Mt. Vesuvius and the Bay of Naples, Italy (photo by Tui Snider)

Welcome to the February 4, 2012 edition of Traveler’s Show and Tell.

This week’s Traveler’s Show and Tell blog carnival features ten travelers from all across the blogosphere. Read on to find out:

• … which parts of Mexico are safest for tourists.
• … why a card deck makes a great souvenir from Naples, Italy.
• …why it’s still worthwhile to toss coins into Rome’s Trevi Fountain.
• … and much, much more!

This Week’s Travelers

Tui Snider (Yup, that’s me!) presents It’s Different in Naples, Italy – The Neapolitan Playing Card Deck posted right here at Mental Mosaic: Even Home is a Travel Destination, saying

“Did you know that in Naples, Italy people play cards with a completely different deck than we do in the USA? Not only do these unique cards make an inexpensive souvenir, but they are a great way to make new friends when you visit.”

Mr Brightside presents Top 5 Attractions in Liverpool posted at The Wild Swans, saying,

“As some of you may now, Liverpool has been nominated as Capital of Culture in 08, a very prestigious award that launched and regenerated the city…. meaning of course a massive increase of tourists. Whether you have a week or a couple of days, there are few things that you definetely cannot miss if you’re around. And this is my top 5 selection of attractions you can find In the “Pool” “

Boyd Lemon is the author of “Eat, Write, Walk: An American Senior’s Year of Adventure in Paris and Tuscany.” Today he presents Boomers, Seniors, Everyone: You Can Still Enjoy Mexico posted at Boomers and Seniors Travel Blog, saying,

“For many years I have loved visiting and traveling in Mexico. Sadly, some of the places I have visited are now unsafe, and generally driving through much of Mexico is risky. The good news is that there are parts of Mexico that are as safe as Kansas: the west coast, the Yucatan Peninsula and most of Baja California, for example.”

Mary Jo Manzanares presents Throwing Three Coins in Rome’s Trevi Fountain posted at Traveling with MJ, saying,

“It’s busy and touristy and noisy, but I still recommend stopping by Trevi Fountain when you’re in Rome.”

Theresa Torres presents 6 Lesser Known Islands to Put at the Top of Your Travel List posted at Slices of Life!, saying,

“If you’re planning to surprise your beloved this Valentine’s Day, a trip to one of these islands may just be the perfect place to spend some time together.”

Andy Hayes presents 10 of the Most Romantic Hotels in the World posted at Sharing Travel Experiences, saying,

“Looking for romance? These charming venues are guaranteed to please.”

Laura Edgar presents Honest Airfare is Coming One Disclosure at a Time posted at NerdWallet | Travel, saying,

“Airfare is rarely what it seems. As any flyer knows, the cost of a flight entails far more than ticket price. Fuel surcharges, 9/11 fees, taxes, payment processing charges, baggage fees, ticket change fees, booking fees, seat selection fees, security fees, paper ticket fees—all require extensive knowledge and unrealistic foresight on the part of passengers. New legislation is working to untangle the costly, convoluted clutter of half-hidden charges, demanding fair and upfront disclosure of baggage fees. The new regulations are a small but satisfying victory for travelers, a vital step toward coherent airfare.”

AbundantJourneys presents Valentine?s Day Food and Recipes posted at Life Is Full of Bloom, saying,

“Need some delicious Valentine’s Day recipes to celebrate the romantic holiday? Abundant Journeys has searched around to find some options for you if you are cooking dinner at home.”

Miles presents Harbourfront Restaurant Review. posted at Bermuda Blog, saying,

“Harbourfront is a local Bermuda Restaurant located inside of the BUEI (Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute) and right on the harbour’s front. It is mainly a Japanese style restaurant with many seafood dishes including a large selection of sushi. If you are not a seafood fan, don’t worry, Harbourfront covers you too.”

Sue Waters presents 10 Best Travel Writing Books of All Time posted at Car Insurance Blog News, Tips, and Quotes, saying,

“The transforming power of a journey is a literary theme dating back to when the first humans gathered around the fire to share their stories.”

That’s it for this week’s blog carnival, Traveler’s Show & Tell.

As always, if you enjoyed it, let us know in the comments section. Also, please let the author know you liked their piece by leaving a comment at their blog. See you next time! :)

Do you have a travel story to share?

Fort Worth tunnel. (photo by Tui Snider)

The Art of Writing is the Art of Applying the Seat of the Pants to the Seat of the Chair

One of the first online writing groups I belonged to was called A2S. This stood for “Ass to Seat,” and was our cheeky nod to Mary Heaton Vorse’s famous quote:

“The Art of Writing is the Art of Applying the Seat of the Pants to the Seat of the Chair”

While hunting for the quote’s origin, I came across a Suite 101 article by Vickie Britton in which she explains that:

“This quote is attributed to Mary Heaton Vorse (1874-1966), though there are many variations. Author Kingsley Amis (1922-1995) said, The art of writing is the art of applying the seat of one’s trousers to the seat of one’s chair. Same difference. The meaning is perfectly clear. If a person does not go about the task of writing and do it often, the book will never get written. (I once heard a variation of this quotation as apply the seat of the pants to the seat of the chair and when you get up twenty years later you’ll be a writer) As Thomas Edison said, Genius is one per cent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration.”

But Sitting All Day is Bad for You

On the other hand, sitting for hours on end is bad for your health. If you don’t believe me, check out the statistics presented in this recent Lifehacker article, How Sitting All Day is Damaging Your Body and How You Can Counteract It . Scary, eh?

So what’s a writer to do? Like a marathon, writing well takes endurance. Unlike a marathon, you could be fat and unhealthy by the time you reach the finish line.

One of the first articles I ever posted on this blog (way back in 2007) explained how I balance the need to sit with the need to move. (Sadly, I don’t have access to my articles prior to 2009 – but that’s another story.)

It’s a simple routine, but it works great for me, and since I’ve lately met so many fabulous writers via Twitter, #commenthour and #ROW80, I figure it’s worth sharing again. In fact, I recently told Morgan Dragonwillow that I would blog about my “timer technique,” so here you go, Morgan, this post’s for you!

My 20on/10off Writing Plan

Each day, I create three to-do lists, side by side. The lists are titled: Online, Offline and Strategy. I don’t put errands here or anything else that will take me away from the house. Also, I don’t try to prioritize the lists. They are in no particular order. The main thing is to empty my brain of as many niggling little things as possible.

The Online list gets all the stuff I want to do on the computer.

The Offline list gets stuff that I want to do around the house and yard.

The Strategy list is where I devise my plan of attack. I add to the Strategy list two at a time, choosing one thing from the Online list and another from the Offline list.

Next, I set my timer for 20 minutes. After hitting the start button, I jump into my the Online task at the top of the Strategy column, charging into it at full speed. Having the timer going keeps me focused and gives me a competitive urge to “beat the clock.” Since I “only have 20 minutes,” I am not slowed down by perfectionism, hesitation, daydreaming or aimless web surfing. Silly as it sounds, it works for me!

When the 20 minutes are up, I set the timer for 10 minutes, then hop right into whatever Offline task I have chosen. When making my lists, I purposely break down the Offline tasks into small pieces. For instance, instead of writing, “do laundry,” I break this into smaller segments such as sort clothes, wash clothes, hang clothes to dry, etc.

If I get my Offline task done early, I spend that time dancing, taking photos in the backyard, playing with the cat, or whatever else. I never go back to the computer early, although one unexpected benefit of writing this way is that my best ideas often come while I am doing the Offline stuff. This makes 20on/10off healthy for my writing as well as for my physical body.

TOTH and Other Variations of 20on/10off

For me, different writing projects have different rhythms. Sometimes 15on/5off or 30on/10off feels better. I’m not overly strict about it.  The idea is not to impose some rigid routine on myself, but to be more balanced. My main goal is to get up and move twice an hour.

That said, when I’ve got a lot of writing to do and I’m feeling deadline pressed, I switch over to my TOTH routine. TOTH stands for “top of the hour,” meaning that at the top of each hour, I leap up from the computer, take several deep breaths, stretch, drink a glass of water and hop around for 5 minutes. I know it’s not the healthiest, but there are times when it is the best I can do.

My ROW80 Check-in

I’m still plugging away on my memoir. I’ve transcribed well over 60,000 words now from my diaries. The challenge now is to figure out what to keep in and what to add from the many loose diary sheets and letters I still have from that time period. I’m treating the memoir like a novel, so rather than keep every random diary entry in (no matter how well written the passage) I’m sticking within the frame of certain story threads. To my surprise, certain story threads are emerging and so I am going to weave those elements in.

My main feeling right now, however, is OVERWHELM! I’m nervous about having a manuscript ready by May, so I’m pushing myself to work on this project in every spare moment – even writing for a couple of hours without a break. So – I plan to take my own advice and stick to a 20on/10off schedule and try to take it piece by piece.

Here’s my plan: The book covers a period of 16 months. So, for each week of February, I will concentrate on a four month period. This week, I’m concentrating on the first four months worth of diaries. By the end of February, I should have a clear sense of where the book is too heavy and where it is threadbare.

I look forward to making the rounds and getting to know more of the #ROW80 crew. See you for the Sunday check-in! :)

Cheese orphans at Central Market. (photo by Tui Snider)

You found me how?

Most of the time, new readers find this blog by searching for travel-related terms, such as “Cafe du Monde history,” “road trip to Paris, Texas,” or “how to make good coffee while traveling.” These phrases lead to popular articles on my site, so the search traffic makes sense.

Even when the search terms are more cryptic, most of the time it’s fairly obvious which article readers are looking for. People often wind up here from odd-sounding searches such as, “cat poop coffee shops.” Strange as that sounds, I did include an article about civet poop coffee in my bi-weekly blog carnival Traveler’s Show and Tell, so even that makes sense.

Sometimes, however, I get hits from Google for truly puzzling search terms, ones that leave me wondering what on earth those people hoped to read about. This, in turn, made me curious if other bloggers get a kick out of crazy search terms leading to their site. Turns out that they do:

Strange Search Traffic

I saw a fun meme over at M.A. Brotherton’s site while doing some #Reverb11 blog hopping. On the last day of each month, M.A. Brotherton and some other bloggers write a post about the weirdest search terms people have used to find their site. At the time, I thought, “Fun idea! I’ll join in next time.”

Then, of course, I promptly forgot about it.

Yesterday, however, my blog got a bunch of hits from the search term, “barbie cow,” which reminded me of the #YouFoundMeHow meme just in time for the end of January.

Want to play along?

Here are the rules as laid out by M.A. Brotherton (although I added number 4):

One: We link back to GeekinHard because Brad invented the idea, really.

Two: We look at our analytics and examine the keywords people used to find the site.

Three: We mock them. For Funsies.

Four: Use the Twitter hashtag #YouFoundMeHow when tweeting your link.

And if you just said,  “But doesn’t that mean you’re mocking me, your reader?” Obviously I’m not talking about YOU. You’re special and awesome. Everything you do makes perfect sense.

My Top 5 Strangest Search Terms for January 2012

1. ancient Texas mosque

Not only have the flags of six different nations flown over the Lone Star State, but apparently there are historical mosques here, as well. You know, back in ancient Texas.

2. electric cars chick magnet

This is an odd search term, and yet, it’s one that I heartily endorse. All too often, in films and TV shows the dweeby character is the one who drives the energy efficient vehicle such as a Prius or Insight. (Kinda like how every nerdy person on TV and in the movies wears glasses and carries an asthma inhaler with them 24/7.) I think it’s time we re-branded electric cars, don’t you?

3. traveling live crab

I get a lot of travel related searches, but this one made me wonder. More than likely, someone wants to take live crabs home to cook. On the other hand, someone could be looking for a way to take trips with their pet crab. After all, I saw a book about a guy who drove all over the USA with his pet chicken. Maybe this same guy found my site while doing research for a sequel to his chicken book.

4. inflatable friends

Are you happy with the overall quality of your friendships, yet disappointed by the fact that so few of them can also double as a flotation device? Me, neither. Oddly enough, this search term appeared the day after I watched the surprisingly kind-hearted movie, “Lars and the Real Girl.”

5. pictures of poop land

I am the first to admit that as much as I travel, my sense of geography is not the best. Even so, I had never heard of Poop Land. Is that where Scatman was born? Do eco travelers visit Poop Land to view endangered feces? Perhaps, if you are exiled from Candyland, this is where they send you.

Your turn!

What about you? Do you even notice people finding your blog using weird search terms? Let me know if you decide to play along.

Kalachandji's Restaurant & Palace in Dallas, TX (photo by Tui Snider)

I love reading memoirs and diaries (published ones!)

I recently picked up three memoirs at Half Price Books: “Waiting – the true confessions of a waitress,” by Debra Ginsberg, “But enough about me,” by Jancee Dunn and “Growing up Psychic,” by Matthew Modine.

I enjoyed all three, but the opening of Ginsberg’s memoir really spoke to me:

“I’ve been a writer longer than I’ve been a waitress and, as such, a perpetual student of the human experience… I wanted my own stories and saw no better way to collect them… Truly, there has never been a dull moment at the table. And the stories I have gathered there are colorful, passionate, absurd, and intimately human. It is my turn, now, to share them.”

As I read Debra Ginsberg’s memoir it struck me that I have several boxes of handwritten journals spanning the past 25 years of my life. If words composted the way yard waste does, those boxes would be one big steaming pile of diaries.

The idea began to tickle my brain. Maybe, just maybe, I ought to sift through those journals and share some of my stories – but which ones?

How Twitter prompted me to start writing a memoir

On January 6th, I had a little exchange on Twitter with @riverand that prompted me to finally choose a time frame for my memoir. In her tweet, she asked people’s opinions on homeschooling, and I replied that I’d done it for 5 years.

@riverand: first 5 years of schooling, or some other time? #justcurious

@mentalmosaic: Home-schooled daughter 5 yrs ‘cuz lived on island with pop of 7 people at the time! Kinda like Gilligan’s Isle – lol!

I then realized I had misread her tweet. I thought she was asking why I home schooled not when. Even so, she replied with:

@riverand: You may have misread the tweet, but that was amazingly interesting!! WHAT an experience!!

@mentalmosaic: Been thinking about transcribing my diaries from that time, actually. It was an adventure!

@riverand: DEFINITELY! Make that a running segment on your blog! “Monday’s Memoirs” or “Turn Back Time Tuesdays” (I like alliteration)

@mentalmosaic: You’ve got my mental cogs turning… (I love alliteration, too!) #commenthour

It took several hours, but I dug through those boxes and found all I could from the island years. Phew! But then I got cold feet again. The whole thing seemed overwhelming. Self doubt started pecking at me, and I was tempted to ditch the idea.

Once again, enter Twitter. On January 24th, completely out of the blue, @themjohnclark quoted part of my bio in a tweet, “I spent 5 years on a tiny island with a population of 7 people,” and then remarked: WAY COOL

I tweeted back that I was writing a book about it, and – not wanting to be a liar – immediately started transcribing my diaries, as follows:

Tue Jan 24 = started transcribing diary
Wed Jan 25 = 10,000 words total
Thu Jan 26 = 21,000 words total
Fri Jan 27 = 35,000 words total
Sat Jan 28 = 48,000 words total

I learned about ROW80 from – you guessed it – Twitter!

On the 25th, I learned about A Round of Words: The writing challenge that knows you have a life while participating in the weekly #commenthour on Twitter. Rather than explain what it is here, check out the great post @riverand wrote about it entitled, And then I found ROW80. She gives me a nice little shout out in her post, too! :)

Some other writers I have met through #commenthour who are doing ROW80 include: the talented Morgan Dragonwillow, and the dynamic Julie Jordan Scott.

My ROW80 goals

The bottom line is that I’ve joined ROW80, which requires blog check-ins each Wednesday and Sunday. Here are my ROW80 goals:

- Complete a memoir covering the first sixteen months that I lived on Sinclair Island.

- Attend the DFWcon Writers Conference in May.

- Pitch my memoir to an agent at the conference.

My first step is to transcribe all the words I have for this time period into one big messy file by the end of January. I’d like the finished product to be 60,000 – 75,000 words long, like a novel. I want it to read like a novel, and will toss out things that don’t tie in with the overall storyline.

So there you have it, my first ROW80 check-in. See you on Wednesday! :)

The ROW80 Linky List

Here’s the Linky List (I’m #32!) in case you want to add your blog, too:

Kalachandji's Restaurant & Palace in Dallas, TX (photo by Tui Snider)

Kalachandji’s Restaurant & Palace in Dallas, Texas

On my first trip to Kalachandji’s Restaurant and Palace in Dallas, Texas, I thought our GPS had gotten confused as it steered us into a humble neighborhood with older houses and big trees.

But then, I saw it: In what must be a relief to limerick writers across the globe, there is, in fact, a palace in Dallas.

Kalachandji's Restaurant & Palace in Dallas, TX (photo by Tui Snider)

Will they try and recruit me?

Kalachandji’s Restaurant and Palace in Dallas, Texas is located in a Hare Krishna temple, but don’t let that scare you off. No one is out to push their religious beliefs on you. Every time I have eaten there, the wait staff is so pleasant and courteous that I’m tempted to find more places of worship to dine at! Plus, I love dining in their garden courtyard with its stained glass windows and a gorgeous tree in the center.

Annie Lennox's thank you to Kalachandji's Restaurant & Palace (photo by Tui Snider)

Rock Stars and Rocking Reviews

On your way into the buffet line, take a look on at all the framed press reviews on the wall. Several rock stars, such as Todd Rundgren, Peter Gabriel and Billy Corgin have autographed photos here, as well. A thank you letter from Annie Lennox reads in part:

“You have created an oasis in this desert of slaughterhouses.”

Kalachandji's Restaurant & Palace in Dallas, TX (photo by Tui Snider)

Great food: it just happens to be vegetarian

Kalachandji’s Restaurant and Palace serves gourmet vegetarian cuisine following stringent guidelines, which they explain in detail on their website:

“We strictly refrain from using meat, fish, eggs, onion or garlic.  We use only the freshest produce – no frozen or canned vegetables are allowed in our kitchen.  Due to recent revelations regarding polyunsaturated vegetable oils, we have stopped using corn oil and now use expeller pressed coconut oil exclusively in our cooking.  Our salad dressings are made with cold pressed extra virgin olive oil, and we use only turbinado sugar in our desserts and tamarind tea.  Everything is strictly vegan except those items that are indicated on our daily menu to contain dairy, and items containing wheat are also designated.”

That said, plenty of omnivores come to this restaurant as well. Why? Because meatless or no, the food is really good! Take me, for instance; I’m a self-described opportunivore, by which I mean: if something looks good, I’ll take a bite. One reason I love Kalachandji’s Restaurant and Palace is that there are so many dishes to try.

Food here is served buffet style, and it’s fine to return for seconds. I often take a tiny sample of several items, then return for a larger portion of ones I like. The menu changes daily, so if you want to know what’s being served in advance, check out Kalachandji’s Restaurant and Palace official website.

Kalachandji's Restaurant & Palace in Dallas, TX (photo by Tui Snider)

Cooking Classes

While you can find plenty of incense, jewelry and other interesting items in the restaurant’s little gift shop, there is no Kalachandji cookbook for sale. There are, however, an ongoing set of cooking classes. For details, check out their website.

Address and Hours

Kalachandji’s Restaurant and Palace is open for lunch and dinner from Tuesday – Sunday. The restaurant is closed on Mondays.

Lunch: Tue-Fri – 11:30am to 2:00pm, Sat-Sun – 12:00pm to 3:00 pm
Dinner: Tue-Sun – 5:30pm to 9:00pm

Neapolitan playing cards from Naples, Italy. (photo by Tui Snider)

Differences Between the Neapolitan and American Card Deck

Did you know that in Naples, Italy people play cards with a completely different deck than we do in the USA? Unlike the American 52 card deck, southern Italians use a 40 card deck.

Also, Neapolitan cards are not numbered, so you need to count how many of that particular suit are on the card. The two of swords, for instance, has two swords drawn on it, but no numbers. This type of card goes up to seven. After that, for the eight, nine and ten, there are face cards. The entire deck is slightly smaller than the American deck, and I like how they fit into my hand.

Neapolitan playing cards from Naples, Italy. (photo by Tui Snider)

The four suits in a Neapolitan card deck are:

- bastoni, meaning, “clubs,” and as you can see in the little drawings, they look a lot more like clubs than the clovers we have in our card decks.

- spade, meaning, “swords,” which look much more like swords than the spades in our deck. (But now the word “spade” makes more sense, doesn’t it?)

- denari, meaning, “money,” and as you can see it is represented by coins.

- coppe, meaning, “cups.”

I’ve been told that denari corresponds to the American suit of diamonds, which makes sense, but I’m not sure how or why cups became hearts. If anyone out there knows, leave a comment. One thing I do know, however, is that the suits of the Neapolitan card deck are the same as the suits of the Tarot deck.

I think it’s interesting that of these four suits, two are weapons and another one is money, which – when you really think about it – can be a weapon in its own right!

Neapolitan playing cards from Naples, Italy. (photo by Tui Snider)

The three face cards in a Neapolitan card deck are:

- fante, meaning “knave.” This card is worth eight points.

- cavallo, meaning, “knight.” This card is worth nine points.

- re, meaning, “king.” Which, as you probably guessed by now, is worth ten points.

The Neapolitan card deck’s face cards, called veste, which means, “dressed,” and do not include a Queen. So for some reason there are no women in the Neapolitan card deck!

Neapolitan playing cards from Naples, Italy. (photo by Tui Snider)

Scopa and Briscola

Scopa and Briscola are the most popular card games played in Naples. These two games are played throughout Italy, but rules vary according to the region. There is even a 1972 movie named after a particular version of scopa called Lo scopone scientifico.

“Lo scopone scientifico” is a dark comedy starring Bette Davis and Joseph Cotten, in which Davis plays a cold-hearted be-yotch who pops over to Rome every year to play scopa for money with a poor couple. Even though she’s got cash coming out the gills, she gleefully wipes out their meagre savings. There’s a twist at the end, however, and Davis’ character “gets hers.” (Sadly, I couldn’t find this movie on Netflix, so I don’t know when I’ll get to see it.)

Neapolitan playing cards from Naples, Italy. (photo by Tui Snider)

Everyone Plays Cards in Naples

Everyone plays cards in Naples, Italy – or so it seems. When I lived there, I would often see shopkeepers playing cards when I entered their stores. The butcher down the street was nearly always in the middle of a lively game. I think there must have been some money changing hands, because he and his buddies were really into their games.

I never minded when the butcher would tell me to, “Aspetta un’attimo,” meaning that I should wait a moment, because I got a kick out of watching the heated rivalry between he and his pals. I could always tell if he’d won that round, too, because of the smile on his face and how he would be humming a tune as he helped me. When he lost, he’d scowl and mutter choice words under his breath instead.

Neapolitan playing cards from Naples, Italy. (photo by Tui Snider)

Why you should buy a Neapolitan card deck

If you ever visit Naples, I highly suggest that you buy a Neapolitan card deck. You can find them in most Tabacchi shops for less than five dollars. It’s a great way to meet locals, because later, when you’re kicking back at an outdoor cafe, sipping limoncello or eating gelato, you can pull that deck out and start looking through the cards. Someone is bound to notice, and before you know it, a friendly local will be at your table teaching you to play scopa or briscola.

Faceburger in Messina, Sicily (photo by Tui Snider)

Welcome to the January 21, 2012 edition of Traveler’s Show and Tell.

This week’s Traveler’s Show and Tell blog carnival features thirteen travelers. Read on to find out:

• … why folks in New Orleans drink coffee with chicory root added to it.
• … how to make the most of a trip to Jamaica.
• …why the Amalfi coast is worth visiting – again and again.
• … what life is really like in the favelas of Rio de Janeiro.
• … and much, much more!

This Week’s Travel Photo

This burger joint’s blatant ripoff of the Facebook logo gave me a double take as my husband and I were exploring the side streets of Messina, Sicily last fall. I thought it would be fun to update my Facebook status while in a Faceburger restaurant, but they didn’t have wi-fi, oddly enough. But hey, I’ll always have this photo as a souvenir, right?

This Week’s Travelers

Tui Snider (Hey, that’s me!) presents New Orleans’ Cafe du Monde: A Taste of History posted right here at Mental Mosaic: Even Home is a Travel Destination, saying

“When you enjoy a cup of chicory-laced coffee and a plate of beignets at New Orleans’ famous Cafe du Monde, you’re ingesting a bit of history along with your sugar and caffeine. Coffee played a big role in New Orleans’ history, and at one point in the 1800′s there were nearly 500 coffeehouses in the French Quarter. Cafe du Monde is the sole survivor from that era, with a menu that is virtually unchanged since it first opened in 1862.”

April D. Thompson presents What’s Going On in Jamaica posted at The Absolute Travel Addict, saying

“My time in in JA isn’t just one big vacation. I’m still working…on several projects (a girl’s gotta eat), but taking every opportunity to explore and learn more about the island and its people. There’s so much to see and do in Jamaica and I’m not just talking beaches, jerk chicken and rum punch either (though I love them all).”

Ella presents a lush photo essay Amalfi Coast posted at Home & Landscape *design fix, saying

“Around this time of year, I usually start dreaming about where to travel next. The few months ahead are going to be the darkest and coldest ones, so this sort of daydreaming activity keeps me warm. “

Rekha presents The Temple Trio of Trivandrum (Part 1) – Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple. posted at The Road Less Travelled, saying,

“A tour of the famed Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple, Trivandrum , Kerala , India”

Bastiaan Reinink presents Cuzco, where the catwalk got it’s claws » Perpetual Wonder posted at Perpetual Wonder, saying,

““I’m helping to organize a fashion show here in Cuzco and we are still looking for tall, slim models. Would you please audition?” Right. That’s how I got suckered into being there, at the Hotel Cuzco, a week later. Cold fear running down my back (hoping that I wasn’t staining the designer’s outfit too badly), as my calves cramped up from the way-too-tight pants”

Katie Loat presents Fiji – Bula! posted at A World Outside Wolvo, saying,

“Most of the time we would be in the water or sun bathing, whether we went snorkelling, kayaking, diving or simply just swimming in the pool! Pretty much spent the whole week barefoot with wet hair!”

Michael Turtle presents Life in one of Rio’s favelas posted at Time Travel Turtle : Stories from the world, saying,

“In the alleys and walkways of the Vila Canoas favela, it’s easy to lose your sense of direction, height and time. There are no roads in this community and at times residents navigate their way through passageways that suddenly descend into the plumbing under a building. There are tunnels of staircases cut into stone filled with smoke and illuminated only by the light at either end. And throughout it all is a warren of paths split off in every direction as dictated by the needs of the locals. But for the people who live in this slum on the side of one of Rio de Janeiro’s mountains, this is home and they know it as well as anyone knows their neighborhood.”

Juliet Jones presents 9 Things That Were Awesome About Air Travel Back in the Day posted at Business Insurance,

“In the good old days, there was something intensely romantic about the idea of air travel. Not only were you leaving your home to discover somewhere new, but you were high above the clouds in a grand silver machine, populated only by the most glamorous travel companions. Similar to traveling the ocean liners of their day, air travel used to be something in which people took pride. It was an excuse to dress up, to hobnob, to flirt. Nowadays, as Orson Welles famously quipped, ‘there are only two emotions in a plane: boredom and terror.’”

Brooke Allen presents Big Sky, Montana, New Year?s 2012, Part II posted at Rambling Brooke, saying,

“When I travel, I usually visit a place, thoroughly enjoy it, and cross it off my list…However, Montana might be my current exception, just like Switzerland was my exception when I lived in Europe.”

Stephen Vanderpool presents Honest Airfare is Coming One Disclosure at a Time posted at NerdWallet | Travel, saying,

“Airfare is rarely what it seems…New legislation is working to untangle the costly, convoluted clutter of half-hidden charges, demanding fair and upfront disclosure of baggage fees. The new regulations are a small but satisfying victory for travelers, a vital step toward coherent airfare.”

Megan presents Costa Rica-Nicaragua 2012 Budget posted at La Vida en Viaje, saying,

“This is a post about budgeting for a big trip! It contains general tips for budgeting as well as specifics about my upcoming trip to Costa Rica and Nicaragua.”

Theresa Torres presents 5 Ways To Fund Your Travels posted at Travel Corner, saying,

“Planning on a new adventure but don’t have enough funds? Here are some ways on how you can earn enough to start on your journey.”

Sush presents MIAMI BEACH posted at Flag On Globe, saying,

“Miami Beach: Just after one glance at the beach, i realize why it is world famous beach.”

Iain Manley presents Vestiges of the Hippie Trail posted at Old World Wandering: A Travelogue, saying,

“The Hippie Trail overland to Kathmandu may have faded into the past, but in Western views of India and the backpacking industry, its vestiges remain.”

Transatlantic cruise sunset. (photo by Tui Snider)

Where do you get your ideas?

One of the first things people ask when I tell them I’m a writer is, “Where do you get your ideas?” I find this kinda funny, because to me, ideas are like spores; they are everywhere, but seem invisible until they suddenly pop up into your mind like tiny mushrooms. For instance, I recently wrote Is Transatlantic Cruising Right for You? for The Traveler’s Way. Where did I get that idea? From a conversation I had with a vacuum cleaner salesman.

It was the night before our most recent transatlantic cruise. When the doorbell rang, my husband was busy explaining all the quirky ins and outs of our dwelling to the house-sitter, so I answered the door. I expected to find either a neighbor or a religious zealot on our stoop, but instead it was a young guy in nice slacks, shiny shoes, a button down shirt (no tie) and a leather jacket. Something about his business casual attire and over-eager smile screamed salesman so before he could get a word out, I jumped in with, “What are you selling tonight?”

I think this caught him off guard, because instead launching into a smooth sales pitch, he stammered, “Good evening, ma’am. Uh, my name is Blake and it’s a, well, we’re selling, what, uh, we’re presenting to you tonight is a premium vacuum cleaner. No, uh, obligations, but I’d like to offer you a, um, demonstration of all its capabilities.”

Transatlantic cruise sunset. (photo by Tui Snider)

His vacuum cleaner cost more than our entire vacation

As someone who has done a lot of selling in her life (from Girl Scout cookies to newspaper advertising) I know how tough a cold call can be. I glanced down the driveway and noticed a car with a passenger waiting inside. “Is that your boss?”

“Yes, ma’am. I’m in training, and this is my first, uh, time doing the demonstration by myself, well, I hope it will be,” he added with a laugh. “No one’s actually let me in their house yet.”

Call me a sucker, but I took pity on the guy. “I don’t want to get your hopes up, because I really don’t want a new vacuum cleaner, but why don’t you come in and give me the demo for practice.”

He thanked me profusely before stepping inside and opening his demo box.

“How much do you sell this vacuum for, anyway?”

“$3,000.”

“$3000? I’m leaving for a transatlantic cruise tomorrow morning, and I’ve gotta tell you, Blake, our whole trip is not gonna cost that much.”

Transatlantic cruise sunset. (photo by Tui Snider)

It was his turn to be surprised. “Really? I thought cruises were super expensive.”

“Anything can be super expensive,” I replied. “There are vacuum cleaners out there that cost three grand.”

“Yes, there are, ma’am. But wait until you see all this one can do.” As Blake continued to wrestle much with all the hoses, cords and other attachments in his huge box, I could see that it was going to be a while. I tried to be patient, but I still had some packing to do.

“Why don’t you just tell me what’s so great about this vacuum?”

“Yes, ma’am. For starters, it cleans every kind of surface, from wood to thick rugs. Plus, it even gives you a head and foot massage. Just imagine how – ”

Transatlantic cruise sunset. (photo by Tui Snider)

Things got even more absurd

“A massage? Are you kidding?”

“No, ma’am,” he said, digging through the packing material in the vacuum box. “If I can just find the right attachment, I’ll show you.”

With the absurdity factor increasing by the moment, I couldn’t help but laugh. “I’m sorry, Blake, but am I the first person to crack up when you told them you were selling a vacuum that gives massages?”

“Yes, ma’am,” he said, before admitting, “But it’s only my second day on the job.”

“I’m no Howard Hughes, but doesn’t it sound a little gross to massage yourself with something that has been sucking dirt off the floor?”

Transatlantic cruise sunset. (photo by Tui Snider)

This time, Blake laughed. “Actually, my mom said the same thing.” He was still struggling to assemble the vacuum cleaner, but my patience had run out.

“I really don’t have time for your full demo tonight, Blake, but I want you to look good with your boss. How can I do make it seem like you tried hard enough in here?”

Blake grinned. “My pitch is supposed to take 25 minutes, at the least.”

“How are we doing?”

He checked his watch. “We’ve got 15 minutes left.”

“It’s gonna take you that long just get all that stuff back in the box,” I said. “Let’s just chat a little.”

Transatlantic cruise sunset. (photo by Tui Snider)

So I told him about transatlantic sunsets

“I want to know more about your cruise,” Blake said. “Does it get scary or boring in the middle of the ocean? Is food included? Do people get seasick? What is there to do on the boat all day long?”

So I spent the next 15 minutes answering his questions about traveling, in general, and cruising, in particular, while Blake-the-salesman crammed stuff back into his demonstration case.

I sometimes wonder if Blake ever managed to sell any of those $3000 vacuum cleaners. As for us, about a month after returning from our fabulous trip, we bought a Roomba. It doesn’t massage our feet, but is cost a fraction of what that fancy vacuum did, and it keeps the floors nice and clean.

Bryant Park, NYC. (photo by Tui Snider)

What is the Traveler’s Show & Tell blog carnival?

The Traveler’s Show & Tell blog carnival is a roundup of interesting travel-themed articles and photo essays from all over the web that I host right here on Mental Mosaic: Even Home is a Travel Deestination every other Saturday. It’s a fun way to enjoy armchair traveling, while finding interesting blogs to follow. Plus, if you’re a blogger, participating in my carnival helps drive new readers to your blog, while giving your site a healthy inbound link. To view past issues, simply click on the “Traveler’s Show & Tell” link at the top of this page.

How to submit your post to Traveler’s Show & Tell

It’s easy to submit your article to the Traveler’s Show & Tell blog carnival using the handy-dandy blog carnival submission form. Please remember to include your Twitter name (even if you have submitted before). This way I can promote you on Twitter when the edition is published. (Also, if you follow me, I will follow you back.)

Writers Guidelines

Here’s a quick list of what I’m looking for:

Please note: I reserve the right to edit the excerpts I use on this blog. (I would rather fix your typos than put add [sic], for instance.)

But I’m not a travel writer!

While I love getting contributions from travel bloggers, others are welcome, too. Even if your blog is not specifically a travel blog, you might have a post that fits in with the Traveler’s Show & Tell. Submissions about exotic places are great, but a photo essay about your hometown can be just as interesting as a piece about Timbuktu. Maybe your hometown is in Timbuktu!

What makes a travel piece interesting depends more on the mindset of the traveler than the actual place they describe. I have friends who can describe a trip to the grocery store in more fascinating detail than other folks could describe a trip to the moon. It’s all in the telling and/or showing, hence, the name Traveler’s Show & Tell.

What the heck is a blog carnival, anyway?

A blog carnival is similar to an online magazine. The carnival creator chooses which articles to include and which do not fit their theme. For instance, my carnival, Traveler’s Show & Tell, has a travel theme, so when I get submissions titled, “Hot celebrity gossip” I ignore them, unless, of course, it’s a first person account of someone crossing paths with a famous person while on vacation.

Other wonderful travel-themed blog carnivals

The Traveler’s Show & Tell is not the only travel-themed blog carnival out there. There are hundreds of blog carnivals on a wide variety of topics. In fact, at Halloween, I host a blog carnival called True Spooks which is specifically for ghost stories.  Check out the Blog Carnival website to find the right blog carnivals for your posts.

Here are a couple travel-themed carnivals I especially enjoy:

Andarin from Byteful Travel hosts the Byteful Travel Blog Carnival.

Sheila Scarborough from Sheila’s Guide to the Good Stuff hosts Carnival of Cities.

Cafe du Monde in the French Quarter of New Orleans. (photo by Tui Snider)

New Orleans’ Cafe du Monde: A Taste of History

When you enjoy a cup of chicory-laced coffee and a plate of beignets at New Orleans’ famous Cafe du Monde (800 Decatur St, New Orleans), you’re ingesting a bit of history along with your sugar and caffeine. Coffee played a big role in New Orleans’ history, and at one point in the 1800′s there were nearly 500 coffeehouses in the French Quarter. Cafe du Monde is the sole survivor from that era, with a menu that is virtually unchanged since it first opened in 1862.

Coffee and beignets at Cafe du Monde. (photo by Tui Snider)

Why do they put chicory in their coffee?

During the Civil War, when coffee supplies grew low, the people of New Orleans experimented with all sorts of fillers (such as peanuts and pecan shells) to stretch their dwindling coffee supply.

Adding the roasted root of wild endive (a.k.a. chicory) to coffee is an idea the Acadians from Nova Scotia introduced. To this day, chicory remains a popular coffee additive in New Orleans because, unlike the other supplements, it imparts an enjoyable flavor to coffee, and tones down its bitter notes. Chicory is also purported to have many health benefits, such as: lowering bad cholesterol, balancing blood sugar, supporting healthy liver function, and increasing bone density.

Tray of coffee and beignets at Cafe du Monde. (photo by Tui Snider)

What is a beignet?

A beignet (pronounced ben-yay) is a deep-fried dough ball doused with powdered sugar. They are reminiscent of an Italian zeppole, and just a little bit like an American donut hole – only different. The cafe sells beignet mix, but I think they are best enjoyed in context, sitting at the bustling open-air Cafe du Monde and enjoying the ambiance of the French Quarter.

Cafe du Monde kitchen. (photo by Tui Snider)

When to visit Cafe du Monde?

Cafe du Monde is open 24/7, so if you’ve been barhopping, it’s a great place to wind down before heading back to your hotel. Even waiting in line for the bathroom is entertaining, since you have to stand right in the kitchen. It’s a hive of activity with the sizzle of frying dough and the wait staff dashing around in their paper hats. For a truly magical experience, head to Cafe du Monde shortly before sunrise, when the place is nearly empty, then listen to the birds, watch the sun come up and sip your coffee as the city shakes itself awake.

Coffee and beignets at Cafe du Monde. (photo by Tui Snider)

What about the long lines at Cafe du Monde?

As I mentioned in Stretching Your Travel Dollar in New Orleans, you shouldn’t let the long lines at Cafe du Monde scare you off. Not only is the place teeming with waitstaff, but they are used to crowds and the line moves quickly. Plus, they only serve a few items here (beignets, coffee, orange juice, milk, hot chocolate and soda), so it doesn’t take long for your order to arrive. There are three other locations in town, as well. One is located in the Riverwalk Mall and offers great views of the Mississippi and a laid back vibe for those times when you really want your beignet fix, but you also want to relax and maybe write a postcard or two.