Fellow blogger Steve mentioned in his post today that we’re not controversial enough on this blog. How true, I thought, and then wondered what on earth a person can say in modern times that would make them controversial. And I kicked myself, because twice today I had decided not to express some very peevish thoughts I’d had about well-known travel writers. Maybe not controversial in the way you were thinking, Steve, but I’ve listened, so here goes.

As I was trawling the Internet this morning, trying to find some interesting travel tidbits to write about, it seemed that the everyone’s recycling old news: Ask the Pilot is talking about the real environmental impact of airplane emissions; World Hum has an interesting blip of a blog post about semi-colon use in the New York subway (how I love the unloved semi-colon!); and on the same site Rolf Potts has posted a well-written falacy trying to subjugate readers of Eat, Pray, Love, and has completely lost my respect. Why couldn’t he just say it’s not a very good book, rather than trying to pretend its appeal is for emotionally desperate women? Emotional porn, he says, is for women what adventure porn of the Outside magazine type became for men. He calls Eat, Pray, Love “travel porn for women.” Come on, Rolf. It’s a sappy, sometimes sloppily written book that appeals to people because most people lack literary taste. Lots of bad books are very popular. Whether or not women are more attracted to emotion-laden literature is completely beside the point. At best, Potts’s post smacks of patriarchal pretentiousness.

And then there’s the hullabaloo over Paul Theroux’s new book, Ghost Train to the Eastern Star, due out in September, where he revisits the journeys made in The Great Railway Bazaar.

I haven’t been able to take anything Paul Theroux says seriously ever since I read Sir Vidia’s Shadow, his memoir about his decades-long friendship with V.S. Naipaul. This guy, I told myself two chapters in, is a complete ass. What’s more — as became increasingly evident later in the book — he understands absolutely nothing about women. And if you’re a traveler of any kind, setting yourself up as an authority on observations of the world, you have got to understand women. Because women make up the heartbeat of every culture: they raise the children, invent the food, spread the spirituality, and define communities. If you’re a self-absorbed asshole intent on having sex whenever possible, you just don’t get it.

In addition, Theroux has an extremely limited view of what makes good travel writing. In his introduction to Best American Travel Writing 2001, he says, “Travel writing at its best relates a journey of discovery that is frequently risky and sometimes grim and often pure horror, with a happy ending: to hell and back.” No, Paul, that is what turns guys like you on. “Any serious traveler can attest that horror journeys are the most memorable, the most valuable, the most instructive, and the most pleasurable to write because invariably the horror is recollected in tranquility.” So why is it that innumerable published horror journeys have never been able to even bump their heads against travel writing of the quality put out by, say, Colin Thubron? This view of travel is absurd. The most memorable journeys are the ones that change you or your outlook, which often has zilch to do with putting yourself in mortal danger. This idiocy is what has prompted otherwise good writers like Jeffrey Taylor to think they have to risk life and limb to write a decent book. So I am not looking forward to Paul Theroux’s new self-indulgent tome.

Call me a curmudgeon. I keep trying to like John McPhee, the New Yorker magazine writer who books never go out of print, but just find his work boring. Last summer I read his The Crofter and the Laird, about living for a year on a Hebridean island in Scotland, and could think of ten other books I’ve read about the Hebrides that were far better. But since they weren’t written by John McPhee, they’re out of print. Bill Bryson can sometimes win me over, but In a Sunburned Country was a travesty. The only good bits were made up of the wholesale (and frequently footnoted) lifting from a much more interesting and dramatic book of the founding of Australia called The Fatal Shore, by Robert Hughes.

Like any other genre, travel writing is prone to incestuousness. Publishers are afraid of new voices; they know the old ones will sell. People who are already published get published again and again. People who have an “in” (like poor Max, the subject of Steve’s post) get published whether they can write or not. Publishing is an industry, and industries like to play it safe. The real adventure is in admitting that readers have different tastes, and in finding the voices that will speak to them.

On the 14th February a young writer called Max Gogarty, published the first of a weekly blog Max, 19, hits the road on the Guardian Unlimited website about his pending trip to India and Thailand. Maybe it was the fact that the blog came out on Valentine’s Day and lots of the readers hadn’t had a card! Maybe it was the fact that it was so badly written. Maybe it was the fact that the blogger is a young relation of a regular writer for the Guardian and his blog whiffs ever so slightly of nepotism. Whatever the reason, the shit truly hit the fan!

Within minutes there were dozens of hostile comments posted dismissing both the writer and the Guardian. One comment summed up the general feeling:

“Hooray! Just what is needed. Another blog by a posh boy related to a Guardian employee to keep us all up to date with his adventures in places that millions have experienced already. Wow, what a bright idea.”

The next day, the story was even covered on daytime TV, and prompted a response from the Travel Editor, Andy Pietrasik, defending his young writer. Even the editors response got hundreds of hostile comments.

One of the things that struck me about this story was just the volume, and indeed the quality of some of the comments. Some were borderline investigative journalism on their own. Readers quickly linked Max to his father, freelance journalist, Paul Gogarty, and questioned whether he got the job this way. One posted a link to a five year old story by Peter, hinting that this wasn’t even going to be the first time in Thailand for Max! In light of the apparent nepotism, someone even posted a link to a page on nepotism on the Guardian Jobs website! On the same day, someone had even posted a parody blog, Wayne Type, 19, Hits the Road.

I have to say that I generally agree with the comments on the website. This isn’t the first time that someone posh, well-connected and vacuous has been given the space to write over cliched un-insightful drivel about Asia in a way that belongs more in a travel brochure than a serious travel publication. Yet, as an occasional blogger, I did feel some sympathy for Max, who was just doing his thing - even if his thing should never really have reached such a wide audience. If Max had posted on a personal blog, no-one would really have objected, or even read it for that matter.

Most of all though, I felt a twinge of jealousy: how come Max, 19, gets so many comments? Skipping back over the last few months of the PT Blog, I have realised that maybe we need to be more controversial, and edgy. I toyed with the idea of following the Guardian nepotism path and getting my 14 month old daughter to write a blog, but I have decided to opt for the easy way out:

I would like to formally state that anyone reading this blog is a complete tosser - now come and have a go if you think you’re hard enough!

(This series is cross-posted with the Family Travel blog.)

Welcome to the third and final video in this series about inexpensive and unique travel souvenirs. I want ‘em cheap, I want ‘em to bring a smile to my face and remind me of the place where I bought them and if at all possible, I’d like ‘em to be useful.

Part One started us out with a variety of small items that you can find almost anywhere, Part Two covered “the obvious” T-shirts and coffee mugs, and here in Part Three, I will take a walk through my home to show you a few of my souvenir favorites and tell you the story of the “Diarrhea T-shirt.”

Thanks for your patience as I learn the ins and outs of my Flip video camera….including the discovery that I need to do better with the closeup feature. :)

For my RSS/feed readers and anyone else who can’t see the video box below, click this URL to go straight to the video on YouTube.

Welcome to the Perceptive Travel blog’s first hosting of the Carnival of Cities.

This is a blog carnival; one blog hosts, and other bloggers send in one of their posts that pertains to the carnival topic. They’re a good way to find interesting blogs, and all participants gain more blog traffic and links.

I’m looking for hosts for March 5th edition: email me at sheila “at” sheilascarborough “dot” com. Thanks!

The Carnival of Cities is about any aspect of a single city (or mid-sized town.) If you’re interested in learning more, the main Blog Carnival site has over 3000 carnivals — that’ll keep you busy!

*** The Americas ***

Bow, Washington, USA Mary Jo Manzanares wants us all to Say Cheese! at an organic dairy and cheesemaker in Skagit County. She writes at The Seattle Traveler and loves “being able to support local, sustainable businesses.”

New York, New York, USA GrrlScientist (next week’s Carnival of Cities host!) details A Brief History of the Subway Tile Art at 81st & CPW (AMNH Station) at her blog Living the Scientific Life, saying, “A brief history of the tile mosaic artworks that I’ve been presenting to you from NYC’s AMNH (81st/Central Park West) subway platforms. Includes many pictures, and all the animals are identified, too….” This is the first time that anyone, to her knowledge, has done this.

Honolulu, Hawaii, USA j blu presents 7 Family Activities to do in Honolulu posted at Local Kine Hawaii, saying, “If you’re planning a trip to [the island of] Oahu with your family, here’s a quick list of family activities that Hawaii’s capital city has to offer.”

Seattle, Washington, USA Kathie Goldsmith presents The now “famous” article from Seattle Times about costs of housing in Seattle and more…. posted at Team Reba Real Estate, saying, “Interesting article about why real estate in Seattle is so high.”

San Juan, Puerto Rico BW says that You See the Strangest Things While Driving in Puerto Rico at the Visit The Coqui blog. You get to see “how to transport a horse when you don’t have a horsebox!!!” Hint: you’ll need a pickup truck.

Charlottesville, Virginia, USA For the morbid in all of us, Jason presents 1905: Samuel McCue, mayor of Charlottesville, Virginia posted at the unique Executed Today blog, saying, “The noteworthy hanging of a former Charlottesville mayor.” Who says that government work is a safe job?!

Washington, DC, USA Jon Rochetti says to Hit the Slopes in the Wahington, DC Area posted at The DC Traveler, saying, “Here’s a round-up of the many places to ski, snowboard and enjoy all the winter snow has to offer around the Washington, DC area.”

New York, New York, USA Birder John scores a Scott’s Oriole sighting in A Rare Bird by Subway posted at his A DC Birding Blog.

Marietta, Georgia, USA Claudine blogs about Marietta, Where it’s Better (especially the pretty town square) posted at theatlantatraveler.com.

Chicago, Illinois, USA Jamie says that you can get Tours of the Chicago Theatre; read more at the Go Chicago Travel Blog. She says, “This post provides a brief history of the Chicago Theater and information on tours of the glorious building.” If you go, a photo of the marquee with city buildings in the background is a great souvenir of the city.

Madison, Wisconsin, USA Byteful Project presents Do Henry Vilas Zoo Animals Mock Me? posted at Byteful Blog, saying, “Late last summer, I visited the Henry Vilas Zoo in Madison, Wisconsin. There I learned that polar bears can stick their tongue out, and piranhas aren’t as scary as I imagined. From the Giraffes to Macaws, I thoroughly enjoyed this zoo.”

San Jose, Costa Rica James Brausch gives us lots of good tips about Costa Rican Food at the Costa Rica HQ blog.

*** Asia and Australia ***

Mauritius, Indian Ocean Alfa King presents From Hill in the Sea (had some problems loading it, may be just temporary) posted at Alfa King Memories.

Cairns, Australia Alistair Wearmouth presents Trip of a Lifetime: Cairns and the Great Barrier Reef posted at Away.com Family Travel Blog, saying, “Family-travel blog posting about Cairns, Australia, the gateway to the Great Barrier Reef”

*** Middle East ***

Manama, Bahrain As the host, I wanted to put in a Carnival contribution, so here is the Perceptive Travel blog on the tiny Gulf kingdom: Bahrain Rising.

Casablanca, Morocco Wendy presents City Icons—Casablanca Morocco posted at Escape From New York, saying, “Casablanca’s icon is state of the art and a relatively new addition to the city’s landscape.”

*** Europe ***

In Paris, France but thinking of Seattle, Washington librablog thinks about what reminds of home in you know you’re a Seattleite in Paris when… posted at A Seattleite in Paris.

Berwick upon Tweed, somewhere in Great Britain :) Karen Bryan presents Berwick upon Tweed in England, Scotland or Scengland? posted at Europe A La Carte Blog, saying, “It’s never straightforward being a border town.”

Berlin, Germany Christine presents The European Exchange Rate and travel in Berlin, Germany posted at Me, My Kid and Life: An American Single Mom Living in France.

Budapest, Hungary ivanisko presents A Report from Budapest posted at Bookstore Guide, saying, “Our site aims to map all the European independent bookstores selling books in English. This is a report from our recent visit to Hungary’s capital, Budapest.”

That concludes this edition, and thanks for visiting the Perceptive Travel blog. Please visit our host site, the web magazine Perceptive Travel, for unique travel stories by award-winning writers.

Your next Carnival of Cities host is GrrlScientist over at the Living the Scientific Life blog. Submit your one blog post about a single city/town to the next edition using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

Technorati tags: carnival of cities, blog carnival.

It’s been difficult, living as I do in barely upstate New York, to delve into a city mindset — New York or any other city. Spring is coming on: a Chinook-like scent is in the air, melting snow; friendly goats are eating my vegetable garden’s weeds; later afternoon sun picks out the hairs of poison ivy vines and makes them look almost attractive; the birch in front of my window is peeling, showing nervous white bark like a teenager shivering to get a pre-summer tan. A shock of yellow forsythia, forced into bloom in the kitchen, dazzles against the drab landscape, hinting that its parent plant outside will not be far behind. In the spring, cities, with their noise and narrow viewscapes and lack of wholesome dirt, seem like cardboard cutouts, acting out dramas in a children’s theater of life.

And since I have an infant son, strolling the streets of New York City in the freezing rains and high winds of February hasn’t been on the top of my to-do list. So I’ve been polling local friends and neighbors, most of whom are either from the New York area, or moved here from the Midwest and fell in love with it. It’s an unscientific, individualistic survey with a simple question: What is it about New York?

The question has led us all in circles, reminding me of what it is that charms me about New Yorkers: the navel-gazing, exasperating as it sometimes is, is so very innocent. It’s like a little boy who’s discovered he has a penis and can make it do things like bounce and pee in patterns — you can hardly berate him for his fascination. Likewise with New York. My question is met with wide-eyed bafflement. There is no answer given that doesn’t already assume the city’s pre-eminence in world culture. Which isn’t really good enough. As a trained mathematician, I have to question statements of fact based on a hypothesis that has never been proven, possibly never even tested.

“It’s got this incredible metaphysical energy,” said one person. “Even before a city was there, there was something special about the island of Manhatten.” Hm.

“New York is always new,” said another. “It’s constantly reinventing itself.” Which leads me to ask — doesn’t that just mean it’s always the same? If a city’s only definition is neverending metamorphosis, how can it ever truly change?

The best explanation of New York’s attractions so far has come from my Russian uncle. He and his wife visited us over two years ago. It was their first time ever in America (although they’d traveled all over Europe in the last decade, America is still tetchy about giving tourist visas to Russians; my single aunt and single female cousin were denied visas). They were up by 5 or 6 every morning, eager to get back on the train to the city. Our country life interested them little, the goats not at all. New York was everything. They wore me out. We spent all day tramping around the city, didn’t get home until at least 8 at night, when we cooked dinner and chattered in three languages about what they’d seen and how much they loved it. That went on for almost three weeks.

Near the end, we were walking through a quiet and attractive part of Greenwich Village, near one of those parks that has fenced-in areas for dogs to run leash-free (one for little dogs, one for big dogs, very p.c.). My Russian was smoother by then, and I asked my uncle why they had fallen in love with New York so quickly and completely.

“In those other cities,” he said, referring to the major and sub-major European metropolises they’d visited, “you can see one little part and you’ve seen the whole city. You visit one section of London and you get the idea of London. The rest of the city feels the same. In New York it’s different. Here,” he waved his hand toward the former warehouse buildings in Soho that now housed boutique clothing shops, “you have to see every little part of it. Every neighborhood of New York is completely different.” To this day they still daydream about New York City. Just last week my cousin emailed from St. Petersburg to tell me that her mother couldn’t tear herself away from a documentary about O. Henry, just because there was so much about New York in it.

Since I can’t claim expert knowledge of the neighborhoods of London or Paris, Tokyo or Buenos Aires, I don’t know if my uncle was right about other cities. But he was the first person to get me to look at New York City differently. Maybe that’s part of what makes the city special: maybe it needs recurring waves of outsiders to define it, even to itself, and so welcomes all and sundry with open arms.