In Key West, this Thanksgiving week is not all about the turkey. Starting Thanksgiving Day, Key West is hosting the twelfth annual Pirates in Paradise event, featuring eleven jam-packed days of “pure piratical escapades” that honor and celebrate Key West’s vibrant maritime history.

Key West and its surrounding islands were important both to pirates like Blackbeard and Calico Jack and the people trying to catch them. From the Keys, pirates could take cover while ambushing merchant shipping along the Straits of Florida, which was an extremely significant trade route at the time. And following the War of 1812 when Congress cracked down on piracy, one of the primary anti-piracy squadrons established its headquarters on Key West. So what better way to celebrate the pirate lifestyle and Key West’s history than with a pirate-themed festival?

Sponsored by the Monroe County Tourist Development Council, Pirate Radio 101.7 FM, 4 Orange Premium Vodka, and Pusser’s Rum, the Pirates in Paradise Maritime Heritage and Music Festival began at ten in the morning on Thanksgiving day, kicking off with a “Thankstaken” Pirate Party and Feast. But if you missed it, don’t fear: that’s only the beginning. Over the course of the festival, there will be plenty of events and activities for kids and adults alike, for those who simply have a passing interest in pirates, and those who have a serious investment in history.

Over the course of the eleven days there will be a Pirate Village and art fair, featuring period crafts, art, clothing, jewelry, vittles, and plenty of rum, beer, and grog because let’s face it – what’s a pirate without his alcohol? For pirate-obsessed adults, there will be a sailor’s shipwreck holiday ball, craft beer tastings, a rock and roll dance party, an end-of-hurricane season party, a Miss Pirate Key West Pageant, talent, and swim suit competition, and plenty of costume contests, including one for the most buxom wench and bad-ass pirate.

As an all ages event, Pirates in Paradise offers tons of activities for aspiring young buccaneers. There will be a carnival, a kid’s costume contest, and Pirate Art 101 “Color Along” with pirate artist Don Maitz (whose work has been featured in National Geographic). Additionally, in the pirate village, parents can go to a pub and peruse pirate wares while the kids participate in treasure hunts and coloring contests.

For those seeking unusual entertainment, Pirates in Paradise has it all. Some of the most anticipated events of the festival are the authentic reenactments of the famous Pyrate Trials of Anne Bonny and Mary Read and the tall tales storytelling competition, which allows contestants to tell their biggest fabricated story before a panel of nationally renowned authors.

Interested in history and literature? You’re in luck. There are opportunities to sail aboard a real pirate ship, and on Wednesday, November 30, there will be a special excursion on the schooner Wolf where one can join authors Roz Brackenbury, Robb Zerr, and Christine and Michael Lampe on a one and a half hour ride. Prior to the excursion will be an Authors and Artists Luncheon at the Pirate Village VIP tent. Author Robert N. Macomber will, throughout the week, be giving presentations, historical walking tours through Old Town, and partaking in the Literature & the Sea Sunset Happy Hour along with other pirate guests.

Although the festival isn’t free, admission to the Pirate Village is only $5 per day for adults and free for kids under the age of twelve. If you and your family are interested in spending a lot of time at the festival and really getting your pirate on, take advantage of the insanely cheap eleven day festival pass: it’s only $20, and will get you free daily admission to the Pirate Village and Festival VIP Hospitality Area!

For tourists in the Key West area this Thanksgiving weekend and beyond, this could be a wonderful opportunity to discover the great historical roots of the Florida Keys that doesn’t sacrifice fun for education. And don’t worry – if you can’t make it this year, there’s always next November!

Courtesy of Joanne Harris/Leonardo Cendamo Photography

“Publication was never my initial objective,” admits British author Joanne Harris. “I kept writing because I liked it, and on some level I guess I had to do it… but when my first book was published, I was absolutely delighted. And better even than just being published, I was actually read by people,” she told Literary Traveler, laughing.

In case you are unfamiliar with Harris’ work (or deceived by her humble attitude), she is one of the most popular British writers living today. Though her most famous novel may well be Chocolat, which was made even more memorable by the film with Johnny Depp, she has also penned everything from young adult novels (Runemarks) to cookbooks (The French Kitchen).

Along with Bill Bryson, Joanne Harris was invited on board Cunard’s the Queen Mary 2 as part of their Literature & Liners series, where she spoke to the passengers about her two greatest passions: writing and food. After her book signing, we were able to sit down with Harris for a private interview—which we naturally recorded.

In this latest installment of Literary Traveler TV, Joanne Harris talks to our editors about the experience of traveling on such a grand old ship, how she became a writer, and perhaps most interestingly, her thoughts on the intersections between food, travel, and literature. “I think food has always been a popular theme in literature. I’ve been wrongly–but flatteringly—attributed this task of having brought food in fiction into popularity, but it’s not at all true. I think, with it’s link to travel, it’s also one of the most accessible ways to learn about another culture.”

Learn more about Joanne Harris and her literary musings by watching our video interview here. And for more Literary Traveler TV, please check out our YouTube channel.

Courtesy of Cunard

Last summer, your editors at Literary Traveler were lucky enough to cross the Atlantic on the majestic and elegant Queen Mary 2. The week-long Transatlantic cruise offered most everything we overworked writers need—excellent food, plenty of rest and relaxation, and of course, a bit of literary stimulation.

The trip we attended on the grand old liner wasn’t your average cruise. Literary Traveler was invited to attend one of their Cunard Insights enrichment programs, the 2010 Literature and Liners trip, alongside influential authors like Kate Atkinson, John Berendt, Bill Bryson, and Joanne Harris. During our stay, we were able to attend Q&As with the authors, panel discussions, and book signings.

In order to better document the journey, we also brought our camera. To learn more about the Queen Mary 2—including details about its history, the various amenities available onboard, and the surprising attractions that draws thousands of passengers each year—take a look at our video on YouTube. And stay tuned for further details about the author discussions with Bill Bryson and Joanne Harris.

Where is the stereotypical, lounging vacationer?, Image by Flickr user Micky

For most people, a vacation means snoozing on the beach, catching rays by the lake, or reading for pleasure, but a new trend in tourism suggests that a vacation can be a truly life changing experience. Volunteer tourism, also known as volunteer travel or voluntourism, is a new type of vacation that incorporates sightseeing with service, allowing participants to visit and learn about a new place and culture while using their skills and passions to make a difference.

Groups like Cross-Cultural Solutions, Global Volunteers, Voluntourism.org and Hands Up Holidays arrange these trips, providing clients with opportunities to better the local communities they visit as well as to relax and tour. Trips can last a single week or up to three months, and while most occur in a variety of countries, Voluntourism.org also provides opportunities to take volunteer vacations within the U.S.

A variety of service projects are available to suit your interests and skills, including building and renovation, teaching English, assisting in medical facilities, and supporting environmental preservation. Most organizations equally encourage families, couples, and single volunteers, though some countries and projects may require different different ages and skill sets.

Although many of these trips require demanding, physical work, organizations provide varying levels of comfort and activity. You may choose a trip that truly matches your interests and lifestyle. Most trips provide free time in the evenings and on weekends to explore the surrounding area on your own, but some trips stress this more than others. Hands Up Holidays, for example, describes its vacations as “luxury” and offers just a “taste” of volunteering, while Voluntourism.org seeks truly dedicated volunteers who are willing to put a lot of time and thought into their service experience.

And now the question we’ve all been waiting for: How much does it cost? Of course this depends on where you’re going and how long you’re staying, but in general it seems trips organized through the groups mentioned above are not outrageously expensive, but also not the least expensive way to go. Many fall between $1,000 and $3,000, not including airfare. It’s important to recognize, however, that in many cases this fee includes guided service experience and other cultural activities like language lessons or field trips in addition to lodging and food. Sure it might be cheaper to fly to Thailand, stay in a hotel by the beach and lounge the day away, but you won’t necessarily learn anything about Thai culture, and you certainly won’t be helping anyone besides the owner of the hotel (assuming you stay put in your hotel beach chair). 

If you are on a tight budget, never fear, there are inexpensive ways to volunteer! (pardon the rhyme). Instead of allowing a volunteer travel agency to do the work for you, plan your own trip around a certain service event like a beach or park clean up, or contact an organization directly to ask if you can help out during your vacation. Though this requires more work on your part, you’ll escape the administrative/organizational fees included in the previously mentioned packaged trips.

Of course, voluntourism isn’t for everyone. Critics argue that it’s just another gimmick to get well-meaning individuals to take expensive, exotic vacations guilt-free. They claim that the various projects completed by vacationers don’t make a real impact on the lives of locals and voluntourism organizations could conceivably take advantage of poor communities around the world to sell trip packages.

I see how voluntourism could be suspiciously good to be true (who would pay to volunteer during time off??), I think that overall the heart of volunteer travel is in the right place. Normally vacations are for relaxing and concentrating on personal and family indulgences. Volunteer tourism, on the other hand, recommends that you accomplish more with your time off: improve the well-being of others around the world and more deeply understand different communities and cultures. For me, that sure beats a day at the beach!

Check out Matador Network’s Complete Guide to Volunteer Tourism to see if it’s right for you!

I saw the Northern Lights in Iceland, twice in Finnish Lapland (the area above the Arctic Circle in Scandinavia), and actually, once in Massachusetts, just outside of Boston–it was a freak occurrence.  The time I remember most vividly was when I stood on a desolate, frozen lake in Finnish Lapland.  I’ll never forget the 10-minute light show swirling above my head.  The colors blazed like lasers, and oddly enough, I could hear the Northern Lights.  That’s right.  If you get a chance to see them up close like I did and you’re in a remote area, you will literally hear them.  It sounds like a dull humming.

So when I read Susannah Palk’s article today, it brought back a surge of memories.  But also what interested me in Palk’s article was the “Northern Lights Safari.”  Palk says safari-goers take a two to five hour boat trip, complete with five course meal, to see the Northern Lights.  Guests also have the option of taking a two to three day boat tour.

This sounds like such a peaceful and magical winter trip.  It’s definitely a great travel destination for us writers who seek inspiration.  Sometimes, all you need is a little time in nature to get the literary juices flowing.

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~ To continue with your winter adventures, check out War Games and Winter in Finland’s Lapland: Arto Paasilinna’s The Year of the Hare by Toma Kavonius.

Everyday the price for flying and additional fees slightly increases. Baggage fees, pet fees, and airline meals are greatly overpriced. As a traveler, I would rather spend my money on exploration and spontaneity. So I choose driving across country instead.

As you explore the depths of the road, the act of traveling becomes part of the vacation and not something to simply endure. Traveling by car allows for the journey and the destination to be the vacation.

I drove across country this past summer, and one of the many reasons why I prefer to travel by car compared to by plane is because of the spontaneous stops.

As I traveled the country, I decided to cross into Missouri from Illinois via the Mississippi River. I stood on the Ste. Genevieve ferry and reminisced about the story of Huck Finn and his adventures along the Mississippi River. As I watched the twigs float by and felt the cool breeze wisp across my face, I pictured Huck Finn on his raft drifting across the river beside me.

Take it from a traveler that often takes the wrong turn, spontaneity is freeing.  It presents a new layer of traveling. As I took unintended turns, I instantly rerouted myself along another path towards my destination. Every unintended turn became a spontaneous new adventure and a shift in a new direction.

My mind retraces all the amazing and memorable moments and I wish that sometime soon I will again be on the road. Traveling is not only an adventure for me—it is a time to be free of the daily stress and daily uncertainty of what am I going to do with life? I feel that more often than not I am ‘boogled down’ by uncertainty; I am driven by the need to endlessly search for a tangible answer. However, traveling makes me feel as though this answer is right in front of me, as if this answer is unimportant, a mere speck of what is truly out there. When I travel, this mere speck is just a weightless distraction left behind.

As I was nearing the end of my trip across the country, I found myself at Seven Falls in Colorado Springs, Colorado. It was enchanting. The color of the mountainside against the beautiful blue sky and forest green trees on my way towards the entrance, promised an unforgettable afternoon.

Entrance fee was $9.25, but well worth the hike and afternoon out of the car.

Seven Falls is located in the South Cheyenne Canyon. It received its title based upon the water that cascades from 181 feet in seven distinct steps. The water falls from the southern edge of Pikes Peak and allows for a picturesque, tranquil sight.

In addition to the waterfalls, Seven Falls has 2 hiking trails: Trail to Inspiration Point and Trail to Midnight Fall. The Trail to Inspiration Point is a mile long, intermediate hike that is the location of the original gravesite of Helen Hunt Jackson. Helen Hunt Jackson was a writer of the 1800s. She is best known for her interest in the mistreatment of American Indians by government agents. This hike was a great way to stretch my legs and breathe heavy as the hill sat in front of me. The sun was beautiful as it set upon the mountainside and the clouds swiftly moved across the evening sky.

Seven Falls is a gem of this country. It is a secluded area, with rushing water as its soundtrack. It is a great place to become in touch with nature and breathe in the amazing fresh air that this earth has to offer.

It makes my list for the top 10 places to visit in America. What’s on your list?

So I was disappointed by the metal seats, the florescent lights, the loudspeaker announcements every five minutes, and, after 4:00 a.m., the airport guards who explained that, if I continued to occupy more than one seat, I could be charged with vagrancy.  In my youthful folly (ah, to be 19 again), I’d missed a crucial detail: the perks of air travel were limited to ticketholders.

This experience hasn’t diminished my dreams of airport occupation, though.  When there’s a weather emergency, or when I watch Independence Day for the millionth time, I remember Jeff, who confessed, during an Agnostic Club meeting in college, that he went to airports on Thanksgiving to people-watch, to imagine himself in their families, their communities.

Everyone traveling by airplane is in a state of transition in the terminal, separated from most of their possessions, acquaintances, and surroundings.  Unless they’re hiding out in the Red Carpet Club, they’re subject to the same sterilized, scrutinized, Starbucks-packed otherworld that I am.

Alain de Botton, a French philosophy student gone culture critic, knows what I’m talking about.  He chronicles the week he spent in London’s Heathrow Airport in his creatively-titled A Week At The Airport.  As the airport’s Writer-in-Residence, he had unfettered access to air traffic control towers, baggage handlers, and, yes, the first-class lounge.  Critics are calling it an essay collection, a meditation on a non-place.

I’m calling it the cheapest route to an extensive stay in one of my favorite places.

I took the train from Salisbury station to Trowbridge.  I have to admit I much prefer the buses because they’re much cheaper and you get to see much more sitting atop the double decker.  The train costs 10 pounds for only a 30 minute or less trip.  The day before I took a bus ride for 30 minutes for 3 pounds, 80 pence. It’s a huge difference to a budget traveler.

I got off at Trowbridge, a bit lost, but a nice Brit walked me to the town center and showed me to the right bus.  Trowbridge is the county seat and a busy, little town, and I was glad I was able to see it.  I hopped aboard the 234 (or you can take the X34) toward Chippenham.  I made sure it stopped at Lacock, even though it clearly said it on the sign.  The bus cost 4 pounds, 15 pence.

The ride was charming on my absolute favorite, the double decker bus.  We went through villages and farmland and even got to see a version of a British trailer park.

Then we arrived at Lacock after a 30 minute or so ride. Lacock is the National Trust village where scenes from world-famous BBC films such as the original Pride & Prejudice (the Colin Firth version) and Cranford were shot.  Scenes from two Harry Potter films were shot here as well.

Lacock is a step back in time.  It looks like an 18th to 19th century, English village. The English tudors, flower boxes, lush green landscapes help the tourist step back in time.  It was easy to see how Lacock was a film set.  Simply throw down some dirt for the roads and place actors in old-fashioned clothes and you’re ready to shoot.

I walked around Lacock, winding through the cobblestone streets, peering up at the perfect English cottages, adoring a kitten in a window (see photo) and even stopping off at the bakery to smell some goodies. I stopped outside The Abbey and took some photos through the fence and thought of Jane Austen. This was a perfect setting for her novel.

After sitting on a bench and eating in Lacock, I walked down the road towards Chippenham and caught the X34 (you can also take the 234) to Chippenham.  Only a 10 minute ride and 2 pounds, 40 pence, I got off at the Chippenham bus station. Alas, there was a bus waiting to go to Bath.  I hopped aboard for 4 pounds, 45 pence.

It took over an hour to get to Bath.  The bus was not double decker, and the ride was uneventful until we approached just outside of Bath …

Please continue reading about my travels in Bath on the Editorial Director’s Forum.

And don’t forget to read about my non-touristy, Stonehenge visit.

- Jennifer, Editorial Network Diector

I touched down in Guatemala yesterday afternoon.  Originally, I planned to go directly to Quetzaltenango, where a former high school classmate is launching his non-profit, weGuatemala.  But, anticipating the long weekend and my yen for ruined churches, I decided to spend the day in the deliberately old-school city of Antigua, and maybe try to see Lake Atitlan (a la Aldous Huxley’s Beyond the Mexique Bay) on the way.  Good plan, it turns out.

Heavy rains on Thursday and Friday created mudslides on the routes to the west of Guatemala City, and a chicken bus (colorful second-class transportation) went under.  Last I read, there were 37 confirmed deaths, and 23 missing persons.  President Alvaro Colom declared it a national emergency, and la ruta Interamericana has been closed.

If I’d taken my malaria meds, I’d be booking it for Tikal right now — ruins on a large scale, and far to the east.  As is, I’m grateful to be here, and I’ve developed an interest in traveling first-class.  Because–I can’t help but think this, erroneous as it is–throwing money at it might make the landscape less chaotic.

And, given recent events, I’m a little perplexed by my interest in the ruins of natural disasters.  I think every social science nerd geeks out over Pompeii, and I love me some scraps of ancient civilizations, but isn’t there something inhumane about my giddiness over churches ruined by volcanoes?  If the mud out here acts as a preservative (this isn’t an entirely crazy idea — I’m looking at you, mummifying air of Guanajuato), will a future student of the humanities go out of her way to study the chicken bus?

Probably not, since it’s a pretty small-scale disaster.  And while I am not alone in my fetishization of “ruined” civilizations (I’m looking at you, Romantics), I am uncomfortable with contemporary disaster tourism, even as I participate in it.  When Ground Zero was a stop on my marching band’s tour of New York, I cringed,  but I got off the bus.  When I went to New Orleans to knock down houses the spring after Katrina hit, I unabashedly took pictures of the broken dam, and admitted that I had gone down mainly out of curiosity.

The latter was shameless because I was doing what I could to help, even if I just came to gawk.  Maybe that’s the difference.