Gadling

Shake it like a Tahitian

Andrew Evans — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 15:15:00 EST

Filed under: Arts and Culture, Learning, Festivals and Events, Oceania, France, Video

In a language that's mostly all vowels, a bit of interpretive dance helps communicate one's deepest thoughts and feelings. Sad? Lower your eyes. Fierce? Scowl and posture. Happy? Shake it, baby. Travelers have been awestruck by Tahitian dancers ever since they first landed on these dancing shores. The bearded missionaries of long ago secretly loved it and today's MTV backup singers wanna steal these moves but ain't got no rhythm.

Every two-bit hotel in Tahiti puts on a decent dinner dance show for the tourists, but when the natives start dancing for the natives, things get hot fast. I caught this little show at an official awards ceremony on a hot white sand beach on Bora Bora. Sit back and enjoy, and just ask yourself, can you shake it like a Tahitian? I didn't think so.

Shake it like a Tahitian originally appeared on Gadling on Sat, 21 Nov 2009 15:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Exclusive video: inside Virgin America's "Stay Golden" launch

Stephen Greenwood — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 11:30:00 EST

Filed under: Festivals and Events, North America, United States, Airlines, Video

See what it's like to be on the inside of a Virgin America launch event. Full interview with Branson after the break.

Continue reading Exclusive video: inside Virgin America's "Stay Golden" launch

Exclusive video: inside Virgin America's "Stay Golden" launch originally appeared on Gadling on Fri, 20 Nov 2009 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Inside Virgin America's "Stay Golden" launch event (photos)

Stephen Greenwood — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Festivals and Events, North America, United States, Airlines, News

I looked around and tried to absorb what was unfolding before me.

VIP's and Virgin employees mingled on the patio of the beachfront W Fort Lauderdale. Nearby, a reality TV crew set up a shot for a new series about the lives of Virgin America flight attendants. Lights and loud music infiltrated the senses. It was a perfect backdrop for television, even though it didn't quite feel like reality.

And in a sense, it wasn't reality; but merely a splash of Richard Branson's reality.

Then, somewhere between the gold-suited synchronized swimmers, the beverages sprinkled with gold, and the musical performance from Santigold, it hit me: Virgin America is dedicated to (and very good at) one thing. They design brilliant experiences... and in their world, there's no such thing as overindulgence.

Continue reading Inside Virgin America's "Stay Golden" launch event (photos)

Inside Virgin America's "Stay Golden" launch event (photos) originally appeared on Gadling on Fri, 20 Nov 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Midwest turns Wild West : Bull riding for the whole family

Jamie Rhein — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 12:30:00 EST

Filed under: Festivals and Events, United States, Budget Travel

In northwestern Ohio where the land is flat, flat, flat and family farms dot the landscape in a scene of bucolic sedateness, the Midwest turns wild west on Saturday nights from October through May. Off State Rte 29, between the Indiana border and Celina, a town with a population of 10,000, is Mack Arena, a non-descriptive rectangular building that one might blow right pass without noticing. Only the white corral-style fencing around one end of the building says animals. Looks can be deceiving. Inside, excitement and a dose of danger crackles. Who knew?

The clues to the wildness inside the industrial corrugate structure start at the dirt parking lot where a pungent odor of animals and leather waft over the assortment of pickup trucks, trailers and cars that gather here every Saturday evening. The announcer's voice can be heard over the crowd's din of shouts of encouragement and awe.

The yellow sign near the door touting, "Beware of Bull" is more of a welcome mat than a warning, however.

That's what Gadling found out a few weeks ago when we came upon the bull riding as an unexpected pleasure of Saturday night's entertainment--just two hours from Columbus. The allure of the wild west in the Midwest pulled our station wagon into the mix of vehicles.

Continue reading Midwest turns Wild West : Bull riding for the whole family

Midwest turns Wild West : Bull riding for the whole family originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 19 Nov 2009 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Virgin America launches SFO/LAX to Ft. Lauderdale!

Stephen Greenwood — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Festivals and Events, North America, United States, Airlines

Greetings from 35,000 ft! Right now, we're onboard Virgin America's inaugural flight from San Francisco to Ft Lauderdale, which touches down in the Sunshine State at 3:30 PM.

Today's expansion marks the tenth destination for Virgin America and the first connection from the Golden State to the Gold Coast. In celebration, Virgin America has brought along a handful of winners from their "Stay Golden America" competition, and will be donating $1 to budding entrepreneurs for every tweet containing the tag #HelpVirginUnite.

Gallery: Virgin America - SFO to FLL inaugural flight

This afternoon, there will be a tarmac reception from Richard Branson and CEO of Virgin America, David Cush. The event will conclude with a launch party hosted at the W Ft. Lauderdale - where Gadling will be posting full event coverage and getting the down-low on Virgin America's expansion plans.

Be sure to track our feed for updates, photos, exclusive interviews, and reviews of the entire Virgin America experience.

Update: Check out our full coverage of the event - Article / Photos & Exclusive Video

Virgin America launches SFO/LAX to Ft. Lauderdale! originally appeared on Gadling on Wed, 18 Nov 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Get out and go: Events around the world (November 18-21)

Brenda Yun — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Arts and Culture, Surfing, Festivals and Events, Food and Drink, Europe, North America, India, Israel, Finland, Netherlands, Mexico, United States, Middle East

It's time to look at the festivals and events happening around the world, and this week has a particularly international selection of happenings. If you're close and have time, then you have no excuse to get out and go!

Mexico - Birders will unite in the Yucatan Peninsula for the Yucatan Bird Festival from November 19-22. For the 8th consecutive year, the festival offers a wide range of field trips, exhibits, conferences, and a "birdathon." Objectives of this annual festival include promoting the rich diversity of bird species found in the Yucatan and developing a conservationist culture among tourists and tour providers.
California - The California Surf Festival celebrates awareness and support for surf history preservation this weekend from November 19-22. It is an international event destination bringing people from all over the world to Oceanside, California, to experience surf culture through films, music, art, photography and interaction with those who embody the culture as well as highlight the surf community of California.
Amsterdam - The International Documentary Film Festival begins this Thursday, November 19. The film extravaganza will present over 300 documentaries over the course of 10 days, ending on the 29th.
Israel - Shalem Dance Festival will begin this Thursday, November 19 in Jerusalem. Over 50 Israeli and guest dancers perform in original contemporary dance works. This year's highlight will feature contemporary dance ensembles from Africa. The festival ends on the 21st.

India - The Mim Kut and Pawl Kut Festival will be celebrated this Friday, November 20 in Mizoram. Celebrated in the last week of November or the first week of December, the festival celebrates the completion of the harvesting season.
Helsinki - This year Helsinki's Chocolate Festival has a larger "box," as it is held at Wanha Satama fair centre November 21-22. The festivali celebrates the diversity of the sweet stuff. Choco-connaisseurs share their sweet wisdom about the impact of chocolate on health, wellbeing, history of chocolate, production and variety.

If you make it to one of these events, let us know how it was, or if you know of an event that's coming up, please let us know and we'll be sure to include it in the next "Get out and go" round-up.

Get out and go: Events around the world (November 18-21) originally appeared on Gadling on Wed, 18 Nov 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wild West Shows in France

Andrew Evans — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Arts and Culture, Festivals and Events, Europe, France

It's no secret that the French are so totally obsessed with all things American. One day they're thumbing their noses at us and the next, they're waving American flags, dressing up like cowboys, dancing the Texas two-step and pretending like it was the good old 1870's. Indeed, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Maybe it's not the reason you came to France, but if you ever do max out your quota of impressionist art or vibrant chateaux gardens, consider the following Franco-American spectacles:

Le Country Rendez-Vous Festival
This boot-kickin' country music festival takes place every July in the fair town of Craponne (pronounced: Crap + Own). Over 35,000 country music lovers don their best imitation cowboy gear and drive their Peugeot's like wild Nevada mustangs into the green hills of the Haute-Loire region of France. I hear they even start speaking French with Texas accents. The event is sponsored by France's Radio Country Club which you can listen to with much amusement online.

Disney's Buffalo Bill Show
The French obsession with the wild west can be traced back to Buffalo Bill's original Wild West Show that came to Paris for a limited run in 1889 and then happened to sell out every night until 1913 (kinda like "CATS" in the 1980's). Disneyland(R) Resort Paris (née EuroDisney) has tapped into that long ago love affair with a twice-nightly Buffalo Bill show featuring a real herd of American bison tearing up clouds of dust upon the fields of Champagne. Expect lots of lasso tricks, fancy riding, and thunderous gun battles of exploding blanks all whilst eating your Disney dinner. Note: vegetarian menus are available, just like in the real Wild West.

Continue reading Wild West Shows in France

Wild West Shows in France originally appeared on Gadling on Mon, 16 Nov 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The paniolo cowboys of Hawaii

Brenda Yun — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 13:30:00 EST

Filed under: History, Festivals and Events, Stories, North America, United States

Paniolo is the Hawaiian word for "cowboy" (though the literal translation of the word really means "sitting"), and the paniolo culture has thrived on the islands ever since 1809, with the arrival of a 19-year old sailor from Massachusetts named John Palmer Parker. As Parker passed along the islands on his way to China, he decided to jump overboard and try his life as a marksman on the Big Island, thus beginning a 200-year cowboy tradition that has lasted in Hawaii since the rule of King Kamehameha I.

Word of Parker's ranching abilities got around to Hawaii's King Kamehameha I, and the king asked Parker to round up the wild cattle roaming the hills of Waimea, a town well-known for its paniolo history. Since then, Parker became a close companion to the king, eventually marrying into the royal family and building what would become one of the largest cattle operations in the United States. By the 1920's, Parker Ranch was a 500,000 acre estate that held the biggest herd on the planet.

In order to tend the ranch's vast land, Parker hired Mexican cowboys called vaqueros, who taught the Hawaiian cowboys important riding and ranching techniques. The original paniolos of Hawaii are a dying breed, though, as more and more Hawaiian ranchers apply modern techniques as opposed to the ones brought by Parker 200 years ago.

Continue reading The paniolo cowboys of Hawaii

The paniolo cowboys of Hawaii originally appeared on Gadling on Mon, 16 Nov 2009 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Venice hosts its own funeral

Katie Hammel — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 14:30:00 EST

Filed under: Festivals and Events, Europe, Italy, News

Venice is dying. At least, according to Newsweek it is. The population has been shrinking so rapidly (it dropped below 60,000 this year) that the mag predicts there won't be a single full-time resident in the city by 2030. A city that sees millions of visitors per year, an average of 55,000 per day, won't be home to a single person. Yeah, I'd call that a dead city.

To draw attention to the issue, residents of Venice have organized a mock funeral in which three gondolas will pull a red coffin through the city's canals on Saturday, November 14th.

In addition to the flood of tourists who make the city nearly unlivable during summer months, other factors such as increasing home prices and a shrinking tax base, have combined to result in the mass exodus of long-time Venetians.

One of the organizers of the "funeral" says this doesn't have to be the end though. He hopes that by drawing attention to the issue, some of the problems can be addressed and new citizens will be lured to Venice. "It might be the beginning; it could even spur a rebirth. Now we just have to create a Venice [people] will want to stay in. We have to give them a reason not to leave."

[via Budget Travel]

Venice hosts its own funeral originally appeared on Gadling on Sat, 14 Nov 2009 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sacred mountain added to World Heritage List

Sean McLachlan — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 12:30:00 EST

Filed under: Arts and Culture, History, Festivals and Events, Asia, Kyrgyzstan, News

UNESCO has just made the latest addition to its World Heritage List--Suleiman Mountain in the Central Asian Republic of Kyrgyzstan.

This is Kyrgyzstan's first World Heritage Site. The mountain has been a holy spot for thousands of years. Prehistoric rock art shows it was sacred long before Islam came to the region. When the new faith took over it became a focus for Muslim pilgrims. Sick people sit in the caves on the mountainside hoping to be cured, and there's a natural rock slide that women use to promote fertility. Kids slide down it too, supposedly to make them grow up healthy, but judging from this video it looks like they're having too much fun to think about that. There's an interesting slide show of the mountain here.

There are seventeen places of worship on the mountain, including a reconstruction of a medieval mosque. The original was destroyed by the Soviets in an effort to stamp out religion in the region. Judging from the thousands of pilgrims who go to Suleiman Mountain every year, they didn't achieve much.

The mountain is right next to the 3,000 year-old city of Osh, a stop on the old Silk Road, so adventure travelers following this increasingly popular route will want to stop off and see this.

Sacred mountain added to World Heritage List originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 12 Nov 2009 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Happy birthday King Wangchuck and other national holidays

Sean McLachlan — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:30:00 EST

Filed under: Arts and Culture, Learning, Festivals and Events, Azerbaijan, Bhutan, France, Canada, United States, Travel Trivia

Going to a far-flung destination and want to connect with the people and see something special? One easy way is through local and national holidays. These are often unique to a particular country and provide insights into its culture and history. But it can often be hard to find out what's going on next week in Tuvalu.

The Holidays Around the World blog is your answer, providing daily updates on all the major happenings. Today, for example, is the birthday of the fourth King of Bhutan, Jigme Singye Wangchuck. He abdicated last year, but his birthday is still a national holiday. The website does more than list holidays, it goes into detail about what you can expect while you're there. Today the people of Bhutan are celebrating by eating emadatse (chili pepper and cheese stew) and chang (warm beer made from barley, millet or rice). If it's anything like Tibetan chang, be careful. With the high altitudes in the Himalayas this stuff gave me the worst hangover I've ever had.

November 11 is, of course, the anniversary of the end of the First World War. The ceasefire started on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month of 1918. The soldiers on both sides knew it was coming, but instead of keeping a low profile until the war officially ended, they blasted away at each other with a massive artillery barrage. People are weird. This holiday is known as Armistice Day in France, Remembrance Day in Canada, and a more general Veterans Day in the United States.

So head on over to this cool little blog, and don't forget to dance in the streets tomorrow to celebrate Azerbaijan's Constitution Day.

Happy birthday King Wangchuck and other national holidays originally appeared on Gadling on Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Get out and go: Events around the world (November 11-15)

Brenda Yun — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Arts and Culture, Learning, Festivals and Events, Asia, Europe, North America, Japan, Estonia, Germany, Canada, United States

Saskatoon - The Saskatoon Fall Fair, an agricultural and livestock show in Saskatchewan, Canada, will begin tomorrow, November 11, and continue until November 14.
Tokyo - The Shinjuku Ootori Matsuri Festival will take place November 11-12 and 23-24. The festival attracts over 600,000 people to the Hanazono Jinja Shrine.
Tallinn (Estonia) - Thursday 12 November 2009 The Black Nights Film Festival combines feature films with the sub-festivals of animated films, student films and children/youth films. The event begins Thursday, November 12, and continues for a full month until December 6.
Boulder - The Boulder Adventure Film Festival will be held November 12-14. This gritty, raw film fest is dedicated to the beating heart of adventure and a community undertaking run by adventurers, filmmakers and artists wishing to spread the creativity, enthusiasm, and activism inherent to outdoor adventure.
Frankfurt - The 'Botticelli' exhibition showcasing the art of Sandro Botticelli (c. 1445-1510), whose work has become a landmark of the Italian Renaissance, opens this Friday, November 13, at the Stadel Museum and will continue until February 28, 2010.
Boston - The city's annual Christmas Festival of Lights will take place this Friday, November 13. The lights will be on display until January 3.

If you make it to one of these events, let us know how it was, or if you know of an event that's coming up, please let us know and we'll be sure to include it in the next "Get out and go" round-up.

Get out and go: Events around the world (November 11-15) originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 10 Nov 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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In Oberammergau: the most "passionate" performance you will ever see

Tom Johansmeyer — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Arts and Culture, Festivals and Events, Europe, Germany

Now you can visit a plague-ridden era and watch history unfold. No, this is not an invitation to get busy with swine flu. Instead, head out to Oberammergau, Bavaria and witness a performance that has been carried out for centuries.

In 1633, Oberammergau's population was decimated by the Plague. The villagers were brutalized, but their spirit remained strong, and they promised to act out the events of the last days of Jesus Christ, ending in the resurrection, every tenth year. This Passion performance, sans any influence from Mel Gibson, is an extremely local affair. If you weren't born in the village or haven't lived there for at least 20 years, the best you can do is watch with the masses. The stage is reserved for the true villagers.

Half the village is engaged to assist, from acting to playing music to creating costumes - in the case of Oberammergau, that's 2,500 people out of a 5,200-person population. In what seems like a scene from The Greek Passion by Nikos Kazantzakis (who is more famous for his other book, The Last Temptation of Christ), lead roles are sketched out on a chalk board, while all of Oberammergau waits anxiously. The parts are assigned the year before. In the run-up to the performance, the cast grows its hair long and cultivates beards (not the women, of course), as wigs are not permitted.

Continue reading In Oberammergau: the most "passionate" performance you will ever see

In Oberammergau: the most "passionate" performance you will ever see originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 10 Nov 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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November is the month for arts in Madrid

Sean McLachlan — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 09:30:00 EST

Filed under: Arts and Culture, Festivals and Events, Europe, Spain

Two major festivals in Madrid this month are enough to keep any culture lover happy.

The first and biggest is the Festival de Otoño, an annual extravaganza of theater, dance, music, and even a trio of circuses. The plays are all in Spanish, but dance and music are universal languages so you can still enjoy this festival even if you don't speak the the local lingo. The styles lean towards the modern and experimental, like the theater/dance fusion of the Belgian production Isabella's Room about an old blind antiquities collector recounting a life lived through the highs and lows of the Twentieth century, or the multinational collaboration of Whale Watching Tour that fuses avant-garde experimental and folk music. One show to watch out for is The New Vietnamese Circus, which will portray life in a traditional village through juggling, acrobatics, martial arts, and music.

Another cultural highlight this month is the XXVI Festival de Jazz de Madrid. Jazz in Madrid? Yep, while it's not as famous as Chicago or New Orleans, jazz is big here and there are a lot of cool venues that will be pulling out all the stops for this, the biggest annual jazz festival in Spain. There will be dozens of concerts at clubs around the city featuring artists playing all styles of jazz.

The Festival de Otoño runs from November 4-29. The XXVI Festival de Jazz de Madrid runs November 4-28.

November is the month for arts in Madrid originally appeared on Gadling on Sun, 08 Nov 2009 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Get out and go: Events around the world (November 3-9)

Brenda Yun — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 17:30:00 EST

Filed under: Arts and Culture, History, Festivals and Events, Asia, Europe, North America, Japan, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia

Here's a travel factoid for the day: It was 106 years ago today that Panama proclaimed its independence from Colombia. Apparently, today in Panama, which they call "Separation Day," even the bars are closed.

It's time to look at the festivals and events happening around the world, and this week has a particularly international selection of happenings. If you're close and have time, then you have no excuse to get out and go!

Japan - Bunka No Hi (Culture Day) is a national holiday held annually in Japan on November 3 for the purpose of promoting culture, the arts, and academic endeavour. Festivities typically include art exhibitions, parades, and award ceremonies for distinguished artists and scholars.
Helsinki - The Kettupaivat Short Film Festival begins Wednesday, November 4, and continues until November 7.
British Columbia - Whistler's 13th annual art event, ARTrageous, takes place this Thursday, November 5, and features live art, roving performers and a live dance band.
New South Wales - The Bitter and Twisted International Boutique Beer Festival will today take place this weekend, from Saturday, November 7 to Sunday, November 8 in New South Wales.
London - The World Travel Market 2009 will take place at the ExCel London from Monday, November 9 through Thursday, November 12. This travel expo enables businesses to network with each other and learn about the travel industry's latest innovations.

If you make it to one of these events, let us know how it was, or if you know of an event that's coming up, please let us know and we'll be sure to include it in the next "Get out and go" round-up.

Get out and go: Events around the world (November 3-9) originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 03 Nov 2009 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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In a poor economy, SeaWorld raises ticket prices to just under $80

Scott Carmichael — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Festivals and Events, North America, United States

SeaWorld Orlando doesn't seem to think the economy has suffered enough, because it just raised its prices by $4 to an insane $78.95, per person.

With just six rides and ten shows, SeaWorld assumes people won't have a problem paying this, even though their new prices are just 5 cents lower than neighboring Disney or Universal, who have much more to offer.

Now, I won't argue with anyone who says the park puts on a good show, and they are known worldwide for their amazing aquatic shows, but when you charge just under $300 for a family of four, you'd better put on more than just a "good show". Once you add food and a local hotel, a trip to SeaWorld will cost over $500 for just one day.

In this economy I would expect parks to actually lower their prices, instead of raise them. Minor discounts are available to people who pre-order their tickets, but even with those discounts you'll be spending far too much.

The park does offer a free visit on a second day, within 7 days of your first visit. If you are visiting the Orlando area and want to visit SeaWorld, Busch Gardens and Aquatica, the total bill will come to just under $550. Add their all day dining option for all three days and your credit card will take a $900 hit, and that doesn't even include your flights and hotel. Too much? Tell us in the poll below!

View Poll

Continue reading In a poor economy, SeaWorld raises ticket prices to just under $80

In a poor economy, SeaWorld raises ticket prices to just under $80 originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 03 Nov 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Gadlinks for Friday 10.30.09

Brenda Yun — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Arts and Culture, History, Festivals and Events, Blogs, Stories, North America, United States

I find costumes scary and Halloween night even scarier. I may love to travel, but on this particular evening there's no better place than the comfort of my living room. For those of you who are a bit more brave and eager to set out into the spooky evening donning a custom costume, have a ghoulish time! But for the others, like myself, who prefer to stay home, I invite you to read these Halloween-themed travel reads.

Haunted houses? That's nothing compared to notoriously haunted hotels or creepy castles. [via BootsNAll]
My flick chick homegirl Eva over at World Hum put together this great list of travel horror movies that the faint of heart should avoid, but the brave should check out.
Oh scary! There's nothing more frightening than graveyards by night. [via Matador Trips]
Recycled Halloween costumes? If I did dress up, I'd go that route. Here are some frightfully good, green Halloween tips for travelers. [via Go Green Travel Green]

'Til Monday, enjoy the last of October!

More Gadlinks HERE.

Gadlinks for Friday 10.30.09 originally appeared on Gadling on Fri, 30 Oct 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Last minute oddball Halloween costumes that reflect your travels

Jamie Rhein — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 11:30:00 EST

Filed under: Arts and Culture, Festivals and Events, Asia, Bhutan, Singapore

While Catherine has Halloween costume ideas that reflect different types of travelers--(there are more ideas coming throughout today), and Heather previously posted on how to dress up like an awesome flight attendant, here are other costume ideas. These wander into the unusual--possibly the obscure.

Each are based on travel and incorporate souvenirs you may have brought home with you, particularly if you have problems passing up purchases. All were thought of at the last minute for a past Halloween and were worn at a party.

As a note, you may have to explain what you are, although the responses to each were positive.

Also, as you travel this year, think of costume ideas as you go. In this picture I see items that might come in handy. Read on.

Costume 1: A Homonym

Continue reading Last minute oddball Halloween costumes that reflect your travels

Last minute oddball Halloween costumes that reflect your travels originally appeared on Gadling on Fri, 30 Oct 2009 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Edgar Allan Poe travel for Halloween weekend

Jamie Rhein — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Arts and Culture, History, Festivals and Events, Stories, United States

Even though Edgar Allan Poe's funeral do-over in Baltimore was a couple weeks ago, there are several locations where it's not too late to pay tribute to this literary master of horror. Poe, a traveler himself, moved between Boston, Charlottesville and Richmond, Virginia and Baltimore, plus a few towns in between. Because several of the Poe-related landmarks still exist, it's possible to follow his trail from his birth to his death.

Given that this is the 200th year of his birth, why not pay Poe tribute by heading to one of these locations for a Halloween weekend remembrance?

Bring a copy of his short stories or poems with you to add to the ambiance. Make sure "The Raven" and "The Fall of the House of Usher" are among them: some of the stops are where they were written.

Continue reading Edgar Allan Poe travel for Halloween weekend

Edgar Allan Poe travel for Halloween weekend originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 29 Oct 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Racing on foot through the Sahara

Kraig Becker — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Hiking, Festivals and Events, Africa, Egypt, Camping

Last Sunday, an incredible endurance event got underway in Cairo Egypt, when the 2009 Sahara Race began. The 155 mile event pits 130 runners from more than 30 countries against one another in a six-stage race through the heart of the Western Desert, a part of the Sahara that covers more than 1.7 million square miles along Egypt's borders with Libya and the Sudan.

Over the past few days, the runners have covered a variety of challenging stages ranging in length from 21 to 28 miles. In a sense, they are running a marathon each day, through the sand and heat of one of the hottest and driest environments on the planet. Along the way they passed through three or four mandatory checkpoints along the way, collecting water as they go. Upon completing the day's stage, they camp in the desert for the night, resting up, and preparing for another run the following morning.

Today's stage is the longest and most grueling however, with a 54 mile course dubbed the Black Desert March. The runners got underway at 4 AM this morning, and many will continue well into the night before they reach their next camp. If they complete the stage, they'll finish up on Saturday, with a short run to the finish line at the Great Pyramids in Giza, capping the week's events.

The Sahara Race is part of the 4 Deserts series of Ultramarathons, each of which take place on an annual basis. The other three events are held in the Atacama Desert of Chile, the Gobi in China, with the final race taking place in Antarctica, the largest desert on the planet. Each of the races offers its own unique challenges, pushing some of the world's best endurance athletes to their limits in races against themselves and the environments around them.

Racing on foot through the Sahara originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 29 Oct 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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