Travel blog

Sat, 28 Aug 2010 05:08:24 GMT

Cathedral Provincial Park

Last week, I visited British Columbia"s Cathedral Provincial Park for hiking, photography, and botanizing. Though I"ve yet to identify anything rare in what I photographed, it was a pleasure to visit the area for both the scenery and the sheer diversity of flora and fauna. I"m estimating, but I"d guess at least a hundred different plant species were in bloom, including mass displays of Lupinus, Valeriana & Arnica in the subalpine and, only hinted at in the bottom of this photograph, the yellow-flowering Dasiphora fruticosa (nee Potentilla fruticosa) at or above treeline.

The trees in the valley above and around Glacier Lake (if clicking on the Google Maps link, it is misnamed Cathedral Lakes) are mainly Larix lyallii, or alpine larch (sometimes called subalpine larch). The populations in this part of southern British Columbia and adjacent Washington state (where it occurs in larger extent) are considered disjunct from the main part of the species distributional range in the Rocky Mountains. I have read that the hike from Quiniscoe Lake to Glacier Lake is spectacular in mid- to late September, when the needles of Larix lyallii turn golden and begin to fall like a light, soft snow. But that will be a trip for another year.... Posted by: Daniel Mosquin      Read more     Source

June 24, 2010, 11:23 PM CT

Keep the Boom from the Room

With summer travel season hard upon us, specialists at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have helped create two new standards* designed to increase safety as we rush from gate to gate in crowded mass transit centers. Their efforts will help to fortify against potential bomb threats in the nation's transportation centers.

Whether you travel by plane, train or bus, you're bound to pass a familiar container that makes for an attractive spot to stash a bomb: a trash can. Not only does a trash receptacle present an easy place for a terrorist to hide an explosive device before making a quiet getaway, but the metal from a bin can rupture into shrapnel that flies outward in all directions, increasing the risk to passersby.

While industry has been producing blast-resistant trash receptacles for years, there were no widely-accepted specifications for judging a manufacturer's particular claims of product safety. The Science and Technology Directorate of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and several manufacturers began working with NIST in 2007 to address the lack of standards for blast resistance among trash receptacles. The results of the DHS-funded work now have been published by the standards development organization ASTM International......... Posted by: JoAnn      Read more         Source

February 18, 2010, 10:01 PM CT

Happiness is....?

It takes more than a vacation to make people happy. Indeed, vacationers tend to be happier than non-vacationers in the lead up to their break, but once they are back, there is very little difference between the two groups' levels of happiness. These findings¹ by Jeroen Nawijn from Erasmus University in Rotterdam and NHTV Breda University of Applied Sciences and his team are published online in Springer's journal Applied Research in Quality of Life.Research to date suggests that vacations are linked to many positive feelings. Jeroen Nawijn's study sets out to answer four questions. Firstly, are vacationers happier than non-vacationers? Secondly, does a trip boost happiness? Thirdly, if a trip does boost happiness, how long does this effect last? And lastly, what are the roles of length of time away and vacation stress?The author assessed how vacations impact happiness among 1,530 Dutch adults, 974 of whom took a vacation during the study period. In particular, Nawijn looked at differences in happiness levels between vacationers and those not going on vacation, as well as whether a trip away boosts post-trip happiness. Jeroen Nawijn observed that those planning a vacation were happier than those not going away, and suggests that this appears to be due to their anticipation of the break. Following a trip, there was no difference between vacationers' and non-vacationers' happiness, unless the time off was very relaxing, in which case the slightly increased happiness was especially noticeable in the first two weeks back. The effect wore off completely after eight weeks. The author explains that it is not surprising that trips do not have a prolonged effect on happiness, since most vacationers return to work or other daily tasks and therefore fall straight back into their normal routine fairly quickly.Jeroen Nawijn concludes by looking at possible implications from three points of view. From an individual point of view, he suggests that people are likely to derive more happiness from two or more short breaks spread throughout the year, rather than having just a single longer vacation once a year. From a policy perspective, in order for families to be able to stagger their trips throughout the year, the school system would need to become more flexible. And lastly, from a managerial point of view, the author would advise tourism managers to provide vacation products which are as stress-free as possible.Reference1. Nawijn J, Marchand MA, Veenhoven R, Vingerhoets AJ (2010). Vacationers happier, but most not happier after a holiday. Applied Research in Quality of Life. DOI 10.1007/s11482-009-9091-9......... Posted by: JoAnn      Read more         Source

Mon, 18 Jan 2010 04:36:44 GMT

Understanding the Menu in Japan

© avlxyz


I can across a site recently that brings some sanity to the task of choosing what to eat from a Japanese menu. It reminded me of just how difficult getting past the language barrier can be when you order food overseas....

I remember sitting in a little restaurant in Penang, Malaysia. I'd studied Malay. But euphemisms are still tricky for any non-native speaker. The menu said padi ayam. I knew that padi was rice - though it is the word for rice growing in the field, not for the rice you by in stores (beras) or for cooked rice (nasi). But hey, rice is rice.... right? I knew ayam was chicken. And I knew that the Chinese in Malaysia love white rice and chicken. So I ordered it. The waiter was resistant and seemed to be searching for words to explain to me why I didn't want padi ayam. After a few minutes of exasperation and charades, the waiter found someone who knew the English word for "frog" - the "chicken" of the rice padi. And I reconsidered my order....

My Japanese isn't as good as my Malay. I know a dozen or so Japanese words. Words like: arigatō (thank you), dōzo (please), sayōnara (good-bye), Toshiba, Sony, Toyota, Karate, Nissan. You get the idea. Somewhere along the way I learned the words sake (rice wine) and sushi. If your Japanese vocabulary is on a par with mine, ENGmenu.com might be a helpful website.

The LA Times describes ENGmenu.com this way:Certified Perfect English Menu is easy to understand and use even if you don't know a lick of Japanese. It caters to foodies as well as English-speaking tourists trying to figure out what to expect before they visit. You can search for restaurants in Kobe, Kyoto, Osaka and Tokyo, or surf the website by price and cuisine.Once you're actually in Japan, the site's most useful features might be the list of restaurants with phone numbers and a note about whether the staff speaks English. Posted by: Lisa      Read more     Source

Wed, 09 Dec 2009 14:04:21 GMT

Bangkok Airport Gets Free WiFi

© mckaysavage


MSNBC reported recently that your layover in Bangkok may be about to get a little more pleasant. Bangkok"s international airport now offers free wireless Internet access for passengers, matching services already available from regional competitors such as Singapore and Hong Kong, an airport official said Friday.The service will be free in the departure areas and available for a fee in other parts of the airport. Singapore has had free WiFi since January. Hong Kong began the service in 2006. Posted by: Lisa      Read more     Source

October 27, 2009, 11:20 PM CT

How to find the best deals while looking for cheap flights and airfares

These are the days of extensive traveling. Every second person you meet on the street has traveled the world. With fat pay packets, bigger salaries and the desire to see everything the world has to offer, tourist movement is on the fast track. The world is in fact seeing volumes of traffic that have never been seen or felt before.

Tourists all over the world are always on the look out for the ways to find the best deals while looking for cheap flights and low airfares. There are a few tips and tricks that can help you book relatively cheap and enjoy unbelievable discounts.

The first rule is what they taught you in the first grade: the early bird gets the worm. The easiest way to find the best travel deals and get cheap flights and airfares is to book your tickets sufficiently early. As you near the date of travel, tickets become more expensive and hotel accommodations become pricier. This is the rule of the game and it always applies, without exception. Go for advanced booking.

Just as important is the time of your visit. Tourists generally like to visit destinations during the peak season. For instance, if it's a winter destination, you will have crowds thronging to the place in the winter. Greater demand for tickets during the peak season naturally leads to steep ticket fares and high accommodation rates. Traveling just before a major holiday is a big no as the demand for tickets pick up a lot at this time. On the other hand, if you are willing to visit the same place during the lean season, you can easily find the best deals, get the best airfares and book cheap flights. ........ Posted by: JoAnn      Read more         Source

October 14, 2009, 7:20 AM CT

Will this trip be exciting?

Most of us won't respond to the call of adventure while soaking in a relaxing bath. As per a newly released study in the Journal of Consumer Research, we're more likely to book a weekend at a spa.

"Imagine you are sitting in a bathtub, listening to calm music with gentle candlelight. Add lavender aroma. Then as you flip through a magazine, you come across an advertisement from an amusement park, promising you an exciting place full of adventurous offerings. How appealing would you find the prospect of visiting this amusement park?" write authors Hakkyun Kim (University of Concordia, Canada), Kiwan Park (Seoul National University, Korea), and Norbert Schwarz (University of Michigan).

The authors observed that people evaluate vacation products with adventurous appeals more favorably when they feel excited rather than peaceful, and vice versa. They observed that processing advertising claims depends much on the consistency between the message and the consumer's mood.

The authors explain that people who see an advertisement that promises an exciting vacation ask themselves, "Would this vacation really make me feel that way?" They are more likely to think a vacation will really be exciting when they currently feel excited rather than peaceful. In other words, incidental emotions influence the perceived likelihood that the product will deliver on its emotional promises: When the current emotions match the promises of the product, people infer that it may really make them feel that way; but when the current emotions mismatch the promises, the discrepancy between their current feelings and the promises suggests that the product may fail to deliver what it promises......... Posted by: JoAnn      Read more         Source

October 12, 2009, 10:31 PM CT

Trolley Bus

If there are nearly 340 trolley buses still operating worldwide from one continent to another, it means that as a silent transportation system, it is still efficient and cost effective public and government. For busy city streets, it seems to be a smooth ride, despite ugly overhead wires which interrupt the view of the unlimited sky. Well, you can't have your cake and eat it too! In the past there were over 500 trolley bus systems working up the hill. But the advent of oil and diesel made it a lesser used form of commuting. The pollution, high oil prices have turned the clock back. European and American cities are using these smooth and silent commuting mammoths. They look sleeker, and are also eco-effective and eco-friendly, snaking their way around metropolitan tarmac roads.

What gives trolley buses the green signal for future times?

Since the 18th century they have ferried passengers on various city routes smoothly. They have caused fewer accidents, although jay walking pedestrians have been caught off-guard often. They are a perfect antidote to reduce pollution, save fuel and have spacious and comfortable seats. Amongst the many type of bus commuting Trolley buses score as they are reliable, durable and need less maintenance too. In some countries where they are called coaches, they are ideal for tourists wish to savor the city sounds and sights. Every city has its unique colorful fleet of such buses. They also have attractive designs, styles and colors. Every transportation, has its defects and strengths so does this system. If the minor disadvantages like its difficulty in re-routing, dewirements can be overlooked, the hybrid variety of new trolley buses is still in demand. They have an old world charm to them which makes them ideal for commuting on the way to work. ........ Posted by: JoAnn      Read more         Source

Sun, 27 Sep 2009 23:21:06 GMT

Across the Sea in England

Having defended my thesis, I set off to England about a month ago to start a postdoc at the Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology in Cambridge. I’m going to be working in Bill Schafer’s lab studying neuroscience using C. elegans as a model system. This is a pretty big switch for me, but it’s exciting to try to orient myself in a new field and identify some interesting and tractable problems. It can also be frustrating when you can’t follow a lot of what people discuss in talks, but I’m trying to take advantage of my naivety to start something a bit original. It’s great to be a scientist.

Cambridge itself has been beautiful so far. It’s certainly colder than Philly, but it hasn’t rained much at all, despite everyone’s warnings. We’ve even tried some punting (that’s me trying to steer). Posted by: Andre      Read more     Source

Sun, 27 Sep 2009 15:00:04 GMT

Wine Season Destinations

This TravelPost article looks at wine travel in the US as the grape harvest is underway.

If you've never considered wine travel, you should:Now is a better time than any to embark on a wine-tasting adventure. Harvest season (when the grapes are ripe enough to be plucked from the vines and juiced) occurs between the months of August and October. Vineyards come alive as workers collect the grapes. The air is filled with a sweet aroma and tourists flock to tasting rooms. We have compiled a list of the top wine-tasting options.The article looks at five wine destinations, spread from California to New York, Texas to Michigan. It's a good time to go see your favorite vineyard.


© wharman


Posted by: Doreen      Read more     Source

Sun, 27 Sep 2009 09:30:43 GMT

Living Cheap in Shanghai

Shanghai is trying hard to sell itself as the luxury capital of Asia, but it's still possible to see Shanghai on the cheap, according the USA Today.

Accommodation is a good example of the savings available. How much would you expect to pay to sleep in Shanghai?How low do you want to go? The youth hostels that generally serve backpackers and students can be a good option, costing a minimum of 45 yuan (under $7) per night. Shanghai has eight clean, convenient youth hostels, most of them centrally located. A favorite pick is the Captain Youth Hostel, at 37 Fuzhou Rd. just off the Bund. The hostel's 6th floor bar has views of the river and all rooms have hot-water baths, 24-hour reception service, free Internet access, free movie, free tourism information and luggage storage.The piece lists a number of other ways to save your money in Shanghai. It's worth reading.


© uniquebuildings Posted by: Lisa      Read more     Source

Sun, 27 Sep 2009 03:39:01 GMT

Dubai Deals

Can you afford to go to Dubai - the land of thousand dollar hotel rooms and ten dollar beers?

MSNBC says you don't have to be an oil tycoon or a Paris Hilton to afford Dubai. Among the tips:Hit the sand without shelling out for a waterfront hotel by joining the locals at one of the city's public beaches. Entry to Jumeirah Beach Park, just down the road from the iconic sail-shaped Burj al-Arab hotel, costs just $1.37 (5 dirhams).
The MSNBC article lists a number of free and cheap attractions, but you should also keep in mind that Dubai's hotel prices are down because of the global recession.

If you're interested in a trip to Dubai, now is the time....


© catsper Posted by: Lisa      Read more     Source

Wed, 02 Sep 2009 04:54:09 GMT

Rooftopping Toronto: Rising Above Brutalism At City Hall

At the peak of the concrete behemoth in the middle of downtown Toronto we all know as Toronto City Hall lies a spectacular view. The love/hate brutalist design of the building itself hides its grace at its very pinnacle, it would seem.

It is disconcerting that this vantage point is hidden away from so many, for so much of the year. That being said, whenever I snatch a chance to rise above the sterile eye-shaped structure, I make sure to take my time to gaze about. Posted by: Jonathan Castellino      Read more     Source

Thu, 27 Aug 2009 05:21:25 GMT

Planning Your Travel with No-Image

You have a vacation coming. Where do you go? A new travel wiki, No-Image, may help you answer that question....

No-Image provides information about different travel destinations - like Dubai and Madrid. Looking for something a little closer to home? How about San Antonio?

The wiki's entries give you an overview of the destination, some pre-surfed links to explore, and a list of specific attractions you'd want to visit if you went there. And because they're created by users (actual travelers instead of travel agents and hotel companies) you can feel more confident that you're being pointed in the right direction as you make your travel plans.

Best of all, when you get back from a vacation or trip you can put your own thoughts on the wiki at No-Image, adding to the wealth of information already available on the web.

Take a look at No-Image. It's probably the travel site you've been looking for.


© mujitra (´･ω･)


Posted by: Lisa      Read more     Source

August 26, 2009, 10:17 PM CT

Hotel Booking in India

Cheap hotels: India is a strategic business and tourist center in the emerging markets. The country is famous for its wide variety of accommodation and excellent hospitality. Hotel booking in India takes place throughout the year due to the country's geographic and cultural diversity. Being frequented by tourists, hotel booking in India should be done in advance. The best way to do this is via an online travel agent.

Hotel Booking in India: Accommodation Options

A tourist visiting India can book one of the following types of hotels:

Luxury hotels: Luxury hotels have five-star ratings. They offer facilities such as large rooms, lush gardens, multi-cuisine restaurants, swimming pools and spas. The most famous luxury hotels in India are:

• ITC Continental
• Taj Hotel
• The Oberoi
• Shangri-La Hotel
• Trident Hotel
• Le Meridian Hotel

Heritage hotels: Heritage hotels across India are famed for their world-class hospitality. Heritage hotels transcend you to a royal lifestyle and are in proximity with historical places, such as the Hawa Mahal, the Jantar Mantar, the City Palace, the Amber Fort, the Jai Mahal, and the Albert Hall Museum. Some royal carriages, trains and wagons are also converted to heritage hotels. Some of the best-known heritage hotels and resorts are:........ Posted by: JoAnn      Read more         Source

August 11, 2009, 8:39 AM CT

Information on Car Rental Maui

Maui Car Rentals: Are you planning a vacation to Maui this year? Are you bothered about renting a car in Maui? Then you should quit pondering over this issue and know how uncomplicated car rental is in Maui Island. Maui is an exotic island with a fantastic and inviting weather for tourists. It also offers number of sight-seeing options and recreational activities to tourists to keep them busy throughout the day. A long drive along the winding mountainous roads is a thrilling experience that you will cherish throughout your lives. To be able to go for this drive and explore Maui, you need to hire a car. You can go for sightseeing in buses and taxis as well. But the experience will not be even near to that of roaming around in a private car.

Hiring a car in Maui requires some planning

However, if you wish to rent a car in Maui you will need some planning prior to your arrival. You must remember that Maui is a big city where you have several car rental companies. If you have rented a car in Maui, the first thing you will notice is that the pick up and drop venues may be separate. Car rental might be a little expensive in Maui since there are not many companies offering the facility to hire cars in the island. The major car rental chains have their offices in Maui. Some of these agencies are Alamo, Hertz, and Avis, but other than these there are not too many independent car rental companies in the Island. However, if you wish to discover the real pleasure by driving along the island, then you must hire a car......... Posted by: JoAnn      Read more         Source

August 5, 2009, 11:26 PM CT

Condo Living In Bethesda, MD

Bethesda, Maryland is one of the premier communities in the metropolitan Washington DC area. As such, it boasts an excellent array of prime real estate for people who seek to call it home. While there are endless options for traditional homes and real estate in Bethesda, condo living is another very popular options with a lot of different people. There are many reasons why people opt to purchase a condo as opposed to a home in Bethesda; there are a lot of great benefits to such an arrangement.

Unlike owning a traditional house, living in a condo offers a certain level of built in convenience. Sometimes, people wish to enjoy all that Bethesda has to offer, without the hassle of taking care of a large property. While many people enjoy doing landscaping and similar projects around their homes, others have little use for it. In fact, some people are physically unable to routinely maintain a large yard. For those people, condos in Bethesda are great choices; the yard work and general upkeep of the grounds is performed by the condo management.

People of all different backgrounds, ages and situations find that condo living is perfect for them. Many times, people prefer living in closer proximity to others. Sometimes, this is because they enjoy the close knit feel of having neighbors right nearby. Elderly people who live alone often feel safer living in a condo in Bethesda, as opposed to a more isolated single house. Many condos have community areas where residents can lounge around and get to know each other, too, further enhancing the social aspects of the situation......... Posted by: JoAnn      Read more         Source

Thu, 04 Jun 2009 22:34:59 GMT

Truckin' and Eatin'

Would you buy a taco from this man?  Yeah, so would I.

In American cities such as LA, New York and many points in between, the grungy coffee truck has been reinvented as a hip and happening way to deliver quality food experiences to busy people.

Celebrated vendors like the Treats Truck roam Manhattan streets making bakery deliveries and selling their sugary wares (such as raspberry brownies and cran-almond rice crispy bars) to passersby.

While the concept may seem retro (think about ice cream trucks), the application is modern with interesting food concepts and unique marketing approaches that use  twitter and blogs to make these free range eateries a success.

While Vancouver seems to be catching on to this trend, here in Toronto, the street food scene remains dull and duller. While most of our so-called ‘coffee trucks’ are fronts for drug dealers and not legitimate lunch purveyors, our efforts to pepper interesting ethnic food vendors amongst our copious hot dog carts have been thwarted by bureaucracy so that heartburn is more common among fans of this initiative than satisfied appetites.

What’s it like in your town? Is your street food culture vibrant or dormant? If it’s vibrant, how often do you buy food from a mobile vender? Posted by: danamccauley      Read more     Source