Travel World guide

Architect Jorge Rigau graduated from Cornell University and holds a Masters degree in History from the University of Puerto Rico. He directed the Department of Cultural Affairs for that institution and the Student Arts League of San Juan. First Executive Director of the Colegio de Arquitectos y Arquitectos Paisajistas de Puerto Rico, Rigau has practiced his profession since 1980,having been elevated to Fellow status by the American Institute of Architects (AIA) in 2000. As one of the finest researchers of turn-of-the-century architecture in the Hispanic Caribbean, Rigau has authored the books Puerto Rico 1900 (1992) and Havana/LaHabana (1994). For years, he has been a newspaper critic, having produced a number of writings, articles and projects that have received local and international awards. For more than a decade, Rigau has directed innumerable research and built projects,most related to architecture, urbanism and conservation in the Antilles.

Known for its exotic exports, including sofrito, rum, coffee, and Rita Moreno, Puerto Rico exudes Old World charm. Experience this captivating Caribbean island in Puerto Rico Then and Now. Through pairs of past and present photographs, youll see Puerto Ricos beloved landmarks like youve never seen them before. Puerto Rico is rich in colonial architecturenote the city walls, fortifications, cobblestone streets, hanging balconies, and plazas found throughout Old San Juan, Puerto Ricos distinctive, historical center. Tour La Fortaleza, which once housed Puerto Ricos stores of gold and silver. Over the years, it survived an attack by Sir Francis Drake, earthquakes, tsunamis, and many hurricanes. Today, La Fortaleza is the governors mansionthe worlds oldest such residence in continuous use. Visit Casa Blanca, the ancestral home of Juan Ponce de Leon, Puerto Ricos first governor. The Ponce de Leon family lived here for more than 250 years; today its patio and gardens are highlights of the Casa Blanca museum. Revisit the beloved Castillo Valdz, built by the founders of Cerveceria Indiaone of Puerto Ricos favorite breweries. Legend has it that Seor Valdz passed out cold beers to locals when the Castillo was demolished to make way for a modern Hilton hotel.Puerto Rico Then and Now (Then & Now Thunder Bay)

Puerto Rico Mio

Delano, who first visited Puerto Rico in 1941 as a photographer for the Farm Security Administration, returned 40 years later to film again the Puerto Rican landscapes and lives he had come to love. Introduced by four brief essays in both English and Spanish by Delano and educator Arturo Morales Carrion, art historian Alan Fern and anthropologist Sidney W. Mintz, the 175 duotones collected here reflect “the ambiguous, divided situation of a country with which the North Americans have not known how to cope.” But Delano’s editorial eye proves implacably unimaginative, undermining the power of his photographic vision. The images are organized according to two indefatigably repeated principles: contrast (in one spread, tobacco fields of decades past abut a new housing development) and timeless constancy (another pair of photos depicts sugarcane laborers of 1941 and 1981 who are all but identical). Yet, taken individually, his pictures include honest, beautiful, persuasive portraits of farmers and their mules, exquisitely specific domestic still lifes, and poetic evocations of anonymous solitudes.
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Puerto Rico Mio is an extraordinary collection from two series of photographs: the first taken when Delano first went to Puerto Rico with the Farm Security Administration in 1941-42 and the second when he rephotographed those same places in the 1980s.

Puerto Rico Mio

A crisp and critical approach for travelers who want to live like locals. (USA Today )

Consistently rated the best guides to the regions covered . . . Readable, tasteful, appealingly designed. Strong on dining, lodging, culture and history. (National Geographic Traveler )

Christopher P. Baker is one of the worlds foremost travel writer/photographers. He is a leading authority on the Caribbean and Central America travel. Bakers award-winning work has appeared in National Geographic Traveler, Newsweek, the Los Angeles Times, Saveur, Maxim, and Elle, and his many awards include the prestigious Lowell Thomas Award Travel Journalist of the Year. Baker lives in Palm Springs, CA.

A comprehensive guide from an expert on the region includes hundreds of lodging, dining, recreational, and cultural recommendations.

With the same unerring compass that has come to define the Great Destinations guides, Baker reveals why the Dominican Republic is far and away the most popular destination in the Caribbean. From brilliant green mountains to pristine white-sand beaches, extraordinary restaurants to luxury resorts, the Dominican Republic is full of surprises.

For instance, no other Caribbean isle can compare when it comes to bird- and wildlife-watching: the Dominican Republic teems with exotic birds and reptiles, many of which live nowhere else in the world. With this guide in hand youll learn where to book the best wildlife tours; where to go to explore the islands ancient history; how to navigate rustic trails and Colonial city streets; where to find the best golfing, water sports, and nightlifeand so much more.

As in all Great Destinations guides, there are more than 100 photographs and detailed mapseverything you need to make the most of your visit. 100 black-and-white photographs

A crisp and critical approach for travelers who want to live like locals.

Consistently rated the best guides to the regions covered . . . Readable, tasteful, appealingly designed. Strong on dining, lodging, culture and history.

Explorer’s Guide Dominican Republic: A Great Destination (Explorer’s Great Destinations)

National Geographic Traveler: Dominican Republic, 2nd edition

Christopher P. Baker has established a career as a travel writer, photographer, and lecturer. He has written several guidebooks about Cuba and Havana, as well as ones on Jamaica, The Bahamas, Turks & Caicos, and California. He is author of the National Geographic Traveler: Costa Rica (2000), the National Geographic Traveler: Cuba (2007), National Geographic Traveler: Dominican Republic (2008), and National Geographic Adventure Press’s Mi Moto Fidel: Motorcycling through Castro’s Cuba (2000).

The relaunched National Geographic Traveler guidebooks are in tune with the growing trend toward experiential travel, providing more insider tips and expert advice for a more authentic, cultural experience of each destination. These books serve discerning, curious travelers and supply information and interpretation not available on the Internet.

In response to the interests of today’s traveler, the acclaimed National Geographic Traveler series includes exciting new editorial features, a contemporary redesign, and inviting new covers.

National Geographic Traveler: Dominican Republic, 2nd edition

Photojournalist Roger LaBrucheries experience with Puerto Rico and the Caribbean began in 1969, when he spent several months undergoing training for the Peace Corps in Ponce, on Puerto Ricos southern coast. Since that initial encounter, he has lived and travelled extensively in the region, writing and photographing nine books on the islands of the Caribbean and Bermuda, as well as a book on Hawaii. Among those nine volumes are two previous best-selling documentary books on Puerto Rico itself: Images of Puerto Rico (published in 1983), and Puerto Rico, Borinquen Querida, which was published in 1991 to celebrate the fifth centennial of Puerto Ricos discovery.

Given his formal education as an economist and lawyer at Harvard and Stanford Universities, it is hardly surprising that his works are as widely acclaimed for their commitment to the thoroughness and accuracy of their texts as they are for their stunning visual presentations.

In addition to the present volume and his other two books on Puerto Rico, Mr. LaBrucheries books include: Bermuda, A World Apart; Hawaiian World, Hawaiian Heart; A Barbados Journey; and Imgenes de Santo Domingo.

Puerto Rico Magnfico! is a large-format, photographic-essay, coffee-table book about the island of Puerto Rico. Through photographs, maps, and text, it covers Puerto Rico’s history, culture, people, nature, geography, and scenery. The book features a special emphasis on aerial photography, and a “then-and-now” chapter is devoted to comparing historic and modern scenes of the island.

Puerto Rico Magnfico!

Puerto Rico, Borinquen Querida

AUTHORBIO: Born and raised in California, photojournalist Roger LaBrucherie began his exploration of islands in the late 1960s, when he undertook his training and service as a U.S. Peace Corps Volunteer in Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. His formal education as an economist and lawyer at Harvard College and Stanford University has enabled him to bring an unusually deep and analytical approach to his subjects. It is hardly surprising, therefore, that his works are as highly acclaimed for their commitment to the research and accuracy of their texts as they are for the beauty of their visual presentations. Among the islands he has covered to date are: Bermuda, Barbados, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, as well as the Hawaiian Islands.

This is a photographic-essay “coffee-table” book about Puerto Rico. It covers, in photographs, paintings, maps, and text, Puerto Rico’s history, flora, fauna, geography, and scenery, with a special emphasis on the people and culture of the island.

Puerto Rico, Borinquen Querida

Francois Missen is a Pulitzer Prize-winning independent investigative
journalist and the author of several books, both fiction and non-fiction. He is also the winner of the Albert Londres Prize for journalism. He lives in France.

Pierre Hausherr studied photography at the Institut Francais de la Photographie before becoming a studio photographer. In 1985 a trip to Mauritius changed the path of his career. He became a specialist on islands and has contributed to Iles Magazine for over ten years. He is very familiar with Cuba which he has visited and photographed many times. He lives in France.

The people, architecture, cuisine, and natural beauty of Cuba come to life in this gorgeous, one-of-a-kind tribute to this fascinating island country

This rich, visually stunning book gives a full and unprecedented look at the once forbidden island of Cuba. From the bustling city streets of Havana, to the rushing waterfalls of the lush, verdant countryside, to the fishing communities that dot miles of azure coastline, in Cuba an entire jewel of a country opens up to us as never before.

Large, full-color photographs adorn every page and showcase the landscapes, cityscapes, and seascapes, as well as the faces of the Cuban people. Organized by topic including: The Cuban Character, Havana, The Jungle and the Sea, Tastes of Cuba, Cuban Hospitality, Celebrations, and more, each chapter is framed by an introduction that offers some history and explains about Cuban culture as it exists today.

As the U.S. government begins to lift restrictions on travel, more and more Americans are becoming interested in visiting and learning about Cuba, bringing about an increased fascination with the island.

Cuba: The Sights, Sounds, Flavors, and Faces

Moon Cuba

No other guide whets your appetite like this one The Independent –This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Award-winning travel writer Christopher P. Baker highlights Cuba’s best lesser-known local hot spots, including Finca Manacas , Parque Lennon, and Rumba de Salvador’s Alley. He also offers fun and creative travel suggestions, such as A Week in Havana, 10 Best Scenic Drives, and Cars, Cigars, and Cabarets. Moon Cuba provides in-depth information on Havana and complete coverage of the island tip to tip.
Moon Cuba (Moon Handbooks)

“If you have never been to Bermuda, then first study this book. . . The photographs are equal to the five-star text.” — Velma Daniels, News Chief, Winter Haven News, Florida, June 6, 2004

Good all-around guide to what to expect on a vacation in Bermuda. There is a good section on what to know before you leave home, information on private house and apartment rentals, tips for finding package deals, basics on the currency and even a quick guide to how to get married there.

In the Getting Around section there are tips on using the buses, ferries, renting scooters and mopeds, taking a non-track train and the basics of horse and carriage rides.

Part of the book is arranged by geography, including sections on the City of Hamilton, the South Shore, the West End and the East End.

There is a list of local radio stations, suggestions of nature trails to hike, and a rundown on the sports scene in general, from harness racing to squash. — Daily Herald, Chicago

“Herbert Gold’s Haiti: Best Nightmare on Earth is a work of a novelist, yet provides some important cultural information about the era of the Duvalier regime terrorizing Haiti with their Tonton Macoutes – a despised militia of street gangs. Gold’s journey in Haiti was a defining moment in his existence. He witnessed firsthand how Haiti’s economy was shaken by AIDS and observed life moving from bad to worse under both the Duvalier regimes…
…Even though Gold makes no assertion of objectivity, this amazing account of a half century in Haiti captures outrageous ironies of the enchanted but tormented nation. It is ultimately an astounding account that I would recommend to anyone whose heart has been captured by the people and culture of Haiti” –Marc E. Prou, University of Massachusetts, Boston

“In the course of an impressive career as a writer, Herbert Gold has demonstrated many gifts, among them his talent for making high drama of ordinary events, ordinary people.”-Chicago Tribune Book World

“Goldhas a sharp eye for detail.”-The Washington Times Magazine

“Not just a good book, but a great one.”-London Daily Mail

“Herbert Goldgives his stories a wry, bright air of wonderhe is a born storyteller.”-New York Times

“One of the most gifted writers in America.”-Detroit News

Five decades ago, award-winning author Herbert Gold traveled to Haiti on a Caribbean version of the Fulbright Scholarship. The journey proved to be a turning point in his life. Fifty years later, his attachment to the tiny Caribbean nation-his second home-remains as passionate and powerful as ever. Now, in Best Nightmare on Earth, he explores the secret life of this vibrant, volatile, violent land.

“Beautifulbizarredangerousexotic, a Garden of Eden fallen into despair, a tiny nation of unimaginable misery and unpredictable grace, an island where life is a kind of literature, a world of “unlimited impossibility.” This is Herbert Gold’s Haiti, a country of extraordinary paradox and remarkable extremes-of gingerbread dream houses and wretched slums, of brutal repression and explosive creative energy. Where else, he asks, can you run into evil spirits on the back roads, or find the goddess of fertility and orgasm represented by a photo of a tap-dancing Shirley Temple? Where else is there such generosity amid such corruption, such humor in the midst of such desperation? In his many Haitian travels, Gold has dined with Graham Greene and chatted with the hated Duvalier oppressors. He has traded stories with CIA saboteurs, former Nazis, rum-soaked diplomats, and voodoo priests. He has taken in the cockfights and hunted for pirate treasure. He has nearly died of malaria; he has faced machete-wielding gangs of Ton-Ton Macoutes. He followed the traffic in Haitian blood to American hospitals and watched the AIDS epidemic take its toll. He listened to the steady beat of drums rolling down mist-shrouded mountains, and shared in the flirting, drinking, and laughter of the streets. He has captured the essence of this land where tragedy is the music the people dance to.

Herbert Gold reflects on the country’s history and politics, culture and folklore, but sees much more. He sees Haiti through the eyes of a lover: impassioned, jealous, probing, ever alert, and alive. This book will be of interest to travelers to, and people interested in the problems of, Haiti and the Caribbean; and collectors of Haitian art.

Herbert Gold is a novelist, short writer, essayist, sometime journalist, who has made his living as a writer for fifty years.

“Herbert Gold’s Haiti: Best Nightmare on Earth is a work of a novelist, yet provides some important cultural information about the era of the Duvalier regime terrorizing Haiti with their Tonton Macoutes – a despised militia of street gangs. Gold’s journey in Haiti was a defining moment in his existence. He witnessed firsthand how Haiti’s economy was shaken by AIDS and observed life moving from bad to worse under both the Duvalier regimes…
…Even though Gold makes no assertion of objectivity, this amazing account of a half century in Haiti captures outrageous ironies of the enchanted but tormented nation. It is ultimately an astounding account that I would recommend to anyone whose heart has been captured by the people and culture of Haiti” –Marc E. Prou, University of Massachusetts, Boston

Haiti: Best Nightmare on Earth

The Serpent and the Rainbow: A Harvard Scientist’s Astonishing Journey into the Secret Societies of Haitian Voodoo, Zombis, and Magic

“Exotic and far-reaching . . . a corker of a read, just the way Indiana Jones would tell it.” — The Wall Street Journal

“Zombis do come back from the dead, and Wade Davis knows how.” — Washington Post Book World

“An account solving one of the most puzzling biological mysteries of all time.” — Omni

In April 1982, ethnobotanist Wade Davis arrived in Haiti to investigate two documented cases of zombis — people who had reappeared in Haitian society years after they had been officially declared dead and had been buried. Drawn into a netherworld of rituals and celebrations, Davis penetrated the vodoun mystique deeply enough to place zombification in its proper context within vodoun culture. In the course of his investigation, Davis came to realize that the story of vodoun is the history of Haiti — from the African origins of its people to the successful Haitian independence movement, down to the present day, where vodoun culture is, in effect, the government of Haiti’s countryside.

The Serpent and the Rainbow combines anthropological investigation with a remarkable personal adventure to illuminate and finally explain a phenomenon that has long fascinated Americans.

The Serpent and the Rainbow: A Harvard Scientist’s Astonishing Journey into the Secret Societies of Haitian Voodoo, Zombis, and Magic