Sean’s been fortunate enough to travel to more than 25% of the world. Nothing helps understand the human condition more than immersing yourself in various cultures. Here’s a few excerpts from “A Looney View”, his travel blog.
A Looney View #5: Iceland
When we exited the plane in Iceland, we walked right onto the runway. It was dark, windy, cold and snowing sideways. There was a very tall woman that worked for IcelandAir who welcomed us by shouting into the howling wind, “This is Iceland!”...welcome to the land of the Vikings. There’s a joke in Iceland that says if you ever get lost, just stand up. The Vikings cut down all the trees centuries ago so you can see for miles. I can’t say I blame them—they needed to survive. The reality is Icelanders have tamed the elements and thrived. They have an artistic culture, strong aesthetic, a real understanding of how to promote their country’s natural beauty. Also, Reykjavik is a charming, cosmopolitan city that knows how to ring in the New Year. I took away a lot of great memories from this trip and reinforced my belief that with mettle and perseverance a group of people can accomplish anything.
A Looney View #4: Switzerland
At the outbreak of WWII the entire nation of Switzerland was fully mobilized for invasion in just 3 days. Their strategy was to cede the cities and fight from the Alps. Fortunately, a full scale invasion never materialized preserving beautiful hamlets like St. Moritz. We recently went skiing there followed by visits to Lake Como and some family in Lake Lugano. At dinner one night we marveled at their ability to transition between English, German, French and Italian seamlessly. They didn’t realize they were speaking Frenglish or Germalian – it was second nature. However social media evolves, these hybrid people culturally have a distinct advantage to adapt woven into their DNA.
A Looney View #3: Tulum
For our latest mini-adventure we biked to Coba’, home of Nohoch Mul, the largest temple pyramid in the Yucatan Peninsula. To get there you must bike for miles on beautiful narrow paths in the jungle, then suddenly, bam, there it is, piercing the green canopy. Nothing is more exciting than a grand reveal. Coba grew to 50,000 people, but was abandoned and nearly forgotten for nearly 400 years. Even the grandest schemes can all but disappear without constant maintenance.
A Looney View #2: Ecuador
We rec’d a lot of feedback on team Looney’s recent summit of Gros Piton. Turns out they’ve traveled to every continent and more than 25% of the countries in the world. So we’ve decided to have them share something small they’ve learned in each country when the mood strikes. We’re going to call it “A Looney View”.
Here’s Looney View #2 – This time last year we traveled to a friend¹s wedding in Cuenca, Ecuador. They were married in a beautiful mountain retreat about 9,000 feet above sea level. The bride and groom and all the people at the wedding were equally breathtaking. They taught us that black tea helps acclimate to the elevation. That and buckets of whiskey. After the wedding, we hit several Galapagos islands via small boats. We were amazed that the wildlife really had no fear of man. You could get very close to grand tortugas, blue-footed boobies and my kids swam with seals. The government has done an excellent job protecting this natural treasure. So has the marketing team-from what I can tell they really haven't properly crystallized the allure of this beautiful country yet. Normally, I¹d want to pitch a brand that¹s falling short, but I hope this wonderful place stays a secret for our return visit.
A Looney View: Gros Piton
We’re back from vacation well-rested and rejuvenated. Hiking Gros Piton with my son further proved that lean and mean is far more efficient than big and bulky.
