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The Grand Tour
vodhdb.blogspot.com
24
A film project that recreates a historical journey and profiles the timeless search for self.
#55240 in All , #1 in Documentaries

Film Treatment

Over on my sister site de Büren Family, I have posted a film treatment that surrounds Henri de Büren years after his return to Switzerland, his son and portions of his voyage in 1853 Brazil. Enjoy!

09 may 12

Project Press

Over the past number of years I have been able to get some press for my project, Henri and his Grand Tour of the Americas. I thought it as good a time as any to recap them here. April 2009 – The Nova...

24 apr 12

Trivia Question

"What Neuchâtel botanist and adventurer traveled for two years during the 1850s through North and South America?" Henri de Bürens important voyage has been recognized with a trivia question i...

07 mar 12

Historical Twitter Feed

On NPR the other morning, I heard of someone sharing a famous authors work in 140 character tweets. The name of the author escapes me now, but I though the idea was a good one. Last week I started to...

27 feb 12

Lettre de Penthes

As Henri de Bürens journal and letters get ever closer to publication I am ramping up some PR surrounding the eventual launch. The following is a small article for the newsletter of the Museum of the...

23 jan 12

Boston

Hibiscus Grandiflorus © Library of the Gray Herbarium Last week I made my first trip to Boston for a Swiss consular conference. It was held at Swissnex, a Swiss government mission that fosters c...

04 oct 11

Agricultural Medal

In searching through some old coins I found the following medal. It appears to be a Neuchâtel agricultural medal won by Henri de Büren in 1887. It was won one year before he sold, with a heavy heart,...

15 sep 11

Were they after Gold?

The following article was sent to me by a good friend in Lima. It appeared in the New York Times in 1853. It highlights the search for gold in Peru and focuses on General O’Brien but more importantly...

27 dec 10

Share the Adventure Final Vote

Many months ago I submitted a video entry in the Swiss Army "Share the Adventure" contest describing my desire to retrace my ancestors voyage through the Americas. It was selected for partici...

08 dec 10

Storming of the Police Station

One of the greatest enemies of Henris 1853 expedition across Peru was hunger. 160 years ago it would have been a logistical nightmare to find food and drink for 90 people every day. These people were...

24 oct 10

The Forest Trees of North America

As mentioned in a previous post, Henri de Büren spent time at Harvard with Asa Gray, the preeminent American botanist of the 19th century before. While doing research I came across illustrations mean...

10 oct 10

Save the Museum of the Swiss Abroad

The Museum of the Swiss Abroad in Geneva has been instrumental in my project and helping me bring Henris journey to life.The future of the museum is presently in peril. The Canton of Geneva, the actu...

28 sep 10

Detailed Peruvian Destinations

I found today an extra couple of pages in my great-great-grandfathers papers that detail his every stop in Peru while with the expedition led by Manuel Ijurra and Damian de Schütz.I have copied his l...

11 sep 10

Saratoga Springs

During his two-year journey through the Americas, Henri de Büren lived both opulence and misery. The contrast of being with the upper crust of American society at the beginning of his journey to stru...

09 sep 10

Successful Indiegogo Funding Campaign

I recently turned to Indiegogo crowdsource funding to assist with the remainder of the translation costs for Henri de Bürens journals.I am pleased to say that my friends and family came through with ...

24 aug 10

Roots TV

The trailer for my Grand Tour project is currently being featured on the Roots TV website. A big thanks for showcasing my project.

14 aug 10

Confederate Cousin

The more research I conduct on my great-great-grandfather Henri de Büren and his voyage, the more interesting items I discover. The intersecting paths and connections have become almost comical in a ...

28 jul 10

Artistic Inspiration

Henri de Büren sketched his whole journey through the Americas, but he did not produce art solely during his journey, it was part of his daily life. Most of the artwork from his journey is tragically...

28 jul 10

Hôtel des Neuchâtelois

In one of Henri de Bürens 1853 letters home from Mexico he talks about climbing Popocatépetl. When he reaches the summit he talks about finding warmth and sharing a cordial with the sulfur miners in ...

12 jul 10

Inspired by 180° South

Along the long road to make my movie that retraces the voyage of my great-great-grandfather, Swiss explorer, naturalist and artist Henri de Büren, I have been inspired by many other creative endeavor...

11 jul 10

Translation Funding

Due to unforeseen delays in European funding sources, I am looking for financial assistance with the translation fee for Henris journal of his day-to-day 1853 voyage across Peru and Brazil. If you ar...

30 jun 10

A New Perspective on Henri

In some old family papers I found a small journal which contained transcribed letters from the 19th century. They were addressed to Natalie de Freudenreich, Henris second wife and were written around...

22 jun 10

Time Capsule with Natasha Proietto

My project was highlighted today on Time Capsule, a feature of World Radio Switzerland. A big thanks Natasha Proietto for the exposure. Time Capsule Audio (3.3 MB)

15 jun 10

Asa Grays Botanical Garden

While staying at the home of Louis Agassiz in Boston in 1852 (as mentioned in a previous post) Henri paid a visit to Asa Gray and spent some time with him in his botanical garden. Henri speaks with g...

15 jun 10

Swiss Army Share the Adventure Contest

Last month I recently entered the following video in the Swiss Army Share the Adventure contest. I felt my project would be a good fit for the contest given that my explorer great-great-grandfather w...

11 jun 10

If Henri had travelled with an iPod – Part 1

From the very beginning of this project, I have wondered what music Henri listened to while he traveled and what music he missed from home.I am breaking up my findings into European music he may have...

09 jun 10

Pirarucu

While on the Amazon in 1853, Henri ate a great deal of salted fish. He says the fish was Pirarucu. The Pirarucu is a South American tropical freshwater fish related to the catfish. It is a living fos...

05 jun 10

1950s Lima

While most of my posts revolve around Henri, or his voyage, I found these postcards from my grandparents trip to South America in 1960 and felt they were appropriate. In my film I will be touching up...

05 jun 10

The Amazon at Night

In a beautiful passage from the later part of Henris journal, he describes what it is like to be on the Amazon river at night. I imagine Henri in a long canoe with Indian oarsmen, rowing and singing ...

01 jun 10

Philadelphia Mint

While Henri was in Philadelphia, the most beautiful American city in his opinion, he visited the mint. In a letter home he remarks at how impressed he was by the mints steam machinery and the speed o...

24 may 10

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