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Not a Good Time to Be a Rhino in South Africa

South Africa officials said 333 rhinos were poached in 2010, nearly three times as many that were lost in 2009. Another five rhinos were killed in the first several weeks of 2011. The increased demand for the rhino horn as a cure for impotence in Asian countries or as a ceremonial dagger in Middle Eastern countries has fueled the latest killings. In neighboring Zimbabwe, another seven rhinos have been murdered in the past month. This is not some random shooting by locals. Zimbabwean park rangers said the poaching is so sophisticated now that the villains are using helicopters and light aircraft to land, get their treasured horn, and fly away. They are well organized and funded by big money syndicates. Equipped with night vision goggles and a slew of artillery, this new breed of poacher will be hard to stop. Expect the 21,000 rhinos in South Africa, the most of any country, to dwindle quickly if the government can’t provide the resources to do battle with these criminals.
 

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The Map Thief is the Perfect Summer Read

New Brunswick’s Grand Manan Island is one of those idyllic locales where you have little or no distraction. So I took advantage of my free time last week to read the latest book by author Michael Blanding, a writer I’ve known for over a decade since his days as editor at Boston Magazine. Blanding’s subject this time is E. Forbes Smiley III, one of the foremost map dealers in the world before he was caught stealing a map from the Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library at Yale University in 2005. In a plea bargain, he admitted to stealing close to 100 maps worth more than $3 million from the foremost map collections in the world including the British Library in London, the New York Public Library, and the Boston Public Library. 
 
Working as a travel writer, I certainly have an affinity for maps. I even remember having a New York City subway map on the walls of my college apartment. But map collecting to me is about as exciting as stamp collecting and I thought this was going to be another obligatory read I had to slog through because I knew the author. Man, was I wrong!  This is an excellent character study that I’d love to see an actor tackle on the big screen, similar to Shattered Glass, the brilliant film about New Republic plagiarist Stephen Glass. In fact, the book was so compelling it was hard for me to put it down. Yes, Blanding delves into mapmaking and the impact on Colonial exploration, highlighting the gems, the “Honus Wagners” that fetch the most money at auction. But the meat and potatoes of the read is Smiley, an Orson Welles-type character who’s always the life of the party with a huge personality and laugh. The one who turns his college buddies on to great Blues records, fine wine, and entertains their kids at his summer home in Maine. 
 
I opened the book thinking Smiley was another petty thief or con man with a Blue Blood name, not unlike the despicable Clark Rockefeller. But the beauty of this book is that you end up empathizing with Smiley. He has to compete against incredibly cutthroat map dealers, he’s spurned by collectors after assembling their phenomenal collections, even the New York Public Library reneges on its deal to let Smiley sell some of their wares after he persuades a collector to donate his entire collection to them. Then he has to deal with a redneck neighbor in Maine who wants to build a motorboat marina across from his quiet lakefront property. So in the end, he steals maps from libraries that can’t even keep track of them, incompetent at cataloguing what they acquire. Do I think it’s wrong that he stole a map from a book once owned by Thomas Cranmer, the Archbishop of Canterbury killed by Henry the VIII? Absolutely. Would I like to down a pint with Smiley the next time I’m on Martha’s Vineyard, where he now resides? Absolutely. 
 
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Holiday Stocking Stuffer No. 1, Don Papa Rum

Already a phenomenon in Paris, Don Papa Rum has just arrived in New York and Boston. I went to a rum tasting last week at Shojo in Boston’s Chinatown and was even more enamored with this rum than the last time I tried it in France. The 10-year-old bottle has hints of vanilla which stems not only from the sweeter Noble Cane found in the Philippines, but the result of aging in former bourbon and American oak casks. As the story goes, founder Stephen Carroll was sailing around the volcanic island of Negros, when he learned about the centuries-old Noble Cane and the reason they coined the island Sugarlandia. He went on land and discovered the remains of a small rum distillery. Carroll bought it out and started creating his own “black gold” molasses. In less than a decade, he’s created quite a buzz in the liquor world. Grab your bottle of 7 and 10-year rum at Vinodivino in Boston and Needham, Charles Street Liquor in Boston, Gordon Liquor in Waltham, among many other Boston area liquor stores, and you’ll soon believe the hype. 

 
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My 5 Favorite Tanzanian Properties: Alex Walker’s Serian Kusini Camp

There’s something magical about being lost in the African bush for at least 3 nights in a mobile tent. You’re surrounded by wildlife, drink sundowners at sunset around a raging campfire, view the twinkling stars of the incredible African night sky, and then sleep peacefully with a breeze. One of the best mobile tent locales in the winter months is Kusini just past Ndutu Safari Lodge (where Mary Leakey stayed, along with numerous BBC documentarians) in the southern Serengeti. Alex Walker’s Serian is a master of glamping, offering six spacious tents with bucket showers and flush toilets that move close to the Mara River in the summer months for prime wildebeest crossing viewings. Not surprisingly, these camps are often booked well in advance, with the same clientele returning year after year. So plan accordingly. 

 
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Stocking Stuffer No. 4: Deer Valley and Stowe Lodging

Judging from the trips we’ve already booked this upcoming Holiday season to Aspen, Park City, Whistler, and Zermatt, our clients love to ski. They even own property at several ski areas and are now renting out to others. In Deer Valley, you can stay at a 5-bedroom townhouse that sleeps 10 comfortably for as little as $395 a night. A free shuttle on neighboring Deer Valley Drive takes you just up the road to the ski resort or a 10-minute ride into Park City. It’s a great location to ski all three mountains, Deer Valley, Park City, and the Canyons. The townhouse also features a long dining room table, two living rooms, a hot tub, and great views of the mountains. At Stowe, the 4-bedroom Ridgerunner is a mile from Mountain Road which leads to Stowe. The 3-story house features a state-of-the-art kitchen, dining room table built for 20, game room, large outdoor deck with fireplace, hot tub, and wonderful views of Mount Mansfield. 

 

Top Travel Days of 2022, Puffins, Trolls, and Lobster in Boothbay Harbor, Maine

In early July, Lisa and I headed out with our son Jake to Boothbay Harbor for the day. We started with an early morning cruise to see puffins at nearby Eastern Egg Rock, the southernmost nesting ground for puffins on the Maine coast. We spotted seals and porpoises enroute while we listened to a wonderful naturalist discuss the intriguing history of puffins being reintroduced to Eastern Egg Rock almost 50 years ago. Soon we were watching the small plump birds and their distinctive bright orange beaks flying to and from the island practically skimming the surface of the ocean waters. They were joined by other seabirds like the black guillemots.

Afterwards, we had lunch of lobsters and steamers just outside of town at Robinson’s Wharf on a large dock overlooking the harbor in Southport. Then it was on to my favorite stop in the region, Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens, that we put on practically every itinerary we design to the Maine coast. It’s not just the enchanting Butterfly Garden, whimsical Children’s Garden, and the sniff, touch, and taste Garden of the Senses that make this place so special. No, they really upped the ante by recently adding 5 mega-sized trolls created by Danish artist Thomas Dambo. You meander on pine-needle strewn trails along rivers and deep in the forest to find these massive sculptures hidden brilliantly in the brush. Guaranteed to captivate all ages!

We topped off the day with pints of Dinner at Maine Beer Company in Freeport, voted the best beer in the state by Beer Advocate, and a memorable dinner of tapas back in Portland at Chaval. That’s what we call a Dream Day!

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Marriott Marquis Set to Open in Washington, DC On May 1st

Fans of the Marriott Marquis in Times Square, New York, will want to know that a new Marriott Marquis will make its debut in the nation’s capital on May 1st. Minutes from the National Mall, the $520-million, four-star property will house 1,175 rooms, five restaurants and bars, and a state-of-the-art bi-level fitness center. To celebrate the opening, the hotel is offering a number of deals for folks visiting DC this spring and summer. From June 1 through September 1, Marriott Marquis is offering a Summer Weekends Deal that promises 40% off 2-night stays and 50% off 3-night stays. Reservations must be purchased in advance and include a Friday and/or Saturday overnight. 2-night stays start at $108 per night, with 3-night stays starting at $90 a night. This summer is an exciting time in DC with the debut of the CityCenterDC, a $700-million luxury retail center that The New York Times dubbed the “Rockefeller Center of DC.” Visitors can cool down from shopping with a stroll through the “American Cool” exhibit at the National Portrait Gallery (through September), or the Degas and Cassatt display at the National Gallery of Art, which will be the only US stop for the blockbuster show.

 

2 Comments

  2. I had heard about this while in Africa and knew it was of concern. But seeing the numbers written down is seriously scary. I, too, wonder if there are any groups working to stop the poaching.

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