Blog catchit.com

@ tiswango

At the time of promoting a product it seems that the imagination does not have any limit. It is so, during the autumn in Buenos Aires with worthy temperatures of summer, the center of Buenos Aires surprises us with an ice block from the Glacier Perito Moreno.
Clearly, it is a publicity campaign to launch the season of winter.

In this way, a complete action had made the ice coming to the capital in order to impress and to surprise people.
For this, the Secretariat of Tourism of Calfate had to count on divers from the Naval Prefecture of Argentina that for two days, extracted 20 tons of ice from the glacier on natural way, besides a truck of 4 meters of high and almost 20 of length that maintained the ice at a temperature of 15 degrees below zero.

In this way the ice undertook a long trip of three day and 3,000 kilometers.
It was so; the blocks became the protagonists of a campaign in order to attract local and international tourists.

But will a piece of ice enough, at time of congealed economies, to make people spending their savings in a trip? Time will tell us, but there are no doubts that the effort was concerted and the idea very original.

It happens to “loose” his luggage, to get stress from flight delays, etc. Unfortunately, we all (or almost) had to suffer from our plane trips.

But, for sure, we didn’t experience the cavalry, the humiliation and the despair that did travelers from Franz Kafka airport.
Don’t expect they take care of you, to pass the control without any problem, to find your gate, neither to fly… Don’t put a feet in this airport!!!

This warning is not in vain, as this airport is number 1 in the ranking of the worst airports in the world, according to The Onion News Network.

Take a look at this video; travelers and staff speak for themselves!

But no worries, if you need to get Paha ( which is a wonderful city) for business or personal reasons, there are other “real” airports and less Kafkaesque.

In this crisis situation, the word “free” is a big attraction for travelers. The Travel European Commission has offered a top 10 of the best free activities in Europe that we can enjoy for the next months.

Germany

@ dalbera

The famous museum in Berlin, in the middle of the river Spree , offers free entry to the 5 museums every Thursdays from 2pm.

France

The ring of Kerry sums up all virtues and attractions of this Gaelic country: Gold and hiking in the green hills, fishing in the rivers and fine sand beaches. That’s not all; the area is an authentic museum in the open air with prehistoric buildings, castles and monasteries.

Estonia

The city of Navarra, located at the Russian border, is the most oriental point of the European Union. The Teutonic Knights castle is from the century XIII and it is split up by a river. Over there all kind of concerts and other open air events are going on.

Hungary

Already famous for its Red Bull, the Air Race takes place in Budapest from August 19th and 20th, with dozen of pilots doing acrobatics and jumping from bridges in a minimum of time.

Switzerland

The street Parade in Zurich goes on in August. It’s a colorful party with electronic music, it’s actually a huge “RAVE PARTY” which succeed with dignity to the “love Parade” in Berlin.

@ Javi Vte Rejas

England

London is famous to be expensive. Taking a look at these countless treasures and works of arts from the Britannic museum and the national Gallery is priceless. That’s why it’s free…

Belgium

The sentence “free beer” has a special meaning in this country that produces some of the best beer worldwide. The Haacht beer offers a free tour with 2 degustation of their beer included.

Norway

“The Scream”, famous Edvard Munch’s paint, can be contemplated in the national gallery in Oslo, with Cézanne’s, Gauguin’s, Picasso’s works of art.

Austria

In the city of Innsbruck, the “hiking bus” is free from end of May till October for all costumers of the city and for the ones being around this city, it will be free if you acquire the Club Innsbruck Card. Of course, there is a vast hiking program.

@ R.Duran

Barcelona is a city of arts. Its historical architecture, such as the Sagrada Familia built by Gaudi and its artists such as the painter Joan Miro, famous from his colorful oeuvres, makes us traveling in an unreal world.

Barcelona Turisme Creatiu gets involved in a new project. They give a chance to artists from all over the world and with any style to exhibit, to act and to create in Barcelona.

If you take a look at the website, and if you let yourself know where it is going on, you will be able to show your artistic skill.

This project, created by Barcelona tourism, is presented by the Fundació Societat i Cultura (Fusic). According to them, about twenty applications are considered per day.

This works thanks to people and structure diversity in the city as Caroline Couret, project coordinator explains.

Thus, if you are an artist and you have no idea where you could exhibit your works of arts, where to act, now you know that in Barcelona everything is possible. If it has worked for some people, why not YOU?

Moreover, they make a report about yourself, in order to get to know more about you and your culture.

GOOD LUCK TO ALL ARTISTS !!!!!!!

@ ironmanixs

Hôtel Everland

Two artists from Switzerland, Sabina Lang and Daniel Baumann (L/B), got the idea of this original concept.

The Everland hotel combines art, design and accommodation of quality.
The concept is simple: Putting down a modern capsule on the top of a monument, a museum, an unusual place to create an absolute illusion as you are in a hotel room.

Customers must feel like being in a hotel room and must get the impression to merge with the building.
The room, 35m2, provides a king-size bed, a bathroom, a mini bar and has everything expected from a luxury hotel. The difference? An exceptional view!

We have already seen this capsule in 2002 at the Expo 02, in Switzerland, at the edge of the lack Neuchâtel. This project was a success. Public were invited to spend a night inside.

Then, this capsule was in Germany, on the Museum of fine arts in Leipzig, and for the first time in France, in Paris, on the top of the Tokyo Palace.

During its stay in the French capital, staff from the famous Hotel Sezz, which is partner of the project, is in charge of cleanness.
However, the 2 idea men do not want to make a business of this capsule. They wish that customers enjoy a unique and artistic experience.

That’s why, only one night per person (or per couple) is available. You can book it only 2 months in advance.

Admittedly not everyone can afford it, but imagine you, in Paris, with unobstructed view guaranteed, rocked with city lights, lighting up your room…

This is an exclusive experience.
The only way to get to know where the hotel Everland will go next, is to register on the website.
So, take look on it, even just out of curiosity, maybe it will pass by around your city. For now, it is in Paris till the end of May…

Video tells more than pictures. Here is the overview of this unusual housing…

@ Youtube

In July 2007, after a long period dedicated to votes, the choice of the 7 new wonders of the Ancient World was done.

The celebration took place in Lisbon, where Ben Kingsley, Hillary Swan and Bipasha Basu were the announcers.

Each canditate were presented.

The winners, the new wonders of the Ancient world are:

Petra, Jordania

@ Gauis Caecilius

The Great Wall of China

@ luispabon

The Taj Mahal, India

@ saibotregeel

The Colosseum, Roma

@R.Duran

The Kukulkán temple, Mexico

@ svazquezl

The Machu Picchu, Peru

@ magnusvk

@ svenwerk

View from the The Christ the Redeemer statue

@ SlapBcn
A reminder about all the candidates:

1.-Giza pyramid complex, Cairo, Egypt
2.-Petra, Jordania
3.-Great Wall of China
4.-Moai, Chile
5.- The Taj Mahal, India
6.- The Alhambra, Granada
7.- The Colosseum, Roma
8.- The Eiffel Tower, Paris, France
9.- The Statue of Liberty, New York, US
10.- The Sydney Opera House, Sydney, Australia
11.- The C , Mexico
12.- The Machu Picchu, Peru
13.- The Neuschwanstein Castle, Germany
14.-Timbuktu, Mali
15.- Hagia Sophia, Istambul, Turkey
16.- The Saint Basil’s Cathedral, Moscow
17.- The Acropolis, Athens
18.- The Christ the Redeemer statue, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
19.- The Stonehenge, Great Britain
20.- Angkor, Cambodia
21.- The Kiyomizu-dera temple, Kyoto

The New York Times has published a list of 44 places to go in 2009. The selection is already given, but the list is interactive and you can vote for your favorite one, in order to advise other travelers.

From this selection, made by the North American newspaper, classical places are, obviously highlighted, such as Las Vegas, Berlin, Rome, but also others interesting destinations to discover such as Kazakhstan, Beirut,The Philippines or Bhutan.
Oddly, Cuba is in this list where as Americans are not allowed to go to this island: none planes take off from the US to Cuba. Actually, if they wish to see Havana and Cuban beaches, they must catch a plane from another country (Canada, Mexico…) and ask to not get a stamp on their passport.
Destinations are also classified by categories: luxury, family, ecology, culture, etc.

And you, where would you go this year?

Bushnell

Bushnelll has perfected a new technology: the Backtrack, a compass with a GPS technology, is able to memorize 3 places and to indicate the distance left to reach your final point. This tool is a mix between the latest GPS technologies and a digital compass with automatic calibration. It has an exactness of 10-16,4 feet in rural area and about 33 feet in urban area.
It resists to bad weather and works with two batteries for about 120h and puts itself on standby after 10 minutes.
It is light and compact. It will fit easily in your pocket.
An example: You are on holiday, in your hotel, and you want to take a look around, you just have to push the bottom and put your Backtrack in your pocket; you will never have to worry anymore about getting lost. As well as if you park your car in a huge car park, you will get your car easily once your will be done with your shopping.
This advanced technology compass can be useful for a lot of people: sportive people, adventurers, and also everyone who doesn’t have the quality to angle (and we are a lot )
It will cost you between 60 and 70 Euros to be able to find your way without any problem.

Virgin Galactic (Virgin’s subsidiary) and the agency Voyageur du monde will enable you to go to the space like a real astronaut. A medical aptitude and a three days formation will be required to be able to take on board.

@Direction l’espace avec Voyageurs du Monde © Virgin Galactic

Everyone has dreamt about it at least once in his life.

In 2010, the agency Voyageur du monde will take you there, on board of the Spaceship2. You will be driven, first by the Whitenight till the altitude of 5249 feet, then, SpaceShip’s jet engine will take over and propel yourself to a speed of 217.480 miles per hour. Your body will have to bear more than 3 Mach (about three times the sound speed). Once out of the Earth’s atmosphere (limit between Space and Earth), the five novices will be able to unfasten their seatbelt and go for a walk, in order to look up to this amazing landscape. This trip takes about two hours.
Don’t be worried about landing. The SpaceShip was made to glide once its engines are off. This spaceship will go back to its starting point, New Mexico, and land with delicacy.

Le SpaceShipTwo et le WhiteKhight de Virgin Galactic Photo © Virgin Galactic

According to the company, one trip per week will be possible. It is the first that an empowered company is doing this kind of travel.
This destination was, till now, only for special customers. Will it become THE destination of the future????

La vue promise par Virgin Galactic Photo © Virgin Galactic

What about the price???

Stop dreaming. Going to stars has an amount. It will cost you 136000 pounds in exchange of 2 unforgettable hours.
We all agree that this king of tourism is still for wealthy people, but if we have a look deeply, the Russian program costs 20 millions of dollars and a 6 months training is required. This French agency offers a three days training and 136 000 pounds! It is a king of better price.
This price will get down in some years with a view of satisfy more inquiring mind.

You can already book tour ticket on http://www.virgingalactic.com/ .You will get in touch with someone from the agency that will help you.

youtube

@ monsterfabr

The city of Venice disguises with its best masks to do justice to the traditional carnival. Venice is a perfect scenario for this celebration; even if there is no décor, its environment is as magic as real.

Venice is made of 120 islands, joined with 400 bridges, a city that fights against floodings to protect its singularity and its beauty nonpareil. The Venetian school had an influence on some artists such as Rubens or Velázquez and had molded the baroque style http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baroque of the XVII century.
The spectacular yearly carnival is celebrated between the 13th and the 24th of February, and the beginning takes place at the St-Mark.

@ monsterfabr

Throughout the XVII, nobility, already, used to dress up to be able to mix up with people going unnoticed. The carnival was enjoying its height through the XVIII century and manages to reach aristocrats and travelers from all Europe looking for pleasure and distraction.
It has been already 20 years that Venice became a huge cultural and touristic pole, where masks are the protagonists.
Travel to Venice to enjoy the 2009 edition and to live this magic that will bring you in a mysterious and fantastic world.