The Spanish typically built their cities in orderly grids with “avenidas” running north-south, and “calles” running east-west.  It must have been frustrating for them that the geography of Guanajuato wouldn’t conform to this logic.  But what could they do- this is where the silver was.

Guanajuato’s verticality has its advantages.  Once you know your way home from downtown, you really can’t get lost. If you’re going up, you’re going away from town and if you’re going down you’re going towards it.  And you’re always going up or down.  A well-traveled friend I met at language school commented that Guanajuato was the only place he’d ever been where by some strange vortex of both geography and geometry when you walk somewhere and back, it’s uphill both ways.  It’s good for the muscles, heart and lungs.  Rough on the knees.  Bring good shoes.

People visiting Mexico are often overly concerned about keeping their digestive systems healthy.  Fair enough, but the greater health risk here is from falling.  Guanajuato has beautiful architecture that begs to be stared at. Don’t walk and gawk.  Stop moving your feet when you admire the scenery.  Locals have mastered getting around these uneven, step-filled streets.  I once saw a woman walking up a callejon in four-inch heels while carrying a cake and talking on a cell phone.  Don’t try this yourself.

While pedestrians enjoy ground level, or various ground levels, most of the vehicle traffic is underground.  Ancient river beds serve as “subterranean” streets and the city is crawling with tunnels.  This means that even if you know your way around the pedestrian passages in your sleep, you may have no idea how to get around by car. When I first came here I was suspicious when taxis would take a tunnel leading out of town, only to do a u-turn and head back in.  Now I understand.  That is often the only way to get from one point to another by car.  Guanajuato is a great place not to have a vehicle.

The axis of Guanajuato descends below where the eye can see.  The hills all around are spotted with silver mines, many of them hundreds of years old, some of them still producing.  The ruins of the mines are incongruently scenic.  Beautiful centuries-old stone structures, they are also the sites of unimaginable suffering and exploitation- and of course, the source of the wealth which created this city.  They say that at one time 70% of the world’s silver was coming out of Guanajuato’s mines.  Today, near the ornate Templo Valenciana, one can enter “boca mina” to get a brief tour.

Guanajuato will strain your feet, harden your tush and reward you with incredible vistas.  It deserves a stop on any tour of central Mexico.

Related posts:

1. 3 Things in Cappadocia You Can’t Miss
2. Mui Wo: an island getaway in Hong Kong

Your profile can include such things as a personal bio, author portfolio, work-education, travel history/prospects, interests and more.  In addition your profile will highlight all your community activity, group involvement, shared photos and links as well as blog posts.

The GUAP Community Travel Blog Advantage

So what are the advantages of a community travel blog at GUAP.  Lets touch on these briefly because there are many.

1. 100% Revenue Sharing: GUAP is optimized and ready to roll with Adsense.  Simply enter your Adsense Publishing ID to take control of the ad space surrounding your blog post.  Considering some sites share 0% with you we think that’s huge.
2. You are part of the Parent Blog: No subdomains here, you are part of the big picture and your post will make the front page of GUAP for a limited time.  You might even make headline or spotlight.  The point is you are part of something bigger then a lonely web page in some obscure corner of a website.  You are the main bread and butter feeding a growing community.
3. Be part of a community: Meet new people, participate in groups and network yourself with others that share your passion.   Of course, but does a community travel blog benefit me over a individual private blog?  It certainly does.  You see, private travel blogs always seem to share one commonality, they get stale. Sometimes your on the road, sometimes your just busy with work, maybe its just life.  Whatever it is don’t get stuck trying to keep a audience 100% of the time.  Let others in the community feed your audience with fresh content while your sipping sangria in Spain.  So relax, we got your back, that’s what friends are for.
4. Writers Workshop: Participate in the writers workshop along side other authors.  A Discussion on writing tips, ideas, tutorials and finding success.
5. GUAP Points: As your participation on the Community grows so do your GUAP points.  You can view these any time from your profile.  You get GUAP points for creating a post, participating in groups, commenting on others post and much more.  Currently you achieve Ranks based on your point total and every new writer starts as a “Home Body”.  We plan to expand on this in the future.
6. Contests: Watch for prize contests in the future.
7. Simplicity:  This is key.  We take care of all the heavy lifting so you can focus more on what you do best, traveling and writing.  GUAP is networked with facebook, twitter, digg, buzz and the list keeps growing.  GUAP is pretty, neat and professional.  GUAP is SEO optimized and ready to rank in search engines.  We manage all the non fun stuff so you don’t have to.
8. Powered by WordPress: WordPress is powerful and its a great platform to blog from.  Google loves wordpress and that’s good for me and it’s good for you.

It’s your Travel Blog

Weather your creating a simple post on travel tips or mapping an adventure over a series of days GUAP has the tools necessary to achieve success.  In the event you dream up some idea you wish to see implemented don’t hesitate to contact us.  We love ideas and as we grow we plan to grow in the direction shaped by this community.  So what are you waiting for?  Join GUAP today and start your adventure today.

Still not convinced?  Want more details?  View our series on Being a GUAP Author.

Related posts:

1. Authors – Freelance with GUAP’s Multi-Author Community Blog
2. How to get Adsense Approved
3. Volunteer Travel Opportunities

“Sleep tight, don’t let the bed bugs bite.”

I know I didn’t really know what a bed bug was to be honest.  I mostly thought of some type of insect lurking underneath my bed.  It was like a spider, it would come crawling under my covers as I drifted into sleep.  Then it would suck my blood or perhaps crawl into my unguarded mouth and take residence in my brain.  Yeah, I was a kid with a active imagination but it turns out my brain imagery was not so far off.  Sleeping with vampires is real!

Much like the vampire they come in the night, find a appealing spot to bite you and begin to suck your blood.  Your completely oblivious to the attack due to a anesthetic the bite delivers.  With a serious infestation many of these little blood sucking vampires can bite you hundreds of times in one night.

So whats your chances of having one of these unwelcome intruders?  Don’t you have to invite a vampire into your home anyway?  Well, turns out these pest don’t need a invitation and guess what, they like to travel.  Perhaps your traveling with one now.  Luck you, lets recap where you’ve been and take a quick look at the top 15 Bedbug infested Cities in the U.S.  as compiled by Terminix.

Top 15 Bedbug infested Cities

1. New York
2. Philadelphia
3. Detroit
4. Cincinnati
5. Chicago
6. Denver
7. Columbus, Ohio
8. Dayton, Ohio
9. Washington, D.C.
10. Los Angeles
11. Boston
12. Indianapolis
13. Louisville, Ky.
14. Cleveland
15. Minneapolis, Minn.

This picture don’t jog any recent memories of the last hotel you stayed in does it?

You see, this is a problem for the traveler because bed bugs aren’t real picky when it comes time to choose a victim.  Upscale, downscale, high rise, low rise, 4 star, 1 star it just don’t matter.  As long as your breathing and exhaling CO2 then your a nummy treat.  Everyone becomes Sookie Stackhouse and guess what, Bill the vampire,…err i mean bed bug is coming over for dinner.  So what can you do?

1.)  Accept that your bed bug traveling pal has seen more of the world than you.  From the hostel in Europe to the hotel in the U.S and then back again to that home in Italy.  Bed Bugs are well versed little travelers and definitely part of the exchange program.

2.)  Look for signs.  Its unlikely that you will actually see the critters themselves as they are expert hiders but look for signs.  Bed bugs typically leave tiny reddish or black streaks on sheets.  Also lift up the seam of the mattress and check for dark spots of dried excrement, eggs or even bed bugs themselves.  Nothing yet?  Keep checking everything from the pillow case linings to the box springs.  If you see signs ask for another room or leave the hotel.  The headache now will save you a much bigger headache if you end up bring them home.

3.)  To late for the signs above?  Then we are looking at bites.  Bites typically look like a small red welt and normally burn and/or itch.  Wash the bites with soap and water and then apply a ice pack.  You can also apply some no-itch or antihistamine cream to the area.

4.)  Don’t put your backpack on the bed, chair furniture, etc.  If you can try to hang it from somewhere like a suitcase stand, rack, hanger or whatever you can find.  Be careful hanging it around any crevices in the wall though, they like these.  If you can’t find anything consider the tub, I have.  Make sure you close everything when not in use and keep articles of clothing off the bed, floor and furniture.  Everything should be packed away.  This is a precautionary measure.  If you see signs of bed bugs then like above, ask for another room.

5.)  It’s to late, I spent the night sleeping with vampires.   It’s OK, sometimes it happens.  Traveling can be exhausting and sometimes you just get to the end of the day and you want to crash and you don’t care if your sleeping with pit vipers.  Still, your gonna have to do some clean up now.  Vacuum every possible nook and cranny of your suitcase, backpack, camera case, etc including seams.  Wash all your clothing you were carrying in hot hot water.  This should be all done before you consider bringing the traveled items into your home.

To late, they are in my home.  Eww, I’m sorry but that’s gross.  Maybe if you weren’t such a sloppy person.  No, I’m just kidding but I do feel bad for you.  The safety and comfort of your house can feel like its taken away.  Unfortunately bed bugs can be a terrible nuisance to eradicate from ones home.  People can spend a ton time and money exhausting methods before finally calling in a exterminator.  You will have to strip everything down and the exterminator will likely give you some instructions on what you should do before he/she arrives.  You may just end up having to toss heavily infested mattresses and furniture.  Peace of mind is priceless.

No related posts.

I had taken two years of Spanish in high school, and two more years in college. I had made some progress, but there was so much to learn.  But now I was living in Mexico and attending language school three hours per day. This ought to drive the Spanish into my thick skull even if I seem to lack the knack for language acquisition.

Frustrating as it can be, Spanish immersion school is also a lot of fun.  Where else can you sit around with people of all ages, from all parts of the globe, discussing who is worse, Bush or Berlusconi, in a language none of you really know?

At the beginning it’s kind of Zen.  Every cell in your brain has to concentrate one-hundred percent of the time.  Fully immersed, you do begin to think in Spanish.  However, your limited knowledge doesn’t allow you to have very complex thoughts.  “I am walking in the street. It is hot.” This does wonders for the mental health.

Then things get murkier. Ninety-odd possible conjugations for any given verb?!  Even then, one could possibly conquer them if only all the verbs would follow the rules.  Damn those irregulars!  And just when you start to think there’s hope- they introduce the subjunctive.

The subjunctive is a common mode in Spanish for talking about things that may or may not exist, things that didn’t or haven’t yet happened, things that are subjective (and in Spanish just about everything is subjective).  After learning the formula for conjugating the verbs, the first homework we were given was to make a list of phrases describing our ideal mate- perfect example of something that probably doesn’t exist.  For me, this was the homework that kept on giving.  My original list had 28 items, but everyday, I would think, “algo mas” and add to it.  Looking at my list now, I can understand why I’ll never find my Subjunctive Man.  I flirted with the idea of writing to Antonio Banderas since he meets the criteria for at least three things on my list (rich, handsome, fluent in Spanish).  Perhaps if I sent him a letter in Spanish, he would be kind enough to correct my grammar.  I made that original list three and a half years ago.  It now has forty-some items and I am still struggling with the subjunctive.

The fact is, my capacity for self-criticism will probably always outshine my language ability and I will never consider myself fluent.  But there are signs of hope.  I’ve graduated from watching action flicks (little dialogue), to sit coms (simplistic dialogue followed by laugh-track which allows processing time), to occasionally being able to follow an episode of “Ley y Orden” – Law And Order (which I think can be found at any given moment on a some TV station in every corner of the world).  Talking on the phone in Spanish still strikes terror into my heart, but I do it on a regular basis. The woman at my local hardware store must have thought I was crazy when I pointed to a light bulb and asked for a balloon, but it gave us both a good laugh.  I will continue the struggle. Ojala, tenga exito algun dia!

No related posts.

In Mexico you can join a research project to study the condition of reefs. You will go on dives to learn to identify the fish and coral that make up the reefs and gather information to ensure their health. Staying near the white-sand beaches and enjoying the Caribbean Sea are all part of the trip.  You can find more information here:  Volunteer on crucial marine life and coral reef conservation programs and learn to Scuba dive

If you are a cat lover then don’t miss the opportunity to work with the big cats of Africa. In Victoria Falls you can work on a project to release orphaned lion cubs to the wild. Daily walks with the cubs and overnight care of them are part of the ways you will get to know the animals. Give back to Africa by helping researchers gather data about the lions in the area.  For more information visit here:  African Lion Rehabilitation And Conservation – Victoria Falls in Victoria Falls

Another opportunity to work with African wildlife is at the Masai Mara Lion and Wildlife Research & Conservation Project in Kenya. One of the goals of the project is to monitor lion populations and movements. Volunteers will take pictures of the lions, help to name individuals, and gather data about pride behavior to assist researchers.  For more information visit here:  Masai Mara Lion And Wildlife Research & Conservation Project in Masai Mara, Kenya

Travel to Saigon Vietnam to help in planning the Beauty in Diversity Day. This annual event brings together many organizations to celebrate three days: World AIDS Day, International Volunteer Day and the Day for Disabilities Day all in the first week of December. As a volunteer you contribute your ideas and help to implement the plans for the festival. You can be involved in decorating and prep raring for games and activities that are part of the celebration.  For more information please visit here:  Beauty in Diversity Day

To have a look into the Stone Age go to Finland to join the Stone Age Project. The goal of the project is to teach volunteers about the Finnish wild woods. You will learn ancestral fishing techniques, survival skills and making handcrafts from materials gathered in nature. Learn stone-age technology while living in an ancient nomadic group in order to focus on teamwork and being able to live in harmony with nature. Your accommodations include Stone Age houses and even winter igloos.  For more information please visit here:  Primitive Surviving Project

Put your gardening skills to use in Mongolia. Help an orphanage to manage the vegetable garden that feeds the children. There are chances to play sports and games with the children as well. This remote location is on a Mongolian plain with a beautiful landscape.  For more informaton visit here:  The Childcare Centre of Mongolia (CCM)

Choosing the right volunteer travel opportunity for you can make your vacation a memorable. Consider your interests, time available, budget and skill set to find the perfect way to make a difference while learning about another culture.

Want to Share Volunteer Travel Opportunities you’re familiar with? Go ahead and leave a comment, better yet join our community and create your own article on Volunteer Opportunities.  As a GUAP member you can even join our group, ” The Volunteer Traveler“.  You will then be able to participate in forum discussions, post links to volunteer projects, as well as meet and form groups with others who share your enthusiasm.  Hope to see you around the community. 

Related posts:

1. Travel Writing Jobs – Become a Travel Writer
2. Backpacking with a Guitar – Travel Guitars
3. From Homebody to Travel Writer (GUAP Ranks)

This part of China was never on the list of holiday ideas at the time until its now-famous Fujian Tulou (Chinese: 福建土樓) was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Driven by curiosity I decided to have a look at these strange constructions that were once mistaken as traces of UFO on our planet. Well, perhaps this itself was a story created by some business-minded people to boost tourism, I was one of those who were fascinated by the idea and decided to spend my precious holiday there in the mountainous region of Fujian, China.

The coach journey was an adventure itself. My coach could barely fit in those bumpy, narrow and often curvy roads. At the time, the region was not nearly ready for a huge travel coach or stream of visitors, which was good. I got to enjoy the privilege of walking around those largely unspoiled villages. Sad to say though, at the time I could already see signs of the place being commercialized; shops selling typical souvenirs like postcards, snow globes and travel guides.

Each of the tulou was like a little city itself, with its own living area and community. In the ‘King of Tulou’ there were a total of 370 rooms! The local guide told me that at its peak there were 80 families living in this one single tulou. I was simply amazed by the magnificent structure of this circular building and how it could accommodate hundreds of people, given that they were built almost 1,000 years ago when multi-storey buildings were not at all common.

I could actually walk into the living homes of villagers. Only the ground floor of any tulou was opened for tourists, the upper floors were the villagers’ homes. The buildings were still occupied by families, even when it was at the same time open to visitors. This was perhaps what fascinated me most. Tulou was not just a historical relic, but living homes of villagers that I could step into and get a taste of their lives. It was not like visiting an old Roman theatre that had been abandoned for years or some constructions that were historically significant during the WWII. In some parts of the buildings I could actually see villagers on their day-to-day living state: some cooking with the very traditional kitchenware, some hanging laundry out on the balcony.

I was asked a few times why I would take a trip to a place as undeveloped and rural as that. What instantly sprang to mind was a quote by Paul Theroux: ‘The fact that few people go there is one of the most persuasive reasons for travelling to a place.’
 I guess it explains why.

Related posts:

1. Mui Wo: an island getaway in Hong Kong

The Song Bird Hiking Trail is a 1.1 mile trail loop that sits between Harlow Lake and Lake Superior.  As the name implies its a great place to spot songbirds including sparrows, hairy woodpeckers, warblers, and merlins just to name a few.  As you go you will come across signs that interpret the different song birds common to the area.   I’ve heard May is the best time for such a Bird watching experience but you can enjoy the hike anytime.  I went in July and it was still a very enjoyable hike filled with wildlife and just beautiful scenery.

During much of the hike you are hugging lake superior and then into the wooden canopy and then back out again.  It’s really not a difficult hike, easy to moderate I guess and depending on your schedule for the day shouldn’t take you to long.  I have a hard time estimating a time as I’m a big fan of stopping and I enjoy taking pictures.  I also like to look around at things and observe because really, whats the big hurry?  Here are some pictures from the hike.

Now for me this hike is really close, I didn’t have to travel far and wide, catch a plane or anything crazy.  I mean I’m from Michigan and I lived up in the U.P for some time.  Still, its amazing what you can find in your own backyard and that’s what I want to emphasize.  When writing for GUAP don’t think every adventure has to be miles away.  Sometimes its minutes away and you can quickly capture the experience to share with others who are far away but might be heading your way.

I encourage anyone to go out and find a simple location that’s close to home.  Create a GUAP profile if you haven’t already and lets here about it!

No related posts.

Step 1.) Get a Google email account and make sure it consist of your name as much as possible like michael.falk@gmail.com  (Don’t ask why- just do it!)

Step 2.) Create a Blog at Blogger.com  Why Blogger.com?  Because Google Owns it and Google likes themselves right.  Not to mention its FREE!

Step 3.) Buy a domain.  Try to pick a domain that uses the primary keywords of your blog subject matter.  It cost 10 dollars/year and you can do it right from the Blogger Dashboard.  Just go to settings and then Publishing.  This will change your blog address from “mysite.blogspot.com” to just “mysite.com”  This tells Big G that your serious about doing some quality blogging.

Step 4.) The Six Month Probation Period.  At this point Adsense does not want to hear from you.  Instead you will be busy filling your blog with useful original content.  Somewhere between 15-20 post should be sufficient.  You have 6 months so that’s not a huge workload.  For every 5 post you create on your blog create one unique article on your GUAP profile and link back to a relevant topic on your blog.  (Note:  In order to include a promotional link in a Article Submission the content published on GUAP must be original and not found on your blog.)  In addition, choose 1 out of every 5 articles on your blog, the best ones and bookmark them on GUAP, Digg, Reddit, Delicious, and any social bookmarking sites you desire.  The more the merrier right!

The reason you are creating content on GUAP that links back to your blog is so you can drive some of our traffic your way.  Same reasoning for bookmarking some links at GUAP and other social bookmarking websites.  Google wants to make sure you are atleast receiveing some traffic before approving your website.

6 Months is UP Quick Checklist -  Woohoo, time to apply for adsense!

1. Website is 6 months old.
2. Website does not have a “still under construction theme”.
3. Website is full of useful original content (atleast 15-20 posts).
4. Website has a registered .com under your name
5. Website has all its links in order and they work
6. You have a file (usually called adsense.txt) on the root of your domain verifying site ownership with the following text “This post confirms my ownership of the site and that this site adheres to Google AdSense program policies and Terms and Conditions.”  Usually Google will send you a email asking you to do this as a final step in approval.

Sign Up for Adsense

The only thing I can say here is make sure you use the same personal information you used when creating your google email account and domain registration.  This isn’t the time to get cute and just make up a bunch of crap.

UT-OH, I Got Rejected! Usually we see two main occurrences here.

1. Issue:  Domain Ownership not evident – Checklist items 1 & 4 & 6
2. Issue: Under Construction -  2 & 3 & 5

If your still rejected, try to fix the problem and resubmit.  If you’re getting mad then go ahead and contact us and we will take a look at your site and see if we can notice anything that might improve you chances.

YAY- I got Approved! Now What?

Simply go to your GUAP profile, Admin Dashboard and at the top right corner you will see My Adsense.  Simply put in your Publishing ID to start earning 100% of the Adsense revenue from all previous and future article submissions on GUAP.

“What about my blog,” you ask?  Yes, enter your Adsense there as well and continue to use both platforms if you wish.  GUAP will always provide you with 100% Adsense Revenue Sharing and the advantages of a Multi-Author Blog but it never hurts to spread your content around.  It’s all about networking, building bridges and spinning spider webs when trying to find a name for yourself on the internet.  Don’t limit yourself to one corner of the web when you can grow in many.

I hoped this helped you get Approved with Adsense.  Feel free to share your own tips, tales, plights, and woes on how to get Adsense Approved.

Related posts:

1. Getting Started – Welcome new Writers
2. Create a Travel Blog
3. GUAP’s Terms of Use and Publishing Policy

Istanbul is no doubt a great place for shopping. Have a walk in the Grand Bazaar, a virtual labyrinth of fascinating shops; it’s easy to be drawn by the carpets, copper and brassware, jewelry and all kinds of ceramics.

Hmm, no. My story is not titled ‘Shopping in Istanbul’. I’m more interested in people.

It didn’t take long for me to realize this special and interesting culture of Turkish shopkeepers: the ‘Where are you from?’ culture.

The day I arrived in Istanbul I was told that shopkeepers there like to ask that question (if not a little obsessed with it), and no matter what country you answer they will tell you they have a close relative living there, very close to you. I had no idea how true that piece of information was as I’d just arrived in the city. I started wandering around touristy places and reached the Grand Bazaar. I was fascinated by the nicely arranged shops and the colorful ceramics. I stopped at one or two of the atmospheric little shops, was asked where I was from, but didn’t pay much attention to that until I reached this carpet shop.

The shopkeeper started by quite an odd opening, ‘Your eyes are tired.’

Feeling a bit puzzled, I stopped.

‘You’ve seen too many carpets, your eyes are tired.’

‘Ah, yes, quite.’ I was just trying to give the desired answer; I hadn’t seen any carpet at all.

‘Where are you from?’

‘Canada,’ said my partner.

‘Oh, my wife is from Canada,’ he said with that look as if he’d just found a long lost friend. ‘What about you, lady?’

‘Hmm, Hong Kong.’

‘My wife’s sister is now living in Hong Kong!’ The way he responded gave me the impression that I was only given a standard response. If I said ‘Taiwan’ his wife’s sister would have been living in Taiwan; or if I said ‘Japan’, then the response would have been rephrased with Japan.

The rest of the conversation was all about his carpet shop, where the carpets were from, how they were made and such. I didn’t pay much attention, as I was still amused by his response, remembering what I was told when I arrived.

As we kept walking around the Bazaar, we saw so many more shopkeepers who asked just this very same question, ‘Where are you from?’ Quite predictably, a lot of them had some brothers, sisters, nephews, or uncles living very close to us. I couldn’t understand why, but instead of finding it annoying, we found it quite amusing. Each time we were asked that question by a new shopkeeper we exchanged smile as if we were saying, ‘Hee, another one!’ Sometimes we would even prepare a surprising answer to see how they would respond.

We didn’t count how many times we were asked that question, but we would definitely have failed and lost count if we had tried.

Things were pretty much the same in other parts of Turkey.

In Antalya, even the restaurants asked the same question. Each time we walked past an eating-place the friendly waiters would rush to us and show us each item on their menu. In the conversations, they never forgot to ask where we were from.

I remember this one restaurant just at the entrance of the old town. We were not interested in the place, but were stopped by a very talkative waiter. As expected he began by asking that question, we didn’t answer. He continued promoting his restaurant. Still, we were not interested, so we said ‘Thank you’ and walked away. As we walked, we heard the fading voice of the waiter, asking, ‘Where are you from? Hey, where are you from?’ I couldn’t help but feel really puzzled this time. Why was he so interested in asking that, even if we were walking away, obviously not interested in what he was selling?

If I was to write a list of fun memories of my trip to Turkey, ‘Where are you from?’ would no doubt be the top of it. I’d never answered that question so many times in my life, come to think of it.

Check out Janice’s blog Wide World, Little Places or follow her on Facebook
http://www.wideworldlittleplaces.com
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Wide-World-Little-Places/109069755803716

Related posts:

1. 3 Things in Cappadocia You Can’t Miss

Just looking at the little things I collected on the trip – an album of a busker band, an Irish whistle, and a nice photo of two buskers and me – I seem to hear music playing in my head. The trip to Dublin gave me a new impression of the city, something I never knew before: Dublin is a city of music.

The strong busking culture has made street musicians one of Dublin’s popular live attractions. Grafton Street, in particular, is a must-visit place where buskers compete to catch your attention. Buskers! Something prohibited altogether in the city I come from (as it is seen by law-makers as a form of begging, which is not legally allowed). I could hardly wait; I wandered through the Street on the first day. It did not disappoint me, but filled me with joy and lots of music. I had seen street artists before, but never as impressive as the ones in Dublin. All I can say is, a lot of them are real musicians. It was only after the trip that I learned Bono the lead singer of Irish band U2 and Damien Rice were once buskers too. I wonder if the ones I saw that afternoon had the same secret wish of rising to fame?

The group that caught my attention was called Mutefish, a group of 5. The sound of the traditional Irish whistle pulled pedestrians together, forming a big circle outside a famous chain store. I was stunned by their music, the lead player and his well-practised fingers on the tin whistle. The audience was clearly delighted with the performance – some dancing, some clapping, some nodding to the beat, some pulling out a €10 note for an album. From time to time the lead player switched from tin whistle to Irish flute, not only creating the utterly Irish experience, but also making their performance fresh and exciting. I let myself indulge in the music for one whole hour, then another hour before I finally collected the most precious souvenir of the trip. This very moment as I write I am playing one of their tunes, remembering that spring afternoon in Grafton Street where I collected this album.

Have a stroll along Grafton Street you will find so many more buskers. Some of them you know they are young, very young; some of them you wonder if they have been busking all their lives; some of them are very talented singer; some of them sing to an empty street. As I came closer to the end of the street, I realized I had not even seen one shop. All that caught my eyes, or more exactly my ears, were the buskers and music.

From traditional Irish tunes to rock and pop, from fantastically fabulous to tuneless, Dublin buskers definitely have a lot to offer.

Check out Janice’s travel blog Wide World, Little Places or follow her on Facebook
http://www.wideworldlittleplaces.com
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Wide-World-Little-Places/109069755803716

Related posts:

1. Love and Sex and Backpacking
2. 3 Things in Cappadocia You Can’t Miss
3. Backpacking with a Guitar – Travel Guitars