Return to Links of the Week Archive

Great Excursions
This company offers "Travel for the hungry mind". Based in the heart of the Canadian Plains, Great Excursions Company specializes in alternative tourism and "learning travel" for people with active minds and adventurous attitudes. They have put together an exciting and imaginative series of tours, inspiring for school classes and other groups. There are tours focusing on waterways, hiking, birding, aboriginal immersion, French immersion, snow, trail and wagon, heritage, nature study, urban renewal, and scuba diving. Participants will learn about the culture, archaeology, and ecology of the areas visited. The urban renewal tours explore such themes as urban development successes, urban Indians, social development, back alley safaris, and green spaces development. Example tours are a visit to the cabin of Grey Owl, wilderness whitewater trips, all-women wilderness encounters, Indian rock art archaeology camp, eco treks, and corporate retreats. The site has a complete list of research links on the Prairies and a large online selection of books; each tour experience has three recommended titles for complementary reading and study. Visitors will also find world news headlines in the fields of nature, travel, and discovery. http://www.greatexcursions.com

Routes International - People Transportation
This reference site has thousands links for everything related to every mode of people transportation worldwide. It's not a website where you can book airline tickets, but where you can find links to the airlines or booking agent you need. Here you can find airlines in Africa, bus lines in Belgium, ferries in Finland, marine links in Maine, or transit in Tokyo. There are also related travel sites such as hotel guides, bed and breakfast places, pre-assembled specialty trips, travel for the disabled, and more. For transportation history buffs, there are hundreds of links to travel museum sites worldwide. The site also has a ticket gallery, funny travel stories, a bulletin board, and chat. http://routesinternational.com

Travel Tidings USA
If you're planning a trip in the U.S.A., here's a good place to look for charming places to visit. This website is a gateway to over 5,000 travel sites describing cities, attractions, events, and accommodations throughout the United States. The site is divided into regions, with each region covering a group of states. Clicking on a state will bring up tourist attractions for that state, with photos and links to the web pages of different cities, museums, historical landmarks, state parks, and more. It's a quick way to find the interesting places to visit in a town or region. http://www.traveltidingsusa.com

Best Iran Travel
This website has travel and tourist information for Iran, and much more on Iranian history, customs, and culture. Travelers to the region will find useful information on transportation, tours, shopping, embassies, currency converters, time zones, customs, computer resources, and hotels. Online visitors can explore what Iran has given the world in art, music, carpets, religion, poetry, food, film, books, mathematics, science, and chess. Individual web pages for poets such as Jalaluddin Rumi, Hafez, Attar, Omar Khayam, and others. The site has a map of the Persian Empire accompanied by historical notes; Persian and Iranian calendars and holidays; and a glossary of terms. You can find Persian music and poetry CDs here and many books on poetry, cooking, history, and language. If you're wondering which cities to visit, look here for descriptions and photographs of interesting places. Examples are Alexander the Great's prison, the tomb of the Biblical Esther, Omar Khayyam's tomb, prehistoric caves in northern Iran, the Tehran bazaar, the Yazd Zoroastrian Fire Temple, and many parks and gardens, palaces and mosques. http://www.bestirantravel.com

GoAbroad.com
GoAbroad.com is the comprehensive on-line source for study abroad, language schools, overseas internships, international volunteer positions, teach abroad, jobs abroad, US universities, eco-travel around the world, and more. The Study Abroad Directory allows students to search through thousands of programs around the world. The Travel Guides section has an extensive database covering many countries, with currency converters and information on communications and technology, health and safety, cultural norms, and more. The embassy search directory has links to embassies around the globe and practical information on visas and passports. http://www.GoAbroad.com

HiddenAmerica.com
A Living Flag, a boom box parade, lizard races, a 12 mile lawnmower race, a competition of frying eggs on old Route 66, a Spam Festival and a midnight parade are a few of the ways towns around America celebrate the Fourth of July. This site is dedicated to on-the-road Americana inspired by the spirit of On The Road reportage by the late Charles Kuralt. A section titled "On The Road Corner" has a calendar of events by region, highlights for the month, and a newsletter with topics ranging from histories of old roads to recipes and discussions about regional particularities. For the traveler, there are links to both mainstream tourist info and obscure Americana (trolleys, old maps, lighthouse bed-and-breakfasts). In addition, there are "Readings for the Road," a "Trivia Corner," "Village Shops" with shopping as it used to be, and the Travel and Touring Center to help you start your own discovery of America. http://www.hiddenamerica.com

Travlang: Foreign Languages for Travelers
Here is a free, easy-to-use language learning resource for travelers and others. You begin by selecting the language you already speak, then selecting the language you want to learn. A page comes up giving you a choice of basic words, numbers, time, dates, or help with shopping, dining, getting directions, and so on. The free lessons include both text and sound bytes so you can learn to pronounce the words, and quizzes to help you remember. From each language page there are links to more language and travel resources, including full immersion courses, dictionaries, radio stations, and information about countries where the language is spoken. You can also search the site to have a particular word or phrase translated into every language. Other features are chat and message boards where you can practice your languages, and a free email Word of the Day. The site is available in both graphic and text-only versions. http://www.travlang.com/languages/index.html

AsiaSource - Online Gateway for News on Asia
This comprehensive resource provides up-to-date information on all aspects of Asia. The site is divided into four areas: Arts and Culture, Business and Economics, Policy and Government, and Society and History. It includes a daily digest of top news stories; a searchable database of events; and useful maps and statistics. Business travelers especially will be interested in the articles on Asian business customs and protocol; current leaders of Asian countries; the directory of annotated articles, speeches, and policy briefs; the database of specialists on Asia; and language resources. http://www.asiasource.org

CARE's Virtual Field Trip to Bolivia
CARE, the international relief agency, is presenting a series of virtual field trips. The first journey is through the lofty mountains and steamy valleys of Bolivia, where guides take visitors on an educational trip to CARE's rural and urban projects. Daily journal entries and photos, made by CARE workers on a real-life expedition, highlight people and places along the way. Visitors can learn more about Bolivia and CARE from the facts at a glance, recommended books, and related links, and can download a free screensaver.
http://www.care.org/virtual_trip/bolivia/index.html

Study Abroad Programs Directory
Wouldn't it be exciting to study in a completely different environment, and perhaps learn a new language? Here students can find listings for thousands of study abroad programs in more than 100 countries throughout the world. The site allows you to search for study programs by continent, country, academic subject, and time of year. Some special opportunities are internships, intensive language studies, and summer law programs. A sampling of countries here shows the diversity available: Armenia, Cuba, Egypt, Finland, France, India, Jamaica, Latvia, Mexico, Nepal, Scotland, the United States, Venezuela, Zimbabwe, and many more. A directory of products and services includes tours and travel, financial aid, health insurance, merchandise, telecommunications, consumer information, and International Student Identity Cards. Other features the site offers are a guide to traveling abroad, with tips on making cultural adaptations; a forum; and its own bookstore.
http://www.studyabroad.com/

Scottish Radiance - A Hebridean Journal
From the remote island of Lewis in the North Atlantic off the coast of Scotland comes this monthly World Wide Web magazine which celebrates Scotland, especially the Hebridean Islands, in articles, scenic photographs, Celtic-theme graphic design, and RealAudio sound files of Gaelic speech and Celtic music. The magazine's columns include The Whisky Connoisseur, with history and information on newly available rare scotch; Scottish Customs and Holidays; the Gaelic Column; and Line on Scottish Fishing. There are many more columns, special features, and editorials, plus monthly guest writers, poetry, reviews, and short stories. Here you can learn some Gaelic, take a Scottish Island quiz, view pictures of lighthouses, or shop for books and music. Historical information includes maps showing the geography and clans of Scotland, and a list of Kings and Queens of the Scots. There is an interesting review of the movie Braveheart, and even some features to entertain the children. Visitors are invited to "Come in for a Cupper" at the discussion board.


Yellowstone Net
Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming is one of the most beautiful and most visited of the U.S. National Parks. Those who want to visit Yellowstone can look here for information on lodging, tours, campgrounds, trails, and weather. See photos and artists' renditions of Yellowstone wildlife and scenery, including the famous geysers; there are also several maps of the area. This website explores the history of the area, its animals and plants, earthquakes, and efforts at conservation. Further information about Yellowstone can be found in the newsletter, FAQ, and discussion forum; and there is a list of recommended books for research. If you are interested in working or volunteering in a National Park, you can find jobs and volunteer opportunities here. Look here also for The Yellowstone Institute's schedule of courses in such subjects as wild edible plants, medicinal herbs, archaeology, horsepacking, nature photography, mammal tracking, fly fishing, wilderness writing, canoeing, watershed ecology, and winter survival.
http://www.yellowstone.net

Guide to Japan
This is a free online travel guide that offers over 200 pages of information about Japan, a forum for communication, and links to Japan-related resources. The site's purpose is to promote intercultural understanding and to provide a reference for tourists, students, business travelers, and others interested in Japan. Here you can find Japanese recipes, history, news, politics, religion, and sports, plus a photo gallery with over 200 pictures. The Japanese language links include Japanese characters for computers. Foreigners visiting Japan may find the etiquette tips invaluable; get instructions for taking a Japanese bath and using a Japanese toilet, table manners for dining out, customs in exchanging gifts, and superstitions about things that cause bad luck. Explore some of the traditional Japanese arts such as the tea ceremony, bonsai, ikebana, literature, music, and theatre. There is a forum where visitors can ask questions, read other people's experiences, and submit their own. This guide is available in English and German; the Japan PenFriend penpal service is also available in Japanese.
http://www.japan-guide.com/

The Russian Internet Network
The Russian Internet Network is an effort to promote cultural understanding and awareness through the Internet. This website features news, politics and government, arts and literature, travel and tourism, education, and business. Look here for Russian radio and television programming, and the best telephone rates between the U.S. and Russia. A chat room and forum provide a chance to exchange ideas. The travel section includes special coverage of major cities Moscow and Petersburg. The Russian Reading List has recommended books, publications, audio, and video. Golden Ring Kiosk has reviews of Russian Internet goods, services, books, CDs, and more. Find Russian language information here, including translation services and how to get Russian characters on your computer. There are links to Russian home pages, websites of Russian-Americans on the Internet, and resources for Russians in America. Job seekers can place resumes here for free. A search engine makes the site easy to use.
http://www.rossiya.net

France Online
"Every man has two nations, and one of them is France." This quote from Benjamin Franklin introduces France Online, an English-language resource for news, culture, travel, and business. Here you can learn a little about France's history and culture, including French architecture, books, cuisine, and wines. Here you can also find French newspapers, magazines, and ezines (some publications are in French, English and Spanish), plus television and radio programming, and information about France's online services, including directories and search engines. A travel guide helps tourists with suggestions of interesting places to visit; you can find the best restaurants, and get some tips on dining and etiquette. You can also get information on travel schedules and fares. People who plan to do business in France will appreciate the EuroLeads database of French companies and the Yellow Pages directory of English-speaking businesses in France. There is also a general overview of business and industry in France, with a list of trade shows. Search classifieds ads here for house exchanges, job offers, and properties for rent or for sale in France. Though the site is mostly in English, chat and bulletin boards are in French and English (offering a good place to practice your French before you go).
http://www.france.com

Fulltiming America
Here's a website celebrating the easygoing lifestyle of recreational vehicle owners, listing RV resources throughout North America. Look here for campgrounds; state recreational web pages; RV clubs and associations; festivals, fairs, and jubilees; RV accessories and books. Find many tourist attractions and places to shop while on the road. If you're interested in buying or selling an RV, look here to find manufacturers, locaters of new and used RVs; and classified ads. If you want to work as you go, see the references for workcamping, plus volunteer and paid jobs in parks and recreational areas. And if you're going to bring your computer and modem, check here for lists of modem-friendly campgrounds, public Internet phone locations, cybercafes, and other places where you can get online on your travels.
http://www.fulltiming-america.com

Venice Italy Index
This website is mainly a collection of annotated links about Venice, Italy, providing online visitors a taste of this fascinating city. Here you can enjoy paintings from all periods of Venice history, and see photographs of gondolas in the famous canals. You can also visit with the people of Venice, and explore the museums and churches, literature and music, art and cinema. Venice history makes interesting reading; here you can also find current news and weather. Check out the calendar of events, and find out about summer art courses and other educational programs, plus other happenings in Venice. If you plan to go to Venice, look here for maps, recommendations of hotels and alternative accommodations, and places to enjoy Italian food and wine. Italian search engines and FAQs are available here too. This multilingual website has links to pages in French, German, Spanish, English, and Italian. The site is updated weekly.
http://www.iuav.unive.it/~juli/venindx.html

Learning Vacations - A Chalkboard of Travel Information
This web page is for those who want a vacation that's a little special. Here you can find eco-travel, cultural/educational tours, climbing schools, sailing schools, adventure cruises, safaris, and golf schools. In addition there are monthly features and links to other travel sites. There are language schools for those who want to fully immerse themselves in a language by going to where it's spoken. Get special discounts in the section on travel specials, and visit The Travel Store.
http://www.learningvacations.com

Cross-Cultural Solutions
Cross-Cultural Solutions' International Volunteer Programs are undoubtedly life-changing experiences. These programs allow you to work with dynamic grass-roots organizations while immersing yourself in the local culture. Volunteers typically work in the areas of education, health care and community development. Volunteer programs range from one week to six months. Programs are available in Asia, Africa, Latin America and Eastern Europe.
(Please note: we now offer volunteer programs to China and Russia as well as India, Ghana and Peru; and insight travel programs to Cuba, among other destinations).
http://www.crossculturalsolutions.org

Great Outdoor Recreation Places
If you're longing for a vacation in the great outdoors, you might want to visit this cyberspace spot first. There are listings here for national parks, national forests, wilderness areas, wildlife and marine sanctuaries, national seashores, archaeology and cultural sites, and historic sites, throughout the United States and the world. Whether you're interested hiking, biking, camping, RVs, horsemanship, boating, fishing, hunting, climbing, skiing, or just looking at the scenery, you will find activities here. For reference, there are books, videos, maps, and e-zines for the outdoor enthusiast. Get hints on gear, tours, camping cookery, ecology, health, travel, and recreation for people with disabilities. You can also enjoy stories, humor, photography, and outdoor art. Make connections here to outdoor clubs and associations; learn about volunteer positions and educational opportunities. And if you'd like to make the outdoors a way of life, visit Cool Works! for jobs in national parks and other outdoor locales.
http://www.gorp.com/

Snow Lion Publications
Snow Lion is the premier English-language publisher of scholarly and trade books and other materials on Tibet, Tibetan culture, and Tibetan Buddhism. Tibet is an ancient country with a recorded history of over 2,100 years, and a rich cultural history. Because of its huge land mass, strategic location, and altitude, Tibet assumes a very important position in international environmental and geopolitical equations. This website explores the history and politics of Tibet, from remote mountain paradise to dumping ground for nuclear and toxic waste. Snow Lion also offers photos, current news of Tibet, classified ads, an events calendar, and a catalog with audiotapes, videotapes, works of art, textiles, meditation supplies, language, music, and travel books.
http://www.well.com/user/snowlion/

Visiting Canyon Country, Utah
Utah's Canyon Country, including Canyonlands National Park and other Utah national parks, offers beautiful scenery, wildlife, and some of the most impressive Indian rock paintings in the United States, estimated to be 1,500 to over 8,000 years old. The Anasazi pueblo dwellers, a people who inhabited the canyonlands in prehistory, left records in the form of rock art and ruins. This beautifully designed web page contains pictographs, petroglyphs, stories, photographs, art, poetry, notes on flora and fauna, and travel services. Visitors enjoy the region in a variety of ways including hiking, rafting, biking, four-wheeling, photography, and just enjoying the scenery. Find out about places and parks; recreation and sports; rock art, ruins and archaeology; stories and articles; geography and geology; travel services; and environmental issues affecting the area.
http://www.afternet.com/~ray/

City.Net
Pick a country. Then narrow down your travel plans to a specific area and city. At City.Net you'll get a map of the city with its main features and places of interest, plus listings for the Chamber of Commerce, hotels, businesses, schools, restaurants, government, parks and wilderness areas, television and radio stations, trade shows, conferences and exhibitions. This virtual tour can help you prepare for the real thing!
http://www.city.net/

U.S. State Department Travel Warnings
Anyone planning to travel abroad should first check this page for country-by-country information on passports, visas, roads, lodging, public transportation, medical facilities, political conditions, personal safety, currency, and location of U.S. Embassies. There are also links to other web pages of interest to the international traveler.
http://www.stolaf.edu/network/travel-advisories.html

The Travel Page
This page is for travel within the United States or worldwide. Find information here on air and cruise travel, hotels and resorts, tourist attractions by city, late breaking news and weather. Hot destinations are rated with stars, giving suggestions for tourists seeking an exciting place to go. And for those who'd rather stay home, there are attractive features such as a virtual tour of Jerusalem.
http://www.travelpage.com/