Travel Picks of the Week - 02/01/08

February 1, 2008

Photo: Flickr/Bernardcairo

February is here and cultures around the world are breaking into parties, parades, music and dance to celebrate the carnival season. Linked to merrymaking and feasting just before Lent (the Christian season of prayers and fasting), carnivals are wild, colorful and brimming with richness of folk culture. Here is a slide show of World Party: Carnival Around the Globe from MSN.

Olivia Giovetti shares the list of books that fueled her travel addiction and kept her involved during her travels at Vagabondish’s The 5 Must-Read Books That Fed My Travel Addiction. Olivia Giovetti is also the winner of Traveling Stories Magazine’s first writing contest (read her entry here).

Not all books related to travel are created equal. There are those you must not leave home without, and some best left there. Dated information and exaggerated travel warnings create misperceptions about countries to be visited. Ubertramp has suggestions for finding up to date information while offering 3 Good Reasons to Burn your Guidebook.

Pikeo Blog is holding a photo contest in partnership with PHOTO magazine. The contest is open to all and the subject is ‘Travel Portraits’. Send in your entries by March 10th.

Have a great traveling story just waiting to be told? Enter our Traveling Stories Magazine writing contest by checking out the details at:
http://www.traveling-stories-magazine.com/travel-writing-contest-win-150-cash-prize/
Everyone has at least a few stories!

And if you are in the mood for a pop quiz, here is San Francisco Chronicle’s Annual Geo-Quiz. Get to know the facts about our fascinating world! (Answers provided at the end of the article).

Francis Bacon, philosopher, writer and world traveler expressed his thoughts on travel in his essay Of Travel. Rolf Potts repackages the 17th century wisdom for relevance in the 21st century in 10 Sizzling Hot Travel Tips From Sir Francis Bacon. Bacon’s original essay Of Travel is here.