The Everywhere blog

Paris is launching yet another city-share system, but this time it's not bicycles they're letting tourists and locals borrow, it's electric cars! With rising gas prices and ongoing environmental concerns it may come as no surprise this European city is spearheading an effort to keep the environment clean with an eco-friendly way of getting around town. Autolib will have 4,000 electric vehicles at its disposal and will kick off early next year according to inhabitat.com.

As if the city hadn't impressed the world enough when they launched the entirely new, self-service bicycle transit system Mikael Colville-Andersen, wrote about in his article, The Birth of Parisian Bike Culture, the surprises just keep on coming! What's next? A self-service hovercraft for weekend getaways to Aix-en-Provence?

(Photo: Smart Car in Paris, from Flickr member thingermejig's photostream.) 

If you thought the proposal to build a hotel on Alcatraz was entertaining, you're in for quite a ride with the travel accommodation website unusualhotelsoftheworld.com.

Feeling nostalgic about that tree house you had as a kid? Consider booking a reservation at Woodpecker Hotel in Stockholm, Sweden where you'll have to climb a wobbly 43-foot high rope ladder to get to the hotel digs tucked away in the branches of a 130-year-old Oak tree.

Or better yet, if you've ever wondered what it might be like to spend the night in one those extraordinarily high harbor cranes, the Crane Hotel, an hour outside of Amsterdam, allows guests to sleep in the cockpit of a dockside loading crane. The view is apparently amazing... if you can handle the height. And while you might think that sewage pipes should be left to, well, sewage, Das Park Hotel in Austria will let you sleep in one, if you dare. Unusualhotelsoftheworld.com is a hotel guide that allows you to book reservations through the site, and if you're a true fan you can even buy the book!

Meanwhile, our Hotel Window theme is a perfect place to share your photos and stories about the places you stay during your travels. So bring them on!

Too bad Everywhere didn't exist in 2003. If I'd known there would eventually be the perfect home for the life-size bronze statue of Robert Wadlow, the tallest man in the world, when I drove past him in Alton, Illinois, I would have documented it better. But fortunately, we have plenty of noteworthy contributions from Everywhere members to our Roadside Attractions Theme, so Robert Wadlow can safely wait for the time being.

Take Stuck in a Rut for example. Posted by Everywhere member Wade Griffith, Cadillac Ranch is located in Amarillo, Texas, along the historic Route 66. This roadside attraction, which is actually an entire row of Cadillacs planted in the dirt, was built in 1974 and owned by Stanley Marsh, a millionaire who found his riches in the helium industry.

Also check out Street Chopper. Everywhere member, Pedro Dy-Liacco came across two barbers in Vietnam, and photographed them at work. While not the most typical surroundings of a barber, it's perfect for the Roadside Attractions Theme!

Tea Kettle Gas Station, pictured above, is another oddball attraction we love. Located in Zillah, Wash. This unconventional gas station is quite the site, and I bet they make a mean cup of tea!

Whether you're on a desolate highway during a road trip through the Midwest, or stuck in the middle of rush hour traffic in Tokyo, Roadside Attractions pop up when you least expect them! So document those funky things you find when you're on the road and don't forget to link them the Roadside Attractions Theme!

(Photo: Tea Kettle Gas Station, by Phillip Shaw.)

Since we announced our Issue 05 Themes, submissions from the Everywhere community have been coming in non-stop! Check out Mattia Vacca's travelogue. His candid pics of people in rural Vietnam are fantastic. And Henk Goossens' has blown us away with his mesmerizing shots of Vietnam's Ha Long Bay.

Also, take a look at Everywhere member Micah Wright's article, The Well-traveled Route of Vietnam, where he writes about traveling along Vietnam's eastern coast.

On the San Francisco front, we've also been thoroughly impressed with all the great stories and photos! Take Jon Carroll, for example. His travelogue is full of fantastic shots of the classic sights in the city, such as the Palace of Fine Arts, Chinatown, and Coit Tower. And Ricky Montalvo has been uploading some great people pics including, a couple of love birds on the Embarcadero, a trumpet player on Maiden Lane, and people kicking back at Dolores Park selling lemon bars.

A must read is Everywhere member Brian Hunziker's photo essay, A View to a Kill. Brian had the opportunity to tour the north tower of the Golden Gate Bridge and took some amazing photographs that give a perspective of the bridge you wouldn't normally see! Thanks for sharing Brian!

The steady stream of photos and stories has been a daily treat for all of us at Everywhere as we ramp up for Issue 05, so keep those contributions coming! For the run-down on how to contribute to these themes check out last week's Issue 05 blog post!

Everywhere Issue 03 has arrived! Yay! In this issue, we celebrate the idea that the journey is as important as the destination, profiling unique slow travel trips by river, road, and rail. We also join Everywhere members on a global quest to find the best destinations for art lovers. Plus, we check in with cool, casual Copenhagen, enjoy the hot nights and warm breezes of Miami, sample the best and worst of Asian Airline Meals, and select the ten ingredients that make a perfect city. All this and more!

Wanna check it out? You can flip through Issue 03 online here. Then, we're sure you'll want to either subscribe to Everywhere or sign up for a free trial issue to get a copy of the beeeautiful printed magazine delivered to your home.

The whole magazine online for free? Yep, we think once you see it on the computer screen, you'll want to get your hands on the real thing! So check it out, and if you like what you see, subscribe and get all best places, trips, travel photos, and stories delivered to you.

Sadly, the historic and cherished Yankee Stadium will close its doors at the end of the 2008 baseball season.  And we'd like to thank Everywhere member Mike Mostransky, for helping us and our community pay tribute and a fond farewell to this iconic stadium. Mike inspired loads of Everywhere contributors to upload baseball stadium pics from around the country, with his article Final Innings for Yankee Stadium.

The result has been a fantastic rush of amazing stadium shots from all over the place. And we couldn't have been happier! Thanks Mike!

Yankee stadium has been around for 86 years and will be turned into a museum. The new stadium, which will also be called Yankee Stadium, is in the process of being built right across the street and will have its grand opening in time for the 2009 season.

(Photo: Behind the Home Plate by Mark Rosal)

She's only been a member for two weeks, but Loree McComb has quickly caught on to what being an Everywhere member is all about! Hailing from New Mexico, Loree is a self-proclaimed amateur photographer, who says she felt an immediate connection with the places and people that are photographed and posted by the Everywhere community. Since she decided to join our ranks, she's diligently submitted a wide range of photos, such as entertaining roadside billboards in New Mexico, and off-kilter residential stretches in the United Kingdom.

We couldn't be more pleased! Loree contributes a nice mix of landscape and object-focused photography that gives a well-rounded perspective of her travel destinations. From race cars to half-sunken dilapidating boats, Loree's photos tell a great story. And that's what Everywhere is all about. We love hearing about all those things and people that make the places you visit so remarkable.

In the pic above, a group of workers prepare a hot air balloon for flight in Albuquerque, N.M. Another favorite is when the balloons take flight in Loree's pic, Just Above the Fog, where three multi-colored balloons make a slow rise as Loree shot away from her patio.

Loree just headed out to Arctic Norway for a polar bear tour with National Geographic. Not bad, huh? Luckily for us, she's promised to submit pics from her dream vacation for us to salivate over when she gets back. Stay tuned for more!

(Photo: Preparation for Flight, by Loree McComb)

Summer is here and outdoor markets and yard sales are in full-swing. Whether it's a spice market, organic farmers market, a well-curated flea market, or a sidewalk sale outside your favorite lunch spot, the range of delectable goodies and unique souvenirs on offer is never-ending.

When I was 10, I witnessed my tenacious mother score a suitcase full of sarongs in Bali after exercising her steadfast mastery at haggling, and I haven't approached bargain shopping the same way ever since.

Check out What a Bargain! by Everywhere contributor Steve Estvanik to get the scoop on some reliable haggling techniques.

Estanik suggests:

Quantity discounts - you’ll usually do better by combining several items. You might start bargaining for one item, then offer to buy two for a lower price. Or, if the bargaining is stalled, add another item to the pile and accept the buyer’s last offer.  

So what markets do you frequent to get the best deals? What are the dogged bargaining techniques you use when you're on a flea market mission? Tell us your stories, send us your market pictures, and submit photos of your best travel keepsakes to the Souvenirs Theme!  

These days a trip to your favorite city can be a far cry from the whirlwind tour you might expect. Population explosions, traffic jams, and all-around congestion can put the brakes on even a simple walking tour. But bicycle tourism is where it's at these days. And luckily, big cities are becoming more savvy to the ways of cyclists.

Take Paris, for example. Last summer Paris launched an entirely new, self-service bicycle transit system called Vélib'. Tourists and locals can pick up and drop off bikes at one of their 1,451 locations.

Everywhere contributer, Mikael Colville-Andersen, shares his experience of cycling through Paris in his article, The Birth of Parisian Bike Culture.

In San Francisco, whenever friends come to visit me, the first thing they want to do is rent a bike and cruise across the Golden Gate Bridge, and who can blame them, it's gorgeous! And it doesn't stop in Paris or San Francisco. Barcelona organized a similar bicycle transit system they're calling Bicing. And in Copenhagen, where a third of the population commutes to work on bicycles each day, a similar self-service system was set into motion for tourists and locals looking to ride around the city for a while. (Everywhere contributor Susan Ranney wrote about it in Issue 03: Copenhagen: City of Bicycles.)

It doesn't stop with just bicycles. There are plenty of sure-fire ways of successfully getting from A to B without participating in the perpetual urban traffic jam. So if you have any bicycle ventures to tell us about, or alternate modes of transportation you use while navigating through a city, tell us about them!

(Photo: Velo Libre, by Mikael Colville-Andersen)

Last weekend the much-anticipated Contemporary Jewish Museum in San Francisco had its grand opening!

The renovated structure was designed by architect Daniel Libeskind whose resume boasts the design of the new World Trade Center in New York, as well as the Berlin, Copenhagen, and Osnabrück Jewish museums.   

Architecturally unusual, Libeskind used the original structure, a former electric power substation, as the foundation for his modern design. The site is now an absolute must-see! A huge glistening block of blue steel looks like it just crashed into the original structure, and it abstractly forms two Hebrew letters that spell out chai, or life. Inside, the sun streams through these windows, creating a dazzling light display.

This museum opening is exactly what our Grand Opening Theme is for. If you know of a new venue that is making its debut to the world at your next travel destination, login and tell us about it.  Whether it's a hotel, art gallery, refurbished bridge, a new museum, a temporary exhibition, we want to hear about all of it!

(Photo: Contemporary Jewish Museum of San Francisco, by Tiffany Maleshefski)

It began innocently enough. And it began in our offices. And once it got started, the Great Sandwich War of 2008 left a delicious taste in our mouths.

Actually, it's not a war at all. Rather, it's more of a quest to find the Best Sandwich in the Entire World.

Not long ago, I decided that the xiu mai Vietnamese banh mi sandwich (shown above) from the Saigon Sandwich Shop in San Francisco (shown above) was the best sandwich I'd ever tasted in my life. I've traveled a lot, and I've eaten a lot of sandwiches, so I'm pretty comfortable asserting that the xiu mai from SF's the Saigon Sandwich Shop is the best in the world (if not the entire universe).

But there are those who disagree. For example, my esteemed colleague Paul is very partial to the fried chicken sandwiches from Bakesale Betty's, in Oakland. He even says they're the best sandwiches in the entire world. (I say: Feh!)

In any event, this is the kind of war where everyone wins, so let's bring it on: If you've got a nomination for the Best! Sandwich! in the Entire! World! (if Not the Entire Galaxy) please post a photo of it, and create a Place for the store where it's sold, on the website. (Please tag your photos with the word "sandwich")

May the best sammie win!

The appeal of visiting remote and isolated regions is growing, and tourism to remote spots has become more and more popular. Television networks like Discovery Channel and documentaries like Planet Earth have given us a sneak peek into areas we may not have otherwise considered visiting. Another example is Tribe, a BBC reality show where former British Royal Marine instructor Bruce Parry goes to far-flung places like Brazil, Siberia, and Tanzania. Parry lives among local tribes and films their day-to-day lives, making the great unknown feel more accessible than ever. 

But Bruce Parry not only films the lives of remote tribes and villages across the world; He also attempts to shield them from the outside world and call attention to the challenges these communities face as modernity encroaches on their environments.

Parry says:

(Tribe is) about the hopes and wishes of indigenous communities trying to grapple with a mad modern world where they face losing their language, identity and in some cases, their lives. It's about people who are so important to the world, who could teach us all so much in these troubled times. 

Obviously, there's a tension here between the desire to see remote communities and the need to just leave them alone.  But for those who do want to explore, websites like greentraveller.com offer resources to assist travelers who want to get off the beaten path in a responsible way.

And if you're curious about what you might find along the way, check out this story by Everywhere member Lesley Millhouser, who visited a hunter and gatherer community in Tanzania and wrote an article about it called Hunting with the Hadzabe.

Here at Team Everywhere Headquarters, we're working like crazy to get Issue 04 ready for the printer. In the meantime, we're so happy to announce two new themes for Issue 05! Yippee! Here are the two regions that will be featured in Everywhere 05:

Vietnam:
Prosperous at last after decades of conflict, Vietnam is open for exploration. Seamlessly combining its own ancient traditions with French colonial influences, Vietnam's cities are rapidly modernizing even as its lush villages feel untouched by the passage of time. Come see the Vietnam region page.

San Francisco:
In San Francisco, America's most lifestyle-obsessed city, the quirky and chic are celebrated in equal measure. Home to stunning natural beauty, great food, and friendly people, the Bay Area is a place where almost anything goes. Just don't call it "'Frisco" or "San Fran." Come see the San Francisco region page.

Want to submit your travel stories and photos? It's easy! If you've got a great article or photo from San Francisco or Vietnam, here's how to submit it:

1. Either write your article or upload your travel photo (psst... don't forget to write a description!).
2. Add a tag that says "Vietnam" or "San Francisco." You can add tags at the right of any article of photo page! Our intrepid editors will find every photo or article tagged this way for consideration for our upcoming issue.

That's it! If your photo is from a particular place within Vietnam or San Francisco, you can also add the photo to that location so people can find it easier. Here's how:

1. Find the Place first and then add the photo.
(For example, if you'd like to submit a photo of the Golden Gate Bridge, you'd find the Gold Gate Bridge Page and click on the link that says "Add a photo of Golden Gate Bridge" Then you can select the picture from your uploaded photos.)
2. Can't find the place? You can be the first to discover it! Then add the photo to your newly discovered location.

We can't wait to hear and see all of your amazing travel stories. And, of course, let us know if you have any questions!

(Photos by Matt Sims and Brian Hunziker.)

The never-ending winding roads, the lively pub culture, and all the fog and drizzle are just a few exciting elements of this city that sits on the Irish Sea. But we know there is more out there, the deliciously fried pub fayre, the bartenders, the fiddlers, and celtic music. But don't just give us an insider's look, we want that good ol' traditional look as well, chock-full of emerald-toned hillsides and ancient stone architecture from yesteryear. Show us what you got!

If you'd like to see some contributions from Everywhere members who have recently been to Dublin, check out the article, Guinness, Irish music, and more Guinness, by Brian Minnie, and photo St. Patrick's Day Festival, Temple Bar District in Dublin, by Alex Moore.



(Photo: Nectar of Dublin, by Brian Minnie, and Dublin Bay, by Andrea Butti.)

Howdy! Everywhere has a new feature -- Activity Notification Emails. Now, you can get summary emails sent that will let you know whenever you have new activity on the site.

Did somebody mark your photo as their favorite? Has a fellow travel enthusiast commented on your article? Does another Everywhere Member want to be your contact?

All this information will be included in an email, sent only if you have any new activity, that looks something like this:

Aww, thanks Devin, I love you too! We'll still send out alerts about new messages on the site as they come in, but the rest of this activity will now be included in the summary emails.

Want to check out or change your preferences for your email alerts? Easy! Click on Profile at the top of the screen, and then click the Email tab. Here you can set your preferences for these notification emails, along with your preference for our fancy and beautiful EW newsletter.

What do you think? We'd love to hear your feedback, so drop us a note if you have any comments.

The National Park Service is considering a plan to open hotels on Alcatraz Island, in San Francisco Bay. What will it be like for guests? Let the bad jokes begin!

Check-out time will be 15 years to life. Each room will have a private bath, but drop the soap at your own risk. Activities will include yoga, nature hikes, and stamping out license plates.

Ha! Now that we've gotten that out of our system... The current Alcatraz tour is one of those attractions that seems touristy at first glance, but in fact it's excellent. The site is fascinating, and the guided narration is very well produced. And given the views from the island, it's certainly a superb location for some lodgings. The plan is just in the concept phase, but according to today's San Francisco Examiner:

"The huge and dilapidated barracks building between the prison and the pier would become a new island centerpiece. Plans show that parts of the former barracks building would serve as a hotel or hostel for overnight visitors, while other sections might house shops, a post office, meeting and function rooms, classrooms and restaurants.

"Outlying buildings would be rebuilt or gutted and refurbished for use as special-events venues, restrooms, kitchens and exhibition spaces, plans show.

"While the first proposal is focused on improving visitor amenities, a second focuses on boosting ecotourism to the island and a third would have visitors “immersed in ... the federal penitentiary’s history” by recreating an atmosphere of confinement and observation, according to the Golden Gate National Recreation Area proposal.

(Alcatraz photo by Everywhere member Christina Hagle)

The cruise industry has an image problem: old folks and tacky people. Enter Freestyle Cruising, Norwegian Cruise Line's attempt to reinvent the cruise experience. Loud Hawaiian shirts, sugary cocktails, and tasteless buffets are out. In their stead, Norwegian hopes to create more tasteful cruises that appeal to well-heeled jet-setters.

Freestyle Cruising is designed to be a far cry from the traditional cruise experience. Geared toward the young and rich, Norwegian Cruise Lines hopes to revolutionize the luxury cruise experience by offering amenities such as 10 ultra-chic bars, organic cooking classes, a rock-climbing wall, a four-lane bowling alley, and a giant Nintendo Wii screen mounted on a two-story wall.

Will it work? Norwegian hopes the newly launched swanktitude will attract a younger, richer clientele, but according to a 2006 overview published by the Cruise Line International Association, the age of the average cruiser was between 43 and 49.

Changing that demographic is what Freestyle Cruising is all about. Norwegian's effort is the first of its kind, but it probably wont be the last. Airlines like Jet Blue and Virgin have honed in on young hipsters, and they've gained traction, so maybe those lines for the two-story high Nintendo Wii will be longer than expected on Norwegian's boats.

Meanwhile, if you're wondering what it's like to be a member of the crew aboard a typical cruise liner, two Everywhere contributors have written articles describing their lives aboard ship. Check out: A Farewell to "Ship Life," by Derek Baron, and Cruise Ship Life - The Good, The Bad & The Just Plain Bizarre, by Tom Mosher.

(Photo: A Freestyle cruise liner, from msnbc.msn.com)

Stuart Schuffman is the pimp daddy of budget travel. With one guide book published and another on the way, Broke-ass Stuart scours cities for the best and cheapest places to spend your cash. A former travel writer for Lonely Planet, Stuart started a 'zine about having a blast in San Francisco without breaking the bank, which then became a blog, and eventually, a book:  Broke-ass Stuart’s Guide to Living Cheaply in San Francisco, where he writes about the best places to go in San Francisco when money is tight. (Hint: Eat burritos.) He is currently wrapping up his second guidebook, Broke-ass Stuart’s Guide to Living Cheaply in New York, after he spent a year in the Big Apple hunting down the best activities and destinations for penny pinchers.  

Broke-ass Stuart was first inspired after an old friend's fiance gave him her business card. It said she was a travel writer. Stuart, who was working at a candy shop in North Beach at the time, decided he wanted to be one too. I emailed him to ask a few questions about his experiences.

What's the first thing that comes to mind when you look back on your time in New York?

What comes to mind when I think of my time there? My girlfriend. Is that weird? I experienced so much of the city with her that when I went back last week for a last bit of research, and she stayed in San Francisco, it was strange to be in New York without her. So I think of her, and also Katz's Deli's pastrami. That shit is delicious.

When you're in San Francisco, what's your favorite activity that doesn't cost a penny? 

Sitting in Dolores Park on a nice day with all my friends, drinking 40's, BBQ-ing and listening to music. There are few things better in life than an afternoon in Dolores Park.

What's one thing you never leave the house without? 

I don't leave without my phone. I actually have a shnazzberry (Blackberry), and I know that it doesn't seem very "broke" for me to have one, but I splurged because I needed it. When I'm out doing research I may not be by the computer for 12 hours, and I'm always getting important emails. Plus, I can email my research itinerary to my phone, so I don't have to waste paper.

What possession or indulgence is easiest to give up when you're traveling on a budget? 

Everyone has their own thing. I'm fine wearing the same clothes over and over again, but I don't like to give up eating out. Some people need a new outfit every day, but are fine eating instant ramen for each meal. It's about knowing what you need, and going from there.

Have any advice for aspiring travel writers? 

Be disciplined about writing every day. I'm sure as hell not, but somebody's gotta be.