Wallace & Gromit

Cracking Contraptions: The Snoozatron
A good laugh for a long weekend and a fine farewell to August.

Quote of the Day

“The stomach is part of the human soul. The mouth is the gateway. Tell me what you eat and I’ll tell you who you are. It’s not about how much you eat but what and how you choose to do so.” -Eduardo Galeano

Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam

Vietnam is worth the visit if only for a taste of the cuisine. From phở to bún, canh chua to curry, chè to fresh fruit smoothies. It’s a party for your taste buds. Try the ill-advised street food, noodle shops (Phở 24 with Huy Fong Sriracha Hot Chile Sauce), and fancier fare (Lemongrass, Cool Saigon). Start your mornings with the renowned cafe sua da (Vietnamese coffee) and end your nights with a drink on the roof of the Rex Hotel or a game of pool at the Blue Gecko.

Global Oneness

We’re all indigineous to this planet. We are responsible to each other, the earth, and future generations. We can change the fabric of society.

Pondicherry, India

A magical and quiet town in Tamil Nadu where the story of Life of Pi starts. Formerly a French colony, Pondicherry is a small coastal town with a Franco-Indian feel mostly run by the local ashram. Stay at the Sri Aurobindo Ashram Guest Houses, where the Park Guest House is right on the beach. There’s a meditation room, a peaceful garden, and a restaurant where you can watch dolphins swim by as you enjoy your morning chai. Rent bikes or rickshaws to get around. The ashram runs many departments, including a beautiful paper factory on the other side of town. Pondy will keep you busy and relaxed for days. Get here from Chennai by bus or hire a driver for a day rate.

Quote of the Day

Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it. Begin it now. -Johann von Goethe

On a Jet Plane

Some places you just can’t reach without a puddle jumper. Be it from Belize City to Caye Caulker in Belize, Manila to Boracay in the Philippines, or Baltra to San Cristobal in the Galapagos. It’s an exciting adventure, you get great views and you may even get to sit copilot.

GOOD: The Business of Death

Wow.

Quote of the Day

If you can walk you can dance. If you can talk you can sing. -Zimbabwean Proverb

Out There

Teton Gravity Research + the Surfrider Foundation present:

Insane Waves : A Dying Ocean : An Uncertain Future

Quote of the Day

I look to the future because that’s where I’m going to spend the rest of my life. -George Burns

Plastics Are Forever

Only three to five percent of plastics are recycled in any way. Secondary products usually turn into unrecyclable products. Each year, an estimated 500 billion to 1 trillion plastic bags are consumed worldwide. That comes out to over one million per minute. Billions end up as litter each year. Plastics end up in the ocean for marine wildlife and birds to consume. They get caught in it. This needs to change. Take a look at a fact sheet. Find alternatives to plastic. Take responsibility for what’s happening to the world we don’t always see.

Paper or plastic? Bring your own.

Oktapodi

By far, one of my all time favorites.

Quote of the Day

Some national parks have long waiting lists for camping reservations. When you have to wait a year to sleep next to a tree, something is wrong. -George Carlin

Cahuita, Costa Rica

Monkeys, sloths, black sand beaches, and white sand beaches. Cahuita is a beautiful little town on the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica. Cahuita National Park can take days to explore. Walk in along the trails and out along the beach. Take a day to snorkel around the reef. If you’re not in the mood for more gallo pinto, splurge for the view at Sobre Las Olas or settle in to the atmosphere of Cha Cha Cha. Just north of town is Aviarios del Caribe, a sloth sanctuary worth the visit, not the tours. They might be some of Mother Earth’s cutest creatures. The bus system in Costa Rica is easy enough and cheap. Puerto Viejo is a short ride south.

One Shared Hope

COLORS collection of prayers.