fbpx
Super User

Super User

Halloween isn’t one of the top holidays for travel, but the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is offering advice for airline passengers preparing to pass through security checkpoints during spooky season. Globe Aware volunteers might be surprised to know what can and can't get through security!


TSA Offers Tips and Tricks for Halloween Travelers

By Donald Wood
October 27, 2023
TravelPulse

Halloween isn’t one of the top holidays for travel, but the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is offering advice for airline passengers preparing to pass through security checkpoints during spooky season.

TSA officials said that while travelers are not permitted to prank security officers, agents will be advised to screen costumed travelers as usual, with all previously prohibited items still applicable at checkpoints.

While costumes are acceptable, masks must be removed and face paint is not recommended, as agents must verify each traveler’s identity. The TSA also asked that capes remain in carry-on bags to avoid triggering the alarms at a checkpoint.

halloween 4573176 1280

Costume props are important to each ghoul and goblin, but the TSA said fake knives, hatchets, pitchforks, light sabers, brooms, swords and scythes must be placed in checked baggage. Explosive replicas like grenades, bombs or rocket launchers are prohibited in both carry-on and checked bags.

For travelers with a sweet tooth, candy of all sizes is allowed through the checkpoint, but liquid quantities must follow the 3-1-1 rule. The same rule applies to homebrewed potions, gel, cream, paste or fake blood.

Here’s pumpkin to think about. When traveling within the domestic U.S. your squash is gourd to go. If you’re traveling internationally you butternut forget to ask your airline and the customs agency at your destination. #NationalPumpkinDaypic.twitter.com/RI0eMUeg1L

— TSA (@TSA) October 26, 2023
As for the passengers daring enough to fly with a pumpkin—decorated or carved—the jack-o-lanterns are permitted, but must be placed inside a carry-on bag.

Monday, 23 October 2023 14:24

Embrace the Season of Giving

Embrace the Season of Giving

Nov Cover

A Week of Giving in Puerto Rico

At precisely the same time last year, our corporate team of volunteers was situated in Guatemala! This year they engaged in the construction of a residence in Puerto Rico! Specifically, they worked on laying blocks and foundations, as well as framing and walls.

"Our annual charity trip has been fantastic. We spent the week in Puerto Rico and partnered with Globe Aware and a local organization to build the foundation of a house for an incredible woman named Adris. She is a survivor of domestic violence, and her previous home was destroyed in Hurricane Maria. We got to serve, play, and connect as a group. This is my absolute favorite kind of trip!" - Jessica G.

Globe Aware greatly admires their unwavering commitment to labor and service!

Learn More About Globe Aware's Puerto Rico progam with Adris

 

A Week of Giving in Puerto Rico Cont.

Our eager volunteers started the week by celebrating the start of the week by having dinner at Pirilos, enjoying pizza, surrounded by a vintage Puerto Rico vibe. Work began the following day, and each day included an activity such as visiting historical museums, exploring local beaches, and snorkeling with turtles!

Our corporate volunteers concluded their volunteer vacation week having found sincere bonds, new introspection, and the results of their dedicated efforts!

Why should you volunteer? Puerto Rico is so close and the need is so great!

As the world knows, this beautiful archipelago among the Greater Antilles was struck hard by Category 5 Hurricane Maria in 2017 and is currently still dealing with countless homes that have been damaged and destroyed. It is going to take years to recover. In your free time, you will experience some of the natural beauty that has inspired people to vacation here through the ages: its colonial architecture, beautiful beaches, tropical climate (annual average 80 degrees), and warm, friendly people.

Learn More About Globe Aware's Puerto Rico Program

 

Solo Volunteering in Nepal!

Fall is one of the best times to visit Nepal!

There's cool weather and plenty of upcoming festivals!

Solo volunteer Missy spent her first few days exploring the vibrant capital city of Kathmandu, where she toured renowned spiritual destinations like Boudhanath, Soyambunath, and the Pasupati Nath temple.

She also engaged with the kids at a nearby elementary school in Kathmandu. Enjoyable activities encompassed crafting origami, partaking in games, and honing their English conversation skills. These kids enjoy meeting individuals from other countries acquiring fresh knowledge, and creating fun new memories!

Why don't you join us in Nepal? We have two unique programs there!

Learn More About Globe Aware's Nirvana in Nepal Program

Learn More About Globe Aware's Mystic Nepal Program

 

New Podcast and Donation Reminder

The Game-Count Special is out!

Check out this unique episode: "What's It Like Counting Game in Zimbabwe!?"

Click on the link below to listen!

Kimberly Haley-Coleman, Globe Aware's executive director, recently came back from a Globe Aware excursion in Zimbabwe. She had the chance to partake in our Game Count Special, an incredible opportunity that we'll delve into during this podcast.

She shares her recollections of the trip, delves into safety precautions, and highlights some of her cherished animal encounters. Additionally, she touches on the weather conditions during the game count and much more.

Donation Reminder

A reminder that we have a mission is to assist Dede, the protagonist of the international documentary we were involved in, in finding a new residence. $4,500 has also been raised so far! You can donate by clicking on the link below!

Donation Link

Zimbabwe Podcast

Cambodian cuisine has a long history and a diverse range of influences, yet it’s only now becoming known beyond the country’s borders. In fact, the only place you can experience all it has to offer is in the country itself. Here are 30 of the best dishes for Globe Aware volunteers to try!


30 Cambodian foods every visitor needs to try

By Lina Goldberg
CNN
December 22, 2019

Cambodian cuisine has a long history and a diverse range of influences, yet it’s only now becoming known beyond the country’s borders. In fact, the only place you can experience all it has to offer is in the country itself. Here are 30 of the best dishes to try.

khmer food 3771749 1280

Samlor korkor

While amok is sometimes called the country’s national dish, and might be the one most familiar to tourists, samlor korkor has a better claim to being the true national dish of Cambodia. It has been eaten for hundreds of years and today can be found in restaurants, roadside stands and family homes alike.

The ingredients list for this nourishing soup is versatile and easily adapted to whatever is seasonal and abundant; it often includes more than a dozen vegetables. It can be made with almost any type of meat, but most commonly it’s a hearty soup made from catfish and pork belly. The soup always includes two quintessential Cambodian ingredients – prahok, a type of fermented fish, and kroeung, a fragrant curry paste – and is then thickened with toasted ground rice.

Nom banh chok: Khmer noodles

Nom banh chok is a beloved Cambodian dish, so much so that in English it’s sometimes called simply “Khmer noodles.” It’s a typical breakfast food, and every morning you’ll find it being sold by women carrying baskets of fresh rice noodles hanging from a pole balanced on their shoulders.

The dish consists of fresh noodles laboriously pounded out of rice, topped with a fish-based green curry gravy made from lemongrass, fingerroot ginger, turmeric, and garlic. Fresh cucumbers, banana flower, long beans, edible flowers, and wild leaves are heaped on top. In Siem Reap, it is served with a sweet sauce called tuk paem made from palm sugar and peanuts.

Amok

Amok is one of the best-known Cambodian dishes, but you’ll find similar meals in neighboring countries. The addition of slok ngor, a local herb that imparts a subtly bitter flavor, separates the Cambodian version from the rest of the pack.

The curry is made with fresh coconut milk and kroeung. Traditionally the dish was made with either fish or snails, but now you can find chicken and even vegetarian versions. At upscale restaurants amok is steamed with egg in a banana leaf for a mousse-like texture, while more homestyle places serve a boiled version that is more like a soupy fish curry.

Bai sach chrouk: Pork and rice

Served early mornings on street corners all over Cambodia, bai sach chrouk, or pork and rice, is one of the simplest and most delicious dishes the country has to offer. Thinly sliced pork is marinated in palm sugar and fish sauce, then slow-grilled over warm coals to impart a smoky sweetness.

It’s served over a hearty portion of white rice, with a helping of freshly pickled cucumbers and daikon radish with plenty of ginger. This classic Cambodia breakfast often comes with a bowl of chicken broth topped with scallions and fried onions.

Kari sach moan: Chicken red curry

Less spicy than the curries of neighboring Thailand, Cambodian red curry is made using large local red chilies that are remarkably mild, making for a rich but mellow dish. The curry contains chicken, white radish, sweet potatoes, fresh coconut milk, and kroeung. This delicious dish is usually served at weddings and other ceremonies and special occasions, and can be accompanied with fresh rice noodles, sliced baguette, or white rice.

Bok trop pgnon: Pounded eggplant dip

Bok, which translates as “smashed,” refers to a style of food preparation that involves pounding ingredients in a large wooden mortar. Trop pgnon are small, bitter pea eggplants, which grow wild in Cambodia.

Here, they are grilled and pounded with garlic, shallots, chilies and just enough sugar to take the edge off their bitterness. The dish usually contains some form of fish, either smoked fish or prahok, although it can be made without it. The eggplant dip is served alongside local fresh or steamed vegetable crudités.

Bok trop pgnon was traditionally prepared for workers harvesting rice, because it was easy to pack up to take to the fields.

Kha sach ko: Beef stewed in palm sugar

The word kha refers to a style of cooking in Cambodia in which palm sugar is caramelized into a sticky syrup, then used as the base of the dish. The beef version tastes marvelously complex — it contains multitudes — although the recipe itself is not very complicated. Every family has its own recipe, but most start with the kha base and include galangal, chilies, garlic, black pepper, and star anise.

Some versions include cloves, or make the broth with coconut water; others add tomatoes, tamarind, or soybean sauce. Kha sach ko is served with sliced baguette — in a nod to French imperialism — or noodles, and garnished with herbs, onion slices, and fried garlic.

Prahok ktis: Creamy prahok dip

After rice, the most important ingredient in Cambodian cuisine is prahok, a mash of salty fermented fish. It’s added in small quantities to bring an umami kick to many dishes, but in prahok ktis it has the starring role.

Cooked with fresh coconut cream, palm sugar, and minced pork, the pungent prahok becomes mild enough for even trepidatious visitors to enjoy. Another version of the dish, prahok kroeung ktis, adds a fragrant paste of root spices. Both are served with crunchy fresh vegetables.

Sngor chruak sach trei: Sour fish soup

Soups are a crucial element in Cambodian cuisine, and no meal is complete without one. The soups known as sngors are simple and extremely versatile. They’re designed to showcase the main ingredient, in this case, fish from the Tonle Sap, Cambodia’s great freshwater lake.

The fish is cooked in a light lemongrass broth that’s seasoned with lime juice and fried garlic, making for a wholesome soup served with local herbs, including Asian basil and sawleaf coriander. Other additions, such as straw mushrooms or shredded green mango, are optional.

Kari saraman: Beef saraman curry

The Cham people are a Muslim ethnic minority in Cambodia. Their cuisine eschews pork, which is widely found in Cambodian cooking, and instead features beef. In fact, the most respected beef sellers at the local markets in Siem Reap are Cham women.

Beef saraman curry is the most popular Cham-inspired dish, and little wonder, because it’s sensational. This rich coconut curry is one of Cambodia’s most complicated dishes, and is redolent with spices, with star anise and cassia bark most prominent. The curry is braised with whole peanuts and is most often served with sliced baguette.

Nhoam krauch thlong: Pomelo salad

Cambodian salads often use unripe or sour fruits in place of vegetables. In this delicious and refreshing example, giant pomelo is paired with pork belly, toasted coconut, and small dried shrimp and garnished with mint and fried shallots.

More exacting chefs pride themselves on peeling each segment of the pomelo and separating the tiny juice vesicles inside, laborious work that pays off in a delicate, beautifully balanced salad.

Tuek kroeung

One of Cambodia’s best-loved foods, tuek kroeung is a thin but pungent dipping sauce made from fresh river fish and fermented fish, served with an array of fresh seasonal vegetables and herbs.

The name can be a bit confusing — the word kroeung is most often used for one of the delicate curry pastes that are a hallmark of Cambodian cooking, but which aren’t used in tuek kroeung. In fact kroeung just means “what’s inside” or “ingredients.”

Kha trei svay kchai: Caramelized fish with green mango

Trei roh, or striped snakehead fish, is one of the few fish able to walk on land and in Cambodian markets they can often be seen jumping out of vendors’ baskets and trying to hustle away down the pavement. They rarely succeed, and when they don’t, becoming a plate of kha trei is often their fate.

First, thick steaks are placed in a pot of bubbling, caramelized palm sugar, garlic, and fish sauce, plus plenty of locally grown ground black pepper. Quartered red tomatoes are often added.

To avoid breaking up the fish the dish is not stirred – instead, the pot is lightly shaken to distribute the caramel syrup evenly. The fish is then served topped with grated green mango and Asian basil.

Kangkep baob: Stuffed frogs

Served at roadside barbecues all over Cambodia, stuffed frogs can be an intimidating sight for timid visitors, but any fearfulness disappears at the first taste.

Frogs are stuffed with minced pork, roasted peanuts, red chilies, frog meat and fresh kroeung made from lemongrass, garlic, galangal, turmeric and the zest of makrut limes. Grilled inside split pieces of bamboo over hot coals, the resulting snack is like a frog sausage, rich with root spices and slightly sweetened by palm sugar.

Mi kola: Kola noodles

The Kola are an ethnic minority in Cambodia, originally from Yunnan, China, and the Mon and Shan states of Myanmar, who settled in northeastern Cambodia in the 19th century.

These days, there are more street food stands and restaurants serving the noodle dish named for them than there are Kola people in Cambodia. Rice noodles are garnished with dried shrimp, hard-boiled egg slices, cucumbers, peanuts, and fresh herbs and mixed with a tangy lime-garlic-shallot dressing.

Pork is optional but often included, and you’ll usually be served a tangy mix of fresh cucumber and green papaya pickle on the side.

Chrok krao chhnang: Out of the pot soup

The name of this soup refers to the cooking technique: Rather than preparing it in a pot over a flame, like most Cambodian soups, for chrok krao chhnang the cook assembles the ingredients in a large bowl, then pours boiling water over them to create a broth.

The main ingredients are smoked or dried freshwater fish, hard-boiled eggs, shallots, and green tomatoes. The soup gets additional flavor from fresh herbs (such as sawleaf coriander and Asian basil), sugar, and a squeeze of lime juice. Served with rice, the soup offers a mix of salty, sweet, and sour flavors and a perfectly balanced meal.

Plea sach ko: Lime-marinated beef salad

Khmer beef salad features thinly sliced beef that is either quickly seared or “cooked” ceviche-style by marinating it in lime juice. Dressed with lemongrass, shallots, garlic, fish sauce, Asian basil, mint, green beans, and green pepper, this sweet and salty dish also packs a punch in the heul (spicy) department with copious amounts of fresh red chilies. More beef than salad, plea sach ko is a party dish that is served at festive occasions such as weddings, or alongside beer during a night out on the town.

Chha trop dott: Grilled eggplant with pork

This simple dish is one of Cambodia’s most accessible, and it’s easy to make at home, too! Eggplant is grilled over an open flame or hot coals, then topped with minced pork fried in garlic and oyster sauce. Herbs are sprinkled over the top, sometimes Asian basil or spring onions or coriander.

More upscale versions may be enriched with egg or served in the hollowed-out charred eggplant skin. Although it has only a few ingredients, when it’s done well it’s heavenly.

Chaa kdam meric kchai: Fried crab with green pepper

Local crab is a specialty of the Cambodian seaside town of Kep. Its lively crab market is known for fried crab prepared with green, locally grown Kampot pepper.

Aromatic Cambodian pepper is famous among gourmands worldwide, and although it is available in its dried form internationally, you’ll only be able to sample the distinctively flavored immature green peppercorns in Cambodia. It’s worth a visit to Kep for that alone, and for a related dish, chaa kdam kroeung, fried crab with curry sauce.

Samlor m’chu kroeung sach ko: Lemongrass beef sour soup

This delicious soup is the perfect antidote to a hangover, a cold, or a rainy tropical day. It comes in two styles: plain or ktis, with coconut milk. The soup’s base is prahok and a kroeung made of sliced lemongrass stalks, galangal, makrut lime, turmeric, and garlic. When coconut milk is omitted, fresh curry leaves that have been brushed over hot coals are used.

The creamy version pairs coconut milk with ripe tamarind, to impart tangy sourness, and holy basil or sawleaf coriander round off a simple but richly restorative soup. Often water spinach or ambarella leaves are added, and sometimes even eggplant.

Maam chao: Raw fermented fish

More adventurous eaters will enjoy maam chao, a dish made with a type of raw, fermented fish known as maam. Roasted rice, galangal, and sugar are added to freshwater fish and left to ferment for at least a month.

Compared to prahok, maam is delicately flavored (as far as fermented fish goes), its salty pungency balanced by the sweetness of the palm sugar. Maam chao is most often served as a dip mixed with pineapple, alongside boiled pork and crunchy raw vegetables.

Somlor proher: Fragrant vegetable soup

This aromatic vegetable soup is a Cambodian village staple and one of the country’s most popular. The soup’s base is a lemongrass paste made with fingerroot ginger, and it can be made with any number of vegetables, usually home grown or foraged.

Pumpkin, taro, and luffa gourd are common ingredients, and lemon basil is such an important part of the dish, that in Cambodia its name translates as “the herb for somlor proher.” The soup usually contains fish, fermented, dried, and fresh, but it can also easily be made “mhob bouh,” “as the monks eat” – an expression meaning vegetarian, even though Cambodian monks don’t necessarily avoid meat.

Ang dtray meuk: Grilled squid with Koh Kong sauce

In Cambodian seaside towns you’ll find seafood sellers carrying small charcoal-burning ovens on their shoulders, cooking the squid as they walk along the shore.

The squid are brushed with either lime juice or fish sauce and then barbecued on wooden skewers and served with a spicy chili sauce originally from the seaside province of Koh Kong, made from garlic, fresh chilies, fish sauce, lime juice and sugar.

Nhoam svay kchai: Green mango salad

The main ingredient in a Cambodian salad, or nhoam, may vary, be it ambarella, banana blossom, cucumber, or lotus root, but the chi, or herbs, remain the same. Traditionally, four herbs are used: Asian basil, mint, Cambodian mint, and fish-cheek herb, a heart-shaped leaf grown in Southeast Asia whose flavor is reminiscent of the sea.

Cambodian salads are often made with unripe fruit and usually contain smoked fish and small dried shrimp. Green mango salad is a classic whose flavors of sour fruit, salty smoked fish, and sweet palm sugar form a beautifully harmonious whole.

Aluek trei ngeat: Dried fish and watermelon

This unexpected combination of dried fish and fresh fruit perfectly encapsulates the delicious simplicity of Cambodian cuisine. Trei ngeat is the term for salt-cured fish that has been dried in the sun, one of the myriad ways Cambodians preserve food using the same techniques they’ve relied on for centuries.

In this dish, snakehead fish, abundant in the country’s waterways, are salted and dried, then grilled over charcoal and served with thick chunks of sweet ripe watermelon, for a perfect sweet-and-umami contrast.

Chaa angrong sach ko: Red tree ants with beef and holy basil

You’ll find all sorts of insects on the menu in Cambodia, but the dish most appealing to foreign palates is stir-fried red tree ants with beef and holy basil.

The tree-dwelling red weaver ant, some barely visible and others almost an inch long, are stir-fried with ginger, lemongrass, garlic, shallots, and thinly sliced beef. Lots of chilies complete the aromatic dish, without overpowering the delicate sour flavor that the ants impart to the beef. This meal is served with rice, and if you’re lucky you’ll also get a portion of ant larvae in your bowl.

Kuy teav: Noodle soup

Every country in Southeast Asia has its own version of noodle soup, and kuy teav is Cambodia’s, a flavorful pork-bone-and-squid broth most often served with pork or beef, fish balls and fried garlic.

The name derives from the Hoikken Chinese word for a type of rice noodle, and theories about the origins of kuy teav include the possibility that it was invented by Chinese traders in Cambodia or originated in Kampuchea Krom, an area in southern Vietnam that was once part of the Khmer Empire. Whatever its roots, kuy teav is is one of the country’s most popular breakfasts and afternoon snacks.

Sngor ngam nov sach moan: Pickled lime soup with chicken

Pickled limes give this chicken soup a unique flavor evocative of Moroccan cooking. Limes are packed in salt and left to dry in the sun, or boiled briefly and soaked in salt water for several weeks or months.

The flavor is intensely citrusy and salty, but not bitter. Traditionally this soup is made with little more than pickled limes and free-range chicken, both of which are so flavorful that the dish needs nothing else, although garlic and spring onions are commonly added.

Num ansom: Sticky rice cakes

These sticky rice cakes wrapped in banana leaves are so emblematic of Cambodia that in 2015 the government made a giant num ansom weighing 8,900 pounds and displayed it in front of Angkor Wat to earn a place in the Guinness Book of World Records.

The cakes can be sweet or savory, filled with bananas and coconut or pork and mung beans. For major celebrations, such as Pchum Ben (Ancestor’s Day), women spend days making hundreds of num ansom to share with family and friends and give to monks at the pagoda.

Trei boeng kanh chhet: Fried fish in the lake

“Fried fish in the lake” is a party dish, often eaten at restaurants in a special fish-shaped dish. A whole fish is deep-fried and then finished on a hotplate at the table in a coconut curry made from yellow kroeung and chilies.

Vegetables such as cauliflower and cabbage are cooked in the curry, which is served with rice or rice noodles. Its name literally means “fish in the water mimosa lake,” which refers to the green Cambodian vegetable that serves as the base of the dish.

Globe Aware volunteers have the chance to try many of these delicious dishes on an international volunteer vacation! Which ones have you tried or want to dig into!?


Best rice dishes: 20 delicious specialties from around the world

Terry Ward
CNN
May 4, 2023

With thousands of varieties of rice in the world – jasmine, basmati, arborio and Carolina Gold, to name just a few – is it any surprise the grain defines iconic meals everywhere from Singapore to South Carolina?

Plus, half the world’s population relies on rice as a staple, so there have been plenty of culinary innovators over its long history.

And while famous rice dishes such as sushi, fried rice and paella are among the most prominent in the global spotlight, there are so many more rice recipes out there to put on your radar – and seek out on your travels.

Here are 20 dishes from international crowd-pleasers to some that you may not have tasted – yet:

jollof 4659747 1280

Jollof, West Africa

Widely enjoyed in West African countries for special occasions such as weddings, birthdays and funerals, jollof is a one-pot rice dish made by cooking rice, onions, tomatoes, meat and spices in a single vessel.

“Sierra Leone, Ghana and Nigeria argue over who makes the best jollof, but it really comes down to who’s cooking it,” says Sierra Leonean fashion designer Mary Ann Kai Kai of Madam wokie.

Typical Ghanaian jollof incorporates more spices than Nigerian jollof and also usually uses an aromatic rice, such as basmati, instead of the long grain rice more typical in Nigerian jollof. But jollof recipes can vary within the same country, too.

The dish is said to have originated in Senegal, but the debate over who makes the best jollof on the continent and across the diaspora will never end.

Zongzi, China

Found in various iterations all over China, zongzi refers to sticky, glutinous rice dumplings wrapped in bamboo leaves before boiling that can be stuffed with savory or sweet fillings.

And while anything that is wrapped with a skin and has a stuffing is considered a dumpling, says Nadia Liu Spellman, author of “Dumpling Daughter: Heirloom Recipes from our Restaurants and Home Kitchens,” the Chinese put zongzi is a category of its own.

Typical zongzi fillings in southern China include salted duck egg and pork belly while sweeter fillings such as red bean paste and tapioca are more common in the north of the country.

“Every family recipe has their own secrets that they believe make their zongzi superior,” Spellman says.

Milchreis, Germany

A stovetop staple at many a German oma’s house, milchreis (translation: milk rice), is a creamy rice pudding made from arborio, medium or long grain white rice that’s sweetened with cinnamon and sugar and splashed with vanilla extract.

It can be enjoyed warm, straight from the stovetop, or chilled. It’s a nostalgic childhood snack that’s often enjoyed by adults across Germany, too. You can even buy pre-made containers of milchreis in the refrigerated sections of German grocery stores.

Far from the only country to concoct a sweet treat featuring rice and milk, German milchreis is joined by Lebanese meghli, Indian kheer, Portuguese arroz doce, Latin American arroz con leche and many, many more in the rice pudding family.

Paella, Spain

A gift to global gastronomy, Spain’s main rice player is paella, the famous dish from Valencia that originated as a peasant food and is typically made using bomba rice, which maintains its firmness while absorbing the broth while cooking.

The dish was originally invented in rural areas and made use of whatever ingredients were available, including rice, chicken, rabbit and snails mixed with saffron, olive oil and the vegetables of the season, says Patricia Palacios of Spain travel website, España Guide.

“Today, there are many different paella recipes,” she told CNN Travel. “Along the coast, fish and seafood paellas are very popular. Vegetarian paellas are also common. But most Spaniards would agree that a big no-no with paellas is mixing meat and fish/seafood.”

Risotto, Italy

Making Italy’s most famous rice dish is an art form that requires near constant stirring on the part of the cook. And any Italian will tell you risotto must be “all’onda” (translation: on the wave) – with a texture that undulates enough to fall off the spoon without ever taking on the dreaded globby consistency.

With its high starch content, arborio rice is most commonly used in making the dish, typically served as a first course in Italy.

“Risotto is comfort food,” says Calabria-born cookbook author Francesca Montillo, who leads culinary tours in Italy. “It’s not necessarily an easy dish to prepare, so it also speaks to the skills of the chef or home cook preparing it.”

The traditional preparation, Montillo says, involves first toasting the rice then adding wine as it cooks in the broth, with butter and grated cheese added later. Variations include adding peas, mushrooms, asparagus and ham, among other ingredients.

Arancini, Italy

Sicily’s most famous street food is the rice ball whose name comes from the orange citrus fruit it resembles in shape and color. Arancini is essentially stuffed rice balls that are breaded and fried, says Montillo. And Sicilians debate the dish’s name.

“In Palermo, it’s typically round and the name is arancina,” she says. “In Catania, it’s cone-shaped, some say to resemble the local Etna volcano, and it’s called arancino.”

You can find the dish all over Sicily as well as on mainland Italy, but arancini are particularly linked to Siracusa’s Festa di Santa Lucia (Feast Day of St. Lucia), celebrated every year on December 13. The balls are usually stuffed with meat sauce, says Montillo, and other fillings might include peas, mozzarella, prosciutto, spinach and eggplant in tomato sauce (“alla Norma”).

Biryani, India

Beloved across the Indian subcontinent and said to have originated in Iran (birinj biriyan means “fried rice” in Persian), biryani is almost always on the menu for special occasions in India, says cookbook author Vasanti Bhadkamkar-Balan.

“It is a rich and elaborate preparation, made by layering partially cooked basmati rice with vegetables/lamb/chicken/fish in a sauce that is flavored with exotic spices and aromatics,” she said.

The pot is then covered and sealed with dough or a wet cloth that stops the steam from escaping while the biryani cooks over a low flame. Typical biryani spices include a wide aromatic mix, among them fennel seeds, mace, cardamom, bay leaves, coriander and garlic.

Kabuli pulao, Afghanistan

Afghanistan’s most famous rice dish, Kabuli pulao is a pilaf-style specialty. Served in many countries, rice pilaf is a loose-grain dish often cooked in stock with spices, onions and other ingredients.

Kabuli pulao is served piled high atop a platter and redolent with slow-cooked lamb and a blend of spices (cardamom pods, cloves, cinnamon and cumin among them), mixed with a long grain rice such as basmati.

The dish is usually topped with julienned carrots, raisins and toasted almonds. Kabuli pulao takes its name from the Afghani capital, Kabul, but is also enjoyed in neighboring Pakistan.

Onigiri, Japan

Sushi’s popularity precedes it. But just as dear to the Japanese is onigiri, a staple bento box snack made from steamed Japanese rice shaped into a triangular form and wrapped with the seaweed called nori.

“Despite its integral significance in Japanese culture, it is still an uncommon novelty in the United States, even in a metropolis such as New York,” says Ricky Dolinsky, co-owner and chef at New York City cocktail bar Paper Planes, which has styles of onigiri on its speakeasy menu.

Onigiri is special, he says, because of its convenience and affordability. “Onigiri reigns supreme in Japan,” says Dolinsky. “Whether it’s a quick grab-and-go on the way to work, or prepared at home for a lunch bento box.”

Nasi goreng, Indonesia

Nasi goreng translates to “fried rice” in the Indonesian and Malay languages and is an inexpensive and filling comfort staple served at street stalls and restaurants across the Indonesian archipelago, everywhere from Jakarta’s markets and Bali’s backpacker hangouts to the streets of Sumatra.

Mixing sweet and salty flavors, the dish is made from long grain rice flavored with a spice blend called bumbu (with shrimp paste, ginger, candlenut and other ingredients) and the sweet Indonesian soy sauce called kecap manis.

Variations of nasi goreng, which is considered a comfort food in Indonesia, incorporate eggs, shrimp and chicken. It’s often enjoyed with a side of spicy sambal sauce.

Tahdig, Iran

Fans of crispy rice will enjoy this Persian specialty typically made with basmati rice, yogurt, saffron and sometimes an egg yolk. Tahdig means “bottom of the pot,” referring to the dish’s crispy golden bottom of cooked rice that pairs perfectly with its fluffy interior.

Cooking fat on the bottom of the rice pan helps ensure the tahdig gets pan-fried below while cooking, while staying light and steamy up top. Saffron threads give it its golden glow.

Kedgeree, India/Britain

Said to have been a favorite of Queen Victoria, the Anglo-Indian dish called kedgeree traces its roots to the far more ancient spiced lentil Indian dish, khichiri, which dates to the 14th century.

A popular British comfort food today, kedgeree blends smoked haddock filet with basmati rice, hard boiled eggs and spices such as cumin, coriander and turmeric (the fish and eggs reflect the taste preferences of the British Raj, who appropriated khichiri to their palates).

Arroz imperial, Cuba

One of Cuba’s classic comfort rice dishes, arroz imperial is prepared for special occasions on the island and among the diaspora in Miami and elsewhere, too. It’s assembled in layers, much in the same way as lasagna.

Satisfying enough to be served as a main dish, it’s typically layered with yellow rice, shredded chicken, mayonnaise (to help bind it and for flavor) and cheese and is sometimes baked before serving for a melted effect. Olives, tomatoes and peppers are popular additions.

Pelau chicken and pigeon peas, Trinidad and Tobago

A one-pot comfort food ubiquitous in the dual-island Caribbean nation of Trinidad and Tobago, pelau is an everyday dish best shared with friends and family, says Jeanine Prime, the owner of Trinidadian restaurant Cane in Washington, DC.

To make it, she says, rice, peas and animal proteins (usually chicken) are caramelized and then cooked with stock, coconut milk and spices. The dish is often the centerpiece at social gatherings on the islands because it’s so filling.

“People eat it while hanging out at the beach, while taking in a cricket match, or even at dinner parties,” says Prime, who was born and raised in Trinidad. “It is to Trinidadians what jollof is to Ghanaians and Nigerians.”

Louisiana dirty rice, United States

Also called Cajun dirty rice, this Louisiana classic preferably made from long grain rice from the marshes of southern Louisiana is enjoyed across the state – from the tables of home cooks in Lake Charles and Baton Rouge to cafeteria-style diners and upscale restaurants in New Orleans.

It’s as typical a side dish in these parts as mashed potatoes are elsewhere in the country. In traditional recipes, chopped chicken livers or gizzards give the white rice its “dirty” color.

Not to be mistaken for the popular Creole dish, jambalaya, dirty rice can also be made using ground beef and ground pork (if you don’t like innards) to give the rice its distinctive look.

Wali wa kukaanga, Kenya

Wali wa kukaanga is Kenya’s answer to fried rice, and translates to just that in Swahili.

Served alongside a meat dish or all on its own, it’s a straightforward meal that’s easy to prepare from common ingredients and consists of boiled rice fried together in oil with turmeric and a mix of chopped vegetables that might include onions, carrots, peas and corn.

Chicken Perloo, South Carolina, United States

Carolina Gold Rice is the preferred grain for preparing chicken perloo (also called perlo or purloo), a quintessential South Carolina Lowcountry dish that traces its roots to West Africa and the slave trade.

With similarities to paella and jollof, the dish consists of a protein simmered with rice, tomatoes, onion, garlic, celery, bell peppers and spices.

“Perloo’s importance – as with so much regional cuisine throughout the South – is that it reflects the blending of cultures from Africa and Europe that make this dish so unique to the South Carolina Lowcountry,” said Kiawah Island Golf Resort executive chef, John Ondo, in an email to CNN Travel.

The dish varies depending on where you are in the Lowcountry, he said, with less tomato used farther north.

“Gullah and Geechee cooks who make Perloo stick to tradition, passing these family recipes down from generation to generation,” he says. “The result is that there are as many subtle variations for Perloo recipes as there are cooks and ways to spell it.”

Alaisa fa’apopo, Samoa

Coconut figures big in the cuisine of tropical Samoa, from coconut rolls and bread to coconut cookies and meat and vegetable dishes that incorporate the milk.

So it’s no surprise that the Polynesian island country’s most popular rice dish, alaisa fa’apopo, has ties to the coconut, too. A popular savory snack, it’s made from coconut cream mixed with steamy salted rice and is often served with coffee or a cup of koko Samoa (Samoan hot chocolate).

Bibimbap, South Korea

This wildly popular Korean dish whose name translates to “mixed rice” has gained fame around the globe and consists of rice served in a bowl and topped with a colorful array of individually prepared meats and artfully sliced vegetables.

The city of Jeonju in western South Korea, where the rice is cooked in a broth made from beef brisket, is the most famous place to try it. The dish is often served with the Korean hot chili condiment called Yak-gochujang.

Thai fried rice (Khao Pad), Thailand

When it comes to fried rice, the Chinese version tends to steal the spotlight. But Thai fried rice, called khao pad, is just as worthy of acclaim and a similar staple at home tables (not to mention from street food vendors) in the southeast Asian country.

Hom mali –Thai jasmine rice that’s considered the “Champagne of rice” – serves as the base for the dish, says Thailand-born chef Vanda Asapahu of Los Angeles restaurant Ayara Thai.

“Layering of flavors is important in Thai food and extends to its fried rice,” she says, noting the importance of balancing salty and sweet. “You also need a hot wok and good eggs, and for sure white pepper and scallions to finish off the dish, all of which are basic essentials in a Thai kitchen.”

For many travelers, the chance to sample cuisines from different destinations is one of the most appealing parts of the travel experience. However, some Globe Aware volunteers may have food allergies or other dietary restrictions, so here are some ways to avoid problems with those restrictions!


7 Tips For Travelling Abroad When You Have Dietary Restrictions

Food allergies and other challenges don't have to get in the way of eating out. These apps and handy tricks can help.

By Taylor Tobin
October 15, 2023
Huffington Post

street food 3855547 1280

If you're not comfortable speaking the language of the place you're traveling to, always bring photos of the foods to which you're allergic.

If you're not comfortable speaking the language of the place you're traveling to, always bring photos of the foods to which you're allergic.
For many travelers, the chance to sample cuisines from different destinations is one of the most appealing parts of the travel experience. But if you have food allergies or other dietary restrictions, journeying to areas that involve language barriers can feel like a daunting challenge.

How can you clearly and quickly communicate your dietary needs when you’re not fluent in the language of the country you’re visiting? To answer this question, we consulted a group of seasoned travel experts and gathered seven valuable tips that will make travel dining as easy, stress-free and fun as it should be.

Download special apps that’ll help you research the dining options ahead of time.

While you’re Googling hotel options and the hottest restaurant districts in the city you plan to visit, take some time to focus your research on which venues have a strong track record of accommodating dietary restrictions. “Check out some restaurant reviews on the location that you’ll be going to. There are a lot of websites out there that are diet-specific that can give you some insight for bigger cities, like HappyCow for vegans,” says Connor Ondriska, CEO of the SpanishVIP language and culture academy. You should also check out Spokin, a popular app that helps you eat out with food allergies.

Social media can provide travellers with abundant resources for dealing with their dietary restrictions while abroad too. “My best advice is to go to an expat group for your destination on Facebook or to look into the country’s subreddit community on Reddit and ask [members] to translate your dietary restrictions into their language. Typically, you’ll find bilingual people who are more than happy to help with a simple translation, and you can save that translation on your phone so it’s readily available while traveling,” says travel writer and digital nomad Kate Sortino of Cross Culture Love.

Once you choose your hotel and find some restaurants that look interesting, it’s wise to reach out and communicate your dietary needs in advance. “Contact hotels/restaurants directly ahead of time via their dedicated email, WhatsApp phone number, or your booking source,” advises CEO and travel expert Anne Desrosiers of The Voluptuary. “This way, they will be aware of how to meet your needs or will let you know if they cannot. Also, these methods are usually monitored by someone who speaks and can translate your needs.”

Always carry photos of the foods you need to avoid.

If you’re concerned about your lack of fluency in the language of the place where you’re traveling, clear photos of the foods you can’t eat will give you the ability to convey your restrictions to servers and hotel staff.

For instance, travel expert Cory Varga of You Could Travel, who is vegan, says that “the easiest way to communicate the fact that you’re a vegan is to have a printed page that shows pictures of eggs, milk and animals with an X on them. People might not all understand what veganism is, but everyone understands the meaning of pictures.”

Whether you choose to bring along a printout or prefer to keep photos on your phone, having an array of clear images of the off-limits foods (and a way to express the need to avoid them, like a negative facial expression, a head shake, or symbols like Xes on the photos themselves) can communicate your needs without involving verbal language.

Laminated (or digital) cards with allergy information are an easy and travel-friendly way to communicate.

When your dietary restrictions are based on allergies (and especially on severe allergies that can cause anaphylaxis), it’s essential to have easy and efficient access to materials that thoroughly outline the parameters.

Travel blogger Leah Pavel, who often travels with her severely peanut-allergic husband, tells us that “he keeps laminated cards in his wallet with his allergy information in the local language. Because severe allergies aren’t as common in other countries, he has to include the fact that his allergy is deadly in the statement.”

If you’d rather not deal with physical cards, you can download them from the internet and save them on your phone.

Keep an audio clip on your phone with a pre-recorded message about your allergy in the language of the place you're visiting.

Ask someone who speaks the language (like a fluent friend or a hotel concierge) to explain your dietary restriction and record what they say.

When venturing to a place where you don’t have a strong command of the language, it’s always helpful to learn a few basic phrases to help you get around. However, when allergies and serious dietary limits are involved, fluency becomes more important than ever.

That’s why travel company founder Lorne Blyth of Flavours Experiences urges you to “record a friend [or a hotel concierge, or a travel booker, or anyone else in your circle who fluently speaks the language] on your phone naming the foods you are allergic to/prefer not to eat.”

“Then, you can get the waiter/waitress to listen to it when ordering,” Blyth adds.

Keep a supply of medications with you at all times.

It may seem obvious that someone with food allergies or digestive issues should have a ready supply of medications on-hand, but when you’re traveling in an unfamiliar place, you’ll want to keep those meds directly on your person (rather than in a suitcase at your hotel).

“Make sure you travel with your EpiPen, Benadryl or other medications you require, in case you accidentally come in contact with allergens,” advises travel blogger Jenn Lloyd of Sick Girl Travels. “Keep your medications in their original packaging and never [store them] in your checked bag [when flying]. You want to have access to them at all times in case of emergency.”

Pack snacks that comply with your condition.

Because it never hurts to overprepare when traveling with a health condition or a dietary concern, err on the side of caution by packing a few snacks that you know you can comfortably eat.

“I always carry some food with me,” says Josip Hotovec, the founder of travel guide Japanko Official. “Throughout my career, I figured out that many unexpected things can happen. For example, you can get stuck in the airport for some time, or there can be train delays. Usually, this isn’t a problem for people who don’t have dietary restrictions. They can go to a fast-food restaurant and order a meal. However, you can’t do that when you have strict dietary restrictions. That’s why it’s a brilliant idea to carry some food in your backpack and be well prepared for unexpected situations.”

On the subject of travel snacks, up-to-date familiarity with Transportation Security Administration regulations will ensure that you’ll have your food ready when you need it.

“Solid food items (not liquids or gels) can be transported in either your carry-on or checked bags,” says travel support expert Lauren LaBar of Upaway. “Liquid or gel food items larger than 3.4 ounces are not allowed in carry-on bags and should be placed in your checked bags.You can also keep food cool with frozen ice packs in a cooler, but the packs must be frozen. TSA officers may instruct you to separate food items from your bag to ease the screening process.”

Check out TSA’s full list of food items and special instructions.

Consider buying travel insurance that includes medical coverage.

Should you fall into a worst-case food allergy scenario while traveling, knowing that you’ll have access to medical care can provide some stress relief. For that reason, flight coordinator Ben Carothers of Global Air Ambulance recommends purchasing “trip insurance with medical coverage.”

“We regularly transport patients who have had severe allergic reactions while traveling abroad,” Carothers says. “Because they weren’t covered by insurance, these types of trips cost tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars. It’s best to shop around and specify the medical events [you need covered] in the policy.”

Monday, 16 October 2023 10:55

Most tourist-friendly cities of India

While India can be overwhelming if you have just landed in the country, it is also home to some of the warmest, helpful people on the planet. If you're planning your first trip to India, Globe Aware volunteers will be delighted to learn our Jaipur location is included in this list!


Most tourist-friendly cities of India

By SHIKHA GAUTAM
TIMESOFINDIA.COM
Oct 15, 2023

 

While India can be overwhelming if you have just landed in the country, it is also home to some of the warmest, helpful people on the planet. If you're planning your first trip to India, we will tell you where to go; these places are known for being tourist-friendly, welcoming and easy for foreign travellers to explore.

goa 4878496 1280

Goa

Goa is one of those Indian states that see massive number of foreign travellers, and it is for all the right reasons too. Most people in the beach destination are well-versed with hospitality industry and related practices, are welcoming and helpful, are usually well-versed in English as well. The authorities here also value and understand the value of tourism and are helpful to those coming here from outside the country.

Jaipur

Jaipur is a part of India's Golden Triangle and sees lakhs of foreign tourists all through the year. If you are seeking a taste of the royal lifestyle of the state, this can just be the place to start your journey from. You will find multi-lingual guides to help in your explorations here.

Jodhpur

Jodhpur is another place in Rajasthan that is adapted to welcoming both domestic as well as international tourists. While you can easily book a tour of the city with Rajasthan Tourism packages, exploring the city on your own is also easy.

Mysuru

Mysuru is a great place to start your trip from if South India is on your mind. Karnataka is a treat to explore, with friendly, warm locals and a very robust infrastructure. It is also great for solo travellers and has everything from architecture and wildlife to hill towns and more. Mysuru is just the place to start your Karnataka journey from.

Kochi

Of course, you cannot skip Kerala on your trip to India, and what better place than Kochi to start your trip from. Kochi is a hub of all things artsy, creative, and wonderful. The cuisine here is alluring and is a highlight too. You'll find a number of people from other countries hobnobbing in the streets here. Kerala is also a state that has a robust infrastructure for its tourism industry and can be explored very easily.

Puducherry

Puducherry (formerly Pondicherry) is another place that has always been inviting for international tourists. It is also home to India's first experimental township. This is also a hub for volunteers from all across the world, and is great if you are into slow travelling and volunteering.

Rishikesh

Rishikesh is another place that has been luring travellers from across the world with its reputation as the Yoga Capital of the World. It is also home to some of the most reputed yoga schools in the world if you are keen on the same. Exploring this little town is easy and its setting in the Himalayan foothills is also perfect for your first trip to India.

Varkala

You can easily get to Varkala from Kochi and marvel at the wonder that this place is. Its towering cliffs by the beach are a wonder to look at. It is also a hub for international travellers and has a lot to offer from cuisine to watersports and more. There is a variety of stays to choose from here, from hostels to farmstays to beach bungalows and more.

Ziro Valley

This is for those who love going offbeat. Ziro Valley in Arunachal Pradesh can be your introduction to the wonderland that Northeast India is. It hosts the Ziro Music Festival and knows the nuances of tourism very well. It is also one of the safest regions in the country if you are a solo traveller, and is home to some of the warmest people in the country.

This was my first time trying the volunteer program, so I learned much about it as I went. The game counting seemed useful to not only the park, but also to potential researchers looking for population and movement data. I had a wonderful time and would enjoy doing it again. The visit to the school was fantastic. The opportunity to meet and interact with local people was amazing. Most of all, not just driving by the animals, but being down in the pan with them, listening to them interact with each other - was an experience that cannot be explained in words. To see the elephant families greet each other, to watch them touch, hear them trumpet, and experience their joy at meeting at the waterhole is a lifetime experience.

Jeffrey Burtner
Zimbabwe September 2023

Tuesday, 10 October 2023 16:47

Item Donations

Globe Aware acts globally and locally!

As part of our commitment to promote sustainability, we have always encouraged gifts and donations to help people stand on their own, such as books, computers, health and hygiene items, sports equipment, and more. We have been accepting and distributing these items for a couple of decades. It is not always possible to bring and distribute all donations we receive because the cost to ship, weight to carry, or country regulations of the receiving country make it prohibitive. We give away these items on regular occasions to needy communities in the Dallas Ft Worth area, where Globe Aware headquarters are located. If you are in the Dallas Ft. Worth area and are interested in knowing when these events take place, please sign up for Globe Aware's newsletter CLICK HERE

We partner with various local agencies, aiding women and families in need. If you have donations to share, contact us to ensure we have storage space available provide a description of the items;  we will give you shipping instructions. We do not accept certain items, such as weapons, medications, perishable foods, hazardous chemicals, especially large items such as mattresses, carpets, pianos and large exercise equipment (we recommend working directly with churches and schools for these).


captcha

Between the "ring of fire" annular eclipse coming up on October 14, 2023, and the 2024 total solar eclipse happening on April 8, 2024, viewers on land in the United States and neighboring countries are in for two major celestial moments as the moon passes between Earth and the sun. Globe Aware volunteers can find out more about how to see these two spectacular events!


Eclipse fever starts now. Here’s where to see the upcoming ‘ring of fire’ eclipse

By Terry Ward
CNN
October 7, 2023

Over large swaths of the Americas this month and next April, too, all eyes will be on the skies during two spectacular events.

Between the “ring of fire” annular eclipse coming up on October 14, 2023, and the 2024 total solar eclipse happening on April 8, 2024, viewers on land in the United States and neighboring countries are in for two major celestial moments as the moon passes between Earth and the sun.

And while the total solar eclipse is a bigger draw for most travelers since it promises totality (darkness during the moments when the moon covers the sun entirely), tourists are targeting areas in the annular eclipse’s path, too.

Car-sharing website Turo reports seeing an uptick in car bookings in major cities in Oregon, New Mexico and Texas near the annular eclipse’s path.

Booking.com similarly reports increased searches for San Antonio, Texas, the largest US city in the annular eclipse’s path, for the period of October 13 to 15, 2023, compared with the same period last year.

solar eclipse 1482921 1280

Path of the ‘ring of fire’ eclipse

During October’s annular eclipse, which starts at 9:13 a.m. PT along the Oregon coast and ends in the United States in Texas at 12:03 p.m. CT, the moon will cover over 90% of the sun’s surface as it passes in front of it (as opposed to 100% coverage during a total eclipse).

The uncovered portion creates a striking “ring of fire” effect that can be seen when using protective viewing glasses during annularity, as the moon moves directly in front of the sun.

The path continues through parts of Central and South America (Guatemala, Belize, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, Colombia and Brazil) before finishing its run at sunset over the Atlantic Ocean.

For many, the event is being seen as a sort of warm-up for the 2024 total solar eclipse, which professor Mark Littmann calls “the gold standard” of eclipse viewing.

And while it will never get as dark during October’s annular eclipse as it does during a total solar eclipse, some interesting effects may be possible to observe, says Littmann, a professor of science writing at the University of Tennessee and co-author of “Totality: The Great North American Eclipse of 2024.”

“The sky may take on some unusual color in terms of a steely gray flatness, blues may be a different color. These things depend on the weather, too,” Littman said. “It may cool down just a little bit. It gives you a kind of an omen of what a total eclipse would look like.”

Viewing an annular eclipse is far from routine: The next one won’t happen over the contiguous United States until 2046.

For viewers in the path of the eclipse who get a clear-sky view on the event at the moment of annularity, the “ring of fire” will not only “look really cool,” says Debra Ross, co-chair of the American Astronomical Society’s Eclipse Task Force, but drive home Earth’s place in the universe, too, with the moon so clearly between us and the sun.

“For lots of people, that’s worth traveling for,” Ross says.

If you’re looking for great places to put yourself in the path of annularity for the October 14 eclipse, read on.

Utah’s national parks

“National parks that are known for their spectacular landscapes will be especially attractive to photographers looking to capture wide-angle shots of the eclipsed sun,” Richard Tresch Fienberg, senior contributing editor for astronomy publication Sky & Telescope, told CNN Travel via email

Utah has spectacular parks in the October eclipse’s path including Bryce Canyon National Park and Grand-Staircase Escalante National Monument as well as Capitol Reef National Park and Canyonlands National Park, all of which will see annularity (provided there’s no cloud cover) while remaining open to visitors during the eclipse.

Keep in mind that Navajo Tribal Parks – including Monument Valley and Four Corners Monument, where Arizona, New Mexico, Utah and Colorado meet – are closed during the annular eclipse since the Navajo people consider eclipses to be sacred events.

You can make more than a day out of celebrating the eclipse by booking a four-night guided backpacking trip with Wildland Trekking along the Boulder Mail Trail in Bryce Canyon Country’s Grand-Staircase Escalante National Monument that takes you right into the path of annularity.

Albuquerque and Roswell, New Mexico

Imagine seeing an annular eclipse from on high during a hot air balloon ride – and that’s what some lucky people will be doing during this year’s Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, which runs from October 7 to 15.

The event’s signature “mass ascension,” when more than 550 balloons rise into the sky, is scheduled to lift off a little over an hour before annularity, adding to the views for people watching from the ground as the moon makes its way between the Earth and the sun. Some balloons may still be in the air at the time of annularity according to festival organizers, and 72 hot air balloons will be displayed on the launch field, another amazing place to watch the spectacle.

Albuquerque’s Balloon Museum is hosting viewing opportunities and presentations with NASA and NOAA representatives during the event and has 80,000 pairs of viewing glasses to hand out to visitors.

Consider hitting the path of annularity in southeastern New Mexico town of Roswell, too.

“You can bet that more than a few people will want to witness the otherworldly phenomenon of a solar eclipse from the UFO capital of the world,” Clark says. In the city’s downtown district, annularity will last for about four minutes and 42 seconds, with the Roswell Public Library and Cielo Grande Recreation Area among the locations holding watch events.

San Antonio and Texas Hill Country

“Depending on where in the city someone is (in San Antonio), they have a chance of seeing two solar eclipses from the same place in the span of only six months,” says Dave Clark, who runs the website NationalEclipse.com.

Parts of northwest San Antonio will be in the paths of both the annular and total eclipses, he says.

Viewing parties are planned across town at places ranging from the Natural Bridge Caverns and Mission San Jose to the Alamo Beer Company, which is debuting a “Ring of Fire” beer for the occasion and handing out eclipse-viewing eye protection with the purchase of a beverage.

As of 2 p.m. ET Friday, October 6, many downtown San Antonio hotels within the path of annularity still had rooms available during the October eclipse, including Omni La Mansión Del Rio, steps from the San Antonio River Walk, and the nearby Mokara Hotel & Spa.

Nearby Kerrville, along the Guadalupe River in Texas Hill Country, is among the towns at the intersection of both eclipses. Campspot told CNN Travel there are still several campgrounds with availability in the area including Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park™ Camp-Resort: Guadalupe River. In nearby Bandera, disc golf, free camping and live music on two stages are among the plans for the family-friendly Eclipse UTOPIA Festival.

And Uvalde County is hosting the Uvalde County Stellar Fest from October 13 to 16 in the Solar Eclipse Village at Garner State Park, where viewers can look forward to experiencing roughly four minutes and 48 seconds of annularity.

Corpus Christi, Texas

If you want to maximize your time admiring the “ring of fire” during annularity, the Texas city of Corpus Christi along the Gulf of Mexico is a good bet.

“Because the centerline of the eclipse passes directly through Corpus Christi, the duration of annularity breaks the five-minute mark there,” says Clark, adding that the area will see one of the longest durations of annularity in the United States.

Corpus Christi also has the distinction of being one of the last major parts of the country where October’s annular eclipse can be seen, with crowds sure to pack popular hangouts along the Corpus Christi Bayfront and North Padre Island long before annularity kicks in (around 11:55 a.m. local time).

Mayan Sites Edzná and Uzmal, Mexico

Ancient Mayan links to astronomy and the celestial world are evident in some of the culture’s more famous pre-Columbian sites in the Yucatán Peninsula, including Chichén Itzá, but it’s just outside the path of annularity, according to Space.com.

For a similarly evocative setting, you’ll need to make for lesser-known Mayan sites such as the UNESCO World Heritage listed Uxmal, about 40 miles (64 kilometers) south of the city of Mérida, and Edzná in Campeche state.

The beautiful small towns of Mexico
Both are in the path of annularity, and Edzná, which was first settled around 600 BC, gives viewers around 42 seconds longer to admire the eclipse’s “ring of fire,” according to Astronomy.com.

Sky & Telescope is organizing a 10-day tour of the region during the eclipse that takes in the Mayan sites as well as the main event, with viewing scheduled to take place from a hotel overlooking the Gulf of Mexico in Campeche. You can travel independently to the area of course, too, and stay in Mérida or Campeche to experience the eclipse at the nearby Mayan sites.

Santa Fe National Park, Panama

Panama’s northwest region is the only part of the country that falls within the path.

Viewers who make it to the wilds of Santa Fe National Park – known for having more than 50 waterfalls alongside a dizzying diversity of bird, butterfly and orchid species – can experience more than five minutes of annularity alongside the park’s natural beauty.

Stay just outside the park in the village of Santa Fe at the family-run Coffee Mountain Inn and you might spot toucans and parrots flying overhead while waiting for the eclipse. Stick around the area for trekking, rural coffee farm tours, horseback riding adventures and more.

Hundreds of people have died and thousands more are injured in Israel after Hamas fired rockets from Gaza into Israel. Globe Aware volunteers planning travel over the region should be aware of these travel advisories.


Hamas attacks in Israel: Airlines that have suspended flights amid travel advisory

The FAA has urged U.S. airlines and pilots to "use caution."

By Melissa Gaffney and Amanda Maile
October 9, 2023
ABCNEWS

Hundreds of people have died and thousands more are injured after Hamas militants fired rockets from Gaza into Israel Saturday, Israeli authorities said.

The Israeli Defense Forces have declared "a state of alert for war," according to a statement issued by the IDF early Saturday morning.

panoramic 3241421 1280

Is there a travel advisory to Israel?

The U.S. State Department is advising citizens to exercise increased caution if traveling to Israel or West Bank due to "terrorism and civil unrest," and it currently has a "do not travel" advisory for Gaza.

The department said in an update Sunday that the situation "remains dynamic; mortar and rocket fire may take place without warning."

Is travel to Israel suspended?

The Federal Aviation Administration said its statement over the weekend urging U.S. airlines and pilots to "use caution" when flying in Israeli airspace still stands.

The agency issued a NOTAM, or Notice to Air Missions, to pilots on Saturday following the unrest that reads, in part, "potentially hazardous situation" and "operators are advised to exercise extreme caution."

The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) issued a Conflict Zone Information Bulletin (CZIB) for the airspace of Israel on Sunday, recommending air operators "ensure that a robust risk assessment is in place together with a high level of contingency planning for their operations and to be ready for short notice instructions from the Israeli authorities."

Which airlines have canceled flights?

Major U.S. airlines

As of Monday afternoon, all major U.S. airlines and a number of foreign carriers had suspended service to and from Israel. Many other airlines, including Israeli flag carrier El Al, continue to operate flights.

American Airlines has canceled flights to and from Tel Aviv through Friday, the airline confirmed to ABC News, saying: "We continue to monitor and will make any additional adjustments as needed."

Delta Air Lines said it has suspended flights to and from Tel Aviv until the end of October, saying: "Our hearts are with those who are impacted as our people work to find safe alternatives for customers trying to depart TLV."

United Airlines said Sunday its flights to and from Tel Aviv "will remain suspended until conditions allow them to resume."Air Canada has canceled a number of flights to and from Tel Aviv through Friday.

European airlines

Air France has suspended flights to Tel Aviv "until further notice."

Wizz Air canceled all of its Israel-bound flights through Monday.

EasyJet canceled its flights to Tel Aviv through Tuesday.

KLM canceled all of its flights to and from Tel Aviv through Wednesday. Ryanair said it canceled flights to Tel Aviv through Wednesday.

ITA said it canceled flights to Tel Aviv until Thursday.

Lufthansa has suspended flights to Tel Aviv through Saturday.

Norwegian Air said it canceled all its flights to and from Tel Aviv through Sunday.

TAP announced Sunday it would suspend flights to Tel Aviv, but didn't provide a timeframe on how long they would be suspended.

Middle East and Asia

Etihad canceled flights to Israel through Tuesday, saying the airline is "monitoring the situation in Israel and continues to maintain close contact with authorities."

Cathay Pacific canceled its flights between Hong Kong and Tel Aviv through Thursday.

Gulf Air said it canceled flights to Tel Aviv until Saturday.

Airlines still flying to and from Israel

Virgin Atlantic canceled some flights to Israel but continues to operate some service between Tel Aviv and Heathrow Airport in London.

British Airways said it will continue to operate flights to Israel over the coming days with adjusted departure times, saying it's "continuing to monitor the situation" and has introduced a flexible booking policy for customers who wish to change their travel.

Air Malta canceled a flight to Israel on Monday but said it plans to operate a flight on Thursday.

El Al continues to fly to and from Tel Aviv, saying it "operates in accordance with the instructions of the Israeli security forces."

Hainan Airlines said it will continue to operate its three flights between China and Israel while closely monitoring the situation in Israel.

How to get out of Israel

U.S. citizens in Israel "should follow local government advice to increase their security awareness and remain safe," the State Department said. Citizens who need assistance should fill out the crisis intake form to contact their nearest U.S. embassy or consulate

"U.S. citizens who wish to leave and can do so safely are advised to check the status of the border crossings or verify flights have not been canceled before heading to the Ben Gurion Airport," the department said.

Back to top