Revisiting a destination is essential to understanding it. Traveling the world is a marvelous thing, but if you've only been everywhere once, how can you have a true sense of the nature of any of those places?

Change is one of the few things you can count on in this world. When it comes to destinations, revisiting after a year, or five, ten, even twenty, can be an incredible lesson in what is permanent and what isn't. What a culture chooses to preserve speaks volumes about that culture, as does what it chooses to demolish. Furthermore, the rate at which technology and commercialism progress is different in different regions; a phenomenon which is fascinating at the very least.

We've all had the experience of saying "Oh, I've been there," only to hear that major attractions sprang up in our wake. That's #1. Here are 10 Reasons You Must Revisit:

1. To see a new attraction.

This was one of the major reasons I chose to revisit Liverpool last year. After attending school there for three years, I revisited to take a look at Liverpool One, the mega-shopping center, as well as the Echo Arena and the burgeoning gastronomic scene. As I wrote in my article Visiting the new Liverpool, it was like a "spaceship [had] landed in the town center." I could hardly speak about Liverpool with anyone who had lived or traveled there in the past few years if I hadn't revisited. Its entire town center is completely different, attracting a completely different crowd.

So. You've got your upcoming trip narrowed down to a handful of hotels. Do you reward yourself with the loveliest luxury hotel you can afford, or do you quietly, triumphantly select the cheaper hotel?

The quandary itself can feel like a moral dilemma. Websites are designed, whether intentionally or not, to encourage you to buy spendier things. You, the frugal shopper, click "List by Price - Ascending" and immediately assume that the first couple of options listed are below any discerning human being's taste level. For heaven's sake, some of them don't even include photos. Sound familiar? Well, stop right there and check in with what you already know: more expensive does not always mean better quality, and it certainly doesn't always mean better value for your dollar.

Before you go shelling out for your top or mid-range options, consider why you were shopping online in the first place: to get a good deal. As for that lack of photos, there can be any number of reasons a hotel booking company doesn't host the cheapest hotels' photographs ("the hotel didn't pay to have them hosted" is one of the most common), and you can certainly find photos of it on Flickr or TripAdvisor.

Even if you are looking for luxury, it's a mistake to assume that the most expensive hotel is going to be the best experience. Here are the 10 reasons to choose the cheaper hotel:

1. You can get a better room.

Do you want the tiniest room in the fanciest hotel, or a fabulous suite in a less expensive hotel? Think about it.

As the unrest in the Middle East continues, the US Department of State has issued a Libya travel warning, advising Americans to steer clear of the country, and especially of "gatherings" there. The Wall Street Journal reports:

"'U.S. citizens in Libya should minimize overall travel in-country, exercise extreme caution when traveling, and limit all travel after dark,' the US said in a travel advisory. It said demonstrations, violence and looting were all possible over the next several days, and urged US citizens to stay away from any gatherings.

'Even peaceful ones can quickly become unruly and a foreigner could become a target of harassment, or worse,' according to the State Department advisory."

I know I'm not the only one who will have no trouble staying out of Libya in the near future. Confession time: I had never considered going there. So, why do people travel to Libya? Gadling's Tom Johansmeyer posted about a package deal there back in August 2010 (An easy way to get to Libya), with quotes about its "archaeological riches" and "a sense of discovery in a land virtually unknown to the modern world." Libya also reportedly has 1250 miles of coastline "teeming with underwater wrecks, ruins and Nazi gold," making it a highly-prized scuba diving destination (see: Diving in Libya). Furthermore, it's a popular cruise ship port for the British and Italians (see: Will Libya Again Open to US Cruise Passengers?).

In case you or any of your friends were already in-the-know about the secret wonders of Libya, Americans in Libya are being urged to contact the embassy in Tripoli with the following contact details:

• +218 (0)21-337-3250
• After business hours: 091-220-5207
• LibyaEmergencyUSC@state.gov

[Source: WSJ]

[Photo by anniemullinsuk via Flickr.]

De Odor Works is a stainless steel ... object, for lack of a better word, which claims to be able to eliminate all bodily odors with nothing more than running water. I have trouble believing this could be true, but hey -- I'm still totally interested. If it works, it could be really helpful on trips to regions where toiletries are hard to come by, and possibly replace some of the everyday de-odorizing potions like foot odor spray or even anti-perspirant. Right? Well, let's give it a whirl!

From the manual:

"Body odor comes from bacteria growing on the body. These bacteria multiply rapidly in the presence of sweat (which is odorless). Body odor may be present in your under arm, feet, groin, anus, genitals and public area. What one smells is the bacteria multiplying on the skin in the presence of sweat. Washing with soap and water does not eliminate these odor-causing bacteria but using De Odor Works with tap water will remove the odor."

Really?

Scientific test time. As directed, I took a shower and rubbed this stainless steel thingamajig under my underarms for thirty seconds at a time, as well as on the soles of my feet. Now, all I have to do is wait.

Planning to pop the question? Woodlands Inn, a five-star, five-diamond Salamander Hospitality property in Summerville, South Carolina (just a short drive from Charleston) has enlisted a team of Betrothal Butlers to be at your beck and call as you plan your perfect proposal.

This special service is launching for Valentine's Day, but will be available throughout 2011, so if you're considering an "engagement-cation" this year, but overwhelmed by the planning it requires, this may be exactly what you need! Here's just some of what the Betrothal Butlers can do to help in this gorgeously traditional setting:

• Provide expert advice with all aspects of proposal planning. People propose at hotels all the time. These guys know what's up and what works best.
• Special delivery of the ring. Hiding the ring can be hugely stressful when all you've got is a suitcase. Let the Betrothal Butlers help you out -- they can even deliver the ring in a glass of champagne, movie-style.
• Creative dinner menu choices. Obviously, you want your beloved to have pretty much the best dinner ever. Inject extra romance with personalized selections.
• Capture the moment on camera. So many of us wish the moment of our engagement could have been captured on camera! The Betrothal Butlers are totally on this. And they're discreet.

The Betrothal Butler service is complimentary for dining and overnight guests of Woodlands Inn -- and we love its formalization as a "service;" sometimes you feel like you're driving a hotel crazy or like you're the first person who's ever requested help with a proposal when asking for help. This is one of those few situations where you do deserve special treatment, and so does your intended!

If you are intending to head to Woodlands Inn for Valentine's Day, they have a Romance Package for Febraury 11-14, which includes overnight accommodations, champagne and chocolate upon arrival, a three-course dinner for two with wine, and breakfast for two the next morning (in the room or the resturant) starting at $599. Not too shabby. Call (800) 774-9999 to book the package.

No one really knows how to take the best passport photos. To smile, or not to smile? It's a question we all ask ourselves, but usually not until we're half a second from that snap of the camera which will define our official "look" for the next ten years. The result? We tend to look confused, undecided, and in some cases, mildly criminal.

Click through the gallery below for ten passport photos which look like they were taken in the clink, and the crimes the "offenders" look like they committed.

(Sorry, but if you post your passport photo on Flickr under the creative commons license, you are kind of asking for this):

Gallery: Ten Passport Photos that Look Like Mug Shots

You can avoid this fate. While most of us go to the local drug store or the post office to get the picture done (we want to make sure all the guidelines are met), you can take the passport photo in the comfort of your own home. Here are the official passport photo guidelines (via travel.state.gov):

Habitat for Humanity has partnered with Asia Pulp & Paper, one of the world's largest paper producers, to bring a struggling village in Indonesia out of poverty in an unusual way: by making it into an eco-tourism destination where visitors can stay with families.

This controversial conversion will take place in Soran, a village where 60 percent of the resident families live below the poverty line, despite their long traditions of creating crafts and music, and their location near to one of Indonesia's most precious attractions, Prambanan Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the Central Java region.

The Soran project will improve living quarters for most families by adding guest accommodations, expanding kitchens for the preparation of guest meals, earthquake proofing and adding laundry facilities. Furthermore, the project will train-to-employ over 250 villagers as laundry management workers (50), cooks of traditional foods (100) and performers and marketers of the village's traditional arts (100 families). Over 100 villagers will also be trained in "disaster risk mitigation."

You can watch Habitat for Humanity coordinator Johannes Sigit P. talk about this first-of-its-kind for HfH project in the video above. What do you think?

Valencia, Spain is home to the Tin Soldier Museum, Museo L'Iber, the world's largest collection of tin soldiers (they have over 80,000). They have tin dinosaurs, tin designer fashions, tin Iraq war scenes and tin royalty. The museum is actually an amazing historical resource, as important political and international scenes from across the ages are set up and portrayed as accurately as possible in tin and toys. Naturally, Spain gets the most attention. If you're going for a visit, which costs just €4, bring a guide who can translate for you; they don't have English descriptions for the exhibits. And, if you're a collector, bring your wallet -- there's an impressive gift shop with miniature treasures you won't likely be able to resist.

The Tin Soldier Museum collection belongs to D. Alvaro Noguera Gimenez. The Gimenez family bought the building which houses the museum around the time of the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939). The building has an event space and apartments which the family rents to keep the museum afloat. Pretty smart!

The Tin Soldier Museum contains reportedly over 1 million tin and toy soldiers, though just 80,000 are on display. Here are some highlights from the collection:

General Franco

Christmastime is a special time for Christians, and also for non-Christians who don't mind the excuse to decorate, eat, and exchange presents. One of the main chagrins of perpetual travelers is that they often find themselves in the wrong city for Christmas. Being away from family is one thing, but sometimes, December 25 can roll by without feeling like a "real Christmas" at all. I feel weird even celebrating sans snow.

I understand that not all Gadling readers observe the Christmas holiday, but I do, and this is for those of you who do, too -- and who knows? Maybe even some people who don't celebrate Christmas can appreciate this article in the spirit in which it was intended: lightheartedly. Here are 10 clear signs you're in the wrong city for Christmas.

You know you're in the wrong city for Christmas when...

Once upon a time, the Turia River ran through Valencia, Spain, cradling the Old Town and flowing into the Mediterranean Sea just to the east. The river was prone to floods, and in 1957, a particularly nasty one did massive damage to the city and even killed many of its citizens. The Valencians had had enough and decided to show mother nature who's boss. They diverted the river out of the city and turned the riverbed into a fabulous eco-park.

Bit by bit over the years, they have added things to the riverbed garden park, from playgrounds to fountains and even major buildings. The influences of the Arabs, Romans and Christians are all present, and the bridges, some of which date back to the 15th century, still cross the river, so you won't find any cars disturbing the peace.

I took a bike tour through the riverbed in Valencia and encountered all sorts of unexpected and awesome things. Here are ten of them.