Archive for the ‘Learned something new today’ Category

Aussie Egg Mystery Solved

Aussie Egg Mystery Solved

Learned Something New Today … Why are eggs not found in the refrigerated part of the grocery store in Australia? This is a question I have wondered for years after looking for eggs in the refrigerated dairy section only to find them shelved next to the bread in grocery stores throughout Australia. I have asked […]

The Sauna

The Sauna

Learned something new today … There are many different traditions surrounding sweat baths all over the world. Most of the tradition around the modern day sauna comes from Finland, a country that has more saunas than cars! Why the new found knowledge about saunas? Stacy and I decided backpackers deserve pampering every once in a […]

The history of the meat raffle

The history of the meat raffle

Learned something new today … When Stacy and her friend Lawrence told me we were going to a meat raffle last night I said, “Okay – why not – but what exactly is a meat raffle?” A meat raffle is a tradition of raffling off meat, usually in a bar or pub, originating in Britain […]

Learned something new today …

Learned something new today …

Travel is the most experiential form of learning. Acquiring new information and perspectives on the road is perhaps the most rewarding part of travel for me. Whether it be a lesson in history, culture, people, or a random fact – I have learned so much more through experiencing the world first hand in comparison to […]

The Dutch Golden Age

The Dutch Golden Age

When traveling to new parts of the world I naturally find myself learning interesting facts about the place I am visiting. A continuing education of the history of the world is one of my favorite parts of traveling. During my recent visit to The Netherlands I learned about The Golden Age, a period in Dutch […]

What you may not know about The Netherlands…

What you may not know about The Netherlands…

Holland is not a country but represent two (North and South) of the “The Netherlands” twelve provinces. In the Netherlands it is common to greet people with three kisses. Example: Left cheek, right cheek, then left cheek again. One quarter of the Netherlands is below sea level. The Dutch are the tallest people in Europe. […]

Cambodia: The Genocide Years

Cambodia: The Genocide Years

The time I have spent in Cambodia combined with the knowledge I have learned about this country’s horrific history, has made me appreciate more than ever the opportunities, security, and quality of life I was granted being born in America. Cambodia has literally been to hell and back and continues to suffer today. As I […]

Plain of Jars & “The Secret War in Laos”

Plain of Jars & “The Secret War in Laos”

Most visitors come to the Xieng Khuang province to visit the mysterious Plain of Jars, a large group of historic cultural sites containing thousands of stone jars, which lie scattered throughout plain. *Archaeologists believe that the jars were used 1,500–2,000 years ago, by an ancient Mon-Khmer race whose culture is now totally unknown. Most of […]