Category Archives: Travel News

March 8, 2013 · 11:07 am

The Week in Travel (3/8/2013)

The world of travel moves fast!   Let’s keep up–together.   On Fridays,  Traveling IQ curates the highlights from the past week:

Turkey's National Sport

The National Sport of Turkey

*We connect with foreign cultures in many ways:  music, art, food, literature, etc.  With Turkey, may I suggest their National Sport (via BuzzFeed).

*If you liked it then you should’ve put a stamp on it.  The U.S. Postal Service may be selling architecturally distinctive post offices because of its financial problems (via NY Times).

*Ten indispensable apps for last-minute travel (via Smarter Travel).

*The joyous experience of air travel is getting more complicated.  U.S. airports have already started experiencing delays as a result of automatic federal spending cuts (via ABC News).

*The U.S. State Department has launched a web portal providing information for gay travelers, who sometimes face specific risks when visiting foreign countries.  The section will note if there have been recent attacks against LGBT-identified people or, more generally, whether local laws permit consensual sexual relations between two people of the same gender (via BBC).

*If at first you don’t succeed… try, try again?  An Australian billionaire has released blueprints for the Titanic II, a replica of the original ship which sank in April 1912, with plans to set sail across the Atlantic in 2016.  Oh yeah, FYI… the ship will be built in China (via ABC News).

What did I miss?  Share your favorite travel news in the comments below or by posting on the Traveling IQ Facebook page.

(Photo via BuzzFeed)

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February 15, 2013 · 2:30 pm

The Week in Travel (2/15/2013)

The world of travel moves fast!   Let’s keep up–together.   On Fridays,  Traveling IQ curates the highlights from the past week:

Rio is World's Happiest!

Rio is the Happiest!

*San Francisco is the happiest city in America, but Rio de Janeiro makes the world smile (via Huffington Post).

*Poop, power outages and the perfume of sewage defeat the cruising vacation of 3,143 passengers aboard the Carnival Triumph (via Miami Herald).

*On Valentines’ Day, American Airlines and US Airways announced the marriage that will soon conceive the world’s largest air carrier (via Washington Post).

*Kids are great–and necessary to the continuation of the human race–but you don’t always want them on your flight.   Now, a Malaysian-based airline is introducing a kid-free, quiet zone (via Passport Magazine).

*France’s Roissy-Charles de Gaulle Airport offers duty-free shopping and an Auguste Rodin gallery (via NY Times).

*Want to know more about your upcoming vacation destination?  Tourism boards are sharing pictures, upcoming events, and restaurant recommendations on Twitter (via NBC News).

What did I miss?  Share your favorite travel news in the comments below or by posting on the Traveling IQ Facebook page.

(Photo via Fox Latino)

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February 1, 2013 · 10:09 am

The Week in Travel (2/1/2013)

The world of travel moves fast!   Let’s keep up–together.   On Fridays,  Traveling IQ curates the highlights from the past week:
Nude dude San Francisco

*You can leave your heart in San Francisco, you can be sure to wear flowers in your hair, but don’t forget to cover your “genitals, perineum, and anal region,” now that the city’s ban on nudity has officially gone into effect (via RT).

*With Valentine’s Day approaching, woo your honey-bunny at one of the “ten romantic places to see before you die” (via Times of India).

*NYC, what is it about you?  See for yourself in this stunning 360 degree, interactive map (via The Telegraph).

*You might want to reconsider your trip to Russia, as the country’s anti-gay law–already in place in St. Petersburg and other cities–aims to criminalize “homosexual propaganda” nationally (via Edge).

*Enjoy a pink and magenta hued lunch with Ken, at the world’s first Barbie restaurant, now open in Taiwan (via CNN).

*Some like it hot… while some not.  The travel doctors at MAW take the “sexual temperature” of the 19 gay resorts in Ft. Lauderdale (via Man About World).

What did I miss?  Share your favorite travel news in the comments below or by posting on the Traveling IQ Facebook page.

(Photo via Reuters)

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January 18, 2013 · 11:53 am

The Week in Travel (1/18/13)

The world of travel moves fast!   Let’s keep up–together.   On Fridays,  Traveling IQ curates the highlights from the past week:

Sydney Sizzles

Sydney Sizzles

*Baby, it’s cold outside, but it ain’t nothing compared to the coldest city on earth–Yakutsk in Eastern Siberia–where temperatures plummet to minus 45C/49F (via The Independent).  In an alternate hemisphere, Sydney, Australia, records its hottest day ever at 45C/114F (via Sydney Morning Herald).

*The United States of America is inaugurating Barack Obama as its President on Monday.  And Washington D.C. will be celebrating from Mall (via Washington Post) to Ball (via NY Times).

*The Gray Lady names Rio de Janeiro #1 (via NY Times).  Find your top travel destination for 2013 (via Traveling IQ).

*While in Mexico, don’t drink the water; while in Beijing, don’t breathe the air (via NY Times).

*In air travel news: the Boeing Dreamliner is a nightmare (via USA Today), and American Airlines unveils a new look to mixed reviews (via NBC News).

*Looking for love in all the wrong places?  Book a trip to one of America’s Cruisiest Gay Cities (via About.com).

What did I miss?  Share your favorite travel news in the comments below or by posting on the Traveling IQ Facebook page.

(Photo via Toby Zerna/Sunday Telegraph)

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January 4, 2013 · 12:55 pm

The Week in Travel (1/4/13)

The world of travel moves fast!   Let’s keep up–together.   This week, Traveling IQ curates the highlights of the upcoming year:

Topping 2013

There is a Top for you, regardless of who you are.  This Top has been chosen by experts, to make you happy, to make you whole, to expand your horizons, and to guide you toward finding that elusively special spot.

Now, in 2013, will your Travel Top be…

*Amsterdam.  Holland’s forward-thinking capital is serving up major museum renovations, locavore restaurants, and cutting edge architecture, while celebrating the 400 year anniversary of its canals (via Conde Nast Traveler).

*Portugal.  Oozing “old European charm” with it’s Medieval towns and historic quarters, the pace in Portugal is soothingly slow and its locals increasingly thirsty (via Globespots).

*Sri Lanka.  After a 26-year civil war and a devastating tsunami, this South Asia country has bounced back and is one of the best-value destinations around (via USA Today/Lonely Planet).

*Myanmar.  After decades of seclusion, men in skirts invite you to explore traditional culture, colonial architecture, and villages largely unchanged by the past 50 years (via Art Info).

*India.  Few places in the world can offer the stark contrasts of beautiful and awful, breathtaking and grotesque, while being considered the pinnacle for independent travelers (via BootsnAll).

*New York City.  King of the Hill and Top of the Heap, the city that doesn’t sleep is still the top gay travel destination for 2013 (via Advocate).

What did I miss?  Share your favorite travel news in the comments below or by posting on the Traveling IQ Facebook page.

(Photo via MSN)

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December 31, 2012 · 12:22 pm

Happy Travels in 2013!

travelingiq.com

As 2012 comes to a close, thank you to all the Traveling IQ readers (from 138 different countries!) for another wonderful year.

Wishing you all happy travels of our huge, small world in 2013!

(Photo courtesy to WordPress.com’s “2012 Year in Blogging” report)

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December 21, 2012 · 1:19 pm

The Week in Travel (12/21/12)

The world of travel moves fast!   Let’s keep up–together.   On Fridays,  Traveling IQ curates the highlights from the past week:

SantaClausthroughsecurity

Has Santa been naughty or nice?

*Need a little help getting into the Holiday spirit?  Tour the most Christmassy places on the planet (via CNN) and follow Mr. Claus around the world (via CNN).

*Oh New Year’s Eve, how you force unattainable expectations!  This year, visit a spot worthy of welcoming 2013. (via CNN).

*Gay marriage has a new Caribbean destination.  The tiny island of Saba, located in the Dutch Caribbean, has legalized gay and lesbian marriage (via Passport Magazine).

*Tourists are not flocking to war-torn Gaza, but if they could, they would discover ancient archeological ruins and Mediterranean coastlines.  Michael Luongo offers a glimpse into what tourism in the region could be (via Huffington Post).

*Skiing is a seasonal sport for most.  Surprise, it’s always winter(y) somewhere.  Ski bums can spend all year on the slopes (via NY Times).

*Our vacation photos had a stressful week.  On Monday, Instascamgram announced it had the right to sell your photos (via CNET) before assuring us it didn’t (via CNET).  Confused and betrayed, photographers started dating new photo sharing apps, or at least embarking on open relationships (via Huffington Post).

What did I miss?  Share your favorite travel news in the comments below or by posting on the Traveling IQ Facebook page.

(Photo via CNN)

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December 7, 2012 · 9:58 am

The Week in Travel (12/7/12)

The world of travel moves fast!   Let’s keep up–together.   On Fridays,  Traveling IQ curates the highlights from the past week:

Mural of Prince Harry Shirtless in London’s Manbar gay club

*Royal babe, indeed!   Refusing to be overshadowed by his future niece or nephew, a mural of a shirtless Prince Harry now permanently hangs in the London gay club, Manbar  (via Evening Standard).

*Not without controversy, “Europe’s first gay-friendly mosque” opened in Paris this week–welcoming gay Muslims and allowing men and women to pray together (via France 24).

*Need a new place to lay your head?  Stay at the best new hotels to have opened in 2012 (via Fodor’s).

*In gay destination wedding news: on Wednesday, the Supreme Court of Mexico ruled unanimously for same-sex marriage to be recognized in the entire country (via Salon); and very early Thursday morning, Washington State began issuing marriage licenses for same-sex couples (via Seattle Times).

*Luxury hotels want to serve you during daylight too, offering day-only rates for your business or pleasure (via CNN).

*Tall and tan and young and lovely, the boy from Ipanema goes walking; and when he passes, Grindr, Scruff and Manhunt go…ahhh!  Yes, in preparation for the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympic Games, Brazil is unveiling a new Wi-Fi network, offering internet access on the beaches of Rio de Janeiro (via Business Wire).

What did I miss?  Share your favorite travel news in the comments below or by posting on the Traveling IQ Facebook page.

(Photo via Evening Standard)

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November 23, 2012 · 5:03 pm

The Week in Travel (11/23/12)

The world of travel moves fast!   Let’s keep up–together.   On Fridays,  Traveling IQ curates the highlights from the past week:

San Francisco bans public nudity

*You can leave your heart in San Francisco, but keep your privates to yourself.  The city’s supervisors have voted to officially ban public nudity, marking the end of an era for the City by the Bay.   Exemptions, however, are being made for Folsom Street Fair and similar festivals.   (via Huffington Post)

*Uganda plans on passing anti-gay laws carrying life imprisonment for homosexuality… wait for it… as a “Christmas gift.”  (via BBC News)

*And then a glimmer of hope on the continent:  Malawi temporarily suspends laws against same-sex relationships and orders police not to arrest gays, pending a decision on whether to repeal the legislation.  (via Reuters)

*It’s easier than ever to stay on your diet while traveling, with healthier airline meals.  (via USA Today)

*Who wants to spend the night in the pooper?  Apparently a lot of people.  Japanese contemporary artist Tatzu Nishino has transformed a public restroom in Osaka’s Nakanoshima Park into a one-room hotel–already fully booked for the duration of the installation.  (via Huffington Post)

What did I miss?  Share your favorite travel news in the comments below or by posting on the Traveling IQ Facebook page.

(Photo by Lea Suzuki, The Chronicle/SF)

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November 9, 2012 · 11:32 am

The Week in Travel (10/9/12)

The world of travel moves fast!   Let’s keep up–together.   On Fridays,  Traveling IQ curates the highlights from the past week:

*It was a good political week for gay destination weddings.  In the United States, voters made history by endorsing gay marriage–for the first time by popular vote–in Maine, Maryland and Washington state, and rejecting a ballot measure that would have enshrined anti-gay marriage law in the Minnesota constitution (via Huffington Post).  In Europe, Spain’s highest court upheld their law legalizing same-sex marriage, and the French Cabinet pushed ahead a bill that could see gay marriage legalized by next year.  (via Bloomberg)

*Will Puerto Rico become the 51st U.S. State?  Well, it’s complicated.  (via Miami Herald)

*Sri Lanka tops travel list for 2013.  (via Lonely Planet)

*Snacking on a cannoli on the Spanish Steps… Fuhgeddaboudit!  Rome is cracking down on public eating and drinking at historic sites.  (via New York Times)

*157 million (North, Central and South) Americans traveled to Europe last year, with London being the most popular destination.  See how your favorite city stacks up.  (via European Parliament News)

*Want to go fruit picking in Sweden?  Take the elevator.  A vertical farming building, currently in construction, will move plants on tracks from top to bottom floors to take advantage of sunlight and make harvesting easier.  (via Wall Street Journal)

What did I miss?  Share your favorite travel news in the comments below or by posting on the Traveling IQ Facebook page.

(Photo by Ted S. Warren/AP, via Seattle PI)

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