We haven't been to NYC for a while. So imagine our surprise when the B1M video (see below) about New York 's popped up for us on YouTube. Turns out that the project was not exactly the happiest of experiences, but - as they say - it is what it is. Rising from the remnants of…
World Culture
With the benefit of hindsight, we can look back at things that raised the blood pressure of "the people," but can now look back and wonder what all of the fuss was about.
An example is Eileen Gray’s modernist villa E-1027, built in 1929. It resides on the Cap Moderne site. (The Cap Moderne Association is…
Hey tiger, want to explore the bush and find your inner animal? In style, of course. And a rather special place is the The Bushcamp Company in Zambia. It's been around for a while, but they've spent a number of months refreshing the place. The award-winning Mfuwe safari lodge is set in the most prolific…
... but don't worry....yet. Korean Air announced a cooperative initiative for research with Seoul National University and the Korean Air Force to understand the options for launching missiles and orbital vehicles from a Boeing 747 jet. The airline has already started reviewing all technological abilities, operating costs, and how the selected 747 can be equipped…
Every so often, a human mass movement comes along that subtly alters the zeitgeist of we humans. It could have been the art enlightenment in the 1920's. Or perhaps it was the peace and love Hippies in the 1960's. But one of these movements has persisted - the Chautauqua Institute. Chautauqua was an adult education…
Deep in the Caucasus mountains of Georgia is a town called Bochorna. The highest continuously inhabited settlement in Europe, it has an altitude of 7,694 feet—or six Empire State buildings stacked on top of each other—and a population of one. But to get there, to that man, and to that town, you need to ford…
Whether you want to get out of the USA or into Canada, or the other way around, your time has come. After nearly four years of conceptualizing and construction, the nation’s (USA) longest multi-use state trail is open to the public, reaching from the southern most tip of Manhattan right up to the Canadian border.…
For years there have been jokes about the "tin foil hats" people: the doomsayers, the mountain men, the survivalists, the crazies, the Government Plot believers. Others would look askance at them, walk to the other side of the street to avoid them.
Well, there is no doubt that mother earth is struggling, and we humans may…
In 1986, Vancouver hosted the World's Fair. An event like that is a big deal not only for the hosting city, but also for the brands that sponsor and appear in the fair. McDonald's was no exception: behold the McBarge. The 57-metre, two-storey glass-and-metal barge was used as a floating McDonald’s restaurant during the world’s…
If you're a YouTube fan, and especially a car aficionado, then have we got a channel for you: Ed's Auto Reviews
Ed (last name unknown) is from the Netherlands and boasts the sense of humour that typically inhabits the people of that most liberal country.
Being from the Netherlands, Ed mostly features European automobiles. But he saves…
PRUDES: look away now. Inspiration comes from the most unusual places. You can never predict what an artist will do to make a statement or grab your attention. Art comes in all styles, from the Romans to the Renaissance the Impressionists and beyond. And so much of it has been saved for us by museums,…
If you're a music fan, then you certainly must know of the Buena Vista Social Club, 1999 documentary film directed by Wim Wenders. The film follows renowned guitarist Ry Cooder and his son, Joachim, as they travel to Cuba and assemble a group of the country's finest musicians to record an album. But, even if you…
Tripadvisor fans (like us) get around. They every corner of the globe to discover the newest, the wildest, the most obscure and the, well, just plain fun. It's almost impossible to travel without eating something. And if your budget permits, the lure of "best of" restaurants is just too strong to resist. Here, here to…
It's always good to think ahead, when you can. And while you're enjoying the summer sun, there are probably a dozen or more items on your list that you're ignoring / forgetting. Well, let us give you a little prod to recommend that you start looking into your winter holidays now. Chances are good that…
Sometimes, we don't realise how lucky we are.
If you're not familiar with this story, prepare to be amazed. Kowloon Walled City was an ungoverned and densely populated de jure Chinese enclave within the boundaries of Kowloon City, British Hong Kong.
Originally a Chinese military fort, the walled city became an enclave after the New Territories were…
As if Rome isn't fun enough - may we present to you Mama Shelter, Roma. Created by the owners of Club Med, Mama Shelter goes waaay beyond the normal. Just a short walk from the Vatican, and just 250m from the Cipro Metro station, everything is close and the nightlife is not far away. Treat…
The electric interwebs are full of articles and videos about failed attempts on a grand scale. We know that there was thought and planning put into these - there had to be.
But, in the cases here, the dreams crumbled in a number of different ways. Rather than ridcule, let's be glad that we're able to…
Ireland is one of the more hip, inclusive, free and charming places in Europe. When you meet an Irish human, you will inevitably strike up a natural and amiable conversation, no matter the situation. The Irish - the same as the Australians - are simply like that. Everyone tends to gravitate to Dublin and Belfast…
AirBnB, constant bad press notwithstanding, has created a wonderful new model on how to travel. Almost everyone wins. VRBO, an Expedia company (and one of our valued affiliate friends,) have taken the model and successfully given AirBnB a run for their money: in some recent months, they have marched past AirBnB in bookings. But, this…
This is a simple, but very important request. For those of us who are fortunate enough to travel, this should almost be mandatory.
UNESCO has created the Sustainable Tourism Pledge. The pledge takes an industry-first approach to environmental and cultural protection, requiring hotel operators to introduce firm measures to eliminate single-use plastics and promote local culture.
The…