When is travel worth the risk?
Plus a guide to Greece's Meteora Monasteries and lots of great links
Hello!
It’s been awhile since I sent out a free newsletter. Earlier this month, paid subscribers got a guide to Athens, Greece, and this week they’re getting a guide to the Aeolian Islands in Italy.
June is a great month because it’s the start of summer, Gemini season, and most importantly, Pride month! I kind of struggle with these designated months and don’t write about them much because I don’t like how the media and various companies latch onto them. We should be telling LGBTQ+ stories all year long! At the same time, if we don’t talk about historic events like the Stonewall Riots that started Pride month, we risk backsliding. I hope everyone has had a safe and happy Pride so far!
Be a Better Traveler – When is exploration worth the risk?
Everyone has been talking about the Titan tragedy, where five people died when the submersible they boarded to visit the Titanic ruins imploded. You’re probably sick of hearing about it. But when the submersible went missing, it immediately made me think about travel and risk, and at what point our choices are worth it. Not only for ourselves, but for everyone else involved.
When the story first broke about the Titan missing, I’ll admit I wasn’t very sympathetic. A group of extremely wealthy people were at risk because of something they chose to do. They signed waivers that listed all the ways they could die. Around the same time, hundreds of migrants drowned off the coast of Greece. People fleeing unbearable circumstances. They were not given the same breathless attention or worry.
But even if we’re not comparing billionaire Titanic sightseeing to desperate migrants, even if we’re only talking about the ethics of travel, this situation bothered me. When something like the Titan disaster happens, rescue attempts take money, people and resources.
I spoke with journalist Alexandra Talty, who has a background as an emergency responder on the Atlantic Ocean, about how the actions of one company can cause issues not only for the five people on board, but for others on the water.
“I’ve looked into whether they [OceanGate Expedition, the company that organized the Titan tour] had contacts with the U.S. Coast Guard or Canadian Coast Guard or any of these agencies trying to save them, and they did not,” she said. “They’re a private company charging a lot of money and claiming to be safe, but they had no national or international safety body that confirmed any of that. It’s really irresponsible. Now the coast guards of multiple countries are spending what has to be hundreds of thousands, if not millions, trying to find these people. If another ship goes missing, is the Canadian coast guard not going to be as able to get them?”
This reminded me of a conversation I had with a friend in the military years ago, who was annoyed at the rise in adventure tourism to Afghanistan (this was pre-Taliban takeover, when things were safer but visiting as a tourist was still not recommended). He argued that visiting Afghanistan, particularly more remote areas, was selfish because if something happened to an American abroad, the military, State Department and other agencies would have to use resources to try to rescue that person. Maybe Foreign Service officers would have to spend time negotiating for their release, or in a worst-case scenario, special forces would have to risk their lives for someone’s bad judgment. This is an extreme situation, but has always made me think. When in 2009 three American hikers were put in jail after crossing into Iran, my first thought was that they were reckless. For years, the State Department worked to get them home. Maybe I’m not a very generous person, but I do believe we have some responsibility as travelers to take not only our own safety into consideration, but think about how our actions could impact others.
This is not to say that I think we should always follow U.S. government travel warnings for countries, which are often overly cautious and would have you forgoing most of the world. I have done plenty of risky things while traveling, and will likely continue. But there are lines that are too far. Some people think it’s cool to say they went to North Korea, for example. I think it’s insane and that they paid the North Korean government for a propaganda tour.
When it comes to other risks, like bungee jumping, rock climbing, skydiving, etc., if something goes wrong, you're usually only going to harm yourself. Be my guest. With other adventure exploration tourism, like the Titan case or climbing Mount Everest, for example, the lines are fuzzier.
Seventeen people have died this year so far on Mt. Everest, one of the deadliest years on record. I’m not sure what the rescue costs are in comparison to the Titan (I’m guessing much lower), but a large portion of the fees for hiking the mountain go toward the Nepalese government, so you could argue the hikers are paying for their own potential rescue ahead of time. (The deaths are also partially attributed to climate change, lowering the personal responsibility barrier a bit).
“I think oftentimes in those extreme adventures, you have a relationship with the country that you are established in.,” Talty said. “But with OceanGate, they’re under international maritime law.”
While most of the blame is on OceanGate in the Titan case, some lies with the individuals. They spent $250,000 each to go underwater and see something that doesn’t have that much benefit for the world. How much more do we really need to know about the Titanic? If you’re going to spend tons of money on a travel experience, try to make it help in some way. Stay at a luxury eco-resort gives back to the community and environment, or go on a luxury gorilla trek that donates a portion of proceeds to protecting them, or something.
Talty said she’s done scuba diving trips where divers record water temperature along the way and share it with the Jacques Cousteau Society.
“It’s pretty easy to do sustainable tourism,” she said. “But it requires a thoughtfulness I think is missing from OceanGate.”
So let’s all be thoughtful with our tourism dollars, and thoughtful about where we go and why.
If you’re going to read one thing about the migrant disaster, make it this. For a perspective on our obsession with the Titanic I would never have thought of, read Karen Attiah’s column.
Guidebook — Meteora Monasteries
I’m going to give the same caveat I gave paid subscribers last week with their guide to Athens. Traveling to Europe this summer has some cons. But I also know plenty of people already have trips planned, so throughout June I’m going to do a few travel guides to places in Greece and Italy. I still think you should follow this advice.
The Meteora Monasteries actually fit that advice, because they’re not as crowded as Athens or the Greek Islands in the summer.
The monasteries are a two-fold wonder. There are the rock formations themselves, which are beautiful and other worldly, then the monasteries built atop them, rising toward the sky in what seems like an impossible feat of architecture, especially when you consider they were built in the 14th century. It feels like Jurassic Park or a scene from a Disney movie.
What are the Meteora Monasteries?
Orthodox Christian monks sought refuge in the sandstone pillars of Kalambaka during the Byzantine Empire. They built monasteries using pulleys and ladders. They transported food and supplies up the cliffs and dealt with threats of invasions. The monasteries became centers of spirituality and learning, and housed manuscripts, artwork, and religious artifacts. Soon, they were attracting pilgrims. The monks of Meteora are credited with preserving Greek Orthodox faith and Greek culture.
As the Ottoman Empire expanded its influence, the monasteries faced new troubles: taxation, persecution, and an inability to sustain their self-sufficiency. It’s unclear how many monasteries there were—some say around 20––but today there are six.
The surviving monasteries have been restored and are now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. They’re also accessible by steps and bridges these days. A much easier ascent thank the monks had, though still not easy.
Getting There
You can take a train or bus, rent a car, or take a guided tour from Athens. We rented a car for the four-hour drive.
On the way…
Drive through the gorgeous mountains and stop in Delphi, site of the Oracle of Apollo. Highly recommend visiting the museum on site. After, have lunch at Vakhos Taverna Delphi, which has incredible views over the valley.
How to see the monasteries
You can hike between them, which will take minimum four hours but more likely most of the day. Or, you can drive and walk the steps to each one––varies from 100-300 steps depending on the monastery.
We woke up with every intention of hiking, and we did start to hike, but it was 100 degrees by 9 a.m. so we reverted to the car/steps. One reason this area isn’t as busy in the summer is because it is hot. You’ll want to start very early if you’re going to walk, but honestly, the views from the monasteries and the monasteries themselves are the highlights. I’m not sure what’s really gained by walking except a sense of self-righteousness. And this is coming from the person who typically takes visitors on death marches because I love forcing people to walk.
Dress: You have to cover your legs and shoulders inside the monasteries. I wore long linen pants and a tank top, and each one has scarves at the entrance you can wrap around your shoulders.
Cost: 3 euro each (at least in 2022).
Highlight: Sunset and sunrise. If you can get out for a walk at either of these times, you won’t be disappointed.
Stay: We stayed at Boutique Holy Spirit and it wasn’t fancy, but was clean and comfortable and close to the monasteries.
Weekend Getaway – Chicago
It was strange to be in Chicago as a visitor earlier this month, but also delightful. I was there to see Taylor Swift, which was as fabulous as the hype suggests. But also spent time with one of my best friends and her new baby, walked from Andersonville to Wicker Park and reveled in being able to walk in a city (!!! Baton Rouge could never), ran along the lake (then almost cried about how much I miss our apartment on the lake, which was my dream apartment and was heartbreaking to leave), played shuffleboard at Royal Palms (this was extremely fun and if you’re in Chicago a great group or first date activity), sat and read alone at Websters Wine Bar (glorious), had pizza at Pizza Lobo, Costa Rican at Irazu. Also, I finally ate at Alinea after years living on and off in Chicago. And it also lived up to the hype. I was worried it wouldn’t, or would feel too stuffy or too similar to other tasting menus (I’m kind of anti-tasting menu lately—another post on that soon) but it was one of the most unique and fun dining experiences I’ve ever had.
Random Recommendations:
Cook: We had friends visit last month and I made this blueberry banana cream pie.
Read: The Guest, by Emma Cline.
Listen: Julia Louis-Dreyfus has a podcast called Wiser Than Me where she talks to women in their 70s and 80s about aging, life and all sorts of things. I turned 35 last week and appreciated Jane Fonda’s advice about “second acts.”
Summer Reading List:
A brief history of the Guild Guide, which originated in the South in the 1970s and was known as the “gay Green Book.”
A superyacht gave a lifeline to 100 migrants thrown into the sea
wrote about the ethics of travel, a piece that reminded me a little of this one I did for Curiosity a few years ago. She brings up some great questions and points. Give it a read and subscribe to her newsletter.
It’s one of the world’s oldest spirits, now it’s making a comeback (though if you’re a regular reader of this newsletter, you know arak has long been a favorite of mine and never went away in Lebanon and elsewhere).
Why Sarah Jessica Parker keeps playing Carrie Bradshaw
Death on a dairy farm in Wisconsin
Pasta prices have surged, prompting crisis meetings in Italy
“What don’t we talk about when we talk about cooking? When you forward a recipe to a friend, do you mention the spatters of oil, the physicality of wielding a pan, the nagging feeling that you don’t want to cook or the clean satisfaction of tying an apron string?” I read this and immediately ordered the book.
Could air travel get even worse? Yes, yes it can.
Lyndsay Green, the food critic at the Detroit Free Press, won a James Beard Award for criticism this month. I like all of her work, but especially this piece.
We ordered $100 of delivery. Here’s how much the restaurants, drivers, and apps made.
How a 93-year-old visited every national park and healed a family rift in the process
The year of the long walk (Related: our honeymoon walking through Provence)
Look what Taylor made us do (“One thing that social media cannot properly capture is the transformation of a football stadium, typically a center of male aggression, into a sanctum of gleeful femininity. “)
Inside Taco Bell’s innovation kitchen (fascinating)
Who owns the Benin bronzes? The answer just got more complicated.
Blood, Sweat & Tears (a story about Vidalia onions)
10 boxed wines that are really good. Seriously.
Three years after a fateful day in Central Park, birding continues to change my life
How to open a national park for the season (worth the click for the photos)
The QR code menu is being shown the door (hallelujah!)
Young people testified at a historic U.S. climate trial
Going to leave you with this powerful piece: What it’s like to cover abortion while pregnant
And for the musical theater fans, RIP Treat Williams.
Thank you for reading! If you like this newsletter, consider sharing with a friend. This week, paid subscribers are getting a guide to the Aeolian Islands, plus the best caponata I’ve ever had.
–Rebecca 💛
Thank you for the shoutout, Rebecca! I agree so, so much with your thoughts on the Titan and risk when traveling, particularly this:
"I do believe we have some responsibility as travelers to take not only our own safety into consideration, but think about how our actions could impact others. This is not to say that I think we should always follow U.S. government travel warnings for countries, which are often overly cautious and would have you forgoing most of the world."
Most travel is going to involve some degree of risk, and a lot of people are overly cautious...or rather, they believe risk in certain places is higher than it is in reality. But we should always weigh how our actions could affect others, and what resources we might pull away from more important initiatives should someone have to bail us out. I feel horrible for the people who died on the Titan, and I can't help thinking how a) they would still be alive and b) several governments would have avoided a massive headache if they had just, say, observed the wreck using a video feed from an ROV, which would probably only be marginally less cool. Some things just aren't worth it.
Great content, thanks for sharing