What We Loved This Week: Eurovision Song Contest, Bryant Park and ‘Howling of Kittens’

Travel Blog  •  World Hum  •  05.30.08 | 3:39 PM ET

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

Joanna Kakissis
I love the Eurovision Song Contest. Yes, I’m ashamed that I love what is arguably the most ridiculous spectacle of song, dance and over-the-top antics (Finnish monsters spewing fire, Ukrainian drag queens in pointy bras, Russian women painted white and emerging from a piano). But I can’t help myself. It’s like a two-hour tour of the campiest, craziest side of every country in the region. The musicians were actually good this year, aside from the Azerbaijani duo, who sang like demonic cats. My vote went to Andy Abraham of the United Kingdom, who, alas, came in last. Here’s a clip from the finals last Saturday:

 

Eva Holland
Every time I visit New York, I range a little farther from the tourist heartland of Midtown. But no matter which neighborhoods I find myself exploring, I always come back again to Bryant Park. It’s maybe the furthest thing possible from an undiscovered gem, but it’s still my favorite place to sit in the sun and watch the city go by. This week, discovering that the park has its own wireless network—so I could not only sit and people-watch, but get some work done, too—was just gravy.

imageJim Benning
Public radio’s The World interviewed occasional travel writer and exceptional raconteur Simon Winchester about his new book, The Man Who Loved China. I enjoyed this web-only bit of audio, in which, among other highlights, Winchester explained how he came to rap on a rock radio station and even offers a brief demonstration.

Michael Yessis
Joan Acocella’s terrific New Yorker story about hangovers discusses various remedies around the world, as well as how different cultures describe the feeling of having a few drinks too many. Poles experience a “howling of kittens.” Salvadorans feel “made of rubber.” Her favorite description, and mine, too: Danes get “carpenters in the forehead.”

Frank Bures
I loved this viral video by Dennis Cass summing up nicely the plight of the writer trying to navigate the digital age. Having just put up my own site, while still mostly using pencil and paper, I can totally relate.

 

 

 

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2 Comments for What We Loved This Week: Eurovision Song Contest, Bryant Park and ‘Howling of Kittens’

Pickup 05.31.08 | 4:41 PM ET

good post.

Ling 06.02.08 | 5:59 AM ET

Speaking of Bryant Park, anyone here know who won the Valentine’s Day contest for the Chocolate Suite in the Bryant Park Hotel?

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