Jane C. Waldbaum, a classical archaeologist, is professor emerita of art history at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Jane is also a former president (2003-2007) of the Archaeological Institute of America, the oldest and largest archaeological organization in North America.

This September Jane led a group of Smithsonian travelers on a tour of Legendary Turkey and the Turquoise Coast.

***

Members of our group enjoying the Spice Market, Istanbul. (Photo by S. Morse.)

I love markets. Souks, Bazaars, Markets, I love them all.  You never know what you’re going to find, and Turkey is particularly rich in markets of all kinds. From the Spice Bazaar in Istanbul to the village market in Sirince, and everything in between, I am fascinated by the luscious displays of late summer fresh fruits and vegetables, by bins filled with colorful spices, and by arrays of unusual foodstuffs whose original form I can only guess at — to say nothing of the carpets, child-size harem outfits, and silly wooden animals that presented buying opportunities to members of our group everywhere we went.  And who doesn’t want to bring home an unusual souvenir or two? Or some mouthwatering Turkish Delight in delicate fruit flavors, studded with chunks of pistachio or hazelnut and rolled in a dusting of ground nuts.

Woman rolling pancakes, Dalyan Saturday market. (Photo by J. Waldbaum.)

What are these people doing?  This lady is rolling out enormous pancakes which she will spread with all kinds of fillings—not at all the crepes you are used to. That boy is extracting hazelnuts from the tangle of foliage that grows around them—who knew they grew that way?  And where is our group?  In Istanbul, oohing and ahhing at the fabulous Spice Market; or, after a delicious home-made lunch in the house of Demetrios at Sirince, outside of Ephesus, they visit his shop, or is it his cousin’s?  They move on, to examine the local felt and lace handicrafts.  And where’s my husband Steve?  Looking at one last kilim in Kaymakli, Cappadocia, near the end of our trip, of course.  I love markets!

Handmade lace, Sirince market. (Photo by J. Waldbaum.)

***

Read more about Smithsonian Journeys’ Legendary Turkey and the Turquoise Coast tour here.

Terje Leiren is Professor of Scandinavian Studies and History at the University of Washington, Seattle. He is the current holder of the Sverre Arestad Endowed Chair in Norwegian Studies.

This summer Terje led a group of Smithsonian travelers on a Scandinavian Sojourn.

***

Amid the spectacular west Norwegian fjord landscape of two UNESCO world heritage sites (Geiranger and Naeroy fjords) lies the Herdal Mountain Summer Farm (Saeter). Here farming follows a tradition that dates back to the Vikings.  The farm itself, run by Jostein Sande and Ashild Dale, has been in the Dale family for a mere 300 years.

The picturesque Herdal Mountain Summer farm. (Photo courtesy of author.)

The mountain summer farm consists of 30 small buildings with several hundred goats, scores of sheep, some cows and a dozen or so majestic Norwegian fjord horses.  The animals graze freely in the open landscape of the mountain meadow from June through September.  Goats are milked regularly for the rich milk that is used to produce brown and white goat cheese as well as goat’s milk caramels.  Agricultural traditions going back countless generations thrive here, protected by international cultural agreements and the dedication of the Sande-Dale family.

Jostein Sande holding a large brown goat cheese produced on the farm. (Photo courtesy of the author.)

As visitors to the farm, we felt as though we had stepped back in time; a time before the industrial revolution changed the world, and Norway was one of the poorest countries in Europe.  We marveled at the smell and the taste of the dairy products, especially the pure brown goat cheese that has become the very symbol of Norway’s traditional culinary culture. Enjoyed with “rømmegrøt,” a sour-cream porridge, cured ham and lamb, and some traditional flatbread, the Norwegian mountain farm food experience was unique.

Norwegian fjord horse searching for a treat. (Photo courtesy of author.)

The Summer Farm culture broadly represents a living tradition of small-scale dairy farming that still survives throughout Norway.  However, because they are most often found away from the tourists’ mainstream and visited only by the most determined of travelers, our visit to the summer farm left us feeling quite privileged that we could enjoy such a unique historical and cultural experience as part of the Smithsonian Scandinavian Sojourn tour.  A true surprise in the land of the midnight sun.

***

Read more about Smithsonian Journeys’ Scandinavian Sojourn trip here.

Italy is known for holding some of the world’s greatest masterpieces of art, culinary traditions and the ancient world. But, amongst these mighty giants are wondrous treasures that remind us that the little charms are just as magical. The island of Burano on the Venetian lagoon is just that. Just a 40 minute boat ride from Venice, Burano is a must see.

The colorful houses of Burano. (Photo courtesy of flickr user o palsson.)

Burano is an old fishing village, and the fishing traditions of Burano date back to Roman times. For most of its history, fishing was the main source of income for the island, but the number of fishermen has greatly declined over the years. However, today, you can still go to Burano and be assured that the fish you eat on the island was caught that day by local fishermen. You can also find the fish being sold daily at the historical Rialto Market in Venice. But, do not leave the island of Burano without trying the fish at one of the local restaurants. If you like fish, this may be the best fish you will ever try.

Calamari Fritti at Ai Pescatori restaurant in Burano. (Photo courtesy of flickr user HarshLight).

Fishing is, or I should say was, not the only source of income for Burano. The art of lace making has played a large role in Burano’s history. Legend has it that a betrothed fisherman out at sea was given a wedding veil by a siren, and when he gave it to his betrothed; everyone tried to replicate it with needlework. The replications became Burano lace. Burano lace making was greatly admired by the Venetian patrons and even the Royals of the world. King Louis XIV was said to be wearing a Burano lace collar for his coronation and Leonardo Da Vinci purchased a piece for the main altar of the Duomo di Milano. Lace making on the island has declined significantly since its golden age, but you can still see women sitting outside or inside the lace shops creating these beautiful textiles. Burano lace making is truly unique in that it is all 100% handmade, with extravagant designs and detail, and more than likely made by the person you see working before your eyes.

A 92 year old lace maker in Burano. (Photo courtesy of flickr user Pat Ferro.)

Besides lace making and fishing, what makes Burano different from the rest of the surrounding islands is its rainbow of houses. Though these houses are beautifully painted and look like artwork, the reason for their vivid colors is quite practical. Years ago, the fishermen painted their houses bright colors so when they were coming home in the fog, they knew whose house was whose. That said, the colors of these houses have been in families for centuries. And, if you want to change the color of your house, you have to send in a request to the government. And, if you want to buy a house on the island, good luck with that.

A row of colorful Burano houses. (Photo courtesy of flickr user kevinpoh.)

The Island of Burano is full of hidden charm, history and culture. It is truly a treasure and no surprise that it is one of the many beautiful stops on Smithsonian Journeys’ Hidden Venice trip. If you want to visit, sign up today.

Don Wilson is Curator Emeritus of Mammals at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History and was director of the Smithsonian’s Biodiversity Programs for ten years. A distinguished mammalogist and an internationally recognized authority on bats, his work has taken him around the world conducting field work and research. He has led tours for Smithsonian Journeys to most of the world’s greatest natural history destinations from Antarctica to Africa. On this last trip, he guided a Smithsonian group on safari in Zimbabwe and Botswana. Read his field notes from the trip below:

Our African Safari had been an unmitigated success, with one significant blemish: all safaris carry an unstated goal of seeing the “Big Five” — Lion, Leopard, Buffalo, Rhino, and Elephant. We had seen all but leopards after wonderful game drives at Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe and Chobe National Park in Botswana. Our last stop was in Lower Zambezi National Park in Zambia. With lots of activities to choose from, including game drives, canoe trips, walking safaris, and even fishing for Tiger Fish in the mighty Zambezi River, we nevertheless felt the pressure mounting to spot the elusive Leopard.

On the afternoon of our last day, most folks opted for the game drive, and our two hard working driver-guides, Brian and Simeon, were determined to give it their best shot. We headed into the local game management area, passing through thorn-scrub woodland where they knew leopards were occasionally seen. Heading towards the Zambezi escarpment into the setting sun, our driver Simeon got a quick call from Brian in the other vehicle, explaining that they had just seen a leopard, but it was a fleeting glimpse, as it scurried into the brush before anyone could get a picture.

We joined the other vehicle for traditional ‘sundowners’ of drinks and snacks on a high plateau overlooking the entire river valley, and watched the sun dip over the mountain behind us. Needless to say, our vehicle felt very envious of the others, even if their leopard sighting had been all too brief. Simeon said we would leave 10 minutes ahead of the other vehicle and return to the area where they had seen it, in hopes of spotting it again. By the time we got there, it was getting dark, and I manned the portable spot light while Simeon drove and used his excellent eyesight to scan back and forth intently. I was dutifully shining the spotlight up into every tree, and back and forth across the road as everyone felt their hopes dimming with each passing kilometer. Then, as we headed down into a small ravine, I brought the light back across the road from right to left, and on the left hand side of the road in the bottom of the ravine, a big, beautiful male Leopard stood stock-still watching us approach from no more than 30 feet away as we came around the corner.

We had warned everyone to be absolutely silent if we did find a Leopard, as they are quite shy and will run immediately if they hear voices. However, the vehicle and the lights do not bother them, and this one allowed us to photograph it as it walked slowly by us and back up the road the way we had just passed. Simeon quickly and quietly called Brian on the radio, and by the time we turned around, the other vehicle was there, and the Leopard moved into the brush beside the road, but still in the range of the spotlight. After a series of photos from both vehicles, we high-fived all around and headed back towards the lodge.

Just another wonderful finale to a great safari, right? But wait, it gets better. About 5 minutes down the road, I was still manning the spotlight, hoping to see a small nocturnal genet or civet, when there was another Leopard, walking right down the road in front of us! We followed it slowly, called Brian again, and the other vehicle joined us once more. We took turns following behind this one, another male, but a bit smaller than the first. After another round of photos, we finally did head into the lodge for one last terrific dinner and enough stories to fuel the long trip back to the States and beyond.

Learn more about Don’s upcoming safari trips here.

This March, Smithsonian magazine announced the 50 finalists from their 9th Annual Photo Contest. The contest attracted over 14,000 photographers from all 50 states and over 100 countries. The photos offer a virtual tour of the entire globe — ice caves in Antarctica, fishermen in Myanmar, a segway tour zipping by a modern building in Valencia, Spain. See a selection below, and view the full 50 finalists here.

Which ones inspire you to travel?

"Three fishermen on Inle Lake." Taken by David Lazar (Brisbane, Australia). Photographed January 2011, Inle Lake, Myanmar.

"Old mine on Red Mountain Pass." Taken by Robert Castellino (Lafayette, Colorado). Photographed October 2009, Ouray, Colorado.

"Blue Ice Cave." Taken by Jamie Scarrow (Bruce, Canberra, Australia). Photographed December 2011, Antarctica.

"House collage." Taken by Shyamal Das (Kolkata, India). Photographed October 2010, Sikkim, West Bengal.

"Segways on tour in Valencia near a modern building." Taken by Marcel van Balken (Amstelveen, Netherlands). Photographed October 2010, Valencia, Spain.

"Moonrise over Northern Lights." Taken by Ben Hattenbach (Los Angeles, California). Photographed March 2011, northern Alaska.

"Steam from Mammoth Hot Springs." Taken by Steven Ross (Nixa, Missouri). Photographed October 2009, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming.

"Village boys relaxing." Taken by Nimai Chandra Ghosh (Kolkata, India). Photographed November 2009, West Bengal, India.