Comments on: Meet a Matador Editor: Carlo Alcos

By: Local Flavor: Common Bugs and Exotic Fruits at Warorot Market | Travel with a Purpose

Wed, 05 Jan 2011 06:01:05 +0000

[...] boldly to sample these commonly-eaten treats (that’s Ted Beatie having a go at a grub while Carlo Alcos captures the moment for posterity. Genarro Salamone chewed too fast to catch on camera). Me, I [...]

By: Carolyn

Carolyn — Thu, 06 May 2010 22:41:05 +0000

I have a dream of SCUBA diving off Kangaroo Australia to see the leafy sea dragon .
I saw them at the Monterey Bay Aquarium and fell in love with this leafy magical looking creature. I have to learn to SCUBA dive first – Kangaroo Island itself looks beautiful and very interesting – lots of birds, flowers, beaches, unusual animals. Now if I could only get paid to go there…

If you are going to Australia and decide to check out Kangaroo Island (off S. Australia) I’d love to know more about it and what it’s really like!

Also – thank you for encouraging words about writing up something for Trips or travel earlier. I did send one in about concentrating on Central Park in NYC. I used to spend hours there when not in out of the way museums.

By: Tim Patterson

Tim Patterson — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 02:29:16 +0000

Cuba! Sweet!

By: Matt Scott

Matt Scott — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 13:49:42 +0000

You’re a great support for everyone on the community Carlo. Thanks for all your hard work. It appreciated by a great many of us.
Cheers
Matt

By: Carlo

Carlo — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 21:13:02 +0000

@Sophie Oh yeah! How could I forget about the vodka…thanks!

@Baxter Thanks man!

By: Sophie

Sophie — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 12:41:20 +0000

“What’s also traditional (and I think they do this in the Scandinavian countries too) is to run out of the sauna and dive into a bank of snow, or a really cold lake (eg Baikal), then back into the banya. I skipped that part.”

Yeah, we do this in Scandinavia too – although it’s most common in Finland. Nothing like a sauna, a bit of birch twig beating and a freezing skinny dip (and oftentimes vodka) to get the party started

Have a good visit in Cuba. It’s lovely and warm, both the temperature and the people
Sophie

By: Baxter

Baxter — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 05:41:16 +0000

Right on, Carlo – great to see you getting the good press you deserve.

By: Nick

Nick — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 23:46:06 +0000

Certainly sounds…memorable, if not fun! In the hammams in this region (sadly, there aren’t that many left in Egypt) you can have someone use a loofah type thing to remove your dead skin. Thick, soggy disgustingness, but you feel great after!

I think you missed out on the hot-cold thing…I find jumping into really cold water is like a drug, just with a milder come-down and less free love. (I won’t ask you to elaborate on your skinny dipping experience!)

By: Carlo

Carlo — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 23:44:48 +0000

Careful though, don’t get too deep in! Scary stuff down there

Cheers, Lola!

By: Carlo

Carlo — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 23:38:15 +0000

Hehe…Nick, I’m glad you asked! A banya is basically just a sauna…a frickin really hot sauna. It’s customary to lie down and have someone “beat you” with a besom…which is a bunch of birch branches/leaves tied together. They whack you up and down your body. I’m not 100% clear on the reason of this, maybe something to do with opening pores or something?? I didn’t find it particularly pleasurable.

What’s also traditional (and I think they do this in the Scandinavian countries too) is to run out of the sauna and dive into a bank of snow, or a really cold lake (eg Baikal), then back into the banya. I skipped that part.