Our ambling rambler Linda Peterson tells us that a Vermont cosmopolitan named Carrie McDougall has made Cultural Crossroads into an award-winning travel site you cannot resist. Interestingly, a worldly newsletter also comes out of Vermont, as we remember, that puts food in a cultural setting: it’s called The Art of Eating. What she does is put together small (8 to 16 people) groups that take tours laden with interest and packed with behind-the-scenes experiences like private garden tours, delicious food, and wine gigs.. The trips look to be art and artifact heavy: presumably they attract a nice crowd of likeminded people. Special interest tours have great merit: our own gang at SpiceLines will be off to Southern India in 2008 to take in all aspects of the spice trade. We suppose the only problem inherent in such rare treats is that the traveler may miss popular fare, random encounters with local people, and exposure to the wider cadences of the country being visited. Cultural Crossroads, 20 Meadowcrest Lane-Barre, Vermont 05641. Telephone: (802) 479-7040. (1/16/08)

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Why travel with small group escorted tours?

Italy tours still are the most popular for international travel and the escorted Egyptian tours followed by travel to Turkey are where the US dollar is stretched the best. While many people enjoy traveling on their own, group travel, especially guided tours are becoming more popular. Having a group tour that is small in size provides more opportunities not available with larger groups. Whether is a private lunch and horse show put on by the Princess at the Royal Stables in Jordan, or a visit to a private villa on Lake Como in Italy while in being serenaded by a operatic tenor or a string quartet, or even a tour with the curator of a private art restoration at a chateaux in the Loire Valley, these exclusive experiences are not possible with large tour bus groups. 

Small group travel also provides intercultural connections on a more personal level.  On a past escorted Egyptian tour, our guide took us to a small family owned business.  There we met a father, two sons and a grandson working with copper and silver and tin, creating beautiful plates, coffee pots and more, all by hand and the tradition was passed on from generation to generation, begun by this fathers great-great-grandfather.  We went into a small nook in an area above the Bazaar in Cairo, which was only possible with a small group.  We were able to ask questions and learn how the craft was done, watch as they worked their skilled hands and observe this wonderful tradition.

A small escorted tour also means that the local guide can take the group into his or her favorite spots. Traveling with Cultural Crossroads this means enjoying dinner with locals in their favorite haunts or even their house, or touring fun spots such as a chocolate maker in Guatemala, a pastry maker in Sicily, a small family-owned truffle factory in Vermont, seeing how they are made and even tasting them; or having a private cooking class in Italy, Jordan or France.  We even dance with the local Laz people, the last Georgian tribe in Eastern Turkey.

I hope you’ll join us on one of our fun escorted tours and see for yourself.  And remember, a portion of our profits are donated to communities we visit.

Happy travels.

Carrie

Hello fellow travelers,

Being under the weather and a busy holiday season has put me behind on my blog, but I wanted to wish you all a Happy Holiday season and New Year too!

I hope that you will consider many of the fun small cultural trips we offer at www.culturalcrossroads.com. Enjoy the history and cultures of Egypt, Jordan and Turkey, the art in Spain, the wonderful food in Italy and France, chocolate and coffee in Guatemala, the jewels of Moscow and St. Petersburg in Russia and even the music and mountains of Vermont.

Looking forward to having you join us on these small gems.

Until then, I hope your New Year will hold many great adventures.

Cheers, Carrie

Happy Day after Thanksgiving everyone, and welcome to my blog.

I hope you all traveled safely wherever you were going to…For those of you who are saving your travels until the winter holidays, I wanted to provide you with some quick travel tips.

1.         Roll your clothes for fewer ceases and more space, or put in airtight travel

bags. 

2.         Pack two pairs of shoes, one for walking and a dress pair.

3.         Wash underwear and wring them out to dry over night.  Wash shirts and

            pants when necessary.

4.         Buy mix and match clothing. Black and white items such as tops, pants,

skirts and shoes.  Brighten them up adding a colorful belt, scarf and fun fake jewelry.  Buy wrinkle free clothes when possible.

5.         Pack a small umbrella and waterproof jacket, and a shawl for the airplane and cool nights.

6.         For the latest information on what you can and cannot take aboard your flight: www.tsa.gov

7.         For worldwide weather: www.weather.com

8.         For up-to-the-minute currency rates: www.xe.com

9.         To order foreign currency, travelers checks and global ATM cards: www.mtwna.com

10.       Copy all documents such as passport and credit cards to keep in your suitcase, putting the originals in a money belt or bag with steel or cabled straps.

11.       Keep all medicines with you in your carry-on and have written prescriptions to refill in an emergency.

12.       Make copies of all reservations, confirmations and contact numbers and keep them with you.

I will expound on these in future blogs, but these will give you some basic tips to think about.

 Here’s another tip.  If you are a person who plans ahead you will want to check out www.culturalcrossroads.com for a fun Valentines gift or adventure.  It’s called “From Plant to Palate: Coffee and Chocolate in Guatemala” (http://www.culturalcrossroads.com/destination.phpgo=desc&show=guatemala01&id=18)   Indulge your thirst for knowledge and your passion for coffee and chocolate on this 8-day cultural journey to Guatemala. Immerse yourself in the “coffee: from crop to cup” experience, learn how to make chocolate in a hands-on class and take a morning gastronomic market visit. You will have an opportunity to discuss and see the oldest recorded books in Guatemala on the subject of coffee and chocolate, hear the pros and cons of Fair Trade, and celebrate your journey with the Coffee & Chocolate inspired tasting menu created by Jose Luis of La Gastroteca. A feast for the senses! You will also be hosted for a wine and chocolate reception by the Director of the Museum of Modern Art in Guatemala City before having a private tour of the Museum. Stay in two 5 star hotels and a lovely 16 room hotel remodeled from a private residence that dates back 400 years and even has its own chapel. 

The tour is for 8-16 travelers only, so you can enjoy the company of others, or fill the trip with your friends and/or family.  Our small group size provides you with special opportunities and private access for unique cultural experiences.

A contribution will be made following your trip to the Maya Educational Foundation (MEF) to support educational activities in Central America and Mexico, including such programs that foster the study, preservation and understanding of Mayan culture; and to provide scholarship funds for underprivileged students of Mayan descent pursuing their education at secondary schools and universities in Central America and Mexico. Special consideration is given to women and girls and to Mayas from remote areas.

 Have a great Thanksgiving weekend.  We all have so much to be thankful for!Carrie

Welcome to my blog on Cultural Crossroads.

I hope to write often, answer any questions you have and also read some of your travel stories that you would like to share with me and other travelers. I would love to hear about any special cultural experiences you have had…from your interactions with local people, either planned or accidental, and any special visits you have had that have made the travel experience come alive. You are welcome to share your travel photos too.

I look forward to sharing the joys of travel with you.

Happy journeys,

Carrie