Documentary – twoOregonians

Free Travel Education + Inspiration

December 13, 2011

It’s really no secret that I’m a library junkie.

Benefit: this addiction comes in handy when saving money for travel.

The internet teems with free blog posts and paid-for subscriptions that, at the end of the day, leave me wishing for more depth and/or less fees.

So I instead turn to my local library and its ridiculously vast collection of paper-in-the-hands resources with tables-of-contents, indexes and glossaries, coffee table books with rich photos, DVDs featuring footage and histories of far off lands, and, yes, user-friendly how-to guides to accompany me on my let’s-make-friends mission with the camera.

And let us not forget the other beautiful thing about the library: free wi-fi sans coffee purchase. I’ve found this perfect perch, next to the spinning globe at my little Belmont Branch of the Multnomah County Library. While Ted has been finishing up his last few weeks of work and we’ve been commuting back into Portland from my family’s home in the country, I’ve been carpooling with him and finding digital work spaces to use during the day.

Must remember this library hack when we’re abroad. (Also, it turns out the National Library in Buenos Aires provides guided tours in Spanish and English. Who knew? Maybe I can score a card and stash it alongside the one I received at the Library of Congress in D.C.?)

If I seem a little over the top about libraries, it’s because I am. Continue Reading…

Destinations, Inspirations, South America

It’s a Small World Afterall: Walt and El Grupo in South America

August 17, 2011

A true kid of the Americas, I grew up with Disney influences woven through my imagination.

In fact, now that I think about it, “It’s A Small World” was indeed my very first RTW trip.
(Thank you, mom and dad, for taking a three year old on such a grand adventure!)

Quick to write off most newer Disney features in adulthood, I found a surprise treat for my grown up tastes in the form of a random Netflix moment. We were searching for South America documentaries and inspirations and stumbled across Walt and El Grupo.

The fascinating 2008 documentary follows the politically motivated 1941 Goodwill Tour made by Walt and a number of company associates and artists. The film features interesting observations about the relationship of art and politics as well as beautiful glimpses into the cityscapes and social scenes of 1940s Argentina, Brazil, and Chile and their surrounds.

My great grandmother, an artist in her own right, trained with the Disney Studios back in her day… There is a charm and flavor to the old sketches and cartoons, a human touch that seems missing from mainstream modern entertainment.

The beauty of the documentary is the blending of old video, photos and sketches (including footage from Walt’s own 16mm camera) along with modern day glimpses of the region.

Ethnic caricatures and political messages provide food for thought, as do the tales of group travel and outings and business meetings and of long, handwritten letters home before the time of digital updates and instant communication.

I’m spending time this week sorting out our Brazilian visas and Servas applications, glad for the fanciful glimpse of the South American past.

Our own mini-goodwill tour is unaffiliated with film studios or departments of homeland security and (thankfully!) quite without political motivation, but I’m anticipating an equally beautiful season of touring the regions, connecting with people and place, growing from the encounters, and eventually returning home with inspirations from art and culture woven through my imagination for the rest of life…