Welcome to the September 22, 2010 edition of the Carnival of Cities blog carnival, where we tour the world in a single blog post.

Thanks very much to the host for the previous edition, Let’s Do Something Different, and we look forward to the next host, Netherlands-based Guido with Absolutely the Hague! on October 6.

Submissions are due by noon Den Haag time on Tuesday, October 5.

If you’d like to host the Carnival on your blog, please contact me at Sheila “at” sheilascarborough “dot” com. Thanks!

Off we go….

Cities in Europe

Paris, France Mary Jo Manzanares presents The Louvre: A Love Affair With Art posted at Traveling with MJ, saying, “Probably the most famous museum in Paris, and although it’s not my personal favorite, it’s still worth a look.”

Manchester, United Kingdom Maria Aretoulaki (PhD) presents The Social Media scene in Manchester (UK) is very sociable! posted at VUI Design, Speech Apps & all that, saying, “Many thanks for the invitation to submit!”

Salisbury, United Kingdom Travelrat presents Salisbury Museum and Salisbury House posted at Travelrat’s Travels (with sort of a side trip to Des Moines, Iowa.)

The Hague, the Netherlands Happy Hotelier presents The Hague says: “Good bye Manolo Valdes“ posted at Absolutely The Hague!, saying, “Actually the open air summer sculpture exhibition is a reason in itself to visit The Hague.”

Manchester, United Kingdom John Cass presents Manchester’s Social Media Scene posted at PR Communications, saying, “overview post of some of the happenings in social media around Manchester UK.”

Cities in Australia and New Zealand

Christchurch, New Zealand Liz Lewis presents Earthquake Hits Christchurch, New Zealand posted at Perceptive Travel Blog, saying, “Disaster can strike at any time and any place, including your own home town as I recently discovered when a 7.1 earthquake hit Christchurch New Zealand in the early hours of the morning.”

Cities in the Americas

Omaha, Nebraska, USA Jordy Clements presents Omaha Fashion Week Designer Interviews posted at Omaha Arts and Culture, saying, “After reading about two of this year’s Omaha Fashion Week 2010 Grand Finale designers (Daniel Muñoz, Jennie Mason), you’re going to want to see the show, right?”

Queens, New York, USA Madeleine Begun Kane presents Tornado Night posted at Mad Kane’s Humor Blog.

Los Angeles, California, USA Peter Kimmich presents Where to Get the Best Tours of Los Angeles posted at TryOurLA, saying, “LA is one of the most toured cities in the US, and there is no shortage of fun, family-friendly tours you can take to explore the place in style. Here are a few suggestions to make your visit memorable.”

Toronto, Ontario, Canada Annah Rondon presents TORONTO posted at Red Means Go!, saying, “Pictures and synopsis of a lovely trip to Toronto, Canada.”

St. Augustine, Florida, USA Mike @ jammer(six) presents Our Trip to St. Augustine Beach, Florida posted at jammer(six).

Anchorage, Alaska, USA Janis Jones presents Anchorage posted at Traveling with the Jones, saying, “Anchorage is Mr. Jones’ hometown. We visit to see family and friends, but also enjoy some things tourists would enjoy. This is an “insiders” guide to visiting Anchorage, Alaska.”

Ottawa, Ontario, Canada Andy Hayes presents Ottawa Day Trips posted at Sharing Travel Experiences, saying, “After you’ve seen the capital attractions, set your sights for exploring the Quebec & Ontario countryside.”

Las Vegas, Nevada, USA One Family presents Las Vegas, NV – Hot Spots posted at One Family’s Blog.

New York, New York, USA Kerry Dexter presents Music Road: Music road trip New York City: Irish Musicians posted at Music Road, saying, “New York City as a crossroads for Irish music, and a city with its own distinct Irish American sound

Lake Placid, New York, USA Beth Blair presents Lake Placid Olympic Attractions and More posted at The Vacation Gals.

Omaha, Nebraska, USA Morgan Schwartz presents Boyd and Charlies BBQ posted at Omaha Food, saying, “Stephen Gates is an Omaha food-lover, not a critic. He frequents the kind of out-of-the-way, undiscovered gems that offer great food in a relaxed setting. For his first Omaha.net article, he stopped by Elkhorn’s Boyd and Charlies BBQ.”

Cleveland, Ohio, USA Dominique King presents Cleveland monument is lasting tribute to President James A. Garfield posted at Midwest Guest, saying, “President James A. Garfield had one of the shortest tenures as this nation’s chief executive, but his Cleveland, Ohio, grave site and memorial is one of the most elaborate and impressive that I’ve seen for any U.S. president.”

New Smyrna Beach, Florida, USA Watch Me Eat presents JB’s Fish Camp in New Smyrna Beach, FL posted at Watch Me Eat, saying, “JB’s Fish Camp is a great little restaurant on the water in New Smyrna Beach, FL!”

Morelia, Mexico Timothy Scott presents Marvelous Morelia in Mexico posted at Luxury Latin America Blog, saying, “Pics and description of a fantastic city in Mexico that nobody seems to know about. Mexico’s sweets center, so great with kids too.”

Norfolk, Virginia, USA Jennifer presents Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel System posted at Two Kids and a Map.

Perry, Iowa, USA Jody Halsted hosts a cool conference at an historic hotel in town in Want to connect with Midwest bloggers? This Iowa event is for you posted at Sheila’s Guide to the Good Stuff.

Cities in Asia

Tonle Sap, Cambodia Ignatius presents Self Drive Tours: Cambodia posted at Self Drive Tours, saying, “Cambodia, a country that has gone through war and destruction.”

That concludes this edition, and thanks very much for visiting!

Please submit your (one, non-spammy) blog post to the next edition of the Carnival of Cities using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

Welcome to this edition of the Carnival of Cities, where we tour the world in a single blog post.  Thanks very much to The Vacation Gals for hosting the last edition; the next one is on the Perceptive Travel Blog on June 30.

If you’d like to host on your blog, please contact me at Sheila “at” sheilascarborough “dot” com. Thanks!

Off we go….

Cities in the Americas

St. Augustine, Florida, USA Darcy presents St. Augustine is Full of Free Wine posted at Of Winds and Water, saying, “As we travel up the east coast of the US, St. Augustine, FL has been one of our favorite stops. Then again, who could say ‘no’ to free wine?”

Ottawa, Ontario, Canada Zhu presents Ottawa’s Tulips Festival posted at Correr Es Mi Destino, saying, “It’s this time of the year again in Ottawa: tulips have taken over the city and dozen of tour bus are parked in front of the Parliament and at Dow’s Lake. People are desperate for colors after our long white winters!”

Omaha, Nebraska, USA Jordy Clements presents CARNIVaL Danse Dement posted at Omaha Music, saying, “CARNIVaL Danse Demet is one of two large annual parties thrown by DJ crew 1/Fourth. With Ames, IA band The Envy Corps and Broken Spindles (Joel Peterson of The Faint) along to help out, The Waiting Room was transformed, at least for one evening.”

Los Angeles, California, USA Jack Norell presents Los Angeles Zoo posted at Eyeflare – Travel Articles and Tips, saying, “Whether a local or visitor to L.A., the Los Angeles County Zoo is a great day out, especially with kids. You’re even encouraged to bring your own food, making it much more budget friendly.”

New York, New York, USA Madeleine Begun Kane presents Limerick Ode To Kathleen Madigan posted at Mad Kane’s Humor Blog.

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada Nick Lewis presents Top 10 things I miss about Vancouver posted at Organized Chaos.

Camp Springs (Joint Base Andrews) Maryland, USA Jon presents Skydiving with the Golden Knights posted at The PlanetEye Traveler – Washington DC, saying, “Imaging jumping in a plane and watching the Army’s parachute team, the Golden Knights jump at a major airshow. That’s what I was able to do…!!”

Los Angeles, California, USA Mary Jo Manzanares presents Los Angeles is Vacation Heaven for Sports Enthusiasts posted at Traveling with MJ, saying, “From the beaches to the hills, from active to spectator, there are lots of sports going on in LA.”

Morrison, Colorado, USA Byteful Travel presents The 3 Unforgettable Sights at Red Rocks Park posted at Byteful Travel, saying, “Natural majesty. Breathtaking views. Absurdly large red rocks. The incredible Red Rocks Park in Morrison, CO is unlike any place you’ve ever been to before. Though this park is on Earth, being in this surreal landscape makes it easy to imagine you’re not on Earth at all.”

Laguna Niguel, California, USA Jennifer Miner presents Ambassadors of the Environment at Ritz-Carlton Laguna Niguel posted at The Vacation Gals.

Cities in Asia

Shanghai, China Dana Rebmann presents Things to Do in Shanghai with Kids posted at Welcome to the Ciao Bambino Blog, saying, “Traveling in China exposes kids to many new experiences that they cannot find anywhere else – who wouldn’t enjoy riding on the world’s fastest magnetic levitation train – check out how family-friendly Shanghai can be for your Asia adventure.”

Cities in Europe

Sergiev Posad, Russia Gary Mullen presents Sergiev Posad: Home of the Russian Doll posted at Culture Blog, saying, “Hello Sheila, I thought you might find this article about Sergiev Posad interesting. Many thanks, Gary.” (I did like it, Gary; thanks!)

That concludes this edition, and thanks for visiting.

Please submit your (one, non-spammy) blog post to the next edition of the Carnival of Cities using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

Welcome to the February 10, 2010 edition of the Carnival of Cities; the blog carnival where we take a trip around the world in one blog post.

This is a special edition of the Carnival – hurray! – because today is the 4th birthday for the Family Travel Logue here on BootsnAll, and this month is also the 3rd birthday for the Carnival of Cities.  Our first one was posted on February 19, 2007, and I launched it with Jon Symons on his unfortunately now-defunct blog network Home Turf Media. In 2008, this blog became its permanent host – but it’s a carnival, so it travels!

Thanks very much to the host for the previous Carnival edition, Glennia on the excellent blog The Silent I, and we’re looking forward to meeting Jordy Clements, who will host the next edition on Wednesday, February 24. Send him your ONE recent blog post about any aspect of ONE, single city by noon on Tuesday, February 23 – here is the Carnival submission page.

If you’d like to host this bi-weekly carnival on your blog, please email me at Sheila “at” sheilascarborough “dot” com. Thanks!

Off we go….

Cities in the Americas

Detroit, Michigan, USA Justin Kownacki presents Detroit: America’s Self-Loathing of the Rust Belt (And What That Says About Us) posted at Justin Kownacki, saying, “As a lifelong citizen of the ‘Rust Belt,’ I’m concerned about America’s willingness to write the region off while focusing on sunnier stories and greener pastures. Maybe changing the way we think about the region will help change the way America thinks about itself.”

Chicago, Illinois, USA Ms. Smarty Pants presents Restaurant: Jeri’s Grill in Chicago posted at Ms. Smarty Pants Know It All, saying, “a 24-hour diner that’s been open since 1963.”

Des Moines, Iowa, USA Brooke Allen presents Starbucks: Iowa vs. California | Rambling Brooke posted at Rambling Brooke.

Charlotte, North Carolina, USA Sonny presents Lois Mailou Jones: An Artist, and a Life, of Color posted at Seize the Day.

Cancun, Mexico Timothy Scott presents New Sand for Beaches of Cancun and Playa del Carmen posted at Luxury Latin America Blog, saying, “Cancun’s beach will be much wider this spring break period as the government has dumped tons of new sand.”

Savannah, Georgia, USA The Creative Coast presents I mean, WOW. When was the last time two HUGE icons were joined together on one stage in Savannah? posted at The Creative Coast Alliance’s Blog, saying, “Savannah and Georgia history will be made when Ted Turner and Hank Aaron arrive in town to be honored by the Georgia Historical Society and the Office of the Governor at its annual Birthday Bash and Awards Gala.”

San Jose, California, USA June Tree presents What The Silicon Valley Startups In My Life Taught Me posted at The Digerati Life, saying, “A look at Silicon Valley startups.”

Flagstaff, Arizona, USA Jennifer Miner presents Walnut Canyon – Unique Arizona Travel Activity posted at The Vacation Gals.

Omaha, Nebraska, USA Morgan Schwartz presents Valentine’s Day Dating Guide posted at Omaha.net – Local Writing from the Heartland, saying, “A fun guide to spending Valentine’s Day in Omaha, Nebraska.”

Caguas, Commonwealth of Puerto Rico BW presents Discover Caguas Botanical Garden: A Fine Blend of History and Nature posted at Visit The Coqui, saying, “The Caguas Botanical Garden, where history and nature meet”

Kahaluu, O’ahu, Hawaii, USA Jack Norell presents Byodo-in Temple, Hawaii posted at Eyeflare – Travel Articles and Tips, saying, “Hawaii is one of the most beautiful destinations in the world and for a peaceful and relaxing trip while you are in the country, a visit to the Byodo-In Temple makes for a great day out. This Buddhist temple is one of the most picturesque locations in the country, as it is situated at the foot of the beautiful Ko´olau Mountains in an area known as the Valley of the Temples Memorial Park.”

Lake Tahoe, California, USA Jim & Martha presents Our Lake Tahoe Trip posted at Wanderlust Journey.

Washington, DC, USA Jon presents Georgia O’Keeffe Abstracts at The Phillips in Washington DC posted at The PlanetEye Traveler – Washington DC, saying, “Big upcoming exhibit of American painter Georgia O’Keeffe’s works in Washington, DC.”

Denver, Colorado, USA Arian Adams presents The Denver Chronicles posted at The Dumbass Chronicles, saying, “This is a humorous story about 3 Florida boys who get stuck in Denver on their way to Vegas. There’s lots of nightlife/city description.”

Sebastopol, California, USA   Jon presents Wacky Lawn Sculptures from Junk posted at The PlanetEye Traveler, saying, “This week I’m submitting a post about some really wacky sculptures I recently saw just north of San Francisco. Very fun!”

Buenos Aires, Argentina Tim Leffel presents Argentina Says Screw You to Foreign Tourists posted at Tim Leffel’s Cheapest Destinations, saying, “If you are flying into Buenos Aires, it’s going to cost you $131 more per person than it did last year thanks to a new entry fee.”

Portsmouth, New Hampshire, USA Stephanie Seacord presents Portsmouth Peace Treaty Trail follows steps that led President Roosevelt’s Nobel posted at Examiner, saying, “Portsmouth NH is a National Trust for Historic Preservation ‘Distinctive Destination.’ Named in 2008 for its ‘longstanding commitment to historic preservation, Portsmouth, New Hampshire has never forgotten its sense of place,’ said Richard Moe, president of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

San Antonio, Texas, USA Sarah V. presents Tortillas, Pizza, and Thai Curry: Five Kid-Friendly Restaurants in San Antonio posted at Wandering Off.

Cities in Asia, Australia and New Zealand

Auckland, New Zealand Lyn Harris presents Auckland: Water, Water, Everywhere posted at Traveling New Zealand.

Hue, Vietnam Jonny presents Hue’s Royal Tombs and Pagodas posted at Vietnam Travel.

Osaka, Japan reesan presents Umeda Sky Building posted at loneleeplanet, saying, “the Umeda Sky building. a must-see on any trip to Osaka.”

Cities in Europe

Cassis, France Kristie Lawler presents Cruising the Coast of Cassis posted at Nom Nom Nom.

Rome, Italy Mary Jo Manzanares presents The Roman Coliseum: Birthplace of Civilization posted at Traveling with MJ, saying, “Studying about the Roman Coliseum paled in comparison to actually seeing it.”

Cologne, Germany Kristie presents Back In Europe (Pictures!) posted at Norway – An American In Oslo, saying, “Just wanted to say that I love the carnival of cities. I am so happy to participate in it and have for years now. I think this is one of the best blog carnivals out there on the web.” (Awww, thanks, Kristie!)

That concludes this edition, and thanks so much for celebrating with me!

Submit your (one, recent, non-spammy) blog post about any aspect of just ONE, single city (or fair-sized town) to the next edition of the Carnival of Cities using our carnival submission form.  Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

I was recently tagged to answer this question by the globe-trotting SoulTravelers3, in a blog post about her family’s travel secrets.

The whole meme was started by Tribase in this post - I’m supposed to tag three more bloggers but sorry, don’t quite have the bandwidth these days to figure out who hasn’t already participated.   Still, I’m happy to play here….

You know how tough it is to pick just three? Sigh.

And of course I feel compelled to cover the planet….here goes my best shot:

In the United States

My choice is Memphis, Tennessee.

Go here for coupons/discounts from the city’s CVB (Convention and Visitor’s Bureau) because remember, a CVB’s whole job is to ensure a happy visit.

Memphis is big enough to have a variety of things to do, but not so sprawly as to wear everyone out.  Amenities and lodging are reasonably priced, and so is good food.  Summer is hot and muggy, but there’s always the Memphis in May festival.

We’re big music fans in my family, and the Birthplace of the Blues offers many ways for even young children to learn more about this country’s musical history and offerings.   For starters, the popular Beale Street historic district is actually pretty open to kids (I call it a civilized Bourbon Street) and when we visited, the guys at the door at several venues let the whole family in to listen to live music as long as it was fairly early in the evening.  There’s also the Stax Museum of American Soul Music, Sun Studio (where Elvis and many others were launched) and the Center for Southern Folklore.

Before we arrived I showed my preteen an Elvis documentary (to try to explain the hype) then took her through his home at Graceland.  Believe it or not, she’s now an Elvis fan and the envy of her friends because she’s been to Graceland. Boring and weird Mom wins again!

Take the kids to see the formerly segregated Lorraine Motel (an important US civil rights landmark) where Dr. King was killed – it’s now part of the acclaimed National Civil Rights Museum.

Other kid-friendly places include Mississippi River attractions like the Mud Island River Park (including the Mississippi River Museum and a scaled down version of the river that begs for barefoot splashing) plus the Memphis Zoo, a children’s museum and in season, Redbirds minor league baseball at the downtown AutoZone Park.

We stayed at the Hampton Inn at Peabody Place, which was perfectly located downtown and was also attached to a small mall that occupied certain wiggly toddlers when needed.

In Europe

In a previous blog post here (titled Wonderfully off the tourist beaten path: Wadden Sea / Waddenzee Islands with kids)  I’ve written about the tongue-twisting but lovely Dutch islands of Texel and Terschelling.

They are only a short drive and ferry ride away from Amsterdam, but they’re very laid back, very Dutch and very nice for a beachy getaway.  Settle in, get some bikes for everyone (of course – it’s the Netherlands) and relax.

Here is the related Dutch tourism Web site about the islands - check it out.

If you can figure out how to pronounce the island of Schiermonnikoog, more power to you.

In Asia

I love the buzzy energy of Tokyo, and it’s a perfect destination with preteens and teens, but a bit too mind-blowing for little ones.  The crowds that older children find exciting are simply overwhelming when you’re two feet tall.

That’s why I like Yokohama, the seaside city south of Tokyo.

Make no mistake; it is Japan, so it is crowded, but somehow the location near the sea makes it feel more open.  There’s a big mall/hotel highrise called Landmark Tower (with a Pokemon Store – yay!) and it’s surrounded by an amusement park and wide pedestrian seawall.

This Frugal Traveler article in the New York Times about exploring Tokyo through its ramen shops mentions the terrific Ramen Museum in Yokohama, where you can get lots of different kinds of ramen to eat and walk through a sort of living history museum.  Super for families!

Here’s one of my very early posts on this blog: Kids in Tokyo – Escape to Yokohama.

There are my three family travel secret places; please share yours down in the comments!

I’m happy to consider hosts for upcoming Carnival editions in December, January and February.

If you’d like to host the Carnival on your blog, please email me at Sheila “at” sheilascarborough “dot” com.

Off we go….

Cities in Europe

Dingle, Ireland Shannon ODonnell presents A Little Subtlety…Dingle’s Quite Charm posted at a little adrift: a rtw travelogue, saying, “Fungie the dolphin and local bars with Irish charm are two top reasons to visit Dingle, Ireland.”

Stockholm, Sweden Jack Norell presents Gamla Stan, Stockholm posted at Eyeflare – Travel Articles and Tips, saying, “One of my favorite places in the world, Gamla Stan retains some medieval and renaissance charm in the middle of the very modern Stockholm.”

Madrid, Spain Travelrat presents Walking Around Madrid posted at Travelrat’s Travels.

Paris, France Catherine Forth presents Taking the kids to Paris without going broke posted at Have Kids Will Travel.

Amsterdam, the Netherlands Jaybot presents Give Me One Day and I’ll Give You Amsterdam, Part 1 posted at Jaybot7, saying, “This article is a humorous account of how many attractions and sites you can see in Amsterdam within 24 hours.”

Berlin, Germany Marcus Hochstadt presents Reflecting And Celebrating The Fall Of The Berlin Wall posted at The Germany Blog, saying, “The Berlin Wall left a major mark on German life. 20 years after the Fall of the Berlin Wall, Germans gathered at the Brandenberg Gate to reflect on the impact and celebrate the collapse of the Wall.”

Cities in Asia

Taipei, Taiwan Sander presents Taipei 101 posted at Searider Zander, saying, “I’m writing about my own experience with the tallest building in the world here.”

Cities in the Americas

Lyons, New York, USA Seth C. Burgess presents Pumpkin Roll in Lyons posted at Wayne County Life, saying, “The Pumpkin Roll is a brand new fun and exciting event in Lyons, NY – an Erie Canal Community that is all about festivals.”

Washington, District of Columbia, USA Jon presents Celebrate the Annual Beaujolais Nouveau in DC posted at The PlanetEye Traveler – Washington DC, saying, “Other than Paris, can you think of a better place than the French Embassy in Washington, DC to celebrate the annual Beaujolais Nouveau festival?”

Honolulu, Hawaii, USA Pam Mandel presents A Visit to Iolani Palace in Honolulu posted at Nerd’s Eye View, saying, “A visit to ‘Iolani Palace turns out to be all about the details.”

Flores, Guatemala Marina K. Villatoro presents Flores – The Colorful Island City by Tikal – Family Travel posted at The Travel Expert(a), saying, “Traveling with the family to Flores and Tikal in Guatemala.”

Las Vegas, Nevada, USA June Tree presents How One Homeless Person Lives: Coping With Homelessness posted at The Digerati Life, saying, “Here’s a story of a homeless couple in Las Vegas and how they’ve coped with their plight.”

San Francisco, California, USA TSW presents H1N1 Flu Vaccine Shortage: All Flu Vaccines In Short Supply! Grrr. posted at The Smarter Wallet, saying, “The H1N1 flu vaccine is hardly available in the SF Bay Area, CA. Is the vaccine available where you live?”

Hamilton, Ohio, USA hall monitor presents 8th-grader suspended for wild Bengals haircut posted at DetentionSlip.org, saying, “A young Bengals fan must change his haircut to stay in school.”

San Francisco, California, USA Kristie presents The Cable Car Ride In San Fransisco posted at Norway – An American In Oslo.

Alva, Oklahoma, USA Sheila Scarborough presents Keeping small towns special: murals in Alva, Oklahoma posted at Perceptive Travel Blog, saying, “Rather a stretch to call it a city, but bear with me!”

Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA minnemom presents Family Day at Minneapolis Institute of Arts posted at Travels with Children.

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Zhu presents Copacabana And Ipanema posted at Correr Es Mi Destino, saying, “Rio de Janeiro is most famous for its picture-perfect beaches, mostly Copacabana and Ipanema.”

Beverly Hills, California, USA Dane Arthur presents Beverly Hills, CA posted at Beverly Hills Real Estate Group, saying, “The post is real estate-related but has tons of great information about Beverly Hills.”

Jacksonville, Florida, USA Apryl Chapman Thomas presents Discovering (and Enjoying) Jacksonville, Florida posted at Planet Eye Traveler Road Trips.

New York, New York, USA Dorian Wales presents A Temple Restaurant and a Clearing House for Tickets – Two Observations of New York City posted at The Personal Financier, saying, “New York City is my favorite destination in the world. Any opportunity to visit again, whether on business or pleasure is a joy. With each visit a new light is shed on some other aspect of the city. I’d like to share two such spotlights with you.”

Boston, Massachusetts, USA Martin Andrews presents Travel Guide Book Explores Boston Travel posted at Cheap Flights.

Newport Beach, California, USA Joanne presents Newport Beach Gondola Ride posted at Newport Beach Vacation.

Chelsea, Michigan, USA Dominique King presents Chelsea, Michigan, maintains small-town charm while developing as a Midwestern arts center posted at Midwest Guest, saying, “It’s not difficult to see why actor Jeff Daniels chose to return to his hometown of Chelsea, Michigan, to raise his family and establish the Purple Rose Theater. The professional theater helped spur Chelsea’s growth as an arts center, while the 175-year-old town retains much of its small-town character.”

Carmel, California, USA Beth Blair presents Romantic California Hotel: Highlands Inn of Carmel posted at The Vacation Gals.

That concludes this edition, and thanks very much for visiting.

Submit your (one, non-spammy) blog post about any aspect of ONE, single city (or fair-sized town) to the next edition (December 2, 2009) of the Carnival of Cities using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

The Family Travel Guide is the host blog for this Carnival, but it’s been wandering about since July being hosted (every other week) by the Perceptive Travel Blog, the Talking Trekaroo, Sheila’s Guide to the Good Stuff, Emm in London, Wandering Educators and the Happy Hotelier. Thanks so much to all of those generous hosts!

The next edition will be over on The Vacation Gals site on October 21 – if you’d like to bring the Carnival to your blog, please email me at sheila “at” sheilascarborough “dot” com.

Cities in the Americas

Ketchikan, Alaska, USA Nancy Brown presents Best Things to See and Do in Ketchikan, Alaska posted at What a Trip, saying, “From crabbing on the Tongass Narrows to the best place to get your picture taken, travel writer Nancy D. Brown gives you her insider tips on Ketchikan, Alaska. What a Trip!”

Washington, DC, USA Elizabeth Hargrave presents Ten Great Places to Hike Around DC by Public Transportation (and counting) posted at The Natural Capital.

Half Moon Bay, California, USA One Family presents Pumpkin Festival in Half Moon Bay – A Trip Report posted at One Family’s Blog, saying, “Our experience and opinion of the Pumpkin Festival that happens every October in Half Moon Bay, CA.”

St. Paul, Minnesota, USA Beth Blair presents Twin Cities Free Attraction: Como Park Zoo and Conservatory posted at The Vacation Gals, saying, “This travel-writing mom gives props to a FREE attraction in St. Paul, Minnesota.”

Denver, Colorado, USA Lance Myers presents Randolph’s Restaurant and Bar, a review posted at Examiner.

Poughkeepsie, New York, USA John presents Old Railroad Bridge Becoming a Trail Across the Hudson posted at A DC Birding Blog, saying, “I thought some readers might be interested in this.”

Charlotte, North Carolina, USA Andi presents Charlotte airport rocks! posted at Misadventures with Andi.

Winnipeg, Canada Twyla Motkaluk presents Will The Pre-Accused Please Rise posted at bitchabout, saying, “This blog is about The City Of Winnipeg. In it, I comment on the things I see all around me.”

Chicago, Illinois, USA Dominique King presents Tour Chicago history by boat with the Chicago Architecture Foundation posted at Midwest Guest, saying, “Knowledgeable docents offer an interesting, authoritative look at Chicago architecture and city history on Chicago Architectural Foundation’s boat tour.”

Washington, DC, USA Jon presents Dadaist Man Ray’s Photos in Washington, DC posted at PlanetEye Traveler saying, “A new exhibit at The Phillips Collection in Washington, DC showcases over 100 photographs of mostly African themed images from revolutionary American artist Man Ray who is known as leading the Dada and Surrealist art movements.”

Cities in Asia

Choushi, Japan Tony Alexander presents Chiba Prefecture: Choushi 銚子posted at The Soul of Japan, saying, “This post is a three part series of a journey through northern Chiba!”

Stone Town, Zanzibar Kim presents Zanzibar – The Spice Island posted at Measure of All Things.

Bangalore, India AdmirableIndia.com presents Madiwala lake or BTM lake Bangalore: Part 1 Karnataka posted at AdmirableIndia.com.

Cities in Europe

Paris, France Shelly Rivoli presents Ask Shelly: Tips for juggling toddler naps while visiting Paris? posted at Travels with Baby Tips, saying, “Tips to help get the most out of your Paris stay with jetlagged toddlers in tow.”

Edinburgh, Scotland Keith Kellett presents Edinburgh Bus Ride posted at Travelrat’s Travels.

Falun, Sweden Jack Norell presents The Mining Museum in Falun posted at Eyeflare – Travel Articles and Tips, saying, “This intriguing Mining Museum, like Falu Koppargruva (Falun Copper Mine), is awarded two stars in the Guide Michelin. The collection of portraits of important people connected to the mine began in the seventeenth century.”

Rome, Italy Liz Wright presents Mangia Bene: Recommended Restaurants in Rome posted at Travelogged.

Amsterdam, the Netherlands mizdi presents Amsterdam Bicycles posted at Chat is not for Dummies.

Bristol, England Heatheronhertravels presents A walk around the harbourside in Bristol – Video posted at Heather on her travels, saying, “Heather presents a video post in which she invites you for a walk round Bristol’s harbourside area, sharing a local’s insight on the best things to do, see and eat.”

Stirling, Scotland Shannon ODonnell presents a little movie history…they can’t take our FREEDOM! posted at a little adrift: a rtw travelogue, saying, “Stirling, Scotland – cool history and a neat castle and definitely worth a day trip!”

Paris, France Robin Locker presents Travel Tip Tuesday: Best of Paris posted at My Mélange.

London, England Victoria Wallop presents Brick Lane posted at It’s a small world after all, saying, “This post is about one of London’s most diverse streets, Brick Lane, a centre for immigration since the 17th Century.”

Rome, Italy Stephanie presents 8 Free Things to Do in Rome posted at Twenty-Something Travel.

Edinburgh, Scotland Martha presents Cashmere Scarf Shopping in Edinburgh posted at Wanderlust Journey.

Berlin, Germany Theodore Pappas presents Berlin, a City on the Move posted at Britannica Blog, saying, “From Britannica’s stellar stable of travel writers, here’s a wonderful post by Lisa Lubin, with outstanding photos, on Berlin.”

That concludes this edition, and thanks for visiting.  If you like what you’re reading, we’d love comments either here or on any of the blog posts listed above. Remember that linking to good posts is how the Web highlights quality information, so feel free to do that as well.

Please submit your (one, non-spammy blog post about any aspect of ONE, single city, or fair-sized town) to the next edition of the Carnival of Cities using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

You can visit the Ghibli Museum in Mitaka (a western suburb of Tokyo) to see a spectacular facility dedicated to the wonderful art of Miyazaki’s hand-drawn animation. Opened in 2001, it gives you a stunning peek into the mind of the reclusive Academy Award-winning artist.

My daughter, her cousin and I visited a few years ago and we absolutely loved it. Miyazaki calls it “the kind of museum I want to make….a building put together as if it were a film.”

In addition to the imaginative, swoopy, playful storybook architecture of the building itself, there’s the 80-seat Saturn theater with Museum-exclusive short Miyazaki films (in Japanese but I assure you, it doesn’t matter) exhibits and displays about art and animation, the Straw Hat cafe, a toddler playroom with a giant plush Catbus to jump on, and the “Mamma Aiuto” gift shop that requires sumo training to handle the large, polite but persistent crowds.

I don’t have interior photos or video because it’s not permitted by Museum policy (they want you to relax and enjoy, not record things.) You can buy a souvenir booklet in the gift shop, with plenty of pictures.  We loved the handcrafted fixtures made of stained glass, the stairway mazes, the water handpump on the patio, the many ceiling paintings and the bright colors throughout.

Your admission ticket, as seen in my photo above, is an actual piece of 35mm film from one of Miyazaki’s movies.

Admission is by dated, timed tickets, so if you’re in Japan, order them at any Lawson’s (a Japanese convenience store similar to 7-Eleven.)  You can also purchase them from travel agents; this page on the Ghibli site explains ticket purchasing.

You exchange that paper coupon for the film clip souvenir ticket at a Totoro-themed admissions booth at the Museum entrance (which is also an excellent family photo opp since pictures are permitted there.)

It’s not hard to get to the Museum, which is located in pretty, green Mitaka Inokashira Park.  Take the JR Chuo Line to Mitaka station (about 20 minutes from Shinjuku station.)  Exit from the Mitaka South Exit and walk about 15 minutes along the Tamagawa Josui “Waterworks” to the Museum. There is also a bus that picks up at the station.

All Museum facilities are wheelchair-accessible except for the roof garden, which is reached by stairs.

Spending time at the Ghibli Museum will be a highlight of your family’s visit to Tokyo, even if you’ve never seen any of his movies.  Miyazaki speaks a universal language of wonder.

Those who know me, know how my mental gears grind and how I over-analyze.

I prefer to think it’s my massive intelligence coming to the fore, but mostly I think it’s plain old worry-wart perfectionist tendencies.

Anyway, after crying in my beer this week about blog ranking, I dug around in the Family Travel Logue archives to find some posts to bring back out into the light.

This allows my readers some discovery fun and also helps me to remember that blogging is not all about whether I dominate Google for certain search terms in exchange for some ad dollars.

….because, you know, I could have my way with Google if I really wanted to (she says with a lot of bluster.)

In between the dust and cat hair, here are some of my family travel blog favorites pulled from the Archives attic. Please excuse any broken links – some of the posts have been around awhile and the Web keeps moving:

***  Travel in Second Life.  Because I don’t get enough of it in First Life and I like my Goth avatar.

***  Inexpensive Travel Souvenirs.  Because I was just starting to figure out video and I combined total vlogging inexperience with all of my worldly shopping from all over my house. Yay!

***  Best US family beach vacations. Because it’s summer, you know?

***  Survivor’s guide to Walt Disney World.  This was when I figured out that I ought to listen to my readers even though I’m not personally a huge Florida theme park fan.

***  Visit bountiful Brussels and What my daughter learned in Belgium’s Flanders Fields.   We never felt more immersed in Europe than in Belgium (and the Netherlands, so here’s Rotterdam for you.)

***  Winner of the who-knew-I’d-love-it award:  Big Country – the Kansas Flint Hills.

***  Two of my first big hits: Paris with kids – The Louvre, followed by High above Paris: a meal in the Eiffel Tower.

***  Give Asia its due, of course – My top tips for travel with kids to Tokyo, Japan. Laura Bond Williams wrote a lovely two-part guest post for me on taking little ones to China.

***  Another unexpected travel crush for me was Norway: Family travel to Lillehammer, Norway.

***  The Middle East needs some time – Visiting Israel.

The great news is that I’ve discovered even more posts that should come to light and get a little more love, so another Greatest Hits is in the offing.

Thanks for all of your support down Memory Lane.

***  The friendly folks at SeaWorld hosted me (with my son) for their 20th Anniversary celebration back in 2008, so it was fun for me to read this post on their What’s Under the Sea? blog – Top Ways to Get Wet at SeaWorld. Heaven knows we need all the cooling we can get in this weather.

***  Lovely post on the US State Department’s blog DipNote, about an American diplomat practicing his Arabic with a child.  I was also intrigued by a post about a music education collaboration between the State Dept, Fulbright fellowships and MTV and another about opening Afghanistan’s first national park, Band-e-Amir.

***  From KidsCanTravel we have some Ireland tips, Walking in Ireland, and Grand Canyon Hiking at the North Rim (er, maybe Arizona stuff should wait until fall or winter, but I’d be all over Ireland this time of year.)

***  It’s not travel-related, but I have to tell you about Steve in Nebraska and his blog The View from the Tractor; I read about him in a CNN.com article (Twittering from the tractor: smartphones sprout on the farm) and think he sounds like an interesting guy. If your kids are into farming and want to see the “real deal” about how it’s done, say hi to Steve.

***  Isn’t this neat? Amongst the many downloadable London and UK walking tours from Walk Talk Tours, you’ll find one from Chester that features their beautifully-dressed town crier, David Mitchell. There’s more in Chester Town Crier serves up a treat.

***  My Perceptive Travel blog editor Tim Leffel is down in Mexico right now with his family (follow him on Twitter) and he has encouraging words about travel to the region in Mexico City – nicer than you think.

***  In Australia, a helpful BootsnAll article about the Northern Territory: 10 Things Not To Miss.

***  The UK-based Travel-Rants.com blog has ten family travel tips for this summer.  Travel-Rants editor Darren Cronian also has a new project, a whole site devoted to travel in his northern England hometown area of Leeds, My Life in Leeds. There’s a family fun and attractions in Leeds section, too.

***  Travel and Leisure has a detailed slide show of 10 Places To See Before You’re 10 – my son and I had better get busy!

Welcome to this edition of the Carnival of Cities, where we take you around the world with one blog post.

The next edition is scheduled for July 15 and will be hosted on the Perceptive Travel blog.

If you’d like to host this bi-weekly (fortnightly) blog carnival, let me know via email to sheila “at” sheilascarborough “dot” com.

Off we go….

Cities in the Americas

Seabrook (near Houston) Texas, USA Julie Pippert presents Discovering Seabrook, a charming coastal town just outside Houston posted at Being Savvy Houston, saying, “Get to know Seabrook, Texas, a charming coastal town southeast of Houston with tons of great outdoor activities on land or water, and delicious dining.”

Washington, DC, USA minnemom presents Washington, DC, Travel with Kids: The U.S. Arboretum posted at Travels with Children.

San Francisco, California, USA Antonia Malchik presents Being a gourmand in San Francisco on a budget: head to the Ferry Building Marketplace posted at Perceptive Travel Blog.

Atlanta, Georgia, USA Amy @ The Q Family presents 5 Family Fun for July 4th Celebration Around Atlanta posted at Atlanta With Kid Travel Blog.

Columbus, Ohio, USA Condo Blues presents Pet Promise Rescue Run 2009 posted at Condo Blues.

Seattle, Washington, USA wandermom presents Summer Family Fun In Seattle posted at WanderMom, saying, “Plan your (family) trip to Seattle using this guide from a local travel writer.”

Washington, DC, USA Jon presents Top 10 US Summer Vacation Hot Spots & Top 10 Reasons to Visit Washington, DC posted at The DC Traveler, saying, “Here are ten great reasons why Washington, DC made the American Society of Travel Agents’ Top Ten list as a Top Summer Destination.”

Wall (just outside the Badlands) South Dakota, USA Kilroy_60 presents The Last Road Trip – Part 6 posted at Fear And Loathing – The Gonzo Papers.

San Francisco, California, USA CatSynth presents Hypnagogia, Climate Theater posted at CatSynth, saying, “Another review of visual and performing art events here in San Francisco.”

Las Vegas, Nevada, USA Jacqulyn Richey presents Las Vegas Housing Market: Foreclosures Down, Sales Up posted at Las Vegas Real Estate News, saying, “Despite the media’s portrait of doom and gloom, the Las Vegas real estate market and economy are showing signs of recovery.”

New York, New York, USA Madeleine Begun Kane presents June Down The Drain (Limerick & Haiku) posted at Mad Kane’s Humor Blog, saying, “New York Weather Humor.”

Orlando, Florida, USA Caterina Christakos presents Orlando Italian Restaurant Reviews posted at Orlando Restaurant Reviews.

Cities in Europe

London, United Kingdom William Wallace presents Sanctuary In The Heart Of London For The Weary Traveller posted at London Is Cool.

The Hague (Den Haag) the Netherlands Happy Hotelier presents 2009 The Hague Sculpture – Read My Lips posted at Happy Hotelier, saying, “A no-cost, must-visit [located] in The Hague, The Netherlands.”

Milan (Milano) Italy elena raptopoulos presents Icebound: Gelateria/bar posted at La Bella Città, saying, “From city pictures to aperitivo reviews, this is a blog about Milano from the inside. Not a tourist site… just a site for the people living or visiting the city.”

Cities in Asia

Bangkok, Thailand Amy @ The Q Family presents Thailand in A Day at The Ancient City posted at The Q Family Adventures Travel Blog, saying, “Hidden gem in Bangkok, Thailand.”

Krabi, Thailand Vicky presents Krabi Thailand posted at Kota Medan City.

Clement Town, Uttarakhand, India chicu presents Urban Art: Clement Town posted at Uttarakhand and I.

That concludes this edition, and thanks very much for visiting.

Please submit your (one, non-spammy) blog post about any aspect of ONE, single city to the next edition of the Carnival of Cities using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.