I fell in love with Jeju Island without ever stepping foot on it. My Korean-American wife and I became addicted to a K-drama called Our Blues. Instead of the usual tales about the machinations of wealthy Seoul families or one particularly famous show about various deadly games with squids, Our Blues features decidedly working-class, semi-rural characters who spend half their time onscreen cursing each other out, if not outright resorting to fisticuffs. All this strife is set against a beguiling backdrop of an island brimming with abalone and dormant volcanoes. As someone who has visited Seoul on several occasions and who appreciates Korean food and culture more than almost any other in the world, I felt Jeju exercising a mysterious, nearly mythical pull on me. I had to go.
South Dakota’s Annual Buffalo Roundup Grows Into An Epic Event
02.11.2023 - 15:27 / forbes.com
On a crispy late-September morning under blue skies, the grassy hills of Custer State Park are surely the last place you’d ever expect to find thousands of fans screaming and hollering for their favorite team, whether members be of the bipedal or four-legged sort. With dozens of cowboys and cowgirls herding some 1,400-1,500 grunting and bellowing bison through the verdant terrain and into corrals, South Dakota’s annual Buffalo Roundup has become a huge and thrilling spectator event.
It’s a well-known tale by now of how millions upon millions of the greatest land mammal in our hemisphere roamed for millennia over the Canadian Prairies and U.S. Plains states and beyond, until the Bison bison had been slaughtered for hides and sport and to further decimate the Lakota and other Indian populations whose lives revolved around the hunt. Thankfully, from a low of around a thousand by the late 19th century, the majestic ungulates were brought back from the brink of imminent extinction to number half a million today.
Following vaccinations and checkups, several hundred individuals will be selected from the Roundup to be sold at auction this month in order to keep the herd at a manageable grazing size, and to help build new herds elsewhere.
Normally, buffalo roam the whole 71,000-acres of Custer State Park. But just before Roundup, they are squeezed into a 640-acre zone. Plenty of fans—and there was a record 22,590 of them this year—sleep in their car the night before or begin arriving at 4 a.m. to grab a spot in either the northern or southern viewing areas; all that, even though the show doesn’t kick off until 9:30 a.m. and lasts two hours at most.
Such is its popularity of the Roundup that for their live stream South Dakota Public Broadcasting sets up half a dozen cameras in various hilly sectors, like a TV crew prepared to catch every angle of NFL action. You can watch the delightful play-by-play of their anchors sharing anecdotal tidbits on the SDPB website.
The whole morning is actually quite choreographed—that is, to the extent that one can predict wild animals. In addition to rangers, there are more than a hundred volunteers ensuring a smooth event. Some sixty riders, who had to apply to be selected, include regulars and newcomers, each with their own look and style. You’ll see plenty of glorious mustaches and facial hair and more than a few cowgirl pink touches to some chaps. And not to mention some gorgeous horses.
Riders are divided into red and white teams who fully communicate over the air, just as sports coaching staffs do in the big game. But first, a few veteran administrators give the riders “pre-game” reminders at the corral about making sure that your cinch is tight, that you watch out when a
Goa vs Kerala: which South Indian state should travelers pick?
Planning a subcontinental winter holiday? Read on as two writers make the case for their preferred South Indian state.
Tea, a Train and an Epic Sunrise at a Summer Retreat of the Raj
Ever since I was a little girl I’d dreamed of going to Darjeeling. My imagination was captivated by this town nestled in the foothills of the Himalayas in the Indian state of West Bengal. Surrounded by lush, terraced tea gardens that extend across rolling hills, with the majestic snow-capped mountains behind them, Darjeeling is one of India’s most stunning hill stations, known as the Queen of the Mountains.
Dubai Airshow, Day 2: Latest Roundup of Aircraft Orders
On the second day of the Dubai Airshow, it got quieter than opening day. Day 1 brought more than 200 aircraft orders, and a steady stream continued to be announced. They mostly went to Boeing again.
Google Partners with South Africa to Fix Unfair Search Results
Google teamed up with South Africa’s tourism department Monday to boost travel marketing efforts after a government inquiry concluded in July that Google’s practices impede competition.
Trevor Noah launches Charm Offensive in FAQ Ad about South Africa
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Deadwood, South Dakota Takes Its Historical Preservation Seriously
As revivals of quintessential Old West towns go, that of Deadwoood, South Dakota has been as robust as they get, with the Black Hills star buzzing with activity today. Some of what attracts 2.5 million visitors a year surely comes through the recent popularity of a period TV series, but the important key is that city leaders several decades ago decided to rescue a rich architectural heritage from decline.
The Newly Renovated Deadwood Mountain Grand Hotel Honors A Mining Past
The Homestake Slime Plant in Deadwood, South Dakota might not sound like the kind of place nearby which you’d like to lay your head for a few nights. Indeed, back when the gold processing site was erected in 1906 and up until it was decommissioned in the 1970s, it would have been an unwise proposition.
Editor’s Letter: Celebrating Our Long-Anticipated Return to Asia
Like so many travelers, my family spent the first couple of years of the pandemic dreaming of visiting a place that was very far away and had become very, very inaccessible to visitors. In our case, it was South Korea, where my wife was born. We'd last visited in 2015, when our daughter was learning to walk and our son, as I've often joked since, was with us but we didn't know it yet. We promised the family there that we'd be back within five years, but COVID-19 intervened.
Thailand's 'Meaningful Relationship' Campaign Romanticizes Tourism
The Tourism Authority of Thailand unveiled a new marketing campaign “Meaningful Relationship” at the World Travel Market event in London on Monday.
3 reasons why my dad has enjoyed living in Florida for 36 years after being born and raised in Ohio — take a look
My father had a straightforward answer for why he moved 1,000 miles south to Florida from his hometown of Dayton, Ohio.
Condé Nast Traveler's Sixth Annual Points of View Summit Tackled AI, Brand Loyalty, and More
In a fitting consensus for the first Condé Nast Traveler Points of View summit to be held in-person since 2019, travel editors and specialists alike came away with a relieving, reinvigorating declaration: that we are so back. It’s a grand “we,” one that encompasses the travel industry at large—those in attendance in our offices and online as well as everyone in the wider industry is basking in the knowledge that business is booming. But that does not mean it is time to get complacent—there is always work to be done to improve, to implement thoughtful changes that will better not only travelers, but the places they visit.