Sosauce Travel Geek blog » Weekly Wow

Weekly Wow: Antarctica

Sean — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 21:40:28 +0000

So in the spirit of the winter Olympics we want to take you to a place that remains winter forever. Sit back, pop a cold one, and enjoy a cold adventure courtesy of Eric and Luke. All that’s missing are photos of Shaun White doing a McTwist 1260 off of one of these glaciers.

The Glaciers

The Skies

The Penguins and Seals

Our Travelers

Eric

Luke

Oh, and just in case you missed it, we’ve got Shaun White’s gold medal run right here. Wow.

Weekly Wow: World Facts

Sean — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 19:27:57 +0000

If you’re getting married, don’t move to the Maldives.

Ponce de Leon was confused. The fountain of youth is in Andorra.

If you’re vulnerable to depression, stay out of Eastern Europe.

Maybe those in Eastern Europe should move west.

The United States is losing the race to be the most American.

If you have any other observations, let us know!

Weekly Wow: The People of India

Sean — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 20:25:14 +0000

Sometimes nothing creates more intrigue than the frozen emotion captured on the faces of humanity. India, the seventh largest country (in terms of geography, second largest in terms of population- 1.2 billion people), is as diverse as the day is from the night. The very rich are mixed with the very poor. Eighty percent of the country is Hindu but Islam and Christianity are growing. India boasts beautiful beaches and the Himalayan mountains, bustling cities and deep jungles, all of which lead to a vast array of different cultures, joys, and power struggles. Edward, an avid sailor, was able to capture the effect of these elements on the varying faces of India’s people. The images speak loudly and penetrate the soul.

Each face tells a story, different from the rest. Toil, ceremony, and play, all vital elements of an individual’s life and in aggregate, clues to any culture.

To see the rest of Edward’s photos from India click here. You can also view his Sosauce Trip to see the destinations he visited.

Weekly Wow: Picking Locks in the Netherlands

Sean — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 21:32:46 +0000

Schuyler, a competitive lockpicker, has attended one of the biggest events in locksport, the Dutch Open, three times.

As stated by Schuyler, ” Locks draw the line between private and public, they determine, more than any money, any lawyer, or any receipt, what is mine and what is yours. Though many people are trusting by nature, we are distrustful by evolution, locks allowed us to trust, to congregate without fear of the security of our families, selves or possessions. Then, as now, locks have served as a great social equalizer. A simple lock can stop the biggest thug. It puts the value of your loved ones and loved things at exactly the same value as your neighbor.”

It’s hard to argue with those words and is cause for pause when thinking about the role locks play in our lives. How someone gets into lockpicking, I don’t really know but Schuyler is more than happy to tell you about his regimen and what it entails. As a casual observer, I must say that lockpicking is quite an intriguing sport.

You can read more about his lockpicking exploits in his Sosauce journal, A Year in Locksport or check out his photos from the Dutch Open.

I encourage you to dig in. It’s absolutely fascinating and the closest some of us will ever get to understanding the mind of a lockpicker. I just wish Schuyler was here when we locked ourselves out of the office. As one of the fastest lockpickers in the world he would have solved the problem in no time!

Weekly Wow: Mongolian Musings

Sean — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 20:48:39 +0000

Every Thursday, we will feature some of our favorite travel stories found on Sosauce. We call it our “Weekly Wow” as these excerpts are not records of your standard trip to a Parisian cafe but those experiences that widen the eyes and drop the jaw. You’ll gain access to the story told first hand and will also see how you can tell your own fascinating stories on Sosauce. Last week we told of Mijan’s school bus ride with strangers from San Francisco to Mexico. This week it’s the story of Mako and his trip to Mongolia.

The thought of traveling to Mongolia immediately brings up images of nomadic adventure, Genghis Khan, and the Gobi Desert. How incredible it would be to take the Trans Siberian railway through this vast land. So few of us get the opportunity to travel to such a place that when it happens, we’re forced to sit back in awe and admiration. Mako’s recent trip is no exception. He doesn’t use any words to describe the experience but the photos speak loud enough. Open up iTunes, turn on some Sigur Ros, and enjoy the slideshows.

The Livestock

The Nature

The Sand Dunes

For those that need a geography refresher, Mongolia is located between China and Russia.

To receive more info on traveling to Mongolia check out this great spotlight video by Lonely Planet.

Weekly Wow: Caravaning to Cuba

Sean — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 20:23:34 +0000

Every Thursday, we will feature some of our favorite travel stories found on Sosauce. We call it our “Weekly Wow” as these excerpts are not records of your standard trip to a Parisian cafe but those experiences that widen the eyes and drop the jaw. You’ll gain access to the story told first hand and will also see how you can tell your own fascinating stories on Sosauce. Last week we told of Carolyn’s friend Cody who ate the beating heart of a cobra in Vietnam. This week it’s the story of Mijan and her random school bus ride with strangers.

Living in San Francisco, Mijan stumbled across a flyer promoting the Hip Hop Sin Fronteras annual Cuba Caravan event. The idea of promoting peace through hip-hop sounds intriguing right? Doing this by way of a road trip? Even better. Yet, it’s Cuba. How and why were they telling everyone (including the government) what they were up to?

It turns out 2009 marked the 20th Cuban Caravan, and there was space for one more on the Western Hip Hop Route. Sweet deal for Mijan. She was sold. All signed up, ready to go, and just counting down the days. However, the Cuban Caravan, as advertised, was not to be. Instead Mijan found herself cruising along in an old school stick shift bus with three guys named Woody, Sandino and Yogi.

This is the stuff of fiction but it’s not. Mijan’s account will take you on the wild ride of one woman, three random guys, and an old, rickety bus traveling the highways and roads through the desert, mountains and flat lands of the Southwestern United States. This is definitely not your childhood road trip to Grandma’s house. For that reason, it makes you say “wow.”

Enjoy.

You can read more of Mijan’s tales with the Cuban Caravan at her Sosauce Journal, Caravan Chronicles.

Weekly Wow: Biting into a Beating Heart

Sean — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 20:27:30 +0000

This whole “new year / new decade” thing has me all excited. Everyone’s talking about goals, changes, and things they want to do differently. It got me thinking about spicing things up on the ol’ Sosauce Blog. We have a lot of members in our community who have posted some really interesting stuff, not things that make you go hmmm (ala C&C Music Factory), but things that make you go, wow. So I’m going to start a column called the Weekly Wow.

First up is Carolyn, and the story of her friend Cody, who, while in Vietnam, ate the beating heart of a cobra. Though most of us tend to be a little more adventurous when abroad, especially when it comes to eating, Cody takes it to a whole new level. If he was ever cast for the show Fear Factor, I would put my money on him. Check out the video.

Feeling inspired? If you find yourself in Vietnam, a beating heart can be yours for the low introductory price of $60 (though the price may fluctuate based on the weight of the snake).