Travel Blog
‘Rewilding the West’ for Eco-Tourists
by Joanna Kakissis | 06.11.08 | 11:00 AM ET
The Great Plains may be regarded as something of an “emptied prairie,” at least in my under-appreciated childhood home of North Dakota, but conservationists are transforming the land into an American steppe wonderland for nature lovers, Joshua Kurlantzick writes in The New York Times. The revived prairie is already attracting thousands of tourists keen on prairie wildlife safaris to spot American bison, mountain lions and pronghorn antelope.
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Yahoo! BuzzAxum Obelisk Returns to Ethiopia
by Eva Holland | 06.11.08 | 10:46 AM ET
In an extreme case of touristic vandalism—a very, very extreme case—the 1,700 year-old obelisk had been removed by occupying Italian troops in 1937. According to Agence France-Presse, it will be reassembled throughout the summer.
Are New York’s Skyscrapers Outdated?
by Julia Ross | 06.11.08 | 10:32 AM ET
That’s the argument this Der Spiegel piece makes, pondering the architectural clash of civilizations between East and West. I, for one, can live without a Burj Dubai in the middle of Manhattan.
New (Sort of) Travel Book: ‘Stalin’s Nose’
by Frank Bures | 06.10.08 | 4:04 PM ET
Full title: “Stalin’s Nose: Across the Face of Europe”
Author: Rory MacLean, also the author of “Under the Dragon: A Journey through Burma”
Released: Originally in 1992; reissued today with a new preface by Colin Thubron
Travel genre: Roots travel
Territory covered: Berlin to Moscow
Ethicists Are Ready to Kick Some Derrie-Air
by Elyse Franko | 06.10.08 | 3:47 PM ET
It seems some readers didn’t like being the butt of the Derrie-Air campaign’s joke.
Texas Monthly: ‘The State of Our Barbecue Union is Strong’
by Michael Yessis | 06.10.08 | 12:57 PM ET
Global barbecue threat? Ha! Texans shouldn’t be concerned. Texas Monthly has put together an incredibly comprehensive survey of Texas barbecue joints, many of which are arguably not just the best in Texas but the finest in the world. The top 50 are presented alphabetically by city and on a Google map. Coming in at No. 1: Snow’s BBQ in Lexington. Two places with some of the best barbecue I’ve ever tasted made the top five: Smitty’s and Kreuz Market, both in Lockhart.
Related on World Hum:
* Barbecue Goes Global
* Notes from the Barbecue Trail: From Lockhart, Texas to Lexington, North Carolina
Finding James Bond in Jamaica
by Eva Holland | 06.10.08 | 12:11 PM ET
This year marks the centenary of James Bond creator Ian Fleming’s birth. To celebrate, the Telegraph’s Simon Williams headed to Jamaica to spend some time at Goldeneye, the house where 14 Bond novels were written. The resulting essay includes some thought-provoking speculation about how Bond would have coped with modern air travel (particularly “the smoke-detectors in the loos”), and how the island might have inspired 007’s creator. From the story: “Fleming once said, ‘writing makes you more alive to your surroundings.’ Perhaps that’s why three of his books lead 007 to Jamaica. ... Here, anyway, is where all those characters were born.”
Rufus Wainwright’s Least Favorite City?
by Eva Holland | 06.10.08 | 11:31 AM ET
“Toronto. I can’t stand it—the place drives me mad. I’m allowed to say this because I’m Canadian. ... It’s trying to be the New York of the Midwest.” The singer-songwriter also reveals some of his more positive travel experiences and more in this Q&A with The Observer.
New York City is Top U.S. Destination for Foreign Travelers
by Michael Yessis | 06.10.08 | 10:18 AM ET
Last year was a record one for the Big Apple, with 7.6 million international travelers visiting the city—many, no doubt, taking advantage of bargain prices. According to the Commerce Department figures, Los Angeles (2.7 million visitors) was the second most popular place in the United States for international travelers, followed by Miami (2.3 million), San Francisco (2.3 million), Orlando (2.1 million) and Las Vegas (1.7 million).
Couchsurfing Co-opted to Sell Mobile Phones
by Michael Yessis | 06.10.08 | 9:44 AM ET
Guess it was just a matter of time before mainstream marketers hitched themselves to the buzz and good will of Couchsurfing.
New Travel Book: ‘Mean and Lowly Things’
by Frank Bures | 06.09.08 | 3:35 PM ET
Full title: “Mean and Lowly Things: Snakes, Science, and Survival in the Congo”
Author: Kate Jackson
Released: April 30, 2008
Travel genre: Science travel
Territory covered: Republic of Congo
High-Speed MagLev Train from Disneyland to Las Vegas Gets $45 Million
by Michael Yessis | 06.09.08 | 3:23 PM ET
The money, which was earmarked in the transportation bill President Bush signed Friday, “will pay for environmental studies for the first leg of the project,” reports the AP. Gizmodo wonders if it’s just greenwashing, since $45 million is but a fraction of what it might cost to build a legitimate high-speed MagLev rail line. I think it’s a fine step forward, and likely not the last. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid hails from Nevada, and he’s on the record supporting the project. That’s a powerful ally.
New Essays at Recce
by Jim Benning | 06.09.08 | 1:52 PM ET
Among the highlights: Don George reflects on a trip to Italy and the loss of his father—a touching piece; Catherine Watson describes a journey to Nepal with a friend who was “coming back from the brink of death”; and Simon Winchester discusses his fascination with China.
Derrie-Air: Philly to L.A.? That’ll be $2.25 per pound.
by Elyse Franko | 06.09.08 | 1:43 PM ET
It seems a few Philadelphia advertisers saw reports like this one and decided to put “pay-what-you-weigh” pricing to the test—just for laughs. Friday’s editions of the Philadelphia Inquirer and the Philadelphia Daily News revealed ads for Derrie-Air, a new airline offering ticket prices based on the weight of passengers and their luggage.
Air India Wins Legal Battle With ‘Fat’ Flight Attendants
by Eva Holland | 06.09.08 | 12:56 PM ET
Well, you can add this to our ever-growing list of ways to get thrown off a plane. Delhi’s high court has upheld Air India’s right to ground flight attendants who are deemed, as the BBC put it, “too fat to fly,” concurring that overweight staff could present a health and safety hazard. Of course, this could really be just another revenue rescue effort from a desperate airline—if the rumored pay-by-weight system we recently wrote about was applied to crew salaries, as well, think of the pennies that could be saved.
