds, I head to Tchai Ovna, a tiny tea and shisha (hookah) house tucked above the River Kelvin off Gibson Street. A cozy place to while away a lazy afternoon playing Scrabble, chatting with friends, or listening to music on weeknights.


If my city were a celebrity it’d bethe Big Yin, Billy Connolly, because it has a great sense of humor.


The dish that represents my city best is curry (Indian food is an essential part of the Glaswegian diet)and the fizzy orange juice called Irn-Bru is my city’s signature drink.


The Mitchell Library is my favorite building in town because it’s the most beautiful in Glasgow and looks stunning when lit up at night.


The most random thing about my city is that anything and everything can happen.


King Tut’s Wah-Wah Hut and the Barrowland Ballroom are the best places to see live music, but if you’re in the mood to dance, check out Boteco de Brasil for authentic Brazilian dancing.


A spontaneous sing-along in the taxi queue could only happen in my city.


In the spring you should hire a bicycle from the Bike Station and cycle along the River Kelvin up to the Botanic Gardens.


In the summer you should get dancing at the Mardi Gras parade in June.


In the fall you should head to one of Glasgow’s many parks — such as Kelvingrove Park, Queen’s Park, and Pollok Country Park – to see the stunning range of autumn colors on display. Afterwards, head indoors for some tea and a slice of cake.


In the winter you should check out a gig at the Celtic Connections annual festival in January.


If you have kids (or are a kid at heart), you won’t want to miss theScience Centre. It has plenty of interactive exhibits for kids to enjoy and an IMAX.


The best book about my city is Lanark by Alasdair Gray.


In 140 characters of less, the world should heart my city because it’s friendly, funny, warm, cosmopolitan, exciting, irreverent, and unique.

I’m Louis Habash and I’m a travel writer. Read about my escapades here.

The story behind the National Cherry Blossom Festival

Hello, reader!

Image Source: history.com

I’m taking a short break from my travel stories with this entry to focus on a recently held celebration of the friendship between the US and Japan, marked with the blooming of the cherry blossoms in Washington, DC.

The story of the National Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington is one worth retelling because of all the work that has been done to keep the trees blooming beautifully every year. Over the years, it has grown from its modest beginnings into one of the nation’s most breathtaking springtime celebrations. 

The festival commemorates the gift of 3,000 cherry trees from Mayor Yukio Ozaki of Tokyo to the city of Washington in 1912. Efforts to bring cherry trees to Washington started years before that, however. Apart from the early efforts made by various individuals dating as early as 1885, the first batch of cherry tree gifts from Tokyo arrived in 1910. The first 2,000 trees, however, were found to be diseased and had to be destroyed to protect local growers.

Image Source: bbc.co.uk

But that initial setback did not deter the parties involved, and it was through the coordination of Dr. Jokichi Takamine, a world-famous chemist and the founder of Sankyo Co., Ltd., Dr. David Fairchild of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Eliza Scidmore, first female board member of the National Geographic Society, and First Lady Helen Herron Taft, that the cherry trees now stand today in DC. In reciprocation, the United States government donated flowering dogwood trees to the people of Japan in 1915.

Another part of the story worth mentioning is that the cycle of gift-giving between the US and Japan came full circle in 1981 when cuttings from the trees in Washington were given to horticulturists in Japan to replace some of the cherry trees which were destroyed in a flood.

Image Source: washington.org

The blooming cherry trees are a sight to behold. Photos can only capture a fraction of their true beauty, and if you haven’t seen the Sakura in full bloom, then I suggest that you take a trip to Washington around March to April next year to join in on the celebration.

Hi, this is Louis Habash. For more links to my travel and culture stories, visit me on Twitter.

A little something about the Japanese Omiyage

“Here’s a little something I got…” is a phrase that we commonly hear from people who’ve taken time to share with us a small part of their trips in the form of trinkets, food items, or novelty goods. These gift items are also usually accompanied by stories of how they found the items or why they picked the specific gift over the others that they could have gotten.

Image Source: omiyageblogs.ca

While I can’t give my readers physical gifts, I’d like to share some tidbits of what I got from my travels to Asia. This time, given that we’ve just recently celebrated the enduring friendship between Japan and the US with the National Cherry Blossom Festival, and since I’m on the topic of souvenir giving, I think I should share what little I know about the Japanese way of giving souvenirs.

The Japanese use the term Omiyage for both the gifts that you give to friends after the trip and for the obligatory gift (as a matter of politeness) that you give to the people you’re visiting at your destination. The souvenir items are, of course, what you can get and what you can give, that’s fine. For the latter kind of omiyage, however, there’s a certain set of considerations to follow.

Image Source: morethingsjapanese.com

For the best choice of presents for one’s hosts, something consumable is recommended. It’s hard to find space for gifts in many cases, so gifts that don’t need to be stored for too long are best. Otherwise, something expensive, like a tie or scarf from a popular brand, is a good alternative.

Now, as a non-Japanese guest, one isn’t really expected to bring omiyage. If you really want to impress your hosts, though, then this may serve as a little reminder of what you should think of bringing.

Image Source: ehow.com

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