Culture Information Tips for Better Travel

The Beauty Of French Culture And Customs

2009-01-15T13:16:00.000-08:00

When you travel to France, you can't help but be taken in by the French customs and culture. France is a beautiful country, and the stereotype that the French are rude is blissfully wrong. When you take a trip to France, be sure to spend some time taking a break from tourist attractions to soak up the French culture and customs.

Eat Like the French

Everyone seems to associate French culture and customs with food, which isn't a bad place to start. The French love their food, and mealtime is a leisurely affair to be spent with family and friends. While it seems like many Americans try to eat as quickly as possible, often on the run in the car or in front of the television, the French eat slowly and savor each meal. The culture and customs of French eating trend toward long, leisurely meals with smaller portions of rich foods. The French sit at the table to eat (not in front of the television), and eat late dinners, often with multiple courses. And wine almost always accompanies the meal.

Fashion and Style

Fashion and style is often closely associated with France. And while many if the world's top designers hail from France, the custom of French culture is also highly fashionable. The French are, as a whole, well dressed and take pride in their overall appearance. While jeans, t-shirts, and sweatpants are commonplace in the United States, they are far less common in France. Women are known for their high heels, and the graphic t-shirts that are so prevalent in the United States are rarely seen. There is a feeling of formality, and well-made, well-tailored clothes are the norm. While you are in France, take a trip to one of the world-renowned department stores, such as Galleries Lafayette or Printemps to take in some French fashion.

French Customs and Culture for Travelers

There are some French customs and culture to know when you are traveling to France to make your trip more enjoyable. First, slow down. The pace of life in France is much more leisurely - take the time to enjoy your trip and to soak up the culture around you. Second, be sure to enjoy a meal or two in a French café. The café culture is an essential part of France, especially in Paris, and no trip to France would be complete without it. When you are in a restaurant, the tip is generally included in your bill; generally, it is considered appropriate to round the bill up to leave an extra Euro or two for good service. And finally, make the effort to try to speak French, even if you can only ask if someone speaks English.

A Quick Tour of Italy - Genoa

2009-01-15T13:04:00.000-08:00

If you are planning a tour of Europe, why not consider the Liguria region of northern Italy, commonly known as the Italian Riviera? This thin strip of land lies on the Ligurian Sea, not far from Monaco and the French Riviera. While Liguria is by no means undiscovered, its crowds are much smaller than those next door. This beautiful region is home to many little towns or villages, and the international port city of Genoa almost smack dab in the center of the coast. This sometimes beautiful, sometimes ugly city of about six hundred thousand calls itself La Superba (the Proud). Read this article and you'll see why. Be sure to read the other articles in this series: eastern Liguria, western Liguria, and Cinque Terre, five little seaside villages that just might steal your heart.

Over its long and bitter history Genoa was often destroyed. It was a major participant in the Crusades and may have captured the Holy Grail. By the Seventeenth Century Genoa lost its power. In 1860 Giuseppe Garibaldi set out from Genoa with over a thousand volunteers to launch his successful campaign for a united Italy.

Caruggi, Genoa's medieval center, is the largest such district in all Europe. One nearby attraction is the Sixteenth Century Merchants and Bankers Row. It was the site of the first Italian Stock Exchange. The Twelfth Century San Matteo Church just south of Caruggi contains the tomb of Andrea Doria, Genoa's second most famous sailor.

Twelfth Century twin towers mark where an ancient Roman road entered the city. Legend has it that Christopher Columbus's father was a gatekeeper there. His alleged boyhood home is nearby.

Via Garibaldi is chock full of palaces. The Sixteenth Century Palazzo Doria Tursi is the largest palace. The Sixteenth Century White Palace and the neighboring Seventeenth Century Red Palace are now devoted to the arts.

Be sure to see Genoa's harbor, the largest in Italy. It's fairly safe, if you are cautious. It has become a major cultural center. Il Bigo is a distinctive monument built for the 1992 Columbus commemoration.

The Genoa Aquarium is the Europe's biggest and one of Italy's most visited museums. Its huge tanks reproduce the environment of the Mediterranean Sea and the oceans and contain over six hundred species.

Liguria is famous for its pesto, claimed to be the world's best. To make it, simply grab a mortar and pestle and combine basil, olive oil, pine nuts, garlic, and Parmesan cheese. Val Polcevera DOC is the only DOC wine in the Genoa area. To tell the truth, there are many better reasons to visit this lovely area.

Culture Tips for Dubai Travel trick

2009-01-15T12:15:00.000-08:00

There is a lot of confusing and misleading information when it comes to what is and what is not culturally acceptable in Dubai. Dubai is a vibrant cosmopolitan city with over 100 nationalities living together in harmony. Millions of tourists flock to Dubai every year and the city is truly a cultural crossroads. The local population is quite small (estimated around 15%), but Emiratis in general are warm, welcoming, and very tolerant of foreign visitors and residents. In return, it is greatly appreciated if those who travel to Dubai take a little time to learn about the local customs and culture.

The UAE is a Muslim country. The culture is based on a deeply rooted belief in Islam and centers on the family. Mosques are dotted throughout the landscape of Dubai and five times a day the melodious prayer call or "adhan" will be heard. The official weekend is Friday, although government offices and certain multinational companies are also closed on Saturday. Mosques on Fridays around noon will be overflowing as worshippers gather to listen to a sermon. On Fridays most stores open around 2PM although certain large retail outlets such as Carrefour and most large grocery stores are open as normal. Arabic is the official language; however English is widely spoken by almost everyone and all the street signs are in both English and Arabic. A few basic Arabic to words to learn might include "Marhaba" which means "Hello", "Naam" meaning "yes", "La" meaning "no" and "Shukran" meaning "Thank you."

There is no specific dress code in Dubai, and you will see both ends of the spectrum from women who cover themselves from head to toe to those who choose to barely cover themselves at all. At the beach women are welcome to wear bikinis and men can don swimming shorts. Away from the beach it is more culturally acceptable for men to avoid wearing shorts or going shirtless and for women to avoid mini-skirts, midriff baring tops, and shorts. T-shirts or blouses and mid-length skirts or Capri pants for women are considered quite appropriate. Muslim women from the Gulf States typically dress in a long black robe known as the "abaya". The "abaya" itself is not an Islamic requirement, but rather a cultural custom. Islam requires ladies to cover their heads and to wear long loose clothes covering their arms and legs. Gulf men wear a loose, typically white robe called a "dishdasha" along with a white or red checkered headdress known as the "gutra". The gutra is held in place with a black cord called an "agal".

Arabs are one of the most hospitable people in the world, but visitors still should take note of a few cultural musts when interacting with locals. It is best to ask permission of local women before taking their photograph and most likely you will be told no. Visitors should also be aware that some Muslim women and men will avoid shaking hands with members of the opposite sex as per Islamic tradition. This should not be taken as an offense and it is simply best to wait and see if the other person extends their hand in greeting first. Local men will typically greet other local men by touching noses or kissing cheeks. Public displays of affection between members of the opposite sex are highly frowned upon, although you will see men (typically Asian expats) holding hands with other men when walking. This is a cultural norm and merely an expression of friendship. If you are invited to enjoy a coffee, tea or traditional meal with a local family there are a few guidelines to keep in mind. Before entering a home shoes should be removed. When sitting, take care to avoid pointing the soles of your feet in anyone's direction as this is considered rude in Arab Muslim culture. Food and drink (and there will be a lot of it!) should be taken with one's right hand, as the left hand is reserved for "unclean" practices such as washing after using the bathroom. Your host will most likely keep offering you more and more food and drink. It is acceptable to take a second helping but not necessarily a third or fourth! You will have to be persistent and it might take a bit of polite "back and forth" between you and your host before your host acknowledges that you are actually finished!

Much confusion surrounds the Holy Month of Ramadan and how it pertains to visitors. Ramadan is a month of fasting and the ninth month of the Muslim calendar. Islamic months are based on the lunar calendar which is shorter than the Gregorian (Western) calendar. Thus, based on sightings of the moon, Islamic months move forward each year by about 11 days. This means Ramadan may be in fall, summer, spring or winter as the lunar calendar continues to rotate forward by 11 days each year. Muslims will rise before dawn to have a light pre-fast meal called "Suhoor". They will then spend the day refraining from eating, drinking, or smoking as well as trying to refrain from negative behaviors while engaging more in prayer and reflection. At sunset the fast is broken - this is called "Iftar". Fasting is obligatory for all adult Muslims and is a way for them to draw closer to their religion and to appreciate all that they have. Charity to the poor is also very important at this time.

During the Holy Month, non-Muslims in Dubai are also expected (by law) to refrain from eating, drinking or smoking in public. A bit of discretion and respect for the host culture is really all that is called for. If a visitor accidentally makes a mistake and eats, drinks, or smokes in public, the worst that is likely to happen is that someone will gently remind you of the time of year and ask you to stop. Although most restaurants will be closed during the day (or offering take-away only), many malls now have food outlets that are screened off from the public and open during the day in Ramadan for non-Muslims. It is also perfectly acceptable for non-Muslims to eat and drink in the privacy of their homes or hotel rooms during the day. Most hotel restaurants will remain open (with screened-off areas) for hotel guests and grocery stores also remain open all day long. It is greatly appreciated during Ramadan if women are a bit more conservative in their dress - simply avoiding short skirts or sleeveless tops. All live musical and dance performances are suspended during Ramadan but pubs will open after sunset. Time seems to move a little slower during Ramadan and by law Muslim employees have shortened work days. In general visitors do need to be more culturally sensitive during the Holy Month, but after the breaking of the fast each day the city comes alive and it is an ideal time to visit if you are looking to experience cultural flavor.

While Dubai is most famous for its shopping, visitors should take advantage of their trip to the United Arab Emirates to also learn about the local culture. The Dubai Museum, built in an old traditional fort, is a must-see for all ages and includes exhibits of weapons, national costumes, and displays of the desert as well as the pearl diving industry on which Dubai was originally founded. The Heritage and Diving Village features displays of Dubai's maritime past and includes quaint shops and restaurants. Finally, The Sheikh Mohammed Center for Cultural Understanding offers cultural awareness programs, recruiting young UAE nationals to speak to visitors and residents about Dubai culture and history, as well as offering other activities throughout the year including mosque tours and Arabic classes.

Ritual in Bali

2007-05-03T18:00:00.000-07:00

"Bali is a fertile place," I was told upon arriving at the Indonesian island. Although these words were issued as a warming to cover up any cuts and thus avoid the risk of infection, they struck a deeper chord in me.
The land breathes fertility. The atmosphere is infused with the dazzling green vitality of terraced rice fields, the richness of ritual, the omnipresence of children, and a deep and fruitful integration of the sacred, the daily, and the aesthetic. And it was there, in Bali, that I discovered my own fecundity. Two days after giving the customary offerings for fertility far within the womb of Goa Gaja (Elephant Cave), I found out I was pregnant.
Although both my partner and everything familiar were on the opposite side of the earth, I could not have made this discovery in a better place. Pregnancy in Bali is considered a great blessing. Children are revered as celestial beings recently descended from the realm of the gods and goddesses. The word for great-grandchild is in fact the same as the word for great-grandparent, and refers to being close to heaven. To preserve their divine nature, Balinese children under the age of six months are not allowed to touch the earth. And when they do for the first time, the event is heralded with ceremony.

Life Is Greeted with Ceremony

Cultural tourism

2007-04-15T18:02:00.000-07:00

Indonesia consists of at least 300 ethnic groups, spread over a 1.8 million km² area of 6,000 inhabited islands.[1] This creates a cultural diversity, further compounded by Hindu, Buddhist, Islamic and European colonialist influences. From the 3rd century until the 13th century, Hinduism and Buddhism shaped the culture of Indonesia. The best-preserved Buddhist shrine, which was built during the Sailendra dynasty in the 8th century, is Borobudur temple in Central Java. A few kilometers to the southeast is the Prambanan complex, a Hindu temple built during the second Mataram dynasty. Both the Borobudur and the Prambanan temple compounds have been listed in the UNESCO World Heritage list since 1991. In Bali, where most Hindus live, cultural festivals are major attractions to foreign tourists.
Islam has also contributed greatly to the cultural society in Indonesia. As of 2006, about 88% of Indonesians are Moslem.[20] Islamic culture is prominent in Sumatra, and a few of the remaining sultanate palaces can be seen in Medan and Pekanbaru.
Despite foreign influences, a diverse array of indigenous traditional cultures is still evident in Indonesia. The indigenous ethnic group of Toraja in South Sulawesi, which still has strong animistic beliefs, offers a unique cultural tradition, especially during funeral rituals. The Minangkabau ethic group retain a unique matrilineal culture, despite being devoted Muslims. Other indigenous ethnic groups include the Asmat and Dani in Papua, Dayak in Kalimantan and Mentawai in Sumatra, where traditional rituals are still observed.
A discussion of cultural tourism is not complete without a mention of Yogyakarta, a special province in Indonesia known as a centre of classical Javanese fine art and culture.[21] The rise and fall of Buddhist, Hindu, and Islamic kingdoms in Central Java has transformed Yogyakarta into a melting pot of Indonesian culture.

Culture of Indonesia

2007-04-15T17:43:00.000-07:00

Indonesian culture has been shaped by a long process of interaction and acculturation between original indigenous customs and a myriad of foreign influences. Indonesia is located centrally amidst ancient naval trading routes between the Far East and the Middle East This location has resulted in many daily practices and forms of art being strongly influenced by a myriad of religions. These include Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism and Islam, strongly present in the major trading cities. There is a large, complex cultural mixture in Indonesia, heavily distinguished from the original. Examples include Agama Hindu Dharma, a denomination of Hinduism now practiced by 93% of Balinese, the fusion of Islam with Hindu in Javanese Abangan belief, the fusion of Hinduism, Buddhism and animism in Bodha, the fusion of Hinduism and animism in Kaharingan, and many others.

Indonesian art-forms most noticably express this cultural mix. Wayang, traditional theater-performed puppet shows, were used to spread Hinduism and Islam amongst Javan villagers. Both Javanese and Balinese dances have stories about ancient Buddhist and Hindu kingdoms. Islamic art forms and architectures are present in Sumatra, especially in the Minangkabau and Aceh regions. Traditional art, music and sport are mixed into a martial art form of Pencak Silat, formerly used as a self defence.

Western culture has influenced Indonesia, but mostly in modern entertainment, such as television shows, movies and songs. India has notably influenced Indonesian songs and movies. A popular type of song is the Indian-rhythmical dangdut, which is often mixed with Arab and Malay folk music.

Despite these high influences of foreign cultures, some remote Indonesian regions still preserve uniquely indigenous culture. Indigenous ethnic groups of Mentawai, Asmat, Dani, Dayak, Toraja and many others are still practising their ethnic rituals, customs and wearing their traditional clothes. With more than 300 ethnic groups and a long history of foreign cultural mixtures, Indonesia has a rich cultural diversity.

Culture Briefs

2007-02-15T13:59:00.001-08:00

Historic tide
"I was brought up in Republican circumstances, firmly grounded in convention. I was swept out to Marxist sea by a flood of sex. I was trying to impress cute beatnik girls. Then, one day, I found myself washed up on the shore of jobs and responsibilities, and I was Republican again. ... As both a radical and a reactionary I was moved by the forces of history and institutions. All those beatnik girls had a history. And many of them wound up institutionalized. ...
"I have ex-leftist friends who recall long, intense, fractious political arguments from their university years. But I was at Miami of Ohio, not Berkeley or Columbia. My college friends and I may have begun such discussions, but then the rolling papers were brought out and the debate became over where to get Mallomars."
-- P.J. O'Rourke, from the new book, "Why I Turned Right: Leading Baby Boom Conservatives Chronicle Their Political Journeys," edited by Mary Eberstadt

'Lust in Space'
"There is probably some high moral reason that I shouldn't feel sorry for astronaut Lisa Nowak, who is now charged with attempted murder and kidnapping, but I just can't help it.
"And lots of people I know are also riveted by this tale, straight out of 'Desperate Housewives,' filled with so many kooky soap-opera touches. ...
"Sure, I know that in the great scheme of things, 'Lust in Space,' as the New York Post's headline shrieked, is not very important -- but it is oh-so-interesting. The shrewd media know this, albeit there will still be some pious whining about what a fuss is being made. ...
"In a recent 'Right Stuff' interview for Ladies' Home Journal, Lisa, who describes herself as 'competitive, determined, ambitious,' talks about trying six times to get into test pilot school. ...
"Remember St. Teresa's wise admonition that more tears are shed over answered prayers than unanswered.
"Lisa finally went up in space last summer after waiting almost 10 years for the chance. ... Although NASA said her performance had been 'excellent,' it was likely she would never go up again. After waiting and working all those years, could there be a greater downer? ...

Asian Culture Council

2007-02-15T13:54:00.000-08:00

The Asian Cultural Council is a foundation supporting cultural exchange in the visual and performing arts between the United States and Asia.

Fellowships to individuals constitute the central feature of the ACC's grant program, the emphasis being on awards to artists, scholars and specialists from Asia for research, study and creative work in the United States. Some grants are also made to Americans pursuing similar activities in Asia and to educational and cultural institutions engaged in projects of special significance to Asian-American exchange.

In addition, the Asian Cultural Council awards a small number of grants in support of regional exchange activities within Asia.

France Culture

2007-02-15T13:49:00.000-08:00

France is just a beautiful country to explore and offers so many areas of interest. A favorite are the Loire Chateaux, a collection of beautiful castles that dot the Loire Valley. One of the most famous areas is of course the Cote d'Azur, also known as the French Riviera that stretches from St. Tropez to Cannes, Nice, Monte Carlo and Menton.

The coastal highways on the French Riviera have been featured in many movies and offer panoramic views of the Mediterranean and the mountains. The Provence is the hinterland of the Riviera and over the years has inspired many artists including Van Gogh and Cézanne.

Normandy of course is one of the primary historic sites of World War II and is an important destination for history buffs. Wine-growing regions such as Alsace, Bordeaux, Burgundy and Champagne have their own charms. French cuisine has inspired discerning gourmets for centuries. The French High Alps offer beautiful vistas and excellent skiing in the winter. France is a very diverse tourist destination that will offer something for every taste.