Let's Celebrate International Castle Day!

Celebrated annually on July 19th, International Castle Day was established in 2015 by the Association of European Royal Residences based in France to highlight the cultural importance, architectural beauty, and heritage of castles and palaces worldwide and to encourage their preservation and appreciation.

As an architecture, history, and travel fan, I've visited Hearst Castle in California; Iolani Palace in Hawaii (the only royal residence on U.S. soil); the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C.; Chambord, Chenonceau, Fontainbleau, the Louvre, and Mont-Saint-Michel in France; Kensington Palace and the Tower of London in England; the Hermitage in St. Petersburg, Russia; and, of course, some Disney castles (Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disneyland in California, Cinderella Castle at the Magic Kingdom in Florida, and Le Château de la Belle au Bois Dormant at Disneyland Paris in France).

Hold onto the castle line of thought for a moment while I pose the following question: How often have you seen something and thought, "LEGO should make a toy of that?" Sure, LEGO has countless toys for kids, but did you know that the international toy brand also has toy sets designed for the adult market?

According to LEGO's adult welcome page, "Spend quality time with LEGO sets designed specifically for adults. From wonders of the world to movie magic, intrepid space exploration to pop culture icons, luxury cars to architectural masterpieces, there’s a LEGO set waiting for you. So unplug, unbox, and unwind...Maybe you built LEGO sets as a child and never stopped, maybe you took a break from the bricks but have rediscovered the joy, or maybe you began your LEGO hobby as an adult. There is no right or wrong way to enjoy LEGO sets as an adult, the main thing is that you do."

And here's something you probably didn't know also existed: LEGO adult parties. "The joy of LEGO building isn’t just in the construction – it’s about the laughter, conversation, and magic moments along the way. So, gather your loved ones, pour out those bricks, and let’s get this party started! Whether you’re planning a lively night with friends, a cozy night in with a special someone, or a family reunion, LEGO sets are here to save the day!"

And now, returning to today's significance...one of the most interesting LEGO sets can be found in LEGO's architecture category: Bavaria's Neuschwanstein Castle. According to the product specs, "Dive into your passion for iconic landmarks with this collectible 3,455-piece LEGO Architecture Neuschwanstein Castle building set for adults. The build is full of surprises from the exterior spires, turrets, courtyard, staircases, and gabled roofs to the small interior builds. Plus, the foliage of the surrounding trees can be changed to depict either a summer or fall landscape. This 3,455-piece architecture display model of Neuschwanstein Castle measures over 12 in. (31 cm) high, 18 in. (46 cm) wide and 8 in. (20 cm) deep."

So how will you celebrate International Castle Day today? If you visit a castle, share your photos and memories on social media with today's hashtag #InternationalCastleDay!

SHARE THIS: The allure of a castle lies not in its walls but in the dreams it inspires. ~Anonymous #InternationalCastleDay #DebbieLaskeysBlog

Image Credits: LEGO and Hotel Hechten.

LEGO's Neuschwanstein Castle product page:

https://www.lego.com/en-us/product/neuschwanstein-castle-21063

Read more about Neuschwanstein Castle:

https://www.britannica.com/topic/Neuschwanstein-Castle

Hawaii's Iolani Palace, the Only Royal Palace in the United States:

https://www.seattletimes.com/life/travel/oahu-the-iolani-americas-only-royal-palace/

Celebrate International Day of Education with Sucheta Rawal

Following the November Presidential election, I read an opinion piece in Huffington Post entitled, "I Thought America Was the Best Country to be a Woman, Until Now. Does America Need Another Women's Suffrage Movement?" by Sucheta Rawal. The article provided excellent commentary about the state of women in the United States following the election, and I strongly urge you to read it (link at end of this post).

I was so impressed by the article that I reached out to its writer, Sucheta Rawal, and invited her to appear here on my blog in a Q&A. Sucheta's bio follows below, but first, the reason for publishing the Q&A today.

Are you aware of today's significance? The United Nations (UN) General Assembly proclaimed January 24th as International Day of Education in celebration of the role of education for peace and development with the aim to "ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and to promote lifelong learning opportunities for all" by 2030. 

According to the UN, "Education offers children a ladder out of poverty and a path to a promising future. But about 244 million children and adolescents around the world are out of school; 617 million children and adolescents cannot read and do basic math; less than 40 percent of girls in sub-Saharan Africa complete lower secondary school, and some four million children and youth refugees are out of school. Their right to education is being violated and it is unacceptable. Without inclusive and equitable quality education and lifelong opportunities for all, countries will not succeed in achieving gender equality and breaking the cycle of poverty that is leaving millions of children, youth, and adults behind."

SHARE THIS: Without inclusive and equitable quality education for all, countries will not succeed in achieving gender equality. ~@UN and @UNESCO #InternationalDayofEducation #DebbieLaskeysBlog

Based on today's emphasis on education, I thought it would be a good fit with Sucheta's passion for learning and cultural diversity. And now, a brief introduction...With a mission to promote meaningful and sustainable travel, award-winning South Asian travel writer, columnist, author, and speaker, Sucheta Rawal has contributed to over two dozen publications including CNN, TIME Magazine, NatGeo, Travel+Leisure, CondeNast, Fodor's, and HuffPost. Sucheta is a three-time TEDx speaker and author of five "Beato Goes To" children's books (based on her travels and featuring her cat) that educate kids about the diversity of the world. She has personally traveled to over 121 countries across seven continents and speaks about her experiences from her firsthand perspective. She also founded the non-profit, Go Eat Give, to raise awareness of different cultures through travel, food, and community service. 

In Sucheta's own words, "My goal is to find the beauty in the world, through its people, cultures, nature, and enable cross-cultural understanding so we have a more cooperative, just, and peaceful future. Through authentic storytelling in my articles, books, blog, and speeches, I inspire others to try new things, meet diverse people, and open their minds to a world that is bigger than themselves."

QUESTION: Please describe Go Eat Give.

SUCHETA RAWAL: I started the non-profit in 2011. The thought behind it was that people want to travel meaningfully and engage with locals but not for as long as a gap year, instead, for two-to-three weeks. The organization provides aid to grassroots projects and offers customized travel experiences to individuals and groups.

QUESTION: Which is your favorite country, and why?

SUCHETA RAWAL: I don't have favorite countries, but I do have favorites in different categories. For example, for food, I like Italy, Israel, and India. I also like Greenland, Ecuador, and Japan. It's hard to choose!

QUESTION: What are some travel tips to "travel meaningfully?"

SUCHETA RAWAL: Before you leave home on a trip, visit places where people from the country you're going to visit gather, for example, churches, temples, organizations, consular offices, etc. It's much better to visit a foreign country when you know someone who can make hotel, restaurant, or activity recommendations - or even meet you for a meal or take you on a tour.

QUESTION: What most stands out to you from the 2024 Presidential election?

SUCHETA RAWAL: Due to women's voting rights, women are equal to men, however, I wonder, are we not preparing women to be leaders?

QUESTION: How do you envision your next five years?

SUCHETA RAWAL: I will continue working on my travel and book projects because my cause is even more relevant today. It's imperative that everyone understands cultural differences but continues to have conversations. To talk and discuss as a collective soul.

QUESTION: In 2022, I wrote a post featuring my list of 15 people I would invite to an amazing dinner party. If you could dine with some leaders from history or the modern era, who would you choose, and why?

(Read my post here:

https://www.debbielaskeysblog.com/2022/06/my-amazing-dinner-party-of-15.html)

SUCHETA RAWAL: I would invite Vice President Kamala Harris due to her many inspiring firsts and because she was someone who represented "me." As I noted in my Huffington Post piece, "I was elated to see a woman of color who was so well-accomplished and forward thinking. It actually made me interested in watching live news again." Others would include Oprah Winfrey due to her success; Indira Gandhi because she was Prime Minister of India twice in a conservative country; and Mother Teresa for her very giving and generous legacy.

On a related note, I read Sucheta's first book for kids, "Beato Goes to Greenland." Since I share Sucheta's passion for travel, experiencing new cultures, education, and cats, I thoroughly enjoyed the story - and look forward to sharing with two little girls I know. According to the book's description, "The house cat from Atlanta embarks on his quest to see the world. His first stop is Greenland, where his new friend saves him from sleigh dogs."

My gratitude to Sucheta for sharing her leadership and diversity insights and for being a valued member of my blog community.

SHARE THIS: As travelers, we have a unique opportunity to represent not only ourselves but also our countries, cultures, and beliefs. Citizen diplomacy involves all individuals helping to build relationships and promote mutual understanding across borders. ~@Sucheta Rawal #DebbieLaskeysBlog

Image Credit: Ryan Spencer via Unsplash.

Read Sucheta's Opinion piece in Huffington Post, which led to this Q&A:

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/opinion-america-woman-2024-election_n_6734daa7e4b0b5b61d3f5e1a

Learn more about the UN's International Day of Education:

https://www.un.org/en/observances/education-day

Connect with Sucheta at these links:

Website: https://suchetarawal.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sucheta.rawal/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/suchetarawal

Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/SuchetaRawal 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suchetarawal/

Go Eat Give's Website: https://goeatgive.com

Books: https://beatogoesto.com

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B01GIRLKNE

Marketing News of the Week: Extreme Travel and Dark Travel

With the recent news surrounding the "catastrophic implosion" of the Titan submersible bound for the Titanic's final resting place, two new terms have repeatedly been mentioned: Extreme Travel and Dark Travel.

According to Wikipedia, "Extreme tourism (also often referred to as shock tourism) is a niche in the tourism industry involving travel to dangerous places (mountains, jungles, deserts, caves, canyons, etc.) or participation in dangerous events." Extreme tourism is a relatively small subcategory of adventure travel, whose advisors say makes up between 5% and 15% of their overall business.

Craig Curran, president of DePrez Group of Travel Companies and an extreme traveler himself explained, "Extreme adventure tourism is more like a lifestyle, a small community made up of like-minded travelers who see themselves as explorers, willing to test the limits of the body and mind in the name of human exploration and hoping to deepen their knowledge of the world and of themselves."

Stacy Fischer-Rosenthal, president of Fischer Travel Enterprises, a membership-only agency that costs $150,000 to join, offers adventures, such as, aerobatic gliding, gorilla trekking, and glacier walks. She explained, "We aim to make our clients' dreams come true, in whatever shape that may come."

And then, there's the Titan...according to Travel Weekly, the fatal deep-sea dive of OceanGate Expeditions' Titan captured the world's attention and thrust so-called "extreme tourism" into the spotlight. The Titan submersible promised a deep-dive to the Titanic wreck, and parent company OceanGate Expeditions sold seats for $250,000 each, but on its first Titanic-bound dive this year, the Titan imploded, killing all five people aboard and prompting scrutiny of the dangers of this type of travel.

According to CNN Travel, "Much of Titanic's magnetism comes from the hubris and glamor involved in the original tragedy," explained Brent McKenzie, a professor at Canada's University of Guleph and author of the upcoming book entitled, Dark Tourism: Is the Medium Still the Message. "The fact that so many lives were lost, and that the ship was 'unsinkable' and the famous people on board seems to ensure ongoing interest...Titanic tourism is one of the more established industries in what's become known as "dark tourism." More and more tourists are drawn to sites and attractions related to death, tragedy, and suffering."

Despite extreme risks and extreme price tags, travel industry experts don't expect demand for extreme tourism to wane any time soon. Travel advisors who curate these experiences say participants find too much value in high-risk, high-reward adventures to be deterred by the potential dangers even when the realities of catastrophe are realized.

When talking about extreme tourism, an example that typically comes to mind is space tourism. "Space exploration would likely be priced between $250,000 to $500,000 per seat, reserving your space years in advance," Joshua Bush, CEO of Avenue Two Travel, said of using suppliers like Space Perspective or Virgin Galactic. "You are in the millions for other experiences like SpaceX, [which] is extremely difficult to accomplish."

Yacht-based heli-skiing trips to Antarctica with U.K.-based luxury tour operator Pelorus start at around $750,000 to upward of $1 million, the company said, with demand increasing since December 2021.

Other examples include aerobatic gliding; extreme via ferrata (rock climbing); heli-skiing and heli-hiking; mountain climbing; deep-sea diving; and bear and gorilla trekking.

From a marketing perspective, clearly, there are people who will pay for extreme travel adventures, But is extreme travel worth the risk?


Image Credit: Anadolu Agency via Getty Images.