Destination: Brazil

Flags of the World—Made From Food

These ads for the Sydney International Food Festival are stunning. Right now, this one is my favorite:

(Via Coudal)


The Critics: ‘Fordlandia’

Greg Grandin’s new book, Fordlandia: The Rise and Fall of Henry Ford’s Forgotten Jungle City, analyzes the surprising history behind the brilliant car mogul’s disastrous attempts to transplant the American way of life into a remote Amazonian village. Ford is credited as the father of America’s consumer culture, but his utopian plans to capitalize on new sources of rubber resulted in one of the greatest failures of his distinguished career. The critics are chiming in on the man behind the story and the modern day implications of exporting Americanism.

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Rising Fuel Prices, the Paris Air Show and More

Rising Fuel Prices, the Paris Air Show and More Photo by Clinton Steeds, via Flickr (Creative Commons)
Photo by Clinton Steeds, via Flickr (Creative Commons)

What’s the fuel bill to fly a 757-200 across the country, from New York to Los Angeles?

About $21,600.

That, at least, was the cost of the fuel burned on a recent transcontinental Delta flight I was on, according to the flight’s captain. Out of 7,500 gallons of fuel on board, we burned about 6,760 gallons.

Clearly, the price of fuel is hugely important for airlines. And rising prices aren’t helping.

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Seven Images to Inspire Wanderlust: From Nicaragua to New Delhi

Cerro Negro volcano, Leon City, Nicaragua REUTERS

Indulge your armchair traveler with seven wanderlust-inspiring travel photos from around the world

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Cheap Tickets to Hawaii, Costa Rica and More

Cheap Tickets to Hawaii, Costa Rica and More Photo by bobster855 via Flickr (Creative Commons)
Photo by bobster855 via Flickr (Creative Commons)

Every few weeks here, I round up some of the best air travel deals I can find.

Want to visit the Pacific? Alaska Airlines has an insanely good deal to Hawaii. They are advertising $169 one-way fares from Seattle, Washington or Portland, Oregon. You need to buy your tickets before June 3, and you must travel between July 3 and September 30. If you play your cards right, you can fly to Hawaii and back for a total of about $360 after taxes and fees, round trip.

Also, Air Tahiti Nui is advertising round-trip fares, after taxes and fees, of about $731 between Los Angeles and Tahiti, but it’s for a maximum stay of four days only.

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Can Eco-Travelers Save the World’s Rainforests?

Can Eco-Travelers Save the World’s Rainforests? Photo by leszekwasilewski via Flickr (Creative Commons)
Photo by leszekwasilewski via Flickr (Creative Commons)

I’ve been thinking about this question since I saw a public awareness video released on YouTube by Prince Charles’s Rainforests Project. His Royal Highness rightly points out that climate change is the “greatest threat facing mankind” and that deforestation worsens global warming. (Burning trees releases their stored CO2.) At home, we can buy coffee tables and cabinetry made from sustainable wood. But what can we do when we travel?


Eight Great Travel Stories of Serendipity and Kindness

Eight Great Travel Stories of Serendipity and Kindness Photo illustration by Jim Benning

To mark our eighth anniversary, we've collected eight favorite stories from our archives that show how one person, or one small act of kindness, can alter our sense of the world

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Brazilian Favelas, ‘Top Model’ Style

Brazilian Favelas, ‘Top Model’ Style Photo by .insanidades via Flickr (Creative Commons)
Photo by .insanidades via Flickr (Creative Commons)

It’s not often that my life as a travel media watcher and my life as an occasional (OK, OK—regular) viewer of “America’s Next Top Model” overlap. So imagine my surprise last night when this season’s crop of would-be models landed in a Sao Paulo favela for an “edgy” Carmen Miranda-inspired photo shoot. Needless to say, the segment didn’t have much in common with the tales of favela-based slum tourism that I’ve read in the past.

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Should My Black Friend and I Worry About Race While Traveling Overseas?

Vagabonding traveler Rolf Potts answers your questions about travel and the world

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Street Art: Sao Paulo Graffiti

Brazil's biggest city is famous for its graffiti. Rob Verger reveals 10 powerful images.

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Stranded in Sao Paulo

sao paolo REUTERS/Paulo Whitaker

During the chaos of a Sao Paulo airport workers' strike, Kevin Capp discovered an unlikely ally.

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In Riyadh, Ronaldo Trumps Paulo Coehlo

Brazilian officials who were in Riyadh for a festival intended to honor their country’s literary heritage found themselves fielding more questions about the beautiful game than about books, the Arab News reports. In fact, the Brazilian delegation wound up caving to demand and redecorating with football banners and photos of famous players.

Said one visitor: “The book fair has almost come to an end and I haven’t received any questions about Brazilian literature, or even the country’s general culture.” Hmm. Maybe it’s time for a rebranding campaign? (Via The Book Bench)


Slumming It: Can Slum Tourism Be Done Right?

Dharavi, Mumbai REUTERS/Punit Paranjpe

Global Positioning: On the intersection of place, politics and culture

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Interview With David Grann: ‘The Lost City of Z’

Frank Bures asks the author about exploring the Amazon, writing and the difference between real and faux quests

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A Traveler’s 10 Best Musical Discoveries

Contemplating and celebrating the world of travel

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