Spontaneity and travel go hand-in-hand. Those surprising moments, when we let down our guard and something unexpected happens, is what travel is all about, right? Today's photo, from Flickr user Gus NYC, looks to me like one of those spontaneous moments. A brilliant red wall. A guard caught in a moment of repose. A photographer who's cleverly framed the shot so it's all pushed oddly to the right. It's a strange subject for a photo, but it nevertheless manages to leave the viewer wanting more.
Have any great travel photos you'd like to share with the world? Why not add them to our Gadling group on Flickr? We might just pick one of yours as our Photo of the Day.
Brunch in New York City is a classic weekend experience, but ordering $20 eggs benedict at Jean-Georges' Nougatine or $18 brioche French toast at Pastis doesn't fit into everyone's travel budget. Here are five affordable brunch alternatives to help start your day off right. 1. Le Pain Quotidien, Central Park
I know Le Pain Quotidien is a chain, but it's not like its Belgian Waffle dusted with powdered sugar ($4.95) is settling for an Egg McMuffin. There's even a Waffle Window at the Central Park location, which opened in May near Sheep Meadow. The Central Park location will be open until November and then re-open in the spring.
2. Cafeteria (Chelsea)
An oldie but goodie, Cafeteria delivers solid brunch options at reasonable prices. The Silver Dollar Pancakes ($10) come with fresh berries and sweet Chantilly cream. Open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, this Chelsea favorite also draws a late-night crowd.
Here are the hottest gear deals for today, Sunday October 10, 2010. Remember, these deals are often valid for just one day, so act fast before they are gone.
Today's first deal is for a 2-way radio kit from Midland. These radios are rated for 36 miles of transmission power, and the kit comes complete with a charger dock, headset, car charger and rechargeable batteries. On sale for $49.99. Click here for this deal.
Next up is a great deal on the Targus Groove laptop backpack. This pack holds laptops up to 15.4" and offers plenty of space for other items, including a water bottle and small umbrella in the side pockets. On sale for $13.99 at Tanga.com.
The highly rated Asus WL-330gE pocket travel router is back on sale. This compact router is one of the few travel routers on the market that can take a single WiFi signal, and repeat it out over WiFi to multiple computers. Share one connection with several people - or turn wired Internet into WiFi. Price is down to $42.23, plus you get a $10 mail in rebate! Click here for this deal.
And finally in today's lineup is the Kensington Liquid Aux remote control kit for the iPod or iPhone. Plug this unit into your player, and the steering wheel remote lets you control your music. On sale for $19.99 at Macmall.com.
The Crocker Art Museum has been showing the people of Sacramento fine art since 1885. Now it's finished a $100 million extension that's added 125,000 square feet of exhibition space. Previously the museum only had 40,000 feet. While the elegant Victorian building has been preserved, a large modern extension behind it allows for much more of the museum's collection to go on display as well as serve for hosting traveling shows.
Members got a sneak peak yesterday and there's a free day today. Current exhibitions include Tomorrow's Legacies, showcasing 125 works that will be bequeathed to the museum, a show about Sacramento artist Wayne Thiebaud, and a collection of Old Master drawings.
The museum is especially noted for its paintings by California's leading artists, drawings by the Old Masters, and an expanding collection of Asian art.
[Image of old Crocker courtesy user Amadscientist. Image of new Crocker courtesy user ronb76. Both via Wikimedia Commons.]
The health of the world's ocean has been a hot topic in recent years as we've become more aware of how damage to those waters can have an effect on the rest of the planet as well. With that in mind, Chile made the bold move this week to create a massive new marine reserve, just months after discovering the region had a surprising abundance of sea life.
The new Sala y Gomez Marine Park covers more than 58,000 square miles that surround an uninhabited island of the same name. That island sits in the South Pacific, not far from the famed Easter Island, which is lightly inhabited and hasn't had the benefit of the same protection. As a result, the waters around Easter Island are almost completely depleted of marine life.
Back in March, scientists made an expedition to the island of Sala y Gomez and were astounded to find a vast amount of plants and sea animals in the waters there. Upon their return to Chile, they immediately began lobbying for the marine reserve, which President Sebastian Pinera made a reality on Wednesday, banning all fishing in the region, which is roughly the size of Greece.
National Geographic ocean fellow Enric Sala, who was part of the initial expedition to the island, described the place as "one of the last undisturbed and relatively pristine places left in the ocean." That statement alone helps to define why it was so important to protect the place and why the Chilean government reacted so swiftly to do so.
Mobile Gadget maker Scosche is on a bit of roll - both with new products, and creative names for said products. After releasing the motorMOUTH II Bluetooth adapter, they just announced the first dual mode iPhone/iPod/iPad video cable - called sneakPEEK II.
Unlike other products, the sneakPEEK II offers component and composite cables in a single device. Charging can be done off the integrated MicroUSB plug, making this one handy all-in-one charge/watch/listen cable.
The sneakPEEK II is also compatible with the newest update to the iPad Netflix app, which means your sixty bucks for this cable will let you connect your iPad to the hotel TV (when possible) to watch flicks on the big(ger) screen.
Expedia recently surveyed British travelers to try and get a sense of their packing habits. The survey revealed that 40% of them spend up to two days packing, but that 27% manage to pack everything in under an hour. 73% of those interviewed revealed that they pack items they don't actually need.
More troubling is that Brits apparently have trouble making sure they don't pack items that are not allowed in their (hand) baggage. 72% of those interviewed admitted that they'd had items confiscated at the security checkpoint, with cosmetics and toiletries taking the top spot (19%) and food taking the second (12%.)
For Brits, the short city break is the most challenging to pack for, because most travelers don't plan much in advance, and are not alway aware of the activities they plan to participate in. When asked what items they can't live without on their holiday, the number one item was "my camera", followed by "books" and "sun cream". The iPod doesn't show up on the list till the 9th spot.
To create the perfect packing process, Expedia UK asked fashion writer Siam Goorwich for her tips on how to fight packing woes.
Uganda's hotels are facing tough times. Despite their country having top attractions such as Nile rafting trips, the Great Rift Valley, and safaris in the many national parks filled with wildlife, the average hotel is running at only 50 percent capacity. Adding to this problem is that wealthy Ugandans don't go for internal tourism, preferring to jet off to more exotic destinations like Europe. Well, exotic to the Ugandans anyway.
Hoteliers in Uganda have decided to change that by offering a 40 percent discount to Ugandan citizens at certain times of the year. So if you decide to head on over to East Africa to see Lake Victoria, elephants, mountain gorillas, and all the other sights Uganda has to offer, you'll have a chance to meet more locals than ever. Travelers to Africa tell me the capital Kampala is a lush town full of energy and interest, and it even made it into the list of 15 green cities. Uganda has a lot to offer, and they deserve a healthy tourism industry after they thumbed their collective noses at the terrorists.
[Photo courtesy K. Stefanova via Wikimedia Commons]
Here are the hottest gear deals for today, Saturday October 9, 2010. Remember, these deals are often valid for just one day, so act fast before they are gone.
Today's first deal is for the Joby Gorillapod. This flexible tripod is perfect for making photos with your camera attached to a variety of objects. Pick the yellow one and the price drops to $15 with free shipping. Click here for this deal.
Next up is a great deal on a reversible netbook case. The case holds machines up to 10" and is on sale for $2.99, with free shipping. Click here for this deal.
Regularly running into WiFi range issues? Consider this $19 high-powered USB WiFi adapter. With its high transmit power and external antenna, you'll be able to pick up more access points. Click here for this deal.
And finally in today's lineup is the OHSO Pocket Toothbrush. This neat product holds toothpaste in an airtight compartment, always ready for you to use. These used to retail for over $80, but you can pick one up for just $18.95 - but add coupon code gadling10% and you'll get 10% off. Click here for this deal.
Ever wonder what it would be like to ride a mountain bike across a scenic, but challenging, course for 24 hours straight? Me neither! But that's exactly what competitors in the 24-Hours of Moab mountain bike race are preparing to do when the event gets underway today at noon local time in Moab, Utah. As you can probably deduce from the name, the ride won't end until noon tomorrow, after a very long, and grueling, day in the saddle for the riders.
Racers are allowed to compete in three categories, riding as an individual or part of a two or four person relay team. If they are part of a team, they'll be allowed to switch out from time to time and get some much needed rest. The individuals will have it the toughest however, riding solo while trying to accumulate as many laps as possible before the 24 hour cut off.
The course is a challenging one for sure. Consisting mostly of old jeep trails, the route winds its way through the scenic backcountry that Utah is so famous for, ensuring that the riders will at least have something beautiful to look at along the way. Not that they'll have time to notice however, as some of the bigger drops will have them rushing down hills at over 40 mph, as they carefully pick their lines hoping to avoid danger along the way. The entire route is just 15 miles in length, and the top riders will be able to finish laps in under an hour, but the more than 1360 feet of vertical gain on each lap will have their legs crying out for mercy. Especially when it is the middle of the night and they've already been riding for more than 12 hours straight.
The race has been going on for 15 years now, and during that time it has earned itself a reputation as one of the top endurance mountain biking events in the world. This year, there will be more than $20,000 in cash, and another $15,000 in prizes, up for grabs, although for most of the riders it is all about the fun and camaraderie of the event.
In my travels, I've noticed that there are cat countries and dog countries. Some places, like Morocco, are littered (pun alert) with stray cats. There are other nations, like many of those in the Caribbean, that are home to large populations of stray dogs. Then, of course, there are the monkey countries, but that's a story for another day. What you don't see nearly enough of, however, are pig countries. Sure. there are populations of dangerous wild pigs out there, but one wants to encounter a pack of those. I'm talking about cute little pigs. Who wouldn't enjoy stumbling into a couple of cuddly porkers downtown?
This photo by Flickr user Where and Back shows off just such a dream scenario. That must be the nice part of town because those two look dapper. And they provide a nice change of pace from the stray dogs and cats (and monkeys) that we're all used to seeing.
Have a picture of some unexpected urban animals? Or maybe just some great travel photos? Submit your images to Gadling's Flickr group and we might use one for a future Photo of the Day.
The Marrakech Hotel on New York's Upper West Side isn't just putting out a donation jar or donating a few spare percentage points to breast cancer research this October, they've taken it a leap further and gone pink! I headed over there with my camera to see what their pink-ified room was really like.
I was impressed with the hotel itself; you get a lot of charm for a very reasonable price for NYC -- during the low season, you can get a room as low as $109. The building is on a historic block just 13 short streets south of Columbia University, and very near all kinds of shopping and nightlife, as well as the 1 train. The decor is decidedly Moroccan, with many elements like the chandeliers and some artwork imported specially for hotel. There's a comfortable lounge area with a view of Broadway which is bright all day and which turns into a nightclub, the Kazbar Lounge, in the evening (open to the public), where you can enjoy Moroccan-themed cocktails like the Marrakech Martini and Morrocan Manhattan.
And this month, in the Kazbar Lounge, you can purchase a "Cause-mopolitan," from which the proceeds will be donated to the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer. Avon supplied the hotel with its fabulous pink linens, including sheets, blankets, pillows and towels. The effect, as you can see, will make you VERY AWARE of breast cancer for your entire stay. Hey -- it's for charity. The BCA room starts at $129 per night and a portion of the proceeds benefit the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer. Furthermore, guests have the option to donate directly to the cause at the front desk, and a donation of $100 will get you a 10 percent discount on your next visit to the Marrakech Hotel.
Nearby Broadway Hotel & Hostel has the same pink linens from Avon, but good luck getting in there! In the fall, you'll need a reservation at least a month in advance to stay, even in the two-person dormitories with shared bathrooms (which start at $30 per person -- a killer deal).
"Holy crap, what a sausage fest." This was my first thought, as I glanced around the crowded parking lot. It was a cool, drizzly September morning at Adventures on the Gorge, but that wasn't stopping 40 men--many of certain age and wafting last night's whiskey fumes--from preparing to raft the Class V+ Upper Gauley River.
I was in Lansing, (southeastern) West Virginia, fulfilling a 20-year goal to run the notorious Gauley. Every weekend, from mid-September to mid-October, water from the Summersville Dam is released into the Upper portion, raising the river to epic proportions (a raging 2800 cfs is average Gauley flow this time of year). In layman's terms, the rapids remain at a solid Class III to V+, making for one of the wildest whitewater experiences in the United States.
Since it first opened to commercial trips in 1974, this 26-mile stretch of river, which contains over 100 rapids, has drawn whitewater enthusiasts from all over the world. The dam was built in 1965 for flood control, and the release extends the "Gauley season" well past other American rivers. An added bonus are the fall colors that peak in October, making for a visually stunning trip.
The Upper Gauley in particular is known for its steep, drop/pool rapids. A gauntlet of five consecutive Class V+'s--Insignificant, Pillow Rock, Lost Paddle, Iron Ring, and Sweet's Falls--form the most famous stretch. The Lower is more sedate, although it still has plenty of Class III, and a couple of Class IV/V's.
Admit it, you've always wondered what it would be like to live life as a true Parisian. If the thought of French press coffee and freshly-baked baquettes turns you on, the Dorchester's Collection Le Meurice in Paris has a deal for you.
Located opposite from the Tuileries Gardens with breathtaking views overlooking the Musée d'Orsay, the hotel is now offering an exclusive package, giving guests a VIP peek and chance to "live the life as a real Parisian for 24 hours." With grand 18-century architecture combined with the design of Philippe Starck, dishes prepared by three-star Michelin Chef, 160 spacious and elegant guestrooms and more, Le Meurice is the quintessential glamorous Parisian hotel now giving a real entrée into the best that the City of Lights has to offer.
Package for two includes:
Arrival airport transfer
Minimum two night stay including breakfast
VIP welcome with Champagne
Dinner for two at Executive Chef Yannick Alléno's Le Dali restaurant (beverages excluded)
Two hand treatments "speedy mani" at the Spa Valmont
Use of Le Meurice's scooter or bicycle to explore the city
VIP kit at Printemps, Paris' luxury department store
Garment bag for all purchases
"My Little Paris Passport" booklet which gives an insider's list of the best places to eat, see and explore
The price for this Parisian pampering? Rates per room per night begin at 805 Euros (approximately $1,101 USD).
Want more? Get your daily dose of pampering right here.
In this day and age, when we have to pack so carefully -- in smaller suitcases -- to avoid checking our luggage, it's just not fair when we get to the end of a trip and the dang suitcase won't close. Are we supposed to bring a huge suitcase packed halfway and pay for checking baggage twice? Robbery.
There are a couple of options you have when you find yourself in this quandary. You can ship the extra gear, which can be costly. Or, you can bring (or buy) a collapsible bag (like a duffel) in your suitcase and check it, filled with your dirty clothes and shoes, on the way home. If you have a lot more stuff than you can pack, these may be your only options.
Still, there are other ways of getting what you want: all your stuff on the airplane with you, free of charge.
"Everyone would be happy to have an Oktoberfest," said Vicky Weller, from Munich. "Everybody: the restaurants, the beer halls, the shops and the city make money." Indeed this is one big ATM for Munich but hey, they put on a fine festival.
The official figures are in and an estimated 6.4 million people visited Oktoberfest from around the world. Italians seemed to be the largest non-German group of attendees, but I personally met plenty of Americans, Brits, Aussies, Kiwis, Hungarians, Swedes, Swiss, Japanese and Russian people all enjoying the spirit of togetherness - and beer.
In total, the guests at Oktoberfest drank around 7,000,000 liters of beer; however non-alcoholic beers and other drinks were served in greater numbers than in the past. A few tents even sponsored outside Lemonade gardens which attracted families and others seeking an alternative to beer. Also: there was even a small wine tent this year.
In addition to the beer, visitors consumed 117 oxen and 59 calves at the 2010 Oktoberfest, and the historic Herzkasperl Tent alone served 60,000 delicious halves of Hendl, or roasted chicken. This was by far the most popular culinary item at Oktoberfest with a cost of approximately $12.00 per serving.
Two roller coaster cars collided Thursday night on the Pony Express ride at Knott's Berry Farm, sending 10 riders to the hospital.
According to KTLA-TV, a ride car leaving the boarding station "rolled back," slamming a second car car inside the station that was boarding other guests.
The crash happened during Knott's "Halloween Haunt" event about 8:15 p.m. on Thursday. Authorities said the injuries were minor.
The Pony Express was built at Knott's Berry Farm in 2008. It launches from zero to 38 miles per hour in 3 seconds and reaches a top speed of 40 miles per hour, relatively tame by today's roller coaster standards.
Rollbacks, while not common, are a regular occurrence on roller coasters. They happen when a ride car is not launched fast enough to make it to the top of the first lift. This can be caused by a number of factors, including wind gusts, cold weather and ride cars that don't have enough passengers and therefore they don't have enough momentum.
Most coasters have a chain lift or other device to prevent rollbacks, as well as a braking system to stop a car if it does roll back.
There's no word yet as to the cause of the Pony Express roller coaster rollback.
Another roller coaster at Knott's Berry Farm, the hydraulically launched Xcelerator, is known for having rollbacks. On the Xcelerator, a car that rolls back is stopped by magnetic fins before it re-enters the boarding station.
Two other U.S. roller coasters based on the Xcelerator's design - Kingda Ka at Six Flags Great Adventure and Top Thrill Dragster at Cedar Point - are also known to have more frequent rollbacks.
Here are the hottest gear deals for today, Friday October 8, 2010. Remember, these deals are often valid for just one day, so act fast before they are gone.
Winter is on the way, which makes it more important than ever to have an emergency gear kit in your car. In this deal, you get a 15 piece kit for just $14.95. Not everything you'll ever need is in it, but the basics are all there. Click here for this deal.
Next up is a 15-in-1 multi-tool with built in LED flashlight. On sale at Dailysteals.com for $4.99, and part of their free Friday shipping promotion. Click here for this deal.
Forty bucks may not be the cheapest we've ever managed to locate a GPS unit, but it does come very close. This Nextar unit features text to speech, stereo speakers (with MP3 playback off a memory card) and voice activation. The unit is factory refurbished, but that explains the $39.99 price tag. Click here for this deal.
Today's final deal is for an iPod charger kit. In the kit, you get a wall adapter, car charger and USB cable. There are some cheaper options out there, but this kit comes from a reliable brand, so you'll be getting better quality parts for your money. On sale for $7.60. Click here for this deal.
The best thing about being an agnostic is that you don't have to live your life fearing the unknown. The worst thing is admitting the possibility that there might be something to fear after all.
Instead of pretending to have all the answers, my belief system ranks things in order of likelihood, and ghosts are pretty far down the list. Not as low as Santa Claus or the "we never landed on the Moon" conspiracy theory, but a poor ranking nonetheless. So when I heard that my hotel room in England was supposedly haunted, my only thought was that I'd bagged a good story for Gadling.
Unlike a lot of supposed hauntings, this one's actually based on a true story, related to me by local historian and folklorist Steven Wood.
Back in 1906, Haworth, Yorkshire, was holding its annual gala. Like in other years, brass bands played, entertainers wowed the crowd, and food stands sold all sorts of delicacies. This year, however, the people of Yorkshire had been promised something special. Lily Cove, a famed "aeronaut", was going to do a death-defying parachute jump from a balloon. This was only three years after Kitty Hawk, so nobody in the area had ever seen an airplane, and balloons were a rarity too. Seeing a lovely lady jump from one and land safely was something of a miracle.
Lily Cove stayed at The Old White Lion Hotel in Room 7, the very same room I had. While waiting for a day with good weather the glamorous aeronaut made many acquaintances in town and became very popular.
On June 11 the weather was fair and thousands gathered to see her performance. After she and her manager Captain Frederick Bidmead checked the balloon, she secured herself to a trapeze hanging from the bottom. The balloon soared into the air with Lily waving to the crowd with a handkerchief. The idea was that once she got to a good altitude, Lily would leap from the trapeze and a ripcord would open up her parachute. She'd then float gracefully to earth.
If you were going to study slavery, you might not think to look in Curacao, but the Kura Hulanda Museum has the most extensive collection of slave-related artifacts and replicas I've ever seen, anywhere. The museum, located at Hotel Kura Hulanda, also houses the largest collection of African artifacts and anthropological exhibits in the Caribbean. It seems impossible, considering that about half of the Americans I've spoken to don't even know where Curacao is.
(It's in the Dutch Antilles by Aruba, and very close to Venezuela. Venezuela is on the north coast of South America. Curacao is below the hurricane belt, which makes it an ideal beach destination for the June through September months.)
So. Inside Hotel Kura Hulanda, a charming historical neighborhood-turned-hotel with unique rooms and gorgeous antique furniture from all over the globe, is the Kura Hulanda Museum, which is owned and curated by hotel owner and entrepreneur Jacob Gelt Dekker. He hand-picked each item for the collection while traveling the world, and continues to add to it whenever he comes across something special. He's not without skill -- the result is an incredible, gut-wrenching teaching institution for all oftheCaribbeanand beyond.
Those who know a little about the history of slave trade have probably come across Curacao in their studies. The Dutch West India Company made Curacao a major hub for human trafficking in 1662 and it remained as such for the next 200 years. By the time the Dutch abolished slavery (1863), the economy had become entirely reliant on slave trade. Abolition crushed the prosperity of the island for many years, that is, until oil was discovered there in 1914.
It's a strange history for what many would call a strange island. The green landscape is filled with bright, colorful buildings made in traditional Dutch styles, and the major landmarks include a fort full of bars and a floating pontoon bridge which opens and closes to allow cruise ships to dock, as well as the oldest synagogue in continuous use in the entire Western hemisphere. You might expect such an unusual island to brush its history as a slave trade hub under the rug. In fact, that's just what many feared were happening until the Kura Hulanda Museum opened in April of 1999.
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Brunch in 
"Holy crap, what a sausage fest." This was my first thought, as I glanced around the crowded parking lot. It was a cool, drizzly September morning at 
Admit it, you've always wondered what it would be like to live life as a true Parisian. If the thought of French press coffee and freshly-baked baquettes turns you on, the Dorchester's Collection Le Meurice in 
