My 7 links: The top stories in Downtown Traveler’s first 8 months

By
Guest Writer
– July 9, 2011Posted in: Best of, Bloggers

It’s our eight month blog-versary!

I’ve been getting nostalgic since the “7 Links” blogger craze  reminded me of this mini-milestone. One of our favorite bloggers, Mark of Migrationology, tapped us to participate in the “My 7 Links” blogger challenge. It’s a simple concept, started by TripBase:

“bloggers publish 7 links from their blog to share lessons learned and create a bank of long but not forgotten blog posts that deserve to see the light of day again.”

Read on for Downtown Traveler’s most memorable posts (so far). If you have any suggestions for future stories, please leave a comment below!

Our Top 7 Posts

Girls running past the ruins in Jerash Jordan

Schoolgirls skipping through the ancient ruins in Jerash, Jordan.

1)    My Most Beautiful Post:

A warm welcome in the ancient city of Jerash (photos)

Visiting Jerash, Jordan was a magical experience; we were surrounded by giggling schoolchildren who burst into song and dance. I thought my photos of the ancient ruins (snapped on a Cannon G11) came out well.

2)    My Most Popular Post:

London’s top 5 emerging art galleries (photos)

This comes as a surprise, since Laura Mannering’s guest post was published just a week ago. Thanks to Stumble Upon, it generated nearly 2,000 page views in one day. For more local tips, check out Laura’s World Out There blog.

3)    My Most Controversial Post:

The value of blogger press trips: Interview with Jordan Tourism Board’s Nayef Al-Fayez

The vast majority of comments on this post were positive, but one reader took the tourism board to task for their “propaganda.” He left several scathing comments, including a 716-word critique that is longer than most blog posts.

NYC tourists in Central Park

Tour guide Jeffrey Tanenhaus shared tips for avoiding the crowds in New York City.

4)    My Most Helpful Post:

Top 5 tips for visiting New York City (from a Manhattan tour guide)

New York can be a daunting travel destination, with its 8 million residents and long list of attractions. Guest writer Jeffrey Tanenhaus (@EssentialNYC) shared his tips for avoiding tourist traps.

5)    A Post Whose Success Surprised Me:

Music videos: Brooklyn bands inspired by street art, coloring books and iPhones

This was one of our very first posts and was our best-read until a few months ago. It didn’t receive many comments and, at least initially, didn’t get a lot of Google Traffic. Its success is entirely due to Stumble Upon.

6)    A Post I Feel didn’t get the Attention it Deserved:

Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens: Fine art or hoarding? (photos)

I was floored by this budding tourist attraction in Philly. A man spent decades converting his home and courtyard into mosaic art. This was one of my first stories, and I hadn’t mastered the layout yet!

TBEX 2011 Vancouver Bloggers_2

TBEX '12 had amazing parties, like this "Men of TBEX" soiree (with TripFilm's Kelley Ferro).

7)    The Post that I am Most Proud of:

The Blogger Society Page: TBEX 2011 Edition (photos)

I had fun writing this TBEX post; it brought back memories of being the high school yearbook editor and working on the “Senior Mosts.”

Nominations

The next step of the “7 Links” challenge is to nominate other bloggers to share their top stories. The best-known blogs have already been mentioned, so I’m taking a different tack. I am nominating bloggers who have contributed great stories to Downtown Traveler. Make sure to check out their sites!

1. Billie and Steve of Santa Fe Travelers
2. Ted of Traveling Ted TV
3. Mei Yee from I Am The Witch
4. Laura of World Out There
5. Mark Keith of Anagram of a Gazing Eye

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About Guest Writer

This guest post was written by a Downtown Traveler contributor. If you are interested in writing for us, visit the "contacts" page.

12 Comments

  1. Reply
    Traveling Ted
    Posted July 9, 2011 at 6:41 PM

    My favorite post was all the beautiful ladies from the New York Travel Adventure Show, but this post has a picture of you with Kelley Ferro, so this one is pretty good too 🙂

    • Reply
      Leslie Koch
      Posted July 11, 2011 at 8:43 AM

      Hehe. Travel bloggers sure are an attractive bunch 🙂

      • Reply
        Traveling Ted
        Posted July 14, 2011 at 12:39 AM

        Somehow I missed the invitation when I read this the first time. I think the picture distracted me. I finally got around to doing mine. Thanks for the nomination.

  2. Reply
    iamthewitch
    Posted July 10, 2011 at 9:42 PM

    Wonderful post Leslie!! Thanks for nominating me!! Certainly looks like a fun post to write 😉 *rubs hands*

    • Reply
      Leslie Koch
      Posted July 11, 2011 at 5:17 PM

      It’s fun going down memory lane! can’t wait to read your post 🙂

  3. Reply
    santafetraveler
    Posted July 11, 2011 at 12:42 AM

    We did it, too and you’re mentioned in it. It was fun to put the post together. Loved reading yours. You can view the remembrance of blogs past on Santa Fe Travelers at:
    http://t.co/IlLBjpq

    • Reply
      Leslie Koch
      Posted July 11, 2011 at 5:18 PM

      Isn’t “7 Links” a fun project? Plus it’s great for TripBase… they now have links on a hundred sites. Smart move.

  4. Reply
    Christy @ Ordinary Traveler
    Posted July 11, 2011 at 11:15 AM

    I liked your TBEX 2011 post too. It was going to comment that it reminded me of high school, but I didn’t want to offend anyone who might see it as a put down. Now I find out you were the year book editor in high school! That must have been a fun job in HS.

    • Reply
      Leslie Koch
      Posted July 11, 2011 at 5:01 PM

      I loved being yearbook editor! It was one of my first experiences in an editorial position– I had lots of power (and responsibility).

  5. Reply
    Bicultural Mama
    Posted July 11, 2011 at 2:40 PM

    Can’t believe it’s been 8 months already. Feels longer because you’ve done so much. Thanks for sharing your learning. StumbleUpon seems to really work if your article can catch on somehow!

    • Reply
      Leslie Koch
      Posted July 11, 2011 at 5:00 PM

      Definitely! Stumble’s success is unpredictable. I’m never sure which article will take off; so far, seems like emerging/indie art stories do well. Thanks for supporting us in our first 8 months 🙂

  6. Reply
    Ciki
    Posted July 20, 2011 at 7:18 PM

    Lovely! Great posts.. and thx for sharing the oldies but goodies.. will look into them:)

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