Welcome to the 1st of October and the latest edition of our Carnival of Cities.

I’m thrilled to report that blogs from several major travel magazines have been hanging around the Carnival, munching cotton candy and offering up words of wisdom. 

Last week, the fine folks at National Geographic Traveler magazine’s Intelligent Travel blog hosted the Carnival, and today we have posts from the Budget Travel magazine blog “This Just In” and one of the Condé Nast Traveler blogs, the “Perrin Post.”

Welcome to everyone, and let’s get started….

**  Cities in the Americas  **

Seattle, Washington, USA   Mary Jo Manzanares says that when it’s time to get away from it all near Seattle, you should veer off onto Route 11, Chuckanut Drive;  “This is a beautiful drive all year round.”   She blogs all about those Pacific Northwest vistas at The Seattle Traveler. 

Houston, Texas, USA   Ruth Mitchell found an incredible arts center that kind of makes you want to visit Houston.  Yes, Houston….and Fort Worth is even better for fine art. Ruth blogs at Buy Outside the Box. 

Orlando, Florida, USA   Some call Epcot a “Walt Disney World for grownups” because of its World Showcase of national pavilions, science-related exhibits and events like the Food and Wine Festival (running now through November 11, 2007.) Sean O’Neill and Anthony Falcone reflect on Epcot at 25 years at the Budget Travel magazine blog This Just In. 

Washington, DC, USA   Jon Rochetti presents Monument Monday - Lincoln Memorial posted at his blog The DC Traveler, saying, “One of the nation’s greatest American presidents was Abraham Lincoln, and the Lincoln Memorial is a “must see” in Washington, DC.”

Athens, Georgia, USA   No, the other Athens, the one with R.E.M., the Indigo Girls and those Love-Shackin’ B-52s.  Darlene Berkel says you can kick back at a former stagecoach stop and enjoy the grandeur of the Grand Oaks Manor Bed and Breakfast, posted at her blog Everyone Loves To Travel.  She says it’s an “ideal place to stay.”

**  Cities in Europe  **

Stockholm, Sweden   Even the Hairy Swede has picked up one of those blue reusable IKEA shopping bags, part of living in Stockholm, rated the Most Livable City in the World.  He’s pretty psyched about landing in paradise, which he blogs about at A Swedish American in Sweden. “WOOOOO!!!”  I think that’s Swedish for “WOOOOO!!!

Milan, Italy   Carnival regular Jul is an American based in Zurich, but currently traveling in Italy. As usual, she has great photos, this time taken on top of the duomo in Milan.  Check out the one of her cherubic head!  Jul writes and takes beautiful pictures at This non-American Life. 

Oslo, Norway   Kristie blogs at Norway - An American In Oslo, and gives us some tips on transportation passes to help with getting around in Oslo, which is a pretty expensive city. (I have to horn in here and confess, I’m a huge fan of travel to Norway myself.)

**  Cities in Asia, Australia and New Zealand  ** 

Yangon/Rangoon, Myanmar/Burma   Consumer travel expert Wendy Perrin wonders, can you trust State Department advisories? as she gives us an update on the explosive political and travel situation in Myanmar/Burma and its capital city Yangon/Rangoon.  Wendy blogs at The Perrin Post. 

Beijing, China   You want cheap watch? Mao’s Red Book?  Traveler tenforty fights off the touts and does some shopping and eating in Beijing, posted at the blog ten-forty.

Auckland, New Zealand   Doris Chua starts out in the city of Auckland and gives us some travel details, then she and her family range further afield on the North Island.  Doris blogs at Life..Passion..Travel & More….

Tokyo, Japan   Sheila Scarborough goes in search of that incredibly realistic-looking plastic food that you see in the windows of Japanese restaurants.  She finds it in Tokyo on the plastic fantastic boulevard called Kappabashi Dori, near the Asakusa section of the city.  Sheila writes at the Perceptive Travel Blog. 

That concludes this edition, and thanks for visiting.

We are still looking for hosts for upcoming editions of the Carnival of Cities; if you’re interested, there’s carnival info here.

To submit a blog post to the next Carnival edition, use our carnival submission form.  Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

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