However there are a few shows that seem to embody what travel is all about, while other shows are more of a vacation exploration and more even still I have yet to figure out why they are on the Travel Channel. Cable, being what it is, I’m sure some of these shows are validated by the ratings they bring in and not for sticking to the main topic of travel. Let us look at the good, the bad and the ugly side of travel as shown on the Travel Channel.

The Good

Anthony Bourdaine’s No Reservations – Who doesn’t like this guy? OK, well a lot of people, I’m sure Emerald would like to BAM! Anthony in the head but for those of us with a sardonic twist of humor, we love his commentary. You could say he is real, but what is really real anymore when the likes of Flavor Flav, dancing Kate (sans 8 ) and Eric Nies are all on the same plane of being famous (or brought back to fame for the former) for being ‘real’?

I digress, from my Bourdain’ish rant, that Anthony Bourdain depicts interactions and experiences that you or I could hope to come across if we simply hopped off the tourist bus and took a look around us to really see and experience the place we are visiting. He seems to get it, that travel is about the sites we see and the experiences we have in some distant land becoming, if only for a moment,  intertwined in the lives and stories of the locals.

Dhani Jones’ Dhani Tackles The Globe – You could chalk this up to a jock merely trying to show off his macho-ness around the globe but there is more to this show. First, on more or less an obvious but shallow scale, he’s Black -  if you watched the episode where he went to Senegal (which is in Africa) you would understand why this has such great importance. The connection to who he is and was forever linked to some far off land of spirits passed came rushing together in something that cannot be explained and I believe changed this man for life.

The world is so diverse and varied yet travel is depicted, dare I say it, white washed, that it is good to see someone different showing us their experiences across the world. Furthermore, Dhani really gets to know and interact with the locals training with them building a bond that reaches far beyond just making a good TV episode and that my friend makes a great TV show.

Zane Lamprey’s Three Sheets – Sure he goes around and gets tanked, yeah I know you don’t like it because, well you want that job. Don’t worry, you and me both in fact you could say this site is a bit Three Sheets-ish and we both share something greater than travel and alcohol combined – MONKEYS! Outside of those three awesome bits is the fact that Zane really gets in deep to explore where the drink comes from, how it is ingrained (hehe liquor – grain….get it….ahem) into their culture and sits down with the locals and lets them show him how it’s done. At the very least, this is a mirrored image of a few hostel goers you have encountered I’m sure of it, love it or hate it alcohol and travel are longtime bedfellows.

The Bad

Andrew Zimmern’s Bizarre Foods -I like Andrew Zimmern, not in a creepy stalker “we’re friends” kind of way but because he is a dork, I mean really dorky which goes hand in hand with travel and travel blogging. You can’t fake that kind of goofiness. Yet, just because I like the guy doesn’t mean I think he represents travel all that well. He is there to gross you out and he does it very well since he likes every rotted fermented blood and bile soaked thing he eats, grossing out even the locals. Andrew Zimmern depicts the other as an undeveloped uncivilized savage in his exploration of travel, that is the barbaric foreigner doesn’t have a working fridge and therefore eats these disgusting concoctions. Though often the locals are looking at him in horror as he eats some rare food that he had to go out of his way in search of for your viewing pleasure. I’m not saying that this is always the case, but the idea of it definitely sends the wrong message about travel, and will more likely deter someone from traveling because they can’t find anything edible in a certain country than inspire them to pack their bags and head out to explore wherever Andrew goes.

Those cultures that do eat such exotic items are merely served up here for entertainment and any historical/cultural significance is lost somewhere between Andrew’s teeth.

Ghost Adventurers – Is this even travel? Even if they are in some new and exciting location all I ever see is the night vision close up of Zak Bagans face in some basement. I’m not sure if this show is supposed to be scary or funny but it doesn’t really hit either. Not only that but they never catch anything except maybe a creaking door in the background and a shadow someone saw move off camera. I’d rather watch the Chow Down Count Down for the millionth time than another episode of this.

Samantha Brown – She used to be fun to watch, now I feel like I’m watching a Sex and the City travel spin off. Maybe it’s not her fault but the producers, either way after 10 years on the Travel Channel her way of traveling has certainly upgraded. If you can afford this lifestyle, sure there is nothing wrong with it, but for the rest of us who actually need to save to travel you won’t find us dropping a few hundred dollars at all the top shopping spots of every place we visit nor staying in a nice single suite hotel. That is unless the ‘S’ fell off the sign and we are staying at a very nice ‘ho tel’.

On the opposite side of things it is nice to see a women travel host, since this seems to be a very male dominated field. However I doubt she provides any real advice for your solo woman traveler, and thus seems to have its good and bad but still lands itself in the bad category. Sorry Sam, I still think you are adorable @(^_^)@

Here is a list of women travelers who you should follow.

The Ugly

Bert The Conqueror – To be honest, I’ve never seen the show and while I’d go out of my way to watch most of the shows in the Good category I can’t speak on the show itself other than it seems to be an attempt to grasp viewers by showing a big furry trembling man whimpering like a toddler. Although now that I say it like that I kind of want to check it out. If all else fails to reason this into the ugly category, simply look at that photo, pure terror is not sexy – but at least the Travel Channel has Samantha Brown.

Man V Food – Adam’s sex appeal can be debated another time because that is not the root of what I’m getting at but the pure gluttony as I become full just watching him chow down a steak 3 times the size of me. I wondered why he only visited restaurants in the  US until I realized that the rest of the world doesn’t boast its belly busters like the US. Throughout the rest of the world you are more likely to see a Kilogram restaurant, where you pay by the weight of your plate, instead of an all you can eat buffet.

Travel means something different to each and ever person depending on so many factors that what you or somebody else experienced before will never be more than a memory or the chasing of past experiences. That in itself could be reason why the Travel Channel doesn’t show real travel, because what is real at the time can never be replicated by anyone else no matter how many times they try to relive the experience they once saw on their TV screen. Yet, what does come across and what really makes people long to explore are the stories and impact that people share in their explorations of far away places to learn a little more about themselves.

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The Travel Channel: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly of TV Travel is a post from: Monkey Brewster

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The Legend of ‘Hop’ Wallop

“So Horace ‘Hop’ Wallop headed west a broken man. For in the city of Blues a Miss LuLu Bell Lager had left him thirty for more. Drawn by wild tales of riches to be had in the gold mines, Hop pressed on westward. His last nickle spent on a prospecting pan Hop’s hunger got the best of him. Two fist fulls of barely and three of some wild and Wayward hops tossed in a pan with some clear water was to be his meal but sleep overcame him and he later awoke to a bubbling cacophonous concoction overjoyed with the beautiful ale he had made, Hop realized the secret of the green gold he had discovered in those fresh hops. Celebrated far and wide Hop Wallop lives on this vivid ale with his words, ‘Hoppyness is Happiness’. Enjoy!”

That is one mouthful of a story to place on a beer bottle! I’m not sure how true the story is but one look at that lovable face of ‘Hop’ and you just can’t help but want to believe it. I believe this may be my first double IPA, now I’m not to sure what the difference between an IPA and a double IPA but I assume it means double to hoppy bitter taste.

This beer didn’t let me down, it has a good strong IPA taste. Was it double what your average IPA is? Well I don’t know, but it sure was hoppy. No not hoppy as in my friend @BouncyMcTigger likes to bounce, hop and skip (it’s really just bouncing, she would best leave the hopping to rabbits). The aftertaste lingers with that rich bitter taste and there isn’t a strong taste of alcohol even though it has 8.5%.

I could picture myself drinking this beer on a regular occurrence, which is why I give this beer 4 out of 5 bananas. Are you an IPA drinker, because if so I’d recommend you picking up a bottle with that lovable guy ‘Hop’ Wallop on it.

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New Brew Tuesday: Victory – Hop Wallop is a post from: Monkey Brewster

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Type: Wine – Concord
Name: Matus Winery – Martin’s American Concord
Price: I got it for free
Made: Wakeman, Ohio
Alc/Vol: 12%

“A sweet red wine made from Concord grapes picked from Uncle Marty’s 50 year old vines.”

This wine was given to me while I was out camping for Memorial Day weekend, while moving between a Pinot Grigio and some Boones Farm – yeah we spare no alcohol on a camping weekend. If you saw the list of beers we were drinking the wine mix wouldn’t surprise you. While chit chatting over our love for alcohol and sampling the drinks for the night I was offered a bottle of Concord wine from Matus Winery. Yes, ladies and gentlemen this is a Monkey Brewster first – a freebie just because I’m a blogging drunken monkey.

Let me start out that no free drink is a bad drink, and in this case after my initial taste test I’d go out and buy some. The scent from this bottle smelled like I had my furry little nose hard pressed to the vine, so fresh I swear I could smell the morning dew from when it was flung, err umm I mean picked.

The taste was so sweet at first that I could feel it in my cheeks, but finished with a nice mild bitter aftertaste. After the initial taste the sweet sour boldness that first hits you fades away to a nice clean taste. I wouldn’t pair this wine with a meal, but maybe a nice desert. While it is sweet I think the bitter finish would pair better with a piece of banana cream pie rather than your steak. I give this wine a 4 out of 5 bananas for a sweet wine, it’s not the best I’ve ever had but it is good. I especially like the locality aspect of it, a small local winery made not far from wear it purchased – goes with the green mentality.

What’s your take on this wine, love it, like it hate it let me know.

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New Brew Tuesday: Martin’s American Concord is a post from: Monkey Brewster

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Type: Beer – Belgian Dark Ale
Name: Rinkuškiai Werewolf
Price: $1.99
Made: Birzai Region Lithuania
Alc/Vol: 8.2%

This big bottle o’ beer knew how to get a drunken monkey’s attention – a big red tag that says, ‘Hey look at me I’m full of alcohol, good and strong not like that sissy crap that might as well be a Zima.’  OK so it actually just says 8.2% alc/vol however on the bottle it does say, “You must be sure you want to taste it.” Which I like because if the she-wolf wasn’t sassy enough that statement makes sure it is.  Truth be told the only thing out of Lithuania that I can name, other than this beer now, is Žydrūnas Ilgauskas who plays for the great Cleveland Cavaliers and I can’t even say his name I just say ‘Z’. Although,this could explain the giant bottle because if the average Lithuanian is 7′ 3″ tall then this wouldn’t seem like that big of a bottle.  So did this beer have me howling at the moon….

Not exactly. I liked the beer and expected a strong bitter taste due to the high alcohol content, but instead it surprised me with a soft sweet taste. The aroma was mild and sweet, which should have tipped me off that this was no malt liquor alcohol stooped broozer of a beer but instead a delicate flavor-full drink. There was only a hint of bitterness to it, with a spicy-hoppy flavor that rested in your throat. The flavor was hard to describe because nothing stuck out in the flavor, which gave me a 180 from what I was expecting.

It has been awhile since I’ve had one, but for some reason I kept thinking of a Sam Adams Winter Lager as something to compare it to. That sweet spiced flavor that was good but more of a specialty beer, not something that I would drink all night. To be honest by the end of the bottle I was done with this beer and ready to move on to a different drink.

I gave this beer a 3 out of 5 bananas, and even then I don’t know where to put it. It’s good but in small doses, full of flavor and spice but not distinctive and it has a high alc/vol but not a strong alcohol taste. I think I was more confused by this beer than anything else which is why it ends up somewhere in the middle. Have you ever tried this beer before, what’s your take on it – love it/hate it let me know and fling me your opinion.

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New Brew Tuesday: Rinkuškiai Werewolf is a post from: Monkey Brewster

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I feel pretty oh so pretty and witty and bright...

Type: Beer – Pilsner
Name: Stiegl Pils
Price: $1.59
Made: Austria
Alc/Vol: ?%

“World Classic Beer – since 1492″

“Imported beer brewed since 1492 by the Stiegl brewery brewed from malt, hops, yeast mountain spring water according to the ‘Purity Law of 1516′”
Now this is a beer that I thoroughly enjoyed the privilege of setting my paws on. I mean when Columbus was off getting lost and discovering inhabited lands by accident Austrians were stumbling onto a real discovery, beer. Golden delicious pilzen beer, sure beer has been around before 1492 but do you know of too many other beers still around from that time? I didn’t think so, which tells me one of two things either the Austrians know how to stick with a good thing that or they’ve been too drunk since then to create anything new.

This beer doesn’t feed you a story of collected from pure mountain spring waters of yadda yadda mountain. No it adheres to the purity law of 1516,  maybe it’s the history geek in me but I think that is pretty friggin cool, but enough about the history and onto the beer.

The beer had a good smooth hoppy flavor, not too strong, but with a good bitter taste with a dry finish. The more I drank this the more I liked it, which says a lot since I though this beer was delicious from first sip. It is simple but delicious, no fluff added to it and none needed either.

While other pilsner beers like Budweiser tastes watered down or Red Stripe has a cheap taste to it, this beer will bring serious beer drinkers to take a second look at where this beer came from. On the other hand, it is sad to see how far pilsner beers have fallen when succumb to commercial marketing, but fret not my thirsty friend for there are those that hold strong to their beliefs.

I dare say that this beer is worthy of the first ever, 5 out of 5 banana rating on New Brew Tuesday, I was leery at first to give out a perfect rating but after so deep personal soul searching and a watering mouth just from talking about this beer I realize it’s the right thing to do. Have you ever had this beer, what was your take did you love it as much as I did or would you not even fling this beer at an enemy?

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New Brew Tuesday: Stiegl Pils is a post from: Monkey Brewster

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Type: Beer – Stout
Name: Ohara’s Irish Stout
Price: $2.50
Made: Ireland
Alc/Vol: 4.3%

In honor of St. Patrick, who was actually Welsh, on his day where we celebrate something about getting rid of snakes and emptying fluids – or was that getting rid of Druids? Anyways the Welsh guy did Catholic stuff to Ireland. (Ten years ago that wouldn’t of sounded perverted) So as far as I know, the little leprechaun kidnapped St. Patrick made him shorten his name because it was too big (thus calling him Patty even though he was a guy) and made him drink green beer.

Anyways enough about him, onto the beer. I figured sure I could go buy a Guinness, Harp or Smithwick’s but everyone knows them already which takes the fun out of it. It’s my duty to showcase something new, fresh and Irish.

O’hara get’s to the point and states its greatness on the front label, “a full bodied and luxuriously smooth stout with a discernible roast bite.” I would have to agree it is a great tasting beer, not as sweet or ‘chocolaty’ like Lion Stout but not as much alcohol either. I would say that this would be a great introduction of a stout beer to non stout drinkers. It’s not overly hoppy or sweet, simply put as the label says it’s, smooth. My biggest qualm would be the lack of alcohol in it, almost that of a light beer, but that would likely take away from the smooth taste. Maybe the ‘discernible bite’ was lost in its smoothness, which is not necessarily bad just some false advertising.In the spirit of St. Patrick’s day I say give this beer a chance instead of going to the typical Irish beers, it’s worthy and if you are going to be doing a day full of drinking maybe it’s good it has a little less alcohol.  I give this beer 3 bananas just like a shamrock – because O’hara’s Stout you rock!

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New Brew Tuesday: Ohara’s Irish Stout is a post from: Monkey Brewster

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Type: Beer

Name: Estrella Damm

Price: $1.99

Made: Barcelona, Spain

Alc/Vol: ?%

So before I tell you how I feel about the beer, let us see what the bottle has to say about itself…

“La Cerveza de Barcelona: Since 1876 when August Kuentzmann Damm arrived from Alsace, Estrella Damm has been brewed as a premium quality beer in Barcelona. Estrella means star in Spanish and its name suggests the brand has become a star to the people of Barcelona. It has evolved with the city reflecting its character – sophisticated and passionate yet at the same time relaxed and welcoming. Estrella Damm is THE BEER OF BARCELONA”

I would say that the little introduction to the beer is cocky, but it really is that damm good. I think the most notable thing is that it leaves a dry taste that washes over your mouth after the initial taste. Which depending on what you like could be a good or bad thing. A couple reasons explaining my liking of this beer are the  facts that the overall taste of the beer provides with a good smooth flavor, and it goes well with a meal.  I would buy a 6 pack of Estrella Damm for a beach lunch with friends. Which of course would make me the star host. (ok I’m sorry about the bad puns)

This isn’t your fancy strong flavored German bier but there is something about it that I like. I dare so bold a move as to give it 4 out of 5 bananas.

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New Brew Tuesday: Estrella Damm is a post from: Monkey Brewster

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Well the other night was my brother Prometheus’ 21st birthday so being the older wiser brother I did what anyone would do – I took the day off and road tripped to see him. I picked up a bucket aptly renamed the puke bucket, pack of Gatorade, Alka Seltzer and some aspirin – experience has taught me these things are needed. The down side to this day of all days was that it was on a Sunday night, not exactly a party night especially when the birthday monkey had a 9:30 class the following morning.

‘Alcoholism!’ you shout, maybe so but you don’t have to say it like it’s a bad thing. In the US this is more than just being allowed to drink this is the mark of adulthood. There are no more age barriers for the rest of your life – except maybe retirement, access to Social Security and a few other old people things but that’s neither here nor there. This is put on your big boy underwear type freedom and let me tell you it doesn’t get any better than that. To be honest I think that the US should lower the legal age and look at alcohol like many other countries do and kids learn to appreciate it at a younger age. Depraving a young teenager the gift of a hangover is just cruel, especially if they break the rules and do get a hangover they have to hide it – doubly cruel. Alas, let me step off my box….

I took my brother out for some wings and beer for dinner, well beer for me the little guy was still 20 at that point and the stingy waitress was no fun. After a coma inducing throw down with chicken wings and potatoe wedges we took a mini power nap – what I said it was coma inducing and the All Star basketball game half time show sucked. Once 11:30 hit we gathered our wits, so we could loose them later, packed in the car and drove downtown to do some bar hopping.

The first bar we had a beer, my brother’s first was an Abita Purple Haze followed by a Jager bomb and a shot of Jose Cuervo. Well I asked for a shot of Jose Cuervo but the bartender fluffed it up a little – I’m fluffy enough I don’t need my drinks to be. To add insult to injury (other than my shot that is) they never carded the little guy – those bastards! So we went off to another bar and got him a fish bowl – no litterally it was a fish bowl filled with purple stuff. Then after a few more bars with their house specialty shots we ended at a laid back pool hall bar for some hot nuts. I know that sounds dirty but it’s a shot, just click the link you dirty human. We finished the night with a round of Dos Equis and let our designated driver (yes we were responsible) take us home.

The whole night my brother boasted “I’m not that drunk” which is true he was doing pretty good but it was still night. To say I was proud is an understatement, the little fur ball didn’t even puke. He did however feel like crap the next day, and returned home after making it though only one class. That my friend is where I left him, asleep on a 4 hour recovery nap before his next class after an intoxicating night on the town with yours truly Cornelius Aesop.

Do you have a good birthday story? Any recommendations for the next time I take him out or a must try drink or shot – during a weekend where wake up time is simply monday-ish? Leave a comment below and if I like it enough I just may make my brother Prometheus succumb to it, with photographic evidence of course.

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The Great American Rite of Passage is a post from: Monkey Brewster

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It’s a wine I know, kind of threw you off with this one. What you don’t think a monkey can have a refined taste to enjoy and critique wine? Typical human, now I really know how that cave man guy feels on those GEICO commercials.

I would say that I was first attracted to the simple eye catching design, but then I would be lying. To be honest the brightly colored sale sign is what first caught my attention, but the label was a close second. I prefer a nice Merlot so this was a different twist on a red wine than what I’m use to. This Cabernet Sauvignon had a sweet almost hard to pin down smell. I only wish the taste was as present as the smell. The overall taste gave off a watered down flavor, almost bland overpowered by the initial taste given off by the smell. I am only giving this wine 1.5 bananas. It wasn’t horrible, but wasn’t great either. Yet for under $5 I can’t be picky. This would not be a wine suited for a refined wine taste but- then again, I’m sure they would scoff at any wine that cost so little. Have you ever tried this or any other Fish Eye wines? Have a comment or your own opinion about this drink, share because I’m clearly no wine expert I just know what I like and this was a solid “meh” and really nothing more. I wouldn’t spit it out but I probably won’t buy this bottle again. Although I do have a different unopened bottle of Fish Eye, hopefully it presents itself better than this one.

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New Brew Tuesday: Fish Eye – Cabernet Sauvignon is a post from: Monkey Brewster

Check out one of these related posts

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Acme California IPA

Type: Beer

Name: Acme – California IPA

Price: $1.99

Made: Fort Bragg, CA

Alc/Vol: 6.5%

First off, let me say any beer with a picture of a pin up girl on it earns at least one banana in my book. This is a good IPA taste but if you aren’t an IPA fan then this isn’t the beer for you. India Pale Ale’s seem to be all-the-rave among craft-beer brewers. This is for good reason because of the true beer taste, it’s has as described by wikipedia, “hoppy, bitter and sometimes malty flavor.”

As for the beer itself, I would highly recommend it as long as Bud Light doesn’t constitute a ‘quality’ beer for you. Not, that Bud Wheat crap isn’t a full flavored beer either. Now as for a California IPA I can’t say how it ranks side by side with a StoneBrew but if I had to go off memory I would say it’s a close match. I am giving this beer a 3.5 out of 5 on the banana scale. What’s your take on this IPA?

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New Brew Tuesday: Acme – California IPA is a post from: Monkey Brewster

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