48 Hours in New Bedford, Massachusetts

By Robert Firpo-Cappiello
July 28, 2014
New Bedford Whaling Museum Great Getaways
Courtesy Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism

After a few minutes in New Bedford, MA, a welcoming little city of about 95,000 people less than an hour's drive east of Providence and south of Cape Cod just off I-195, you'll notice that the residents love to talk about their town. A few more minutes and you'll totally understand why. Few places in New England pack as much history, food, and fun into a handful of cobblestoned blocks.

I started my visit, appropriately enough, at the New Bedford Whaling Museum (18 Johnny Cake Hill, whalingmuseum.org, adults $14, seniors $12, students 19+ $9, children and youth $6). In the 19th century, New Bedford was the epicenter of the international whale-oil industry (comparable at that time to today's oil industry in its importance to the world's economy), and the city's whaling museum is the largest of its kind in the U.S. As my 11-year-old daughter and I walked into the museum's beautiful big lobby, with its impressive whale skeletons hanging from the ceiling, I was anxious. After all, my daughter was brought up to understand that hunting these amazing sea mammals is wrong, and she was extremely vocal in her objection to the very idea of a whaling museum. But as soon as our guided tour began, I breathed easy: The staff of the New Bedford Whaling Museum love these animals as much as any of us, and a good portion of the galleries are devoted to ecology, conservation, and putting history—including not only whaling but also the slave trade, New Bedford's ethnic diversity, and the city's role in the Underground Railroad—in a clear context. I recommend setting aside an entire day or more to take in all this museum has to offer, including replicas of whaling ships (one of which is half-life-size and can be boarded and explored by grown-ups and kids alike), beautiful works of art, and multimedia presentations.

Step outside the whaling museum and you're smack in the middle of the New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park (nps.gov/nebe), which includes a number of restored 18th-century buildings and a superb visitors center at 33 William Street, featuring displays about the city's history, a theater, and presentations by rangers. Stroll the streets and you'll meet New Bedford residents who can't wait to tell you about their downtown's great food, public gardens, bustling harbor, and festivals. Admire the stately homes that once belonged to whaling captains and their families and you may recall what Herman Melville wrote of the city in Moby-Dick: "... all these brave houses and flowery gardens came from the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian oceans. One and all, they were harpooned and dragged up hither from the bottom of the sea."

Speaking of Melville, one of the most popular sites in downtown New Bedford owes its celebrity to that author's wild imagination: In the 1840s, Melville himself set sail aboard a whaling vessel out of New Bedford and, like many sailors before and after him, attended services at the Seamen's Bethel (15 Johnny Cake Hill, admission free), which he immortalized as the "Whalemen's Chapel" in Moby-Dick. I was blown away to discover that the pulpit of this little chapel is actually shaped like the prow of a whaling vessel—exactly like the one Melville describes in the chapter "The Sermon" in Moby-Dick. My enthusiasm was only slightly dampened when I learned that the pulpit was, in fact, added more than a century after Melville's visit in order to delight visitors who had enjoyed John Huston's 1956 film adaptation of Moby-Dick (starring Gregory Peck as the monomaniacal Captain Ahab), in which Orson Welles, as Father Mapple, climbs a rope ladder to deliver a booming commentary on the story of Jonah—from an elaborate, prow-shaped pulpit. Spend some time exploring the chapel's artwork and enjoy friendly and informative conversation with one of the enthusiastic docents on duty (and don't forget to leave a donation).

New Bedford abounds in historical, artistic, and just plain fun sites. Rotch-Jones-Duff House (396 County Street, rjdmuseum.org, adults $6), with its gorgeous articles of furniture, handpainted wallpaper, crystal, and gowns lets you see how the other 1 percent lived in the 19th and early 20th centuries thanks to both the whaling and oil industries. The New Bedford Museum of Glass (61 Wamsutta Street, nbmog.org, $5) is a must-see, with a growing collection of art glass that includes masterpieces of New Bedford's fabled Mt. Washington and Pairpoint factories. And after all that history, kids of all ages will enjoy a walk on the wild side at the Buttonwood Park Zoo (425 Hawthorn Street, bpzoo.org, adults $8, children $4), with lovely exhibit areas and habitats for animals as diverse as elephants, coyotes, river otters, and harbor seals—and super-helpful staff who give user-friendly talks and demonstrations throughout the day.

Hungry? Cork Wine Bar and Tapas (90 Front Street, corkwineandtapas.com) blew me away with its pan-seared scallops over sticky Jasmine rice and quirky multicultural riffs like cheesesteak spring rolls. You can order main courses, or do what we did and keep the small plates coming, happily sharing till you cry "uncle." You'll appreciate New Bedford's cultural melting pot when you tuck into traditional Cape Verdean cuisine like Shrimp Mozambique at Izzy's (72 Spring Street, 508/977-7077). Tia Maria European Café specializes in Portuguese favorites, including Portuguese-style nachos and an amazing egg-topped steak (42 North Water Street, 508/993-8900).

In the midst of all this history, the lovely, comfortable rooms at the thoroughly modern Fairfield Inn & Suites (184 MacArthur Drive, marriott.com, from $164) are a welcome place to catch some shuteye after a day of pounding the cobblestones. You'll enjoy elbow room, a spacious pool, hot tub, and fitness center, a very short walk from the historical district and harbor.

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The Corso de Wong Parade in Lima, Peru

Peru celebrates its independence with a three-day festival known as Fiestas Patrias. The three officially recognized dates for Fiestas Patrias are July 24th, July 28th, and July 29th. However, the weeks surrounding these days are also filled with fun activities. As an added bonus, you'll find that the residents of Peru are in the mood to party during these days since most Peruvians receive time off from work for the holiday. One of the great events that happens annually during Fiestas Patrias is the Gran Corso de Wong. The Corso consists of a massive parade that winds through the streets of Miraflores in Lima. Generally the Corso happens a week prior to the actual independence day of July 28th, however, I've seen the date of the parade changed at the last minute due to inclement weather or other factors. In truth, it's a bit of a difficult event to plan for since it's subject to delays and postponement. The best thing to do might be to plan to spend your Saturdays in Miraflores in the weeks before and after July 28th and hope that the parade happens when you're there. Scouring El Comercio (Peru's leading paper) for announcements is also a nice tactic, but I find that news travels fastest by word of mouth in Peru, so it might be best to simply ask somebody. It's almost comical to think of viewing a parade as something of a scavenger hunt, but when you do get a chance to experience the Corso, you'll find the effort was very much worth the result. To put it simply, the Corso is a wonderful event. There are marching bands, troops performing traditional dances from every region of Peru, soldiers on horses, and a wide variety of floats and other moving displays. The Corso offers you a chance to see absolutely everything that Peru has to offer all in one convenient location. Like any parade, viewing the Corso is an exercise in patience and endurance. When you first arrive you'll find the main thoroughfare of Larco barricaded off in anticipation of the performers. However events like this never seem to start until an hour or so after the indicated time—and that assessment is even more true in Peru. The temptation is to arrive early so as to assure yourself of an unobstructed view, but I would recommend a later arrival, especially if you are attempting to watch the Corso with small children. The most popular area for viewing the Corso is by far the Ovalo de Miraflores. However, I would recommend that you resist the temptation to follow the crowd and instead pick out a spot further down Larco. The reason is that the crowds tend to arrive late. It's very possible to arrive early and claim a wonderful viewing spot from within Parque Kennedy, but as the parade progresses, the influx of spectators is going to make it very difficult to leave.  By the time the Corso is at its peak, the throngs of people gathering around the Ovalo de Miraflores can be somewhat out of control. I would definitely not recommend passage through the Ovalo de Miraflores with small children during the Corso de Wong because the crowds are just too dense. This problem is completely avoidable by simply hiking further down Larco where the streets don't become nearly as congested. When the parade finally finishes and darkness falls, you can stick around for a tremendous display of fireworks that explode long into the night. After that, the party is on as young people flock to the local discos to dance until dawn. There is a real sense of adventure surrounding the Corso de Wong. The parade represents a wonderful montage of the best of all the various cultural regions that Peru has to offer; and Peru boasts a diversity of landscapes most nations cannot match. The Corso is a great spectacle that you as the viewer need to approach with a bit of prudence based on the understanding that crowd control in Peru isn't as highly developed as it is in some parts of the world. However, with minimal preparation you can ensure yourself a perfectly safe and marvelous day. This article was written by Walter Rhein, author of the humorous travel memoir, Beyond Birkie Fever. You can read more about his adventures in Peru at StreetsOfLima.com. He penned this article on behalf of South American Vacations, providing Peru tours to Lima, Machu Picchu and beyond.

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Foodie Alert: The Ultimate Guide To Street Food In Penang, Malaysia

This article was written by Milda Ratkelyte, the travel community manager at AsiaRooms.com. She is currently exploring Asia and capturing the best moments in stories, photos, and films. Penang is a small tropical island connected to the northwest coast of Malaysia where, as one says, "the weather never changes so everyone talks about food instead." The island's fertile land and seas combined with a mixture of Malay, Chinese (mostly Hokkien with a smaller group of Cantonese and Teochew as well as the Straights-born Chinese known as Peranakans) and Indian cultures holds Penang as Asia's top city voted by CNN and the New York Times for street food for several years now. On top of that, Penang is also one of the safest places in Asia to try street food—the competition among the street vendors is so high that any dip in quality of the food is not tolerated here. During a recent trip to Penang, I rolled up my sleeves and hit the island's most famous hawker centers to find out for myself what all the fuss is about! Char Kuay TeowThe ever fragrant, garlicky and rich Penang Char Kuay Teow holds a special place in the hearts of foodies all over the world. Apart from sourcing the right ingredients and using them in the right ratios, the essence of char kuay teow is in how it's cooked. Wok hei, a smoky quality that translates as the breath of the wok, is essential. To get it, the hawker has to be working the wok with one hand while manipulating the fierce heat of the gas burner with the other, and because the dish is served scalding hot the second it's finished, there's no opportunity to taste and adjust the seasonings. Flat rice noodles together with oil, minced garlic, fresh prawns, soy sauce, bean sprouts, egg, and chives are fried in an iron cast wok to achieve the smoky aroma. The last ingredient is the cockles. The big plate of mouth-watering char kuay teow costs between $2 and $3. Asam LaksaIt was the Asam Laksa that launched Penang into stardom in the world of food. Ranked 7th in CNN's "World's 50 Most Delicious Foods" 2011 list. It is the only noodle dish in Penang to have a fish-based broth, which is made from pouched, boned mackerels stewed with lemongrass, chillies, and asam (tamarind). The rich broth is served with thick rice noodles, finely chopped ginger flower bud, sliced onions, cucumber, lettuce, red chillies, mint leaves, and prawn paste (har kao). The price for a bowl of heavenly laksa starts from $1.50. Hokkien MeeA bowl of comfort Hokkien meal in Penang is eaten for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. This dish of yellow noodles and rice vermicelli drenched in a think and spicy broth made of both prawn and pork is served with a garnish of water spinach and crunchy bean sprouts. It is usually finished off with a few slices of lean pork, boiled egg, prawns, and a sprinkle of fragrant fried shallots. To add more flavor, a spoonful of fried chilli paste is served along with it. This dish usually costs around $1.50. Nasi KandarThis famous meal originates from Penang. It is rice served with a host of curries, meat, vegetables and other side dishes. What sets the dish apart is the variety of curries. My recommendation for beginners would be to order "kari campur," which means a combination of various curries. The curries range from chicken, fish, beef, prawn, lamb, and many more. The price range is from $1.50 to $3. Chee Cheong FunThis famous dish is made of rice flour that is steamed and rolled up to about 10 cm long, hand-sliced, and served with a mixture of chilli paste, shrimp paste, a reddish sweet sauce, and sprinkled with roasted sesame seeds. The shrimp paste creates a slightly spicy taste. A plate of chee cheong fun costs about $0.60. Roti CanaiThe Roti Cenai is soft, buttery, and fluffy on the inside but crispy on the outside, very much like Danish pastry. The dough goes through an intense process of kneading before it is tossed and spun in the air until it becomes a very thin sheet. It is then fried on a hot iron skillet with lots of oil until the outer layers become golden. It is normally served with dhal, lentil stew, chicken curry, or anchovy sambal. Price starts from $0.60. CendolI must admit, I was not keen on trying cendol at first. The green, chewy noodle-like condiment made from rice flour and local herb "pandan" (which makes it green), palm sugar syrup, finely shaved ice, red beans and fresh coconut milk just seemed to be too much going on for one thing. But never judge by the first impressions, it turned out to be a very refreshing tropical delicacy, which is great in the heat Penang seems to always be in. One bowl of cendol costs about $0.60. Let's not forget the crispy seafood poh piah, super spicy curry mee, springy noodle wan tan mee, the signature mee goreng, the crispy and sweet peanut pancake, refreshing and sweet ice kacang and so many more mouth-watering dishes. Here is a short directory on where you can find these delicacies: Red Garden Cafe Food Court: north Jalan Penang; open 4:30 p.m. to 1 a.m. Joo Hooi Cafe: 475 Jalan Penang; open noon to 5 p.m. Gurney Drive Esplanade: Persiaran Gurney; food served after 6 p.m. CF Food Court: 49-F Pengkalan Weld; open from 6 p.m. With so much food to try it's hard to feel like I've even skimmed the surface here in just one visit. Penang establishes the benchmarks and resets your perspective on just how good hawker food can be. And I cannot wait to go back.

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5 Snacks To Try In Singapore

This article was written by Sia Ling Xin, who travels and writes about it for Asiarooms.com, a blog and online community focused on travelling in Asia. You can also find her on Twitter. It is undeniable that Singapore is known for great food. For all the talk about how the city-state is sterile, expensive, and without flavour, naysayers have to concede that this tiny Southeast Asian country, known as the Little Red Dot for its placing on the world map, is chockfull of strange and wonderful tastes. The dishes here may not be as famous as Thai food and not as intricate as Japanese cuisine, but they pack a certain punch those who have tried them won't forget in a hurry. The third in a series of what to eat in Singapore, here is a list of popular tea-time snacks under $3. If traipsing around under the hot sun is making you crave an afternoon pick-me-up, go ahead and order up one of these goodies, available at most hawker centers or coffee shops. Epok epok (for the sinful eater)Pronounced: ae-poke  ae-pokeBudget: $0.70 to $1.50Commonly known as a curry puff, this traditional Malay snack is spicy, heaty, and addictive. Some call it the Asian version of a Calzone. Curried potatoes, onions, chopped chilli, hard boiled eggs, and chicken are enclosed within a deep-fried pastry of made of flour, salt, and butter. The result is a crispy, greasy, and extremely satisfying snack that even young kids (with a taste for spice and adventure) love. A popular variation is the sardine puff, where canned sardines are used instead of chicken. Most stalls sell both types. To differentiate, look out for a coloured dot on the pastry—red indicates curry and green, sardine. Putu Mayam (for those who like it sweet)Pronounced: Poo-too Mai-yumBudget: $1.50 to $2.50Those with an affinity for clean, simple foods will enjoy this. Rice flour mixed with coconut milk is made into vermicelli-like noodles that are steamed with pandan leaves for additional aroma. It is then served in palm-sized portions, with freshly grated coconut and date palm sugar. The plain taste of the steamed flour is a perfect accompaniment to the crunchy coconut and sugar. The sweetness level can be personalized as the coconut and sugar are served separately from the main item. It is a simple dish that everyone from the young to the old can enjoy. Chee Cheong Fan (for those who love variety)Pronounced: Chee Chi-ong FunBudget: $1 to $1.60There are endless variations of this dimsum snack, but the basic version is made of corn, tapioca, and rice flour. These flours are steamed, rolled into thin tubes, and have a thick, sweet gravy poured over it. Some places also serve it with prawns, char-siew (a sweet barbequed meat), scallions, fried onions, sesame oil and chilli sauce. It is a very light, easy-going dish that makes a great breakfast item, midday munchie, or late night summer snack. If you find a stall that serves it with different toppings, try all of them, for they taste very different and you may feel neutral about one but love another. Steamed bun (for vegetarians and more)Pronounced: BaoBudget: $0.80 to $1.80Same as with the Chee Cheong Fan, there are many types of steamed buns. The usual suspects: char siew bao (a sweet, charred pork filling), da bao (which means big bun, and filled with pork, cabbage, egg, scallions), lian rong bao (a sweet lotus paste), dou sha bao (red bean paste, similar to the Japanese azuki bean but in a jam form). Vegetarians can ask for the zhai-bao, usually filled with a delicious mish-mash of local vegetables cooked to a stew-like consistency. Depending on if you want a sweet or savoury snack, just a tiny bite (usually the sweet buns are smaller) or have a rip-roaring appetite (go for the big bun), a well-stocked bao stall will be able to cater to your every whim. Mi Chaim Kueh (for the pancake lovers)Pronounced: Me Jee-arm Ku-ae or mee-ann jee-ann kowBudget: $1 to $2.50Imagine a super-thick and gummy pancake, filled with crunchy crushed peanuts and topped with another layer of the uber-chewy pancake—that's what this snack is like. Instead of just a limp, flour-y mix, the pancake is moist and slightly yeasty. A well-made pancake has lots of little holes for air, and a crispy, slightly charred exterior. Insist that yours is made fresh upon order, or run the risk of it tasting flat and cardboard-like. Nowadays, new-fangled flavours like chocolate, blueberry and kaya (coconut jam) are available, but always try the original crushed peanut filling first.

Inspiration

A Train Lovers' Guide To Thailand

I was one of a dozen westerners waiting for the Chiang Mai midnight sleeper, along with 500 uniformed school kids noisily waiting for their train. Their frantic teachers invented amusements like group charades and spelling contests, but still most of the kids wandered around looking for trouble. A dozen 13-year-olds blocked my path. Their bold leader, a chubby pony-tailed girl, demanded to know where I come from. They all giggled and elbowed each other chattering hysterically in Thai after I told them I was from Canada. A fellow passenger, a British woman said (loudly over the din), "These kids were already here when I arrived at 7:30." She looked peevishly at her wristwatch. It was 10 p.m. I had been told Thai rail is usually reliable, so this was not a good sign. I went in search of the station master who spoke just enough English to tell me the entire system was backed-up due to a landslide in the highlands up north, but, "Not to worry all trains still arriving, just a little slow." Two hours later the kids' train to Pai came and went, leaving the platform strangely silent. The midnight train arrived at 1:45 a.m. with my bunk bed ready for me. The car's air conditioning was working—too well. After an attendant gave me a second blanket, I slept soundly, lulled by the swaying of the car and the clacking rhythm of the tracks. I awoke an hour before we reached Chiang Mai. At the end of the corridor several sinks were ready for the passengers' morning ablutions. When I returned to my bunk the rail company's slogan "Service Mind" was demonstrated as an attendant worked with remarkable speed, efficiently converting my bunk bed into a comfortable seat and table. For about $20 (600 baht), I had a Second Class sleeper ticket, but the service was First Class. My berth was aboard a reasonably modern car, pulled by a clean diesel/electric engine. My rail journey had begun at Ubon in Thailand's northeast. At Ayutthuya near Bangkok I had transferred to the night train to the last stop on the Northern Line. Thailand's rail system was launched in 1890, named the Royal State Railways of Siam. The first line was the 71-kilometer span from Bangkok to Ayutthuya. Today it's called State Railways of Thailand, has over 4,000-kilometers of track, and carries 50 million people annually. Here's what you need to know. TICKETSFirst Class tickets are available on most long distance routes. These compartments are air conditioned and include private two-passenger sleeper rooms complete with wash basins (but shared bathrooms). Second Class sleepers have convertible bunks in a dorm arrangement. Privacy is maintained with curtains for each bed. Third Class tickets sometimes have upholstered seats, though on most lines, only wooden benches. There are no sleeping accommodations in Third Class, and no air conditioning, though many trains have fans. POPULAR LINESThere are four principle lines of track in Thailand. The Eastern Line connects Bangkok to Vientiane, Laos, and a second train ends at Nai Mueang near the borders of Laos and Cambodia. The Northern Line starts in Bangkok and terminates in Chiang Mai, near the border of Burma. The North-Eastern Railway ends on the Laotian border at Nong Khai. The Southern Line links Bangkok to Malaysia. This route connects many towns near some of Thailand's most popular beach resorts and terminates at the Sungai Kolok Station on the border. In the past, this train went all to the way into Kuala Lumpur. The line now runs down the Malay Peninsula's eastern shore along the Gulf of Thailand. INTERESTING ROUTESTrue train aficionados shouldn't miss The Death Railway (Thailand-Burma Railway), built by Asian and Allied prisoners of war of the occupying Japanese forces during WWII. Thousands of prisoners died from the brutal forced labor. Along the route is the famous Bridge on the River Kwai, immortalized by the eponymous 1957 film starring Alec Guinness. The Death Railway originates at Thorburi Station in Bangkok and terminates at Lang Suan, no longer reaching Burma. For luxury rail fans, the Eastern and Oriental Express runs through Thailand into Malaysia ending in Singapore. This article was written on behalf of Tucan Travel. Born in The Hague, Andrew Kolasinski arrived in Canada as a small child riding in the luggage rack of a DC-7. Since then he has felt at home anywhere. As the publisher and editor of Island Angler, Andrew spends half the year fishing for salmon and trout, and in the off-season, traveling the world looking for a story.