As Senior Program Manager at Academic Travel Abroad (ATA), I have the responsibility of visiting international destinations and inspecting all aspects of the itineraries our groups will follow.  The past twelve years at ATA have given me countless opportunities to travel to and develop programs in far-flung destinations in the South Pacific, Latin America, the Iberian Peninsula, Italy, Scandinavia, and Cuba ,  However, my recent visit to Ethiopia profoundly impacted me in a way that rarely occurs to well-seasoned travelers.

My journey followed the highland route, just like the Pacific Science Center’s itinerary.  This encompasses Addis Ababa, Bahir Dar, Gondar, the Simien Mountains, Axum, and Lalibela.  Each site I visited in these cities fascinated me and offered insight to distinct aspects of Ethiopia’s history, art, and lifestyles.

One of my favorite stops was Awaramba, a unique secular community where the people work hard to support their residents from cradle to grave.  Men and women are equal, the elderly are cared for, children are not responsible for chores beyond their ability, and daily tasks are designated according to an individual’s skill.

I also enjoyed a visit to Lalibela, where the numerous rock-hewn churches are Ethiopia’s most famous site.  These architectural and engineering feats are most impressive, but what also impacted me was how important these churches and the Orthodox Christian religion are to Ethiopians.

Another great surprise for me was the beautiful landscapes. The drives were never dull because there was always something new to see, whether it was extensive plains full of crops or the changing perspectives while driving through the mountains.  In addition, there were always people to observe as they engaged in their daily activities—children on their way to school, people walking miles to the local market, subsistence farmers clearing crops of sorghum with ancient tools, or young boys shepherding their animals.  I also kept quite busy waving back to all the people who waved to us as we drove by.

At the end of each day, I would think, “Wow, that was an amazing day.”  I always enjoy my travels to other countries, but I can’t think of a time where I would consistently describe each day with such superlatives.

Michelle
Academic Travel Abroad

 

In September of 2007, I had the opportunity to go on Smithsonian Journeys’ Egyptian Odyssey trip.  It was truly an odyssey – a glimpse into a distant land, seeped in history and even an air of mystery.  When my fellow travelers were asked why they had chosen the trip, most of them responded with phrases like, “it has been a lifelong dream of mine” or “I have always been fascinated with Egypt.”  Both of which were also true for me. 

On our very first day, we approached the Great Pyramids of Giza, gazing skyward as the bright sun beat down on us.  Standing in the shadow of these monuments, one cannot imagine what a task it must have been to create such structures.  Being able to touch the huge blocks and to even climb on top of the stones was a dream come true.  Suddenly it hit me – “I’m actually in Egypt! Standing on a pyramid!” 

Throughout our journey, we learned about both ancient and modern Egypt, asking question after question of our wonderful guide and study leader.  In addition, since we were there during Ramadan, we were able to learn about and to experience this holiday firsthand.  We cruised the Nile in a felucca, rode camels, explored ancient tombs, spoke with modern Egyptian women, and marveled at the treasures in the Egyptian Museum.  We visited the Alabaster Mosque and the Hanging Church, saw the brand new library in Alexandria, danced with belly dancers, heard the call to prayer echo from minarets, and held our breath as we came upon Karnak at dawn. 

Would I go back?  In a heartbeat! Next time though, I want to make sure I make it to the Sinai Peninsula and over into Petra.      

Annabelle Peake
Tour Communications Specialist
Academic Travel Abroad

Learn about our Egyptian tours click here.

Kalimera!  (“good day” in Greek)

Eleni tells us about the history of the Parthenon and the Acropolis in Athens.

I recently had the distinct pleasure of traveling to Athens and the Cycladic Islands as a representative for Academic Travel Abroad with travelers from the Association of Yale Alumni and Smithsonian Journeys.  If you’ve never been to Greece or the picturesque Cycladic Islands, this is the trip to take!  We were accompanied by Eleni Zachariou, our Greek historian and local expert who added real value and distinct character to all the sights by giving us the historical background at each location.

Our tour started in Athens, where we visited the sights of the acclaimed Acropolis with the majestic Parthenon and Erechtheum temples and enjoyed a lecture by Eleni which told the story of this location’s turbulent history through Greek, Persian and Mycenaean influences.  We then proceeded to the famous Greek Agora site where we were introduced to the extravagant complex that was once a thriving Greek marketplace where trade, entertainment and politics were daily cultural activities.

We were also treated to some excellent traditionally local meals throughout the small back streets of Athens while enjoying some time to shop and see more elusive sites along the way.

On the third day, we drove to the port of Piraeus where we boarded our ship, the S.V. Panorama and set sail for the much-anticipated Cycladic Islands. 

The magnificent scenery on Santorini and it's volcanic caldera.

 

Delos, the birthplace of Apollo, was an amazing landscape of ruins from 2000 -1500 B.C.  Mykonos was an island of quaint villages and amazing vistas of the Aegean Sea with tiny streets filled with friendly locals and enticing shops.  Naxos, the largest of the Cylcades islands, was covered in breath-taking views of mountainous landscapes and we had a unique opportunity to visit one of Elani’s friends who has refurbished a beautiful historical home on the hillside looking down over the island’s harbor.  Santorini is simply amazing.  An ancient volcanic caldera forms a partial ring of islands on which three beautiful towns line the cliff-tops and offer a photographers dream for finding that dramatic shot.  We rode the mules up the caldera’s rim and enjoyed a day of sites and shopping while basking in the warm Greek sunlight.

Mykonos and "Little Venice" in the background.

The glories of modern and ancient Greece were  truly magnificent.  Between our boat staff, Eleni Zacharriou – our tour expert and Marty Gane – our tour manager, we were professionally immersed into a culture and civilization that astounded us all.  The memories, experiences and friendships we all came away with from this tour will be something we will keep with us for a lifetime.

 

 

 

To see my Greece slideshow on ATA’s Facebook page, CLICK HERE.

Steve Muth
Creative Manager

Academic Travel Abroad 

As I traveled through Scotland’s Highlands & Islands, I discovered that my fellow travelers shared a love of photography.  Whether they were novices with their first digital camera or pros like me with the latest SLR equipment, they could not resist capturing the images of Scotland.  I personally took over 1300 photos and have recently narrowed them down to ‘just’ 200 of my favorites.  If you would like to see some of those photos, please visit: http://www.slide.com/r/AP44HJPQhD-vUjRUfGZ6_7hVObzXe3yb. – Rianne

I accompanied the National Geographic Expeditions group on the Scotland’s Highlands and Islands program, July 31 – August 10, 2008. From the very beginning, I was awed by the country, the people (our expedition staff in particular!), and this fantastic itinerary. While it’s hard to list every fond memory I have of our time in Scotland, I am eager to share just a few of my favorite highlights:

Military Tattoo at Edinburgh Castle: The stunning skill of the marchers, musicians, and performers could not have had a better backdrop than this fortress. And we could not have had a better view!

The Lord of the Glens: Our home for seven nights, the ship and her staff were warm and accommodating. From the bagpiper’s welcome to the elaborate haggis presentation during our farewell dinner, no energy was spared by Brian, our hotel manager; John, our captain; or Sandy, our bartender; to make our stay entertaining and comfortable.

Scottish music and dance private performance: While we were docked in Banavie, Cullough, Natalie, and Angus joined us on board to perform classic Scottish piping, dancing, fiddle, and accordion. This group is famous in Scotland for its award-winning shows – we all felt so lucky to have the chance to chat with them about their skills after the performance.

Whisky tasting led by Jim and Stuart: No one knew we had such a wealth of knowledge about the many varieties of single malt whisky on board until Stuart and Jim chose their three favorites to describe, characterize, and sample with us! A whisky beginner myself, it was the perfect introduction (after they added a little water . . .)

NG Expert Jim Russell and Blue Badge Guides Iris Barry and Stuart Cowie: – Between Jim’s lectures on Scottish history, and Iris and Stuart’s ability to bring the battlefield of Culloden or Glencoe to life (in addition to some colorful commentary on Highland sheep and cows!), I was never left wanting for background on anything I was seeing. Or eating.

Natural Beauty: A few members of our group rose early most mornings for a run around the town we had docked in the night prior. The clean, crisp, cool air was a welcome respite from the heat and mugginess we had felt in D.C. for the weeks prior to our departure. With days spent in quaint towns with one-lane roads surrounded by lush, green, rolling hills, it was hard to imagine returning to the hustle and bustle of most of our lives.

There is so much I haven’t mentioned – but I could go on forever. Thanks to all our travelers and staff for a wonderful trip! For more photos from the trip, visit Academic Travel Abroad’s Facebook album HERE – and “friend” us while you’re there!

- Whitney Kulesz

NOTE: This tour is not related to the current offering “Win your own Scottish Adventure” through Visit Scotland.

In April this year, I had the opportunity to accompany the National Geographic Expeditions tour “Springtime in Holland.” Of course, a main purpose of the trip was to experience the blossoming flowers and we were not disappointed. We visited the Keukenhof Gardens, the world’s largest bulb flower garden, with 7 million flower bulbs planted each year. Another interesting excursion was the Aalsmeer Flower Auction, where we witnessed firsthand the global flower trade. Other highlights of the trip included Amsterdam and the Van Gogh museum.

On the arrival day, we had a lovely walking tour in the afternoon through the narrow streets and past the various architecture styles of the gabled houses. Our hotel, the Jan Luyken Bilderberg, was perfectly situated in the museum district, so it was only about a 5 minute walk. We had our own guide tell the story of Van Gogh’s troubled life and show us his greatest works.

Serena

See our slideshow of this Holland adventure here!

To visit our website and browse our tours click here!

I traveled with the National Trust for Historic Preservation on a tour called, Palaces and Gardens of Northern Italy from June 2-11. We started our tour in the provincial town of Cuneo in the foothills of the Alps and moved on to the Langhe Regio where we toured the Castle of Manta. We enjoyed wonderful wines at the Marchesi di Barolo vineyard. Then we moved on to Torino, the host city of the 2006 winter Olympic games.

After taking a tour of the historic center, we checked into our villa on Lake Maggiore. The villa was fantastic and part of the Abitare La Storia, an association of historic hotels in Italy dedicated to the protection and enhancement of cultural heritage and landscape conservation. All of the properties on our tour were part of this association. Our rooms at the villa were particularly spacious, individually decorated, and faced the beautiful lake. The next day we took a delightful tour of the Borromean Islands including Isola Bella and it’s villa and gardens followed by a leisurely lunch at the shores of Isola Pescatori.

Our next destination was Milan where we were awed by the works in the famous Brera Gallery and had a special appointment to view the recently restored The Last Supper. Each day of the tour was full of wonderful meals coupled with wines from the region. We spent time in Reggio Emilia touring the Parmigiano Reggiano cheese factory and sampling the balsamic vinegar at a country farmstead. Other stops included: Cremona, Sabbioneta, and the little town with an enchanting moat castle – Fontanellato.

Our last day, we toured the Farnese Palace and Ducal Theater in Parma and finished the tour with celebration in a local restaurant in Reggio Emilia. The participants had an amazing time and remarked on how unique it was to experience the special entrée of tours of private homes and receptions in villas. It was an unforgetable experience!

CLICK HERE for my slideshow from this tour.

Emilia

National Trust for Historic Preservation website…

Academic Travel Abroad website…

I traveled on the Smithsonian Journeys Family trip called Greece by Land and Sea June 23- July 3. We started our adventures in Athens where we climbed the Acropolis and visited the National Archaeological Museum.

We boarded our boat, the M.S. Pantheon, for 7 days on the sea. Our first stop was the island of Delos, an ancient island were the only inhabitants are archeologists. We hopped over to Mykonos for a swim and to walk around town. In Naxos, we saw how they made olive oil with an oil press, visited a pottery workshop, and explored a tower house. We took the donkeys up the sleep slopes of Santorini to see breathtaking views from the top. In Nafplion we visited the Lion’s Gate, Agamemnon’s Palace, the Cyclopean walls, and a beehive tomb. Finally we sailed to Aeginia to visit Apollo’s temple.

This trip was a fantastic experience. The Pantheon itself made the trip exciting. The tour manager Eleni made it a truly memorable learning experience.

CLICK HERE are some pictures from my trip to Greece or see my slideshow on our website: www.academictravel.com

Sharon

Smithsonian Journeys website…

ATA staff will be posting comments from their recent travels abroad on ATA tours and sharing their experiences.  Please check back soon!

To learn more about ATA and the tours we offer, click here!