Calling all inspiring international journalists! National Geographic Glimpse is launching a correspondents program that will enable a few talented writers, videographers, and photographers to contribute to the Glimpse magazine and website while they live or study abroad.
Want to learn more? Here are some easy answers to the big questions (And we know what you're thinking: Yes, you will be paid.)
Apparently we're on the bird-poo beat these days. But I was interested to hear that a municipal ordinance in Venice has outlawed the feeding of pigeons in St. Mark's Square. Could a character of the city nearly as iconic as its canals really be abolished? And more interestingly, should it? The International Herald Tribune explains:
Like other metropolises with a significant pigeon population, including New York and London, Venice has long been concerned with the potential hazards the birds pose to human health, not to mention the damage caused by their guano and taste for marble. Previous efforts to control their numbers—nets, spikes and electronic contraptions to deter perching—have been mostly unsuccessful.
What has made the situation particularly drastic in Venice is the spiraling number of tourists—about 20 million a year by official estimates—which has triggered a whole new law of nature: More tourists equals more birdseed sold and more garbage produced. That equals more pigeons and more damage to the historic buildings in the square, including the delicate mosaics on the façade of St. Mark's Basilica.
As you may have already heard, a few weeks ago the U.S. Department of Transportation revised its passenger compensation rules.
Beginning later this month, passengers who are involuntarily bumped could be compensated up to double what they would have gotten before—a $400 maximum for getting moved to a flight that gets them to their final destination within two hours of their originally scheduled flight (four hours for international flights), and up to $800 for a flight that doesn't arrive within that timeframe.
This new rule also extends the regulation to flights with 30 seats or more (previously, it only applied to flights with more than 60 seats) and allows passengers to opt for cash instead of ticket vouchers.
The DOT's monthly Air Travel Consumer Report keeps records of how many passengers are involuntarily bumped on which airlines—see the October-December 2007 Oversales report (Download bumping_report PDF)—as well as how many passengers voluntarily give up their seat, as MSN reports. For example, during the first quarter of 2007, American Airlines had 22,133 voluntary bumps and 2,213 involuntary bumps. JetBlue (pictured above), by contrast, had zero voluntary bumps and only 19 involuntary bumps during that time.
I happen to be one of the seemingly few lucky travelers (knock on wood) who has never been bumped involuntarily, although whenever the opportunity arises for volunteers I am the first one to give up my seat. The last time I volunteered to get bumped I got $250 and food vouchers to wait 90 minutes for the next flight from Dallas-Fort Worth to Baltimore-Washington. A few weeks later, my mom volunteered to get bumped on a St. Louis-Seattle flight—for $400, food vouchers, and a first-class ticket on a non-stop flight. If passengers get bumped to a flight the following day, many airlines will also offer them a night in a local hotel, transportation to and from the airport included.
A printing company has come up with an alternative to those ubiquitous plastic hotel keys: biodegradable, paperboard keys that guests can recycle after their stay. Green Key bills itself as economical, eco-friendly, and sanitary (you're not getting the same grimy key that's been used by umpteen guests). So far, parent company The Whitehall Group has sold more than a quarter of a million keys to some 50 hotels.
Those plastic keycards we're all used to are made with polyvinyl chloride (PVC), which releases a very toxic chemical called dioxin, and PVC is difficult to recycle, according to Greenpeace. Studies have linked dioxin to health problems and more and more reports are surfacing about its harmful effects. Keep your eyes peeled for the year-old invention, it may just be the key to a greener hotel stay.
Photo: courtesy of Cadmus/The Whitehall Group
Leon Logothetis, the host of the reality show “Amazing Adventures of a Nobody,” which airs internationally on the National Geographic Channel, and on Fox Reality in the States, is at it again. After traipsing through England and the U.S. for less than five dollars a day in his first two seasons, the "Urban Survival Guide" has now set off from Paris to begin his third season, where he will attempt to cross Europe and arrive in Moscow using only his limited resources and the help of strangers. Leon will be sending us dispatches from his travels as he films the season, and IT editor Janelle Nanos spoke with him as he prepared for his journey.
Hi Leon, it sounds like you’ve got a big trip planned. Can you tell us a bit more about how the show works?
It's pretty simple: I will receive five euros a day – that’s for food accommodation and travel. I cannot be given money – people can buy me food, a hotel room, or let me stay with them – they can show generosity. The crew are not allowed to help me, they stay in luxury hotels, drive a Volvo, and they eat whenever they want. There are five lifelines that are held by the director: 20 euros, a train ticket, free food, a tent, and a mystery envelope.
What made you decide that you wanted to embark on such a journey?
I used to work in the city of London in the shipping business, but that wasn’t my scene. Then I watched The Motorcycle Diaries and something clicked inside. I was inspired by what these two guys did. It’s made me want to connect with people. I never wanted to be behind the desk. I wanted to rely on the kindness of strangers and put myself on the same situations these two guys were in.
I can only imagine some of the situations you’ve found yourself in. How did your first trip through England work out?
One of the most memorable moments was when I was in North Wales. I arrived in a town called Banger at 8 p.m., and it was empty. I didn’t have anywhere to spend the night, so I went to the police station and told them, “I don’t have anywhere to stay. Can I sleep in a cell?” They said no [to a cell]. I ended up staying the night on the floor without a bed – no chair, no heating, just the floor. They gave me some old police jackets to lie on. It was one of my lowest moments. I remember asking myself, “Why are you doing this to yourself?”
National Geographic Traveler is always looking to highlight the work of tour companies with strong ties to to their communities. So we were glad to hear that one such company is using its business infrastructure to support disaster relief efforts. Lindsay Thompson, U.S. director of Journeys Within Our Community, sends us a report on aid to cyclone victims in Myanmar:
A week after the devastating cyclone in Myanmar, supplies and relief workers are still being delayed into the country to provide help, support and supplies. Fortunately, organizations like Journeys Within Our Community (JWOC), a non-profit based in the region, are already in the disaster areas, doing targeted, on-the-ground response with its local staff in Yangon. Coordination is underway to aid in providing shelter and provisions for the thousands of families and children in urgent need of help.
With an estimated 100,000 people dead, 41,000 missing, millions homeless, widespread flooding and destruction of homes, the race is on to prevent further death and the spread of disease in southern Myanmar. Critical resources such as food, clean water, basic medicines and mosquito nets are desperately needed as people seek refuge from the floods.
Because of JWOC's already-standing relationship with communities who have been affected by cyclone Negris, our relief workers are dedicating their efforts to finding solutions for local problems, such as at orphanages, schools, shelters, etc., that aren't getting direct help from larger relief efforts.
Donations are being accepted immediately at www.journeyswithinourcommunity.org, all of which (as in 100%) will go to helping those in need on the ground in Myanmar.
Just a few miles from the town of Price in central Utah lies Nine Mile Canyon, home to the greatest concentration of rock art in the United States, according to the Bureau of Land Management. Though there are few facilities, adventurous visitors can drive the 78-mile Nine Mile Canyon Back Country Byway to see the roughly 10,000 petroglyphs and pictographs carved by the Ute and Fremont Indians.
But the images, created at least one thousand years ago, have been endangered in the last several years by dust kicked up by industrial traffic related to the development of natural gas nearby. Recently, a proposal to add 800 more natural gas wells to the project would increase the traffic fourfold and was met with concern by the National Trust, the Nine Mile Canyon Coalition, and other groups. The area has been nominated for the National Register of Historic Places, and the trust created this YouTube video to spread the word about the rock art's plight:
While pursuing natural gas (the cleanest-burning fossil fuel) is a worthy cause, it shouldn't come at the expense of a priceless collection of rock art. Canyon advocates hope that an alternate route can be agreed upon so that the integrity of this beautiful natural monument will be maintained.
Have you visited Nine Mile Canyon? What do you think?
Looking for a deal on a tour? How soon can you leave? Senior editor Norie Quintos, the magazine’s resident tour expert, says, “Now is a good time to find bargains on summer tours because some outfitters still have openings for their May and June departures, which typically are not as popular as departures later in the summer.” We queried outfitters from our Tours of a Lifetime list to see what discounts they had to offer, and here is the best of the lot. And check out Norie's other tips on how to stretch your dollar when booking tours.
CLASSIC TOURS
Check out Deals on Active and Cultural Tours after the jump.
A quick update over the weekend for some shameless self-promotion. Intelligent Travel is promoted today on the Featured Blogs section of Typepad's homepage, and they have some kind words for us:
From the world-famous National Geographic Society - and sharing that organization’s goal to inspire people to care about the planet - comes Intelligent Travel, the blog about “authentic and sustainable travel”. Spotlighting places, people, and practices “on the front lines of sustainable travel” the site highlights special places and their essential uniqueness for future generations...It’s a big planet, but this is one blog that makes it seem like a most comfortable and relaxing place to visit.
Thanks to Typepad for spotlighting our efforts!
The Ellie is the National Magazine Awards version of the Oscar, and last night Editor in Chief Chris Johns picked up three for National Geographic magazine -- more than any other publication. National Geographic magazine (NGM) won the top award, General Excellence, for a publication with over 2,000,000 circulation. It also won the Best Reporting award for Peter Hessler's "China's Instant Cities," in the June 2007 NGM, and the Best Photojournalism award for John Stanmeyer's images in the July 2007 article "Bedlam in the Blood: Malaria."
The "Ellie" awards, presented during a ceremony at New York City's Jazz at Lincoln Center, are the industry's most prestigious honor. The American Society of Magazine Editors (ASME) judged the nominees and had this to say about Geographic:
While remaining true to traditions known to generations of readers, the magazine continues to inspire and amaze—with photography that reveals wondrous, and often threatened, corners of our planet, and reporting that is both intrepid and tough-minded. Its mission has never been more vital.
In their commendation of NGM's reportage, and Hessler's work, the judges said:
In 'China’s Instant Cities,' reporter Peter Hessler recreates the entrepreneurial frenzy behind China’s dramatic economic growth. He combines exhaustive on-the-ground reporting with meticulous research and analysis to tell a story that is sweeping in its reach, authentically engaging and dramatic on multiple levels, from the personal lives of the factory workers and bosses to the macro-economic forces transforming this province with cranes, highways, factories and dams almost overnight.
National Geographic Online (www.ngm.com) was a finalist in the Interactive Feature category, which "recognizes
an outstanding interactive section of the website, featuring news,
entertainment and other subjects that do not offer practical
instruction or advice. The category honors a site’s creative use of
multimedia technology, user involvement and community tools, and/or
exceptional work in the blog form."
Congratulations to our colleagues! A list of all the awards, winners and nominees appears on the ASME site here.
Photo: Mark Leong
We were disappointed when we received a letter from reader Cynthia Burdge of Kailua, Hawaii, shortly after our Stay List came out, informing us that one of our picks, the Lodge and Beach Village at Molokai Ranch, had closed. But we were even more frustrated to learn about the circumstances surrounding it.
On March 25th, the Honolulu Star-Bulletin reported that the hotel, which consists of a restored plantation and tent village, shuttered its doors after it was denied permission to build a 200-lot luxury development on 500 acres at La'au Point. The hotel generated more than $9 million in revenue for the island each year, and over the past few weeks, the fallout has begun its ripple effect: over 120 employees are out of work, nearby businesses that the hotel ran to serve tourists have closed, and residents are worried that the hotel will not continue to maintain roads and other public utilities that they rely on. As Burdge writes, “[T]hey ‘gave back’ to the community by putting 120 people out of work on an island where the unemployment rate was already twice that of the rest of the state...This time, Aloha means goodbye.”
Traveler wrote about the resort in our September 2004 issue, describing the hotel as family-friendly enclave and noting that "Molokai has managed to avoid the tourist crush of Oahu and Maui—and likes it that way." Molokai's uniquely authentic character was further demonstrated in our Places Rated: Islands issue (November/December 2007), where Molokai ranked highest of all of the Pacific islands. One of our panelists reported that:
"More than 60 percent of the population are native Hawaiians interested in preserving their heritage, homesteads, and family values. Many prefer to live on a subsistence level. Under these circumstances, they are resentful of and oppose tourist developments. Better to just leave the island alone."
"With the help of this
guide, we finally have an answer to the most often asked question:
Where was the wall?" Berlin Mayor Klaus Wowereit told reporters as he
introduced the new gadget.
At a memorial for the people killed while trying to escape across the
barrier, users can click an icon that lets them see and hear Juergen
Litfin talk about the death of his brother Günter—shot by border
guards Aug. 24, 1961, and said to be the first of at least 125 people
killed trying to make the perilous crossing." Devices are currently available in German and English and cost between $9.50 to $24 depending on the length of their use. They'll be available from five kiosks around the city, and they anticipate releasing more languages soon. Image: Mauerguide.com
It's tough for a city to promote tourism when one of their biggest attractions no longer exists. Ever since the Berlin Wall was torn down in 1989, exploring its remnants has been difficult for the city's visitors, as pieces of the wall have been dismantled and sold, leaving little evidence of where East and West were once divided. But this week the city government unveiled a hand-held GPS device that will highlight important places on the path where the 103-mile wall once stood.
"Audio files and video documentaries give an overview
of the wall's dramatic Cold War history, starting on Aug. 13, 1961,
when East Germany began building the barrier to wall off the capitalist
enclave of West Berlin in a bid to stop a westward exodus from the
communist state.
Starting today, a fleet of 28 EcoCabs has descended upon the smoggy streets of downtown Toronto.
What’s an EcoCab, you ask? In addition to being an adorably goofy alternative to the iconic yellow cab, the EcoCab runs mostly on a trained driver’s pedal-power (in other words, a modern-day rickshaw) and is powered by a rechargeable electric battery. The emission-free three-wheelers clip along at a sprightly 7.5 miles an hour in bike lanes and offer residents and tourists short-distance transport between Toronto's shopping, dining, and entertainment destinations as well as office buildings and transit stations. Each cab is equipped to carry two adult passengers. The best part? Rides are free of charge, funded by advertising on the exterior of each vehicle.
According to speculation, EcoCabs will hit Vancouver and Montreal next year.
Photo: Kazuyoshi Ehara/CNW Group
The Halal Inn opened last December in Oldham, England, as the first Islamic pub in Britain. Buzzing (albeit a bit hesitantly) with a decidedly sobering business model, the place adheres to a strict no-alcohol policy, opting instead to serve fizzy non-alcoholic juices, drinks, and spritzers.
The Daily Mail explains:
Pubgoers can play snooker, darts or karam, an Indian board game similar to billiards. Islamic-themed quiz nights have also been organised.
Owners Azizur Rahman and business partner Muzahid Khan spotted the potential in the former Westwood Inn which was lying empty on the edge of the town centre.
Muslims are a major consumer group and they need somewhere to relax and socialise just like anybody else," said Mr Khan yesterday.
"But the presence of alcohol means traditional pubs are off-putting to those who want to follow strict Islamic rulings, so this is the perfect place for them to come.
I'm all for diverse businesses, especially ones that cater to under-represented demographics. And considering Britain is home to around two million Muslims, the concept certainly hits an untapped niche. But at the risk of sounding like a lush, I can't help but agree with Vagabondish: "Why not just call it a café instead?"
We always try to keep tabs on what our neighbors here at National Geographic are doing, and so we're excited to share what the folks at the Center for Sustainable Destinations are up to next. One of CSD's many projects is to establish geotourism charters with local communities to help identify, develop, and promote the unique and authentic assets that will attract travelers to their region. Working closely with community partners, they then harness the staff and resources of the National Geographic Maps division to create a unique MapGuide, which, as the name helpfully indicates, is a bit of a guidebook and map in one. I used one while in Baja a few months ago, and thought it was both tremendously helpful and a really fun way to explore a place.
Last month, CSD released their latest MapGuide, "The Crown of the Continent," which spans Alberta, British Columbia, and Montana. Working with a local geotourism alliance, they plotted a slew of fascinating finds like the Bellevue Underground Coal Mine tour (wear miner's helmets!), the Two Medicine Dinosaur Center (fossils!), and Garnet Ghost Town (boo!), plus a bevy of campsites, small B&B's, and handicraft shops. The maps have terrific photographs and tons of information, and even better, they're absolutely free! You can take a peek at the maps online, and order your own at the Crown of the Continent website.
Next up for CSD is a MapGuide on Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks. Right now, local residents and visitors can nominate for inclusion in
the MapGuide landmarks, attractions, activities, events and local
businesses that define the region's unique character and distinctive
appeal. Nominations may be made between April 15 and June 30, 2008, so send in your favorite spots now!
Image: Crown of the Continent MapGuide
Don’t judge a building by its exterior is the lesson learned at the all-new Gettysburg Museum and Visitor Center, which opened April 14. Despite being designed to "blend into the rural Pennsylvania countryside" according to the National Park Service's website, the brand new center is packed full of modern multimedia, and has been designed to meet LEED certification at the silver level. Yes, Lincoln's Gettysburg is getting up to speed and going green.
Located in the Gettysburg National Military Park, the center includes interesting features to accompany the obligatory walk in the battlefield itself. Visitors can explore the center’s 11 exhibit galleries, watch a short film (narrated by Morgan Freeman) that highlights the significance of the 1863 Battle at Gettysburg, peruse 300,000 Civil War artifacts, and check out the expanded museum bookstore for souvenirs. I know I will when I continue my travels through Colonial America.
History lessons and environmental friendliness: What more could this earth conscious history junkie ask for?
Photo: Gettysburg National Military Park
When you go to pick out a guidebook, there's always a risk. While you expect to be getting a fantastic compass to help you navigate your travels, you could end up with a poorly-written, out-of-date, or worse, completely fabricated disaster. Luckily, travel writer Andrew Evans, who has written several guidebooks, is here to um, guide us through the buying process.
In his recent book “Do Travel
Writers Go to Hell?” a very smug Thomas Kohnstamm confesses to accepting bribes, plagiarizing text, and not even
visiting the countries he was covering for travel publisher Lonely
Planet. One man’s publicity nightmare is another man’s
royalty check, yes, but where does this leave the traveler? How
reliable is any one guidebook and how can travelers avoid buying
fiction when they’re looking for facts?
For starters, the popular conception of the travel writer is a myth. We do not run around the world with limitless corporate credit cards getting free spa packages and business-class upgrades. How does it happen? For a new title, I usually travel for at least two to three months in the country, spending 10-12 hours a day doing intensive research. Everything is research, whether I’m noting how long it takes to walk from the train station to the beach or remembering the cleanest bathrooms. Obviously, it’s impossible to see and do everything, but I try my best since nothing beats writing about a place firsthand. As backup, I collect every scrap of paper I can find on-site: tourist brochures, café menus—even phone books. The Internet is a great secondary source once I’m home and writing things up.
No (gasp!), guidebooks are rarely fact-checked—at least not in the way that magazines and newspapers get fact-checked. Authors are contractually liable for the information they submit so the onus is on us to get it right the first time. Proofreaders and regional experts will review the manuscript to check for inconsistencies and blatant misrepresentation but they can’t vet every phone number or hotel review. Instead, sections of the book are spot-checked to get a sense of the overall level of accuracy. If it passes the test it goes to press.
Enter you, the savvy traveler in search of the perfect guide. Here’s a few tips to help you find what you’re after:
Be a Picky Eater: Guidebooks are like restaurants—sometimes the better ones are harder to find. Resist the temptation to grab the first thing you see. Before you head to the bookstore, check online to see every title that's available.
Check the Sell-By Date: Start with today’s date and subtract one year. That’s about the last time the author was in country for any given title, even the ones with next year’s date on the cover (e.g. France 2009). Always check the date of first publication on the inside cover and verify if subsequent dates represent actual updated editions of just reprints or partial updates. A quality guidebook has a lifespan of two to three years, after which it usually needs to be fully updated.
How Many Travel Writers Does It Take To Screw In a Lightbulb? Just one, sometimes two. Generally, the more writers involved in a single guide, the lower the quality. Varied experience and different voices mean that a separate editor has to massage the text into a single book and risk losing authenticity. The exception to the rule are multi-author books to huge countries like Russia, China, Brazil, or Indonesia—in which case you should really consider buying a region-specific guidebook. Avoid the thick, 1,000+ page tomes that are too “all-inclusive” to carry any sustenance. Most of these are cut-and-paste jobs gleaned from smaller guidebooks.
Psst...National Geographic is on the verge of releasing an exciting new video site called Everyday Explorers. But first we need your help!
Everyday Explorers is a user-generated video site (sort of like YouTube, only better!) where you can upload your own videos in one of four categories:
- Wildlife and Pets (anything animal-related)
- Weather (storms, sunny days, snow, etc.)
- Favorite Places (travel destinations, or your own backyard)
- Green Tips (anything related to promoting a healthy environment)
We know you readers must have some amazing video footage out there, so see this as a chance to get your videos out to the world and share them with people interested in exploring the planet. At the moment, we are starting from scratch, which means that this is a good chance for your video to get a head start on the rest of the public. So go online to upload your video clips and help us get things rolling.
The Everyday Explorers site goes live this May, so stay tuned for more information. Thanks!
In our upcoming May/June issue of Traveler, Senior Editor Dan Westergren (the man behind Photo Tips from Dan) gives us an incredible view of the North Pole, and Traveler photographer Pete McBride goes deep into Guatemala to expose its cultural splendors. So we're excited to announce that when National Geographic Traveler hosts our Adventure Travel Seminar this Sunday April 27, in Denver, Colorado, both Westergren and McBride will be on hand to give you the tools to capture your own incredible journeys on film. Westergren and McBride will be teaching the same photo seminar in Seattle on May 18.
Uncover the secrets of how to photograph not just as a passive observer, but as a part of the action — whether you hike, bike, ski or climb. They'll show you their solutions to the problems they encounter while on assignment in the most unforgiving environments – everything from shooting in low light to lessons in how not to break your camera. Register now to take part in the action!
Photo: Maasai tribesmen inspect Dan Westergren's camera, by Dan Westergren.
Just as we’re getting antsy to squish our bare feet into sunkissed, silky sand for some carefree lazing on the beach (anywhere! and soon!), the Economist had to go and dampen our summer pinings. Apparently, the painful sting of the euro’s exchange rate isn’t all you have to dread in the Mediterranean: An “unprecedented swarm of jellyfish” is heading to Europe.
We’ll let the Economist be the painful messenger:
The mauve stingers (also known as Pelagia noctiluca) have been breeding in the water throughout the winter, and are now ready for an assault on the beaches of Spain and the Mediterranean.
Masses of jellyfish are an increasingly common nuisance, not just in Spain, but all around the world. Spectacular blooms have been reported in Japan, Namibia, Alaska, Venezuela, Peru and Australia. And since 2000, the Gulf of Mexico has been suffering from an invasion of monster Australian spotted jellyfish (Phyllorhiza punctata), which are fouling fishing nets and upsetting the shrimpers.
Lucas Brotz, an oceanography graduate student at the University of British Columbia’s Fisheries Centre, says the increase in jellyfish populations means human encounters with the painful little blobs are bound to be more prevalent. Of course, this is hardly news. The Mediterranean has been on “jellyfish alert” for the past couple of years. Beaches on some of the region’s most popular resorts have even been forced to close. Most scientists blame higher sea temperatures brought on by global warming, as well as overfishing, for the jellyfish influx.
Continue reading "A Sting More Painful than the Bad Exchange Rate" »
You didn't think we'd let Earth Day slip by without making a mention, did you? Here at National Geographic Traveler, and at Intelligent Travel, we like to subscribe to the Earth Day, Every Day line of thinking. Sustainable and authentic travel is our beat, our locally-sourced bread and organic butter, if you will. So instead of celebrating the single day, here's a sampling of some of our favorite posts that celebrate and support the planet from different parts of the globe.
Poke through more our archives for items that show smart thinking. And have a Happy Earth Day!
Photo: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Image by Reto Stöckli
Setting your sights on city lights this summer? You can hit the ground running with CityPass booklets, which now feature insider tips from Traveler. For about half the regular price of admission, you can see must-see attractions in Seattle, Toronto, Southern California, Philadelphia, New York, Chicago, Boston, Atlanta, and starting this year, Houston. Here's a sample Traveler tip for the Big Apple:
Grand Central Terminal is a cathedral not just for its hundred shops and dining [spots] but for oddities like the Whispering Gallery, opposite the Oyster Bar, where you can talk into a column and be heard from 20 feet away. Look up at the massive domed ceiling on which the zodiac was mistakenly painted backwards. Unwilling to have it redone, William K. Vanderbuilt, who built the terminal in 1913, claimed it was from "God's vantage point."
The New York pass gets you in the door to many of the city's finest museums (MOMA, The Met, The Guggenheim, and the Museum of Natural History), up to the top of the Empire State Building Observatory, and on board a Circle Line Sightseeing Cruise on the Hudson, so you can get a glimpse of Lady Liberty. And as of this year, it now includes admission to the Ellis Island Immigration Museum and a double-decker bus tour. Even better, the CityPass lets you cut the line at many attractions, allowing you to get the most of your trip.
Check out the entire list of cities and more exclusive Traveler tips at their website, and place your CityPass order online.
This lemur can't contain his excitement for Earth Day...
You can celebrate Earth Day many ways: by picking up new eco-friendly habits, booking a green hotel getaway, or choosing from the host of other ideas featured at NG's Preserve Our Planet website. But if you really want to dig in and get close to nature for the big day, we've got some options for you:
It's pretty convenient that Earth Day happens to fall during National Park Week, which stretches from April 19 to 27 this year. The schedule of events for the parks is pretty massive, but also quite impressive. You can check out a Earth Dance film festival in Yosemite, get creeped out by a "Skins and Skulls" program at Rocky Mountain National Park, go on a scavenger hunt in Kentucky's Cumberland Gap park. There are also Junior Ranger Day programs for kids—hooking them up with activity books and badges, the latter of which makes us a bit jealous (also, we'd love to get our hands on a ranger hat).
Get some dirt under your nails with the National Wildlife Refuge System's "Do Something Wild for Earth Day" program. Hosted in a handful of states across the country, the program will bring in volunteers for a day of clean-up activities and coordinated tours, hikes, and other events.
Pope Benedict XVI's visit to the United States has the local media in a bit of a frenzy, so naturally, we felt inclined to take part. After all, the Holy Father definitely has some serious eco-credentials: He's outfitting the Vatican roof with 1,000 solar panels, called on bishops, scientists, and politicians to focus on "the needs of sustainable development," and even made polluting a sin. IT correspondent Lauren Jones was on hand to get an glimpse of the man himself, as well as one of the most fascinating modes of transport on the planet, the Popemobile.
The buzz in Washington is all about Pope Benedict XVI's first visit to the United States, which officially began on Wednesday with a formal greeting at the White House, just four blocks from National Geographic Society’s headquarters. Not a Catholic myself, but intrigued by all the hype, I decided to check out the scene down on Pennsylvania Ave. I printed out my "Popemobile" map (conveniently posted on local news sites), and headed out for an early lunch to witness the Pope on his route from the White House to the Vatican Embassy for his next event of the day.
A Catholic colleague keyed me in on a “secret” location that would allegedly have fewer people crowding the sidewalks. I soon realized this Pope-spotting corner—on 20th and Pennsylvania—wasn’t so secret after all, as I had to wedge my way through the crowd to get a good view. The excitement of the crowd grew as we waited for the Popemobile to reach us, and when we heard the crowds go wild one block down, the cameras came out.
As I witnessed the Mercedes-Benz Popemobile zoom by in what seemed like the blink of an eye, I tried to snap as many shots as I could. What really caught my attention, though, and touched me, was a group of nuns to my right who were chanting, "We see Heaven! We see Heaven!" as they laid their eyes on the Pope, possibly for the first time. As the Popemobile disappeared in the distance, the crowded sidewalks parted for the nuns, who were running after their Chief Shepherd with an urgency that seemed instinctive.
Following yesterday’s speech given to 300 bishops in the Basilica of the National Shrine of Immaculate Conception at Catholic University, today the Pope presides over an open-air mass for 45,000 in the Washington Nationals Park. Too bad the Nats are on the road... IT would have loved to see the Pope’s windup for the opening pitch.
Photos: Above, Lauren Jones, below Juan Tituana.
Just another sign of China’s bulging tourism muscle: The Middle Kingdom will open 97 new airports by the year 2020, according to China's General Administration of Civil Aviation's latest airport development plan. In just two years, the country plans to have 192 operating airports, that's up from 147 in late 2006. By 2020, they anticipate a total of 244. The estimated price tag? A mean $64 billion.
Construction of a second international airport in Beijing will begin before 2010. Nearly 53.5 million passengers trafficked through the existing Beijing airport last year, ranking it among the world’s ten busiest.
China’s People’s Daily explains:
This means 82 in every 100 people—who contribute 96 percent of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP)—will live within 100 km, or 90 minutes’ drive, from an airport by 2020. At present, only 61 percent of people—who contribute 82 percent of GDP—lives within this range, the plan said.
The civil airport development plan was drafted to meet increasing demand, as the CAAC predicted passenger traffic will grow by 11.4 percent annually from now until 2020, during which time freight traffic will increase by 14 percent a year.
The whole ordeal might sound overwhelming on face value, but Treehugger offers an interesting comparison:
It's not clear exactly what criteria the People's Daily uses to define what types of airports are included in its count, but if we compare apples to apples and look in the CIA Factbook, we find that there are 5,143 airports (paved runways) in the USA vs. 403 in China. That helps keep things in perspective...
While we wince for the inherent environmental fallout, we're intrigued by the potential travel opportunities.
What do you think? Weigh in with your opinions in the comments below.
Photo: Stuart Forster
No matter how hard they try, airports in general stress me out, as I'm not the most prompt person to begin with, and I'm constantly searching for my ticket and passport, convinced that I've managed to lose one or both. But I've found that the stress of traveling most often subsides once I get on the plane. I can plug in my headphones, pull out a magazine (I always start with magazines before pulling out a book; it's like an appetizer before the main course), recline my chair (but only a bit — I have strong feelings about those people who act as though putting their head in your lap is totally okay), and get set for my journey. Barring turbulence or having a crying baby nearby, I'm content to stare out the window and listen to the hum of the plane.
So I was a bit put off by the decision of the European Commission last week to allow cell phone use on airplanes. The phones can be used in planes throughout Europe once they reach a flying altitude of 10,000 feet. The BBC explains how it works:
The plan is to install small mobile phone base stations, called pico cells, in aircraft that will be switched on after take-off. The base station generates a bubble of coverage in and around the aircraft.
The people who developed the technology say that the pilots can turn the "bubble" on and off at will, and suggest creating etiquette guidelines for flying. I think it'd be smart to create spaces within the plane where people can use their phones without disturbing other passengers and to limit phone usage to text only while passengers try to sleep. But I'm concerned that people wouldn't pay attention (as it is, despite the threat of getting ticketed in many states, people continue to drive and chat at the same time) and flights would go from a haven of reasonable quiet to a cacophony of mindless chatter. Thankfully, we won't have to worry about loudmouth callers in the U.S. for a while, as the FAA has no plans to allow phone service on planes.
What do you think? Would you use the time in a plane to catch up on your calls? Or should planes be quiet havens?
Image: Ofcom via the BBC
Each one of these flags represents a new way of looking at tourism
A few months ago we introduced the GeoTourism Challenge, a contest sponsored by National Geographic's Center for Sustainable Destinations and Ashoka's Changemakers to help seek out the people and places which are using innovative tourism methods to help "sustain, enhance, and preserve a sense of culture and place."
As travelers, you can help by nominating people you've come across in your wandering, from elected officials, to corporate leaders, to tour operators who are doing things right. And for simply offering a reason why you're nominating them, you'll be entered to win a week's travel including airfares, accommodation and spending money, anywhere in the world where WHL Travel operates.
So take a look at the list that's been created so far, which ranges from Mom and Pop B&Bs to the king of Bhutan, and then nominate someone yourself – just do it soon, as the deadline for entries is April 16th.
Today is the official grand opening of the Newseum, D.C.'s newest museum which is dedicated to outstanding journalism. The Newseum was formally housed in a smaller space across the Potomac in Arlington, Virginia, but now rubs elbows with the Capitol building and the popular Smithsonian museums on the National Mall in its new and improved location at 555 Pennsylvania Ave.
A few Traveler staffers got the opportunity to visit the Newseum before opening day and came away yearning for another visit.
The first thing that struck me was design of the fantastic glass and metal building, which was planned by the same architecture firm that designed the Holocaust Museum. The vast central atrium, called the Great Hall of News, soars seven levels high and comfortably contains not only a 40' x 22' news screen, but managed to make a Bell 206B Jet Ranger III news helicopter look petite. I have to admit I felt a bit overwhelmed. How was I to see 14 galleries, 15 theaters, and a host of other displays in one day? I promised myself I would return to see whatever I missed and thus calmed, hopped in the elevator for a lift to the top level.
Continue reading "Extra! Extra! The Newseum is Making News!" »
Southwest A Gates at Baltimore-Washington International Airport
2008 has proven to be a busy year for the TSA. Just recently they began testing "black diamond lanes" in several U.S. airports, and earlier this week, USA Today reported that a new passenger screening system will soon be tested at Baltimore-Washington International Airport (one of three, and usually the cheapest, D.C.-area airports). The new system, which includes mauve lighing, soft music, and friendly TSA employees (who would have thought?), aims to make the security screening process much more calm.
TSA chief Kip Hawley told reporter Thomas Frank that "a chaotic, noisy, congested checkpoint is a security nightmare," and that this will be the first significant change to the checkpoint since the 1970s. So it took over 30 years for the entire airline industry to realize the security screening process is chaotic?
Former National Geographic intern, and friend of IT Erica Schlaikjer is currently living in Taiwan, where she writes and edits the Responsible China blog, which looks at "environmental sustainability, social entrepreneurship, and corporate social responsibility in Greater China." She sends along this report about Beijing's efforts to offset athletes' carbon count.
WWF China recently created the Go For Gold campaign, an initiative that that encourages Olympic athletes, National Olympic Committees, and individual tourists to offset the carbon emissions from their air travel to Beijing for this summer's Olympic Games. Before you hop on that plane, consider that a round-trip journey from New York to Beijing will emit about 6.5 tons of carbon. It'll cost about $137 to offset, which sounds like a lot, but when you consider the hefty price tag of
