Travel media news update for Elaine Lee

Summer//2008

Elaine Lee has been busy figuring out ways to share her love for travel with the world and here's what she has come up with lately:

• Black Enterprise Magazine's May 2008 issue featured a story written by Elaine Lee, about Social Entrepreneurism in Africa. (page 72). It is her first full length feature story for the magazine and it is showcased on the cover and in the table of contents. (Excerpt below)
• New York City's, Uptown Magazine featured an interview with Elaine in its 2008 spring travel edition, page 56. In the article, you will find her advice on travel to Seychelles, Barbados, Bali and Egypt.
• Indianapolis Star Newspaper featured Elaine's travel advice and photos in feature travel stories on February 3 and May 5, 2008.
• Heart and Soul Magazine's December 2007/January 2008 issue featured a story written by Elaine Lee, entitled, “"To Travel is to Dance: An Afternoon Excursion into Beijing's Premier Participatory Performance Art Park". (page 84)
• An article she wrote on climbing a New Zealand Glacier was featured in the October 2007 edition of Odyssey Couleur Travel Magazine. (page 82)
• An article she wrote on "Summer Travel Bargain Tips" was featured in the June 2007 edition of Essence Magazine. (page 104)
• On 6/19/07, she made her debut appearance on San Francisco KGO-TV/Channel 7's "View From the Bay" talk show. Co-Hosts Spencer Christian and Janelle Wang interviewed her about her book, her travels and summer travel budget tips. You can watch the segment by going to by visiting the TV & Radio section of this site.

Below is an excerpt from a story in Black Enterprise May 2008 by Lee.

Elaine visiting the Mayan Ruins at Uxmal, Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico

Wild is the Wind: My 2008 Spring Fling in Mexico

Its springtime again and I am in love.

In love with Progreso Mexico, that is. I am smitten by their friendly people, the pristine beaches, the bountiful fresh seafood and produce as well as the amazing cacophony of winds that whip through the area every day from 4-7pm, wrapping me in its breezes and turning the tranquil glasslike sea into lively, swirling, churning waves.

Progreso is safe, has warm weather, nice roads, an international airport and its cheap...our 4 bedroom/4 bath beachfront villa was only $500 total for the week…not $500 each, $500 total divided by 4 people---do the math! Our gorgeous home came replete with a spunky, loving and cute dog. So you know I was in heaven, frolicking in the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico and intermittedly sitting on the quiet, peaceful, clean beach in my comfy lounge chair with my fresh fruit smoothie, my book, ipod and my dog! Hallelujah, there was no one trying to sell me stuff…actually I rarely even saw anybody even walking on the beach. Turns out that tourists rarely come there in April and October.

I went there to attend a birthday house-warming party of a friend of some friends and it was off the hook. The festivities draped over a 3 day period and included a band, buffet, fresh fruit daiquiris and lots of lively, fun loving, happy, accomplished yet unpretentious folks. The 20 plus members of the fete were mainly from Chicago, Miami, ATL, L.A. and a few locals. Several of them have bought and/or are in the process of buying beachfront property there with the hope of creating a mini black expat colony. While I was there, one couple bought a simple and nice beachfront house 3/b 2/ba - $130,000 and another fellow bought a lot with a shell of home for $60,000, which he will use to build his dream getaway pad.

The main nearby city, Merida has nightly festivals, concert or dance parties. The first time I drove there, I got lost and asked a police officer in my halting Spanish if he could tell me how to get to my destination and he responded in English, “Better yet, I will take you there. Just follow me!”  He hoped on his motorcycle, I pulled behind him in my rental car and off we went on a 5-6 mile romp across town. He did not cut me any slack because I was a foreigner…Imagine me rocking, rolling and winding through the streets trying my best to keep up and keep up I did! It was a bit scary but I was hanging like a wet sheet. I arrived at my destination on time and in one piece…utterly amazed at the kindness and courtesy of the officer and was told later that that is what officers do there…not just keep peace but create goodwill and help people. What a concept! As the days went by, I realized that kindness and friendliness are pretty much the norm there…people go out of their way to help each other.

I even got a chance to take an excursion to Uxmal, one of the many sites of ancient Mayan ruins in that area. Seeing all the vast assortment of pyramids temples reminded me of Egypt.

During the 2007 holidays, I overheard 3 different people at three different times talk about Merida, Mexico; a place I had never heard of before. Several weeks later, a friend of a friend mentioned that he and some friends were going to Merida for a party in April and I asked if I could tag along and he said sure…I figured the universe was guiding me. I am sooo glad I was paying attention! Even though it was a micro vacation, only one week long, I feel as energized, relaxed and rejuvenated, as if I had a 3 week trip.

After visiting 50 countries, I can’t believe I finally traveled to Mexico for the first time and fell in love with our next door neighbor to the south!

“Progreso is a working port town on the Yucatan Peninsula, located in a very quiet and remote area on the Gulf of Mexico. It has a wide, white sand beach with pretty, light green waters. Although an important port town, Progreso has retained the atmosphere and culture of a small Mexican beachside village - this is the “real” Mexico; not a place built up especially for tourists. Progreso has beachside dining, shopping for Mexican handicrafts, restaurants and a small market with loads of fresh fruits and vegetables. There is much to explore in the area. Approximately twenty minutes away is the city of Merida with all its’ history, culture, shopping, fascinating architecture, cathedrals and plazas. Other nearby attractions include the Mayan ruins at Chichen Itza and Uxmal (about a two-hour drive away,) several swimmable cenotes (sinkholes,) pink flamingo sanctuaries and many other interesting colonial towns and villages. "Excerpt from a promo website!!!

Travel is the music of my soul,

Elaine