Art & Soul tours
2012 Tours
Art & Soul
Tours 2012 : Chiapas and & the Yucatan
SAVE THE DATE! February 3 - 13, 2012
Join us for an exciting mix of ART, CULTURE and LOTS of FUN!!!
Deb (NOMAD) and Julia (The Eyes Gallery) are putting together another
life-enriching tour.
See the sights, meet the artisans (both youthful & seasoned experts),
and experience Mexico through the eyes of Deb and Julia.
Get involved with "hands on" arts and crafts, visit artists/collectors in their homes and studios, taste the regional culinary delicacies, shop mercados, escape the harsh New England winter, and much, much more!
Put this on your calendar, it will be a great experience you won't want
to miss!!!
Email us for tour price and itinerary!
$500 will hold your space and it's fully refundable till the end of November.
Give us a head count, spaces are limited.
email us at: nomadcambridge@mac.com
call us at Nomad : 617-497-6677
call us at Eyes Gallery : 215-925-0193
2011 Tours
Mountains, Maya, & Magical Hands: Art & Soul Tour of Guatemala
February 7-16th, 2011
In February of this past year, we traveled as a small group of 10 to the magical land of Guatemala - a country who's natural beauty and powerful cultural and social identity made this destination an exciting combination of cultural insight, artisanal demonstrations, and welcome participation in regional fiestas and religious demonstrations.
Guatemala has suffered several decades of political turmoil and civil war and was focused primarily in Guatemala's highland area, known as the Ixil Triangle. Many native people were caught in the cross-fire and their village life & livelihood ruined. So when we planned our visit to Guatemala, we made sure to include stops to this highland area. We were invited to visit the re-emerging fair-trade artisan co-operatives of this rural area in Guatamala and felt privileged to be some of the first tourists to return and tour the lush highlands of this beautiful land.
We visited numerous small villages on our tour - places off the beaten path that are not usually amenable to tourists - and were left mesmerized by the sights, sounds, and tastes of this incredible land. But mostly we were touched by the people of Guatemala - their strength in adversity, their vitality and their talents.
The focus of our tours is always the cultural and artisanal bounty of the countries we visit. We love to immerse ourselves in the folk art, the textiles, the jewelry, the pottery, and all the output of the artists and artisans in these countries. Guatemala did not disappoint us in any respect - their rich artistic output was equaled only by their generosity of spirit and their unique way of life, which preserves the rich cultural legacy of this magical land.
Art & Soul of Turkey Tour
May 8th-18th, 2011
For years traveling to Turkey was put aside because of my focus on other parts of the
world...mainly Mexico, India, and Morocco.
Turkey is a destination that many friends have visited and have returned exhalting
praises of all things Turkish.
Well, this past year we organized a tour and traveling in a small yet stellar group, we
had THE most wonderful experience and are thinking about a return tour for 2013.
Seeing as I didn't know my way around...I enlisted Elizabeth Hewitt, fellow textile buddy
and now ex pat, living in Istanbul, to help me find the right people to lead us.
Elizabeth owns a marvelous gallery, TULU, chock full of textiles, artifacts and wondrous
things that she has unearthed in her ramblings thru Turkey, Central Asia, and India.
Her shop is awesomely curated with hand block- printed quilts and Ikat yardage that she
has designed, as well as whimsical curios and home goods that Elizabeth finds on her
travels to India.
Her husband Hussein is a textile expert and collector who has a gallery in Konya where
he has 5 floors of antique carpets, artifacts, textiles and jewelry.
Between the two of them they have collected just about everything worth having in the
entire country... AND we were priviledged to be hosted by them in their homes as well
as their shops.
WOW! We got a real insider's look at this amazing culture...and we learned sooo much!
Our guide Mehmet is probably the most knowledgeable guide in Turkey when it comes
to history and culture both past and present.
He was also a fiend for getting out early and into the museums, mosques, and major
sights before the lines started to form...one could spend half a day waiting to get into
major sights...but not our little grupo!
We zipped from one amazing place to the next, getting the full story from Mehmet....and
STILL had time to SHOP!
Let's face it, we all love the history and anthropology, but can't resist a beautiful Turkish
scarf when we see one! and yes...you bet! we bought a lot!
The other aspect of Turkish culture that we were all eager to learn about was the
Cuisine! YUM!
My friend Anna Sortun, from Oleanna in Cambridge, MA gave us some good restaurant
tips which of course turned out to be right on... and we also were under the tutalege of
Leah Mortenson, ex pat Canadian, foodie and Turkish culture vulture who provided the
culinary and shopping component of the tour.
I have to say ...we covered a lot of ground... from the amazing markets and cooking
classes in Istanbul to the fairy castles and cave hotel in Cappadocia to the ancient city
of Konya, where we visited Rumi's tomb, saw the whirling dirvishes, learned the art of
felt making, and found some amazing antiques, we all had a spectacular time!
Past Tours
January 30th - February 8th, 2009. Graphics to Grandeur Tour - Mexico. Mexico City/Queretaro/Patzcuaro
Join Deb and Julia for an in depth, fun-filled, unique travel experience!
This year we begin our journey in Mexico City's revived "Centro Historico", where we'll see everything from prehispanic to postmodern including the wildly popular luchadors.
From here we head northwest to stay in the heart of the colonial city of Queretaro, the crossroads and once the Capital of Mexico. Moving further west, we'll visit the enchanting lakeside town of Patzcuaro, a vital arts and crafts center.
Our tour will culminate at the luxurious spa "El Santuario" located in the mountain village, Valle de Bravo. Folk to fine art, private collections, home and studio visits, museums, good food and great shopping is what we are all about.
Graphics to Grandeur Tour, Mexico, 2009, Itinerary - PDF
March 6 - March 18, 2008. Art & Soul of Peru
Starting out in Lima, we'll wind our way up through the Andes from Arequipa to Puno, then explore one of the wonders of the world - the sacred valley of Cusco and Machu Picchu. You'll be astounded at Peru's vast and compelling traditions and history. The pre- and post-colonial architecture will amaze you, the indigenous way of life will humble you, and all of our friends eagerly awaiting our arrival will make you feel most welcome. There are still a few spaces left… don't miss out!
January 24 - February 3, 2008. Art & Soul of Mexico - "Oaxaca Needs Us Tour"
Still suffering from the fall-out of last year's political unrest, Oaxaca has not rebounded, even though daily life has long been restored to its normal hustle and bustle. Collaborating with our Mexican friends who are fine artists, folk artists, curators, chefs, and innkeepers, we have planned a marvelous, fun-filled tour. Traveling from Puebla to Puerto Escondido, this will be an enriching and memorable experience!
February 14 - March 6, 2005. Art & Soul India
Brilliantly colorful, culturally and historically compelling, India is one of the world's great travel destinations. Drawing from our combined travel experience and fascination with India, Julia and I invite you to come along on our dream trip that we've carefully handcrafted with all of you in mind. We'll see it all - from the most humble to the most luxurious. The trip is designed around our passion and interest for folk art, textiles, architecture and history. We'll cover a lot of ground in the 18 days. This is a rigorous, action-packed trip. Be prepared for a lot of walking and physical activity!
We will be traveling from India's capital city Delhi, to Buhj, Ahmenabad, Jaipur and then north to Nek Chand's Rock Garden in Chandigargh. We'll see all the classic sights such as the Taj Mahal, ancient forts, palaces, museums,and temples. Then, in Deb & Julia style, we'll take you to small craft villages and workshops, and off-the-beaten-path markets where you'll get to meet the artisans and see first hand the marvelous variety of folk art, embroidery, handmade paper, and all the craft traditions this country has to offer. We have also lined up some wonderful people - experts in their field who will guide us and share their knowledge.
We'll be staying in India's Heritage hotels (formerly palaces of the Raj's) - complete with all the beauty and grandeur of times past, but newly renovated to accommodate our modern needs. We'll dine on delicious and healthy food in the best restaurants, and together we will take in the truly magical and wondrous splendor of this fascinating country. We invite you to participate in our daily planned activities and events, or you can take time to relax in our luxurious hotels and explore on your own.