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.
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.
What do you think of the travelers' tearful goodbyes? Which cast members will you miss the most? And what do think of the first season of Life on Tour?
If you missed any episodes, click the links below. Then chat with other Life on Tour fans and cast members on EF Tours' Facebook fan page. Plus, stay tuned for casting information for Season 2 of EF's Life on Tour.
Who had the better prank—the boys or the girls? Was Colter insensitive by repeatedly bringing up EuroTrip at the Vatican? What do you think about Briana's reaction? Chat with other Life on Tour fans and cast members on EF Tours' Facebook fan page.
The season finale of Life on Tour debuts next Tuesday, so be sure to tune in and watch the student travelers say goodbye in Rome.
"When in Rome, do as the Romans do." For the Life on Tour cast, that means making authentic Italian pizza. Who do you think has the best technique? What do you think of Briana and Laurent's strategy? Who did you want to see win the competition?
Want to see what the Roman Forum or the inside of the Colosseum looked like in A.D. 320? The newest layer of Google Earth will show you—in amazing 3D glory:
The simple legend says that if you toss a coin into Rome's famed Trevi Fountain, you will ensure your return to the Eternal City.
There are several more elaborate variations, including one that says it's lucky to throw three coins with your right hand over your left shoulder. No one knows for sure when the superstition began, but there's no doubting it's lasting legacy.
As much as 800,000 euros—more than a million U.S. dollars—is pulled from the fountain annually. (The coins are collected every morning between 6 and 7 a.m.) Where does that money go? To help Rome's poorest people. The charity Caritas uses the funds to run food and social programs and even opened a supermarket for the needy.
Where are the best literary destinations in the world? You'll find them in Great Britain, at least according to one list.
World Hum tipped us off to a list of the world's best literary destinations, according to editors at the travel website TripAdvisor.
London—home to Dickens, Chaucer and Keats—edged out Shakespeare's Stratford for the top spot. Edinburgh, Scotland—home of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and J.K. Rowling—placed third.
Three U.S. cities made the list: New York, Concord (Massachusetts) and San Francisco.
Monopoly finally revealed the winning cities in its new World Edition this week, and the Canadian city earned the global game's most prestigious position, as we predicted in February.
In fact, Canada monopolizes the new Monopoly board. In addition to Montreal, Vancouver and Toronto also earned spots. The other dominant country is China, which placed Beijing and Shanghai, plus Hong Kong, on the board. Only one U.S. city (New York) made the game.
More than 5.6 million votes were cast to select the 22 cities in the new edition, which goes on sale next week in 50 countries.
When in Rome … don't snack near the tourist sights.
In an effort to keep the Eternal City eternal, the city of Rome is cracking down on snacking tourists with a new law that bans eating and drinking near the monuments in the city's historical center.
That means no treats by the Trevi Fountain, no cappuccino in front of the Pantheon, no gelato on the Spanish Steps, no late-night snacks at the Colosseum.
The new ordinance—which remains in place through October—is aimed at preserving the city's historic and artistic treasures from the millions of visitors every year. The fine is 50 euros (or about $80).
This is just the latest move throughout Italy to "protect" tourist sights by clamping down on tourists. One of the most notable was Venice's ban on pigeon feeding.
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