Restless Me - The Journal of World Travel

You may be wondering: Why would a so-called travel website that features world music give any ink to popular American singer Jack Johnson, who anyone can hear on mainstream radio?

Sure, Jack Johnson's tunes aren't world music. But they can be called "travel music," if there is such a thing. And I think there is.

World music gives one a sense of place and culture. It comes from the far reaches of the globe, but -- according to the Putumayo collection -- it also includes our own homecooking, such as blues and zydeco. It's music you won't find just anywhere, but rather it is reflective of a distinct geography and people.

Travel music is world music's second cousin. While it may not originate from a faraway land or portray a distinct place or culture, its lyrics or music or tone satisfies and inspires one's inner urge to explore, to be in a state of movement, whether that means a road trip to the Dakotas or pushing through an African jungle.

Enter Jack Johnson. The filmmaker and former pro-surfer recently released his third CD, In Between Dreams. The relaxed, easy-to-groove-to tone of his songs make them perfect to absorb during long journeys by plane, train or automobile. But it's the way his lyrics paint pictures of places and people -- like a good travel writer -- that casts his songs into the realm of travel music.

The clearest example of this is his song "Breakdown," which he was inspired to write while traveling by train through the French countryside, watching beautiful towns pass by and wishing he had time to visit them. Anyone who has longed for more time to explore a place can relate to lyrics like "I hope this old train breaks down / Then I could take a walk around / And see what there is to see . . . ," and later ". . . it's gonna sting me when I leave this town / All the people in the street / Who I'll never get to meet / If these tracks don't bend somehow . . ."

This is not the first time Johnson's songs have been filled with a strong sense of place. On his second CD, On and On, his song "Holes to Heaven" paints a picture of a surfing trip he made to the Bay of Bengal. It includes details such as square cars spitting diesel fumes, bulls running wild, kids playing cricket barefoot, and bribing customs officials with cigarettes and booze. The beautiful song "F-Stop Blues," from his first CD Brushfire Fairytales, includes images of floating driftwood, hermit crabs and cowry shells being crushed underfoot, and quicksand stealing his shoes. He wrote the song while shooting his surf film September Sessions in Sumatra.

On another travel note, fans can weave a Jack Johnson concert in with an overseas trip between March and June, as he's touring Australia, New Zealand, Europe and Japan. Unfortunately, seeing him in "scenic" Brockton, Massachusetts, in September will have to do for me.

For information on Jack Johnson, or to purchase his CDs, visit
www.jackjohnsonmusic.com.

The beauty of Putumayo's "Global Themes" collections are that they bring together different styles of music from vastly different places, weaving them into unique CDs that world music fans will never tire of. That diverse approach is evident in the Putumayo CD Music from the Chocolate Lands.

The disc features songs from countries where chocolate originates. And -- talk about a diverse collection -- regions represented on the disc include India, Cuba, Congo, Hawaii, Switzerland, Peru and a lot more. The songs are fun and upbeat, and even rhythmically-challenged listeners will find themselves dancing to the tunes. And, as with all good world music, the songs are thick with cultural sounds, and, if you let them, they can transport you -- mentally anyway -- to another place.

Besides having info on the artists, the disc's liner notes -- which are in English, French and Spanish - contain three chocolate recipes, including one for a flourless chocolate torte. It also has information on the history of chocolate. One interesting tidbit: The Aztecs used cocoa beans as a form of currency. For them, money really did grow on trees. Sweet.

For information on this CD or other Putumayo collections, check out www.putumayo.com.

Carine Bachmann and Jeffrey Tufenkian take the mystery -- but not the fun -- out of hiking in Armenia with the publication of their book, Adventure Armenia: Hiking and Rock Climbing (Kanach Foundation, 2004). They, along with a cadre of volunteers, created and tested the 22 dayhikes and four rock-climbing sites featured in the book. Armenia, a former Soviet Republic, lacks the infrastructure to enable hikers and climbers to spend more time actually trekking and climbing rather than searching for a good location.

The hikes are geared towards people of average physical abilities. Each profile offers a detailed brief including driving directions from the capital city, Yerevan, walking time, detailed maps and route descriptions, GPS coordinates for hi-tech hikers, and equipment needs. Added bonuses are photographs, historical details, and other places of interest along the hike.

Along with enjoying the rugged scenery, hikers can explore the many historical and natural monuments that dot the countryside. Hike Number One is a 10-kilometer trek between two monasteries. In between, hikers can explore three villages, a fortress, a church, and a waterfall. The majority of the hikes take roughly three hours to complete and can be enjoyed as part of a day trip out of the city. Others can be included as part of a multi-day trip, and information about camping, water sources, and accommodations are provided.

And, as a nice boost to the local economy, the book was designed and printed in Armenia. Sized to fit easily in a backpack, it should stand up to wear and tear with its thick paperback cover and heavyweight paper.

The Republic of Armenia can trace its history back more than 3,000 years. Its borders once flowed from the Mediterranean to the Caspian Sea. Karabagh, a tiny Armenian enclave that was once part of the ancient Armenian province of Artsakh, is trying to have its independence from Azerbaijan formally recognized. These neighboring localities boast a wealth of ancient sites and beautiful mountains, valleys, and vistas worth visiting.

Tourism in this part of the world was, until recently, largely restricted to citizens of the former Soviet Union. Now travelers can have a glimpse of what awaits them with The Stone Garden Guide: Armenia and Karabagh (Stone Garden Productions, 2004.) This travel guide to Armenia and Karabagh offers more than your average travel guide. At 304 pages, the authors, Matthew Karanian and Robert Kurkjian, claim that this is the largest guide book on Armenia and Karabagh. The authors have lived, worked, and traveled in Armenia and Karabagh since 1995, and they have been to all of the places they describe. Both expert photographers, they took the 75 color photographs of panoramic vistas, ancient monuments, and local characters featured in the book themselves. Their familiarity with the country, customs and culture is apparent.

What else makes this guidebook different from the rest is its focus on ecology and conservation. The authors have devoted an entire chapter to ecology and have sprinkled nuggets about nature and conservation throughout. Casual travelers will find this guidebook helpful with detailed information about where to stay, where to go, how to get there, and even what to do before leaving home. The authors' comments are quite candid and add a humorous touch. Returning travelers will appreciate the breadth and depth of information presented, especially new opportunities to travel off the beaten path. Armchair travelers will feel that they are "right there" with the myriad of photos and descriptions of the people and locales.

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SUSAN SMITH THOMPSON is a book reviewer who currently resides in Armenia. She can be contacted via e-mail at
Susan@SusanSmithThompson.com.