Travel Blog
Foodies Still Bitter About Tokyo’s Michelin Honors
by Michael Yessis | 09.03.08 | 3:03 PM ET
Yeah, they’re still talking about this like it’s some sort of crime. More than nine months after Michelin debuted its Tokyo guide with 191 stars, foodies are still questioning whether Tokyo is indeed the premier city in the world for food.
Related on World Hum:
* Eating Japanese: The World’s ‘My Boom’ Food
Photo by yomi955, via Flickr (Creative Commons)
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Yahoo! BuzzRevisiting ‘The Amazing Race’
by Michael Yessis | 09.03.08 | 1:58 PM ET
Replays of Season 12 of the perennial Emmy contender debut at 8 ET tonight on the Travel Channel, offering fans another chance to watch the couples speed around the globe from Los Angeles to Anchorage—and us a chance to recycle our epic 2006 IM debate: ‘The Amazing Race’: A Good Travel Show?
R.I.P. Don LaFontaine
by Eva Holland | 09.03.08 | 11:43 AM ET
Don LaFontaine, who did the voice-overs for more than 5,000 Hollywood movie trailers, has died at 68. LaFontaine’s trademark phrase, “In a world where…”, had tempted viewers into vicarious movieland travels for more than 30 years.
Who Needs the London Eye? Photo Series Offers Aerial London Views
by Valerie Conners | 09.03.08 | 11:18 AM ET
No need to pay exorbitant fees to hop aboard the London Eye for stunning views of London-town. As the eyes of the world finally looked past Beijing to take a glance at London—site of the 2012 Summer Olympics—Boston.com published a series of gasp-worthy photos offering a bird’s-eye view of London at night taken by photographer Jason Hawkes.
Stalin Artifacts Survive Russia-Georgia Conflict
by Eva Holland | 09.03.08 | 10:21 AM ET
Talk about taking your work home with you. When things heated up between Russia and Georgia two weeks back, the small town of Gori—best known as Josef Stalin’s birthplace—found itself in the line of fire. The bombing put the contents of the town’s Stalin Museum at risk, but fortunately the museum’s director, Robert Maglakelidze, wasn’t taking any chances: the CBC reports that he loaded his car with the most valuable artifacts before fleeing to Tbilisi.
‘When the Levee Breaks,’ Then and Now
by Eva Holland | 09.03.08 | 10:00 AM ET
New Orleanians are letting out a collective sigh of relief following Hurricane Gustav’s less-destructive-than-expected pass through the area. This time around, thankfully, the levees held—but as Wired reminds us in this look back at the much-covered blues classic When The Levee Breaks, flood anxiety along the Mississippi had been around for decades before Hurricane Katrina, and isn’t going away anytime soon.
Hooters in China: It’s About ‘Moral Righteousness’
by Eva Holland | 09.02.08 | 3:30 PM ET
I’ve always loved noting the subtle differences between the same big-name chain restaurants at home and abroad. According to this McClatchy-Tribune story, though, when Hooters opened in China there was nothing subtle about the changes the chain made. The “American Owl Restaurant,” as it’s apparently known there, has a totally different shtick in Beijing. Said one server: “It’s more sexy in the U.S. Here, it’s more about being healthy, friendly, cute and having moral righteousness.”
Related on World Hum:
* Las Vegas’ Hooters Hotel to go Boutique
Photo of Beijing Hooters by china_puwa via Flickr (Creative Commons)
Thai Government Declares State of Emergency in Bangkok
by Jim Benning | 09.02.08 | 3:05 PM ET
Given the spate of demonstrations and violence, is it safe to travel to Thailand? The Times of London offers its take. Short answer: Yes, but exercise caution. Still, while some nations merely advise their citizens to be careful, others are urging would-be travelers to stay away. World Hum contributor Newley Purnell, who lives in Bangkok, recently posted an audio slideshow with a look at demonstrations there.
Around the World to See How the World Uses Mobile Phones
by Michael Yessis | 09.02.08 | 12:53 PM ET
Some of the interesting tidbits turned up by Cyriac Roeding during a six-week spin around the world to observe mobile phone usage: In South African airports, travelers are offered chances to sign up for sweepstakes via text message. In Nepal, people are wild for ring tones. In India, you can charge your phone at stations along the Ganges River.
Duo in Dubai ‘Sex on Beach’ Case Asks Judge to Let Them Return to Britain
by Michael Yessis | 09.02.08 | 12:23 PM ET
The judge denied the request, setting another hearing for next week. Michelle Palmer and Vince Acors are on trial for, as we previously noted, allegedly having sex on the beach in Dubai. Palmer says she and Acors hugged and kissed, but didn’t have sex, according to the AP. Still, as Barbara Surk writes, “Public display of affection, such as touching, kissing or hugging, is illegal in Dubai and couples—particularly if not married—can be detained by police for indecency.”
Related on World Hum:
* Brits Go on Holiday, Europe Cowers in Fear
The Leaning Tower of Pisa: Only the Third Most Leaning Tower in Europe?
by Michael Yessis | 09.02.08 | 11:47 AM ET
A Dutch mathematician claims a 12th-century building in the Netherlands town of Bedum leans more than the storied Italian attraction, Reuters reports. Big deal, says another authority: Guinness. Last year, it named the world’s true leaning masterpiece: Germany’s Schiefer Turm von Suurhusen. National Geographic News has side-by-side photos.
How Does Sarah Palin Rank in Foreign Travel Experience?*
by Jim Benning | 09.02.08 | 10:52 AM ET
Inquiring traveler minds want to know. Of course, John McCain earned big points in our U.S. Presidential Candidates Travel Scorecard earlier this year. And while we’ve yet to complete a full analysis of his new running mate, initial reports on the Alaska governor are not promising.
A Plea to Take Global Tourism Seriously: ‘It’s Nothing Short of a Planet-Threatening Plague’
by Julia Ross | 09.02.08 | 10:31 AM ET
In a rousing op-ed for the Washington Post, journalist and author Elizabeth Becker issues a plea to American government officials, journalists and travelers: Ignore the impact of global tourism at your peril. With 898 million people traveling the world last year, global tourism has reached a tipping point, she argues—one that has inflicted potentially irreversible damage in places like Angkor Wat and Venice, along with fueling an insidious sex tourism trade in Asia and Eastern Europe.
Airport Security Rife With ‘Watchlist Misidentification Issues’
by Elyse Franko | 09.02.08 | 9:33 AM ET
New York Times columnist Joe Sharkey reports on the complete disorder of government security watchlists. These include the national no-fly list, for those who are “known security threats,” and a secondary list for people whose names match records from police databanks and other security forces. The problem is, if any criminal on record has your name, you could encounter trouble at security checkpoints—and for “security” purposes, you probably won’t be able to get off the list any time soon, even if you’ve proven your own innocence.
World Hum’s Most Read: Aug. 23-29
by World Hum | 08.29.08 | 3:19 PM ET
Our five most popular features and blog posts for the week:
1) Wine Spectator Gives ‘Award of Excellence’ to Fake Restaurant
2) Q&A With Paul Theroux: Invisible Man on a Ghost Train
3) Images From the End of the (New York City Subway) Lines (pictured)
4) ‘Large Underwire Bra’ Triggers Metal Detector, Woman’s Wrath
5) R.I.P. Dave Freeman, Coauthor of ‘100 Things to do Before You Die’
