Travel Fun programs welcomes the following guest:

Seth Berg, local Tellurider and Colorado Teacher of the Year, will be in the studio to talk about his passion for travel journaling. Seth has made use of his school vacations to travel the world; each trip has been colorfully documented in your standard Mead composition notebook, just the kind that most everyone remembers from school. "They're not very carefully done," Seth admits. "I just want to throw the artifacts in, write a page, and capture the day." Seth is, however, very disciplined about his account of his travels since he writes a page a day. "Writing without a computer takes a level of commitment that none of us are used to," Seth says. "If you just start writing, it will flow." The end result is fresh, spontaneous, highly descriptive, and quite grammatically correct. No wonder he was voted Colorado Teacher of the Year! Seth insists that we all can create such lasting memories, glittering works of art that might perhaps be treasured for 100 years, the presumed life span of the Mead notebooks. "I like having a project on vacation," Seth explains. "I like to maximize the feeling that I did productive work while away." For those of you lucky enough to be in Telluride, Seth invites you to stop him on the street for more sharing on his travel journaling. He also has been kind enough to provide the below hints, many of which he acquired from a travel journaling course he took at The Smithsonian.

Travel Journaling Tips from Seth Berg
-Bring scissors, glue, and colored paper with you (along with your notebooks) on your travels. This encourages you to work while you're away. Otherwise, your travel journaling might turn into a project that you never manage to accomplish once you've returned home.
-Work as quickly as possible. Do catch-up work from time to time that summarizes some of what you've experienced. Seth likes to write lists about such things as bird life, foreign language phrases, theater notes, or whatever else stands out in his mind. "Your memory only scratches the surface on the first draft," Seth says. So it's nice to create opportunities to add more to your journals before your trip comes to an end.
-Journal to preserve your mental health and sanity. Seth vents a lot about travel woes in his journal and tries to turn unfortunate happenings into humor.
-Consider writing on one page and gluing in artifacts such as restaurant cards, postcards, bits of favorite text, and photos on the opposite page. Create a fold-out method for larger items such as maps or brochures. You can also glue in envelopes to hold special mementos.
-Choose interesting backgrounds such as wrapping paper from the visiting country to set the mood for your tiny collectibles. And don't worry about water drops (perhaps from the splash of the river cruise) or coffee stains---those kinds of things only add to the charm.

Suggested Reading
The Art of Travel, by Alain de Botton. Seth likes this book because it helps you to find ways to capture your feelings in drawings and word poems while traveling. "It also shows how to feel more alive when on vacation and promotes bringing that feeling home," Seth says.

My Special Recommendation
The feedback from my last program on dining in Paris was great and it once again proved that Americans' love for this extraordinary city is undying. I recently discovered a way to obtain your own little piece of the City of Light, a dream that many share. Fractional ownership from Telluride to Paris has become much more than a trend in recent years. It's now a way of life that offers many advantages including your own little chez toi, solid investment opportunities, and no worries about maintenance. Go to www.fractionalparis.com to read about how you can acquire your piece of a luxurious pied à terre in the Marais, one of the most historic districts of Paris. It even comes graced with a terrace, perfect for café au lait and croissants in the morning or an apéritif with friends later in the day.

Alexander Lobrano, European Correspondent for Gourmet Magazine and author of the newly-released book, Hungry for Paris, will be on the phone from Paris chatting about how he became so passionate about food and the City of Light. You'll discover by tuning in (and by reading Alec's book) that he's a good storyteller in addition to furnishing up-to-the-minute information on the Paris culinary scene. With so much available on the Internet, Alec made doubly sure that he'd provide an excellent read in Hungry for Paris, his first endeavor in the book world. "I wanted to paint a portrait of Paris through its restaurants," says Alec. That's exactly what he accomplished in this charming companion for food lovers, a delight for all kinds of gourmands, whether traveling to Paris or not. Check out a preview of it at www.hungryforparis.com. There you'll also find regular postings by Alec, including rants and raves about the dining scene in America. (He experienced a good number of restaurants during his recent twenty-city book tour across the U.S., many worth noting.)

Dining Tips for Americans in France According to Alec Lobrano
Although Americans are typically very polite in France and strive to fit in, it's important to consider certain differences in the dining habits of the French and Americans. Taking note of them will enhance your visit to France.

-"In the U.S. the customer is king whereas special requests are not appreciated in France," Alec says. "The French are reverent when it comes to the work of the chef, so they're humble when they come to the table." In our interview, Alec talks about how Americans should best refrain from asking for the sauce on the side and other such personalized preparations. Here's my most astonishing experience of this order: I once was refused a steak in one of my favorite bistrots in Paris because I wanted it cooked medium rare. Mais non! The chef would only prepare that cut of meat rare.

-"There's a traditional script to a meal in France, so it's frowned upon to order an appetizer item as a main course," Alec points out. Americans particularly love to do this with salads during warm weather in France, a faux pas that sometimes works the French up into a lather that's best to avoid.

-When it comes to dining out in Paris, Alec feels that it's easy to stretch your dollar. "After my recent trip to the U.S., I'm even more convinced that you can get a better meal in Paris for an average of $35. to $40. per person." Alec recommends experiencing restaurants in the double-digit arrondissements (neighborhoods) of Paris which are less tourist-trodden. It's also a good idea to have your major meal at lunch when there's often a set price menu.

A Few of Alec's Favorites in Paris
Au Vieux Chène-a charming bistrot in the 11th arrondissement. Alec says they offer a lunch menu (including wine, coffee, and gratuity!) for 14 euros, or $22. at today's exchange. Since the 11th is a bit out of the way, I recommend you incorporate a tour around the Bastille, Canal Saint-Martin, or Viaduc des Arts if you go to this eastern part of Paris.
Casa Olympe-a rather interesting restaurant in the 9th arrondissement, run by Olympe Versini, one of Paris's best female chefs. "Women are really shaking up the Old Guard in Paris these days," says Alec.
And for a real splurge, Alec recommends Alain Ducasse at Hôtel Plaza Athénée, along the glorious avenue Montaigne, and L'Astrance where Chef Pascal Barbot has created a cuisine blooming with Asian inspirations in his restaurant in the 16th arrondissement. At both, the dining and service are superb and the ambiance is extraordinary. For me, experiencing one of these kinds of establishments is like going to the theater and enjoying an exquisite meal all in the same setting. Alec discourages visitors from attending such a feast right off. "It's best to be well rested," he says. And be sure to allocate plenty of time for the occasion. "When the French go to these restaurants, it's the event for the whole day," he adds.

-Dennis Huis, one of our top ski instructors, will soon be turning in his ski gear for his cowboy duds as he prepares himself for another summer guiding horseback expeditions and pack trips into the glorious Weminuche Wilderness just outside of Durango, Colorado. Dennis is embarking upon his eighth season with Over the Hill Outfitters where he serves as guide, wrangler, and cook on nearly week-long adventures that lead people into some of the most pristine parts of the Rocky Mountains. Dennis explained to me that serving as a pack trip guide is not dissimilar to being a ski instructor. "With both it's important to make people feel at home, safe, comfortable, and like they're on an adventure. This is what I do whether I'm cruising with my clients down Sundance or Kant Make 'em or scrambling over rocks on a horse," Dennis says. And just like with people on a ski vacation, it often takes the campers a couple of days to relax, fully embrace the mountains, and not pay so much attention to time. "For many, it's hard for them to get used to no schedule and to just take in the scenery," Dennis says. Roughing it for some might be more about finding themselves without cell phone coverage, T.V., or radio rather than sleeping on cots with cushy pads in big tents. It sounds like they eat pretty well out on the trail as well and Dennis prides himself on his fresh baked pies and biscuits. Not quite glamping (glamorous camping), but pretty darn comfy nonetheless. Go to www.overthehilloutfitters.com to learn more. And if you do reserve a trip, start collecting stories to share fireside or over great cowboy coffee in the cook tent. It sounds as though the art of storytelling and conversation is alive and well in the backwoods of Colorado.

-Elisabeth Gick celebrated a milestone birthday last fall with a four-week trip to Nepal and Tibet. She will be chatting about the Tibet portion of her travels today and will also be sharing her impressions on the current conflicts in this glorious, yet troubled, land. With an average elevation of 14,000 feet (we're at 8,500 feet here in T-ride), Elisabeth trained considerably to be in shape for the treks that were to be such an integral part of her trip. (One trek took her and her small group as high as 18,000 feet.) In our interview, Elisabeth waxes about the stunning landscapes of this largely treeless land. She visited in October and although the color was predominantly brown, more than a 1,000 shades of this earthy hue were revealed to her across the hills, valleys, and peaks, each highlighted by often changing weather that typically included a wondrous interplay of sun, snow, and clouds. The art of Tibet also greatly impressed Elisabeth, a world traveler. "The majority of it---from monasteries to shrines---is in the service of the Buddhist belief," she says. Elisabeth also found the Tibetan people to be very beautiful inside and out. "Their jewelry and clothing is lovely...and they have these incredible smiles," Elisabeth says. Most of the women braid their hair into 108 (a sacred number) braids, many of which are finished off with a piece of turquoise or coral. The whole four-week trip proved to be quite affordable, ringing in at $3,100. (not including airfare over there). Elisabeth's arrangements were made by www.sunnytravel.com.np, a Nepalese agency that she found to be the best. She also recommends you look into www.wildernesstravels.com and www.highasia.com, two U.S.-based agencies, the latter of which specializes in trekking, mountain biking, and rafting in Tibet. It's best to join an organized tour when traveling to Tibet, otherwise you have to obtain a ridiculous amount of visas once there on an almost daily basis. Travel these days is extremely restricted although Elisabeth is hoping it will free up in the upcoming months. She is, in fact, planning to return to Tibet this fall.

Helping the People of Tibet, According to Elisabeth Gick
Already last fall, Elisabeth witnessed many signs of oppression by the Chinese on the Tibetan people. "It was a very emotional trip," Elisabeth says. "It (the Chinese oppression) is with you all the time." Elisabeth felt very uncomfortable by the presence of uniformed Chinese guards all over, but despite this, she feels that it's important we go to Tibet to embrace the Tibetan culture and so that they feel our moral support. (Be careful, however, not to enter the country with an image of the Dalai Lama---not even in a guidebook---or else you'll find yourself in big trouble.)

Up until this March, the Tibetans supposedly enjoyed some freedom to practice their religion although much of that has changed, Elisabeth explains. She witnessed many people on pilgrimage, a very important practice among the Tibetans. But she also saw Tibetans herded through the Jokhang Temple, one of the most important in Lhasa, at an almost running step after having waiting in line for hours. In startling contrast, visitors were allowed to look about at a leisurely pace.

"The Chinese like our tourist dollars too much not to let us come in," Elisabeth says. "They are torn between greed and hunger for power," she continues. "The Chinese don't like to lose face and they are losing face right now."

Elisabeth encourages us to sign petitions and send good thoughts to the Tibetan people. "This is a chance for change," she says. The following Web sites will help you to make a difference:

www.savetibet.org
www.tibetanwomen.org
www.tibet.ca
www.dalailama.com

"They are a peaceful people and war is no alternative," Elisabeth reminds us regarding the Tibetans.

Suggested Reading
Dennis recommends Tomboy Bride by Harriet Fish Backus, a book that relates life in and around the Colorado mines back in the latter part of the eighteenth century. "We visit a lot of the old mining country in our expeditions," Dennis says.
Elisabeth's personal favorite for Tibet is A Strange Liberation, by David Patt.

My Special Recommendation
I featured Glenwood Springs, Colorado in my last show and newsletter. Please note a correction in the link for special lodging deals in Glenwood this spring; it is www.springsthaw.com. I recommend you line up your soak there or at your nearest hot springs (or bath tub!) rather quickly. It's a great way to overcome the soreness and fatigue of the ski season (or just the winter months in general) and to emerge rested and relaxed.