Travel Off The Cuff First Class News

Are you being green washed by the travel industry?

Mark W — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 21:26:54 +0100

From B&Bs to Boeing, everyone is jumping on the environmental bandwagon, but how can we be sure that what they promise is what they deliver? Tom Robbins reports
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Train Discounts in Sweden

Mark W — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 21:26:14 +0100

While Sweden might be sparsely populated, it covers quite a large area, and the costs of domestic travel deter many visitors from exploring the interior of the country. True, travel in Sweden is not cheap, and can hardly be called "budget". Yet for those willing to do some searching, affordable options do exist. And today, I'll do the searching for you.
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First Stop in the New World - Mexico City, the Capital of the 21st Century

Mark W — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 07:15:19 +0100

A bumper crop of travelogues and anthologies about Mexico have been appeared in the last few years: Tony Cohan's "Mexican Days"; C. M. Mayo's "Mexico: A Traveler's Literary Companion"; Maria Finn Dominguez's "Mexico in Mind"; and Rubén Gallo's "The Mexico City Reader. " David Lida's low-life tour of Mexico City, its sex clubs as well as its food stalls, not only belongs on this list, it shoots to the top.
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The Eiffel tower turns blue

Mark W — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 07:15:09 +0100

To celebrate France's rotating presidency of the European Union (EU), the Eifel tower is glowing blue. Additionally, twelve stars are mounted on the northwest face of the tower to look like the EU flag. From the Trocadero Gardens and The Pallais de Chaillot, you can get a square view of the spectacle, which is where the above picture was taken.
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Spanking Each Other's Lederhosen Shiny

Mark W — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 21:35:50 +0100

After a few months of denial when it comes to the impact of our weak dollar on travel, I have to admit that I'm finding fewer Americans on the road. And at many sights that were notorious for crowds and delays, visitors no longer have to be as concerned about how to get in without a long wait. As I update my guidebooks, I find myself deleting related tricks and warnings (such as recommending booking tickets to Mad Ludwig's castles in advance). Part of the reason is fewer crowds.
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10 euro Spanish Saver rooms Â« Europe a la Carte Blog

karenbryan — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 21:35:29 +0100

Yes there are rooms available for August at only 10 euros per night, if you book at least 21 days in advance.
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Boys and Castles

Mark W — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 16:27:46 +0100

I was in Hohenschwangau. It was "Mad" King Ludwig's dad's castle - Ludwig's boyhood home. The walls were all painted in 1835 by a single artist, giving the place a Tolkien romance fantasy feel. Ludwig became king as a boy. And rather than live with the frustrations of a modern constitution and feisty parliament reigning him in, he spent is years lost in romantic literature and operas. . . chilling with Wagner as only a gay young king could.
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Off the Brochure Travel Guide: Reykjavik, Iceland

Mark W — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 16:23:55 +0100

Don't be fooled by the country's name. Not only are Reykjavik's winters milder than New York's, but its popularity as a destination is growing, due to its fine balance between cosmopolitan style and rough-and-tumble nature.
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A two-wheeled tour of Brittany

Mark W — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 16:23:43 +0100

Brittany is to French cycling what Bordeaux is to wine. While its coastline welcomes hordes of tourists each summer, its interior offers idyllic routes through delightful countryside away from the seasonal crowds. The region is also home to more winners of the Tour de France than any other part of France, and that's why we're here: to ride the route of the first stage of this year's Tour, which starts tomorrow.
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Tour the Tour de France with Street View

Mark W — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 12:09:44 +0100

Today marks the beginning of one of my favorite summer events: the Tour de France. I'm always amazed when I hear about the long, steep climbs through mountains or the blistering speeds of the cyclists as they pass through the French countryside.
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Staycation: NYC's Top Ten Must-Sees for Locals

Mark W — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 12:09:35 +0100

Rather than going on a costly vacation, I'm sticking around a while and taking in the best NYC has to offer. The staycation is easy to do in a place like NYC. Here even old haunts can be seen with fresh eyes-and new places are constantly waiting to be discovered. Of course, going on a staycation in Manhattan can be costly; luckily it's summertime and lots can be had for free.
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Staycation: Atlanta's Top Ten Must-Sees for Locals

Mark W — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 12:09:20 +0100

When I travel to other cities, I dork out with the travel books, marking all the must-see spots so I don't miss anything. Yet it has taken me a dozen years living in Atlanta to work my way through this city's list of hot spots. I think this is true for a lot of us; we are too busy to really see our own cities.
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Why Travel Is The Most Patriotic Act You Can Do

Mark W — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 10:11:03 +0100

Today is July 4. Time to reflect on independence. Freedom. Patriotism. What it means to be an American. In a sense, the country I call my homeland was founded upon the cherished value that the right to travel should be protected.
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Prague's Upscale Pubs

Mark W — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 10:10:48 +0100

As soon as the waiter put the dish in front of me -- succulent, falling-off-the-bone pork ribs resting on a slanted slab of metal to showcase their meaty goodness -- I thought something was wrong. And when he placed a plus-size bowl of halusky (a creamy sheep-cheese-laden Slovak version of gnocchi) before my dining companion, I knew something was wrong. After all, this was a Czech pub. The food wasn't supposed to be this good.
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Foodie Finds: the 4 best places to eat in Derbyshire, UK

Jessie V — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 21:58:36 +0100

4 great places to eat in Derbyshire, UK - unique and inexpensive
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Druskininkai, Lithuania

karenbryan — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 21:58:24 +0100

Don't make the mistake of thinking that all towns in the former Eatern bloc are drab and ugly. Druskininkai is a charming spa town in Lithuania
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10 Volunteer Opportunities For Free Travel

Mark W — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 16:15:50 +0100

The chance to give something back, an opportunity to share your skills and knowledge, to meet other travellers or simply to meet the locals... There are many reasons to volunteer while you're travelling and there are literally thousands of charities and organisations that look for help from passing travellers.
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Top 10 Reasons Staycations Are a Lousy Idea

Mark W — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 16:15:40 +0100

I don't wear rose-colored glasses, but I bet I'm not the only one who's irritated by the proliferation of the term "staycation" on blogs and in the mainstream media. Defined loosely as "vacationing at or close to home," staycation advocates say that there are plenty of activities that can substitute for a vacation within a much closer driving distance -- most of the time, your proverbial backyard -- and which will therefore be cheaper.
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How to get the best foreign currency deals when buying travel money

Mark W — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 10:55:11 +0100

Buying foreign currency can be an expensive exercise in fees and pitfalls, says Ed Ewing. But there are ways to make your money go further
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How to Check Out European Apartments Before You Check In

Mark W — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 10:54:57 +0100

With the Euro now above $1.50, there are far more reasons than mere coziness to start looking away from hotels and towards apartments in Europe. Savvy travelers have settled in empty apartments across the pond for years seeking to get under the skin of the cities they're visiting, but nowadays it's the value that should draw you.
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living on the edge: 2 stunningly scary clifftop communities

Mark W — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 10:54:23 +0100

Photos from communities where it takes a strong constitution to live.
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Mull of Kintyre Music Festival

Jessie V — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 23:10:24 +0100

Interview with Iain Johnston, Event Manager of the Mull of Kintyre Music Festival in Mull, Scotland. Music galore!
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Why Can't We Get Away?

karenbryan — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 23:10:07 +0100

Very interesting article about why we travel and what we expect to get from it.
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The Trek Against Trash

Mark W — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 22:17:37 +0100

For the past three months, Jordan Price and Carlie Roberts have been hiking along the Appalachian Trail on a "Trek Against Trash" to raise $150,000 toward Keep America Beautiful's efforts. As if the hike wasn't enough, Jordan and Carlie have been picking up garbage along the trail the entire time and stopping to work on local cleanup efforts in cities along the route.
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Foodie Finds: The 5 Best Places to Eat in Toronto | WanderingEducators.com

Jessie V — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 22:17:27 +0100

Foodie Finds is an occasional column of great restaurant recommendations, from around the world. Here are 5 best places to eat in Toronto!
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10 Ways to Raise an Intercultural Child | WanderingEducators.com

Jessie V — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 15:31:47 +0100

A topic close to my heart - raising an intercultural child is more than just traveling with her - expand her global horizons in more ways than one.
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8 Aesthetically Awesome Abandoned Movie Theaters

Mark W — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 15:31:21 +0100

Everything in this world has a shelf life and movie theaters are no exception to this rule. It seems like every major city in the world has its own fair share of these abandoned theaters which were once popular weekend hangouts for people of all ages and are now just ghostly memories of the past.
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Moscow's giant awakening

karenbryan — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 13:41:19 +0100

Is Moscow a contender to become the next hot destination?
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Monastery Stays: A Unique Accommodation Choice in Italy | WanderingEducator

Jessie V — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 13:37:44 +0100

Interview with John Clayton, Director of Monastery Stays, in Italy. He tells us all about the unique (and inexpensive) accommodations available at historic monasteries and convents throughout Italy.
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Staycations: Arguments For and Against

Mark W — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 11:26:24 +0100

I am not one to argue against heading out of town for a trip away, for an escape from the cares of home life. I do it plenty of times a year myself. But I also acknowledge that, unlike Rod, not all of us are jet-set company chairmen who can afford to take off on a whim. Airline travel is dreary at best, downright aggravating at worst. Gas prices are skyrocketing, and have you been in weekend Bay Area traffic lately?
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