Becoming a Culinary Explorer

As a lover of sweet pastries, savory meats, and spicy entrees, I would like to express my thanks to every immigrant that has ever picked up there lives and moved to another country. It is because of these people that I get to enjoy such a delicious variety of cuisine almost on a daily basis. Throughout history, people have taken their cultures and brought them with them wherever they have dwelt. When these people arrived in their new destination, they cooked the only thing they new how, which lucky for us, were their cultural culinary staples. Over time people began to integrate these recipes into our every day culture and now days we can become culinary explorers.

A few years back, I was living in Arizona trying to survive the heat. Arizona is home to a vast Hispanic population and it is reflected in their cuisine and urban areas. Throughout the Phoenix valley, the landscape seems to be dotted with Mexican restaurants, taco stands, and bicycle vendors. During my first week living there I was invited by a wonderful Mexican family to celebrate a birthday of one of the family members. When it came time to eat, the tables were piled high with all the Mexican staples, beef tongue (lengua), beef cheek (cabeza), all kinds of pork, tamales, carne asada, and mountains of rice and beans. Being my first week there and having never tried these things, i strapped on my culinary exploring napkin and went to work. Low and behold, lengua and cabeza were amazing. I couldn't get enough of it. After living in AZ for a few years, i became so accustomed to spicy Mexican food, that it was hard to eat anything else. Thanks to people like this wonderful family, gringos like myself can enjoy this type of food just about wherever i go.

If one looks around our country and the world, you can truly see how the food is reflected in the culture. Centuries ago, people did the best with what they had and the food keeps evolving to become more and more delicious. By traveling around, one can best learn of a county's culture by trying the food. One of the main reasons for traveling, especially outside the country, is to learn and experience another culture. While traveling do me a favor, be brave and try the food. Trust me you will be surprised how awesome the food and culture really are. Please don't go to a McDonald's unless it is the last option. Being a culinary explorer will help to enhance your view of the world and help you to fall in love with a culture and its food.

Why Travel?

Greetings, my name is Erik and I like to travel. Why do I like to travel? Traveling unveils new worlds, cultures, experiences, foods, languages, and people to me that i can't get from sitting in the office all day or from thumbing through channels on my living room couch. Travel thrusts me out of my comfort zone and into a zone where exploration and learning is  encouraged. I am an artist and graphic designer and one of the only fountains of inspiration i can receive is through travel. Travel truly helps you to appreciate your own life and gives introspection on the past. Robert Louis Stevenson said, "For my part, I travel not to go anywhere, but to go. I travel for travel's sake. The great affair is to move."

Why do people travel?  I have met several people throughout my travel experience who travel for different reasons. Some are like me who want to learn about different cultures and discover the picturesque grandeur found in nature. Others are wanting a vacation from their day to day lives. Others seek to find themselves.

Several months ago I had the opportunity to hike to the St. Bernard's Monastery and stay a few nights
in this centuries old hospice. Nestled at the tops of the alps on the boarder of Italy and Switzerland, this monastery has been helping pilgrims, travelers, and tourists navigate their path through the alps as well as their pathway through life. While spending time there, I was able to truly "meditate" on life and where my path was leading me. Several other travelers were also seeking signs to their own pathway in life. Travel frequently allows you to discover different parts of the world as well as give you a chance to reflect inward on life's great journey.

Travel can be such a gift to so many. Sometimes we don't seem to take advantage of it enough. To me personally, travel is a gift. Eight years ago I was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn's Disease. I've spend thousands of hours bedridden and under the surgeons scalpel. The experience has truly taught me what a blessing it is to get out and experience the world as much as possible because life can slow you down without warning. I think that is another reason why travel is so inspirational to me.

Inspiring travel has helped so many and continues to uplift us. What does traveling mean to you?