Where might you find the tomb of Genghis Khan? Ask Explorers Club President Alan Nichols. With a smirk, he’ll say he thinks he has identified its exact coordinates, which researchers have struggled to locate for centuries. That doesn’t mean, however, that he’ll tell you where the Mongol emperor lies.
Under what circumstances would a man in a green plaid skirt carrying bag pipes point and laugh at you? Saint Patrick’s Day, Times Square, three p.m: I’m covered in smears of rainbow paint from my shoes up to my eyelashes, my face akin a Papua New Guinea tribe leader. Everyone in green doesn’t seem to get it; even a twenty-something wearing a chartreuse dragon suit turns to gawk at me, mystified. But then across the street someone exits a pub, spots me, and cheers, “Happy Holi!” as they stumble off the curb and grip their friend’s shamrock t-shirt …
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Photo by: David Joshua Ford
My lungs compressed, took in a suffocating cloud of color, searched for relief. None found. My heart raced. Eyes closed, I reach my hands out for balance, but nearly fell to my knees as a fist of blue paint collided with my face. Laughter. Coughing. Haze. When the cloud cleared, I opened my eyes and six people likewise painted in brilliant streaks pulled me in for a photo. Happy Holi!! They shouted. And walked away.
Holi, India’s most colorful festival, is both sobering and intoxicating: you feel like a child playing in neon paints and chalks, but don’t recover from vertigo until days later. My hair is still dyed blue. The exciting fact is that you don’t have to fly all the way to India to have these types of experiences.
On a recent commitment to learn about the world through New York City’s international population, I’ve enlisted myself to experience facets of culture like Holi, the Hinduist celebration of Spring’s arrival.
To read more about Indian culture in New York City, check out the Huffington Post or National Geographic Traveler. Just some advice. Should you ever practice Holi, arm yourself. Bring a bandana to breath through, goggles to see through, and coat your hair in either coconut or olive oil to prevent color absorption. Oh, and have fun!
Photo by David Joshua Ford
Been wondering what Wanderfly’s been up to? We’ve been working behind the scenes to up-the-ante on the site and make it more social. Now, you can use this snazzy travel tool to connect with expert curators, industry brands such as Frommer’s, and other travelers like you.
Step #1: Log in and create a profile
Step #2: Recommend your favorite travel sites and activities in places you’ve been. I, for example, loved rollerblading at Parque Tres de Febrero in Buenos Aires. Did you know you can rent skates along the lake for super cheap?
Step #3: Make friends and get personalized travel ideas that fit your interests. This I find super nifty because you don’t have to read through thousands of travel websites where the content is always broad and always the same. Wanderfly suits travelers like me who enjoy hanging with locals and venturing off the beaten path because we can share secrets amongst each other.
Step #4: Selfish plug … follow me!! I just spent the last few months uploading personal recommendations from around the world that I want to share with you and I’d love your feedback. Let’s get inspired together!
On April 10, 1912, John Brescio’s grandfather boarded the Titanic with forged embarkation documents to come to America for the first time. Before setting sail, however, authorities kicked him off the ship. Though he was furious at the moment, he managed to make it to New York City on another boat. Alive.
Arriving with just as much folklórico dancing as fanfare, Santa Barbara, California’s Old Spanish Days Fiesta will be in full swing over the next few days, and kicks off today on the steps of the historic Old Mission. This year’s theme: Viva La Comunidad, or long live the community! Click here to continue reading
This post is part of an ongoing series for National Geographic Traveler that’s about exploring New York City through an international lens. Each write-up tells the story of someone impacted by the featured country and gives you ways to explore this place without leaving the city. Click here to read.
At the foothills of the Andes in northwestern Argentina, you can hear horse hooves pounding against the dirt: Gauchos racing through the underbrush to herd cattle, tearing up the earth at rodeos, breaking beastly stallions. While Argentine cowboys inhabit the entire country — concentrated in areas around Buenos Aires and in Patagonia — Salta is the land of Los Gauchos de Güemes: a group of wild men who carry on the tradition of wars fought here long ago.
On the corner of Broome and Crosby in SoHo, a quiet sanctuary celebrates one of India’s spiritual traditions: the Broome Street Hindu Temple. Inside, the community recites the Bhagavad Gita, practices pujas, meditates, connects with the divine. Days after September 11, Eddie Stern opened the temple, which began as a yoga studio the year before. When the Twin Towers fell, it became a refuge to pray for hope amidst the ash-covered streets of lower Manhattan, and it has certainly been a place of transformation for Stern himself …
According to the Chinese lunisolar calendar, this year’s animal zodiac sign, the dragon, represents power, strength and wisdom.
Chinese New Year festivities continue are going on around the world this week and will conclude February 6 with the Lantern Festival. In Manhattan’s China Town, dragons are parading through the streets and hundreds of people are visiting Buddhist temples to pray for good fortune. Across the world, others do the same.