Travel Blog
Travel Song of the Day: ‘Me Gustas Tu’ by Manu Chao
by Jim Benning | 08.27.09 | 1:16 PM ET
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Yahoo! Buzz‘The Island of California’ and Other Ancient Maps
by Eva Holland | 08.27.09 | 12:19 PM ET
Check out this roundup of unusual historical maps from Free.edu. I can’t decide which I like best: the ones with familiar places rendered unrecognizable, like the misnamed 17th-century “Modern and Completely Correct Map of the Entire World,” or the 1886 “Map of Venice”—which, to my eye, seems virtually identical to the handouts at the tourist office there today. (Via Kottke)
Photo We Love: Tomatina Warrior in Spain
by World Hum | 08.27.09 | 11:30 AM ET
REUTERS/Heino Kalis One happy man flashes a smile yesterday at the annual La Tomatina Festival in Buñol, Spain.
Travel Movie Watch: ‘2012’
by Eva Holland | 08.27.09 | 10:43 AM ET
I caught the trailer for “2012” on the big screen last night, and let me tell you, I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many global landmarks and tourist must-sees being smashed to bits in one three-minute clip. Go ahead, try to count ’em up:
Gives new meaning to “1,000 Places to See Before You Die,” doesn’t it? The flick hits theaters in November.
The Best British Beaches
by Eva Holland | 08.26.09 | 4:52 PM ET
I know, I know: Most folks don’t head to the U.K. for their sand ‘n’ surf fix—but this list of 50 great British beaches just might leave you tempted. I can vouch for several of the picks in Cornwall and Northumberland.
London to Edinburgh in 2:16
by Eva Holland | 08.26.09 | 4:15 PM ET
That would be the journey time—down from 4.5 hours—if a new high-speed rail plan goes ahead in Britain. The possible line is just one of several high-speed rail proposals we’ve been keeping tabs on.
Photo We Love: Cubana Con Cigarro
by World Hum | 08.26.09 | 3:29 PM ET
REUTERS/Desmond Boylan A street entertainer in Havana yesterday.
Travel Song of the Day: ‘Stratford-On-Guy’ by Liz Phair
by Michael Yessis | 08.26.09 | 2:32 PM ET
The Big Picture Goes Airborne
by Michael Yessis | 08.26.09 | 1:42 PM ET
Flying machines get the Big Picture treatment. Stellar presentation, as usual.
Meet the Micronations (Again)
by Eva Holland | 08.26.09 | 12:50 PM ET
It’s been three years since Lonely Planet released a guide to the world’s “micronations”—tiny, self-defined territories, often unrecognized by anyone but their own citizens. Now, Smithsonian takes another look at a few of the micronations and the reasons they’ve been created—which range from tourism gimmicks to political statements to plain old teenage boredom. It’s a fun read. (Via Boing Boing)
Chiapas: An Economist Correspondent’s Diary
by Michael Yessis | 08.26.09 | 11:36 AM ET
Its focus is Zapatistas and coffee. Mostly coffee.
Hands Off That Seatback Pocket
by Eva Holland | 08.26.09 | 10:47 AM ET
Here’s another twist in the increasingly weird air travel experience: The Federal Aviation Administration has apparently banned passengers from placing personal items in the seatback pockets—and most of the major airlines are just as confused as we are. Joe Sharkey has the story.
10 Great American Road Trip Books
by Eva Holland | 08.26.09 | 9:43 AM ET
When you’re through with Paul Theroux’s excellent Smithsonian essay about his first cross-country drive, be sure to check out the accompanying roundup of great American road trip reads. Several of our top 30 travel books make an appearance.
Is Ikea ‘The Disney World of China’?
by Eva Holland | 08.25.09 | 5:03 PM ET
Gawker is inexplicably bemused by an L.A. Times article about the Beijing Ikea, where—apparently this is a shock—locals go “just to hang out.” What, New Yorkers don’t like to lounge on the dining room sets with no intentions of buying? And here I thought that was something people worldwide could agree on.
Beirut: It’s Hot Again!
by Eva Holland | 08.25.09 | 4:16 PM ET
What do Snoop Dogg, Paris Hilton and the members of Keane have in common? According to Global Post, they’re among the celebrities who’ve popped up in Beirut this summer, part of the city’s resurgence as “the party and cultural headquarters of the Middle East” after three years of violence and turmoil. And, happily for the Lebanese economy, the tourists are following in Snoop Dogg’s footsteps—in record numbers.
