Destination: Asia
‘Tibet Reopens to Foreign Tourism’
by Michael Yessis | 06.26.08 | 1:50 PM ET
That’s the headline on the BBC story. The AP goes with China Reopens Tibet to Foreign Tourists. And China Daily goes with a little something extra: Tibet Greets First Foreign Tourists After Riot.
Related on World Hum:
* China Blocks Travel to Ethnic Tibetan Regions
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Yahoo! BuzzChina’s Olympic Mascots: Cute or Cursed?
by Julia Ross | 06.23.08 | 12:31 PM ET
Those adorable Beijing Olympic mascots—known in Mandarin as “fuwa,” or good luck dolls—may not be so lucky after all. Superstitious Chinese say the five cartoon animals are responsible for a string of calamities that has befallen their nation this year. Perhaps this means a discount on mascot-laden souvenirs come August?
Photo by Andrew Currie via Flickr (Creative Commons).
Dining in Beijing? Don’t Order the ‘Chicken Without Sexual Life’
by Jim Benning | 06.19.08 | 10:57 AM ET
Yes, it’s hard to resist. Instead, ask for the “steamed pullet.” Don’t worry, it’s the same dish. Reuters explains.
Related on World Hum:
* Spit-Free Trains in China? Say It Ain’t So.
* Twelve Books to Read Before Traveling to China
Related on TravelChannel.com:
* Andrew Zimmern’s Bizarre Foods Blog: ‘Beijing Baby’
U.S. Navy Tries Hand at ‘Propamanga’
by Julia Ross | 06.19.08 | 10:23 AM ET
The U.S. Navy is appealing to Japan’s otaku to help win hearts and minds. To ease concerns over the arrival of the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS George Washington in Japan this summer, navy officials commissioned a 200-page manga depicting life aboard the ship through the eyes of fictional Japanese-American petty officer Jack O’Hara. See a PDF here.
Is China Boycotting Travel to France?
by Michael Yessis | 06.18.08 | 12:27 PM ET
The AP reports a plunge in Chinese travelers to France, apparently in retaliation for, among other things, support for Tibet among the French and demonstrations against the Olympic torch relay in Paris. The French Foreign Ministry said Chinese officials have told travel agents to stop selling trips to France. China’s Tourism Bureau apparently wouldn’t comment, but several travel agents reportedly told AP they “had heard about—if not received—the verbal order” to not sell trips to France.
Related on World Hum:
* Travel to China Down in 2008
* China Blocks Travel to Ethnic Tibetan Regions
Lizards and Jackals Storm Runway in New Delhi
by Michael Yessis | 06.18.08 | 10:23 AM ET
The animals were looking for refuge from monsoon rains, and they found it on the runway at Indira Gandhi International Airport yesterday. For a while, at least.
Top Five Forbidden Vacations for Americans
by Julia Ross | 06.18.08 | 10:07 AM ET
Fancy a retreat at North Korea’s Mount Kumgang Zen monastery? A leisurely tour of the ruins at Persepolis (pictured)? Dream on. Foreign Policy has a tongue-in-cheek look at five alluring destinations off-limits to Americans.
At Mumbai’s ‘Hunger Cafes,’ Drive-By Charity for the Poor
by Joanna Kakissis | 06.17.08 | 5:01 PM ET
If you go to the outskirts of the Indian megalopolis, home to the shacks that house the poorest of restaurants, you may see benevolence dispensed in “a quintessentially Mumbai way.” A fascinating New York Times article explores the culture of “hunger cafes,” where starving men wait for commuters to roll down their windows and donate a few rupees for a 25-cent lunch of curried gruel and rice.
Wheeler: You Shouldn’t Always Mind Government Travel Advisories
by Elyse Franko | 06.17.08 | 4:47 PM ET
Lonely Planet founder Tony Wheeler says Iran, North Korea and other countries that appear on government travel advisories are worth the almost-guaranteed hassles. “There are plenty of reasons they’re worth the extra effort, and, furthermore, they’re generally far less risky than the rumors, horror stories, and ‘don’t go there’ warnings would have us believe,” he writes in GOOD Magazine’s travel issue.
Travel to China Down in 2008
by Julia Ross | 06.17.08 | 10:31 AM ET
Protests in Tibet. A major earthquake. Tightened visa restrictions. The yuan’s rise against the dollar. Never mind the upcoming Olympics, China tourism is suffering.
Photo by d’n'c via Flickr (Creative Commons).
China, Taiwan Approve Regular Direct Flights
by Jim Benning | 06.13.08 | 12:34 PM ET
Just how historic is the agreement? Reports Reuters: “Apart from special holidays, there have been no regular direct flights since 1949, when China’s defeated Nationalists fled to the island amid civil war with the Communists.”
Logging On
by Jim Benning | 06.12.08 | 5:15 PM ET
Internet access is available almost everywhere. But is that ruining travelers' experiences overseas? Jim Benning reflects on the rise of internet cafes around the globe.
See the full audio slideshow: »
More Than 4,000 Chinese Children Have Been Named ‘Olympic Games’
by Jim Benning | 06.11.08 | 12:55 PM ET
Or, in Chinese, “Aoyun.” Reports the BBC: “It is not uncommon for Chinese children to be given names of common events and popular slogans—such as Defend China, Build the Nation and Space Travel.” Mr. Space Travel—has a nice ring to it.
Angry Esperantists to Protest G-8 Summit in Japan
by Elyse Franko | 06.06.08 | 10:53 AM ET
Speakers of the artificial international language, Esperanto, are expected to descend on Hokkaido, Japan, just in time for the G-8 summit in July. Their beef? Not unfair trade, human-rights violations or war, but the global linguistic dominance of the English language.
Jalalabad’s Sweet Ice Cream Shop
by Joanna Kakissis | 06.03.08 | 11:33 AM ET
You never know when you might find yourself in eastern Afghanistan in need of a little ice cream. Try Pakiza in Jalalabad, which is lit up like a casino. NPR’s Ivan Watson recently sampled the handmade, cardamom-flavored ice cream, which comes plain and topped with a tangle of thick white noodles (an Afghan specialty called jalla). His verdict? “It melts fast, but for a sweet moment offers a much-needed escape from the Jalalabad heat.”
Photo by zoonie via Flickr (Creative Commons).