Anthony Bourdain Becomes an Icon

 And a very unlikely one at that.  His reputation is of a hipster-punk anti-chef who became a foodie travel guide.  Now, though, he has become something else -- something of a national treasure.

He rose to fame by writing about the gritty inner details of New York City restaurants. In Kitchen Confidential the tagline is "a quarter-century of drugs, sex, and haute cuisine." He attacked the pretensions of fine dining while clearly showing his love for food and his respect for the profession of food service.

He then moved on to a series of travel shows featuring exotic and adventurous locales with an emphasis on food.  Over the past fifteen years, he has produced 284 episodes of A Cook's Tour, No Reservations, The Layover and Parts Unknown. 

His shows have always been fascinating, but in recent years, they have taken on a sharply political, philosophical and spiritual edge.  In 2006 in Beirut, his film crew was caught up in Israeli-Palestinian fighting.  He has visited every popular tourist destination on all continents, and many that are far off the beaten path. His shows address conflict, political repression and poverty along with the sights and the food.

The quality of production has also progressed.  Originally shown on the Travel Channel, Bourdain took full control of production after moving to CNN.  Since then he has won 5 Emmy Awards, garnered 11 nominations for writing, sound mixing, editing and cinematography, as well as a 2013 Peabody Award. 

One of Bourdain's persistent messages is the value of travel, particularly for ethnocentric and uninformed Americans. He also emphasizes meeting ordinary people and learning about other ways of living. The United States is wealthy and powerful, but most citizens are profoundly ignorant of the outside world.  Few speak any language apart from English.  Many see the outside world through a lens of fear.

An example is Bourdain in Marseilles. Marseilles is the second largest city in France,  on the south coast of France on the Mediterranean.  It has a reputation for being dangerous, and is a melting pot of ethnic groups.  There is much concern about a rapidly increasing Muslim population.  Many people, even in France, advised Bourdain not to go there.  His response -- 'sounds like the kind of place I will like.'  One pleasant example from the Marseilles show is a dessert cheese tray - Bourdain finds pleasure in a cheese cart. 

 It turns out that Marseilles is beautiful and richly textured with cultural diversity, and as safe as any place one might travel given reasonable precaution.  I am reminded of my own travel experience, primarily in Mexico.  Almost every American who has little foreign travel experience 'knows' how dangerous Mexico is.  Contradicting their beliefs with facts is usually a waste of time.  Mexico will still be overrun by bandidos and cartels in their minds.

Travel by Living There
 Bourdain's television shows have inspired me for years, but I have always been awed by his energy and ability to cope with the stresses of travel so well.  I have begun to think of extended and distant travel in a different way -- that of a series of homes.  I would like to visit Marseilles, Thailand, Kenya, and so on, and not stay in city hotels or resorts, but in small towns in pensiones or short-term apartment rental.   

Costs are minimized when living on the local economy, and the opportunity to truly learn from travel is enhanced by closer contact with local people.  Travel can yield many forms of personal growth; in fact, I believe many of America's international problems could be addressed by a more worldly citizenry.

I have learned many such lessons from Mexico.  Families are closer, children and the elderly are highly valued, materialism is less rampant.  People are more polite and generous.  Stress is much less of a problem.  It is not difficult to avoid the cartels and bandidos.  

Where I live in the State of Michoacan, the cartels are in an isolated area called Tierra Caliente.  Most people have no reason to go there. People I know who do go there (for example, the charming city of Tacambaro) have never been bothered.

We will be returning to Mexico in a few days.  Instead of flying we will perambulate by car, that is, travel by a liesurely manner.  We plan to drive drive six hours to New Orleans and stop for two days. Then another short drive to Galveston Island for another two day stop.  Then a shot drive to South Padre Island and another two day stop.  Then after crossing the border, a short drive to Ciudad Victoria, Mexico, and another stop further south in Iripuato to visit a friend.  The final day will be a short drive to Patzcuaro. 

In the Spring, we plan to do something similar in Europe.  We plan to go to some combination of Italy, Spain, Portugal, as well as Marseilles.  Throughout Europe, the distances are short, and public transportation is excellent.  We hope to move through a travel itinerary by living in each place briefly.    

An Aside
This blog post is the first public reference I have made to a blog titled Remembrances of Calamities Past which is essentially a memoir.  I think of Bilbo Baggins writing about his adventures at Bag End in the Shire.  I plan to write quite a few episodes -- I already have dozens of scraps of ideas that I now want to flesh out.  Perhaps no one will care, but there are people close to me who will be interested.

I will include early family and developmental experiences as well as  

Today's Woodicism

First thing first

All Woodicisms

Commitment

I have often thought about writing -- that is being a writer, but at bottom, it always involved writing.  I take good notes, I am an excellent jotter of ideas, but very little finished product has left the factory.

My problem has been one of commitment.  If I had a job of writing, I would do it.  If someone asked me to write something I would do it.  But writing, surely, comes up from within.  No successful serious writer did it for money or for public approval.  They all sat alone in a room and thought quietly and deeply over a pen or typewriter or word processor.

This message is a commitment.  I am publicly stating that Remembrance of Calamities Past is now launched.  It is a blog, by and about me.  I will write longer pieces  twice a week and post a daily thought -- called a Woodicism.

Nobody may read it or like it, but what can I do?

Citrus in the Panhandle? Satsumas and More

I grew up in central Florida near the freeze line for the citrus industry.  A cold winter brought out smudge pots and all-night efforts to save the crop, and as often as not the effort failed and the local fruit season was ruined.  So, I was very surprise to see in downtown Elberta, Alabama, a truck vendor with a wide range of locally grown citrus fruit, including satsumas, juice oranges, naval oranges, grapefruit and Meyer lemons.

Julie Lord talks with a customer while Terry Lord (hidden from view) offers another customer slices of fruit from the bed of his truck in the city park at Elberta.

Terry and Julie Lord are lifelong panhandle residents who can grow just about anything.  They live just a few blocks from the Elberta's central square where I met them.  They have a beautiful homestead where they also grow spectacular kumquats, asian pears, figs, turnip greens, orchids, and much more.  There is also have a pond for catfish and brim.

Terry and Julie's Meyer lemon tree, loaded with ripe fruit.

Since my childhood in central Florida, much has evidently changed in citrus growing.  Genetic crosses and grafting have resulted in trees that can tolerate the few freezing nights in the north Gulf coast.  Terry's trees are lush and loaded with fruit.  Many people in this region have very productive citrus trees in their yards, primarily satusmas and Meyer lemons, but Terry and Julie demonstrate that a wide range of citrus grows very well here.

Miami North

The northern coast of the Gulf of Mexico has always been known for its beautiful beaches -- sugar white sand, gentle waves, clean water (despite British Petroleum).  The winters are colder than south Florida, but thousands of snowbirds think it is warm enough.  In fact, global warming may be shifting typical Miami weather to the north.  South Florida can can be horrendously warm in the summers and the beach towns are crowded and expensive.

Between Panama City, Florida, and Gulf Shores, Alabama, are 125 miles of near continuous beaches, as well as lush bays and bayous.  This stretch is sometimes referred to as the Emerald Coast (although a Florida Chamber of Commerce office seems to hold the copyright on that term), because of the deep, clear green of the water.  The beaches are perennially listed as among the most beautiful in the world.  Perhaps most attractive, there are miles and miles of undeveloped property. 

Uncrowded, inexpensive beaches and a warming climate, now combined with fresh tropical fruit, suggest that this stretch of oceanfront may be due for a development boom.  Just prior to the economic collapse of 2008, two huge commercial and real estate developments were begun in Gulf Shores (at the public beach and on the intercoastal waterway), but were stopped cold by the banking and housing crisis.

The area can certainly use the economic infusion. The states of Florida and Alabama might borrow an idea from Mexico, where Cancun, Ixtapa, and now Costa Maya were developed through centralized organization and planning into major tourist magnets.  Similar to those areas, the panhandle coast has great, undeveloped natural beauty.  Add topnotch citrus fruit to the mix and things can happen.

Add Hospitality to the Blend

These beach towns have another major attraction, the people.  There is all the politeness and gentility of the Deep South.  People stop and chat in stores, waitresses call you "sweetheart," and assume you want sweet tea with your fried mullet.  Of course that gentility has a history of masking brutal racial repression, and that still is seen and heard.

However, most people seem to be ahead of the political image presented by Alabama and North Florida political leaders.  People are becoming more familiar with outsiders -- Hispanics, Vietnamese, and a huge variety of national backgrounds in the resorts and restaurants.  With familiarity comes understanding and acceptance.

Despite its reputation, the Deep South has a deep-seated kindness that has not been accurately represented by its politicians.  People want to know their neighbors.  They reflexively want to help when needed.

Meeting the Lord family is an example of that kindness.  Julie contributes farm produce to a battered women's shelter.  She and Terry brightened at our interest and appreciation for their lifestyle.  We were invited to see their home place and we were loaded with samples.  Although they are closing down the truck stand for the winter, we were invited to "come up to the house," when we wanted more fruit.
They are pleased to share what they know as well as what they grow.
More pictures from Terry and Julie's farm