Archive for the 'Africa & Middle East' Category
Five nonsmokers’ paradises: a guide for globe-trotters
November 1, 2009 5:57am
The world’s biggest tobacco-consuming countries that I profiled in my last post, including Greece, Russia and Austria, are also among the top travel spots, but the opposite isn’t quite the case.
Countries with the lowest reported adult smokers, as you’ll notice in the list below, don’t all provide dream vacations.
But there are some nice hangouts not far beyond the top 10. The percentage of adult tobacco smokers in Barbados, the homeland of pop singer Rihanna, is 10.8%, according to a 2005 World Health Organization report. At No. 12, the island is the first on the list that is not on the African continent. We’ve listed some others at the end.
The WHO that data I used, covering 129 countries, were incomplete for several countries. Many of those are smaller or impoverished nations where tobacco may not be in widespread use.
Read the rest of this entry »
Dodgers fans: For food, follow the stars in Philly
October 17, 2009 10:04am
Now that the Dodgers will be in Philadelphia at least until Wednesday (thank you, men in blue), Dodgers fans may be headed back to the City of Brotherly Love. And that means only one thing: cheese steaks.
OK, not really. And not anymore. Philly’s come up in the food world, which means the Dodgers and the Phillies aren’t the only game in town.
During the filming of an a James L. Brooks comedy (reportedly called “How Do You Know?”), some of the glitterati have been frequenting the best of Philly. Starring in the love-triangle flick and in the city the last few months: Owen Wilson, Jack Nicholson, Paul Rudd and Reese Witherspoon. Not known (to me anyway) whether they’ve tried Pat’s King of Steaks (although Barack Obama ate there in April 2008 when he was a presidential candidate) and Geno’s Steaks, the best-known cheese steak places in town, but we do know where the elite have deigned to eat. So take a tip, Dodgers fans, if you’re back there, and keep fingers crossed that any meals might be celebratory dinners.
Philadelphia Inquirier Inqlings columnist Michael Klein says Witherspoon has been seen at Jones at 7th and Chestnut streets (American, modestly priced), and Alma de Cuba (Latin American/Caribbean/Cuban) and POD (pan-Asian/Pacific Rim), and Wilson is said to have dined regularly at Parc at Rittenhouse Square (French). Nicholson, meanwhile, dined at 10 Arts at the Ritz-Carlton (regional American) , said Howard Gensler in the Philadelphia Daily News.
But, really, fans, can anything beat the taste of a Dodger dog?
— Catharine Hamm, Times Travel editor
Photo: Juan Pierre, left, Andre Ethier and Matt Kemp do the chest bump to celebrate the Dodgers’ 2-1 win over the Phillies on Friday at Dodger Stadium. Credit: Alex Gallardo / Los Angeles Times
Bag a 2-for-1 deal on a luxury African safari in Botswana
September 24, 2009 8:30am
Elephants, lions and rhinos — oh my! You can see these legendary beasts and more on an 11-day luxury safari in Botswana. Better yet, a longtime purveyor of African travel is offering a 2-for-1 deal on this adventure in one of southern Africa’s most treasured wildlife destinations, home of the renowned Okavango Delta and the setting for “The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency” TV series on HBO.
Did I mention that the trip isn’t cheap? Even with the deal, it starts at about $3,300 per person, not including airfare to Africa. But it can be a terrific value for a once-in-a lifetime, top-of-the-line experience. And it comes from a respected tour operator right here in Southern California — African Travel Inc. of Glendale.
Deal: On “The Last Refuge” tour, you view wildlife on foot, by canoe, by safari vehicle and by helicopter in three areas of Botswana.
American Airlines to start collecting full name, gender and date of birth info from passengers
September 14, 2009 3:47pm
Want to fly on American Airlines? Starting Tuesday, Sept. 15, you will need to provide your full name as it appears on your driver’s license or other government ID, plus your gender and date of birth, to buy a ticket, the airline announced today.
The policy affects tickets bought through all means — by phone, online, at the ticket desk or through a travel agent — American spokesman Tim Wagner said. It won’t affect customers flying on tickets that were bought before Sept. 15, he added.
American’s action is part of the new Secure Flight program, in which the Transportation Security Administration is changing the way that passengers’ names are checked against its so-called no-fly list of people who may pose a security risk.
When, where and how: Marvel characters in Disney theme parks
September 9, 2009 9:13am
I’ve heard the same refrain for the last week or so: How will Disney ever incorporate the dark and edgy Marvel comic book characters into its family-friendly fairy tale theme parks?
While at first glance the task seems daunting, upon further reflection the opportunities appear endless. It’s certainly not a question of “if” but rather “when, where and how.”
It’s been fun to imagine the juxtaposition of Marvel’s assassins, terrorists, serial killers and vigilantes mixing on Main Street USA with Disney’s princesses, fairies and army of anthropomorphic animals. But Marvel also has a deep bench of heroes and villains in its 5,000-character catalog that would blend seamlessly into Disney’s theme parks.
The early contenders will almost certainly come from the ranks of Marvel’s past films (”Spider-Man,” “X-Men,” “Hulk,” “Iron Man,” “Fantastic Four”) and upcoming releases (”Thor,” “Captain America,” “Avengers,” “Silver Surfer,” “Ant Man”). There’s even a few minor characters that would fit perfectly in specific Disney attractions and themed lands.
Disney’s done it before with “Star Wars,” “Indiana Jones,” “The Muppets,” “Winnie the Pooh,” “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles,” “Mighty Morphin Power Rangers” and even Aerosmith.
And while Disneyland might not be the ideal match for Marvel characters, the superheroes fit like a skin-tight spandex suit in Disney’s “studio” theme parks.
So, keeping in mind that Mickey and Spidey have only been in-laws for less than a fortnight, lets take an unofficial and speculative look at how the marriage of Marvel and Disney might play out in the company’s theme parks around the world:
How the Disney-Marvel deal affects Universal Studios theme parks
August 31, 2009 4:08pm
Disney’s acquisition of Marvel is expected to have no effect on Universal Studios Florida, where visitors ride on attractions themed to Spider-Man and pose for photos with the Incredible Hulk at the Islands of Adventure theme park.
“Our agreement with Marvel stands for as long as we follow the terms of our existing contract and for as long as we want there to be a Marvel Super Hero Island,” said Universal Studios Florida spokesman Tom Schroder.
Marvel Super Hero Island at Universal’s Islands of Adventure, across town from Walt Disney World in Orlando, includes the Incredible Hulk roller-coaster and the Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man simulator ride as well walk-around characters such as Wolverine and Captain America.
Theme park news: Another Dale Earnhardt coaster, Snow White wins lottery, Hello Kitty attraction, Coney Island closure
August 29, 2009 6:27am
A roundup of my theme park Twitter updates for the last week:
POV video: Carowinds announces $23-million Dale Earnhardt-themed Intimidator coaster for spring 2010 with stadium-style seating and T-shaped lap bar.
Universal Studios Orlando unveils eight Halloween Horror Nights mazes: Saw, Wolfman, Chucky, Dracula, Frankenstein, Silver Screams, Leave it To Cleaver and The Spawning. Six scare zones: Lights Camera Hacktion, Cirque Du Freak, Horrorwood Die-In, Apocalypse, Containment, War of Living Dead. (Orlando Attractions)
Disneyland’s Snow White wins $5.2 million lottery jackpot, feels “like Cinderella.” (O.C. Register)
Busch Gardens Tampa adding Sesame Street Safari of Fun for Spring 2010: kiddie coaster, flume ride, carousel, swing ride, water play area. (Orlando Sentinel)
Discovery Channel offers adventure trips inspired by shows
August 19, 2009 10:55am
If you’re hooked on the Discovery Channel, you might enjoy the network’s new venture into reality travel for viewers: Discovery Adventures.
The travel site offers soft-adventure-style trips to 18 domestic and international destinations that will “immerse viewers in the diversity of cultures as seen every day on Discovery Channel,” said Elizabeth Bakacs, a spokesman at Discovery Channel. Travelers will be able to explore regions featured on programs such as “Man vs. Wild” (Costa Rica, Mexico, Alaska), “Out of Egypt” and “Discovery Atlas” (China).
“Each tour is developed to include off-the-beaten-path experiences and deeper exploration into the history and traditions of each destination, delivering a non-traditional tourist vacation,” said Bakacs.
Trip lengths are from three to 24 days, with prices starting at $499 per person, excluding airfare.
— Rosemary McClure, Special to the Los Angeles Times
Photo: The ancient Inca ruins of Machu Picchu in Peru are featured on some of the new Discovery Adventure trips. Credit: Courtesy of Discovery Adventures
Mexico: See monarch butterflies in their wintering grounds
August 13, 2009 9:52am
Every year, millions of monarch butterflies journey roughly 2,500 miles from Canada and the northern U.S. to central Mexico highlands, where they spend the winter around local flowers, mating and feeding.
Visiting the butterflies en masse in their wintering grounds is said to be a remarkable experience. You may get a chance to see so many butterflies at once, in fact, that “you can actually hear the beating of millions of tiny wings,” according to a trip announcement by nature-expedition operator Natural Habitat Adventures.
The travel company’s six-day “Kingdom of the Monarchs Adventure,” offered 14 times between January and March 2010, is one way to visit the butterflies in an environmentally sensitive manner while contributing to their conservation. And a recent promotion by the operator offers extra incentive to book for a couple of the tour dates.
Deal: The “2010 Economic Climate Change Stimulus Plan” offers a one-time $500 discount per person, for monarch-butterfly trips departing Jan. 10 or Jan. 18, 2010. Read the rest of this entry »
The key to successful travel is preparation
July 17, 2009 3:32pm
On the Spot by L.A. Times Travel editor Catharine Hamm
Question: My son and his friend, both 19, have tickets to three games at the World Cup soccer event in South Africa next summer. They’ll be in Johannesburg, but they would like to see as much as they can. Should they use a travel agent? Buy travel insurance? What should they see and do? Where should they stay?
– Karen Mitchell, San Clemente
Answer: Travel is a bit like that final exam you still have nightmares about: You can’t cram for it in one night. So it’s great Mitchell is beginning early. It may take a year to get all the questions answered.
