Following the Equator

Our 10 Best of 2008

This is the 320th post of 2008 at Following the Equator, and we decided to commemorate our blog's first full calendar year with a top-10 list of favorite posts.

We had a lot of stories, videos, photos, interviews, tips and perspectives about educational travel. We launched some regular weekly features, including our Tip of the Week and Photo of the Week. We debuted Life on Tour, introduced EF on YouTube and EF on Facebook and promoted the EF Tours group on Flickr (above). And, along the way, we encountered a lot of inspiring travelers.

Following the Equator also was nominated for a Blogger's Choice Award and finished fifth out of 1,177 blogs for Best Travel Blog. Thank you to everyone who supported our blog in 2008 by voting, reading, sharing, commenting and subscribing. We're looking forward to an even more successful 2009.

Life on Tour's Top 10 Moments

Six strangers brought together on one educational tour through Switzerland, France and Italy. That's Life on Tour. EF's reality web series produced countless memorable moments, as the student travelers made it up Mount Pilatus, up the Eiffel Tower and up to their elbows making pizza in Rome.

Now that the first season is complete, I watched all 10 episodes again and compiled my list of the most memorable moments of Life on Tour.

Let us know what you think of the list and post your own comments
(or even your own list) below. And be sure to cast your vote for your favorite moment in our Life on Tour Poll.

Our photos in Schmap Paris Guide

A pair of our Paris pictures are picking up a bit of publicity.

Schmap Paris Guide has just selected our photo of Sacré-Coeur Basilica in Montmartre and our photo of the Hall of Mirrors in Versailles for inclusion in its sixth edition.

Schmap publishes digital travel guides for more than 200 destinations around the world and integrates maps, photos and place reviews for easy viewing online or on an iPhone. The site has generated a lot of positive press since launching nearly three years ago.

We're excited to be included in the revised Schmap Paris Guide. You can see more of Following the Equator's Paris photos on Flickr.

Life on Tour Episode 6: 'Ciao Bella'

Who had the best look for the night out in Florence? What do you think about Brandon's stylish outfit? Chat with other Life on Tour fans and cast members on EF Tours' Facebook fan page. And stay tuned for the continuation in Episode 7 next Tuesday.

Group Leader Spotlight: Jeremy George

A few years ago, Jeremy George, a high school history teacher from Springfield, Missouri, had never traveled abroad. Then he found EF.

Since taking his first group abroad, Jeremy has traveled everywhere from Austria to Australia with EF Educational Tours. Next year, he will travel on tours to Amsterdam and Paris and France and Spain, and he is already planning a tour to England, Ireland and Wales in 2010.

Jeremy—pictured above with students in Australia (he's in the black-and-blue jacket to the right of the guy in the cool hat)—talked with us about the "irreplaceable experience" of travel, establishing a reputation for taking students on tour and his own dream tour of Italy:

Life on Tour Episode 5: 'Bastille Day'

What could be better than celebrating Bastille Day under the Eiffel Tower? What do you think about the spectacular fireworks show?
And what do you think about the caricatures that Briana and Malia
had drawn in Montmartre?

Chat with other Life on Tour fans and cast members on EF Tours' Facebook fan page.

Friday Fun Fact: Eiffel Tower names

The Eiffel Tower's name is synonymous with iconic images, but its image also includes the names of six dozen French icons.

Gustave Eiffel, who designed the tower in the 1880s, engraved the names of 72 French scientists, engineers and other prominent people on the four façades of the tower as a tribute to their scientific contributions. The notable names, located under the first balcony, were painted over around the turn of the century but were restored in 1986-87.

Photo: Booches via Flickr (CC license)

Life on Tour Episode 4: 'The City of Love'

Would you try escargot in Paris? And what do you think about the river cruise? Chat with other Life on Tour fans and cast members on EF Tours' Facebook fan page. And stay tuned for Episode 5 next Tuesday!

Life on Tour Episode 3: 'Top of the World'

What was your reaction the first time you made it to the top of the Eiffel Tower? How does it compare to Malia's and Tyler's reactions? What did you scream? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.

Plus, chat with other Life on Tour fans and cast members on EF Tours' Facebook fan page.

Leave it to the Louvre

The Louvre is nothing if not all-encompassing. The newest addition at world's largest art museum is from a seemingly unlikely source: actor Tony Dow, who played Wally Cleaver in the legendary 1950s TV show Leave It to Beaver.

Dow's abstract bronze sculpture of a woman holding a shield, titled Unarmed Warrior, will be on display at the Louvre’s Société Nationale des Beaux-Arts exhibition for just a few days next month—from Dec. 11 to 14.

"Having something shown at the Louvre is about as good as you can get," Dow told The Associated Press. "Of course, I'm really proud of Leave It to Beaver and my directing career in television. Those are great accomplishments. I'm really proud of them, but this is interesting because I don't think they know anything about that at the Louvre."

Dow is one of several sculptors from the Karen Lynne Gallery in Los Angeles who will be featured in the exhibition in Paris. Apparently, Eddie Haskell and "Lumpy" Rutherford will not be joining them.

Photo: Diana-B. via Flickr