At last, the weather is warming up, and Spring is in full swing!

So it’s perfect that today’s carnival entries include plenty of vacation ideas, including a new spin on the very idea of what a vacation can be. Perhaps even more importantly, some of today’s entries reflect on the concept of “home” itself.

If you’ve submitted to the BTBC in the past, you may have noticed that BlogCarnival.com was down for the past few weeks. If you meant to submit but couldn’t because of the outage, please submit a quality piece to be considered for the next BTBC which will be coming in May, which I think be an especially big one.

The Best of BTBC #11

If you’re new to blog carnivals, they’re one of the best ways to discover awesome new content you never would have discovered otherwise. And each time I publish a BTBC, I love to highlight three articles that really stick with me, ones you shouldn’t miss. This time I’d like to highlight:

1. An Evening Out in Monmarte and Pigalle Paris by Shanna Schultz is an interesting glimpse into Paris’ Red District, including some great safety tips. Interestingly, she describes it as “a place where one could straddle the line between normal and risque…like you could dip your toes into the dark pool that is the sultry seductive pool of Paris’ other side.” Definitely an interesting read.
2. How I Went From Teaching High School To Traveling Around North America… by Tathata is a disarmingly honest and raw tale about how a great adventure, letting a man named Adi go (a different Adi, not me), and an auto shop led one writer to a completely new understanding of what “pain” and “beauty” really are.
3. Only in Norway: Some lessons I’ve learned from living up here by Andy Higgs is a fun examination of the many quirks and wonders of what its like to live in Norway. According to the article, even though not everyone has a cabin and a boat to zip about in (as the rumors say), everyone can get up to a year of maternity leave. Yes, a year. And on a completely unrelated note, the Norwegian brown cheese apparently does grow on you. (Not literally, though!)

A Reminder & A Win-Win-Win

And before I forget, if one of your articles is in this month’s edition, I’d really appreciate it if you could retweet, stumble, and “Like” this carnival on Facebook. Remember, spreading the word multiplies the reach of this blog carnival which in turn helps more people discover your article and grows your site. (And if you aren’t yet a submitter, find out how you too can join in farther down.)

Thanks again for submitting to the BTBC. By doing so, you reach many people, many of which have never even seen your site before, so it’s a real win-win-win situation.

So, without further ado, let’s explore the wonders of Norway, Paris’ Red Light District, the surprises of Ottawa, the picturesque streets of Lisbon, and beyond…

Travel Destinations

Shanna Schultz presents:
An Adult Evening Out in Monmarte and Pigalle Paris (Paris’ Red Light District) posted at There and Back Again, saying,

“Our evening out in Monmarte and Pigalle Paris (Paris’ Red Light District) as well as some great ideas to help you plan your visit.”

Theresa Torres presents:
Top 7 Eco Friendly Travel Destinations posted at Lodging World (site down), saying,

“If you’re planning to travel and prefer somewhere closer to nature, here are 7 great destinations for you to enjoy the natural environment and local culture.”

Travel Photography

Sarah presents:
Lisbon Romance posted at Natsumi.

Travel Stories

Tathata presents:
How I Went From Teaching High School To Traveling Around North America To Returning Home To Work In An Autoshop posted at That Which Really Is, saying,

“In 2010, I left my job and promising career, got rid of most of my belongings, left my city, and took to the road to work with horses on ranches around the US and Canada. I aimed to learn everything I could about horses, and ended up learning a lot more about myself.”

Anwar presents:
Gunpowder Plot Day posted at Beyond My Front Door, saying,

“The history of the Gunpowder plot, how the day has changed, and my experience of it when I traveled to the UK in November.”

Andy Higgs presents:
Only in Norway… Some lessons I’ve learned from living up here posted at Grown-up Travel Guide.

Travel Tips

Hayley Picchini presents:
Volunteer Vacations – Give, Enjoy, and Rejuvenate All At Once posted at Classy Not Pricey, saying,

“Information on alternative travel opportunities that include a component of giving back and volunteerism.”

Hayley Picchini presents:
From Romania to Israel to Paris – Traveling for free with miles, points, and other tricks posted at Classy Not Pricey, saying,

“Key tips for earning points & miles to travel (at the international level) for free.”

Anwar presents:
Five Fun things to do in Ottawa in the Winter posted at Beyond My Front Door, saying,

“Tips on what to do in Ottawa during the long cold winters as seen from my trip there in the winter of 2012.”

Theresa Torres presents:
Traveling Without Breaking Your Bank Account posted at Digital Photo Buzz, saying,

“There are plenty of ways we can save on our travels. Here are some suggestions on how we can enjoy ourselves without breaking the bank.”

Care to grow your blog’s audience?

If you write well (and you’ve written something that relates to travel), and you haven’t submitted to the BTBC before, can I ask you a question? What are you waiting for? Blog Carnivals are an amazing and free way to get more exposure to your work, so you’d be silly not to take advantage of this opportunity.

I know this from firsthand experience because blog carnivals have been helpful in spreading the word about Byteful Travel. So if you’re a writer, and you’ve written something that relates to travel, submit a piece you’re proud of to the next BTBC by going to the submission form. Just remember to read the ground rules. (And to see past posts and future hosts, check the blog carnival index.)

Also, if you enjoyed the carnival, you’ll probably enjoy the Byteful Travel Weekly Recap, as well. It automatically collects the best content from writers I’ve hand-picked from around the web (most of which I’ve discovered because they’ve submitted to the BTBC).

Coming up on Byteful Travel:

Soon we explore the wonders of a verdant Japanese Tea Garden in San Francisco, complete with a hidden sea monster. And not long after that, we explore Las Vegas, so be sure to subscribe and stay in touch. And until next time, may your travels enlighten your soul to fresh insights, new connections, and powerful experiences.