Thinking of traveling to Belize? Then check out this amazing interview with Eco Tourism pioneer Lucy Fleming! In powerful Q & A, she reveals life lessons of four decades in the jungle! Get her take on how to live in harmony w/environment that’s lush, teeming, unfurling, changing, challenging, primal, unpredictable, light, dark & certainly inspiring & instructive! #Belize #ChaaCreek #EcoTourism

Fascinated by distinctive cultural landscapes? Then dive into this Q & A with Brendan Dunford, co-founder of the Burrenbeo Trust, a landscape charity dedicated to connecting all of us to our places and our role in caring for them, and based in the Burren in County Clare, on the west coast of Ireland. If you've not heard of the Burren, its one of the most intriguing, mystical and inspiring places on the planet, and Brendan offers his take on the why and how of that in this lively interview. #Burren #Ireland #CulturalLandscapes #SDG15 #PeopleAreCulture

One of BCD's guiding ideals is the power of listening--to ourselves, to others and to the Universe. Inherent in that ideal is the conviction that everyone matters, and that simply by sharing our experiences, we can offer each offer perspective, hope and inspiration.

This week I offer you a piece about Tartu Estonia, as revealed to me by four residents of the small city that is considered Estonia's "Culture Capital."I visited Tartu at the end of a journey across Estonia on the 20th anniversary of the country's break from the Soviet Union, and locals Elina, Kaido, Piret and Tairi gave me a window into Tartu's deep history as an important trading center of the Hanseatic League in the 13th century, their personal experiences of life under Communism, and how the freedom of fulfilling dreams comes along with the need for determination, fortitude, persistence and love.

Click on the link below to meet Elina, Kaido, Piret and Tairi for yourself. They might just offer some insights that will resonate with you today! #Tartu #Estonia #PeopleAreCulture #Storytelling #Listening

Dara Molloy is a Celtic priest whom I met this summer when visiting the Aran Island of Inis Mor, off Galway and the West Coast of Ireland.
Dara authored "Legends In The Landscape, A Pocket Guide to Inis Mór, Árainn," which provides a wonderful introduction to the area’s history of rich Celtic spiritual traditions and a lore-filled road map to the significant cultural sites across the island.

I hope you find this conversation with Dara as inspirational as I did! Enjoy!
#BestCulturalDestinations #PeopleAreCulture #Aran IslandofInisMor #Ireland
https://bestculturaldestinations.com/irelandplaces/dara-molloy-celtic-priest-aran-islands-ireland-re3wt

Called “a gateway to the world of romantic music,” Merida’s Museum of the Yucatecan Song includes over 50 oil portraits of composers, performers, poets and promoters of Yucatecan music, which evolved from strong influences from Cuba and Spain.


This is one of the most important museums in the country for its invaluable collection of musical memorabilia received as donations from descendents and relatives of famous Yucatecan performers and composers. It is a wonderful place to see how local music was influenced by other cultures and, in turn, was able to influence music on other parts of the world.


We were lucky enough to catch a rehearsal by a youth group preparing for a concert, conducted by José Luis Chan Sabido, Director General y Artístico de la Vienna Music & Art Academy-Yucatán
#BestCulturalDestinations #PeopleAreCulture #Merida #Yucatan #MuseodelaCanciónYucateca



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISN_dgUGYZQ&feature=youtu.be

Do you believe there are places that have a special power? Here's BCD's take on what gives a place an aura of power...and a locale that embodies this power: the Burren in Ireland. Take this 7-minute tour and prepare to be wowed by this mystical, inspiring cultural landscape! And Subscribe to be part of BCD's community!
#Burren #Ireland #CulturalLandscape #PowerofPlace

One of BCD's guiding principles is mutual respect--we all matter, and we each have something to offer. This ideology is embodied in every inch of Colombia's Tayrona National Park, and is a way of life for the people who call this area home, who include Harold, my guide to the area, and the Kogi.

The Kogi are an indigenous ethnic group that live in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta. Their civilization has continued since the Pre-Columbian era. My visit to the area was inspired by the Kogi's view of Earth as a living being, and humanity as its "children".

I have always sought, relied on and valued the services of guides in my travels. While I enjoying exploring on my own, I understand that some dimensions of a culture cannot be absorbed or understood through osmosis--there needs to be a living, breathing transmission line. Harold was one of the best--he not only introduced me to the beliefs of the Kogi, he shared his own personal story, which is equally powerful. Read on to be inspired by Harold & the Kogi!

#PeopleAreCulture #Colombia #Tayrona #Kogi #MotherEarth #Respect

It has been a while my friends! I am happy to be back amongst you! Let me brighten your day with a a glimpse into how multi-dimensional #Armenian culture is...in one afternoon in the small village of Sasunik, I learned about the carpet-making #tradition, Armenian folk song and dance, the legend of Daredevils of Sassoun, and how, at the end of the day, it is the every day very human heroes who keep our cultures alive. I invite you to visit this page and click on the video link...I promise the lovely people of Sasunik will charm and inspire you! #PeopleAreCulture #Armenia #Heroes #Culture

Oscar Eduardo Peren is one of the leading painters of Guatemala’s “Comalapa School,” a colony of Kaqchikel painters in San Juan Comalapa, a town 22 miles northwest of Antigua. As a small boy in the 1950s, Peren was inspired by pioneering artist Andrés Curruchich, the first of the naïve painters of San Juan Comalapa.


The Comalapa School is known for the organization, placement and relation of the figures within the paintings; geometric design; a sense of balance; and frequently depicting bands of figures in processions, parades, funerals and celebrations.



It was a privilege to meet Oscar at his gallery and have the opportunity to hear about both the customs and personal circumstances that have shaped his extraordinary art.

#BestCulturalDestinations #PeopleAreCulture #Art #Guatemala
https://bestculturaldestinations.com/guatemalaplaces/artist-oscar-peren-guatemala-comalapa-native-painter-t35re

Irma Thomas is known as the "Soul Queen of New Orleans." In 2007, she won the Grammy for Best Contemporary Blues Album for "After the Rain," her first Grammy in a career spanning over 50 years.

My conversation with Irma Thomas is one of my favorite interviews. Her candor, humor, humility, depth and warmth are refreshing, inspiring and very powerful. In our discussion we touched on themes that are universal and certainly resonated with deep meaning for me — dealing with the death of a parent, learning from mistakes, being authentic, overcoming challenges and enjoying successes, and trusting there is a plan for us.

I know you'll enjoy this conversation with Irma and agree she is someone whose soul shines through.
#BestCulturalDestinations #PeopleAreCulture #SoulQueenOfNewOrleans
https://bestculturaldestinations.com/music1/irma-thomas-new-orleans-soul-singer?rq=music