Feasting in Lyon

Jeffrey Tayler feared he would never feel as intoxicated with the sense of discovery as he once did. But something clicked when he set foot in France’s third-largest city.

Visit Myanmar—That’s an Order

Travel to Myanmar has slowed to a trickle. But a decade ago, with great fanfare, the government launched a new tourism campaign. Stephen Brookes, then Rangoon bureau chief for Asia Times, remembers its bizarre launch ceremony.

New Addition to the Travel Lexicon: ‘Vagabond Neurosis’

World Hum’s Most Read: Oct. 4-10

What We Loved This Week: Bajofondo, Rattlesnake Cake and Leaf Peeping

Travel Headline of the Day: ‘Fear Grips Global Stock Markets’

Love Herring in Sweden

From artery-clogging casseroles to a fermented concoction that smells alarmingly like vinegary flatulence, Lola Akinmade digs in to a smörgåsbord of herring and explains how to best appreciate Scandinavia’s favorite fish. 

The Water Is Wide

Bronwen Dickey considers Tim Butcher’s “Blood River: A Journey to Africa’s Broken Heart,” which takes readers deep into the Congo

Vagrant Ruminations of a Compulsive Traveler

Where does the urge to hunt for that “fleeting fix of elsewhere” come from? Peter Wortsman recalls a life of travel inspiration. 

Rolf Potts: Revelations from a Postmodern Travel Writer

His new book “Marco Polo Didn’t Go There” includes his best stories from the past 10 years. Michael Yessis asks him how travel writing has changed in the last decade—and what he sees for the future.

Notes From an Unofficial Tourist Greeter

Summer is over, and so is Julia Ross‘ season as an ambassador to travelers in Washington, D.C.’s Woodley Park neighborhood. She’s happy to be off duty.

10 Great Travel Race Movies

Slow travel is well and good. But there’s something irresistible about a great travel race movie. World Hum Travel Movie Clubbers Eva Holland and Eli Ellison share their favorite vicarious thrill rides.

How Should I Spend My Time in Spain?

Vagabonding traveler Rolf Potts answers your questions about travel

TSA Deploys ‘Behavior Detection Officers’ at U.S. Airports

Um… They’re going to find a lot of people displaying signs of disgust at security checkpoints these days. Are “micro-expressions” going to be considered grounds for arrest or even a search warrant?

Eva, the story says “A passenger who arouses suspicion, whether by micro-expressions, social interaction or body language gets subtle but more serious scrutiny.” An officer may then “refer” a passenger to law enforcement officials. The quotes around refer are the writer’s, so I assume she wasn’t quite sure where this all can lead, either.

I don’t mind a more secure flight but sometimes I’m not happy and a little anti-social after a couple days with no sleep on a plane. I think a highly trained terrorist will likely have a poker-face. Maybe a “poker-face” detector is a better idea?

This is a great idea.Israel is doing something similar and they know a thing or two about terrorism.Remember this is another layer of defense to help keep everyone safe.It is very proactive aproach and passengers should welcome it.

I do appreciate the hard work that Mr. Chertoff is doin on our behalf, but this system seems just a bit too lenient on the prespective criminals.  SInce we already know the patterns to recognize, why would we not have a shoot on sight policy?  We could also have remote controlled rail guns installed throughout the airport so that senior DHS officials could be able to carry out the appropriate security measures remotely.  I have heard that many officers may not obey commands against their countrymen and remote DHS accountability would allow someone like Mr. Chertoff to execute terrorists on sight.  This would be the only way people could really feel safe again and should be funded ASAP or the enemy wins.

We need to protect our liberties and the government is just too slow implementing appropriate technology to guarantee our safety.  It is shameful.

I could see this as a huge benefit, much like the zero-tolerance policy enfored in New York. People will always complain and whinge, but at the end of the day the policy worked. Can’t see no difference here.