This is the first time Kate and I have hosted a blog carnival on our site and we are very excited for the opportunity. My favorite part of the process was weeding out the unrelated, the advertising, or the completely insane (nothing like a lesson about breast cancer or a computer component add-icle to really help you appreciate cities!). OK, the jokes are out so let’s being.
We’ve been hearing a lot about “buying local” these days so we decided to start are Carnival of Cities with a little trip to our own Salt Lake City, Utah to join a “Shop Outside the Box” parade in an article called “Shop Outside the Box Salt Lake City!” hosted by www.kateandneil.com.
Well wasn’t that a treat. Kate doesn’t mind a good costume opportunity! While we are still in the parading mood why don’t we jump cross continent to the eastern seaboard and try and catch the 81st Annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade. The Explorer Pass Blog has some interesting history and facts about the parade in their article titled “Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade” as well as sound advice for those planning to attend.
And we thought we would never get tired of parades, but man we are pooped. All this celebratory fanfare has really taken it out of us and we are sure you all are just as exhausted. We better head strait to Washington DC and get a room in the Willard Hotel. Before you go, you’d better read this very informative article by the DC Traveler titled “The Willard Hotel – Power Central” which has a very interesting description and history of the hotel including a blip on where the term lobbyist came from.
Now we are all rested, our minds fresh and bodies invigorated why not pack our bags, get a ticket, and start tackling a controversial topic or two. First lets move straight to Cleavland, Ohio where The Bag Lady is going to teach us what happens to a community when its citizenry try to buy more than we can afford in her eyeopening article, “Cleveland is Getting Owned by Germans.”
If you’re still in a feisty mood, as of course we are, than let’s mosey on over to dreamy California to hear about two issues affecting the cities of Emeryville and Santa Cruz. Lets start with Emeryville where The Bay Radical uncovers buried secrets about the local shopping mall in “The Shellmound.” I probably shouldn’t say but…it’s built on an archaeological site! As if California didn’t have enough problems there’s also Teresa Miller’s article, “UCSC Students Act Out,” about the endless battle between environmentalists, city planners, and UCSC against the far reaching tentacles of urban sprawl and sub-par-burbia.
Wow there are a lot of issues in the world. Sometimes we get so overwhelmed we head to a quite place to get away from it all…some place like a museum. Well great news the Seattle Traveler knows the perfect place. How about the “Audubon Birds of Display at MOHAI.” In this post you will find an interesting description of the art show as well as helpful information about planning your trip.
You know, the US is great and all and we hate to leave it, but there is a wide world out there and if we don’t get a move on we’ll never see it all. So we propose heading south to Mexico City (one of Kate and Neil’s favorite cities in the world) and meeting our good friend The Aussie Mom, I mean Mum, for a fun filled day in “The Big Smoke.”
Mexico City was so interesting and beautiful Kate and I can’t help but be drawn somewhere else in the world…and that somewhere happens to be Cambodia and we are going to need a guide. Art Thailand was kind enough to agree to show us around Cambodia’s mysterious “Tonle Sap Lake” and boy are we in for a treat. Rarely visited by tourists, Tonle Sap Lake is a treasure trove of sights, smells, and even a little bit of danger.
Now that we’re over the thrill of riverboats, crocodiles, and mangrove let’s head to Europe for a little taste of history, fashion, and chaos. Out first destination will be none other than Barcelona, Spain for the one of kind “Fiesta de la Mercé.” If we and Joanna España survive through the insanity that apparently takes over Barcelona during this holiday, then it will only be because Lady Luck was by our side.
Good thing we survived because we’ve two more places to go and our time is running short. Our final stop is Paris but we couldn’t get a direct flight and will have to stop in Lithuania (airlines these days!) for a connecting flight. Do be chagrined, according to the American in Oslo Lithuania is an interesting and beautiful place with more history in its pinkie finger than can be found in the entire US. In the article, “Lithuania – Vilnius” we learn about the magnificent history of this ancient capital city including a highlight of Vilnius’s ancient churches.
As promised, finally we head to Paris, but before we get there we want to make sure we’ll fit in, because Paris is high fashion and by the looks of it we all need some tips. Well, good news- Busy Bee Lifestyle has a few tips about what’s “in” in France with “Fashion in Paris.”
What a trip we have taken! Kate and I have had a great time reading all the submissions and learning about such interesting places like Tonle Sap Lake, Vilnius, and Cleveland. And don’t forget next Monday, the journey continues at The Go Chicago Card Blog; don’t forget to submit your blog posts to their edition of the Carnival of Cities! And finally the Carnival of Cities is always looking for new participates to host a blog carnival. Just go to Canival of Cities and contact them if you are interested.
Thanks again,
Kate and Neil
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