What We Loved This Week: Disco Papa, Oregon Trail and ‘Ghost Wars’

Travel Blog  •  World Hum  •  02.06.09 | 4:08 PM ET

Our contributors share a favorite travel-related experience from the past seven days.

Michael Yessis
A touching and hilarious story by Karen Russell, who took her 85-year-old grandfather—Disco Papa—to a cruise ship nightclub.

Rob Verger
I loved the snow in New York City on Tuesday. I watched it falling steadily from inside all day, and then late in the afternoon I stepped outside into next-door Sakura Park and snapped this picture:

sakura park

Joanna Kakissis
I’m reading “Ghost Wars: The Secret History of the CIA, Afghanistan, and Bin Laden, from the Soviet Invasion to September 10, 2001” by Steve Coll. In addition to exploring foreign policy blunders (and the U.S. made many of them), the Pulitzer-Prize-winning book also offers rich portraits of Afghanistan and Pakistan, two countries I’ve always wanted to experience.

Eva Holland
Last weekend I had the chance to watch the Chinese New Year parade in Manhattan’s Chinatown. I was a little surprised to see the number of insurance companies (and fast food chains) represented, but still loved
being there in the crowd, listening to the sounds of the parade going by and occasionally having glitter and silly string rain down on me.

dragons, chinatown, new year

Valerie Conners
Discovering the original, old-school version of Oregon Trail online. This has been the ultimate find, and is serving well as a procrastination tool for my Friday afternoon. It’s a trek back to 1985, my Apple IIC computer, the days of uber-pixelated screens and what was, perhaps, my very first yen for road tripping.

Jim Benning
Another great World Hum gathering in New York City. Lolita Bar’s basement was packed last night with readers, writers and travelers tossing back drinks and talking trips. It culminated in a late dinner, replete with duck tongue and rice porridge, at Congee Village. Thanks to all who came out.

Tags: Media Addict, Shameless Self-Promotion, What We Loved This Week, Asia, Afghanistan, North America, United States, New York, New York City, News and Briefs


2 Comments for What We Loved This Week: Disco Papa, Oregon Trail and ‘Ghost Wars’

Kelly 02.06.09 | 9:05 PM ET

Rob - love that photo of my favorite park that nobody knows about (well, except you…and a few others maybe :) I love Sakura, esp. when the cherry blossoms bloom…but this is beautiful shot.

Congrats to all of you on the redesign, sorry that my cold kept me from coming out to celebrate with you.

Rob Verger 02.07.09 | 2:06 PM ET

Thanks, Kelly! I love that park too. Feel better soon!

Commenting is not available in this weblog entry.