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Mar

Make Any Meal a Travel Adventure

by Joyce McGreevy on March 16, 2020

A food market in Denmark features in the culinary travel adventure of a writer on the trail of food origin stories. (Image by Joyce McGreevy)

You can order French bread in Denmark (but not a “Danish”).
In France, just order bread—in French.
© Joyce McGreevy

Food Origin Fun with a Dash of Cultural Awareness

So you’ve just canceled that upcoming trip, but you’re still feeling the wanderlust? Don’t be consumed by disappointment—there’s a travel adventure in the food you consume.

Lunch time scenario 1: Lee and his friend Ana meet for lunch. Lee orders a French dip, French fries and a salad with French dressing.

Intrigued, Ana asks Lee, “What did you have for breakfast?”

“French toast,” says Lee. “Why?” Read more...

Joyce McGreevy Comments

Cultural Encounters/The World's Chefs/Worldwide Sites

Dec

Cultural Encounters on the Banks of the Seine

by Meredith Mullins on December 2, 2019

Les Bouquinistes
© Meredith Mullins

The Bouquinistes: Icons of Paris Culture

Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night . . .

From this familiar and inspiring creed, you may think this story is going to be about a diligent U.S. postal carrier. Not so.

For this “Oh, I see” adventure, we travel to the banks of the Seine for cultural encounters with the riverside Paris booksellers—the bouquinistes (pronounced boo-kin-eests).

Through snow and rain . . .
© Meredith Mullins

This iconic community, like postal carriers, are dedicated to their job—in all seasons, in all kinds of weather. The bouquinistes have been officially authorized in Paris for more than 160 years. Read more...

Meredith Mullins 6 Comments

Cultural Encounters/France (Paris)

Aug

Cultural Encounters with a Competitive Edge

by Meredith Mullins on August 12, 2019

Bullfrog who is part of one of the most bizarre competitions in the world and also a part of the cultural encounters of competitions around the world. (Image ©

Five of the Most Fascinating Competitions in the World

Grab your frog, your worm, your spouse, your crying baby, your cheese-chasing outfit, your cherry pits, your cockroaches, and your mustache wax.

Let the games begin.

From Calaveras frog jumping, to British cheese chasing, to Japanese baby crying, to Finnish wife carrying, to Indian mustache competitions, it’s time for some competitive cultural encounters.

What is it that drives us to compete . . . besides that thrill of victory? And, more to the point, what is it that drives us to compete in competitions unique to our cultures? Read more...

Meredith Mullins 2 Comments

Cultural Encounters/England/Finland/India/Japan/USA

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