The Radar
Each week, Intelligent Travel offers up a host of interesting travel tidbits, but even we admit that our cup runneth over when it comes to fascinating facts. So we've compiled a weekly compendium of the things we've found on the web, and share them with you.
North America
-The National Park Service is considering adding an upscale hotel to San Francisco's Alcatraz Island. [Hotel news]
-The ruins of an Aztec palace, thought to be where Montezuma meditated, have been unearthed in Mexico City. [History & world heritage]
-A sixteen-year-old from Los Angeles, CA will attempt to set the record for youngest person to circumnavigate the globe in a sailboat...alone. Good thing he's packing two iPods. [Global news & trivia]
-New York Times "Dot Earth" blogger and friend of IT Andrew Revkin is encouraging his readers to submit video and slideshow stories that talk about "My Dot." The latest entry, from Boston, highlights biking and rail options among its eco-friendly travel suggestions. [Web & blog news]
-Texas Monthy scours the Lone Star state to find Texas' fifty best barbecue joints. Via World Hum. [Global news & trivia]
South America
-Eating locally not only benefits the community, but also your health. This, according to a new book on indigenous people's eating habits from Iceland to Mexico to the Brazilian Amazon. [Global news & trivia]
-Rosario, Argentina adds a four-tonne statue of Che (Guevara) to that country's substantial repertoire of monuments dedicated to its famous revolutionary. [Global news & trivia]
-China went on a shopping spree and bought a whole copper mountain in Peru—some say for a steal. Part of the bargain buy includes moving the inhabitants of an entire town across the valley. [Global news & trivia]
Catch up with the rest of the world after the jump.
Europe
-Wine-tasting daytrippers rejoice: The Champagne region of France is looking to extend the number of vineyards entitled to official bubbly seal of approval. [Global news & trivia]
-The LA Times Travel writer Susan Spano road trips through France, Monaco, Italy, Switzerland, Luxembourg, and Belgium, and plots it all on a map. [Maps]
-Travelbug-bitten Russians are flocking to Turkey, and bringing the Kremlin along with them. [Global news & trivia]
Asia
-Hainan island, China's Hawaii, is experiencing a tourism and property boom. [Global news & trivia]
-Saudi Arabia is following Dubai's lead in building new cities in the desert. No word on whether women will be allowed to drive in them. [Global news & trivia]
-Beijing officials are revamping the menu for foreigners during the Olympics, in hopes that they understand what they are eating. [Global news & trivia]
-Bad news bears: The wild pandas of China's earthquake-hit Sichuan province suffered serious damage to their habitats. [Environment & wildlife]
-A local archaeologist in Rihab, Jordan, claims to have dug up the "world's first church", dating to the time of Jesus. Other experts, meanwhile, believe it's just an underground cave. [History & world heritage]
-Beware of uncovered manholes in Mumbai, India, says U.S. consulate. Missing covers allegedly in Beijing. [Global news & trivia]
Africa
-Who knew that Asmara, Eritrea, was the Miami of Africa? [History & world heritage]
-Foreign Policy has a top 5 list of places American tourists shouldn't/can't go to. Among them are Mogadishu's "idyllic" Indian Ocean beaches. Via World Hum. [Web & blog news]
-Rainbow nation: Ethnic Chinese in South Africa are now "black". [Global news & trivia]
-On June 11th, the world's largest census of land-based wildlife began in Namibia. Elephants, lions, cheetahs, and rhinos are among the animals being counted across 16 million acres of wildlife reserves. [Environment & wildlife]
Oceania
-Air New Zealand announced plans that, by the year 2013, they hope to use 100 million barrels of sustainable fuel each year for it's fleet of aircraft. [Air travel news]
-The Fiji Times reports that China is its fastest growing emerging tourist market. [Global news & trends]
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