The historical home of Bloomfield.

Many think of Bermuda as a subtropical island get-away in the north Atlantic, where sun, pink sandy beaches and crystal clear turquoise waters of the Sargasso Sea can wipe away the ever-present stresses of our hectic every day lives on the main land.

But there is so much more to these tightly clustered islands then meets the eye. Bermuda was discovered in 1503 by a Spanish explorer, Juan de Bermúdez., then was permanently settled by the British in 1612 as they sailed to Virgina. Bermuda’s town of St. George (originally named New London) has now been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site due to its depth in world history and culture.

St. George is rich in historical homes and gardens, seaports, quaint lighthouses and museums of the likes one could not find anywhere else in the world. Beautiful gardens surround private white and pink-washed Georgian houses of Bermuda coral limestone, furnished with Bermuda-made cedar furniture and still owned by the original families.

The Royal Navy dockyard has attracted visitors with specific interests military history as it was the acting principal base of the Royal British Navy in the Western Atlantic between the periods of American independence and the Cold War.

Should you be thinking of visiting these islands, it is worth mentioning that the National Trust for Historic Preservation will be hosting a terrific tour to Bermuda November 1-6, 2009.

Specialists will join in for visits, discussions and receptions to share their expertise on such topics as architecture and decorative arts, British forts and native and resident artists. Time to simply relax and absorb the gracious atmosphere of this enchanted island are ample – where narrow lanes, winding roads and well-tended gardens blend easily with pink sand and that famous turquoise sea.

Highlights of this journey include a tour of Verdmont, the “crown jewel” of the Bermuda National Trust; a walking tour of Hamilton and time to explore the famous Front Street; and a visit to Tucker House, home to Bermuda’s most famous families.

Inside the Bloomfield home.

Bermuda holds a special interest for National Trust members because of the programs of our sister organization, the Bermuda National Trust. Since its establishment in 1969, the Bermuda Trust has acquired more than 60 historic properties and open-space areas in Bermuda, and is a formidable force in the preservation of this fragile island. Hosts from the Bermuda National Trust’s Cultural Tourism Office share their experience and knowledge of preservation issues of their well-kept monuments. To learn more about his tour, download this brochure from the National Trust for Historic Preservation or visit their website here or contact the tour operator, Academic travel Abroad for more information about Bermuda and this one of a kind tour.

Some days we all envision traveling far and wide to unknown reaches of the globe to find that elusive hidden treasure of the like we’ve never encountered before.  Well today was was one of those days.

Members of the staff pulled their resources together and collected warm clothing and small gift cards to local stores and eateries to hand out to the local homeless in and around our immediate neighborhood.  We divvied up the goodies and headed out with the hopes that the loot would serve those less fortunate well in this bitter cold season of giving.

We traveled north and south, east and west and strangely had some difficulty finding those we had intentions of helping.  We searched for blocks and they were simply not to be found.  Eventually we found a few and offered them what we had.  We took the remaining bags to a nearby rectory  where we were told that our timing was perfect.  Tonight they were having a gathering for underprivileged families and the items would be a welcome addition to the event.  So we left knowing our small efforts just might have the warming effect we had originally intended.

Upon returning to the office from our trek, we discovered two remaining gift cards atop one of our desks.  So we decided that one of us would carry them with on their walk to the metro that evening and hope to give those away to someone along the way.

Well I did just that.  As I rounded a corner I noticed a homeless man sitting to the side of the walk.  As I approached him, I reached in my pocket and pulled out one of the eatery gift cards and kindly asked if he could use it.  He slowly looked up at me, smiled graciously and asked my name as he took the card.  I told him as he reached around behind him and grabbed a small ruffled bag.  He then pulled out his pen and a red envelope from the bag and carefully wrote my name on it without saying a word.  He then lifted the envelope up to me and again thanked me graciously for the gift card and wished me a “warm and happy holiday.”  I smiled and walked on, not wanting to open the envelope in front of him.  He was clearly a man of pride.

I walked a block and opened the envelope.  What I saw truly moved me.  It was a simple holiday greeting card that read;

With best wishes
for the holidays
and happiness
in the new year

It wasn’t the words themselves that moved me, but the gesture.  Here was a man who clearly had nothing but the clothes on his back, and yet he took some of his meager  daily collections and bought holiday cards to give to those who gave to him.

As I said, some days we all envision traveling far and wide to unknown reaches of the globe to find that elusive hidden treasure of the like we’ve never encountered before.  Well, during the holidays, sometimes we don’t have to  travel far to find such hidden treasures.

Our best wishes to you too… “John”

Academic Travel Abroad

The Smithsonian Journeys Insider’s Florence tour is coming up in March, 2009. I am anticipating a successful program full of behind-the-scenes visits, memorable experiences and special access to private homes and gardens.  We will have special guest lectures, access to the restoration laboratory of the Uffizi and a private visit to the Uffizi and Vasari Corridor.
 
Florence was the birth place of the Renaissance, the city that gave us Dante, Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Galileo, Toscanelli, Gucci, Pucci and many more artists, inventors, designers, and geniuses that it is fair to say the world would be immeasurably poorer and less beautiful without their efforts.

We all have our images of Tuscany in our minds: for some it’s the magnificent art, silent hill towns, gorgeous leather bags and shoes and handsome people. For others the enduring charm of Tuscany is in a relaxing glass of red wine, in the hills that look exactly as they did when Leonardo painted them, and in the waiter who’s a dead ringer for Lorenzo de’Medici.

Yet for many it is the simple, neat line of cypress trees that crown hill tops or run along roadsides like so many exclamation points that best defines Tuscany . However one approaches Tuscany, the values evoked are beauty and perfection.

A Chianti vineyard

Many travelers are seduced as you cannot fail to be by the picturesque landscape and the beauty that man created so much so that some settle here permanently.  That’s what happened to me, I intended to stay in Tuscany for 2 years, and that was 19 years ago.  Travelers have been coming to this region ever since the Middle Ages, to learn, to see and understand.  In the Renaissance, Tuscany served as a haven for humanist scholars, inventors, writers and artists. In our generation, it was first the English, then the Germans, Swiss, and finally the Americans  who descended on Tuscany, soaking up the sun, enjoying the food and adopting the Italian way of life.   
 
Take a week and live life in Florence; walk in the footsteps f Michelangelo and the Medici, and learn why the Renaissance was born in Florence. I hope to see you in March.

Elaine Ruffolo
Study Leader – Insider’s Florence  

Smithsonian Journeys

This is a particularly busy fall for ATA staff! Many of us are traveling to far flung parts of the world to research new itineraries, touch base with key contacts, discover new special touches, and keep abreast of opportunities that will enhance our programs.

Although we conduct an extraordinary amount of research as arm chair travelers from Washington, sometimes there is no substitute for being there. Our investment of time and resources in staff travel makes an impact on the quality of tours we offer around the world.

Research Trips

President Kate Simpson will be heading to Morocco to put the finishing touches on our new itinerary. Senior Program Manager Michelle Korczynski will accompany Chairman David Parry to Ethiopia, a country with resurging interest among ATA’s clients. David is just back from hiking in the Italian Dolomites, where he tested the difficulty of the trails that are planned for next year’s Smithsonian Institution members.

Inspection Trips

Senior Program Managers Chris Roper and Janet Varn will be inspecting new luxury ships in Vietnam and Greece, respectively. We expect to showcase several of these new vessels in our 2010 tours.

Upcoming Conferences

Direct Marketing Manager Emilia Pawlowski and Smithsonian Service Center Manager Megan Pierce will be attending the National Tour Association’s annual convention in Pittsburgh. ATA is active in the NTA, a trade organization of thousands of tourism professionals involved in the growth and development of the packaged travel industry. They will delve into the convention’s “green” theme, bringing back ideas for conservation, both on tour and in our offices. Vice President Chase Poffenberger, Senior Program Manager Janet Varn and President Kate Simpson will attend the World Travel Market in London, a four-day global travel industry event that brings together worldwide buyers and sellers from every sector of the industry. Finally, Chairman David Parry will gather in Cairo with fellow members of the American Tourism Society, a destination marketing organization representing the Baltics, Central Europe, Russia and the Mediterranean, for ATS’ annual meeting.

And In Our Spare Time

Director of Business Development Larry Guillemette is retuning from Norway where he spent his vacation touring Oslo, Bergen and the lovely Norwegian fjords. And Michelle Korczynski will vacation in Columbia later this month and see how the country is living up to its new reputation as the next “up and coming” destination!

What destinations will you be exploring next? Tell us!

Don’t forget to visit us at www.academic-travel.com

RSS our Twitter feed here!

In a world where the term “globalization” and a “unified market” are becoming mainstream terminology when referring to the global marketplace, students of all ages have seen the benefits of traveling to new places and learning, of their cultures, their languages and so much more.

Educational travel can be a crucial learning tool for students who will eventually become part of a marketplace with no boundaries, where international knowledge and familiarity will give an individual a leg up on the rest of their competition.

Tours from Budapest to China are just a few examples of the places these tours can take you.  Here are a couple of links to some more great ours to consider…

www.cetacademicprograms.com

www.academic-travel.com

ATA staff members had the distinct pleasure of traveling to Antietam on Friday, May 23rd for a tour of the historic battlefields with the renowned Civil War historian, Ed Bearss.

A U.S. Marine Corps veteran of World War II, Ed Bearss is now a military historian and author known for his work on the American Civil War and World War II eras and is a popular tour guide of historic battlefields. He served as Chief Historian of the National Park Service from 1981 to 1994.

What a day! Click on the “Comments” link below to read about the staff’s experiences and personal comments on their day with Ed Bearss.

Check out our slideshow of the trip here!

Several members of our staff, including Kate Simpson, our President, returned last week from the Tourism Cares event in New Orleans, LA and have some great stories to tell about their experiences there.  People from all walks of life gathered in New Orleans to help clean up Louis Armstrong Park in an effort to rebuild the historic park back to its original glory.

See videos, photos and read more…

The sun has finally made an appearance on our second full day in Beijing.  Our local guide Debra, led us on a exciting morning excursion to investigate and explore contemporary Beijing.  We began with a visit to the city’s Urban Planning Exhibition Center where we were able to see a great series of architectural models of all the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympic venues. 

Olympics fever has overtaken Beijing and our Study Leader, Dr. Elvira Hammond tells us that it has been this way for quite some time.  There is a huge countdown clock in Tiananmen Square, as well as in several other places.  There are “official Olympics stores” throughout Beijing, where you can buy just about anything with the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics logo printed on it.

 The Urban Planning Exhibition Center provided great context for understanding the meticulous planning that has gone into the Olympics, as well as providing an incredible overview of the master plan for the city of Beijing. 

It is tremendously interactive and the architectural models of the city include many parts of greater Beijing, not only the iconic places like the Forbidden City, but also for significant buildings throughout the city, as well as those Olympic venues which will certainly have reached the iconic stage in the weeks building up to 08-08-08, when the Summer Olympic Games begin.

 From the Urban Planning Exhibition Center, we walked just a few short blocks over to Tiananmen Square.  The space, which we were told is the largest public square in the world, was teeming with people on this bright sunny winter day.  Many people were in a swiftly-moving long queue to get into Chairman Mao’s Mausoleum, where they were able to see the Chairman’s remains in a crystal casket. Other groups, including ours, stood around the square taking pictures of the building, their companions, children, and colleagues. 

A festive energy seemed to flow all about.  After hearing Debra describe the various buildings surrounding the square, we all wandered off to make the best of our 15 minutes of independent exploration.  A few of us headed to the “front” of the square where we could get the best views of the Forbidden City building across the street, where the Chairman’s photo hangs in it’s place of honor.  We encountered a barricade, which someone explained was there to allow for preparations for the ceremony to be held the next day to welcome the Olympic Flame to China for it’s five month journey throughout the country prior to being placed in the Olympic caldron at the Opening Ceremonies.

 Following our visit to Tiananmen Square we headed off to lunch, and on the way to the restaurant, we were able to get very close to many of the new Olympic venues.  All in the final stages of completion before the games, there appears to be no worry about anything being completed in time, as there was in Athens in 2004.  “The Nest,” which is the nickname that has been given to the new Olympic Stadium is even more awe-inspiring when you’re up close than it is in any of the photos that you might have scene in the press. 

We passed the “Water Cube,” which will be the home of the majority of the swimming and diving events, as well as the Olympic Village where the athletes will live, the hotel being devoted entirely to visiting press, the media center, and the venue which will host one of the favorite sports of any summer games — gymnastics.

 The afternoon found us joining “The Sistas,” for a lively tour of Factory 798 in the Dashanzi neighborhood, which is the home of Beijing’s ever-growing contemporary arts district.  The Sistas, are Megan and K.C. Connolly, two American young women who have lived in Beijing for sometime and who have developed quite a business of helping visitors navigate this amazing part of Beijing and they took us on a great tour of the most important hot beds of avant garde art, which included a wonderful visit to several artist’s studios and galleries.

Larry Guillemette

Director of Business Development

As a group of non-Chinese tourists in the capital city of China, we were very easy to spot, but I found the shear number of Chinese tourists to be incredible. The highlight of our first full day in Beijing was our visit to the private sections of the Forbidden City.

ATA’a 2008 China Inspection Trip began on Thursday, March 27th when the group assembled in the Continental Airlines President’s Club at Newark’s Liberty International Airport. All of us made it into Newark from all over the USA without any delays, and it was wonderful to spend some time there getting to know one another before our long journey to China began.

This is the first trip to China for 11 of the 13 travelers, so there was considerable excitement for what we would encounter after the 13.5 hour direct flight from EWR to PEK. The flight was good. Well, as good as 13.5 hours on a plane can be.

It seemed like we were being fed all the time, and I thank God for the invention of the iPod. How in the world did we travel before we had iPods. The notion that I can listen to ANY song I want to hear (provided it’s on my iPod), as well as catch up on tons of podcasts and television is just incredible. It made the flight pass easily.

Arrival at Beijing airport was smooth and with incident, and we found ourselves exiting immigration control with our bags and a search for our colleagues Chris Roper of ATA and Patrick Liu of HOTC. A quick phone call helped us determined that they were stuck in Beijing’s horrendous traffic and should be at the airport shortly. The group waited in the arrivals hall and they arrived to transport us to the Grand Hyatt Beijing, which would be our home away from home for the next four nights.

Beijing surprised me. As someone who was born in New York City and grew up there and in the nearby suburbs before moving to Washington, DC to attend university, I’ve always had an affinity for cities. I enjoy the energy that comes from them and the excitement one can find in exploring all the different parts of a city.

The Grand Hyatt Bejing welcomed the group with open arms. The entire sales staff and general manager were on-hand to greet us in the lobby and whisk us off to the Grand Club on the 17th Floor where they did an express VIP Check In for everyone and allowed us some time to go to our rooms and get refreshed and acclimated to the hotel.

We met the sales staff at 6:00 pm for Welcome Cocktails in the hotel’s Red Moon Lounge followed by a wonderful site inspection of the hotel, including the stunning Oasis Pool. http://beijing.grand.hyatt.com/hyatt/hotels/activities/pool/index.jsp

After a wonderful introduction to the Grand Hyatt Beijing, the first of Hyatt’s Grand Hyatt brand, we enjoyed a sumptuous Welcome Dinner, which included Peking Duck and an endless variety of other Chinese food served in the hotel’s Noble Court Restaurant.

Intrepid travelers as we might be, fatigue had begun to take hold of us, and so we adjourned for the evening very excited about our early AM visit to the Forbidden City.

Click here for a Slideshow: Day 1

Larry Guillemtte

Director of Business Development